A Week in My Life, Fall Edition, Day 1

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Football season is almost over!!! After today's game, we have 3 more practices, 1 more game and possibly a Turkey Bowl, but that's it!!! Can you tell I'm excited? It's not that I don't like football, and Bubba absolutely loves it, but it is so time consuming as a parent and I feel like I'm living out of my truck.

This morning, I officially became a Snow Widow again. This happens every winter; anything that has to do remotely with snow sends Dobber to work and leaves me a single mom. Today it was readying snow plows for the impending winter. He left the house sometime around 5ish this morning; the only way that I was even remotely aware that he was gone was the addition of Willow, our German Shepherd, and Noodle. Apparently, they are both aware of the season, and with Dad gone, they *think* they are supposed to keep me company.

I got up around 8ish, not by choice, but Willow and Buffy (the other dog) needed to be put out in the pen and the kids were demanding breakfast. Bubba fixed himself a big bowl of Lucky Charms, which quickly induced a meltdown on Noodle's part. She was so upset that he used all the milk (which he hadn't) and just knew this meant that she wasn't going to get breakfast. Bear in mind that she rarely ever eats her cereal with milk, she just felt the need to be like her brother. After I fixed her cup of cereal ... a cup because she refuses to eat cereal out of a bowl like a normal person ... the tantrum subsided.

I took the time to get the ham, chicken and sausage out of the freezer for tomorrow's jambalya, breaking a nail in the process, quickly made a grocery list, put the dogs out back, run next door to the in-law's and put their dog out, got myself somewhat presentable for the coming day and then wrestled Noodle into her tights and leotard for ballet, all the while dealing with the whiny 10-year-old complaining that he didn't want to go to dance, that his knee hurt from ankle tackles at football practice last night, and that he absolutely despised having to sit through the hell that was anything his sister is interested in. I bribed him with promises of Starbucks to shut him up!

I was able to get my posse out the door just after 9 and made the trek to the local Starbucks. Normally only a short 5 minute drive, I got stuck behind MomMom in town and it took us twice as long to get there. I so cannot wait for our stand alone drive through Starbucks to open ... this will just make my life so much less complicated in so many unimaginable ways! I waited in line for 35 minutes to get my latte and a hot chocolate for Bubba. 35 MINUTES!!! For the love of God, its only coffee! How difficult can this possibly be?!?!?!? I did feel bad for the barista, she had a line out the door of the Safeway and the employee scheduled for 8 AM hadn't shown up, so she was on her own. I made sure to be overly nice and grateful and even dropped a extra $5 in the tip cup.

Ballet was uneventful. Our friends L & J were there with their 2 beautiful daughters, J1 and J2. J1 is Noodle's best friend and they are just way too cute together. I was able to get in some much needed adult conversation before we were able to preview their act for the upcoming dance exhibition. After dance, it was off to C-ville to go to the Walgreens for a new knee brace for Bubba, a stop at McDonald's and then back home. The good news is that Dobber didn't have to work nearly as long as he thought, so I don't have to drag both kidlets to my nail appointment!

I get to my nail appointment, my first time at this particular salon, and I instantly fall in love with this place. It came very highly recommended; a good friend of mine owns it! It was just a wonderful experience and most definitely the best mani I've ever had! C even fixed the nail I broke this morning and you can't even tell!!!

The only problem I had while at the salon was the phone call from home: "Mama, I can't find my game pants, we've looked everywhere and they aren't here." I get home and they are STILL lost. We search the entire house ... and by we, I mean me ... and can't find them. So now Bubba is crying since he "just knows that he won't be able to go to his game," I get fed up and send him to his room. Lo and behold, the elusive, gold game pants are on his bed. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

On the way to his football game, a 45 minute drive from home, we stop at the Verizon store and return the beautiful cell phone case that I fell in love with last week. I didn't fit ... almost, but, as we all know, almost only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades! I was able to find another case from a similar designer that suited my needs and my tastes, so off we went. I got slightly lost in C-ton trying to find a convenience store, but we found our way and made it to the field right on time.

I feel that I should add that to some extent, I do enjoy Bubba's football. I love seeing him out there on the field, knowing how much he loves it and how he just enjoys playing. I've also managed, despite the fact that the vast majority of the parents in our league hate me, to make a few good friends, and I was able to see some of them. Noodle also enjoys herself at the games and practices; she's made good friends with some siblings of her brother's friends and loves being able to run and shout and just generally do things that aren't necessarily permitted at home!

We lost again ... we've only won 1 game this year. Again, the boys played great in the second half, but it just didn't make up for the 3 touchdowns the other team scored during the first. Coach D even asked the boys after the game what he could do to make them play well during the first half; one of the kids suggested yelling at them more. Coach D told them he couldn't do that cause he cussed too much and would be ejected from the game. LOL I really don't care for the guy, but sometimes I think we have so much in common!

After the game, we went to Friendly's for dinner. Dinner was good. MV called me right before we got there and told me his grandfather had passed suddenly the night before. I know his mom is really upset, and I wish there was something I could do. As I always do when death comes around, I got emotional, but I was able to save face with MV and take it out on Dobber later in our meal!

At one point, he made this absurd comment to me: "I don't know why you're so tired, I was the one who had to get up at 5:30 this morning and work all day." So, it was at this point that I reminded him that a) he didn't work all day, he only worked until 11ish, and that he didn't actually do a whole lot of actual work when he got there and b) I do it every damn day! He rolled his eyes. Seriously. I could have reached across the table and smacked the hell out of him! Apparently, he doesn't think that I should be nearly as exhausted as I am on a daily basis, you know, because I don't do anything.

It was at this point that Bubba came to my defense, telling him, "I'd like to see you do everything that Mama does. I bet you wouldn't last a whole week." Go Bubba!!! I told Dobber this week, I'm going to sleep in, waking only in time to get a shower and leave for work, he can up at 5 AM, get both kids up and dressed, fed, ready for school, lunches and snacks packed and off to his mother's house, all the while, trying to get himself a shower and get ready, and yelling at me to get my sorry butt out of bed so I'm not late for work. And still manage to stop for a cup of coffee and make it to the office on time. Work all day, rush home to get 2 fussy children ready for whatever activity that particular night holds, feed them, help them with homework, get them where they need to be by yourself, deal with the other child while there, they're undoubtedly whiny and just generally unhappy to be there, and get them bathed and to bed at a decent time. Oh, and don't forget to do your homework ... you have an exam coming up! He can barely make it to his office on time on a daily basis and all he does in the morning is get up, get dressed, get in his truck and leave! Uuuuggggghhhhhhhhh!!! Men! He drives me absolutely crazy.

The ride home was uneventful, both kidlets fell asleep after the obilgatory in-the-truck arguing, and we had a very neutral conversation about a friends upcoming surgery. At least we agree on that! LOL I was able to read another chapter in my novel tonight before I passed out sometime around midnight! I so want to finish that book!

And, I'm so glad I don't do anything all day long!