Abby's Morning Run and PMS

Ethan has a friend who comes over and rings the doorbell constantly until someone answers. It's ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong... This morning at 7:30 the doorbell started ringing. We were all still in bed. I laid there and thought, "I'm going to punch that kid..." Thinking it was "Fred" I opened the door with my teacher look on my face. It wasn't Fred, it was an older guy with his wife walking their dog. He told us "Your little brown dog just ran away." I'm not sure, but I think I said something like "S**t! Damn it! She's not wearing her collar! Sh-iiiit!!" Charming. I know.We all ran and got dressed. The older couple was talking to another older couple with their dog. They pointed us in the direction of where Abby went. Scott went on foot, Ethan went one way around the block while Noah went the other on their bikes, and I started driving around. Noah found her. Apparently he bent down and yelled for her. She acted like she was running to him, but ran right by. He chased after her and caught her as I drove around the corner. She was caked with mud from head to tail. I'm not sure how the people knew she was brown, because she looked black to me. I gave her a bath and she told me if we didn't start taking her for more walks she'd start taking herself. Apparently Scott let her out at about two in the morning and forgot to let her back in. She had five hours to dig for freedom. Thank goodness those people were outside and saw her escape. We wouldn't have known until she was long gone.
PMS- I'm pretty sure I've never had PMS. Sure I get waterlogged and my boobs hurt, but it never effected my mood before. I'm really noticing 1)Now that I'm not trying to get pregnant, my body is like clockwork- unlike when I was trying to get pregnant. 2)In the last three months I get VERRY crabby, irritable, and just plain bitchy at the end of the month. I've been known to say things like,"Every Damn-day doesn't have to be a party!" and "I don't know how more people aren't smothered to death by their spouses because they won't stop snoring." I can barely stand myself. After my period, I am much more tolerable, even happy in fact. I don't understand how this symtom can crop up all of a sudden. That led me to looking it up on the Internet- where you should get all of your free medical advice. It turns out that I am either A) Simply a crab, or more likely B) suffering from PMS-As in Pre Menopause Syndrome. WHAT?? I'm 28. How can I be close to Pre-Menopause? It turns out Pre-Menopause can last for 15 years, so I guess that means 180 more end-of-the month crabbiness. Huh. Who knew??

My Shopping Adventure

Yesterday I went shopping. I wasted a ton of time just looking at baby clothes- have your baby already Julie so I know if I dare buy newborn or if I need 3 months, I need to know if he'll be over 12 pounds. I also looked at clothes for the boys, clothes for me and sandals. My mission was to buy shorts for the boys. Ethan will only wear shorts that come exactly to his knees and it must have a string to tie at the waist because he is deathly afraid of "losing his pants". He is pickier than a girl. Noah wears whatever I through at him, but not Ethan. He wants his pants too short, and his shorts too long and forget about jeans unless they have a drawstring. His socks have to cover his knees- so actually wearing shorts is kind-of lost on him. His shirts have to cover his hips and have words on them. The shirts can not have any kind of pink or purple anywhere, or a tag. Wow. You'd think, Noah, who's going into middle school would be this picky, but nope. He still tries to wear a dressy shirt with running pants. He's even tried to wear my orange/peach sweatshirt to school until I told him, "That's mine!" Anyway, I found four pairs of shorts for Noah for 20.00 total and couldn't find any that would fit Ethan's qualifications. I went to Scheels and found a pair for Ethan for 30.00! I've never spend that much on "play wear" that they will wear for less than 3 months of the year, but I was desperate. I felt bad for Noah, since I didn't get him "fancy shorts" so I got him some Moorhead Spuds shorts that he hasn't taken off since I got them home yesterday. When I was sandal shopping I saw the ugliest sandals you could imagine. It looked like the sole of a flip-flop with a bunch of elaborate strings attached to it that you are suppose to loop and entwine your foot through to get on. It reminded me of the time my wooden clogs broke in second grade and I tried to use yarn to tie the clogs to my foot so I could still wear them and be "cool". Seriously, who came up with the idea of wooden clogs? "I know what's really comfortable and good for your feet- a wedge of wood! We will put one narrow strip of fake leather up by the toes and that will be how it stays on the foot. We should also put a big metal buckle on that leather so when it's sunny out, and the wearer moves their toes they'll burn them. Oh and let's market it to kids. I'm sure they will be wonderfully safe to run around in. If we make it the blue light special at K-Mart they will be irresistible." I still remember coming home from K-Mart with my wooden shoes all excited and proud, and I still have a scar from being burned by the buckle on my left middle toe to prove it.
My other shopping adventure was to the furniture store. I found the best couch in the WORLD!! It is a sectional. It has two room for seven- I'd be great if I were to find six friends. It has two reclining seats, it has lower back massage, build in lights in the headrest, drop down table, storage counsel, cup holders and get this- A FRIDGE that hold 4 beverages!!! It is AWESOME!! The only thing is if we get it the dogs can't be on it and what's the point of having a pet if you can't let them sit on your lap and pet them? But it is a super cool couch!
Stay tuned for my next post- which I am sure you will be anxiously awaiting- "What is with my PMS?"

