Tween World
My daughter Maggie and I are leaving to pick up her best friend in an hour. She is decked out in nail polish, gauchoes, an animal print blouse and hair tie..and new Esprit embroidered boots. She is so excited she can barely stand still. She is going to her first concert....THE CHEETAH GIRLS !!!!!![this is where you are supposed to experience high pitched screaming, room rocking jumping, and perhaps a swoon or two!]
The change from little girl to tween has been sneaking up on us for a while, but it has really hit its stride lately. Piles of tried- on- yet- discarded clothes appear on her room floor mysteriously every day. The cd player is in full swing, hairbrush at the ready as an impromtu microphone. I am not allowed to laugh too loudly in publc...or hug her too tightly or do any of a growing number of horrible embarrassing things that I apparently do all the time.
She just yelled out that we are leaving in 45 minutes!!!! I have just enough time to change, grab the camera AND the Tylenol.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The Public Market
Today was a warm fall day with no real sunshine. Saw kids off to school, a meeting at school about art projects, and then a fantastic couple of hours spent at the Public Market downtown.
Booths were overflowing with baskets of apples, pears, cauliflower, potatoes...I ws so happy to find my favorite purple cauliflower and broccoli. Also got some apples from those folks who through in a free Rome apple for me to try. Radishes and lettuce and cilantro from another young vendor.
Today was a warm fall day with no real sunshine. Saw kids off to school, a meeting at school about art projects, and then a fantastic couple of hours spent at the Public Market downtown.
Booths were overflowing with baskets of apples, pears, cauliflower, potatoes...I ws so happy to find my favorite purple cauliflower and broccoli. Also got some apples from those folks who through in a free Rome apple for me to try. Radishes and lettuce and cilantro from another young vendor.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Suddenly It Hit Me!
Well, got through the open house and despite the understocked refreshment stand, I gotta say, it was pretty cool. It really does seem to be a fantastic school. My oldest, Hadley, is a pretty smart cookie...honors classes etc... Teacher after teacher went on about how teaching her class is the highlight of their day because the kids are so motivated and into it. I guess that's bad news, tho, for the rest of our less gifted children who must be, if the theory holds true, well, lets just say, more like a low light?
And, forgive me, but when did the parents get soooooo old? I felt like I was in class with MY parents. OOOOWWWWWW! A little wake up call there!
But turns out I would have been better off playing hooky cuz after the 5 minute hike off campus to find my junky mini van [that I love cuz another scratch don't mean a thing and I can get a huge honkin load of good junk in the back] I pulled into the line of brand spankin new SUVs to wait my turn at the light and.........BAM!!!!! Mr. enormous SUV slammed into my little mini van. Pull over, check damage [none!] and he, embarrassed and concerned, me self deprecating and understanding... inside my van trashed cuz all my latest junk acquisitions thrown around the back[ which little girl left an open can of diet coke in the back????] Turns out that his SUV sits up so high that only his license plate hit our boat hitch! Exchange numbers, he apologizes and says his fault...I am again understanding...go home and my neck and back feel weird...husband a little bit pissed about the guy hitting me ['always the fault of he who hits from behind'] a couple glasses of wine and bed. And today my back is hosed!
Could be the fender bender or maybe just the utter nonsense of me and other mid aged parents having to squeeze into school desks for 2 1/2 hours!
Well, got through the open house and despite the understocked refreshment stand, I gotta say, it was pretty cool. It really does seem to be a fantastic school. My oldest, Hadley, is a pretty smart cookie...honors classes etc... Teacher after teacher went on about how teaching her class is the highlight of their day because the kids are so motivated and into it. I guess that's bad news, tho, for the rest of our less gifted children who must be, if the theory holds true, well, lets just say, more like a low light?
And, forgive me, but when did the parents get soooooo old? I felt like I was in class with MY parents. OOOOWWWWWW! A little wake up call there!
