Last day of vacation. Mom and Dad were here all week -- arrived a bit late, but without incident. The weather was great all week, and I kept the kids home for the week so they could play with Granny and Papa. Easter was fine -- got some great shots of the kids and the flowers. Mom had refurbished her antique wicker doll carriage and had it shipped from Tulsa to arrive in the middle of their visit. It's adorable -- Sadie loves it! Mom's great grandmother (Grandma Anna) bought it secondhand for her when she was very little, so who knows how old it actually is. Dad bought some clear plastic tubing, split it, and wrapped the wheels in it to protect the original rubber tires (which are now hard, cracked and dropping off in chunks here and there). The new tubing is a vast improvement! Mom made a new liner and made it look wonderful, but it still has that antique look to it -- very cool.
Read a couple books over break. Garth Nix's latest, Sir Thursday, was excellent. You definitely have to have read the previous three to understand what's happening to Arthur Penhaligon and Leaf, but it was a fast-paced exciting read. Great for the boys, as Sir Thursday commands the House army, and there's lots of military training, strategizing and battle scenes ... and Arthur's been drafted. He has to survive, find and free the Fourth part of the Will, and somehow keep from becoming a denizen of the House as he wants to return to his normal mortal life when this is all over.
Gordon Korman's new one, Born to Rock, was a lot of fun too. Leo is living with his mother and father and loses his scholarship to Harvard over a misunderstanding with a hard-nosed principal. He spends the summer on tour with the man he believes is his biological father -- Marion X. McMurphy, aka "King Maggot" of worldwide punk rock fame, in hopes that he will write a $40,000 check so Leo can go to Harvard in the fall The tour is an assault on Leo's Young Republican senses and sensibility, and he learns more than he ever imagined from this bizarre group of people.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Last day of vacation. Mom and Dad were here all week -- arrived a bit late, but without incident. The weather was great all week, and I kept the kids home for the week so they could play with Granny and Papa. Easter was fine -- got some great shots of the kids and the flowers. Mom had refurbished her antique wicker doll carriage and had it shipped from Tulsa to arrive in the middle of their visit. It's adorable -- Sadie loves it! Mom's great grandmother (Grandma Anna) bought it secondhand for her when she was very little, so who knows how old it actually is. Dad bought some clear plastic tubing, split it, and wrapped the wheels in it to protect the original rubber tires (which are now hard, cracked and dropping off in chunks here and there). The new tubing is a vast improvement! Mom made a new liner and made it look wonderful, but it still has that antique look to it -- very cool.
Read a couple books over break. Garth Nix's latest, Sir Thursday, was excellent. You definitely have to have read the previous three to understand what's happening to Arthur Penhaligon and Leaf, but it was a fast-paced exciting read. Great for the boys, as Sir Thursday commands the House army, and there's lots of military training, strategizing and battle scenes ... and Arthur's been drafted. He has to survive, find and free the Fourth part of the Will, and somehow keep from becoming a denizen of the House as he wants to return to his normal mortal life when this is all over.
Gordon Korman's new one, Born to Rock, was a lot of fun too. Leo is living with his mother and father and loses his scholarship to Harvard over a misunderstanding with a hard-nosed principal. He spends the summer on tour with the man he believes is his biological father -- Marion X. McMurphy, aka "King Maggot" of worldwide punk rock fame, in hopes that he will write a $40,000 check so Leo can go to Harvard in the fall The tour is an assault on Leo's Young Republican senses and sensibility, and he learns more than he ever imagined from this bizarre group of people.
Read a couple books over break. Garth Nix's latest, Sir Thursday, was excellent. You definitely have to have read the previous three to understand what's happening to Arthur Penhaligon and Leaf, but it was a fast-paced exciting read. Great for the boys, as Sir Thursday commands the House army, and there's lots of military training, strategizing and battle scenes ... and Arthur's been drafted. He has to survive, find and free the Fourth part of the Will, and somehow keep from becoming a denizen of the House as he wants to return to his normal mortal life when this is all over.
Gordon Korman's new one, Born to Rock, was a lot of fun too. Leo is living with his mother and father and loses his scholarship to Harvard over a misunderstanding with a hard-nosed principal. He spends the summer on tour with the man he believes is his biological father -- Marion X. McMurphy, aka "King Maggot" of worldwide punk rock fame, in hopes that he will write a $40,000 check so Leo can go to Harvard in the fall The tour is an assault on Leo's Young Republican senses and sensibility, and he learns more than he ever imagined from this bizarre group of people.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Today was one of those sandy britches days -- the ones where everyone and everything gets on your last nerve. Damn, and I didn't even have a hangover from dinner and seeing David Sedaris last night with Pat, Beth, Rie, Kristen and Rob. Last day of teaching my 8th grade classes was today, so now all I have to do is get grades in (and corner the last few kids who still have yet to turn in their final project). We'll see how exit project and all the other nonsense turns out last marking period.
Sadie is now all set for the Riverside branch of CDS in the fall, and I have an appointment for next Wed to go enroll Jake in Riverside Elem. so I am relieved to say the least. I felt like a fifty pound wet blanket was suddenly lifted off my shoulders when I got the email this morning that they had room for him. Things are coming together pretty well at the moment.
Mom and Daddy are coming late afternoon Easter, so that will be nice. They are staying the week and I am hoping for nice weather. I made an appointment to get pictures taken that Tuesday, so maybe we will get some of the kids and the grands together if everyone behaves. The kids officially have daycare that week, but we may just take the entire week off and play. And a good time will be had by all ...
Sadie is now all set for the Riverside branch of CDS in the fall, and I have an appointment for next Wed to go enroll Jake in Riverside Elem. so I am relieved to say the least. I felt like a fifty pound wet blanket was suddenly lifted off my shoulders when I got the email this morning that they had room for him. Things are coming together pretty well at the moment.
Mom and Daddy are coming late afternoon Easter, so that will be nice. They are staying the week and I am hoping for nice weather. I made an appointment to get pictures taken that Tuesday, so maybe we will get some of the kids and the grands together if everyone behaves. The kids officially have daycare that week, but we may just take the entire week off and play. And a good time will be had by all ...
