Am I Ruby? I Hope Not

This morning Maizie was trying to decide what to bring for show and tell. She opted for the Max and Ruby dolls. (If you don’t know who they are you’re lucky; if you are forced to watch them you have my condolences, I feel your pain.) When I got home after dropping her off at school (on time) I went to make myself some breakfast (Teddy and Stella had their faces glued to the tablet) and Max and Ruby was on TV. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t change the channel, but I decided it was fate I need to share my thoughts with the blogosphere.

Way back in September 2009, I shared my thoughts on this horrific show on Facebook (long before my blogging days). Here are some of my thoughts (with some recent additions)…

1. Max is definitely Grandma’s favorite; she always comes to Max’s rescue. That’s kind of a screw you Ruby, stop being such a pain in the ass.
2. Bunny Scouts seems like a cult Ruby got sucked into and keeps giving money to. She sells Max’s stuff to raise money to give to those “Bunny Scouts” leaders.
3. Mrs. Huffington and Grandma never ask to talk to the parents. I think I know why, see #4.
4. I think that Max is really Ruby’s kid, that’s why the parents aren’t around. My theory is that Ruby was disowned by her parents and Grandma couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing Max.
5. I think Max has a disability. He doesn’t talk, but he can figure out things for himself. Perhaps instead of Bunny Scout meetings and all the shenanigans with Louise, Ruby should take Max to speech therapy.
6. Ruby resents Max (she knows he’s way smarter than her), so she takes out all her frustrations on him. She projects her short comings onto to him. It’s your fault you missed the bus, get your act together.

Then as I was listening, I realized there are times that I sound like Ruby. All that nagging she does to Max, once my kids stop listening I turn into Ruby. I wanted to throw up, how could I sound like her, I don’t think I’m that bossy. I realized it can’t possibly be me; it has to be that I have three Maxes in my house.

I am going to have to check myself from now on, before I grow white fur and get sucked into Bunny Scouts.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for story time at the library. For that half hour they are in that little room, I have time to myself. Now if the other parents kept their kids away from me, it would be even better. For some reason, there is always another kid who comes and sits with me and starts talking to me.

I am thankful for Stella’s sense of style. We never know what she is going to put on and whether I have to take her out in public in her less than successful choices. Whatever she wears, there is a smile to complete her look.

I am thankful for toy catalogs. My kids may circle just about everything in it, but when it’s time to narrow it down, they can show me exactly what it is they’re talking about.

I am thankful for the ridiculous Christmas movies. My husband makes fun of me every year, but I watch them anyway. (and I clog up the DVR)

I am thankful for cookbooks from the library. If there is nothing in it that I would consider cooking, I just return it.

I am thankful that my kids sing in the car. They hear a song and they just belt it out; if they would only learn to appreciate my singing.

For more thankfulness, follow the link to Baby Gators Den.

                                                                

Monday, Not So Fun Day

Let’s start at the beginning; I was repeatedly woken up by little feet kicking me in the back, stomach and face. Stella came into our bed at some point last night, no idea she was there until the first kick.  At least I could sleep in a tiny bit; I took a shower before I went to bed so I was able to skip that this morning.

Maizie started her usual ritual of complaining about going to school. This morning she was particularly fierce (lots of swearing). This was made worse because of all the days out of school. Besides her, I had to get Teddy and Stella dressed and out the door as well because I needed to go to the mall to get Teddy a new jacket right after I dropped her off.

We pull it together and get her to school (on time). Now Stella has a cold and wasn’t feeling fantastic to begin with; as we were almost at the mall she said she had a really bad headache (she said it a few times). I asked her if she wanted to go home and stay with Daddy…she said yes. She was passing on a trip to the mall; I knew she really didn’t feel well.

A couple of times in the past she has had a bad headache and it leads to one thing. She threw up in the new car; we haven’t even had it for a week. At this point I was glad Maizie wasn’t with us, she would have tried to jump out of the moving car (that’s how much she HATES vomiting).  Luckily she only got it on herself and a little on her car seat. You wouldn’t have known that from the smell in the car though.

I drop her off and Ted gets her all cozied up. Now Teddy and I are off to the mall. As we are there, I am quickly reminded why I don’t take him out much. He doesn’t keep up, walks with his feet slapping on the floor like a duck and his filter of appropriate things to say doesn’t always work well; not to mention that he talks to everyone he walks past and touches everything.

Most of the stores I go to open at 8 or 9, not the stores in the mall. So we go to Dunkin Donuts. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, but I told him he had 3 seconds to choose. I had to ask what the filling was in one of the holiday donuts. When he found out it was Boston crème, he said (quite loudly), “Boston crème, I love Boston crème. I’ll take it.” When he finished he looked like he was turning into the Hulk. I’m glad they put in those sinks, he needed a scrub down.

