TGIF: The Scoop

Happy Friday friends! Instead of quick taking today I am just going to give you a little blurp of what's going on with us. C has two weeks left of preschool and then summer break starts. Ack! We decided in February to hold off making a decision about Kindergarten until May. It's May.

Lately he has started writing love notes, like this one to his sister, and he leaves them as "special deliveries."

And he has been writing his own stories featuring favorite characters and the words he knows how to spell. 

And so my friends, we have decided to send him to kindergarten. He is excited about it, he is excited about learning. He is still one of the most emotional kids I've ever encountered but I truthfully don't think another year is going to change that. And after talking to a lot of people, and having everyone tell me to "go with my gut" that is the choice we have made. 

Earlier this week, he was playing book club. Which was kind of a combo of Super Why! and the fact I am in two book clubs. He built a little clubhouse and then read M and I stories for like a half hour. It was very sweet. I love how his mind works. 

M is one sweet little ball of sunshine. She LOVES dandelions and she calls them sunflowers. I can't bring myself to correct her just yet because she is so precious with them. 

This morning we went to the museum to say goodbye to Doc McStuffins. We played for about a half hour and then went outside for "Songs and Stories" which is exactly as described. We sing some songs and read two stories. Then we went to the little park while we waited for Husband to come rescue us because... I locked the keys in the car. We have AAA but sometimes they are slow and we had to go pick up C from school so we just called him to come rescue us. And he did. 

M has been really into the "Happy Helpers" from Mickey and the Roadster Racers lately. Or if you're not up to date with one of the new Disney Jr. shows, Minnie and Daisy, every episode they get a phone call from someone who needs help with a task like pet sitting or helping at a hotel. Last week when we were on one of our many errands we found the Happy Helper Van, so I let her get it and she was so happy! She has been playing with it non-stop and I just love watching her stories and adventures. 

It is Mother's Day weekend but I am sure you didn't need a reminder for that. We sent my mom flowers, chocolates and a card and had them delivered yesterday because my brother graduates from college on Sunday! C made me an awesome card: 

The card declares me as two years younger than I am and also the best at making sandwiches. I don't mean to toot my own horn but that is a title I will hold proudly! 

Our Sunday will consist of our typical Casey's breakfast pizza, Mass and then streaming the graduation ceremony. So pretty much perfection then. I hope you all have an amazing weekend!

Only on Wednesdays!

Wednesdays have been my favorite day of the week this past year. Wednesday is C's day off from school. Which is unusual because most of the preschools have Fridays off. But I have LOVED Wednesdays. We often would take outings, and they would be uncrowded because everyone is in school for the most part. Or some days it would be a mandatory pajama day and we didn't go anywhere or really so much do anything.

Lately we have had soccer on Wednesdays. Which, sadly has been not great. I don't know why or how Wednesday weather has been so cursed but this class has Tuesdays or Wednesdays. We couldn't get to class on time on Tuesdays because of school so we picked Wednesday. And wouldn't you know that every single Tuesday has been gorgeous and every single Wednesday has been cold/dreary or rainy?

This morning started out a little sunny with clouds so I was hopeful. But the sky started getting darker as we were getting dressed for soccer and I told the kids it was possible class would be canceled. And then on our drive the rain started. And the phone rang. And just like that we had no soccer.

So from the park we made a plan to go grocery shopping. I am so glad I had C run back in the house to get the rain boots. It was POURING when were in the parking lot and so everyone put their boots on and their rain coats.

Ready to rock and roll into the store.

They were having a lot more fun than it looks like I promise. I couldn't get over M's perfectly curled Cindy Brady pigtails. They were cracking me up. Though I will say usually when we go out we encounter lovely people but today was apparently grumpy senior citizens day as well as being rainy. 

It was raining so hard I scrapped the Chick-Fil-A plan and bought some chicken tenders and waffle fries. I also got honey mustard because C is super into honey mustard. Also did you know that T. Marzetti Honey French (found in the refrigerated section) tastes just like Chick-Fil-A Polynesian? #truestory and I love it! So homemade Chick-Fil-A worked out just fine. And even though we all looked a little like drowned rats after getting the groceries in the house, it made for an interesting morning! 

Rules of the Road

I saw a boy get hit by a car today. He is fine. That's the first thing you need to know. He is fine. But it shouldn't have happened.

I was at an intersection waiting to turn left. This is one of those intersections in life with a left turn lane, going straight lane and a right turn lane. A car pulled into the right turn lane and with her head turned left, squinting into the sun to see if she could go, some boys walked into the crosswalk. They had a walk signal. They were in the crosswalk. They were eating chips which is a typical breakfast as indicated by the many many kids I see walking to this particular intermediate school every single day.

I knew it was going to happen before it did but there wasn't anything I could do. She started rolling to turn and hit one of the boys. He jumped back and put his hands on the car to stop it and then the driver realized. She was in shock. The boys kept crossing the intersection. The driver rolled down her window, she saw me watching. I rolled down my window to ask the boy if he was okay but he just kept walking. It was loud and maybe he didn't hear me.

My light turned green and I drove home.