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Mama Ball Says
I'm home today for the second day now -- Sadie had a nasty stomach bug all weekend and was still vomiting yesterday, so I stayed home with her. Last night, I started with it and this is definitely NOT a pleasant virus -- painful stomach cramping to go with the barfing. I think I'm getting past this faster than she did though as I am feeling better and haven't upchucked anything since this morning. Of course, I haven't eaten anything, and have had only water and tea. Food is a far-off thought at this point.
Jake is now signed up for four weeks of summer camp down at the beach, so hopefully he will meet some kids he will be going to school with in the fall. Sadie is all set for Riverside, and I asked for her to stay on full time through the summer so she will be all set too. This should free me up to put in a couple day's worth of hours over at EMS to work on the weed and feed project in the library.
The meeting at EMS went well. I think we will all have most of what we want, mainly that Carm and I get to keep our schedules, and there is going to be an ongoing process for renovating and updating the collection (looks like bit by bit at this point).
Kathy emailed and said Jerome was scheduled to leave yesterday, which was earlier than the original plan, so she was pissed. I hope he gets there all right and has everything he needs.
Next projects: furniture requests for EMS and updating the new and recommended reads website. I have lists going for both, but I don't have finals on anything --hopefully by end of the week I will be set with those.
Jake is now signed up for four weeks of summer camp down at the beach, so hopefully he will meet some kids he will be going to school with in the fall. Sadie is all set for Riverside, and I asked for her to stay on full time through the summer so she will be all set too. This should free me up to put in a couple day's worth of hours over at EMS to work on the weed and feed project in the library.
The meeting at EMS went well. I think we will all have most of what we want, mainly that Carm and I get to keep our schedules, and there is going to be an ongoing process for renovating and updating the collection (looks like bit by bit at this point).
Kathy emailed and said Jerome was scheduled to leave yesterday, which was earlier than the original plan, so she was pissed. I hope he gets there all right and has everything he needs.
Next projects: furniture requests for EMS and updating the new and recommended reads website. I have lists going for both, but I don't have finals on anything --hopefully by end of the week I will be set with those.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
Mama Ball Says
The meeting went well. I had a very good visit with everyone over there, and I think we are all reasonably on the same page. Time to start shopping -- for library chairs and tables and desks. Carm and I are supposed to to get a wish list together of the furniture we want (prioritized) so they can spend this year's money first, and then look to spend some of next year's maybe a little later. Weeding is going to be an intensive job, but there is money to pay both of us some days over the summer to get a jumpstart on that(hopefully we can get Janet to come help delete as we weed), and Ralph says we can start putting orders together for next year's money as soon as May. He is putting extra money toward books next year and the year after to help us get the collection in order, which is great. Other than during testing time in March, they are very willing to work the schedule around all of our little guys, so I told Steve tonight he doesn't have a choice -- he has to step up to the plate during testing time next March so I can make it to work early when they rearrange the schedule. If I have to manage the rest of the year, he can goddamn well pitch in then. On the very up side of things, I had a lot of people come up to me while I was there and tell me that they were very happy that I would be returning to EMS. Some of those folks were people whose opinions I value highly, so that meant a lot to me.
Tomorrow Jake and I are headed to a birthday party for his friend Chris, and then off to the Toys R Us to go blow his birthday money. He has a Thomas toy picked out, so hopefully they have it. Should be fun! Depending on the weather we may make a stop at the park to paly for a while. It's been cold and windy for the last week and a half -- the kind of north wind that blows right through you. If it's that kind of day, we'll avoid the park like the plague. I like him to be outside to play every day, but not when it's miserable.
We have to bake for Steve's birthday (gotta make the white trash "yellow box cake with canned frosting" that he always wants .... oooohhh, maybe that'll be breakfast so we don't screw up whatever cake Lucille wants to bring) and figure out something fun to do on Sunday .... maybe we'll head up to the zoo if he wants to do something with the kids. We haven't talked much about our birthdays this year. I think we are both kind of saving things up for the big anniversary trip in July.
Speaking of, Steve made reservations for Jet Blue and the MGM, and got tickets for us to see Elton John. I found a couple other fun looking shows and dinner places, and found a whitewater rafting trip and a ballooning trip. The ballooning thing is VERY early -- as in they pick you up at 4am at the hotel and give you champagne brunch. It did sound really cool, though. I would love to go rafting again, but the drawback is that it's an all-day thing. Maybe we could pull that off Wednesday. I think we're seeing Elton John Monday or Tuesday. I told Steve I really want to spend parts of a couple days at the spa --
Tomorrow Jake and I are headed to a birthday party for his friend Chris, and then off to the Toys R Us to go blow his birthday money. He has a Thomas toy picked out, so hopefully they have it. Should be fun! Depending on the weather we may make a stop at the park to paly for a while. It's been cold and windy for the last week and a half -- the kind of north wind that blows right through you. If it's that kind of day, we'll avoid the park like the plague. I like him to be outside to play every day, but not when it's miserable.
We have to bake for Steve's birthday (gotta make the white trash "yellow box cake with canned frosting" that he always wants .... oooohhh, maybe that'll be breakfast so we don't screw up whatever cake Lucille wants to bring) and figure out something fun to do on Sunday .... maybe we'll head up to the zoo if he wants to do something with the kids. We haven't talked much about our birthdays this year. I think we are both kind of saving things up for the big anniversary trip in July.
Speaking of, Steve made reservations for Jet Blue and the MGM, and got tickets for us to see Elton John. I found a couple other fun looking shows and dinner places, and found a whitewater rafting trip and a ballooning trip. The ballooning thing is VERY early -- as in they pick you up at 4am at the hotel and give you champagne brunch. It did sound really cool, though. I would love to go rafting again, but the drawback is that it's an all-day thing. Maybe we could pull that off Wednesday. I think we're seeing Elton John Monday or Tuesday. I told Steve I really want to spend parts of a couple days at the spa --
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Spring has sprung, and the hormonally challenged are ever more so this time of year. At least it's still chilly enough to keep the girls at school wearing some semblance of clothing. The middle school summer reading website update is almost done -- only a few pain in the ass nitpicky things left to polish off, so hopefully I can finish that tomorrow afternoon. At that point I have to go start the update for the new and recommended reads website, which will take longer as I actually have to write more for that one.
