Tough Love

Friday was ... TOUGH.

There was a knot in my stomach roughly the size of Texas. I knew it. I knew I was being lied to. I finished my shift with jetBlue and called my sweet Hubby. "Hon, I've got to bust her today. How should I do it?" This is never a good way to start a conversation, but it was unavoidable. I was seing red and was risking a full-fledged transformation into Psycho-Mom.

My sweet little new-driver's-license-holding-thinks-she's-so-much-smarter-than-mom of a daughter tried to pull the wool way, WAY down over my oh-so-wise-x-ray-vision-mother eyes and I just couldn't pretend to be that dumb, not for anyone. I've been trying really hard the last couple of weeks to - to loosen my grip a little and give her more freedom. She's sixteen after all and if I'm supposed to be able to let go, so to speak, when she's 18 and graduated ... it's reasonable to bend a little more here and there right now.

HOWEVER ... in light of all my recent efforts to give her those little, and sometimes not so little, bits of extra freedom, it hurt that much more when she took advantage in every way possible.

She really hurt me.

She broke my heart.

And now, I'm tagged the meanest mom on the block ... for what? For calling her on her lies? For expecting her to be where she says with whom she told me, obeying the very clearly stated driving restrictions quoted to us by very creepy man at DMV 4 times in the last 2 months?

Yeah. I know. I have huge expectations, don't I?

Monster Mash was the Bee's Knees

All dolled up and ready to PAR-TAY!

After cleaning up the baby shower and sewing until 3 am Saturday morning, we actually pulled this shindig off. The gals looked great ... and I LOVE that my girl helped design the most modest-glitzy-fun flapper dress ever. She even made the headpiece herself. We played a mix of Big Band songs in the background all night and they toasted each other with Baby Bellini mocktails. It was a riot. The guys were great about going all out with their costumes too.

Go Daddy-O!

The kids made their own pizzas for dinner that hubby grilled while I baked garlic bread in the oven. They ate and answered the door for trick-or-treaters at the same time, then ran through the neighborhood for their own candy booty. It took two cars to get them to the dance where they were given specific safety instructions courtesy of hubby dearest. We had 3 hours to wash dishes, clean up and take a breather before picking them up. They were all present and accounted for, thank goodness, and we brought them home to finish up the night. They were served Shirley Temples with ice cream and brownies and then went downstairs to watch a movie ... with bowls and bowls of popcorn and movie candy.

Oy! The night wrapped up around 2 am with me passed out in bed and hubby driving the last guests home. It was a blast, but I'm sure glad it's over.

I'm Going Bananas ... ?

It's the week of Monster Mash, the high school Halloween dance. It's girls' choice. After laying down very clear ground rules, we've decided to let #1 go. She's not allowed to date until she's 16, so we're making it an "un-date". So tonight, after a few days of the normal teenage boy-girl drama ... she asked him. It was really cute too. She laid a big poster on his front porch that said, "I'd go bananas if you'd go to Monster Mash with me!" and scattered bananas all around it. Then, she put a smaller sign that said, "Don't monkey around and answer me quick" on his front door surrounded by monkey faces made from brown latex balloons. So. Cute.

We made tape rolls in the car and hustled to get everything set up, but while I was trying to get a picture his dog starts barking behind the door. We both took off and ran down the stairs to the car and pulled away. Hilarious. We parked a couple houses down and she dialed his number. When he answered, she yelled, "YOUR FRONT DOOR! YOUR FRONT DOOR!" What a great bonding moment.

Now, comes the fun part for me. I get to make her costume. I love making Halloween costumes; in fact, she has never had a store-bought one ... ever. We found some gorgeous purple fabric last night and I sketched the pattern pieces today. Do you like how I use up my old Christmas paper? More photos later as it comes together.

Perspective

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." ~ Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

I care. I care a whole awful lot. I care about my kids going to school and attending ALL their classes. I care about the kids checking in with us when they're at friend's houses. I care about them getting their homework done on time, and getting it turned in when it's finished. I care about them being honest and clean and respectful. I care a whole awful lot about all these things.

So, it will get better, right? This week was just a little more ... than I'd anticipated.

It's a good thing I love them all so much.

Photofunia

OK. So I just needed a few minutes this morning to feel important on a different level. Parenting teenagers can really put you 'in your place' some days .... way down at the bottom of their totem pole. I know that they love me and need me and respect me - on some level. I just needed a boost today and this was a fun and silly way to get it.Starting to feel better.Ooh, that's nice.Aaah! OK. I'm fixed for the day. Go play around with your own pictures at Photofunia and have some fun with it.

Make it Stop!

OK. I'm not sure what happened with our schedule this week, but this is really getting out of hand here! Sure, my day was pretty open during school hours. I was even able to sew the new baby blanket, finish up an old project AND come up with a new tutorial ... and then I got slammed with this:

2:30 Drive carpool
2:50 Get #1 to work
3:05 Finish up games for church activity
3:20 Boys home from school/help w/ homework
4:15 Get #2 dinner before football practice
4:30 PT conferences at high school (trying to meet w/ 8 teachers)
5:15 Get #2 to football
5:20 Pick up #3 to help at church tonight
5:30 Meet at church to set up games
6:15 Pick up #1 from work
6:45 Take #1 to babysitting job
7:00 Get #4 to scouts
7:30 Pick up #2 from football
8:00 Pick up #4 from scouts and get #5 in bed
8:30 Pick up #1 from babysitting and get #4 in bed
9:00 Get #'s 3,4 and 5 through showers
9:30 Get them in bed
10:00 Breathe

We didn't finish up at church until 9:15 tonight. Thank goodness hubby was able to come home at 4:00pm to help out. And tomorrow is going to be about the same too. #3 gets her braces off so we'll get her retainer fitted at 4:00, finish up PT conferences at the high school, start PT conferences (16 teachers total) at the junior high, race to #2's Court of Honor and try to get the girls to their young women's activity at church.

Someone stop the ride. I'd like to get off for a minute to catch my breath.

29 Days and Counting

The registration packets for school came in the mail this week. There are forms to fill out in multiple and fees waiting to be paid. It's a joyous times for parents, isn't it? In the meantime, it's clear the kids are determined to pack in as much as they can while they still have their freedom. My two oldest are back in town now, one home from visiting her dad in LA and my son back from a week of scout camp ... here we go. The laundry which was nonexistent this morning is now screaming for my attention. The kids, who were so eager to tell us about their latest adventures have disappeared again, one out to a friend's house and the other into a mass of teenage boys and girls who suddenly appeared in our basement this evening. All I'm left with is this pile of their shoes by the front door.I remember exactly what it felt like to be their age though so I don't give them a hard time about it. In fact, I'll even send out a song dedication in their honor. Old school song, new school sound. Here's a little Beastie Boys for you via Andrew Paul Woodworth to wind down the summer. You can get it free here.