Now what?
So after writing my last blog about wanting my son to take up karate again - and completely unprompted by me I swear! - my son announced in the car the other night: “Mom, I think I want to do karate.”
It was after his last swim lesson for the session. He must have made some type of connection because he gave that as his reason a few moments later.
Then his little sister chimed up that she wanted to do the same.
Funny, because now I’m having second thoughts!
This week, we had gymnastics one night and two nights of make-up swimming lessons. The one last night was cancelled at the last moment by the pool facility and I have to admit - I was relieved.
Exhausted from work, I was ready for the prospect of just picking up the kids from camp and going home. There, my daughter and I plopped in front of the TV to watch a Disney DVD while my son and his dad played on the computer.
I know, so much for unplugging the kids.
But I just did not have the energy to take them anywhere (other than picking up Subway for dinner).
So now what? I don’t know. I looked at the karate schedule and my daughter is too young for the class at the gym where we take gymnastics and she is too young for the parks and recreation class.
That means we could go back to the karate school we were at in May - but the kids still would be in different classes, on different days of the week.
And really, that’s what I’m trying to avoid.

Sometimes, simple is best.
After our whirlwind vacation last summer on a cruise with my inlaws (VERY FUN), we decided to chill out this summer at my parents’ place in north-eastern Arizona.
And chill we did.
I can’t remember a more relaxing vacation. We brought clothes, books, movies and - yes - a video game or two with us.
In the end, much of our time was spent outdoors. We went fishing, took naps on the porch hammock and ventured into the woods on “adventures,” as my son called them. We had a campfire and - for the first time - taught the kids how to roast marshmellows.
Basically, we reconnected as family, something that’s often missed during our rush of two working parents and two schoolage kiddos.
We didn’t even break out the video games until the last three days of our nine-day trip.
Here are a few shots of the kids. I thought I would share, if only to have them available to remind myself how nice “simple” can be.

Recently we spent two fairly “unplugged” days up north at my parents’ cabin. It wasn’t nearly enough. I confess I did have Internet access and a DVD player. But I spent much of the time painting rocks with my daughter, hiking with both kids and reading a book. My kids spent more time than usual playing with toys.
And they never touched the Wii we brought.
I just read about a summer camp in northern Arizona and it brought back memories.
Growing up I got the opportunity to attend weeklong, summer escapes with Girl Scouts and church. No television. No movies.
I remember songs by the camp fire, hikes through the creek and a smore or two.
I don’t know how it’s already the second week of June. My son is in camp here in town, but even there he has access to computers and the Internet. My daughter brought her favorite VHS tape to her daycare/summer camp this week.
One summer, I’d like to completely disconnect. I wonder what the kids would do (what? No Lego.com?). I would still have a CD player (I don’t play the guitar) because music is always a nice background to anything.
A few months back I saw a TV program about a family that spent years sailing. They actually lived on a boat. And nope, they had no television or computer.
If nothing else, summer reminds us that sometimes the best day is one doing not much of anything.

I thought I had it together today. I woke up at 5:45. I knew I had to get gas and drop library books off and I wanted to get into the office early. So I quickly showered, dressed and got breakfast started.
My son woke up right after I did. He ate, got his clothes on and got his things for camp.
I picked out clothes and shoes for my daughter, put them in bags and (thought) I put them in the car.
Then I picked up my sleeping daughter and loaded her into the car seat.
We were at my son’s camp by 7 a.m. and my daughter’s daycare by 7:30.
I remembered bathing suits for swimming lessons. I remembered snack for tomorrow. I remembered her clothes. I even remembered my daughter’s lunch.
I forgot her shoes.
UGH!
So I dropped her off, ran to Wal-Mart, bought at $3 pair of shoes and delivered them back to daycare.
I have spare underware in the car. I have spare clothing.
I even had one shoe, but not two.
So much for having it together!