I'm off tomorrow morning to go to EMS to meet with the admins with Carm and to take a look at the library. Should be interesting. We'll see what transpires from all this. I got my paperwork back for my attempt at taking one of my discretionary days when the kids had no day care because their teachers had staff development day, and the director of personnel denied it without explanation. This means that they are going to dock my pay for the day, which will really screw things up for me. My principal sent a firmly worded email to her that started off by saying flat out "You cannot do this." He's mad because he approved it and she denied it, and it's allowed in the contract. Hopefully they can straighten things out between the two of them -- if I have to take time off to go park my butt in her office to do that I am going to be really pissed off. Given my experience with personnel a year and a half ago when they were absolute assholes about me taking time to travel to Kathy and Jerome's wedding (time which I was contractually allowed to take), I won't feel like being nice to anyone in that office.
I'm off tomorrow morning to go to EMS to meet with the admins with Carm and to take a look at the library. Should be interesting. We'll see what transpires from all this. I got my paperwork back for my attempt at taking one of my discretionary days when the kids had no day care because their teachers had staff development day, and the director of personnel denied it without explanation. This means that they are going to dock my pay for the day, which will really screw things up for me. My principal sent a firmly worded email to her that started off by saying flat out "You cannot do this." He's mad because he approved it and she denied it, and it's allowed in the contract. Hopefully they can straighten things out between the two of them -- if I have to take time off to go park my butt in her office to do that I am going to be really pissed off. Given my experience with personnel a year and a half ago when they were absolute assholes about me taking time to travel to Kathy and Jerome's wedding (time which I was contractually allowed to take), I won't feel like being nice to anyone in that office.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Parenting Lesson #729: Never, EVER take a not-quite-two-year-old bowling with 23 five-year-olds. You will be suicidal, homicidal, or an alcoholic by the time it is over. Aside from Sadie wreaking havoc every three minutes for two hours, the party went very well, and Jake and all of his friends had a great time. The parents had fun too, at least from what I could tell. On the good side of doing the party this way, all we had to do for the party was bring the goody bags and balloons (and write the check to the bowling alley). They did the rest (sometimes with a lot of prodding from me ... should have threatened to sic Sadie on the skinny kid they assigned to be our "party host"). I did manage to get a lot of fun pics.
Charlotte's party was Sunday, and Steve stayed home with Sadie as neither of us could stomach chasing her around that much again (plus party time was also during naptime, and no way in hell were we screwing that up two days running ... that's like inviting Satan in for drinks and hors'd). I got a lot of really adorable pics of Charlotte. I took the new school camera home (Nikon digital slr) to practice using, as I am scheduled to go photograph the 7th grade's recreation of ancient African trade gold/salt trade routes early next week.
Anyway, the pics were fantastic for the most part, and the ones that weren't were all my fault. I love being able to take a bazillion pics and the delete function is exceptionally easy to use, so I can ditch the crappy and soso pics and just keep the better ones. I did find that sometimes the ones I think look all right on the LCD screen actually are a tad out of focus once downloaded, but there weren't too many of those.
Ah, maybe next year or the year after I will be able to afford one of these for my very own.
Still on pins and needles about where Jake will go to kindergarten...couple more weeks before the big guns come out. I'm meeting with Carm and the admins at EMS end of this week to talk about the direction of the media center there for next year and the near future. We'll see ... I was thinking I should go talk to the teams there and explain a little bit about where the media curriculum is going and what they would like to see the media center doing for them in relation to that. I'll see what everyone at the meeting thinks of that idea ... we'll see where things go.
Kristen sent goodies that included a cookie mix in a bandanna with a cowboy boot cookie cutter, so Jake is now asking when are we making the cookies every five minutes. It reminds me of the Dunkin Donuts commercials from many years ago: "Time to make the donuts." Maybe this weekend we will get to that.
Charlotte's party was Sunday, and Steve stayed home with Sadie as neither of us could stomach chasing her around that much again (plus party time was also during naptime, and no way in hell were we screwing that up two days running ... that's like inviting Satan in for drinks and hors'd). I got a lot of really adorable pics of Charlotte. I took the new school camera home (Nikon digital slr) to practice using, as I am scheduled to go photograph the 7th grade's recreation of ancient African trade gold/salt trade routes early next week.
Anyway, the pics were fantastic for the most part, and the ones that weren't were all my fault. I love being able to take a bazillion pics and the delete function is exceptionally easy to use, so I can ditch the crappy and soso pics and just keep the better ones. I did find that sometimes the ones I think look all right on the LCD screen actually are a tad out of focus once downloaded, but there weren't too many of those.
Ah, maybe next year or the year after I will be able to afford one of these for my very own.
Still on pins and needles about where Jake will go to kindergarten...couple more weeks before the big guns come out. I'm meeting with Carm and the admins at EMS end of this week to talk about the direction of the media center there for next year and the near future. We'll see ... I was thinking I should go talk to the teams there and explain a little bit about where the media curriculum is going and what they would like to see the media center doing for them in relation to that. I'll see what everyone at the meeting thinks of that idea ... we'll see where things go.
Kristen sent goodies that included a cookie mix in a bandanna with a cowboy boot cookie cutter, so Jake is now asking when are we making the cookies every five minutes. It reminds me of the Dunkin Donuts commercials from many years ago: "Time to make the donuts." Maybe this weekend we will get to that.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Hoo-wah, the boy is FIVE!!! The kids were home today as daycare had staff development today, so I took the day off, spent the morning at the park with them, and did birthday stuff in the afternoon with Jake while Sadie slept. We made a birthday cake, opened up Aunt Kathy and Uncle Wome's presents (the Playmobil grocery store set and grocery delivery van), read some of Granny's Thomas book, and Jake rested on the couch while I cleaned the kitchen (read: did everything short of sandblasting the floor ... damn, do I need a cleaning service) The weather was chilly, but it was bright and sunny and we had a nice day.
