Mommysloth is Whining!

I almost never watch TV News. I try very hard to listen to no more than a few seconds of news on the radio. I NEVER read a news paper. And I try very hard to avoid the table in the lunch room that is discussing current events. I avoid all media related to current events because I am an emotional wimp. I am too easily depressed or upset by what I hear and, in most cases, I can do nothing to change what is/has been going on. So all those feelings of upset serve no productive purpose.

HOWEVER, even I am aware of the gas situation in Georgia! I've tried very hard not to panic or hoard. I've spent a considerable amount of time working to combine trips and plan my route in such a way as to use the least amount of gas. But today I reached a near crisis point. I either needed to find gas, commit to sleeping tonight at my desk or start preparing management for the possibility that I might need to telecommute Friday because I had no fuel in my vehicle to make the trip in tomorrow morning.

I heard Kroger had a truck come in this morning so I left a note on my computer and headed out to see if they had any left at 10:55 AM. The good news is that it was a successful outing. I needed to wait in line for almost 3o minutes, but the pumps didn't close before it was my turn in line. The Kroger people had everything set up in a very organized way; the path roped out, employees in the parking lot to direct traffic, etc. I heard no horn blowing and did not witness any people being ugly or greedy. (Yesterday when I went by that station they had police vehicles there! Not sure what that was all about. I kept right on going.)



So I should now have enough fuel to get me through the weekend. I'm really hoping that by the next time I need fuel, this GA gas crisis will be over! Fortunately, Chloe's football game is home and EJ's soccer game is home at the field 'around the corner'. And I've already made plans to car pool to the band competition on Saturday afternoon.

Kate may need to change her Friday plans. She has set aside Wednesdays and Friday mornings for her Field Experience in the Cumming Elementary School. She would like to attend Chloe's game on Friday evening and spend at least part of the weekend at home. She may have to use sick time for her Friday library hours so she doesn't need to use any extra gas to make the Gainesville-Cumming (for school)-Gainesville (for library work hours)-Cumming (back home) trip. Hopefully, her supervisor will understand.

I did not enjoy the football game last week. I'm a party-pooper, I know. But it was an away game which means as visitors we get the crappy seats. The section had the seats too close and there were too many of us! I sat next to a JV football coach and some of his players (there to observe the Varsity team) and listened to them make fun of the band! I had my band shirt on; just how slow are they? Adding injury to insult, the boys had to get up and out of their seats about every 10 minutes so they were constantly climbing over me! I had no where else to go or I would have moved. I was sitting close enough to the band to get a couple pictures of Chloe.(can you find her?) But because we had so many people in the stands, she wasn't able to sit with me during her 3rd Quarter break like she usually does. Tomorrow's game is home and I plan to get there early and stake out PLENTY of personal space.

Friday, Again

Thank GOODNESS! I'd really like one day when I don't have to set an alarm. Maybe Saturday?

At the Band Booster meeting last night they passed out a tentative itinerary for the NYC trip. Those kids are going to need a week to recover! I think the only real down time they have listed is the ride to and from NY. And Mr. Clark stated that the kids would 'have plenty of time on the bus to do their work so they won't be behind when they return', so I guess they have NO down time. You've got to love his optimism, but, seriously? He has done this before, right? Selective amnesia is a wonderful coping tool.

Chloe is so excited about their trip that after looking at the schedule she pulled out her winter coat and traveling purse last night just to try them on. I think she is planning her wardrobe and accessories already! So cute.

I was surprised to learn that they are still in need of chaperones for this trip. For some reason I thought those spots had already been snapped up. I mentioned it to Chloe and her response surprised me as well, "You should go Mom". Hmmm, something to think about! Do I want to take off from work and use my remaining vacation days to spend almost 72 hours on a bus, attempt to sleep in a room with people I don't really know and eat fast food for 6 days? But my daughter 'invited' me. She wouldn't be embarrassed to have me along! And pretty soon my opportunities like this will not exist! I'll have to really think this one through. (Kate - Rory's pro/con list is looking pretty good right now.)

PS - I emailed the chaperone chairperson to ask about trip details and possibly offering to go. She responded pretty quickly with a, clearly frustrated, message indicating she didn't know why Mr. Clark made that statement and she could put me on the waiting list. "...he asked me to do a job and I did it..." I think I'll just sit this trip out. :-)

How Can it be Mid-September Already?

That is one thing about routine, time just flies by and before you know it it is time for the first progress report! Yikes.

Friday night football and Saturday soccer are givens for the next couple months. Each of those activities comes with mandatory weekday practices. Then we have church and youth group. EJ was able to referee 3 games this past Saturday before he played and Chloe worked with a friend. They both earned some needed spending money and I knew where they were and who they were with!

Add in a few early morning activities at school that require Mom's taxi instead of the bus, a social obligation or two, curriculum night, senior parent night, a Blue & Gold Officer interview and, I'm sure I've forgotten something, here we are!

The War Eagles won their first home game and the band sounded GREAT! EJ's soccer team tied their first regular season game. EJ was the only one to score and it was a thing of beauty!

Katie was sick last week but I don't think she missed any classes and she was able to babysit for a little bit this weekend. She managed her first illness with Kaiser basically on her own (there should be a badge for that!) and now that she's done it she might not even need to call me when she gets sick again. I have mixed emotions about that.

So here it is Thursday again and I'm getting ready for one football game, an ACT test (EJ will actually take the test), two soccer games and two different church services. I'm not sure I'll know how to fill my time when all my babies leave.

Shopping Success

On 08-08-08 EJ turned 18. On 08-28-08 Chloe turned 16. On 03-11-09 Katie will be 21!


All 3 birthdays represent milestone ages. I have tried to do something special for Katie for 16 and 18 so I feel I need to keep up with the precedent I set for myself with the next two. EJ has decided to wait a few more months to upgrade his phone. Chloe elected for money and a trip to the outlet mall to visit the Coach store.

I had a little more trouble with an idea for Chloe until one of my soccer moms suggested the Coach outlet. When I made the suggestion of the outlet store to Chloe, she lit up and I knew we had a winner. And then she could hardly wait until we got there. Wednesday afternoon (8/27!) I had a phone call. "Do you need to go to church?" Now there's a loaded question. Yes, I really do need to go. Friday morning around 11:15 AM I received a text message, "Do you have anything important you need to do the rest of today?" You mean like work? Because we have all become addicted to eating regular meals and like a dry place to sleep; yes, I have something important I need to do. She grudgingly accepted my response that Saturday would be soon enough and I was not going to leave work to check her out of school to go shopping. Especially on a Friday that she was scheduled to march. Not even for birthday shopping.

Chloe was thrilled at the size of the store and all the MANY choices. She had several associates work with her and help her make her selection. After all that build up, I am happy to report we had a successful trip. Chloe was able to purchase 2 bags with her birthday money and still have some left over to put in the bank.
I heard someone ask her if she had a good birthday day. Her response was "Not really." But I think Saturday helped change the tone. Look at that smile.