Colored Eggs!

Kitty's version of our family, Daddy (with a badge), Mommy, John and Kitty.



John's family: John in front, Fonzi the chinchilla, Daddy with a badge, and Mommy.  Hmmm.... No Kitty.



Katherine's eggs

John's eggs.



I almost tried to skip this tradition, good thing I didn't!



I hate FunDip

Am I too uptight?

The other day at dinner Kitty told us the worst part of her day was playing "Red Rover" because it hurts her arm.  I thought the game was against the rules, but as it turns out the EA was the one who set it up and everyone had to play.  Really?  So I told Kitty to tell the EA that it is against the rules of her family to play Red Rover.  The next day Kitty told me she sat out during the Red Rover activity and that the EA said, "I agree with your mom".  So why is she organizing the game for these kids?

(Of course, hearing this new family rule, John panicked and insisted he loved the game.  So the rule became: If you want to play you can, but if you feel uncomfortable about it you don't have to.)

As I stewed in my irritation about it I was reminded of my own mother making a fuss over the "Baby Bumblebee" song we learned in first grade music.  At least this time I didn't call to embarrassingly complain to the administration rendering my first grader permanently afraid to go back to music (I love you mom).

But really? Red rover? The game responsible for more broken bones, knocked out teeth, dislocated shoulders...? I guess I'm a nerd.

Living the dream?

Lately I've been struggling with wanting to live the "dream" of motherhood and living my reality. 

For example:

It's ok to let my kids choose a piece of candy from the reward box first thing in the morning for staying in their own bed all night, especially if it means a few extra minutes of sleep for me. And then it's ok for me to feed them donuts for breakfast on the heels of candy.

Video games and TV all day once in a while (ok, once a week) won't kill them.

Making dinner every night is over rated.  Just kidding, it's probably not.

If you don't care for your child's teacher, then you don't have to volunteer to go on every field trip, even if you are the only one willing to go.

Speaking of school, I don't donate to every fundraiser and can't understand why people continue to buy butter braids, cheap wrapping paper, and magazines.  If you keep buying these things the schools will keep selling them!

I have embraced the fact that I go through stages of not wanting any outside responsibilities... I am in one of these stages now, it's been almost 8 years now.

Something I've learned...

In case you didn't know:

#1:  Anything claiming to be an "easy" gingerbread-type house for whatever holiday is a waste.  You won't be able to construct it properly, the icing will be too stiff, and the candy stale.  Your kids will still make a mess and insist on keeping it.

#2:  Because you love your children you will keep it for a day or two as the centerpiece of the table.

#4:  Anything left as the centerpiece of the table is considered fair game.

#3:  Anything claiming to be an "easy" gingerbread-type house for whatever holiday is going to give your dogs NASTY gas and you may have to evacuate the house.

Interior of my trashcan.