Then I emailed the principal. I didn't know what to do exactly but I figured in case later this kid was upset or actually injured somehow or reported it, I would at least back up the kid and let them know it was real. Maybe they'll remind their students that drivers are morons and to be safe. I don't know. The principal responded a bit ago that no one has reported anything. That worries me though. Because kids should expect more from adults driving.

I take car seat safety seriously. M is still rear-facing and she is going to be until she turns four. C is front facing but in a five point harness still. He's short. And he doesn't weigh a lot. So he is going to stay in 5 point for a long time. Does this mean he gets in the car at car line, I pull forward a bit and then park, get out and buckle him in? Yes. Yes it does. I know that some of my friends and specifically my in-laws think I am crazy and over reactive about car seats. My car. My kids. My rules. And if they want to make fun of me for reading my car seat manuals and actually following them? Well that's something I can deal with.

I do what I can because cars scare me. I cannot control the other drivers on the road but I can control what goes on in my car. And that is that everyone is going to be as safe as possible. No winter coats in the car seats. Nothing between the kid and the back of the seat. 5 point harnesses. Extended rear facing. Not using an expired car seat.

While I am driving I do the best I can. No cell phone. Lights on every trip. And I try very very hard to be cognizant of the speed limit. Tailgate me all you want. but a school zone is a school zone to me between the hours of 7-5 on school days. No turn on red, means, even if there's nobody coming, I am not turning on red.

I can't stop seeing that boy. I can't stop thinking about his mother and how she would feel if something more serious had happened. I can't stop thinking about the driver of that car. I hope she has a better day and that she learned her lesson from this without drastic consequences. Thank God, there are no drastic consequences.

Please do the best you can. When you're driving. When you teach your kids to drive. When you buckle your babies in. When you make sure that YOU are buckled. Just try to do the best you can.

All the Things With Us

Hello! Let's go real quick as I tell you about some of the real life stuff that's happening in our world. 

1. It's Cinco de Mayo, also known as my parent's wedding anniversary. We will not be celebrating with any sort of Mexican food because my kids just don't really groove on it. But that's okay. I do love a margarita so maybe I will make that happen. But who knows? 

2. My guy made some art with the geographic shapes. I call this preschool geometry. He calls this "Hot Air Balloon Festival." 

3. In other news, our guy got his last Imagination Library Book today. And when I read him the note on the inside from Dolly Parton I may have gotten choked up a little. Today was also the last page of his preschool letter book homework. This year has gone FAST. 

4. M and I were rock stars today. We did drop off, then we went to Target, Petsmart, McDonalds for a beverage, one of the high schools to pick up an Usborne book from my local book gal, the chocolate shop and then home for a minute to write out cards and wrap up the teacher appreciation week gift. Then we went to pick up.

5. We got all three teachers a little apple box of chocolates from our local handmade chocolate shop, then put the book in for the preschool. It was Nibbles, because it's C's favorite book and I thought it would be a good addition to the classroom. 

We didn't gift the stuffed animal. But we have him!

6. Have I ever written about how M calls oatmeal "eatmeal?" Because it's my favorite. We have it for breakfast a few times a week and it's always a winner. We do old fashioned oats, a little brown sugar, protein powder, cinnamon and some unsweetened applesauce for our own spin on the apple flavor you can get in the little packet. I like just brown sugar in mine however. 

Unrelated picture of my girl at soccer this week.

I don't have enough interesting things to tell you to make a number seven, but since I never link up anyway that's okay. Have an awesome weekend!

May Reading

Time marches on and suddenly we turned another page on the calendar. May started innocently enough, the weather forgot to be notified that the "April showers" were in fact over but it could have been the snow that they got up north so... no real complaints.

M had her well check for 30 months Monday. She's healthy. Our wonderful pediatrician was maybe going to be on maternity leave but she wasn't so we actually did get to see her. Though there's little chance she will be around for C's well check at the end of the month. But that's okay, we were just excited we got one kid in.

I didn't read a whole lot in April. I didn't even finish the book club book, which as it turns out didn't matter because only one other person showed up and she didn't even start the book. So we went to Bed Bath and Beyond and wandered around looking at all the random things. It was fun.

The book was "Present Over Perfect" by Shauna Niequest.

The idea of the book is good. We shouldn't worry so much about being perfect all the time or trying to appear that way, what is more important is that we are present with our family and friends. 

But that's about it. Niequist has many other books and clearly she's not a bad writer, but it is almost insulting to have an author complain about how stressed her life is and how she is going to say no to writing books and speaking engagements... in the book she wrote. She goes away to her cabin in Michigan to "get away" and jets off to Hawaii to relax, it's just not real life. Most people don't have the means to spend a month at a cabin away from the hustle or take vacations just because they're feeling overwhelmed. I thought the book would meet the average woman where she's at but I just kept feeling more and more alienated by Niequist and her privileges. Of course shes entitled to be stressed out too in whatever life she lives but it just didn't allow the book to feel genuine. 

I had such a hard time with this book that I put off reading the other book club book that I needed to read for this week. "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern. 

