So many kids, I don't know what to do.



Monday, August 15, 2011

Bittersweet Relief

Summer is over.
I am going back to work.
Probably it is just the nick of time.

I have run out of time killers.

Remember when back in the 80's tv writers went on strike.  That was about the time I first discovered David Letterman.  It was also about the time my parents, my brother and I took a roundabout driving vacation to visit some family friends in Ohio. 
During the day my brother and I would sleep in the minivan and ignore my parents as they pointed out hand powered corn gins and quilt shop after quilt shop.  Early on in the vacation my idiot brother kept count of how many different state license plates he saw.  Out loud.
By the time we got to the hotel every night Uncle Bachelor and I were wide awake.  We would take a swim in the hotel pool and then get ready for bed and watch Letterman.  By that time I was pretty delerious from the drive and Uncle Bachelor was delirious from the sheer fact that he was still alive after being forced by my dad to be my "victim" so I could practice my life saving skills.  (Hey!  The hair carry is a legitimate life saving technique.  And my dad thought it was funny.) 
Letterman would come on and Uncle Bachelor and I laughed our heads off.  Partly because Letterman was funny and partly because my dad would sit on the bed and say repeatedly, "That guy is NOT funny.  He thinks he is funny, but no one else does.  He's stupid!"
Anyway, during the writer strike they would do Network Time Killers.  Obviously to kill time on the show.  My favorite was What is Hal Gurney Wearing?  Every night he was wearing the same thing - tan chinos, blue oxford and so on.  Hilarious.  My dad thought otherwise.

Back to the summer.
I am out of time killers.
Indoors during the heat of the day we have done markers, play doh, cartoons, cleaning, blocks, wrestling.
Outside we have eaten popsicles, rode bikes, gone to the park, chased squirels, sidewalk chalked, watered plants.
We have walked the mall, shopped at the toy store.  We have blown bubbles, visited Gramma and picked The Coach's vegetables.
Saigie and I even laid in bed one afternoon and ate a whole package of cookies.

I am tapped out.  I am out of entertaining ideas.
I will miss the "lazy" days of heading to the park and cuddling babies after nap, but.........
It is time for me to go back to work.  The babies are headed to day care for the first time in their lives.  (They previously had a sitter.  She moved.)

I am going now to answer a hundred questions a day from different teenagers instead of just Tayte.  I am going to refuse to clean up after them instead of following them around with towels.  I am going to put on heels, make up, and even a bra.

It will be a nice change of pace.   Until about Thanksgiving.  Then I will be ready to be home again.

Any big changes coming your way?

13 comments:

  1. AHA...the return of the bra. Summer must be over. I'll soon be retiring my swimsuit top as my main source of uplifting and separating of the "girls" as well.

    p.s. I'm with your dad...I never really liked Letterman.

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  2. Just trying to figure out if we're ever going to be able to buy a townhome we love!!

    I've always been a Letterman fan, but my parents like lame-o Leno.

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  3. I recently blogged about my lack of excitement over returning to school. however, after this weekend (a mini vaca with my 3 little ones), I am starting to see the beauty that is returning to school!

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  4. Posts like this make me wish I had remained in academia. There is no difference between summer and winter for me, except that in the winter I have to drive to and from work in the dark, and in the summer, I hike instead of ski.

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  5. We have a big change too because I am sending my first kid off to school! Only a week to go and we are all counting the days. She'll only be in preschool and only for hours a day but I'm looking forward to the schedule that school will impose on us.
    I love Letterman too. I love someone who can laugh at their own jokes even if other people don't always get it. I should really catch up with him as it's been forever since I've watched his show.

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  6. JDaniel is starting preschool in two weeks. It will be hard to have him go.

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  7. I am tired of entertaining my kids too. I hope the new baby sitter works out well for you.

    I love Letterman too. My hubby hates him!

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  8. I refuse to believe the summer is over. I WANT MORE!!!

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  9. I'm out of time killers here, too. And out of patience for playing referee among my children. They need time away from each other.

    Middle starts school this week, Oldest next, and baby the week after that.

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  10. An entire package of cookies?? That's awesome!! :) I love it.

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  11. where did the summer go???? lol about the bra

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  12. Time killers...that's such an excellent way to put it! And yes, girlfriend, I am sooooo out of time killers...thank goodness, my kids began school this week!

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  13. I'm back on the sub list so it's anyone's guess if I'll have any work or not. Today I entertained myself until about 1:30 PM (it was Julia's first day of first grade). Then I was bored. It's a tough adjustment!

    I hope you enjoy your change of scenery.

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I always like to know someone is listening!