(Can I begin by saying how much I love my children. I love them. I laugh with them, I play with them, I do fun things with them, I look at them when they are sleeping and think they look like little angels. Sometimes I tear up watching their cute little faces. We watch movies together, I teach them things, read them books, we cook together, I encourage their hobbies, etc., etc. I love them very very much.
Thank you. We will now return to your normally scheduled reading.)
It is a different atmosphere with all of my little angels home all day long. Indeed, since a certain seven year old, who shall remain nameless (but it rhymes with ache...as in my head) returned to the roost after spending long, arduous days in the First Grade, things have been more difficult. You mean, I CAN'T play Super Smash Bros. for six straight hours?! What do you mean I am not watching 432 hours of Avatar: The Last Air Bender? Did you just say you want me to clean the toilet?! What is this, the State Penn?! In an effort to fill his time, this certain young man has taken up a new hobby. Debate.
Jake is not alone in this, however. Yesterday Grace was yelling at Jake, and I had to laugh when I heard her say, "I am NEVER playing with you AGAIN! I am NEVER playing with you again UNTIL MIDNIGHT!"
Our fun summer (yippee!) is even darker when I look at other blogs and get a case of serious blenvy. You know, blog envy. Oh, you do know, don't you? Blenvy seems to hit the hardest in the summer when it appears as though every other family in the blogger world is in Italy, France, Hawaii or Magical Fun Land. Every blog is laden with pictures of things like...
We had so much fun at the beach! Look closely at this picture and you can see the pod of sweet dolphins who swam over to us and offered rides under the beautiful sunset.
We went to the beach, too. Wanna see our pictures? Oh, sorry, there are none. Nathan was screaming like a wild banshee the entire time and I had to chase Grace up and down the coast. Everyone had sand in painful places, and I had to lug 2 tons of beach gear back to the car up a hill comparable to, say, Mount Kilimanjaro. Aloha!
Here are some of our fun summer pictures:
Ahhhh, summertime and the livin's easy!
Yesterday I went to Target and was granted a small beacon of hope. As I heaved boxes of diapers and goldfish into the shopping cart, suddenly a heavenly host began blaring trumpets and singing "Make New Friends but Keep the Old" in the far corner of the store. I followed their melodious tunes, picking up pace through the aisles, and discovered a beautiful sight. Backpacks! Pencils! Crayons! Glue Sticks! And big signs beaming "Back to School!" Oh yes, there is hope. I can make it through. Soon enough, I will be dropping the fight club members off at school, waving, "Have a great day!" before I race home to watch the View and eat bon bons.
And do you know what I will also do on that first day of school? Cry. Be sad. And miss my two oldest who aren't with me all day anymore.
(And then I will probably put Nathan down for a nap and go back to my bon bons.)
12 comments:
One of my favorite commercials is the Staples one where they are singing Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and the dad is skipping down the aisle shopping for school while the kids drag their feet behind him.
Hilarious. And so was your post.
Our annual Back-to-School Shop 'Til You Drop outing is only a week away. Seeing the pile of new school clothes, crayons and pencils will give you hope to cling to during the month of August. (By the way, am I the one who was going to bring the roll of duct tape to strap kids to the stroller and tape mouths shut, or was it you?)
This was the best post ever. Blenvy? Hilarious! I like that new term. I was laughing as you described your beach day. Mount Kilimanjaro!
And what is it with Avatar? Sometimes I turn the tv on and it's on that channel and I'll actually start watching it, wondering what the heck it's about. Who is he? Does he live with his grandpa? What happened to his parents?
At least your kids will be going to school soon. 3 more years baby.
What's flikr? And did we ever find out if Jenna won the cutest baby photo contest? I mean....did she get second to Nathan?
Truly hilarious! I too have experienced this "blenvy" that you speak of. I am pretty sure that we are the ONLY family in the free world that has not attended a family reunion this summer.
I LOVE YOU!! Today Tanner is at the babysitters all day because I am so tired! He is so full of energy and I am so sick and tired. Last night with tears in my eyes I told Kipp that Tanner wears me out. I felt like such a bad mom saying that. I am 10 weeks now and I hope to feel like myself again soon. Till then Tanner is going to go to his babysitter 2 days a week. Momma need a break. I love him so much! What I am trying to say is that I totally relate to your post. And again, I love you!
FINALLY someone else that doesn't "love the summer because they can spend MORE time with their kids" I am quoting b/c I have seriously heard a few people say this...well maybe not a few but at least 2 that I can think of right off the bat. One of these is also the mother who thinks its cute and explorative (don't know if thats a word) when their kids dump 5lbs of flour on top of a bag of powdered sugar and try and clean it up with wet toilet paper and dolls hair. Here's the link if you don't believe me. http://carnegiehilljournal.blogspot.com/
Anyway all that to say that I agree with you summer is super hard which is why we are in DC with my family all summer so that I have other people to keep my kids busy.
PS-Kipp Loves Avatar too! He recorded the movie. Maybe he and Jake can have a play date and talk about the Fire benders and Water benders!
Kassie, I have read it a bazillion times too, and every time I do I think I must be the worst mom for praying for September to come quickly! I am going to read the flour/doll hair story. It better end with red butts.
Robyn, some baby with over 100,000 votes won. Clearly the parents do not watch Flipping Out and Shear Genius at night, as they voted 100,000 times. But Jenna had a very high score, so she should not feel disappointed in her efforts.
Cortney, our reunion is called going to my parents. The end!
Sarah, Matt is really excited that Kipp feels that way about Avatar. He watched the movie, and claims that Avatar is the best cartoon ever made. With total seriousness. I think he wants to tattoo a blue arrow on his forehead. And you better be resting and plopping TanMan in front of hours of Handy Manny. You deserve it!
Robyn told me about your post and I had to read it. That was by far the funniest thing I've read in a while. It is so true. That is why I try not to look at blogs so much anymore. It is too much sometimes. You are normal, some of these other people...well I'm not so sure. Good luck during the last few weeks you have left of summer.
HAHAH! My favorite part...
"Dolphins that swam over and offered beuatiful rides to us"....Why is that so funny to me?
I love you because you're real and you write for you!!
Have NO idea what AVATAR is?
Back to school shopping is always full of fun and joy for the kids.
I guess I might as well come out of the closet. I've been "blog stalking" your site for a couple of weeks now. But after reading this post I was laughing so hard I had tears rolling down my face. As a mother of 4 (all ages 5 and under) I can TOTALLY relate! Hilarious, as always. Thanks for a good laugh...
Lindsay
Memphis, TN
BTW--I have NO IDEA how I ended up on your blog...but feel free to check ours out so you won't think I'm some crazy lady. (Hopefully I have not scared you into setting your site to private.) :)
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