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Friday, November 27, 2009

Off to the races

Jennifer was just determined to go hit the stores early today. She wanted to do the 3 am madness, but I talked her into 5:30 am madness,and then, after not getting asleep until 3 am (must have been reg. coffee?) I begged for an extra hour or so of sleep when she went bounding out of her bedroom like a kid on Christmas morn.

Annoyed, she went back to sleep. But I could hear her counting the minutes, so at 6:30, I gave up and told her to get ready. We were at the mall by 7:30, so no doorbuster gifts for us, but at least the parking gods were kind, and we found slots easily, and managed to avoid the horrific Kohls' check out line, but purchasing a single piece of jewelry and then sitting in that line for 10 minutes instead of 60.

Nordies Rack for a pair of my shoes, and then she picked up something at Macy's (shoes again), and then home. And bed again.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Being thankful

I'll prob. be napping, cooking or cleaning up tomorrow - or taking the dog for a walk to walk off the pie.

So I start being thankful tonight.

For my daughter, snarly tho she was today because she was tired. And thankful she is a good kid, with manners (well some manners at least) and that she is looking forward to going to college - tho not nec. one she gets a discount for.

I'm thankful that she has confidence, not seriously involved with a boy, and really doesn't want to be.

And I'm thankful she will do chore (when nagged), and that she still leans up against me, sometimes, and calls me "mommy." And sometimes, it's not when she wants something.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Where the kids hang out

I guess Gary and I are getting that rep.

Tonight at the movies, we arrived to dutifully go to "Blind Side" while J went off with friends to New Moon (verdict, acting bad, but eye candy with the werewolf pack good) . She joined up with the 2 of her friends, who were joined by 4 more friends.

We decided to stop by I Hop on the way home, and suddenly, J and friend turned into J and 3 friends, which we just shoved in the back of the civic. One mom called to figure out where her girl was (hadn't met her before) and she said she was with Jennifer's mom and day, was that OK?

Apparently it was. That seems to be becoming shorthand for a. they'll get home safe and b. usually fed too.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Off to the football game

Ahh silence.

That's what I'm hearing as my hubby and daughter are off to see Auburn High's football team try to beat Vancouver's team in the quarterfinals for state.

Luckily, it's not raining, as the guest side of the stadium has no bleachers (scum). So gary insisted she bring two coats and one rain cover just...in...case. Of course she swore she'd wear none of it, but at least they have it. OK, time to check in on line and see how they are doing.

Did I mention I really like hearing the silence - except for my 85 rottie snoring.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

From scratch

That's the way our daughter wants to cook our T-day turkey. I usually, since I work until next thursday- go buy and pick up the precooked meal at Safeway. But Jennifer has been watching too many cooking shows - Bravo and HGTV.

I don't think she realizes that they chefs take HOURS to produce the end product, that's all nealty wrapped up in a one-hour show. And you don't see them cleaning up the mess. That's what production crews are for.

However, I hate to snuff out this interest in cooking, since it would be nice to come home to a meal once and awhile, so let's start unthawing that turkey.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Digging herself out of a hole

Next time I might think twice before allowing J to be sick for 4 days (as if I had a choice), It's only now, a week later, that she's taking her last make up test. And some of the teachers are grumpy about it, some aren't.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Glitter sale, maybe next year.

The Goodwill Glitter sale took place this weekend, and Jennifer and I drooled. But alas, the week before payday is as usual, slim, so we took a pass. But we plan to go full bore next year.

And actually she suggested it (the pass) and I was glad to hear it.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Were you awesome?

There's a new website that I highly recommend called My Parents Were Awesome. Were? As we tell Jennifer, we still are. And since you like That 70's Show, you probably would like these pictures too.

And there is a sadness when you look at them. They were young and in-your-face once too.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

I'll cook tonight!

At first I thought I'd misheard. My daughter wanted to cook dinner.

And even more astounding, she wanted to good breakfast for dinner, an idea that I love, but she's firmly resisted.

Apparently staying home all day for Veteran's Day got to her, so she started watching cooking shows, which got her in the mood for cooking, so she asked me to get the ingredients for French toast, my fav. on the way home. I happily obliged, however, the bread needed to be stale, or staler to not go soggy in the mixture.

But the family, hungry, wolfed it down. And yes, she did a Julia. We cooked with butter.

Monday, November 9, 2009

H1N1 hunt

I hate this.

After peeling through about 10 pharmacies that were SUPPOSED to have the vaccine, I finally found one in King County that was taking names a least. So at 10:30 am on Thursday, Jennifer's getting vaccinated, like it or not.

She whined that she'd have to spend 4 hours in the weight room to make up for the v-ball class she'd miss, but too bad. I had to hunt for that damn vaccine, and now she's getting the shot.

