iOVERWHELMED

i Did it.

I got my iPod in the mail right before Thanksgiving. So, I spent the five days between when I ordered it and when it arrived from Hong Kong (personally engraved and all) loading compact disks into iTunes. I will still be loading compact disks into iTunes when we move the clocks forward again.

Holy cats, does this ever take some time.

I bought the iPod because, although I love music, I would have the same six cds in our changer until my husband pleaded with me to change them. Because I knew they would stay there for quite awhile forever, I always had something mild in there (jazz, Norah Jones, classical... elevator music) and my other bazillion cds would be in one of the drawers of our cabinet, in one of two or three cd envelopes, or in one of two or three cd cases either downstairs, in J's office, at my office, or stuck under a seat in the car. When I had them out and about, they would get kids' fingerprints, jelly, they would lose their cases, or cases would lose disks, or they would get scratched, or my head would just explode and there would be blood and grey matter everywhere (at least, it seemed that way).

Now, I am about half through loading my music disks onto the iPod, then I will start in on our audiobooks (which are a pain in the ass to load, because apparently, apple didn't realize that anyone still liked books). The audiobooks, by default when loaded from cd, comingle with your music so if you did random play ("SHUFFLE") all of your music, bits of Harry Potter would mix in with Led Zeppelin, Sublime, and Duke Ellington.

Now, I am in a completely different quandary. I've only a fraction of my music loaded and I am dealing with the equivalent of musical attention deficit disorder. There are so many disks that I haven't heard forever that when I start one song, I think... no, I'll play that one... no, no, that one... ooh, look, what's over there.

I also have a real need for developing playlists. My musical tastes are so varied that (even if I could exclude J.K. Rowling's work) a random shuffle might induce epilepsy. I can just see the shuffle from Grateful Dead to Etta James to Pink Floyd to Vivaldi to Led Zeppelin to Paris Washboard to George Winston to the Clash to some of the New Age drumming stuff that I have.

Someday, maybe I'll do my job again... in the mean time, I'll be switching disks and tinkering with old songs like they are long-lost friends.

What are we thinking?

I am about to put 21 envelopes in the mail.

21 envelopes to 21 first graders.

21 first graders will receive invitations to Zs seventh birthday party, at our house, in December.

This will be funny someday.... I hope.

They can come as their favorite witch or wizard.

The details are still sketchy, but I think that we can safely say that some dry ice will be involved, some charades, some funny sounds, some "wizard cake", some wizard artsy activity, and probably some magical goody bags.

Hopefully, some other parents will be involved as well. We are already trying to line up a sitter to help us keep track.

Give thanks

I am giving thanks for being able to host Thanksgiving.

I was married previously... so, I had some experience with the whole switching families for holidays things. And, that was before children.

Now, our respective families live many states apart.

So, when J and I married - we agreed that (to avoid the inevitable, you did *** family last year, you need to do **** family this year) we would never travel for a holiday (yeah, I know, ho, ho, ho).

We are so thankful, words can't express. We never have to pack up the kids, we sleep in our own bed, and our routine is unshakeable.

I love people coming (the more the merrier, with 8 lbs of ham and 20 of turkey, fergodsakes - we could feed them all!).

See you later this week in the midst of (oh, yeah - the only drag - I have to clean up the house enough to avoid embarassment, shop, prep food, and that stuff - suppose it should be done at least once a year anyway).

Hell, I've had crappy holidays in years past, so I know what I am talking about. Being surrounded with my family and whoever else in our happy home may be complicated - but it will never suck.

Z cured, B still questionable, T iffy

Good God - will it never end?

Still Z's turn.

Z had a field trip today with his first grade class.

J was a volunteer chaperone for said field trip.

Z was one sorry kid this morning. He moped and moaned. He looked even more pathetic than he usually does in the morning. I helped him get dressed. I figure, if you're going to be ill, you may as well sleep on my office floor (I have a mat and a sleeping bag on the floor of the back room of my office for just this situation). So, I helped the child get dressed to flop on my office floor all day.

We got everyone dressed and to the car.

Z flopped into the car and buckled up.

Just in time to throw up. (eww).

Quick change in plans. I am mean, but not quite mean enough to make a child throw up in my office all day.

So, J stayed with him until my dad could show up. J will leave work early to relieve dad in time for dad to prepare for his obligations tonight.

I (would usually take-off except when in the classroom for a sick kid) have a horrid meeting this afternoon that precludes sick kids.

Frankly, I'd rather watch Z hurl than talk about general education assessment all afternoon.

For that matter, I would rather hurl than go to this meeting.

Career Day

So, today I spoke to a bunch of 12-14 year olds about careers in marine science.

What do I know about it?

Um. More than they do (that's all you need, right?).

Maybe someday I will wax poetic about being a role model and shit, but right now I have a seven-year old to carry off to bed (and, I will follow shortly).

Just taking turns.

So, little T was home with me on Monday. Poor little guy. He was just well enough to whine and raise hell.

Tuesday - we gave him some ibuprofen and packed him off to daycare.

Wednesday - I got hit with the grunge. Then, last night (Wednesday) - Z starts the fever.

This morning he is all moans and groans until I make arrangements for my dad to watch him while I go to a program I am signed up for... then, he stages a miraculous recovery. So, we pack him off to first grade.

Tonight, he is feverish, and falls asleep on the couch while we fix dinner. No dinner, no food, and the child that can stay awake forever passes out before dinner. Maybe he was sick?

I guess he'll come to my office tomorrow and have a nap in a sleeping bag while I teach. Too bad about the field trip his first grade is taking tomorrow.

(Bad Mom of the year award pending).