Digging Out

Today was a red-letter day.

I took the garbage out wearing my black flats.

This is an accomplishment, you see, because today was the first day I wore something other than thick winter boots on my feet. And why the winter boots, you say?

Because of the snow. Lots and lots and lots of snow.

Now, you have to understand that here in the Pacific Northwest, we're lucky if we get one or two snowfalls per winter, which tend to stick around for a day or two before the thaw sets in. This year, however, we had snow on six of the seven days prior to Christmas, including one day when it snowed for nine hours straight.

Let me tell you, it messed everything up. We northwesterners aren't accustomed to snow that, you know, lasts. We don't have experience driving on it, shoveling it, or (heavens!) looking at it for days at a time. There were benefits, of course. Lots of family time -- we took long walks through town enjoying the Christmas lights, held incredibly long snowball fights, and helped the kids make snow forts and find the best icicles for Harry Potter-style wands. And having a truly white Christmas was something we rarely experience.

On the other hand, I haven't driven in over a week and a half, finishing the Christmas shopping was an exercise in futility (one nephew still doesn't have a gift), and holiday plans were shifted, postponed, and even scrapped altogether.

So, though it's a little sad to see the lovely white snow melt away, I'm not disappointed to have life get back to normal again.

How is your post-holiday season treating you?

Sad Days

Conversation with my youngest this morning, following a family funeral on Saturday...

KID: Is Uncle Jim in heaven now?
ME: Yes, he is.
KID: Can we still love him?
ME: Of course. Even when people are gone we can still love them.
KID: Yay! (pause) I can't kiss him, though.
ME: No, that would be hard now.
KID: (Long pause) Well, I can kiss him in my heart.

In memory of my Uncle Jim, who died on Nov 4, 2008, following a long battle with lung cancer.

The Jack Benny Birthday

1. Never let your children know *what* birthday you're celebrating. They will gladly share it with their schoolmates, their schoolmates' parents, the principal of the school, and the wait staff at Red Robin.

2. When you turn 39, people jokingly ask "which 39th birthday is it?"

3. The free birthday sundae at Red Robin is almost worth the embarrassment of having your waiter announce to everyone that you're celebrating your 39th birthday today. Five minutes later, they make the same announcement about a four year old.

4. In all, it was a lovely birthday. I got some fabulous gifts -- including some camping cookware that my parents evidently smuggled into the house and hid in the dress-up box over a week ago, with the collusion of the kids, who managed to keep it totally quiet until the actual birthday. If you knew my kids, you'd be very impressed. Keeping secrets is not a strong suit.

5. I also got a sleeping bag, a new watch, a Barnes and Noble gift card (squeeeee!), and a plane ticket to California, so I can attend a very good friend's wedding. Yay!

What's the best present you ever got?

Note to Self...

...do not attempt to change blog format during the last week of school.

Yes, I'll be posting more in the near future. Even with all the kids home for the summer. But trying to fit blogging in with three fastpitch games, end of year paperwork for the day job, three assemblies, five appointments, and countless other interruptions was an exercise in futility.

On the bright side, the flat tire was fixable (for only $12! Woo-hoo!)

Best. Mother's Day. Ever.

So yesterday morning I wake up to find the DH has made cinnamon rolls for breakfast AND done the dishes. Nice way to start the day! After breakfast we headed to the family room where the kids gave me their school-made presents -- a bookmark, a sachet, a decorated mug -- and I opened a few cards. Then the DH handed me a card from the kids with a post-it inside.

Thus started my adventure. In order, here are the clues:

1. Happy Mom's Day to you. Look in my closet in one of my shoes.

2. (In DH's dress shoe) You found me, way to be. Look by the TV.

3. (Under the back right corner of the downstairs television) Back upstairs you go. To the medicine cabinet. Don't be slow.

4. (Tucked in toothbrush packaging) Down you go pitter patter pitter pat. Look inside the Western hat.

5. (WWU baseball cap in front closet) Outside you go to the garage what a drag. Check out the lawn mower bag.

6. (Lawn mower bag, of course, in our detached garage.) What a long way you went. Back inside to child #3's tent.

7. (Play tent in child's room) You found this one, ain't life grand? Go check inside your lovely van.

8. (Under back seat) Go go go you are moving real slow. You will surely thank the kids a bunch. How about some Cap'n Crunch?

9. (Bottom of box in cabinet) Upstairs I do command. Do you think it's in a nightstand?

10. (Bottom drawer of DH's nightstand) To the basement shoo shoo shoo. I really want you to Love Me Do.

11. (Do you KNOW how many Beatles CDs we own? I do now. In the jewel box.) I hope you've had a nice trip. Look in the family room rip.

12. (Our family room couch has a rip in one of the cushions. It's there.) The treasure is close and not so faint, where do we keep the paint?

13. (Paint cabinet in basement) This is exhausting, you look really pale. Maybe you should send the mail.