My Babies Are Growing Up

If you are a parent you understand when you have those days that you look at your children and wonder "Who are you? Where did my little boys go?" Noah is so grown-up. He is so smart and kind, thoughtful and sweet, genuine and beautiful. He loves sports more than life itself and spends much of his time orchastrating time to hang out with his friends. He is growing up so fast. He starts middle school next year. For Mother's day Noah and Ethan wrote letters to me. Noah wrote, "You are a great mom. You've never missed any of my games even if it's cold out because you love me. But I still love you more And you usually say yes to stuff I ask, like facebook." Ethan wrote, "I love you more than I can say in words. You are so nice to me and love me." They both made me want to cry. I am so lucky. Ethan wants to grow up so fast and do the same things as his brother, but he still likes to cuddle and share his blanket with me. He's the first one to crawl in my bed in the morning to ask me something and lay there cuddling. He loves the dogs, well any furry or baby animal for that matter. He really doesn't understand why we can't get a kitten or two along with a guinea pig and hamster. I love them both so much and they are growing up way too fast.
Funny things my students have said lately: "Every day more and more of my hair falls out!!"
We were writing about our dreams for when we grow up: "I dream of being a Kindergarten Music teacher. And my classroom will be in the hallway." I wonder if her 'classroom' in the hall is a by-product of going to an overcrowded school?

My Little Friends

This, the third to the last week of school, we've had tears, "My mom says we might have to give my cat away because he goes potty where he shouldn't." Cheers, "My dad says my mom is starting to like him a little bit again!" Revelations, "My family doesn't celebrate Easter. We're Catholic." And observations, "Mrs. Fairfield, your hair looks longer today. You should get it cut." They have not however learned that if you don't do your book project, or worse plagiarize or cheat, your teacher will 1) Make you still do it. 2) Make you do it while the rest of the class is having fun. The kidos have a book project each month. They have five weeks to read the book, make a plan of attack and do it. This month the kids were suppose to read a book. Write down what genre it is, if they recommend it, why they chose it (most said because my teacher told me it's a good choice for me), who they would recommend it to, (usually to anyone with a lot of time on their hands) and most importantly a 3-5 sentence summery of the book. One sentence from the beginning, the middle and end. I had 7 kids- (1/3) of my class either not do it at all, or COPY the summery DIRECTLY from the back cover. I informed them that's cheating. They didn't look the least bit sorry or guilty. I even told them "there will be a consequence. I'll tell you what it is later this week. Try not to worry." They aren't worrying at all!! They are skipping and laughing!One was sad, but only because he knows I'll make him redo it. So my plan is to have ice cream, popcorn and a movie Friday afternoon while those 7 are reading their new books for their new project in the hallway. A part of me wants to say there's only 11 days left. You gave up. I give up too. If I haven't taught you there will be a consequence for not doing your work in the past 163 days, you probably won't figure it out in the last 11. But if I don't make them redo it, they'll 'get one over on old Mrs. Fairfield', and we can't have that!
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for my magic wand to arrive.

13 Days and Mother's Day

Now I have only 13 days left, 13 days left, 13 days left, until they set me free!! 13 days of school left. Ever since I had 23 days left I've been able to let go of a lot of stress. I kinda feel like, "If I couldn't fix 'em or teach 'em in 152 days, I'm not going to do it in the last 23." Since I've had that revelation I've been able to let go and have a lot more fun at school. I found I really enjoy being with my students. They are a good class and I'll miss them next year because this group is completely trained and next year I'll have to have to re-train another group. I actually even told them today I'd go teach 4th grade next year if I could have them as students. That said, I do like my group, but I love summer and still have a count down. Also last week was teacher appreciation week and I wasn't "appreciated". I hope it's just because they kids didn't know and not because they think I suck. Spring arrived just last week and I know in less than four short months fall/winter will be back. I feel like I'm counting down or wishing my life away, "I wish it were spring, I wish it was summer, 13 days until vacation..." But I guess in the summer when the weather is nice I wish each week would be 10 days instead of 7.

Yesterday was mother's day. As a motherless daughter, I have struggled with mother's day. It's not as bad as the mother's day I was suppose to be a mother, but that baby wasn't to be, but I still count the days as it approaches and try to convince myself that it's no big deal. I wake up each mother's day determined to keep a smile on my face but I always end up crying. For no apparent reason. Always. Just like on my mom's birthday, October 8, the date she died, November 17, the date of the funeral, November 20th and memorial week.
Yesterday I decided I was going to celebrate being a mother and not think about missing my own. I have learned even though at times it doesn't seem that way or feel like it, I may stumble, fall, fail and fumble in every aspect of my life, but my children will still love me with every breath they take.