Cue the Circus Music: Science School is Now Cancelled

Cue the Circus Music: Science School is Now Cancelled

Feb 20, 2018 | trying to raise humans

Cue the circus music. Update – outdoor school is now cancelled, and the entire school district is shutting down. I guess the extreme weather forecast and winter weather warnings all day yesterday were not enough, so cancelling as the outdoor school buses were supposed to depart was a solid Plan B. 🤷🏻‍♀️Oh, and since it’s been snowing here since 6 a.m., they are also letting ALL kids out early. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Here’s a run down of our morning:
✅ 6a – get through round one of work emails.
✅ 7a – make coffee and help with final packing as much as Ken will allow . (Basically, this means I asked if things were in a bag and he said yes.) Breakfast, dressed, etc. etc.
✅ 8a – warm up and clean off car and start packing it up. Conduct massive search for Grace’s snow hat and gloves, etc. Try to shove her boots in her school bag for the walk home and abandon efforts after we could only get one in. Convince her sneakers will be fine as much of the walk is covered by trees. (Cough, cough bull💩.)
✅ 8:15a – drop Grace at school. Park and unload Gavin and Ken for outdoor school.
✅ 8:30a – gingerly drive the hilly, windy roads back home
✅ 8:46a – read text from Ken telling me they cancelled outdoor school. Tell him to shut the eff up (hey, I am still coming down from the anxiety of packing enough underwear!), and then make plans to pick him up again.
✅ 9a – head back to school to pick up Ken, and deliver sneakers for Gavin who is dressed for a mountain trip, and only has heavy boots and slides.
✅ 9:10a – Ken buys me a Starbucks and fills up my gas tank so I am prepared for #pdxsnowpocalypse2018. Realize
#thisisromanceat42folks 😍
✅ 9:30a – get word from a friend about early dismissal for all kids, including Grace
✅ 9:46a – get official word that our kids will be home at 10:50a.
✅ 9:47a – cry a little on the inside

It’s the right decision, but FFS, it would have saved a lot of work and running around if we made thoughtful, calculated decisions yesterday.

🤪

Science School / Outdoor School Prep

Science School / Outdoor School Prep

Feb 20, 2018 | trying to raise humans

Outdoor school prep.

Knowing that Gavin will, for sure, skip showering once he realizes it’s not a requirement and that none of his friends are doing it, I still packed a washcloth, small towel and bar of soap into a waterproof zip pack just in case. There’s a list of what to pack, and I am generally a rules-follower . Combine that with my general tendency to be a “what if…” type of person…well, you can imagine I don’t pack lightly. (Exhibit A: my “purse” size.)

Actual conversation last night:

Me: “Where should I put this lip balm?”

Ken: “Just put it in the never-to-be-opened personal hygiene pouch.”

Me: “Does he need more underwear?”

Ken: “Pretty sure he only needs one pair. If he’s not showering, do you think he’s going to change his underwear? Like he’s going to sneak into the corner of the cabin to freshen up his undercarriage?”

Me: “Keep the four. I think he will want to use the lip balm if he gets chapped lips. You don’t think he will want to brush his hair?”

Ken: “I don’t think he will take his hat off his head the whole time.”

Me: “What about Aquaphor if his skin gets chapped?”

Ken: 😶

Me: “Let’s just keep the soap and washcloth. He might want to wash his face. Gavin?

Come here, please…I put this washcloth and soap in here in case you want to wash your face or anything. Do you think you will use it?”

Gavin: 😶

Me: Puts it in bag.

All this for two nights, folks. Granted, two nights in a snowy forest with moderately heated cabins, but two nights. Oh, and Kenny’s chaperoning so I am not even sendin

g him alone!

Sending him to college should be awesome.

P.S. I made him test his sleeping bag this morning for good measure.  I can’t help myself! FFS.

Some Suitable Alternatives for Your Holiday Listening Pleasure?

Some Suitable Alternatives for Your Holiday Listening Pleasure?

Dec 20, 2017 | moments & memories

Around this point in the Christmas season, I’ve about had it with the Christmas music selection on the radio. I don’t know how it works, but I swear stations buy the rights to about 12-15 songs that fit their format and play them endlessly.

Sadly, they are missing out.

I love Christmas music in all it’s glorified cheesiness – the nostalgia, the “limited availability” feel of it, listening to my kids (and sometimes Kenny) sing-a-long…the list goes on. Bing, Burl, Frank, Nat, Dean, Peggy, The Ronettes – yes.  Remakes that are not over-sung, over-whined, or over-popped? No. I just simply cannot stomach endless amounts of THAT Mariah song (you know the one. I am sort of sorry – I know so many people like it, including my own kids. I just cannot with that version), the Carpenters (I try to like their stuff, I really, really do) or … gasp! any sunsetting artist looking to turn a quick buck by butchering some old favorites (I’m looking at you, James Taylor).

Cue the drama: I am going to go big here and say that it is a TRAVESTY – a PNW and satellite radio disaster! – that I haven’t swooned to David Bowie’s and Bing Crosby’s Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy without me pushing play on my iTunes Christmas playlist. Something’s wrong, folks. Something’s wrong indeed. Granted, it’s probably my child-of-the-80s traditional listening habits, but still.

All this to say:  if you’re like me, and tired of the same old shizz you’re hearing on the radio, I’ve prepared a mostly rock-ish list – in no particular order – of my some of my favorite not-frequently-played-but-definitely-should-be Christmas song favorites. I know I missed some good ones, so for the love of all that is good and holy in this world, I encourage you to comment and add to the list. #HelpASisterOut #HelpABrotherOut #SaveOurHolidaySoundtrack #TisTheSeasonToShare

(If you click a link, click the back arrow to come back to this page.)

I couldn’t find a suitable shareable version of Little Drummer Boy / Silent Night / Auld Lang Syne by Jimi Hendrix, but that’s worth a Google if you’re a fan.

P.S. This list *might* have included some Pentatonix songs, however, I was so traumatized by their silly Christmas special, I’ve not yet recovered. It was only made worse by the fact that the lead dude had on loafers and no socks. I don’t care how trendy this is, your feet are freaking slimy and wet coming out of those things and that shizz is never in style. And, that thought is permanently melded into my brain and I now can’t hear a Pentatonix song without picturing it. #NoThanks #PutSomeSocksOnYaHippie #ThoughtsOfYourFeetSlimeRuinedYourTunesForMe