Silence is golden?

Posted on April 13, 2014 by flyingmompants

PrintAs parents, we learned a long time ago what silence really means. Not just regular silence, but kid silence. At home, you hear them playing, laughing in another room and all is well. You’re thinking how great it is that they are entertaining themselves while you get a break. In public, they are angels and seem to be behaving.

After awhile you begin to notice the overwhelming quiet. It is deafening. This is when you begin to worry. Kid silence is the worst because you know it can only lead to no good. Once you investigate, all of your fears have become a reality. Here are a list of a few things we have discovered in our investigations, some recent and some when the kids were younger. If you have any to add to our list, please message us or leave a comment. We would love to hear all about it.
• socks and diapers shoved down the toilet;
• plastic storage boxes stacked on top of each other and a tot standing on top reaching for a forbidden item;
• the head (or other body part) of a much beloved toy ripped off its body (sibling is devastated);
•toilet paper or tissue boxes emptied out and spread all over the room;
• the contents of every single clothes drawer and toy container emptied out and stacked into a tower in front of the door. So when the door was opened, everything came crashing down.
• throwing stuffed animals or other items into places where they don’t belong, especially in public (see previous post about pink hat);
• TV shows being watched that are not parent approved;
• walking in on one child using their art skills on another child with markers (luckily both child and markers were washable);
• discovering child and friend playing golf with plastic golf clubs and using a piece of someone’s poop as the golf ball…nice.

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To Dye or Not to Dye…

Posted on April 6, 2014 by flyingmompants

It’s the age old question. And I mean that literally as well as figuratively.  Should I or should I not dye my hair…once again.  My youngest often points out my graying hair, especially when I let it get to the point it is now – just not the roots but half of my head. And yes, I tell him once again, I am the oldest mommy in his class.  I knew it was bad when my oldest, who usually pays no attention to this type of stuff, chimed in yesterday, saying “Mom, you really need to dye your hair…it’s really white on top.”

It’s not that I have an aversion to dyeing my hair.  I have been dyeing it on and off since the early ‘80s.  Hey, I even went “punk” – with red hair – which my beloved stepmom pointed out made me look “sallow”…Not the look I was the look I was trying to achieve!

It’s just that setting aside a couple of hours at a salon and paying big bucks is just not a high priority…and I kind of like my gray hair. Just kind of.  If it was more a silvery gray, maybe I would like it more.  But then again, maybe that would make me look sallow, too.

Yes, I know I can color it myself at home as well.  But believe me, being bent over the bathroom sink, dyeing and rinsing, etc. is something I could do easily up until a few years ago…now, not so much.  Plus whenever I dye it at home, I always seem to miss somewhere…usually the gray sides that I am trying to cover.

I also think it’s unfair that when men go gray, they become “distinguished.”  (And yes, George Clooney, you are distinguished – as well as many other things.)  When women go gray, they are just become old.  Of course there are women who look fabulous with gray hair.  Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, Emmylou Harris and Jamie Lee Curtis are examples that come to mind.

But my hair is half grayish/white and half whatever color I dyed it months ago.  Not so fab of a look.  I should just bite the bullet and let it keep growing out.  Someday I will have full head of lovely white/gray hair. Hey, I’ve earned them all! And it’s just hair after all. That shouldn’t be how I define how I feel about myself….

However, I am flying home to SoCal in a few weeks to celebrate my mother’s 80th birthday. She has beautiful gray hair.  (I believe she was a “bottle” blonde up until about ten years ago.)  And there is a strong family resemblance already…the question is, do I want to have semi-matching hair as well?

I am also trying to convince myself the reason that some people on the bus ask me if I want to take their seats is that they are just being kind.  And not because I look like an old lady who needs to sit down.

So, I will probably drink the Kool-Aid one more time and call the salon…maybe for one last time…

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Pink fleece hats do float…sort of

Posted on March 31, 2014 by flyingmompants

While visiting the zoo the other day, my daughter, the Princess, decided to leave behind a memento. I should have known she was up to something when she walked quietly up to the fence around the flamingo exhibit. Next thing I know, people are pointing into the exhibit. I look in and see something pink floating in the pond. It takes me minute to realize that it is her nice pink fleece hat. I can’t believe it and try to remain calm. Princess, on the other hand, thought it was awesome and was extremely proud of herself.

This isn’t the first time she has done floating experiments involving pools of water in public places. On a recent trip to a fish hatchery, our princess had decided to do a test. She went into stealth mode, approached a nearby trout pond, and  threw her sock monkey in. My husband had to crawl under the gate surrounding the pond and retrieve it. Both of us were less than thrilled.

