Friday, February 26, 2010

A terrible horrible no good very bad day

Yesterday, I took my car to be inspected. The guy came out and said, "I have some good news and some bad news. I'll start with the bad news. You need 3 new tires - well, really 4."

I was so annoyed. Actually annoyed does not really described it. When you are trying to live with some fiscal responsibility, the cost for 4 new tires, was not in the cards. I realize fiscally responsible people would have saved for an event like this but well, clearly, "trying" is the operative word in that sentence.

He gave me a quote but I decided to make a few phone calls before giving him the green light. First call was to Jonathan because I hate to feel alone in all this bad news. I really wanted him to feel the pain with me. And while I do think he felt the pain, he also said, "Yeah, I kind of knew we needed new tires." Really. Nice to have clued me in. Here I am, driving around all over creation with your off spring on a daily basis, in snow, sleet and rain no less. You might have mentioned it. I didn't say all that but my silence speaks volumes.

Next call was to NTB. I asked for a quote and then waited and waited and waited. While waiting, it occurred to me, I had yet to find out what the good news was. So I asked the guy. "Oh, there wasn't any, really..." But I respect his attempt to make this all better. He was feeling my pain and a little sympathy goes a long way.

Turns out the cost at NTB was the same as this local place around the corner so I gave them the green light - and made sure they take American Express because do you how expensive tires are????

Later.......In the midths of some ridiculous weather, our power went out. It went out right as we put the kids to bed and sat down with our Oreo's and beer. (The Oreo's were mine, the beer was Jonathan's.) Of course the kids were all freaked out so we had to go upstairs and basically go to sleep with them. I'm not generally opposed to going to bed at 8 o'clock, but I generally like to indulge in a bit of dessert before heading up. The thought of dessert is often what gets me through the day. Sad, but true. So shoved a couple Oreo's in my mouth and headed up.

The good news is the lights came on about 2 hours later. The bad news (more bad news) is that we discovered our back basement room is still getting some water. It was the perfect ending to a bad day.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Where do these people come from

Sweet Pea: I don't think I am comfortable with you reading my e-mailings.

Me: Well then I guess you don't gave to have e-mail, given you are 8 and all.

Sweet Pea: There are just some things I don't want you to read.

Me: Exactly. You do know you are only 8, right?

Sweet Pea:
Big eye roll

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Me: JJ! Those are the same pants and socks you had on yesterday.

JJ: I know. I wanted to wear them again.

Me: You can't. They're dirty. That's gross.

JJ: Well then you should have washed them during the night.

Right because its not enough I am a slave to you during the day. I should have to work through the night too.

JJ: These pants make make me cool and I am going to wear them.

This was a battle I chose not to fight.

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Turns out when you go the ER and have an x-ray, and they tell you your daughter's thumb is not broken, they have no idea what they are talking about.

This was taken three days later.....



I am not sure I can live with the hot pink for three weeks. I pushed really hard for purple to no avail, obviously.

You can see in the picture how happy she was. She was THRILLED to get the cast. Until we were in the car and she had a itch. It could be a long three weeks of, "Can you helllllllllp me? I have a cast.....whahwhawhah......." And we'll have to be appropriately sympathetic because we treated her all week like she had a bruised thumb and basically told her to suck it up. (In our defense that is what they told us.) Regardless, no doubt she will make us pay.
Let me start this of by saying we are as guilty as anyone for letting our kids pass the time at a restaurant playing with their DS's and our iphones, at least until the food comes. But there are limits....at least WE have limits.

Last night, I took the kids out to dinner. As we were sitting at our table, I glanced over and saw a family of four sitting a few tables away. A mom, dad, and two young kids. Right between the two young kids was a portable DVD player. The kids were watching Dora The Explorer, RIGHT there in the restaurant. I tried VERY hard not to judge. We all like and need a night out, and with kids that often means taking them with you. We also ALL know, how hard it can be for young kids to sit still and if you're going to pay to go out for dinner, well you want to enjoy the benefits of all that going out has to offer, i.e. not screaming, whining children who are ruining what is suppose to be a relaxing and pleasant experience. But really, a DVD player right there in the restaurant?

I am pretty lax about these things. My kids often eat with the TV on, mostly because during the week we are not all eating together and I am doing other things while they are eating. (Feel free to just chalk this us to another bad parenting decision.) But for me, part of what I love about going to a restaurant is that we can just sit and chat together. There is nothing else to do - no other interruptions around. It almost forces the family dinner, and even better, when your kids refuse to eat it, at least you didn't waste the time cooking it.

If your kids cannot sit at a restaurant without TV, my first thought is you should not be taking your kids to a restaurant. My second thought is, if your kids cannot sit at a table without a TV, it may very well be because you sit your kids at a table at a restaurant with TV. Crazy insight I know.

In my effort not to judge (I think I am failing at this) I suppose it is possible some kids have "issues" that cannot be managed like most other kids and perhaps these parents were at their wits ends and just HAD to get out and did what they had to do to have a much needed break. I am choosing to believe this may have been the case, because otherwise....get the freaking TV off the table and talk to you kids, or at least scream at them to sit down and behave like the rest of us!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Skating in our back yard.....



Well, it's not exactly OUR yard, but it is behind our house.

This was right before we discovered Jason had a 102 fever - thus explaining why he was shaking like a leaf while on the ice. It's not easy to skate when your whole body is convulsing.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

My daughter is obsessed with technology - primarily the computer, and e-mail in particular. She wants to check her e-mail ALL the time. Not only that, she is constantly organizing her e-mail. She has files for every person she corresponds with. They are color coordinated! I am telling you, she could teach classes to people about the ins and outs of managing your gmail account. Have I mentioned she is 8?

I know I am partiality to blame. We constantly have the computer out and we too are often checking our e-mail or on the Internet. The fact is, its our source of information - ALL information. We read the paper on-line so we are constantly staring at the computer. I know this does not set a good example, but I found myself having a hard timing setting time perimeters for her, and myself for that matter.

We recently banned her from the computer in the morning. And then I decided a 1/2 hour a night was sufficient. But I am finding it a little hard to stick to. The fact is she so enjoys writing and this is an outlet for her - maybe even a bit therapeutic. Especially since we moved, there are lots of people she genuinely wants to keep in touch with. She e-mails her old teacher, her teacher's aid, her friends. Even a few boys who she would never have admitted to being friends with at school. Their conversations are so cute. (We can read all her e-mail so its not like I am worried she is doing anything wrong. Sweet Pea may be many things but she is, at least for the moment very much a rule follower. Lord help us if, dare I say WHEN, that changes.)

I think I may have to approach this like a diet - moderation.

Coincidentally, I just stumbled upon this article. Good to know there are at least some redeeming values to all this screen time.