Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The bench....



The school year is winding down and the end of the year celebrations are being planned! I remember how exciting this was a kid! SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER plays in your head....

There are things I will miss about the school year, the consistency of the schedule, knowing what the day will hold..

wake up

wake kids up, that is Tim and Abby, and pray that Max will sleep just a little longer...

take a bath, yep I said bath, I love to soak in the tub and slowly wake up!

If Max wakes up he likes to come lay on the bath mat, he has a bit of a ritual, he pulls all the towels off the bars and get down in child's pose. It is like his own trip to Mecca each morning. Then as I am getting out he hands he the towels form the floor and my robe, some days he finds my glasses for me,he is my bath valet!

There are always a few shouts out the door...can't you two get along for two seconds...no I don't know where ___ is...did you brush your teeth...sometimes Max likes to mimic me and will run out in the hall and "yell" at them too.

By the time I am out and brushing out my hair getting dressed a few more fights have ensued ...he touched me...she looked at me...we finally get to the car! Drive over to school where I promptly kick them out the door. It is May and yet still some parents have no clue what to do when they get to the drop off zone..I bemoan this almost every morning, the kids know this, the chime in...why don't they have their stuff ready...what???...seriously what could they be doing?? Are they new here??

Off to work! It is a small office, I work part time. With the exception of my boss everyone else is kidless and have no idea I am sure how I can look so frazzled it is only 8 am! Flash to 1:30 while I enjoy working and being out of the house, I look forward to this time of day...no it is not because I get to see my lovely children, that is just too story book!

It is the bench...

I get to school a little early everyday and just inside the main court yard there is a row of benches...this is where my friends are! What a treat each day to see your friends! People you truly like and look forward to catching up even if it is just for a few minutes before the chaos begins. It is also a time to barter out carpools to practice, playdates and more importantly GIRLS Night out!

Many of the moms there I have know for years! Our kids went to preschool together or we are baseball moms...We watch the end of the day goings on...the kids who linger on the way to the bathroom for that last escape from the classroom.

Then the flood gates start to open slowly, a couple of 6th grade girls come and help get the kindy kids where they need to go, a nice line to the bus.



Then here they come! One by one, some who have brokered their own playdates and others who pile all of their STUFF on their moms, backpacks stuffed to the brim art projects...the dreaded trophy (Remind me to tell you about these one day) ..and there it went, our peaceful time of day, now off in to the rat race...

yes I do get to go home, but that is where my rat race is!



We walk in and Max has a built in timer he knows we are almost there. He has taken to barking at people when they come in the door. Barking because well that is what the dog does! We get settled in here is what happens...



Tim/ Abby MOM!! We don't have ANYTHING for snack...

Me- We have granola bars, crackers, cheese, fruit, leftovers,chips, soup...you can make a sandwich...

Tim/Abby - But I wanted ___ and he/she took the rest of it

me- find something else (repeating list)

This goes on till someone says---You don't care that I am going to starve!



Then it is homework time..this used to be a major struggle but has become better over this year, I am sure we will be fighting come the fall again!



By this time Jim is home...Max doesn't bark at him he get a huge DDDAAADDEEE! and a running hug! All is well his daddy is home. We rush about trying to figure out what is for dinner and get everyone fed in time to go to whatever game or practice who is going to go with whom to here and who is taking Max with them.

Hopefully we are all home and ready for bed by 8:00 Yes I did say we all, Max lays down with us and we typically fall asleep too...

I look foward to the summer, typically less stuff going on that you can do the fun things! Tim made the All Star team and that mean baseballin July and that while exciting for him to be an all star...who wants to play or watch baseball when it is 110+ degrees out??

There is lots to look forward to... but I know I will look forward to the new school year and seeing my friends and telling the tales of what I did over my summer vacation and hearing all about theirs...back home at our bench....which is a little like Cheers "where everyone knows you name"......

1 comment:

Sabrina said...

That is way too hot to be watching/playing baseball in! Yikes! I hope you guys have an enjoyable summer!