This time there was no way to get that hat without attracting unwanted attention. After tracking down a zoo employee, I found out that I had to report it to security. When I got to the security office, I nervously told the man behind the counter about the hat. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do. Fine me? Much to my relief that didn’t happen. The counter man just said ok, handed me a form to fill out, and said I would be notified when they fished it out. That was all there was to it and everyone there was very nice about it.

They called me later that day to tell me they had our very soggy, smelly hat, and that I can pick it up in lost and found. I was told that it was kind of gross but should be fine since it mostly had bird poop on it. Oh boy, I can’t wait to go pick it up and bring it home. Think it may be time for a new hat.

flamingo2

 

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What I learned from the science fair

Posted on March 23, 2014 by flyingmompants

This year, my 5th grader, Mr. Minecraft (MM for short),  was required to participate in the school science fair. Just the mention of doing his own science fair project made MM extremely happy. He told me how awesome this was going to be. MM truly loves science and is excited any time they do  experiments in class.

The trick was to come up with an experiment. I knew that I could be super helpful in this department. After all, I did two science experiments and went to state finals. So, there you go…a bonafide expert. I told him about my projects and the painstaking research (pre-computer age, which meant going to the library and gasp reading books!). It took days to come up with each of the projects.  After my schpeel, MM set to work searching on my laptop. After about an hour, he announced he had found his project. Really, you found one already? He was excited to tell me about it.

MM decided to race six toy cars down a ramp to see which one goes the fastest. I asked…and then what? MM said that’s it. I then proceeded to try to add to his project. How about we add weight to the cars?  Oh I know, let’s race them on different surfaces. Or, we could build a maze and just race one. Or…

Ok, I finally did realize how out of hand I was getting. But only after MM stopped my continuous suggestions with a reminder about whose project it really was. Of course he was right. It wasn’t my project.

So, I had to try extra hard to sit on my hands and let him do it all on his own. It was really hard and I did slip up. Now, if you just put your conclusion on this side of the board, it will look better. That isn’t cut or glued down straight, how about I just help you fix that. Ok, so obviously  it was really hard for me to let go.

In the end, MM did all of the work himself, and it looked great. The science fair was packed with people and very successful. After it was all over, I told MM how proud I was of him. On the way home, I asked him if he had fun doing it. MM said he was glad it was over and it wasn’t as fun as he thought it would be. I asked him why. He said it was just like working really hard on a long job and not getting paid for it. I told him you better get used to that. And I have to get used to letting him do his own work and grow up.

 

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Really…Now?!?

Posted on March 15, 2014 by flyingmompants

One of the frustrations of being a working mom is being confronted with the last minute school related project.  Oh, I try to sort through all the flyers that come home about after-school enrichment classes, sports camps and what-not.  And in my defense, I do religiously read the weekly bulletin. I am trying not to miss anything – REALLY.

However, a few Fridays ago, as we were walking out the door, Frack, told me that it was the day to turn in the talent show applications.  And, he announced that he was going to be in it.  Although, I had some vague recollection of the fore-mentioned talent show, this was the first time that Frack told me that he was going to participate – five minutes before we needed to walk out the door.  Of course, being the patient, loving mother that I am, I asked “And what is your talent?!?” Although, my boys have many talents – none of them could be translated into an act for the stage – or at least that’s what I thought at 8:20 a.m.

Frack explained to me that he and his bestest buddy in the whole wide world were going to play “Calvinball.”  For those of you who have never read the classic comic strip about a boy with a very vivid imagination and his trusty stuffed tiger, “Calvin and Hobbes,” Calvinball has no rules.  So playing Calvinball for the talent show would mean that the boys would be on stage just be playing a game with a ball, possibly some sticks and no real point.  So, of course, I said no and we got to go.  I also lectured him (for the umpteenth time) on the way to school that you can’t just spring these things on me at the last minute.

I thought the case was closed until we got to school, when I was confronted by the bestest buddy, with the biggest, saddest eyes, who said and I quote “That’s okay if Frack can’t be in the talent show, I can do it alone…(heavy sigh).”  Of course, I didn’t bring the talent show application with me so I ended up emailing it later that night (Thank God for scanning machines, emails and a forgiving talent show coordinator – a mom, of course.).  I also came to the conclusion that if the boys wanted to play Calvinball as their talent, so be it.  They would have to pass the audition anyway or at least that’s what I thought.  As it turns out the auditions are really just to see how many acts they have and everyone gets in.

The following Tuesday, the day before the talent show auditions, based on a brilliant idea from the bestest buddy’s mom, the boys made up a skit reenacting panels from “Calvin and Hobbs” where they sort of explain a game of Calvinball.  It’s very cute and I can’t wait to be in the audience on talent show night.  So as frustrating as these last minute things are, I’ve got to remember that this is only elementary school, and I should be happy that Frack wants to participate and things usually turn out really ok. Maybe.

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