But turns out I would have been better off playing hooky cuz after the 5 minute hike off campus to find my junky mini van [that I love cuz another scratch don't mean a thing and I can get a huge honkin load of good junk in the back] I pulled into the line of brand spankin new SUVs to wait my turn at the light and.........BAM!!!!! Mr. enormous SUV slammed into my little mini van. Pull over, check damage [none!] and he, embarrassed and concerned, me self deprecating and understanding... inside my van trashed cuz all my latest junk acquisitions thrown around the back[ which little girl left an open can of diet coke in the back????] Turns out that his SUV sits up so high that only his license plate hit our boat hitch! Exchange numbers, he apologizes and says his fault...I am again understanding...go home and my neck and back feel weird...husband a little bit pissed about the guy hitting me ['always the fault of he who hits from behind'] a couple glasses of wine and bed. And today my back is hosed!
Could be the fender bender or maybe just the utter nonsense of me and other mid aged parents having to squeeze into school desks for 2 1/2 hours!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The Kitschen TableBAD MOMMY
Okay...so, I don't get it. When we lived in the city, I used to volunteer at school, take my kid to the school playground, run the book fair, and attend every function. I religiously went to book fairs and plays and open houses where I ooohed and ahhhhed over essays and art tacked to the hallway walls. I felt like an involved parent.
Now in the burbs, I'm considered a real slacker. My kids come home from school and do their homework. I do not hover over them. I figure it is their job and they better learn how to do it on their own. Not to say I never help, but I try to let them figure stuff out for themselves. I should have known I was in trouble when another mom cornered me at our local dairy and asked how I felt about the "quality "of the homework coming home....it was 1st grade!!!! Some of the parents out here seem to consider volunteering at school to be a vocation. And the little snipes at us less active parents are pretty glaring....' oh...is this the first time you've stepped up to the plate?"
Tonight is open house at my 15 year olds high school. From 7 til 9:30 we are expected to attend class like our child for 15 minute sessions. Doesn't this seem a little much? I'm considering playing hooky!
Okay...so, I don't get it. When we lived in the city, I used to volunteer at school, take my kid to the school playground, run the book fair, and attend every function. I religiously went to book fairs and plays and open houses where I ooohed and ahhhhed over essays and art tacked to the hallway walls. I felt like an involved parent.
Now in the burbs, I'm considered a real slacker. My kids come home from school and do their homework. I do not hover over them. I figure it is their job and they better learn how to do it on their own. Not to say I never help, but I try to let them figure stuff out for themselves. I should have known I was in trouble when another mom cornered me at our local dairy and asked how I felt about the "quality "of the homework coming home....it was 1st grade!!!! Some of the parents out here seem to consider volunteering at school to be a vocation. And the little snipes at us less active parents are pretty glaring....' oh...is this the first time you've stepped up to the plate?"
Tonight is open house at my 15 year olds high school. From 7 til 9:30 we are expected to attend class like our child for 15 minute sessions. Doesn't this seem a little much? I'm considering playing hooky!
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The Kitschen Table
Had the bet day! Maggie and I went for breakfast before school. We went for a bagel...she chose a table outside. We watched all the people on their way to work...some just walking their dogs or getting some exercise. After we ate, we walked down to the canal. The path was lined with ducks resting. Maggie jumped off a stone wall and they flew up en masse and landed in the canal.She got a surprised look and then laughed. Suddenly, as we were investigating the construction of a small veteran's memorial at the canal, the sky openned up and it began to POUR! Across the canal, joggers and fast walkers hid under trees {to no avail} We put up our sweatshirt hoods and dodged raindrops under the trees. We got pretty wet but laughed all the way. Drove Mags to school, where she told me "I have fun with you Mom." I am the luckiest girl, aren't I?
Had the bet day! Maggie and I went for breakfast before school. We went for a bagel...she chose a table outside. We watched all the people on their way to work...some just walking their dogs or getting some exercise. After we ate, we walked down to the canal. The path was lined with ducks resting. Maggie jumped off a stone wall and they flew up en masse and landed in the canal.She got a surprised look and then laughed. Suddenly, as we were investigating the construction of a small veteran's memorial at the canal, the sky openned up and it began to POUR! Across the canal, joggers and fast walkers hid under trees {to no avail} We put up our sweatshirt hoods and dodged raindrops under the trees. We got pretty wet but laughed all the way. Drove Mags to school, where she told me "I have fun with you Mom." I am the luckiest girl, aren't I?
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