UJ came over after work, and Mimi and Pop-pop came over for pizza and corned beef and cabbage (Italians are so damn strange about St Paddy's day). Jake got one of those battery-powered cars -- one he can ride in and drive -- from them. That's what Steve wanted for him last year, but I wouldn't let him have it last year. I caved this year. It went well overall, even with Sadie ruining the birthday cake. I had set it up on the bar between the living room and dining room to finish cooling, and she crawled up to the top of the couch and took a couple fistfuls out of the top of the cake. Jake was more than a little pissed, until I covered the whole top with ice cream and then you couldn't see any of the mess she made. After everyone left tonight and Sadie passed out, Steve and Jake worked on setting up the pieces to the grocery store. There are a lot of stickers for all the parts, and Jake was really good about putting them on correctly by himself.
Tomorrow should be easier (somewhat) as the bowling alley provides everything. I did want to get some balloons, so I am going to go out in the morning and go get a couple dozen to bring with us. I have to go drop by Freya's and pick up the camera to use, too. I have the goodie bags all taken care of, so that should be no problem, and Mom and Kristen both sent thank-you notes. The only other thing tomorrow is that Big C is coming by about noontime, and Steve asked him to take pics of the four grandkids together in hopes of getting one he could blow up and give to Lucille for her birthday in a few weeks. We'll see. She apparently also told him that she does want an all-family picture, so he is going to have to call Bea and get the name of the photographer that handled her family portrait sessions. Hopefully he will get that done soon so he can get a time for the photo session as soon as possible.
Talked to Kathy for a while this afternoon. Apparently she and Jerome have decided that he will go work for a contractor in Baghdad, setting up computer network infrastructure for the new Iraqi government. He'll be working in the middle of the Green Zone which is supposed to be the most secure area, surrounded by Marines etc... but still. The money is phenomenal, but I guess it has to be to attract the kind of talent they need and give them a reason to put up with having to be there for months and months. He's going in April to help finish up work on one contract, and then will stay on for a full contract period. Yeeeeeeeeeeeee.. I told her to load his bags up with Neosporin. Forgot to tell her about the flea collars. I'll tell her tomorrow. Shit, and I thought I had a lot on my plate. Kathy is going to work on starting her own business, which I think she will like a lot.
UJ came over after work, and Mimi and Pop-pop came over for pizza and corned beef and cabbage (Italians are so damn strange about St Paddy's day). Jake got one of those battery-powered cars -- one he can ride in and drive -- from them. That's what Steve wanted for him last year, but I wouldn't let him have it last year. I caved this year. It went well overall, even with Sadie ruining the birthday cake. I had set it up on the bar between the living room and dining room to finish cooling, and she crawled up to the top of the couch and took a couple fistfuls out of the top of the cake. Jake was more than a little pissed, until I covered the whole top with ice cream and then you couldn't see any of the mess she made. After everyone left tonight and Sadie passed out, Steve and Jake worked on setting up the pieces to the grocery store. There are a lot of stickers for all the parts, and Jake was really good about putting them on correctly by himself.
Tomorrow should be easier (somewhat) as the bowling alley provides everything. I did want to get some balloons, so I am going to go out in the morning and go get a couple dozen to bring with us. I have to go drop by Freya's and pick up the camera to use, too. I have the goodie bags all taken care of, so that should be no problem, and Mom and Kristen both sent thank-you notes. The only other thing tomorrow is that Big C is coming by about noontime, and Steve asked him to take pics of the four grandkids together in hopes of getting one he could blow up and give to Lucille for her birthday in a few weeks. We'll see. She apparently also told him that she does want an all-family picture, so he is going to have to call Bea and get the name of the photographer that handled her family portrait sessions. Hopefully he will get that done soon so he can get a time for the photo session as soon as possible.
Talked to Kathy for a while this afternoon. Apparently she and Jerome have decided that he will go work for a contractor in Baghdad, setting up computer network infrastructure for the new Iraqi government. He'll be working in the middle of the Green Zone which is supposed to be the most secure area, surrounded by Marines etc... but still. The money is phenomenal, but I guess it has to be to attract the kind of talent they need and give them a reason to put up with having to be there for months and months. He's going in April to help finish up work on one contract, and then will stay on for a full contract period. Yeeeeeeeeeeeee.. I told her to load his bags up with Neosporin. Forgot to tell her about the flea collars. I'll tell her tomorrow. Shit, and I thought I had a lot on my plate. Kathy is going to work on starting her own business, which I think she will like a lot.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Mama Ball Says
All I have to say is "holy cow." Kindergarten parent orientation was ... interesting. I think aside from the elementary school staff in the cafeteria, there were probably about a dozen or so other people who appeared to be relatively normal. The rest of the people filling up the place were a bunch of Barbie doll clones with designer shoes and bags, and expensive clothes that had OBVIOUSLY never had any kind of child-generated bodily fluid on them. The clique sitting in the row behind me were busy discussing their nannies and manicures before the principal got started. Aside from the parents with whom I am doubtful I will have anything in common with, the meeting went well. The staff there seems to be a great group, the principal is a nice man who appears to know his parent community (as in they have an opening day ceremony that involves leaving the parents at the curb). The kicker is that they have 107 kids that the district knows about living in the school's assigned area ... so Jake will be 108. There are four teachers, and max number of kids per class is 23, so if they hit 92 registrations, he will have to ask the district for another kindergarten teacher. It just depends on how many parents choose to send their kids to private schools. If I can get him in, it will make things easier, as Steve has announced he will not be helping. Pain in my ass. I'll have to leave work to go pick Jake up, and bring him back to work with me if I can't get him in to the after programs (which are not year round and never on Wednesdays).
Alice is coming to take Jake to the movies this afternoon, so that should be fun for him. He and Sadie were digging holes in the garden this morning and getting muddy -- they were so filthy we stripped them down in the driveway and took them down to the basement bathroom for a bath. They were both exhausted, but they had a really good time.
I need to get out of here at some point.
Staff development yesterday was good -- we have the game plan for the next year, until things change and we get rid of the scheduled classes. After that, it'll be a whole different ballgame. Should be interesting. Talked to my compadre for next year, and we are going to meet some evening this coming week and go out for dinner to discuss the battle plan before we meet with the admins. THAT will definitely be interesting. I hope the team plan idea I have in mind will actually work.
Alice is coming to take Jake to the movies this afternoon, so that should be fun for him. He and Sadie were digging holes in the garden this morning and getting muddy -- they were so filthy we stripped them down in the driveway and took them down to the basement bathroom for a bath. They were both exhausted, but they had a really good time.
I need to get out of here at some point.