It was a quite enchanting read. I will be perfectly honest with you and say that I really didn't think I was going to dig this book. Even so much as to return it to the library unread the first time I checked it out. "Present Over Perfect" really ruined me I guess. That and the summary of "The Night Circus" just didn't grab me. 

But once I started reading the book hooked me quickly and it was a pleasure. There is an air of mystery throughout the book, as though you're never quite sure what is real, which evokes the spirit of the circus through words. It was very cool. I love the somewhat open-endedness of the book, that the circus can be whatever you want it to be. Morgenstern is a wonderfully descriptive author and I really felt this book on a deep level. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read. This isn't a life changing book or the greatest literature, but it is solid entertainment. 

I was on such a high after finishing "The Night Circus" just after rest time yesterday that I decided to buy Bunmi Laditan's new book on Kindle last night. 

Husband is gone again for work and I figured since I was in the reading groove I may as well let it continue. I read this in one fell swoop, starting shortly after my kids were in bed and finishing around 12:30. I did take a break for a shower and a phone call with Husband but it was a pleasure to read and I couldn't stop. 

"Confessions of a Domestic Failure" kind of says everything any stay-at-home-mom would want to say. It reads just like Bunmi on Facebook/Instagram/articles so it's real and has a familiar voice. The book starts out more like one of her rants but then a plot is discerned, while kind of an obvious one, is just so funny and real you can't help but love it. Does it all wrap up with a nice little bow? Sure. Would you want these characters to end any other way? Not one bit. 

The book is refreshing because it hits the nail on the head with motherhood. It's messy, lonely and hard. But it's also good. Having a book describe that so well gives readers permission to feel like that and to not be #soblessed every waking second. This is going to be the feel-good book for 2017 and a sure fire hit. If you are looking for a gift for a new mom that is for them and not the baby, this would be a good choice. I laughed out loud several times and also found myself nodding in agreement occasionally. 

It's a solid 4 stars. It loses a star for it's predictability but truthfully it is the predictability that makes this book so comforting. "Confessions of a Domestic Failure" is not putting on airs or pretending to be "literature" it feels familiar and wonderful. And I mean, it came out yesterday and I finished it already. Partly because Husband was gone sure, but I still chose it over Netflix so that is saying something I think. 

So that's what I have been up to in May so far. Real life mixed with a lot of reading the past three days. I'm going to log on to our library site right now to try and get something else to read. 

Spring Program and Art Show

Oh golly. My guy had his school spring program yesterday. It's kind of the big hurrah to preschool because they don't do a graduation or anything like that. (Which is totally okay!) My FIL brought both of my Husband's grandmas to the program and then Husband's uncle came too so we had quite the crowd to see C! It was lovely but my mama heart is just now processing all there is to process that preschool is coming to an end.

There's only 16 days left! And it's all capped off a little too much for me because the last day of school is also his birthday! I am getting all emotional just thinking of it. All the bittersweet.

So anyway, focusing on the good stuff, his program. Want to watch a song? Yes? Well okay... if you insist. :)

They decorated the gym with all kinds of spring art work and it was so awesome to see. The art is so so cute. We got to take all of it home with us. 

These look uninteresting from far away but they are just the cutest up close! With the cheerio eyes, macaroni beaks and corn kernels by their feet. Speaking of, look at those adorable feet!! 

I wish I had gotten a picture of the tables, the center pieces were little watering cans, with flowers with the kids school pictures on it, then they had egg carton caterpillars as well as pom pom caterpillars on leaves. Super sweet. I also only got a terrible picture of the butterflies by the entry. 

It was just the sweetest little program. My guy humored me and let me take his picture with all three of his teachers and his best school friend. I certainly channeled my mother that's for sure, I was on a mission! 

My guy with his sweet teacher, she is so good with the kids. She put on a heck of a program and we will miss her for sure! Well, until M is in 4-year-old preschool. Hopefully she is still at our school!! (She's been there for 8 years so odds are in our favor I think...) 

So that was the exciting end of the week we had! 

The Post in Which I am Grumpy Cat

All of the nos. No. 

This travesty has recently come to my attention: 

They (ABC) have remade Dirty Dancing. And, it looks terrible. Because obviously.

I don't even understand why they would want to remake it. Especially in a made-for-television movie. This was an appropriate tribute: 

Because it's Jennifer Grey carrying a watermelon and even Jennifer Grey post nose-job is still Jennifer Grey.

I don't know why any actor would agree to sign on? I mean, really? Are their careers really suffering that much? Poor newcomer Colt Prattes, I just feel bad for him. His "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." doesn't even hold a candle to Patrick's. How could it? There really are no winners here. I know the internet is a place for trolls and Negative Nellys, but there is not one positive comment on Face.book and they disabled the comments on YouTube. That speaks volumes to me. 

Why on earth did ABC need "the musical for a new era" in the first place?! I have loved this movie since I was little and the "dirty" went WAY over my head. I can assure you my children will watch it too. We have the DVD and the CD soundtrack as one does. I can tell you that on May 24 I will most certainly be putting in my DVD and watching Patrick Swazye and Jennifer Grey as God intended. Until then I am just going to be horrified and saying no on repeat. 

No. No no no no no.