Keeping Up

Keeping up with the end of the school year is always a hard one for me. While most of my regular weekly meetings have ended, the kids are still going strong. This year my events didn't end until after May started. In previous years they've ended prior to the end of April. Although I had a lot of wrapping up to do for our meetings at the beginning of the month, I think it was easier this year because I didn't have to entertain Caitlin the few days that she's home. The last two weeks have involved end of the year projects, school functions, too many kids injures to name, and having Caitlin home more than usual. They've also involved a lot of rainy days, which lead to crabby, crazy, energetic and unexercised children! But today - it's all done! One more function for Brandon (last day picnic) and one more function for Caitlin (art show and preschool graduation)! Whew! Life is tough for a stay-at-home mom, you know.

I've also failed to update you on Brandon's tooth loss! He lost two teeth the week before Easter, and then another one last week. Luckily the tooth fairy stocked up on gold coins last month. She should be good for a little while. He is still small when compared to most kids in second grade, but growing up right before my eyes.

It's easy to tell that the kids are tired. Brandon isn't waking up to his alarm clock anymore. He stumbled downstairs yesterday after I woke him up and exclaimed that there was only one more day of early rising left! He was crabby in the morning, and very crabby in the afternoon after school. He wanted to quit going to Wednesday night AWANA soccer. Of course, after soccer he happily said he wanted to go for the next few scheduled weeks. Caitlin slept in until 9:30 yesterday, and still managed to throw in a crying fit when I told her she couldn't paint until after Brandon's class party. I, for one, am looking forward to turning off the alarm clocks for a while. I'm looking forward to my kids getting enough sleep. We get them to bed between 8:00 and 8:30, but it's still hard when little ones have to get up so early for school. 7:55 is just too early to be at school.

Hispanic Professionals Join Here....

Linkedin thinks I should join the following groups:

• The Hispanic Student and Professionals Network
• The Estate Managers and Domestic Staff Network

Once again, I am reminded how having a web presence doesn't necessarily tell anything about you. 75% of the recommendations I get from most internet sites are completely worthless. But if I ever decide to become a Hispanic student or professional, I'll let you know.

Ultimate Dog Tease

Yes, this made me laugh. The kids loved it, too.

When Mommy's Away, The Kids Will Play....

My kids have joined legions of others in the time-honored tradition of cutting their own hair. *Sigh* In our case, it's the brother and the sister cutting the sister's hair. I think. I'm not completely sure at this point, since I discovered this after Brandon had left for school. He hasn't been formally charged but, knowing Brandon, the guilty look on his face when I ask will tell me all I need to know.

I was at a meeting last night, and didn't get home until after the kids were in bed. The story I got is that last night during clean-up time, both kids joined in to chop about an inch (squared) of Caitlin's hair. It's not horrible. The girl does have short hair after all! But still! I've always trusted them with scissors. I've never had this happen. I know it'll grow out. I guess she'll just have a very short haircut this summer after we get it all evened out. This does explain the bits of hair I found laying around the house this morning. I thought I'd just been lax on my cleaning.

Angry Birds

Spring is here. Buds and leaves are appearing on the trees. Flowers are (kinda sorta) starting to bloom. The landscape is greening up, and we look like we live on earth instead of being trapped in some sort of gnarled tree, Tim Burtonesque movie set. Above all of that there is the sound of possibly.... the angriest birds ever! That, or we have a bird sorority living above our heads. The constant chatter every morning is a bit daunting and very loud. Usually it doesn't bother me. I'm even happy to hear it after a winter of silence. But our lack of winter meant a lack of birds. There was no missing them last winter. It seems as the bird population has significantly increased the year, and are taking advantage of their well developed vocal cords. Even Brandon noticed it on the way to school this morning. The constant fly-overs by the nest-building crew, along with the crazy early morning chirping, is getting a little old. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike birds. I just feel like I'm in a war zone every time I'm outside!

It's been a struggle to get the birds to nest in crazy places like, say, the tree, instead of the eves of roof, right above the kid's bedrooms. I'm not sure I can handle another year of nasty bird poop all over the kid's bedroom windows and screens (so unsanitary), or picking the dead birds off the yard after their flying lessons went wrong. Bleah! The kids have also voice their opinion on the subject, and would like to join me as I stand on the roof blasting water under the eves. This needs to be fixed or I'm going to get a call from CPS wondering why my kids are on the roof! On the bright side, I got to sleep in until 6:15 this morning. The reason - no birds woke me up at 5:00 am with their incessant chirping. I'm happy about that!