Staff development yesterday was good -- we have the game plan for the next year, until things change and we get rid of the scheduled classes. After that, it'll be a whole different ballgame. Should be interesting. Talked to my compadre for next year, and we are going to meet some evening this coming week and go out for dinner to discuss the battle plan before we meet with the admins. THAT will definitely be interesting. I hope the team plan idea I have in mind will actually work.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Another big whew -- I think I have all the appointments lined up for the next month. Thurs afternoon is parent orientation for kindergarten. Monday I go meet the principal and lobby for a spot. Next Friday I have to take my discretionary day as it's staff development for daycare and I have no one to watch the kids...and it's Jake's birthday, so it's not like I mind!! Jake's party is Saturday, then Charlotte's is Sunday, and then the following Friday I go over to Eastern to spend the morning getting the battle plans ready to go. Rumor has it that a major renovation is in the cards for the media center there. I don't know if that's a reality or someone's wishful thinking, but I guess I will find out soon enough. We are loaded for bear the next couple weeks.
Emma is home, and hopefully they will get her set up with enough adaptive equipment so that she can remain at home and independent like she wants to be. We'll be checking on her more frequently now ... 92 years old and still refusing the "I've fallen and I can't get up" button on a necklace because "those are for old people." She's a pip, our Emma!
Looks like it will warm up a bit this week. Good thing, as the kids need to get outside and play. Daycare is VERY good about getting them out at least for walks every day unless the weather is absolutely hideous or the windchill hits the dangerous level. They have both come home absolutely filthy from the playground the last two days! I told the teachers I really don't care if they get dirty -- it tells me they've been having a good time, and that's all I really care about. Tide can take care of the rest for me.
The cats have been eating us out of house and home -- you would think that the famine of the world was coming. If Daisy gets any wider she's not going to fit through the cat door anymore, and then we'll REALLY have problems.
Emma is home, and hopefully they will get her set up with enough adaptive equipment so that she can remain at home and independent like she wants to be. We'll be checking on her more frequently now ... 92 years old and still refusing the "I've fallen and I can't get up" button on a necklace because "those are for old people." She's a pip, our Emma!
Looks like it will warm up a bit this week. Good thing, as the kids need to get outside and play. Daycare is VERY good about getting them out at least for walks every day unless the weather is absolutely hideous or the windchill hits the dangerous level. They have both come home absolutely filthy from the playground the last two days! I told the teachers I really don't care if they get dirty -- it tells me they've been having a good time, and that's all I really care about. Tide can take care of the rest for me.
The cats have been eating us out of house and home -- you would think that the famine of the world was coming. If Daisy gets any wider she's not going to fit through the cat door anymore, and then we'll REALLY have problems.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Whew. Some of next year is now officially a done deal -- I am going back to Eastern to work with Carmela (and Janet, Gina and Doris), so that's now less to worry about. It didn't quite go over like a lead balloon at Central, but it was close. I still have to meet with the principal over at Riverside and see if I can get Jake in there for kindergarten, and I am still waffling over moving Sadie to the Riverside campus of Children's Day. Does the geography of having her closer translate into less actual stress, or is it really worth keeping her a little further away in a place where she's happy and knows the staff best??? I'm leaning toward keeping her where she is, as her class is a fantastic group (and the parents are normal) and the teachers she will have over the next couple years are all amazing people. The difficulty is coordinating the dropoffs and pickups if she is further away. It'll be a tough call if they actually have a space open up there in the class where she could go.
Kindergarten orientation for parents is (holy cow!) THIS Thursday the 9th at 3:30. I guess I have to try to go see what the scoop is even if I haven't spoken to the principal yet. Kindergarten orientation for Jake will be May 11. I printed the forms off Riverside's website that they say I should have for him -- can't do the health form until the summer when he's due for his annual. Eeeeewwww... it's the appointment with all the shots. I'm going to have to arrange to take him for that without Sadie and then take him for ice cream afterwards. Part of me can't believe he's almost big enough for kindergarten, and part of me says " 'Bout damn time!"
Steve took Jake with him to JFK this morning to pick up Terry, and while Steve went to go help Mike move furniture (their house is going to be under major renovations shortly so they are moving to a rental temporarily) I took Terry and the kids to Stop & Shop. Sadie didn't cooperate with napping, and ended up falling asleep much later than normal, so I just took the truck keys over to Terry and told him to go see Emma and not worry about waiting on us. Emma's supposed to come home tomorrow, and Terry's got Enterprise coming to pick him up to go get his rental car tomorrow morning, so they ought to be okay.
Lucille is doing okay at home for now -- we will see what comes next, but right now we are in a window where, while she is very frail and easily exhausted, she is still with it and managing to stay home with just partial day help. We are avoiding the oncologist at this point, but that, like everything else, will come to an end at some point.
Amazingly, I almost have the laundry all done this weekend. That never happens. Maybe I'll find the surface of the pool table in the basement tonight. It hasn't been seen since Steve moved it down there right next to the washer/dryer. ;) Holy crap -- my life really IS starting to come together!
Kindergarten orientation for parents is (holy cow!) THIS Thursday the 9th at 3:30. I guess I have to try to go see what the scoop is even if I haven't spoken to the principal yet. Kindergarten orientation for Jake will be May 11. I printed the forms off Riverside's website that they say I should have for him -- can't do the health form until the summer when he's due for his annual. Eeeeewwww... it's the appointment with all the shots. I'm going to have to arrange to take him for that without Sadie and then take him for ice cream afterwards. Part of me can't believe he's almost big enough for kindergarten, and part of me says " 'Bout damn time!"
Steve took Jake with him to JFK this morning to pick up Terry, and while Steve went to go help Mike move furniture (their house is going to be under major renovations shortly so they are moving to a rental temporarily) I took Terry and the kids to Stop & Shop. Sadie didn't cooperate with napping, and ended up falling asleep much later than normal, so I just took the truck keys over to Terry and told him to go see Emma and not worry about waiting on us. Emma's supposed to come home tomorrow, and Terry's got Enterprise coming to pick him up to go get his rental car tomorrow morning, so they ought to be okay.
