Is Baiting Wrong? Or Teenagers Can't Be Trusted.

Lego Policeman - Guard Duty in the Teenagers Room

Today my husband gets serious points for good (sneaky) parenting. Last night when I went to bed I had Tylor log off and put away his electronics - he had the laptop, his phone and his iPad in bed with him...why? I have no clue. When Jim picked up Connor from the dance he came home and immediately had to post on Facebook about the dance. Jim started to go to bed at midnight. He told them to get off and then came to bed. At 12:30 Jim got up again and caught the boys on their electronics - Tylor was down to just two - and told them to go to sleep. Then at 1:30 Jim went in, flipped on the light caught them redhanded (again) - Tylor was down to one - and took everything away and brought it in our room (waking me up in the process).

This morning Jim very nearly jumped out of bed at 9 and went in and woke up the boys. He was a little too enthusiastic and they looked like they had had a bender and were a bit headachy. Aw, poor kids.

I just have to giggle as they are groggily stumbling around the house this morning. Jim really did let them hang themselves and now they are paying for it. Their combined excuse this morning to going back on is that they thought their dad had gone to bed. Makes me smile. Really? That's your best shot?

Paper Works

This wasn't the real start but I forgot to

take pics of what it really started. This

is the recycling from 5 boxes of kid art.

Those 5 boxes turned into 3

labeled and lovely.

Why I hate Rollercoasters

When we were kids Mom and Dad used to take us to the Lane County Fair. It was a whole week's worth of fun and frivolity. I can remember when I could finally go off to do what I wanted for hours on end. My best friend, Jenny, and I would go to the rides and go on all of them just so we could stand near the cute boys. I hated those rides. I think I have always had an inner ear imbalance. I would be dizzy, feel like barfing (and I did a few times) and have a headache. When I got to be about 16 I figured out I could be in line with Jenny and not actually go on the rides. What a relief not to have a headache as we went and got food and walked through the booths, the hawkers trying to pry our few dollars out of our pockets. This week we were on an awful roller coaster. The beginning of the week we were anticipating hearing whether or not Connor would get into the high school he wanted to attend. "If you're on the wait list you're in!", or "It's just a formality, they always have extra space." and my favorite "How can Connor not get in?". Well, he didn't get in. I know this sounds like a whine but it's not. I was in tears. Then I was thinking that maybe this would be okay. Then not. Then I called the charter school he is on the wait list for, he's moved up to 36th - not close enough. Then I was mad. Then I called Leighland High - probably he'll get in but not for 2 or 3 weeks after school starts. Then I was relieved. Then I prayed. Then I decided that I should talk to school again. I have two people writing letters from school, his Scout leader and a Mitty family. I am now in the get-these-in-and-get-on-yet-another-list mode. One more slight chance. I sound like a manic mom. I feel like a manic mom. I feel like I'm on that horrid roller coaster again. I didn't like the way my stomach moved from it's proper place then and I don't like it now.

Yosemite

Tylor left last Monday for a week in Yosemite. They stayed in the Boys Town Cabins. (This has always made me think of a camp for delinquents.) Tylor had Stefan Medan, his best friend pictured here, as a cabin mate as well as, Steven Duffin. Tylor and Stefan complained that Steven snored all night, every night. He was very tired when he got home. Tylor loved the food served for dinner but breakfast and lunch were lacking. They had plenty of snow on the ground so they were able to ski, snow shoe and hike to Yosemite Falls where they were misted thoroughly. He was so happy to get in a decent shower and sleep in his own bed. I was glad for him to be gone and glad when he came back. Isn't that the way of things as they get older?

Caption

Suzanne, my amazing photographer with the magic camera, had us walking on this great bridge. I had just finished yelling at everyone - mostly Tylor - for not cooperating and/or smiling when Suzanne asked, "Who wants to fire mom?". Please notice that Tylor did NOT raise his hand. I'm going to get his hearing checked next week.

Say A Little Prayer

Connor has his HSPT tomorrow. Can we all .. say a little prayer? (this is where my Southern roots want to jump in and say an enthusiastic, "AMEN!".) Forever, dear boy, forever and one day ... no matter what.

A Moment in time

When we moved into our house my father-in-law wanted to give us something. Specifically, he wanted to give the kids something. We found a place that sold these great play structures, very solid pieces that weren't going to tip over in an earthquake or from a kid swinging on it. It took two burly guys about 4 hours to set it up in our backyard. The kids loved it! So, they played on it, rain or shine. They climbed, pretended, made it a fort, made it a tea party house, made me laugh and only one broken arm to boot. (Not my kid)

Last summer they decided they were done with it. I tried to let go. I did. I tried. Every time I looked at it I saw Connor when he was four with his red, white and blue cape climbing up the wall acting like Spiderman. I heard Tylor making truck noises and steering it. I saw Lauren making up the little table with lemonade and cookies and having a tea party with her friends. I still see them as little but they aren't.

