Wedding Woes

Morning

My kids fought all last night and started up again at 6:30am this morning.  Mr. Conn and I are thinking a kid-free vacation sooner than later may be in the cards.  They need to go fight around someone else.  


It's supposed to be in the 80's next week.  I need to go buy fans for our upstairs.  It gets stuffy fast up there. We want to put ceiling fans in the kids rooms, but we need to get an electician for all of that.  Also, I'll finally be able to put my cold-weather clothes in storage. :)

Re: Morning

  • It's supposed to be nice all next week here, too.  Thank goodness.  Though I'll be complaining about sweating soon enough.

    I am going to try on my bm dress tomorrow.  I really hope the bra they have for me to try on works because I have not had a good time trying to find a low back strapless option that I can try on without ordering.

    We're all kind of dragging today because Son had a late game last night.  I took the girls home before the game was over because it was already past their bedtime and missed a really great come-from-behind win.  His team is still undefeated.
  • 6fsn6fsn member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Rain today and nice after that. Every single night for a week a child has woken up in the middle of the night. It's almost like having a newborn.

    I need to wrap presents that aren't here yet clean the house and go to Costco. I also just got a decent project. Yay money!
  • I have nothing but FWP.  Swim schedule is up, and the parent meeting is next Tuesday...when I will be in Minneapolis.  Seriously, I'm gone for two days/one night, haven't had a work trip since November, and the one evening I'm out of town, it's the parent meeting.  So DH is taking that one, and details aren't really his thing, so I'm hoping they have copious handouts. 

    Evening practices are NBD, but once school is out they have two weeks of morning practices.  DH and I can juggle for two weeks, but I need to shift summer camp around.  The first week, she has camp at the Y anyway, so that's perfect--dry her off, change, and drop her right there.  The second week, she had this really awesome camp Uptown at the children's museum (zoology in the morning, marine biology in the afternoon), she was going to commute with DH on the train and everything.  I'm going to have to call them and move it to another week, and get her in Y camp for the second week of morning swim practice.

    Then on May 30, she has a meet, followed by her make-up soccer game (for the one that was rained out last weekend), followed by her soccer end-of-season banquet/party/whatever.  We're lucky that it's a home meet that day, but I still feel bad for DD.  It's a way-overscheduled day, kind of a perfect storm where the two seasons overlap when they didn't originally.  Fingers crossed that no one schedules a birthday party that day, or we're going to have to make some tough choices.

    I am really, really glad I got the whole dry erase wall calendar thingy for the mudroom, because we are going to live and die by that thing for the next couple of months.

    Teacher appreciation week is next week, and then Mother's Day.  I need to get going.
  • HeffalumpHeffalump member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    edited April 2015
    Another duplicate.  Anyone else having TK issues this week?
  • VarunaTTVarunaTT member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    edited April 2015
    Sometimes, I wonder how people make it in this world.  Diva's paralegal is leaving (which is causing a whole 'nother complication, not actually of his making).  Now, when I'm confronted with a question, I always break it down into: do I know this answer?  If I don't know this answer, do I know where can I get this answer? And move on.  The paralegal that is leaving, it's becoming obvious, is Do I know this answer? OMGIDONTKNOWTHISANSWERFREAKOUT and ask Varuna.  It's annoying.

    Heffa, your schedule makes me tired.

    I want today to be Friday.  So that tomorrow is my Derby party.  B/c I want to wear my hat!  And I need to kind of reset my life.  

    Also, I have to give Diva some props.  He's actually been trying really hard to be, at least, not a total asshat to work with.  And he just gave me a card that is hilarious:

    image
  • HeffalumpHeffalump member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    edited April 2015
    And can I just say:  I know teachers work so hard, and I appreciate it.  And I love DD's kindergarten teacher.  Like, I want to go back to kindergarten and be in her class.  She's wonderful.