Lucille is doing okay at home for now -- we will see what comes next, but right now we are in a window where, while she is very frail and easily exhausted, she is still with it and managing to stay home with just partial day help. We are avoiding the oncologist at this point, but that, like everything else, will come to an end at some point.
Amazingly, I almost have the laundry all done this weekend. That never happens. Maybe I'll find the surface of the pool table in the basement tonight. It hasn't been seen since Steve moved it down there right next to the washer/dryer. ;) Holy crap -- my life really IS starting to come together!
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Busy day in the middle of vacation today! Dropped the kids at school, went to work for a little while and sorted donated books for Grand Caillou, then went to see my mother-in-law hard at work in rehab, then off to see Jake at swim lessons. He was REALLY nervous -- last year's incident is still hanging on. I'm going to have to get him in the pool this summer as soon as it's warm enough and keep him in every day to get him past this. Went back to work after and sorted through more stuff ... have a shitlist for tomorrow to blow through in the morning.
Tomorrow afternoon I promised to take donuts and juice for snack for Jake's class, and then I am taking him out early so we can go skating over at Doro Hamill. They have an extra public session tomorrow afternoon since it is vacation week. Wayne is coming over so I am leaving the boys with the kids and I am going to go see Brokeback Mountain in Port Chester. Otherwise, I'll never see it until it hits HBO or Cinemax. I was hoping that they'd have early times this week but no dice, the only time it shows in the afternoon is too late for me to get the kids ( I COULD... but picking them up at 6 pm is just not something I like to do ).
Wine barrel opening party is Friday night, so Friday is a clean house day for me, even though the majority of the shindig will happen in the garage. Gotta take what opportunities I have to get the big stuff done. Steve and Wayne are going to the Bronx to get food ... I may have to go with them as I don't get to do that often.
Steve bought me a combo blender/food processor -- hurray! Came from UJ's store, and the only color available was red, but I think it looks nice in the kitchen -- lots of fun. :) The coffeemaker isn't dead, but the pot is completely shot to hell (terrible design if you ask me) and I am stymied as to replacing that part, If I don't find it this week I am going to either go back to Gevalia and get a free coffee pot from them or go buy a Mr Coffee as they have replacement pots at the goddamn Stop and Shop.
Spent time with my father-in-law today, hope things go okay for the next few weeks. don't hold out much hope beyond that, but you can never tell. I suck at betting anyway, so I am not the person to ask about odds.
Someday soon I will live in a house where I don't have to drink to get through the hours of 5-10 pm.
Tomorrow afternoon I promised to take donuts and juice for snack for Jake's class, and then I am taking him out early so we can go skating over at Doro Hamill. They have an extra public session tomorrow afternoon since it is vacation week. Wayne is coming over so I am leaving the boys with the kids and I am going to go see Brokeback Mountain in Port Chester. Otherwise, I'll never see it until it hits HBO or Cinemax. I was hoping that they'd have early times this week but no dice, the only time it shows in the afternoon is too late for me to get the kids ( I COULD... but picking them up at 6 pm is just not something I like to do ).
Wine barrel opening party is Friday night, so Friday is a clean house day for me, even though the majority of the shindig will happen in the garage. Gotta take what opportunities I have to get the big stuff done. Steve and Wayne are going to the Bronx to get food ... I may have to go with them as I don't get to do that often.
Steve bought me a combo blender/food processor -- hurray! Came from UJ's store, and the only color available was red, but I think it looks nice in the kitchen -- lots of fun. :) The coffeemaker isn't dead, but the pot is completely shot to hell (terrible design if you ask me) and I am stymied as to replacing that part, If I don't find it this week I am going to either go back to Gevalia and get a free coffee pot from them or go buy a Mr Coffee as they have replacement pots at the goddamn Stop and Shop.
Spent time with my father-in-law today, hope things go okay for the next few weeks. don't hold out much hope beyond that, but you can never tell. I suck at betting anyway, so I am not the person to ask about odds.
Someday soon I will live in a house where I don't have to drink to get through the hours of 5-10 pm.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Well, Wayne didn't call, so I am assuming that like a bajillion other folk, we didn't have the right set of numbers. Oh well! It was fun to play.
It went past frigid right to goddamn cold yesterday and today. I'm not sure the wind chill ever got above 20. Yuck. Tomorrow is supposed to be a little better, but not much, so I am taking the kids to the "members-only" 1-hour-early opening time for the children's museum in Norwalk. I figure we'll play there until it gets too crowded and then we'll head home for lunch and naps before we head over to Dr. Devine's. Jake decided we should go see the tigers at the zoo Tuesday, and then go see Curious George after lunch. Sounds good to me! Sadie's been running a fever on and off the last few days -- nothing worse than that and occasionally not being herself -- some whining and crabbing, but that's about it.
Took Jake skating today during the public skate time, and we had such fun! He was so proud of himself because he was getting moving on his own and staying up -- and moving relatively quickly! No lessons next Saturday, so we are going to take advantage of the extra public session at 3:30 on Thurs and then the regular sessions over the weekend.
Got home from that and took Sadie out to the mall just to get her out of the house. It was too cold to take her for a walk around the block. She was hilarious -- we walked around the mall for a while, wherever she wanted, and then she led me into Gymboree, cried and hid from the salesgirl, then went flipping through the clothes until she found a really adorable skirt that she refused to let go of. I have no idea how she did it but she not only grabbed the right size, but the damn thing was on sale. I picked up a little embroidered shirt to go with it, and we went up to the register, where Sadie proceeded to pitch a fit because the girl at the register needed her to LET GO of the skirt so she could scan the tag. I had to pry her fingers off it -- it was so embarrassing. You would have thought I was ripping her leg off the way she was howling! Anyway, other than the hissy fits, she shops like Kristen: she can find the best thing in the store in her size and on sale in three minutes or less. If this were an Olympic event, I'd have a gold medalist on my hands. I came home and told Steve that we're doomed.
Here's to a relatively uneventful vacation week!
It went past frigid right to goddamn cold yesterday and today. I'm not sure the wind chill ever got above 20. Yuck. Tomorrow is supposed to be a little better, but not much, so I am taking the kids to the "members-only" 1-hour-early opening time for the children's museum in Norwalk. I figure we'll play there until it gets too crowded and then we'll head home for lunch and naps before we head over to Dr. Devine's. Jake decided we should go see the tigers at the zoo Tuesday, and then go see Curious George after lunch. Sounds good to me! Sadie's been running a fever on and off the last few days -- nothing worse than that and occasionally not being herself -- some whining and crabbing, but that's about it.