He picked out a coat; I tried it on him, it just fit. If he was wearing a sweatshirt it wouldn’t have. That coat was a size 10-12; we ended up getting a size 14-16 for a six year old. The tag on the coat said $85; I ended up paying $21 after the sale and my coupon.

Since I had yet to go, I stopped into Nordstrom Rack. While I was trying on boots and looking at purses, he drank most of my coffee (sorry Ms Ferns). A quick spin through Target and we were out of there.

My head has been so full; I’m convinced that is where my weight gain came from; how much snot and mucus can really fit up there? It gives me such a headache. I dropped Teddy off at school and came home for my afternoon nap.

After school, even though Maizie said she didn’t have homework, she did (3 papers). Let the homework wars begin. On one of her papers she needed to write sentences about family members. Two of her gems were, “My mom is stopid.” And “My brother is stopid.” She obviously wasn't pleased with us this afternoon.

She finally pulled it together when I started making dinner and she wanted to help. See she can do her homework, when she wants to. Dinner was meatloaf with roasted potatoes and carrots. Boy was Stella disappointed when I told her she was having crackers.

They now got their pajamas on (without argument because Ted asked them to do it) and it is closing in on bedtime. I’m hoping Tuesday goes smoother.

Tis the Season

This is the season that Ted and I hemorrhage money. I know that people spend too much money during this season, but we have extra expenses this time of year. The first cut starts around Halloween and doesn’t end until the fat man in the red suit is tucked into his bed.

We need to get three Halloween costumes, and depending on what they want to be, it can get costly (Last year the tiny pirate princess cost $40, it should come with its own treasure). This year I lucked out because I made the girls’ costumes myself, but that isn’t typical. Then all the candy we need to buy. Our neighborhood is a drop off point for Providence kids. How do I know this? Every year I have kids come to my door and they say, “Hey Mrs. Kraus, you live here?”

Then we move into November. Picture day is in November, two kids need to get their pictures done. Do you know how ridiculously priced they are and you don’t know how it looks until you get them. Luckily both kids looked good in them.

Teddy’s birthday is at the beginning of the month and he needs presents; then comes Thanksgiving.  Some years we go to someone’s house, but even when we do we need a turkey for leftovers. You can’t have turkey without the fixings, so I pretty much make a little feast. Of course, there is then Black Friday. I haven’t gone the past two years because the things my kids want aren’t a big enough deal. Besides when I go, I buy myself stuff.

December has arrived. Now here’s how this goes; the weekend after Thanksgiving we go and cut down our Christmas tree. With that I usually have to buy more ornaments and lights; the lights because on occasion, we throw them out with the tree and ornaments to replace the ones that broke when the tree fell the previous year.

Next comes Maizie’s birthday and she needs presents. This year we had one big party for the two of them. We didn’t do individual friend parties because of Stella’s soccer party, but we will have to next year (Teddy really wanted a friend party and I’m not sure if Maizie cared.)

During December there are activities we want to do. We go to Winter Wonderland at Slater Park every year (one of these years I’m going to have a display tree). Then there is Lasallette, the timing doesn’t work out most of the time, but I try every year. We must go to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa. They have the BEST Santas, I highly recommend it. We need to but all the presents and there are always last minute purchases.

I make a list for each kid and ask them over and over what they want so they can tell Santa the guaranteed items. Without fail every year, even though she will barely look at him and acts like a mute, Maizie will get a burst of courage and ask Santa for something that isn’t on her list and it’s usually something she has never ever mentioned. One year she wanted a Dora pillowcase and another year it was a tiara. Her last minute additions are not extravagant, just a pain in the ass. I wonder what it will be this year.

Happy holidays!!

Thankful Thursday

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday. I am mostly thankful for my family, but here are a few more things on my list today.

I am thankful for my giant roaster. I put the turkey in the roaster and then my oven is available for my many side dishes.

This thing is insane. My 16 lb. turkey cooked in 3.5 hours.

I am thankful for Stella’s parade enthusiasm. All the yelling and jumping, I can’t imagine if we took her to see it in person.

I am thankful for an easy Thanksgiving Day menu. All the things I make are quite easy.

I am thankful for Nanny’s stuffing and cranberry sauce that my mom makes every year. The stuffing is so good, but quite labor intensive and I just can’t get the cranberry sauce to come out right.

I am thankful for Elfel (our Elf on the Shelf). No when the kids get on my nerves I can just walk over to her and say, “Can you tell Santa…” They do not want the big guy to know all the weasely things they do.

  I guess Elfel missed her friend The Wampa.