So I thought before everyone thinks I hate my job I should explain my obsession with snow days. It has nothing to do with my job. I love my job, I adore my students, and I work with the best teachers ever! So why would I want a snow day so very badly?
I love snow days because a snow day is an unplanned day off. Emphasis on the UNPLANNED! On my regular days off, like weekends, long weekends, and national Holidays, I am already booked. I have laundry, and rides and social engagements that usually involve the children. There are forms to fill out, bills to track down, a kitchen to clean and rides. As a matter of fact, there is always something to clean. Or something I "should" be cleaning because it's my day off and this is the only time I can get it done. And did I mention RIDES! And there is this time bomb ticking called "going back to work" which means I will feel guilty if I put my feet up to read a book. Or write on my blog. Or just stare into space for awhile. (That's why I think in my van.) If I do those other things someone won't have socks tomorrow for school, the kitchen won't be clean for dinner prep after school, that one messy closet will be horrific until the last child leaves, (she's ten)!!!! And don't forget that in between all of those things that need to be done, there is swing choir practice for the boys, or musical practice, or robotics for the 12 year old, or dance class for the 10 year old. RIDES, RIDES, RIDES! (You are now in a corner in the fetal position sucking your thumb and rocking, am I right?)
But SNOW DAYS! Beautiful, beautiful snow days. EVERYTHING IS CANCELLED! NO AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE: NO SCHOOL! NO DANCE! NO SWING CHOIR! NO ROBOTICS! See how excited I get. All caps excited! Best of all because the day is unplanned. I don't have to clean that closet because I should be at work. I didn't plan on not being at work, so hey, I think I will have that extra cup of coffee, and yes, give me some Bailey's in it because I ain't going nowhere! I am so free that I can use double negatives on a snow day! I don't have to correct my grammar because on a snow day I don't even have to adult. In fact on a snow day the most adult thing I do is make my kids cinnamon rolls when they all roll out of bed at noon rubbing their eyes and yelling SNOW DAY! After that, they are on their own. "Mom, can I have Hot Fries for lunch?" Knock yourself out kids, mama is eating sponge candy and reading cooking magazines!
Okay, so I have to admit it is not all Shangri La on snow days, I always do laundry. Pretty much every day. But it may only be three loads instead of 10, and I live dangerously and leave it folded in the basket until tomorrow. I know, I know, you're thinking, "how scandalous!" I do it and I don't feel guilty because those three loads are bonus loads. Loads that would not have gotten done if there was no snow day. Anything I get done that day is BONUS! And I have nothing to feel guilty about. Plus, I can curl up on the couch and not worry about someone calling me for a ride home as soon as I get comfortable! NO RIDES.
So I am going to go now, put some pennies in the freezer and turn my jammies inside out. My principal says that works. And that my friends, is why she is my best friend!
Monday, January 18, 2016
Sunday, January 17, 2016
The Art of Listening
I have learned a lot of things these last 13 years or so of driving children around. Important things! And some not so important things. First the important: your children will talk to you more in the van than they will at home. And you need to LISTEN!!!!!!
It starts when they are young and they are talking about absolutely nothing. Those are the conversations where you think putting a bullet through your head is a better alternative than listening to five more minutes of chatter that is going nowhere! But you can't do that. You have to listen! Little children, little problems, big children, big problems is so true but so is, "if you listen to them when they are little, they will talk to you when they are big!"
A teenager ready to talk will do it so much easier in a car. Especially to a mom who they know will always listen to them. A teen will talk to you in a car because there is not the awkwardness of having to look your mom in the face when you are telling her things she may not want to hear, but she needs to hear! As I drive my children here and there, we have become closer. I start to see them as people and not just my baby. I can look at the road and keep my poker face during whatever they tell me and give myself time to think before I react to what they are saying. It's a win-win situation! It's a great way to touch base with your teen, what are they doing and with whom? I've given advice, just listened, laughed and cried with them. It's mom's mobile therapy! "Have problems, will travel!"
Now to the lighter side of lessons. Pet peeve while driving number one: "people" and by "people", I mean "men", who drive in snowy weather like Mario Andretti. I saw a man today, (did I see that it was a man, no, but I just know it was, trust me), who was driving his silver sports car, on the snowy road, windows uncleared, brake lights covered with snow, (it didn't matter though because his lights were not on!), going about 90 miles an hour! As the snow is blowing off of his car, and on to everyone else's front windshield, he is leaving a wake of destruction behind him. He's gonna kill somebody today and it ain't going to be him! I bet his window was down and he was smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee too.
And of course there I am saying "look at that jerk' quietly to myself, but still out loud as if I am in a documentary about crazy drivers. I would make such a good narrator for that. I may have to suggest to my son Jacob, who is in college to learn directing, that someday I would be willing to collaborate with him on this. Next time I have him in my van, I just may do that!
It starts when they are young and they are talking about absolutely nothing. Those are the conversations where you think putting a bullet through your head is a better alternative than listening to five more minutes of chatter that is going nowhere! But you can't do that. You have to listen! Little children, little problems, big children, big problems is so true but so is, "if you listen to them when they are little, they will talk to you when they are big!"
A teenager ready to talk will do it so much easier in a car. Especially to a mom who they know will always listen to them. A teen will talk to you in a car because there is not the awkwardness of having to look your mom in the face when you are telling her things she may not want to hear, but she needs to hear! As I drive my children here and there, we have become closer. I start to see them as people and not just my baby. I can look at the road and keep my poker face during whatever they tell me and give myself time to think before I react to what they are saying. It's a win-win situation! It's a great way to touch base with your teen, what are they doing and with whom? I've given advice, just listened, laughed and cried with them. It's mom's mobile therapy! "Have problems, will travel!"