Took Jake skating today during the public skate time, and we had such fun! He was so proud of himself because he was getting moving on his own and staying up -- and moving relatively quickly! No lessons next Saturday, so we are going to take advantage of the extra public session at 3:30 on Thurs and then the regular sessions over the weekend.
Got home from that and took Sadie out to the mall just to get her out of the house. It was too cold to take her for a walk around the block. She was hilarious -- we walked around the mall for a while, wherever she wanted, and then she led me into Gymboree, cried and hid from the salesgirl, then went flipping through the clothes until she found a really adorable skirt that she refused to let go of. I have no idea how she did it but she not only grabbed the right size, but the damn thing was on sale. I picked up a little embroidered shirt to go with it, and we went up to the register, where Sadie proceeded to pitch a fit because the girl at the register needed her to LET GO of the skirt so she could scan the tag. I had to pry her fingers off it -- it was so embarrassing. You would have thought I was ripping her leg off the way she was howling! Anyway, other than the hissy fits, she shops like Kristen: she can find the best thing in the store in her size and on sale in three minutes or less. If this were an Olympic event, I'd have a gold medalist on my hands. I came home and told Steve that we're doomed.
Here's to a relatively uneventful vacation week!
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Powerball is up to some unbelievable number -- something like 350 million, so Wayne is going to take the couple of bucks I found close to the back door and buy some tickets. If we win, we'll split with him. :) Gotta have some hope, even if it's just for a little bit. Actually, I would just like enough to get out of debt and take everyone on a really nice vacation back to Mexico ... and of course set aside enough to pay somebody to clean my house for the rest of my life. Like they say, somebody has to win at some point -- might as well take a shot occasionally. It's Thursday, wish Friday was here as after tomorrow February vacation week starts -- hurray and hoowah! Monday is Jake's dental cleaning, Tuesday is "big boy" day when Jake gets a whole day of me to himself (we go to the zoo/museum/NYC/whatever), Wednesday I promised to come watch him at his swim lesson in the morning and then I'm going in to school to clean off my desk and straighten things up, Thursday I will finish whatever I didn't get to and go see a movie in the afternoon, and Friday is my day to clean the house before the wine party. Busy? Yep. Stressful? Likely not. Emma said tonight she thinks she will be up at King Street Home for another couple weeks. Lucille said maybe next week they will spring her, depending on how well she is doing moving around. Hope, my dears, is what keeps us getting out of bed in the morning.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Blizzard was a record -- just over 2 feet of snow. Jakje and Sadie have had a wonderful time playing in it! We've played in ur yard, Emma's yard, and gone over to Byram Park to sled down the big hill. They loved it! Lots of pics on the website at http://www.ballfamily-ct.org. Supposed to be 50-60 tomorrow, so we should have lots of melting happening. MY carrot ginger soup is VERY spicy -- have to remember to cut the ginger in half, and then add at the table. Definitely cleans out your nose, though! Tomorrow is vegetable/bean/pasta soup day.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Mama Ball Says
Whew .. it's been a while, but damn, do I have good reasons. Mother-in-law with stage 4 cancer and fractured pelvis and arm, plus 92-year old neighbor who fell and spent the night on the floor before crawling to the back door to wave at me as I was leaving for work with the kids. Lots of scary stressful shit going on. They are both in the same rehab section of the nearest nursing home. Fortunately, it is wonderful -- private home with owners on site daily, and so clean you could eat off the floors without a second thought. Their rooms are around the corner from each other, so we're currently getting twofers on our visits.
Hopefully we are through the worst, at least for a little while, until things go south with my mother-in-law and we all need heavier doses. Don't know when that will be, as we need an update from the oncologist ... maybe in a couple weeks.
Big decisions coming up very soon, as I have to get Jake into a kindergarten closer to work, and I have to decide where work is going to be next year. Have a choice, don't know if I will take it yet. Hard to think about it with all the other shit in the way.
Blizzard's on it's way for tonight into tomorrow, so that should give us lots of fun stuff to do tomorrow once the winds die down and we can go out to play. Bought stuff to make soup and such, and Steve's got four lasagnas made for the freezer along with a big pot of sauce. Currently the blizzard warning goes until 4pm tomorrow, so we will see what actually happens. I think the meteorologists are doing the educated guesstimates most of the time anyway.
Brought the new school Nikon D50 digital slr home yesterday so I can play with it and figure out how all the functions work on it. Took some cute skating pics of Jake and his "Snowplow Sam" group this afternoon, so hopefully I will get those photoshopped and uploaded soon. He did well -- got some skating on his own, but he still needs to figure out the solo forward motion part of this for the most part. :)
Hopefully we are through the worst, at least for a little while, until things go south with my mother-in-law and we all need heavier doses. Don't know when that will be, as we need an update from the oncologist ... maybe in a couple weeks.
Big decisions coming up very soon, as I have to get Jake into a kindergarten closer to work, and I have to decide where work is going to be next year. Have a choice, don't know if I will take it yet. Hard to think about it with all the other shit in the way.
Blizzard's on it's way for tonight into tomorrow, so that should give us lots of fun stuff to do tomorrow once the winds die down and we can go out to play. Bought stuff to make soup and such, and Steve's got four lasagnas made for the freezer along with a big pot of sauce. Currently the blizzard warning goes until 4pm tomorrow, so we will see what actually happens. I think the meteorologists are doing the educated guesstimates most of the time anyway.
Brought the new school Nikon D50 digital slr home yesterday so I can play with it and figure out how all the functions work on it. Took some cute skating pics of Jake and his "Snowplow Sam" group this afternoon, so hopefully I will get those photoshopped and uploaded soon. He did well -- got some skating on his own, but he still needs to figure out the solo forward motion part of this for the most part. :)
Friday, February 10, 2006
oh, holy crap.