As I was walking by the H1N1 line at PLU, where I work, the nurse poked her head about from behind the screen, and saw there were no students lined up. Could we find one more, she asked to no one in particular, so they could give out the last dose? I asked if I could have it (no I don't look 24 and under) or take it home to J. Her look gave me my answer.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sportsmother Nazis

I had just dumped off the kids in front of the gym for the divisional finals that our v-ball team at Auburn Senior High had made it to. It was pouring.

So I gave Jennifer my last $6 and some change and drove the car to the back 40 of the parking lot. And walked to the front door again, semi-wet. And there was the sign, no checks allowed. Great, I had $4.50 and the cell phone wasn't connecting inside the gym.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do," said sportsnazi mom. "I have to have cash or nothing."

"Oh common," I protested. By then the rain was coming down in sideways sheets. "I'd have to go out through THAT, and all I need is to go through and find my daughter inside. I promise I'm good for the $7"

"Nope, nothing I can do."

I should have just barged in and forced her to call the sports police, but I went out to the car, out to the nearby story, got the bank machine to cough up $40 and went back. By this time everything was fairly damp to soaking wet, including the $20 bill I threw at the sportsnazi.

"Listen, here's your money, but you could have just let me in so I wouldn't have to get soaking wet," I shouted at her. I'd already missed most of the Auburn match.

"Sorry, nothing I can do."

"Fine, since that's all you seem to be able to say, give me my damn ticket and change," I said as I thrust a soggy sleeve through the window.

But her sportnazi ways didn't end there. She kept shooing people away from the entrances, saying there was plenty of room in the bleachers (there wasn't) and that she was sorry, she HAD to say this.

Then she told one of the teams, no there wasn't any more chairs for their team to sit in, and that was the rules. The asst. coaches ended up sitting in the bleachers to make room. And she went by at least once, making sure the back of the chairs all lined up perfectly on the black line between the bleachers and the v-ball court.

Okay, obviously it wasn't just me.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Thicket of no's and yes's

Jennifer had been sick the past 2 days, but recovered today enough to go to school.

But on the way home, she buzzes me up.

"Mom, I know this is last minute, but can i spend the night at jannelle's? Pleeeeese?"

But you've been sick.

"I know, but I feel better now."

Fine, we'll figure out when we get home.

Oh, and can I fit five people in the back of the car tomorrow (her friend's she invited to a divisional v-ball game)

"no, it's unsafe, and no"

Sulk.

"So what about the sleepover?"

Gary was no help, so I said yes, as long as her mom was okay with a newly not-sick person in her house. She was, so I was left with a yes.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The flu

OK everyone, if you're scare the begeebers out of us with the H1N1 scare, would you please have the vaccine available. I've been calling J's doc for 3 days in a row now, hoping to squeeze in for an appointment, and lo, nothing.

Yesterday she called (could barely hear here) and begged me to come home with supplies - mainly chicken soup and sunny D - and to come home some. Oh, and some ice cream would be nice. Luckily I work for a great and flexible boss, so I set up shop at home.

She's just gotten over some crud (was out of school yesterday and today) and will give school a try again tomorrow. But I'm not sure how I feel about that since the virus is probably binging from kid to kid.

Note to self: Call doc's office again tomorrow. As for myself, for the first time, I've gotten a general flu shot, but since I'm not in any risk group, I"ll just have to tough it out.

J's all grown up

After I put the last post on my FB page, lo' was flooded with comments underneath on a. how beautiful Jennifer was and b. how grown up she is.

Most of my friends, who I see about once a year, haven't seen Jennifer in awhile, she's long since decided all my friends are old and boring. So the last time she was in their vicinity was when she was about three feet tall and had scuffed knees.

If she has scuffed knees now, it's because she's taken a dive for the volleyball and she's not happy about it.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Prom day


Actually, I was rather glad when we finally got the Wicked Witch of the West out the door, and dropped off at a friend, so she could turn into her fairy princess self.


And she did. After getting all dolled up, out to dinner and then to the dance, where she later complained that her date followed her around all night.


"Well, isn't that what he was supposed to do?" my hubby asked.


"I know, but he was like 10 feet away from me the entire time!" Jennifer whined.


"Would you rather he flirt with other girls, like one of your dates did," I asked.


That shut her up a bit.
And the group (as you can see, six of them went together, thanks to parents willing to drive - I don't think there's a driver's license in the bunch) had a pretty good time. I wince however at how much this good time cost, since we're talking $150 for the dress, $50 for the shoes and $50 for the formal pics (think we could have skipped that).
Oh, and $80 on the makeup through an ill fated trip to Sephoras. Won't make that mistake again. The guys paid for dinner and the tickets, and the flowers. But I"ve told Jennifer this is it. If she gets asked to another dance this year, she can take her pic from dresses, and shoes, and makeup she already has.