G-Rents

Summer vacation is quickly approaching. A time in the past where I would consider stocking up on more alcohol than usual, knowing that I would have in my house 24/7 3-6 weeks, three rambunctious boys. I would frantically scrabble through my coffee drenched brain, trying to figure out how to entertain, and keep quiet, our spawns, while J would be on conference calls right below our feet. It was a time of celebration for a year completed, which lasted all of 48 hours, before the boys, having realized that they were also stuck together whether they wanted to be or not, inevitably would begin to chafe of the confinements of one another company, and the annoyance of brothers began to emerge.

That's why I would stock up on my BFF's wine and brandy. But not anymore. I have a new weapon to add to my arsenal of sanity, as of a few months ago, and this summer, I plan to use it to its fullest potential.

It's called "THE GRANDPARENTS."

After years of trying to get my mom to move to our area, this past winter she and her husband finally made it here. They now live ten minutes away, in a nice complex. Even better, they have a pool right across from their house. Even better than that? They have a place with an extra bedroom...... just for the boys.

Since the move, the grandparents want to see the boys as much as possible and vice versa, so I've been taking them over every few Friday nights, where they spend the weekend with the G-rents. I pick them up Sunday evening before school. It's been a win/win situation for everyone involved. The boys get to run crazy without having to worry about my crazed eye glare and "projecting voice" talent that I learned as a kid who was bitten by the theater bug, that seems to emerge whenever my patience tank begins to run on fumes. G-rents get to enjoy their lovely little G-kids, until they are run ragged, then get to send them home all sugared up and snickering at the thought that they have the ability to send them on their merry way without having to deal with the ramifications of children ramped up on candy. And we parental units have started to actually have some time to ourselves on go on those things we always heard about but never got a chance to try..... date nights. It's crazy!!! We actually get to go out as a husband and wife and pretend it was like 12 years ago when we didn't have kids ( or kids on the way) and we can do fun GROWN UP things! Like eat at a restaurant that doesn't offer crayons! And has real, fresh food, not frozen patties microwaved for 30 seconds and slapped on a plastic bun. It's freaking heaven!

And with summer on the way ( oh hell let's call it like it is with us living in NC, it's already summer-esque here) it's warm enough that at the G-rents place, the pool is open. With it being actually warm enough to swim in, the kids are FRANTIC to finish school and head to  Camp Grammy. But eh best part is that everyone involved actually wants them to stay for at least a week. A WEEK! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!!! It means that I, SRM, and J, get to pretend that we are grown ups without children for a full 7 days!!!! That's 168 hours. 10080 minutes. That, my friends, is insanity! In a good way!!!

But now the question is, what the hell do I do with all of that extra time?! Sleeping in is, of course, obvious. So is catching up on a few tv shows, a book or 5. But after that? If the weather holds, I'm fantasizing renting a kayak from the local park, plugging my earbuds in, and drifting on the lake solo. Maybe take a few hikes without having to worry about pacing my steps to that of a three year old. What about finding a quiet corner in Starbucks, slowing sipping my venti café mocha while I play on my laptop. Maybe even brainstorming about blog ides? Oooh! What else?! I need ideas peeps, and I need them now!


So yay to the G-rents for finally making it down here, and making everyone happy, most especially during track out vacations!

(Red) Bucket List

In kindergarten, at the school my kids go to, every day Ashe comes home with a colored bucket. If he had a good day, his bucket would be colored green. If he was talked to by the teacher once or twice, it would be yellow. Red is a bad bad day. Ashe never has come home with a red bucket. Until Friday.

I received an email from his teacher around lunch time to expect a red bucket. I was appalled by her recounting of his behavior; talking loudly out of turn, being insolent and rude, and refusing to follow directions. I get we all have bad days. But this was pretty bad.

I *do* know that over the past few weeks he has been a little more belligerent at home, and we didn't know why. I do know that he casually mentioned that he's not playing with his friends at recess anymore because they are playing Skylander and he's not interested. He made it clear it doesn't bother him, but with this happening around the same time as his new 'tude, I wonder if it's actually bothering him more than he realizes.

I brought up the lack of playmates to his teacher and asked her to keep an eye out while we would deal consequences at home for his misbehavior. In the end I sat him down for a long quiet talk about his attitude lately and how we weren't mad, but very disappointed in his behavior at school. Instead of timeouts (which don't phase him in the slightest) or sending him to his room with no toys (he can keep himself entertained for hours with a rubber band) we decided that instead he would write out a letter of apology to his teacher for his actions. And he did, taking care to spell his words properly and with his best handwriting. He actually apologized to me on his own (GASP) and sad h wouldn't do it again.

We'll see how long that lasts but maybe the red bucket wasn't as bad as we though?

The Traveling Band Aid

Over the past few weeks, I noticed something going on in our household. No one has loudly announced their purpose for this oddity, but I suspect it to be something of Ashe's imagination.

You see, we seem to have a traveling band aid. What I mean by this is that there is a singular band aid that is traveling from place to place in our home. One day I may wake up to find it hanging out on our island counter. A few days later I will notice it randomly placed on our living room wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night, while J and I settled down to watch TV, I noticed it hanging around near our windowsill.

 

 

 



I don't know what is going through the boy's minds as this poor band aid continues its travels, but it is just SO random that I can't help but chuckle every time I notice it in a new spot. I'm ok with this traveling band aid so long as it doesn't end up in my bed.