Well, it's been awhile, but damn do I have good reasons. Try mother-in-law with stage 4 cancer and fractured pelvis and arm, and 92-year-old neighbor with fractured hip. They are around the corner from one another in the same rehab section of a local private nursing home (which is absolutely fantastic -- so clean you could eat off the floors, and they have the kindest staff I've ever seen there). Aside from the fact that we like the people and condition of the nursing home, they have two dogs and a couple birds in residence, and the kids love going to see them. Sadie especially likes Ziggy the bird who is on the rehab floor -- she gets pissed when she can't spend the whole time with him! So lately it's been a merry-go-round: up, drop kids at daycare, work,, pick up kids, come home, eat fast, go over to do the evening visit shift, come home, kids in bed, collapse,and start all over the next day. Worst part is I lost my meds so I am doing this sans happy pills until it is refill time. Yes, I could call the insurance folk and ask for the lost-bottle-need-replacement but they only allow that once a year and I hate to blow it this soon. I'll get the refill in another two weeks, in time for the next disaster I am sure. Other than that, things are relatively okay. Pressure cooker decisions are on the way, though -- have to get my ass in gear about where to put Jake for kindergarten and make a decision about where I want to be too. Screw it -- I'm buying a couple powerball tickets just so I can have something fun to daydream about for a few hours.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Mama Ball Says
A week to go ... so far I've had a cold this week, and the kids have had mild colds which have hung on into tonight. Three kids went home from Jake's class yesterday with "the throwup bug" so I am waiting to see if we have missed that bullet.
Went to the office Christmas party for Steve's crew last night. Very nice setup at a country club in Danbury, and it was nice to see everyone. The usual games and folderol went on about 45 minutes too long, though -- it was 11:30 before we left and I was getting that evil achytired feeling. Slept all the way home and then drove Alice home. Jake talked her into letting him open one of the Christmas presents (it was in an amazon.com bag tied with a ribbon, but after he said we had told him it was okay, he told her that they had to make sure to put it back in the bag!!! I laughed hysterically at that one. Oh well.
Have a good start on wrapping gifts for the kids, and am hoping to get most of it done tonight. Then all I have to worry about it cleaning the fridge and the house this week ( a little bit every night). Jake and I delivered gifts to the neighbors today, and that was fun. I still need two extension cords for my lightup houses and the nativity scene, and I need a basket or box to put Charlotte's tea set and tea linens in. I think Marshall's had boxes that were fabric covered and nice looking, but who knows if they still have any. I'm going to try to get out in the morning and get there early.
Have decided that Christmas Eve morning is going to be the Kessey family gift morning for the kids. I figure there will be a lot going on with Steve's family, and I'd like them to have a chance to enjoy without getting overwhelmed. We'll see -- if there are still too many we'll put off some until the day after Christmas or something like that.
Went to the office Christmas party for Steve's crew last night. Very nice setup at a country club in Danbury, and it was nice to see everyone. The usual games and folderol went on about 45 minutes too long, though -- it was 11:30 before we left and I was getting that evil achytired feeling. Slept all the way home and then drove Alice home. Jake talked her into letting him open one of the Christmas presents (it was in an amazon.com bag tied with a ribbon, but after he said we had told him it was okay, he told her that they had to make sure to put it back in the bag!!! I laughed hysterically at that one. Oh well.
Have a good start on wrapping gifts for the kids, and am hoping to get most of it done tonight. Then all I have to worry about it cleaning the fridge and the house this week ( a little bit every night). Jake and I delivered gifts to the neighbors today, and that was fun. I still need two extension cords for my lightup houses and the nativity scene, and I need a basket or box to put Charlotte's tea set and tea linens in. I think Marshall's had boxes that were fabric covered and nice looking, but who knows if they still have any. I'm going to try to get out in the morning and get there early.
Have decided that Christmas Eve morning is going to be the Kessey family gift morning for the kids. I figure there will be a lot going on with Steve's family, and I'd like them to have a chance to enjoy without getting overwhelmed. We'll see -- if there are still too many we'll put off some until the day after Christmas or something like that.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Mama Ball Says
Well, it's mid December and the house is still at the half-baked stage. We did get the tree up, and this year decided NOT to put up any breakable ornaments -- only the ones that would survive everything short of a nuclear blast. Replaced the tinsel with red wooden beaded garland so Jaws wouldn't snarf up the tinsel and choke herself. I thought we had somewhat babyproofed things ...
And then Jake shoved his pirate ship under the tree, got it stuck somehow, and in attempting to yank it out, dumped the whole tree ass over teakettles on top of himself. All we saw were feet and ankles sticking out from the mess for a minute. I have no idea how he did it -- the base of the tree was full of water and it was heavy as hell -- not like he was swinging on the top branches or anything. Who knows. Anyway, after minor flooding and major cleanup, I found the two of them attempting to jump rope with the red bead garland that they had taken off the tree again.
I'm ready for an S&M Christmas, with a naked tree tied to the walls. I need my new meds to kick in soon.
With luck, I will have this place somewhat presentable by Christmas, ready for all the relations to show up and destroy it. I did get a few of my china houses up in the dining room, on the top shelf, and they look nice. I found the pieces for a nativity scene that I actually like, the stockings are up, and the Christmas books are out. I have the family boxes packed and ready to ship (even in the truck!) and the Christmas cards all mailed. What remains is to organize the gifts on this end and get wrapping/packaging, and then get everything else put away. That will be the real trick.
And then Jake shoved his pirate ship under the tree, got it stuck somehow, and in attempting to yank it out, dumped the whole tree ass over teakettles on top of himself. All we saw were feet and ankles sticking out from the mess for a minute. I have no idea how he did it -- the base of the tree was full of water and it was heavy as hell -- not like he was swinging on the top branches or anything. Who knows. Anyway, after minor flooding and major cleanup, I found the two of them attempting to jump rope with the red bead garland that they had taken off the tree again.
I'm ready for an S&M Christmas, with a naked tree tied to the walls. I need my new meds to kick in soon.
With luck, I will have this place somewhat presentable by Christmas, ready for all the relations to show up and destroy it. I did get a few of my china houses up in the dining room, on the top shelf, and they look nice. I found the pieces for a nativity scene that I actually like, the stockings are up, and the Christmas books are out. I have the family boxes packed and ready to ship (even in the truck!) and the Christmas cards all mailed. What remains is to organize the gifts on this end and get wrapping/packaging, and then get everything else put away. That will be the real trick.
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