The Book Fair

Now that I have sufficiently freed myself from guilt at not keeping up with my updates I am indulging in the luxury of getting behind again. Now when exactly did I decide that instead of writing a simple update whenever I feel like it I need to have a complete, historically accurate, eminently readable and entertaining history of my life? I'm not the slightest bit compulsive perfectionist....

Well, my last update covers to almost the end of April. (Hmmm... now it's June.) Ah yes, our anniversary. On the 27th of April, in addition to observing my mother's birthday, Dave and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. Can you believe it? Every once in a while it hits me that we really aren't just barely-post-newlywed college kids with a baby... we are actually a "real" family (as Megan would say) with a real job, a real house and, most importantly, a real minivan. So we celebrated our anniversary by.... (drumroll) going to church, making dinner and starting out watching one of our friends' kids for the week. These friends watched our kids part of the time we were in Hawaii last year, so it was our turn to pay up and watch one of their kids while they went to Hawaii. The kids were thrilled-- it was just like one giant sleepover-- and for the most part the kids got along great and had a good time. But, Dave and I had to postpone our anniversary celebration (we're still working on getting to it).

So we watched Connie for a week while the Williamsons were in Kauai. We could at least indulge in fond remembrances of our own trip to Kauai last August. During the course of the week, Jared had a student-led conference. Camryn was at preschool, but I took Connie and Jackson with me, figuring that Connie was old enough to read a book quietly. We went to the student-led conference and it was just that.... the teacher barely spoke to us the entire time we were there. While Connie read a book quietly and Jackson was toted along in the baby front pack, Jared took me to his desk as well as several different stations to show me what they had been working on at school. So I got to see what kind of penguin was the closest in height to me and attempt to use ice water, hot water and room-temperature water to reproduce the desired water temperature for certain penguins.

After such happy affirmations that my child is actually being educationally enriched and not just baby-sat, we stopped by the school book fair on the way out. I had warm fuzzy pictures in my head of quality time spent carefully selecting some quality work of literature that we could enjoy together. After briefly surveying the offerings at the book fair, Jared decided that in order for his day to be complete he needed a stuffed dog. "No Jared," I said, "we have a million stuffed animals at home already and we're here to get a book." Only slightly disappointed, Jared selected a "Mini Art Kit" to take it's place. A Mini Art Kit? Aside from being a cute but useless waste of money designed to steal money from over-nagged parents, we already had everything that was in the kit at home, in a much more usable full size to boot. "Why don't you pick a book, Jared? It is a BOOK fair." "But MOM," he argued,"there are other things besides books at book fairs." "Yes, I know Jared, but we came to choose a fun BOOK." At this point Connie held up a book with fairies on the front and announced, "I found a book that I want to get." Starting to get impatient, I said, "I don't think so, Connie. We're trying to pick out a book for Jared." We had about 3 minutes before we needed to leave to pick up Camryn from preschool. "Look Jared," I said, "it's almost time to go. It's a book or nothing."

Jared grumpily started browsing the rows of books for one that was remotely as cool as a stuffed dog or mini art kit. By this time, Jackson was done with the book fair and started to fuss. "Jared, it's time to pick up Camryn from preschool. Jackson is getting cranky and we have to go." "But MOM, I'm choosing a book." Jackson started to wail. I glanced at my watch. We weren't going to make it in time to pick up Camryn. "Jared, we have to leave!" So I grabbed Jared by the hand and we left the book fair with Jared crying because I wouldn't let him stay and choose a book after nixing the stuffed dog, Connie crying because I wouldn't let her get the fairy book that she wanted, and Jackson crying, well because he is Jackson.

In other news, I threw out my back from lifting Jackson's car seat during the week we were watching Connie. I made an appointment with the chiropractor for the next day and went even though my back was already starting to feel better the next morning before the appointment. The chiropractor still prescribed a series of visits. I wasn't certain they were necessary, but paying a $10 copay to go have a heat pad and massager for 15 minutes and then get your back adjusted (or just to have 30 minutes with no kids in general) didn't seem too bad.

In more news, our home is still on the market. Our grass was starting to get longer and longer and Dave's work has gotten busier and busier. I finally realized I was going to have to mow it myself. I was about to go and take the front pack to carry Jackson while mowing the yard, but it occurred to me that if I had recently thrown my back out that may not be the wisest of decisions. So I got a babysitter for Jackson, loaded up the lawnmower into the minivan, drove it to the other house, and mowed the front and back lawns, loaded the lawn mower back into the minivan and drove home... only taking me roughly 3 hours from start to finish. Yes, I hear the chuckles from all of you who have taken economics. I did learn my lesson and we currently have a lawn service.

Well, with all of my efforts I still haven't even caught up to the month of May.... I guess today is not the day for me to catch up with my updates. Oh well... at least my laundry and dishes won't feel lonely.

Karen

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Quote of the Week:
Jared:"Mommy, Camryn said the "s" word!"
Me: "She did? What did she say?"
Jared: "S-T-U-P-I-D"