I’ve decided there are two things saving my sanity right now: a bottle of Drano and the little laundry down by work that will wash and fold for 80 cents a pound. No matter the cleanliness of the tubs in our house, they drains are constantly getting clogged with hair (my daughter and I both share long locks). So, about once a week, I pour a bottle of Drano down. It’s probably wrecking the system and I’m sure the environment. But neither I, nor any other member of my house, has any desire to reach down and there and pull out the offending material. Nor, do I think, could we get to it.
As for the laundry, about last November - mid home remodel - I looked up prices to have someone else do the laundry. I can’t really afford to have someone else come in and clean the home but maybe I could outsource a task or two. I decided the latter.
It’s been a godsend. I still have to sort the socks and put clothes away, (when I don’t gather the troops for help), but it really has made life easier. I still do a few - and yes, more than one! - loads at home each week, but about every other week I take what I can to the laundry. They know me by name now.
And then the kicker this weekend. My daughter and I went shoe shopping - never EVER take a 4 year old fashionista shopping for shoes. Two hours and 15 pairs of tried-on pairs later, I said it was time to go home. We had shoes for me and her brother (Who did not make the trek with us. Smart boy.).
We were looking for something specific (shoes to make my 39″ daughter appear 40″ for our upcoming trip to Disneyland), so she was right to be frustrated that we hadn’t found anything yet.
She said, “Let’s go to Wal-Mart.” I said, “It’s time to go home.”
“I’m going to another family if we don’t go to Wal-Mart.”
UGH!
I don’t even know where she learned that. I laughed so hard all the people shopping around me probably thought I had cracked up (so would you!).
Needless to say, we didn’t go to Wal-Mart. She hasn’t left the family.
And the next day we did get the shoes.
Sorry, got to go. The kids just got out of the shower and I heard my son declare: “Mom! She’s shaking her butt at me!”
Hmmm… maybe it’s a good thing they start camp tomorrow.

How did this happen? How did it get from August to May so quickly?
How can my child be entering the first grade in three months?
But here it is in front of me, and I can say with confidence that he is ready.
We decided late last school year to have him repeat kindergarten. I was pretty comfortable with the decision then and as classes began this school year I knew we had made the right choice.
But as May approached, I did wonder about class size at his school and started looking a little more closely as I made campus visits as a reporter to area charter, district and private schools.
But after my travels the last few weeks - and taking into consideration teachers I’ve met, school times, afterschool activities and cost factors - we’ve decided my son will remain in our public district school.
There is a lot to be said about the school we’re at. For starters, the first-grade teachers I’ve met have it together. They’re very organized. I like their style of teaching. And they have years of experience.
I know there have been concerns posted at evtrib.com and in discussions with parents about class size. But my son’s school is rather small. And from my discussions with staff, I believe he’ll be in a class with about 25 kids next year.
And there’s the fact that staff at the school - from the many teachers he knows to the nurse who knows about my son’s asthma to the afterschool program leaders who are incredible and enthusiastic - are very doting on my son and know his quirks.
I’m looking forward to seeing what afterschool activities will be available to him next year also. I’d love for him to learn Spanish. I know there is a Lego league there. He’ll probably take art again.
I’m grateful we have these opportunities for our kids before us.

Flowers for you

On Sunday, my family and I will head to our Mother’s Day tradition: In-N’-Out Burger. Don’t laugh! It started three years ago when I had a terrible cold/flu one Mother’s Day weekend and all I wanted was a burger. So my kids and husband agreed to In-N’-Out Burger for our Mother’s Day meal. We’ve done it ever since.

This weekend, even my mother-in-law has agreed to join us for our tradition. It’s quirky, I know. But it is so us!
So Happy Mother’s Day to all the women I know who: make breakfast every morning, gather up backpacks before running out the door or to the bus, make weekly trips (or sometimes daily) to the grocery store, balance the family’s books, fold the clothes, ensure there is food in the refrigerator, mend boo-boos, cuddle kids back to sleep at night, make sure homework gets done, know when to just listen and kiss, and enjoy a good Disney flick when they see it (”Bolt” anyone?). Hats off to you for all you do!