After a great and relaxing Christmas with my family, it was time to get back to reality. I loved the fact that I hadn't left the house for days. I love the fact that my boys were still so "into" their gifts that they hadn't noticed that 4 days had gone by and that they were still not at each others' necks, but it was time for Jerrod to go back to work and it was time for the rest of us to get up at a decent hour and not lounge around all day in our pj's.
So, with Jerrod gone, it was up to me to get the boys breakfast and it was up to me to yell at them to brush their teeth and to eat something wholesome (like Lucky Charms, for instance-a Christmas sneak into our house:once they're gone, they'll be banned until next Christmas). It's a tiresome job taking care of kids, as I now remember. I had a small brain fart which, for a few short days, had wiped my memory of how much effort I had to put into my day to keep these kids alive and healthy. I amuse myself, as I do often, when I realized that I was in dire need of a break from the family (more specifically, my boys). My mom made an unexpected stop by the house that allowed me to run some errands without children attached to my hip. I RAN into my room and dressed myself so quickly. I was going to make some returns at a department store and check out the great after-Christmas sales. Here's the amusing part: I find a pair of pants that I want to try and I go into the dressing room. I notice that I have my underwear inside out. Typical Elaine. I guess I must have been in such a hurry to get out of my house and away from my kids that I didn't notice that I had pulled on a pair of undies with the label on the outside. Big deal. It could have been worse, I guess. They were clean. They were not backwards. So I sit now, writing my entry in undies that are inside out, and if I do come upon a situation where I am unable to change my clothes for the next day, I know that I can at least turn my Warner's right-side-in and life can go on.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
It's NOT a Snuggie!
Today I write this entry wrapped in a warm handmade blanket. I am sick, apparently the flu, and a student gave me the best present ever just when I needed it the most. I had a feeling that I'd be in this situation because I have not sent all three boys to school on any of the days this week. It started with Cayden. He was sick through the Thanksgiving break. Next, the baby and then slowly the oldest showed symptoms and finally it came to me. Not unpredictable, but as a mom, I tried hard to be strong. I took last evening off from motherly duties and slept and burned the fever and chills off. This morning there wasn't a fever, just a little dizziness, so I thought that it would be ok to go to work. I'd have to drive everyone to school anyway. I don't work that long and it is so difficult to get a substitute for me.
So, I took my position in my leather-like office chair behind my desk and performed my usual duties until the students arrived. I read the newspaper, ate some Cocoa Pebbles, made my tea, and switched the radio to appropriate classroom music (uh, today's choice was a jazz station which ended up NOT being appropriate so it was turned off).
The kids came in and I immediately felt nausiated. Work has that effect on me, but this time I think it was my sensitivity to noise. I made it through most of my first class before I had to make my run to the bathroom. Yes, I barfed. I was not as well as I thought I was, but I had to make it through 2 more classes. The second class brought me great joy because first, I was gifted my blanket, and second, most of the students understood the lesson and could work independently. I assumed that I could make it for one more period. I survived the third. It isn't too difficult to figure out multiplicative inverses. Thank God for an easy lesson. It would have been even better if each one of my students hadn't asked me "Is that a Snuggie?"
It's much better than a Snuggie because it got me through my work day. I am hoping that it will get me though the afternoon when my own kids get home.
So, I took my position in my leather-like office chair behind my desk and performed my usual duties until the students arrived. I read the newspaper, ate some Cocoa Pebbles, made my tea, and switched the radio to appropriate classroom music (uh, today's choice was a jazz station which ended up NOT being appropriate so it was turned off).
The kids came in and I immediately felt nausiated. Work has that effect on me, but this time I think it was my sensitivity to noise. I made it through most of my first class before I had to make my run to the bathroom. Yes, I barfed. I was not as well as I thought I was, but I had to make it through 2 more classes. The second class brought me great joy because first, I was gifted my blanket, and second, most of the students understood the lesson and could work independently. I assumed that I could make it for one more period. I survived the third. It isn't too difficult to figure out multiplicative inverses. Thank God for an easy lesson. It would have been even better if each one of my students hadn't asked me "Is that a Snuggie?"
It's much better than a Snuggie because it got me through my work day. I am hoping that it will get me though the afternoon when my own kids get home.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thanksgiving Was My Favorite Holiday
For years and years, I looked forward to Thanksgiving Thursday all year long. It may have been the overendulgence of cranberry jelly, stuffing, and apple cider. Maybe it was the unwritten rule of being able to ask for seconds on pumpkin pie and an extra spray of canned whipping cream without feeling guilty. Whatever it was, just had me counting the days 'til the Big Turkey Feast.
As some may know, I have recently been placed on a gluten-free diet. It was a sad day when the doctor said that I had an allergy to flour. My first thought was that Thanksgiving Day was dead to me. It was just any other turkey and mashed potatoes meal. I tried to "psych" myself out and pump up the excitement. My friends sent me gluten-free recipes and articles, but as the day approached, it clearly had lost its magic. I was able to have almost everything, but knowing that I had to be careful made the meal so, hummm, like a diet. So I search for a new favorite holiday; one in which I do not have to make any sacrifices. Halloween was a disappointment because Twix bars (my favorite) have that crunchy cookie.....made of flour. Christmas has never been a favorite of mine, except for the shopping part, of course, ingrained in my genetic disposition as a woman. How about a Jell-O day? I am sure that there is one. That would be perfect for those who live a gluten-free life. All the jell-o and pudding pops you can eat in a 24 hour period under that same unwritten rule...I bet you could even use the canned whipped cream too!
As some may know, I have recently been placed on a gluten-free diet. It was a sad day when the doctor said that I had an allergy to flour. My first thought was that Thanksgiving Day was dead to me. It was just any other turkey and mashed potatoes meal. I tried to "psych" myself out and pump up the excitement. My friends sent me gluten-free recipes and articles, but as the day approached, it clearly had lost its magic. I was able to have almost everything, but knowing that I had to be careful made the meal so, hummm, like a diet. So I search for a new favorite holiday; one in which I do not have to make any sacrifices. Halloween was a disappointment because Twix bars (my favorite) have that crunchy cookie.....made of flour. Christmas has never been a favorite of mine, except for the shopping part, of course, ingrained in my genetic disposition as a woman. How about a Jell-O day? I am sure that there is one. That would be perfect for those who live a gluten-free life. All the jell-o and pudding pops you can eat in a 24 hour period under that same unwritten rule...I bet you could even use the canned whipped cream too!
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