14. (In mailbox on porch) They will say she ran and she ran. How about the X-mas tree stand?

15. (Back to the basement and the holiday decorations) The treasure you want so make your stand. I think it is in one of your baby's hands.

Back to the family room, where the three kids are standing in a row with their hands behind their backs. Middle child finally hands me a wrapped present, which I open to find a velvet box. Inside is this:

It's hard to see the colors, but it's a mother's birthstone pendant with my kids' birthstones -- peridot, diamond, peridot. Absolutely gorgeous, and completely unexpected. DH really outdid himself this year.

Then we headed to the in-laws for lunch and an impromptu game of Wiffleball -- kids against grown-ups -- before collapsing for the night. It was all in all a perfect day.

Hope your Mother's Day was everything you wanted it to be!

What Do You Do With The Teeth?

This is something I never thought of before I became a parent.

But seriously, what do you do with their baby teeth when they start falling out?

I've got two kids shedding teeth at an alarming rate these days, and after the tooth fairy comes (and that's another story altogether), she's just not sure what to do with those no-longer-useful teeth.

Throwing them away seems sad, in a way, but am I really supposed to KEEP them? I mean, ew.

So if you're a parent, what do you do? If you aren't, but have an opinion, toss that my way, too. The back of my jewelry box is getting a little full.

You Know It's Going To Be A Long Day...

...when your four year old throws up in your purse.

Sigh.

Hope your day is going better than mine!

Unofficial Thursday Thirteen -- Hannah Montana Edition

So I'm starting NaNoWriMo today, plus it's end-of-the-month reports for the day job, so I just can't find the time to work up an official TT this week, with a header and links to the main blog and all. But I do have 13 things to share about the Hannah Montana concert anyway, so here they are...

1. 10,000-plus elementary age girls shrieking in unison is enough to make your ears bleed.

2. 10,000-plus elementary age girls shriek at *anything*.

• The curtain moved! AAAAAAAH!


• Look! It's a roadie! EEEEEEEEK!


• Wow! There's an HP commercial on the big screen! WOOOOOOO!

3. Fire prevention week works. My middle child was terrified that the pyrotechnic show was going to burn the arena down.

4. The Jonas Brothers are cute, in a jail-bait, way too young for me sort of way.

5. I actually know more Jonas Brothers songs than I thought I did.

6. Those same shrieking elementary age girls actually sound pretty good singing along with Hannah Montana.

7. Glowsticks have replaced lighters, though lit-up cell phone screens are a close second.

8. I read a review that said the equal time given Miley Cyrus's songs was like going to a concert given by a classic rock band that refuses to play any of their old hits. I'd agree--though the songs were all fun and well-done, the audience was far less familiar with them and there wasn't as much enthusiasm for them. Plus, so many Hannah hits were left off the playlist, I'm sure some fans were disappointed.

9. Okay, yes, I admit it. I wanted to hear If We Were A Movie. Sue me.

10. In case anyone is wondering, I bought the tickets for face value. I love my kids, but not enough to pay a scalper the exorbitant rates asked for this show.

11. The girl can sing. And dance. And change clothes. (A costume change every two songs! I'm a little jealous.)

12. I would never have gone to see the show if I hadn't had children to take. But I'm really glad I went -- it was lots of fun, and a real joy to see my kids having such a good time.

13. I'm especially glad I got to be part of my kids' first concert experience. And this was a perfect first show.

So that's it for concerts for me until December. And how opposite end of the spectrum can you get in six days -- Neil Young to Hannah Montana? :)

My first concert was fifteen minutes of a Belinda Carlisle show at Bumbershoot during a lunch break (I sold ice cream at Bumbershoot and FolkLife for years). How about you? What was your first show?

Begone, Bobby Jack....

...or, the trauma of shopping for kids' clothes.

Do you have an elementary-aged daughter?

If so, you've probably heard of Bobby Jack. This clothing brand, which seems to have burst out of nowhere in the past couple of years, is the greatest thing since sliced bread at my oldest's school.

According to her, everyone wears Bobby Jack clothes.

Except for her, who has the meanest Mom in the whole entire world.

In the first place, I'm not fond of branded clothing. Give me something that doesn't have a cartoon character, movie tie-in, or pop star on it, please. Plus, a lot of the slogans on Bobby Jack stuff are just a little too snarky for my tastes.

I like snark, but not on my eight year old.

So we went to the store tonight, and the BIGGEST SECTION in the entire girls' department? Bobby Jack. Ran into a former teammate of hers? Wearing Bobby Jack. Bobby Jack, Bobby Jack, Bobby Jack. And I admit, the colors and styles can be cute, and some of the shirts aren't as snarky as others. But I held my ground. We left "Don't Call Me I'll Call You (In Your Dreams)," "My Attitude-Your Problem", and "Blah Blah Not Listening" in the store.

I predict in a year or two Bobby Jack will be replaced by some new trend. And I'll probably still be the mean mommy who won't let my kid wear it. :)