We made it home from our adventures in California late Monday night, and I’ve been playing catch up for the last two days. The kids were so relieved to be in their own beds they all burst into tears when we walked in the door- they had fun with family, but I think the relief of “home” was great, and everyone slept well.
Never, ever leave your house for two weeks without making sure all the toilets your boys pee in are flushed. Just saying. Two weeks of stagnant pee smell in a closed up house is a bad, bad thing.
Lagging on your back-to-school shopping because you think you’ll have time when you get home is a bad, bad idea as well. There are no No. 2 pencils left in all of Washington State, I am convinced. I’ve gone everywhere- and the only thing I can find are mechanical pencils. How does Voldemart, Target and Office Depot run out of No 2 pencils??? And yet here we are…
My kids attend a charter school, and there is a specific dress code. This probably also falls under the realm of “Don’t wait so long” but I can’t find any clothes for them that fit the code. Today I tried JC Penny, after Old Navy, Target and Voldemart- Nope, there either. I need shirts for them with NO logos or writing of any kind- even a small chest insignia is off-limits. Their shirts can have stripes or plaid that are woven as part of the fabric, but nothing hip or printed. This is harder than you first think- especially when you wait until September- and when you need to shop for a discount!
While we were gone, someone mowed our lawn and weeded and mulched my flower beds. I don’t even know who to thank. Add it to the list of amazing things people do with such kindness for us. I’m starting to feel completely unworthy.
Got a bottle of homemade Vanilla Extract in the mail yesterday from the awesome and amazing Carrie at This Mama Makes Stuff. Check out her button on my sidebar if you don’t know her. She’s one talented woman, and she always inspires me.
I have a cloche dome covering a bird’s nest on my coffee table, and I just notice that a small child has drawn on the glass with a green crayon. Sigh…
It was 102 degrees for a while in California, then our first day back home in Washington, it was 66, raining and the heater clicked on. While I’m excited for fall (always!) this was a little bit abrupt and felt like a record scratching. (Remember those?)
Down in California, I managed to hit up many of my favorite places- In-n-Out, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Jakes, Hwy 1, San Francisco and my beloved Nor Cal Pacific coast. I did miss out on La Bamba, Hobees, Pacifica, Santa Cruz, Cafe Violette, and Staff of Life. Speaking of Whole Foods, check out this new monster of a WF near my mom’s house:
And that’s just the deli section! Honestly, I walked around in this baby in a glorious foodie-daze, marveling at the insane bounty. You should SEE their CHEESE COUNTER!!! It’s almost obscene. And I was getting on a plane, so I couldn’t exactly buy anything- but I tell you what- if I could have rolled around on the floor like a cat in a sunbeam, I would have. Alas, I maintained my decorum and managed to remain upright. But it was hard.
Why didn’t anyone tell me that pre-teen sassy-mouth started at the 9th birthday? Because oh man! This sucks!
Six days until school starts. For the first time in nine years, I will have a portion of my day with no children here at home with me. Of course, I’m a full time student now too, but still… three hours, all by myself. Uninterrupted homework time! My, how my priorities have changed!
By the way, did I tell you? My grades posted, and I pulled a perfect 4.0 in all three classes. I had to prove to myself that I could cut it after so much time, and hopefully this sets me off on the right path. Onward and upward, with any luck and a whole lot of work.
Dandelion Mama 
Yay for home! Less yay for the ickier parts. Especially the pee. I’m imagining how bad our bathroom smells if Sir O peed and didn’t flush just overnight…… days on end sound horrid. Good luck with the school shopping. I will keep my ears out for any leads for you!
When I worked at a preschool it was always someone’s to make sure all the toilets had been flushed before we closed up for the day because it’s amazing how bad it gets. Ick!
Weird about the #2 pencils.
Your trip made m miss SF.
You mean the sassiness gets worse!? I’m doomed.
Hooray for uninterrupted homework time and hooray for awesome grades!
Our WM still has a ton of uniform shirts, mostly because they didn’t show up on the racks until 3 days after school started. They are, however, completely out of pocket folders with brads. I found shirts online at ON and they shipped fast and free, within a week, though now that I think about it, are the ON ones the ones with the little bird insignias?? Our school is okay with that as long as it’s the same color as the shirt fabric.
Maybe try Safeway for the pencils? Or Fred Meyer if you have one? Don’t know which side of the state you live on..I’m in Olympia.
You were wearing the weight of the world in the weeks before school was out trying to balance the many roles in your life. So love to hear the post-vacation glow in your “voice”. Sometimes going away (however wonderful the adventure) helps everyone to more deeply appreciate the love and security found at home. After all the changes your family has experienced, it seems you have pulled the pieces back together and re-created that special place for your children. It’s a subtle thing that’s hard to describe – you just “feel” it. Good job, Momma!
Congratulations on the GPA! you did it, and you did it WELL!!!
Tracy, sorry I didn’t think to forewarn you. The pre-teen sassy-mouth starts before the pre-teen years. Depending on the kid, it starts before 9. Be as consistent as you can with consequences and teaching appropriate ways/times to express himself. Hang tight, though, after a few rough years, most kids start to mature a bit. Having teens is a lot of fun most of the time!
I’m so glad you had such a fun vacation and that coming home feels like Home. CONGRATS on your grades. That is FABULOUS!!! You give me hope when I consider going back to finish my own degree.
Firs,t Tracy, you should be very proud of your 4.0…that is awesome and amazing!
Congratulations!
So glad you had a great time in California…
Good luck with your back to school shopping…
And every time I passed a cheese counter in Malta, even here in Anchorage, I immediately think of you and wonder what cheese Tracy would tell me to try today. Hmmm.
Good luck with the start of school…for everyone!
A vacation and a 4.0! Much deserved after all your work this summer!
not one bit surprised re the 4.0.
doesn’t it seem like the back-to-school prep routine gets more complicated every year?
I just walked into a Children’s Place and they had 25% of in their uniform section…white shirts, tan or navy pants, some red and navy sweaters I think…and a few other items. I’d look at Kohl’s too, if you have one near you. Sears has uniforms as well. Good luck finding all those supplies.
Congrats on the A’s! (by the way, I’ve been lurking on your blog for a while, but I figured that was selfish of me. I enjoy your beautiful writing and I should let you know it!)
Wooohoo! Congratulations on getting a 4.0, that’s awesome!!! and um, eww with the pee smell.