I'm too sexy for my white high tops

Fifth grade was the first year that anyone in my class showed up to school dressed as a Playboy bunny for Halloween. I remember this quite clearly, because a)I didn't know what a Playboy bunny was, and b)I showed up wearing this:


I remember the wheels turning in my 5th grade brain as it slowly, foggily began to dawn on me that maybe dressing up in costume wasn't just about showing off your creativity anymore. Also that maybe my parents should have said something.

This week the mom talk at the bus stop has been all about what to wear to the neighborhood eighties party. I'd been thinking about it- white high tops with stacked socks of different colors, oversized shirt, pegged, baggy pants. Pretty easy, really. But then, as I was listening to the other ladies talk..."I hope my skirt isn't too short for a grown woman"..."I'll probably never be able to wear my off-the-shoulder sweatshirt ever again"..."Hope I can still squeeze into my Madonna gear"...I slowly, foggily realized that I'd missed the point. Again. The point was NOT to go dressed like I actually DRESSED in the 80's. The point was to look good. Or at least try to. I'm not sure if we actually pulled off sexy, but at least I realized it before I got to school this time.

not all video games are bad.

my children were home alone, and had two friends over. i called on my way home and asked kid#2 what they were doing.

#2-"we are playing poptropica"

that is a video game. the only video game that has snuck into my house. they have to think, finish mazes, answer riddles, etc to get points. they have been playing this A LOT this summer and today. it isn't TOTALLY mindless, but it is still them sitting, staring. so i say..

me- "STOP! you have been playing this all afternoon! you need to stop and do something else."

#2 - "but mom it is so fun! we are all doing it together! "

me- "what is jack doing?"

#2- "he is playing too!"

me- "ug! you need to take a break, all of you! too much of this is not good."

#2- "but mom! it is so cool! pleeeeese!?"

well this conversation went on for a bit with her fighting hard to keep playing. she finally agreed that i would be home in 5 min and then they would stop.

so i walked in the door and they had turned the front room into a REAL video game. no computer at all. mazes, rocks (pillows) to hop across lava, puzzles to figure out, shrinking mirrors so you could turn small, and colin and jack were happily rowing a box down the nile.

oh. um. go ahead. you can play some more.

Happy Graduation

I have finished my master's degree. After getting the mail this evening, I have found that to congratulate me and honor the moment, Claire ceremoniously sent me a not-so-recently-dead beetle in a small silver box. Thank you sister, I don't think I am worthy of such an honor.

Brown Bag Lunch Survey

So Beth needs some ideas for what to pack in her kids lunch. What are your ideas? or What do you remember eating at school?

Carrie: I like the pasta salad idea. Also, how bout tuna w/ crackers instead of bread? You could pack it separately, then use the crackers to scoop the tuna. Applesauce cups or canned peaches are good. Same for granola bars. Good luck.

Beth: i am feeling cranky about this. i remember choking down my lunches. blech. warm yogurt, warm meat, warm cheese. i think i looked fwd to cookies (i think i will make a bunch and freeze them), crackers, granola bars (if we were lucky), and fruit. but no matter what, bananas were brown, grapes smashed. one friend of mine sends them snacks, then feeds them lunch when they get home, then dinner at 7:30. it is a mystery.
Sarah:

Claire: How about I tell you what I didn't like? I didn't like apples (because they're boring), or bananas (because they make everything smell like banana), or sandwiches in baggies (because they always got smashed). My suggestions: Give your kids apples if they'll eat them, because they're cheap, and easy to keep. Put the banana outside of the bag containing the other food. And, if possible, put the sandwich in a sandwich sized tupperware to keep it from getting smashed and slimy. That made a huge difference to me when I got old enough to even own my own tupperware. Other than that, I think granola bars are good, as well as crackers. Cookies, of course. GORDON went through a period of time when his brother Nathan was in charge of the lunches. One day he ended up with a large square of cornbread, and an apple. The next day- two apples. He suggests you give them a couple lunches like that, and they'll be grateful for anything they get afterward.

Vivian: I remember eating lunch meat sandwiches and apples. In high school I ate yogurt and pb&j. I remember bringing a quarter for milk. My ideas for you are: lunchmeat/cheese/crackers(if your kids don't like sandwiches), pasta salad, chicken salad sandwich(made with canned chicken and can also go w/crackers), trail mix, mini bagels

Rachel: Sadly enough, this blog is actually making me hungry. My favorite sandwiches were tuna and PB&H&B (the secret to any sandwich is to toast the bread - that way it won't get soggy). Apples are good (waaay better than bananas) but get boring after awhile. Mix the fruit up whenever possible...or at least make it easy to eat, like slicing the apples up or pre-peeling the oranges. Ooh, those little applesauce cups are good too. Carrots/celery sticks/baby tomatoes. Chips - buy a big bag and split it up into individual ziploc baggies. And don't diss warm yogurt - then it's drinkable.

Any one else out there with more ideas, please comment!