    I'm used to the whole handwritten card w/gift card deal, we've been doing that since DD started DC at age 2.  Old hat.  Now, DD's school's PTA sent notes home reminding us that next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and telling us that each day has a theme, and we are to buy themed gifts for each day:

    Monday:  favorite flower
    Tuesday:  favorite treat
    Wednesday:  small pampering item (lotion, nail polish, etc.)
    Thursday:  personal card or note of appreciation
    Friday:  student choice

    Are. You. Effing. Kidding. Me.  The room mom sent a note saying DD's teacher's favorite flower is--get this--a violet rose.  Do they sell those in grocery stores?  Because I do not see a Sunday evening florist trip in my future as we come rolling back into town.  I'm really tempted to get her a Target gift card, and she can use it to get all the treats and pampering items her heart desires.

    (And I am side-eyeing the whole nail polish/lotion/etc. because I feel like colors and scents are so personal.  I hope they have some kind of swap meet in the teachers' lounge after school where you can trade your B&BW Sun-Ripened Raspberry lotion for the PE teacher's coral polish.)
  • WTF?!  And children from low-income homes are supposed to....?
  • 6fsn6fsn member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    Heffa has reminded me I need to start looking for a "command center" for the new mudroom. 

    She also makes me glad for our school's appreciation week.  Preschool was "your teachers would love a note."  We got a note from PTO with a weekly too.  One day is fill out this provided star with a superpower to decorate the door, one is write a note, one is something for the classroom (baggies, wipes, Kleenex).  You could easily participate in 3 days without spending more than a $1.  The other day is a sweet treat (so again you could do a candy bar for $1) and the 5th day is a SMALL (italicized) gift just for them.

  • VarunaTT said:

    WTF?!  And children from low-income homes are supposed to....?

    Go to another school, I guess?  Not trying to be flippant, but the overall attitude seems to be that it's not an issue.  I'm betting that's not true for everyone.
  • This week was teacher appreciation at A's school, but it wasn't nearly that involved/expensive. However, the room has a main teacher and 2 helpers so it's x3.

    Monday was a handwritten card. A doesn't go to school on Monday, but I forgot the flowers on Tuesday, so I had A do cards and sent them in on Wednesday with the gifts.

    Tuesday: Flowers

    Wednesday: Kids choice of a small gift. I got three $15 Starbucks gift cards, plus a small clean-smelling candle for the main teacher.

    Thursday: School provides lunch for the teachers

    Friday: 2 families from each class volunteer to provide a dessert, and all the teachers in the school share them.




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  • I'm really appalled at these things.  I have no issue with a small token, but flowers and gift cards seems downright ridiculous.

    I also have a really big bias here.  I grew up really damn poor and my small city is seriously struggling with some income inequality that is sharply dividing the school system.  They just released their own internal study showing that 60% of the kids in the entire school system are living at or below the poverty level.  These kids have some damn big problems and creating new ones by a week long gift-stravaganza for the teachers really makes me ill.
  • I can only imagine what next year will be like for us in terms of teacher appreciation. In the last week I've already paid $400 to get him registered and started for school, and we are 3 months away from the first day. But- I figure I can suck it up, and just bitch about it later.

    I think something is going on with me. I'm exhausted constnatly. Normally when I'm tired like this its because I'm pregnant (definitely not) or depressed (meds seem to be working). I'm trying to exercise and eat healthy, but I just feel so drained by like 3 pm. I probably need to see my doctor (to be told that everything is fine), but I'm lazy.

    DS is in Legoland with my parents and having a blast. I'm not sure he'll willingly come home. DD is adorable- and for all my worrying about her speech it seems like this week alone she's picked up a few new words so I'm getting a little less worried. But I'm still having the evaluation done.

    In other news, they opened a new grocery store near us. It's so wonderful. It's the "health" foods store but they have the best prices on produce and their bulk foods section is the best. I stopped in there after the gym this morning to grab a few things. Strange how the grocery store can be the most wonderful place in the world when you get old.
  • What's the store called?  Because that sounds like a Fresh Thyme and if so, I concur that they are amazing. 
  • PMeg, I know we've talked about it before, but that's how I felt before seeing the doc and getting on my vit E and my iron supplements.  Get all your levels checked.  I'm not a huge fan of taking supplements, but you know what I AM a huge fan of?  Not feeling like crap.  To this day, I know the changes are real (the 2 big ones were: energy levels normal, insomnia gone)
  • 6fsn6fsn member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Fresh Thyme is the SHIT!  $1.77 natural chicken and $1 pineapples.  I LOOOOOOVE the bulk foods.
  • PMeg819 said:

    I can only imagine what next year will be like for us in terms of teacher appreciation.




