My hamper floweth over

Every May, our lives become a whirlwind of activities. End of the year this, end of the season that, it seems like every evening there is some obligatory activity.

Usually, I become so overwhelmed by all of it that I forget that when it's all over, there will be a great void of organized activities. And that my kids need structure. They are so used to a full schedule that a switch to full days of free time leads to utter chaos.

This year, however, I am prepared. I have new books, computer games and arts and crafts up my sleeves. I know that I need to go over the days plans at breakfast. I am confident! I am woman! Hear me roar!


Here are a few pics of some of the things that have kept us on the go as of late:





A picture of all of the kids following the oldest girls' concert. They are getting better at this whole smiling for the camera, no?




Yet another "brainiac". Yep, that's Max holding a real human brain at math and science night at school.



Some soccer pics. I have to take a minute to give a shout out to Coach Tyler. Thank you for taking our team of misfits and turning them into a team that could hold their heads high (and us parents, too). Even Max got the hang of it by the end of the season, mostly. Notice the picture at the bottom where he is walking with the other team in the "good game" line. He's three, people. He went from laying face down on the field, to running with the ball to the other field (still need t o get some footage of that up, it was too funny), to stopping when the whistle was blown and kicking the ball in the general direction of the other teams goal. Can't ask for more than that.







We went to Kansas City a few weekends ago to visit my sister and I took the older two girls to see Wicked again. It was amazing again. The little kids and Chad had fun at Science City. It was a great trip.

AND... only TWO SLEEPS until family camp! AND.....I am almost done packing!!!!

Yep, I can feel an awesome summer on its way...

I mean it. I really want some feedback here. I need to know if I am just a crazy overprotective mom, or just a mildly crazy mom.

i don't let my preteens wear skimpy bikinis. I feel like they are more for laying out than for actually swimming. They can wear tankinis, or bikinis with a more sports bra like top, but there has to be more material up top than two tiny triangles of fabric.

I don't let my sixth grader pluck her eyebrows. she did it without permission, and I am making her let them grow back as punishment. I know, I know, I'll have to sit through a therapy session about it when she's older. It won't be as painful for me as the ones where she recounts how I made her drink dish soap when she had the stomach flu (mistaking it for Gatorade) or the one time she walked in on mommy and daddy wrestling. I will rethink the whole eyebrow thing next year.

Friday, I went to pick up my sixth grader from school, and she came to the van carrying 4 cans of Red Bull. She could tell by the look on my face I was not pleased, and she tried to reassure me that she was only drinking one of them, the rest were empty cans she had picked up to put in our recycling bin. I told her I was proud she thought to recycle them, but asked her where they came from. She told me a car with a big Red Bull can had driven up and handed them out to the students. For free! Wasn't that nice? I went on a rant about while I wasn't mad at her, I was pretty upset that the school hadn't stopped them, and how the person who did it found it okay to hand out a product not meant for children to children. I told her that caffeine, especially in that high amount, is a drug, and told her I feel about the same about them passing them out as I would if a big camel came to hand out cigarettes. Okay, I know that is a bit of an exaggeration, trust me, Jordan reminded me that I would be "way more mad" about that, but honestly? I'm still pretty mad. I am shocked that there isn't an age limit on any of the "energy" products, and also that they seem to be marketing them more and more towards children.

So, the meanest mom ever? Or just in the top ten. You be the judge.

One day, at work, I was talking to a few of the kids in my class, two year olds, about their younger siblings. One little girl walks up and says "I'm a big sister." knowing she's an only child, I called her silly and tickled her. The look of two year old I-will-make-myself-heard-you-will-understand-me determination crosses her face and she says "No, I'm going to be a big sister."

I mention it to her mom after school, and she tells me she is indeed going to be a big sister.

After she leaves, I remember that her daughter had fifths disease the week before, so on Monday I ask if her ob was aware that she was exposed. She tells me yes, they were mildly concerned, but everything is okay.

Today we found out a child who comes opposite days of her has hand foot and mouth. I mention it to her and that the info sheet they handed us says to call your doctor if you are exposed. I tell her that htey aren't ever in class together, he hasn't been there in a week, but I just wanted her to be aware.

That all sounds kosher, right?

Only today when I was talking to her she was standing next to another mother in my class, a friend of hers.

Yeah, and her friends looks very perplexed and says, "Is there something you haven't told me?"

I. SUCK.

I wanted to crawl in a hole.

She says "Didn't I tell you? I'm only 14 weeks."

If I thought it would make things better, I'd write her a letter...