I finally posted it on Craig's list this week. Today two guys came and took it down in about an hour. I was very excited, a little giddy in fact. All the things I could do with an extra 20' x 12' !

But ... Now I'm sad. I just gave away a little bit of my kids childhood. I hope the new kids love it as much as mine did. Sniff....

New Title for My First Book

"Is It Okay That I Don't Like My Kids?". Yup. That's the big title. I'm livin' large and starting my novella now. On my blog. Okay, I'm just bringing this up because two of my three kids is in hot water with me. (As I type it is now all 3 of them!)

This morning Lauren got obsessed with finding a watch to wear so she wouldn't have to turn around in class to see how much longer she had in a certain subject. She couldn't put on her shoes, brush her hair, find her sweatshirt or take her backpack. I told her I didn't like her very much this morning. I've felt terrible all day about it but I keep thinking about it and it's still a true statement.

Midday I get an e-mail from one of Connor's teachers. He currently has 17 out of 100 points in class. Really? They've been in school just two weeks. How can this be? Connor didn't do the history summer reading - they handed this out when he was out. So, I check the teacher assignment website. Connor is already missing 4 assignments and has an F in a class. And his teacher says he has a "who cares" attitude. I care too much and am annoyed with him now.

And Tylor? He didn't want to go to the orthodontist. He didn't want to do homework. He wants to go to soccer practice but he has a bruise on his heel. He is whining ... big time!!

This is why I don't like my kids right now. Maybe tomorrow will be better?

My kids ...

...C-man thinks I am cursed above all others. I scolded him on our way home from church for opening the car and then throwing the keys on the ground near the car THEN coming to get me from a friends house about 10 doors down. He was annoyed that I had told him, "We're not staying, really.". I didn't mean to lie but I did. He didn't see that he did anything wrong since neither my purse or the car were ACTUALLY stolen. So, when we got home he decided to do the martyr thing and didn't speak to me for all of 35 minutes. Silence is Golden.

...Bing was in trouble for taking my keys and then giving them to C-man and not remembering what C-man did with them until we got to the car. I know this seems petty on my part but I gave him the keys not C-man.

...The Princess isn't in trouble ... but then again it's still early.

I am currently on the "Bad Mom" list for taking away computer/phone privileges from everyone (it's a longer story than above but I won't go into it). But by tomorrow I shall be redeemed by making Eibleskeevers for breakfast!

Working Widow

There are many things that I like about Jim's job; flexible, steady pay check, decent hours, not many night meetings, can meet me for lunch once in a while, he can bike to work, etc.. But the thing I don't like is being a working widow. He has been traveling quite a bit this year. The kids and I get into a routine while he is gone but things are harder. Being always 'on' is the hardest. Even if the kids are at school you have to be 'on' - available at any moment to rush off. Tylor ran away after school on Thursday and we had a blow-out. I had to call Jim to call Tylor to talk to him because I couldn't do it any more. Only 5 more days until he is home for 6 days and then he is off to China for 8 days. This working widow may be down a kid by then....

Ate Days ...

Out of 51 potential hot lunch meals my kids could get at school they chose a total of 8. Eight. Ate. Lauren, the culinary explorer, chose 5, Tylor, the culinary meanderer, 2 and Connor, force feed me if necessary, 1. One day per month I don't have to make lunch for any of my kids. And the meal that tempts all of them you ask? Teriyaki Chicken over rice with fresh fruit and veggies.

Oh, why not?

I have taken on 3 extra kids for 3 days. We have 3, so, why not 3 more? Let me list the reason:

1. Not 3x the laundry - it would be exponential thus making it 27x more
2. 4 boys in one room maketh that room smelleth ghastly
3. Since it isn't an even 3 girls to 3 boys the girls tend to scream more and the boys beat their chests more - testosterone abounds (see exponential above)
4. My mere 2000 sq ft is not enough space for 5 let alone 8 for longer than a 3 hour cruise

On the plus side:

1. Each child has a matching child to play with - or hang with if you are 12+
2. No one fights along, it's a group effort
3. Shut doors tend to stay shut thus I have no clue what is going on behind them - all good
4. The great outdoors is just that. GREAT!

So, wish me luck. And a side note to Deb: How did you do it???