    ---- boxes ----

    Just got back from a lunch hour Target run, and we have seven DC teachers (three for DS, four for DD's afterschool program), plus a gift a day for five days for her KG teacher. 

  • I have no idea what I'd do in this situation.  I wouldn't want my kid to be left out, but I wouldn't want to participate in this nonsense either.  Honestly, I'd be the bitch calling the school to complain about this.  You know how brides get one day?  How administrative assistants get one day?  How bosses get one day?  Teachers get one day too.
  • VarunaTT said:

    PMeg, I know we've talked about it before, but that's how I felt before seeing the doc and getting on my vit E and my iron supplements.  Get all your levels checked.  I'm not a huge fan of taking supplements, but you know what I AM a huge fan of?  Not feeling like crap.  To this day, I know the changes are real (the 2 big ones were: energy levels normal, insomnia gone)

    Yeah, I need to do that. I was thinking of the culprits and knowing what is in store the next couple of months I can't just keep going like this. I already feel like I'm burning out.
  • 6fsn said:

    Fresh Thyme is the SHIT!  $1.77 natural chicken and $1 pineapples.  I LOOOOOOVE the bulk foods.

    What's the store called?  Because that sounds like a Fresh Thyme and if so, I concur that they are amazing. 

    Ours is called Sprouts. Maybe a similar parent company. But yeah- $1 pineapples on Saturday, $2/lb gummi bears. The organic milk I like to buy is also cheaper there.
  • VarunaTT said:

    I have no idea what I'd do in this situation.  I wouldn't want my kid to be left out, but I wouldn't want to participate in this nonsense either.  Honestly, I'd be the bitch calling the school to complain about this.  You know how brides get one day?  How administrative assistants get one day?  How bosses get one day?  Teachers get one day too.

    And that's one day A YEAR. 

    Brides only get one day, period.  No one else celebrates my anniversary with me but DH. 
  • PMeg819 said:


    6fsn said:

    Fresh Thyme is the SHIT!  $1.77 natural chicken and $1 pineapples.  I LOOOOOOVE the bulk foods.

    What's the store called?  Because that sounds like a Fresh Thyme and if so, I concur that they are amazing. 

    Ours is called Sprouts. Maybe a similar parent company. But yeah- $1 pineapples on Saturday, $2/lb gummi bears. The organic milk I like to buy is also cheaper there.
    I love Sprouts. They opened one less than a mile from our house about 2 years ago. Go for double ad Wednesdays - they honor the pricing from the last ad, and start sales for the next week. They can also end up having really good random manager specials - we had one a few months back with red and green bell peppers 3/$1 - i ended up buying 21 peppers and making a ton of stuffed peppers to freeze. 

    Their meat is sometimes a little pricier, but very high quality - and they carry a bunch of game meats in the freezer section. 
  • VarunaTT said:

    I have no idea what I'd do in this situation.  I wouldn't want my kid to be left out, but I wouldn't want to participate in this nonsense either.  Honestly, I'd be the bitch calling the school to complain about this.  You know how brides get one day?  How administrative assistants get one day?  How bosses get one day?  Teachers get one day too.

    I agree with you. I think the DCP go way over the top in demanding daily treats for a week. there's nothing wrong with showing appreciation if you're willing and able - but they take it way too far. 

    Hell, i gave birth to my kid and support her daily, and so does her dad - and WE ONLY GET ONE DAY. 
  • VarunaTT said:

    I have no idea what I'd do in this situation.  I wouldn't want my kid to be left out, but I wouldn't want to participate in this nonsense either.  Honestly, I'd be the bitch calling the school to complain about this.  You know how brides get one day?  How administrative assistants get one day?  How bosses get one day?  Teachers get one day too.