Now to the lighter side of lessons. Pet peeve while driving number one: "people" and by "people", I mean "men", who drive in snowy weather like Mario Andretti. I saw a man today, (did I see that it was a man, no, but I just know it was, trust me), who was driving his silver sports car, on the snowy road, windows uncleared, brake lights covered with snow, (it didn't matter though because his lights were not on!), going about 90 miles an hour! As the snow is blowing off of his car, and on to everyone else's front windshield, he is leaving a wake of destruction behind him. He's gonna kill somebody today and it ain't going to be him! I bet his window was down and he was smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee too.
And of course there I am saying "look at that jerk' quietly to myself, but still out loud as if I am in a documentary about crazy drivers. I would make such a good narrator for that. I may have to suggest to my son Jacob, who is in college to learn directing, that someday I would be willing to collaborate with him on this. Next time I have him in my van, I just may do that!
Friday, January 15, 2016
New Title But Same Old Me!
I am sorry that I was gone for awhile but I decided to change the name of my blog to make it more appropriate for me. It took me this long to design this one. I liked Driving Thoughts because that is what you are going to get. My thoughts while driving. I do my best thinking, praying and pondering in the car.
Let's face it, when you have driven up Colvin 3 times in one day, you begin to feel like you could do it blindfolded. Not that I would because the Kenmore cops would be all over my butt, but you get the idea. Your mind starts to think of what happened in class, or the snappy comeback you should have given someone 2 hours ago that sounds oh so funny in your mind right now! Or I could be thinking of what I'd like to say to the driver in front of me. At any rate I will be giving you insight into my mind and thoughts, so if you like scary movies, or psychotic ones, hop aboard!
The second half, TAXIng Mom is a play on words and if I have to explain it to you, well, my blog may not be for you, cause if you haven't gotten this already, I am simple and complicated. I make sense and then sometimes I don't. It's me, it's not you! Some days I will write a summary of my day and it will be all over the road, other times it may be like a peaceful country road. Even I don't know.
Summary of today, I have thought about spiritual warfare, how I can be a fun mom with my daughter Teresa today, when am I going to finally start writing again, (Ta Da!), how late are my rides tonight because it's Friday night and a glass of wine would be nice, and how can I get myself to Rome on our budget. That was about 15 minutes of driving. Oh, and the moment I got angry and started talking to a speed zone sign because it was telling me I was going 35 and I was only going 29! The next 15 minutes was about whether or not I was going to make it to all of the stops I had on time, and is there enough money in the account to take Teresa to dinner, and why can't I find music I like on the radio anymore!
That's way too much for one person to carry in their heads, so I would like to share it with you. It's the year of Mercy and we will talk about that too. My patron saint this year is Saint William of Rochester and he is in for one heck of a ride! I love the saints so you will hear about them ALOT! Most especially you will hear about my children, grandchildren and hubby. And what it's like to spend a lot of your waking hours driving kids to various activities and the things I have learned along the way. I am sometimes funny intentionally and sometimes not so intentionally. I am a softhearted woman who wears her heart on her sleeve.
I hope you will laugh and cry with me. I hope you will see yourself sometimes in my writings and know that you are not the only one who thinks this way! You are not alone my friend. Let's drive together.
Let's face it, when you have driven up Colvin 3 times in one day, you begin to feel like you could do it blindfolded. Not that I would because the Kenmore cops would be all over my butt, but you get the idea. Your mind starts to think of what happened in class, or the snappy comeback you should have given someone 2 hours ago that sounds oh so funny in your mind right now! Or I could be thinking of what I'd like to say to the driver in front of me. At any rate I will be giving you insight into my mind and thoughts, so if you like scary movies, or psychotic ones, hop aboard!
The second half, TAXIng Mom is a play on words and if I have to explain it to you, well, my blog may not be for you, cause if you haven't gotten this already, I am simple and complicated. I make sense and then sometimes I don't. It's me, it's not you! Some days I will write a summary of my day and it will be all over the road, other times it may be like a peaceful country road. Even I don't know.
Summary of today, I have thought about spiritual warfare, how I can be a fun mom with my daughter Teresa today, when am I going to finally start writing again, (Ta Da!), how late are my rides tonight because it's Friday night and a glass of wine would be nice, and how can I get myself to Rome on our budget. That was about 15 minutes of driving. Oh, and the moment I got angry and started talking to a speed zone sign because it was telling me I was going 35 and I was only going 29! The next 15 minutes was about whether or not I was going to make it to all of the stops I had on time, and is there enough money in the account to take Teresa to dinner, and why can't I find music I like on the radio anymore!
That's way too much for one person to carry in their heads, so I would like to share it with you. It's the year of Mercy and we will talk about that too. My patron saint this year is Saint William of Rochester and he is in for one heck of a ride! I love the saints so you will hear about them ALOT! Most especially you will hear about my children, grandchildren and hubby. And what it's like to spend a lot of your waking hours driving kids to various activities and the things I have learned along the way. I am sometimes funny intentionally and sometimes not so intentionally. I am a softhearted woman who wears her heart on her sleeve.
I hope you will laugh and cry with me. I hope you will see yourself sometimes in my writings and know that you are not the only one who thinks this way! You are not alone my friend. Let's drive together.
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