    I am seriously thinking about it.  And yeah, the thing about leaving my kid out crossed my mind, and it's the sort of thing I never thought I'd care about, but now here we are, and I kinda do.  So I have to own that, and deal with it.  And I know no one is making me do it, and if I wanted to go the gift card route, I totally could.  But then I think "What if the teacher doesn't get it?  What if she takes it personally and thinks we don't appreciate her?"  So then I have to do a whole explanation on Handwritten Note Day, and I hate overexplaining gifts, or explaining why you did X/didn't do Y, etc.

    I just hate that it's become so institutionalized.  Almost 4 years since DD started daycare, and I had it down to a science:  gift card to somewhere that their "Things About Me" sheet suggests they would enjoy, coupled with a nice note--not just "Thanks for being a great teacher" but things like "DS always has such a big smile for you in the morning, I can tell he really loves being in your class" or "DD says you are the funniest teacher she's ever met!"  Now elementary school is like "Here is a list of five additional obligations this week, don't forget, TIA!"

    And since I'm complaining, has anyone else had to do stupid PACK week?  Ours is wrapping up, and I hate it.  LSS, every day has a color, and you have to track how many fruits and veggies of that specific color your kid eats while at school that day, for an entire week.  Oh, and everyone was supposed to dress in the day's assigned color, which, whatever.

    Y'all, my kid eats well.  I'm not sure I will be so blessed with DS, we'll see, but DD actually asks for things like bananas, carrot chips, edamame, etc. in her lunch.  (Which is part of the reason I made myself stop second-guessing myself on the occasional pudding pouch or fruit snack.)  But fuck all, I don't have time to coordinate my shopping and lunch packing with the PACK schedule.  If she wants an apple, she gets an apple, period.  It's one of those things that sounds lovely in theory--let's encourage kids to eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables--but the implementation was oppressive.  We mostly blew it off.  And don't even get me started on how bananas were counted as white, rather than yellow.  And that one of the suggestions for white/brown/beige day was garlic.  Enjoy your garlic bulb, Wooz! 

    Seriously, it used to be enough just to raise someone who graduated from high school without a felony record, now it's all emails reminding you that tomorrow is Purple Day for PACK and Monday is Favorite Flower Day. 
  • are the kids who get free/reduced school lunch getting PACK-approved meals?

    if they want the kids to try *different* fruits and vegetables then they really should be thinking outside of the box. Fuck Welch's "sponsorship" and "drink 100% grape juice" for purple day - give your kid an eggplant. give them a beet for red day. baby bok choy for green day. kumquats for orange day. parsnips for white/brown day.


  • the randomness of wear __(theme)___ outfit day pisses me off, in general. 

    we forgot pajama day once, and the kid was in tears when we got to school and she saw the other kids, so i drove home and got her PJs so she wouldn't feel left out. 
  • *Barbie* said:

    the randomness of wear __(theme)___ outfit day pisses me off, in general. 

    we forgot pajama day once, and the kid was in tears when we got to school and she saw the other kids, so i drove home and got her PJs so she wouldn't feel left out. 

    I wish I could implant the knowledge in Wooz's brain that this stuff doesn't even matter.  As an adult, I could give a shit, but I know it's a big thing to her, and I remember when it was for me at that age, too.

    Oh, and guess who completely forgot about the teacher assistant, until I got the email about "Don't forget the teacher assistant!"  The room mom basically said she has no idea what her favorites are, so just take a wild guess.  I'm guessing maybe the room mom forgot about the TA, too.
  • You guys will laugh, but I still very vividly remember 2 instances in elementary and junior high where I was "left out" b/c of stuffs.  So, I totally get that it's important to the kids.  But that's what also pisses me off...it IS important to the kids so if there are kids who can't/won't participate for some reason, it's rough.  And it's not like these are actual important life lessons.  Giving presents to teachers is not a important life lesson.  B/c I know if my BOSS asked me for a present on Bosses Day?  I'd be like...Um, how bought we stick to the labor contract here, m'kay?
  • 6fsn6fsn member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I do appreciate that our school makes an effort to keep these things small, cheap, and easy and they give a lot of notice.  Fundraisers have participation awards and by participate it's simply turning the paper back in.  There were two dress up days- pajama and crazy sock.
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