"I Got My Hair Highlighted Because I Felt Some Strands Were More Important than Others"

It occurred to me last night after so many of you wrote in to inquire about my haircut that I put the cart before the horse. Maybe it is better to just get the hair cut and then see if anyone notices, because otherwise, there is too much attention and pressure.

When I got home yesterday, there was a message from Big Sis that said "The Husband says your hair is no different. It looks just the same." Of course, he hadn't even seen me yet. When I called to question him on this, he laughed and said "just guessing". He claimed the picture I showed him was just like my hair. Well, it wasn't, but whatever.

When I went to pick the kids up from school, I was anxious to hear their feedback. I couldn't find my sunglasses, so I threw on a pair of old ones that The Senior had left in my car. Suffice it to say, they are a bit "edgier" than my normal ones. As The Boy climbed into the car, he was staring at me. I thought it was the hair cut. "Mom, take those glasses off. They make your eyes look weird." My eyes?? What about the hair? No mention. He went through his normal review of the day...and then smiled. "I don't know who you look like, but you look good. Good hair." That's my Boy. I can always count on him for a boost.
Next came Little One. As she climbed in the car, she glared at me. "Hey! No fair! Those are the bangs I want! And why did you get your hair cut?! " ...The Boy yelled at her to be nice, and she yelled at him to leave her alone...and it was a very unpleasant ride home.

Well, I decided I had had enough feedback for the day, so I threw the hair up into a ponytail and forgot about it. When the Husband walked through the door last night, he grinned and said "I can't tell if I like it since you have it up." Well, I had to launch into an explanation of how my stylist had blown it out straight in order to check the cut, so it really did not look messy like it was suppose to. But by this time, his eyes had glazed over and he had turned on the Yankees game...so I just dropped it.

Later on, when the kids were down, I went for a run. When I got back, I was sweaty and messy, and I took the hair down and shook it and sat down to watch the game with The Husband. He glanced over at me and said "Your hair looks good." I glanced at the clock. 10:30. Well, here is the thing. No compliments from The Husband count between 10 and 11 at night. This is the hour of night that no matter what has happened, The Husband is going to be nice. Why? I'll leave it to the reader to draw any conclusions.

So this morning, when I returned from school drop off, I casually walked into the room where The Husband was getting ready. "Ok. Do you like it? Does it look any different?" ...."Yes and yes." I ran out before he could say any more....

So this morning, I will say that overall I am pleased with the hair cut. It is not drastically different...but nice and "messy" the way I like it. This way, you can't tell if I am going for a "look", or if I just forgot to brush my hair...

And until tomorrow, when hopefully there will be more substantial and important things to discuss...

"If She Wanted to be More Like Me, Why Couldn't She Just Copy My Hairstyle or Something?" Rachel on 'Friends'

It's a little early in the week for a review blog, but this will be quick this morning due to an impending hair appointment.

1) For all of you who asked, the Bohemian is home and recovering after his nightmare. He has a long way to go before he is healed, but he is up and around a bit which is good news. I was so happy last night to get a little note from him on facebook...it let me know that he is not only better...but still maintaining his wonderful sense of humor. All the best to you, "mon".

2) Little One's softball team remains undefeated. After a slow start last night, they won the game. Little One had a triple and caught a fly ball at shortstop. She desperately wanted to pitch, but was not called upon to do so, This caused a few minor issues which were resolved by me giving her the look that says "Get Over It".

3) The Boy got his poem back that I had helped him with. He received a C-. What does this tell us? His writing skills are lacking? My writing skills are lacking?.....Why no, it tells us that The Boy did not have all of the directions for this little endeavor. I still think the poem was Pulitzer-worthy...but we needed a few more metaphors and some alliteration...

Usually when I go for a hair appointment, I schedule it so that I can go directly after dropping off the kids at school. This means I have to listen to 15 minutes of "Don't do anything different!!!" I smartened up this morning and scheduled it later. I didn't mention I was getting anything done. But I am actually going to do something different today. I'm a little nervous, but hey, I was never a risk-taker. I pulled out this 6 page layout from my Marie Claire magazine to show my stylist. I showed the pictures to The Husband, and he was very encouraging...however, I hope he realizes that the haircut will not necessarily make me look like the gorgeous 6 foot model in the magazine. This is always the problem with bringing in those pictures...you somehow think the resulting cut is going to make you look exactly like the picture. We'll see....

So that's it for today...short,sweet and to the point...until tomorrow.....

Monday is an Awful Way to Spend 1/7 of your Life. Steven Wright

Friday afternoon was such a relief. Little One was finished with all of her tests for the week, and had ended them on a high note with an A on her Wordly Wise test. Bouyed by her achievement, she was ready to ride the coat tails of this accomplishment all weekend. To everything she asked for, she added, "Cause you know , I made an A on my test". Now I let that ride for extra dessert and late bedtime, but eventually, I had to draw the line. After having The Boy home sick all week with the flu, I was just not in the mood for the requisite Friday night sleepover...not even the "A on my test" could change my mind...



The Boy seemed so much better Friday. He had even convinced The Husband that he would be fine for playing in a travel baseball game on Saturday morning. I had my doubts about his, but I kept my over-protective-mom-mouth shut. Until Friday came and I happened to feel his forehead for the 876th time this week. Uh oh. Warm. He looked at me with pleading eyes, but I reached for the thermometer. 101. I knew what was coming. I announced to The Husband that he had a fever. The Boy exclaimed that it was "hardly anything" and he was fine. The Husband looked from his face to my face...and he made the following cowardly statement. "Listen to mom. We'll do whatever she says." ...Now, do not be fooled into thinking this was supportive. This was The Husband not being the "bad guy". This is the role he likes to play. The Boy stomped upstairs, angry at mom and the world...and not feeling so great either. I just stared at The Husband. "What???" he said. "So you think he should play tomorrow...after being sick a week and still with fever?" ....."I didn't say that."........Here is the thing. I do not reward sickness. Really, I don't. In our house, if you don't have fever or vomiting, you are pretty much going to school. In fact, Big Sister and The Senior will swear that I occasionally sent them on their deathbeds. But that isn't true either. They just didn't like the rule that stated "If you stay home, there is no phone time and you must stay in bed"......But back to the point. The Boy had no business doing anything except resting over the weekend. And that was that. I climbed the stairs and went to tell him that I was sorry...and being The Boy, he said "I guess that means I don't have to go to church on Sunday either, huh?".....even with fever, he is the great negotiator.



Saturday morning it was pouring down rain...we all slept late, and The Boy got up fever-free. Now they will never admit it, but Boy and Husband were both happy to be in the bed instead of on the ball field that morning.



Sunday morning, I got up to get ready for church, and I decided that The Boy should probably stay in one more day. I told The Husband that I would take Little One and go alone...and he grunted in agreement. The funny thing about The Husband is that he is somehow always able to make me feel like he is doing me a favor by sleeping late. It is an amazing gift he has....



So that's it for today. Everyone is back in school today. The house seems very quiet without The Boy here. But I'll trade a quiet house for a healthy Boy any day....until tomorrow....

"If You Treat a Sick Child Like and Adult, and a Sick Adult Like a Child, Everything Turns Out Pretty Well."

The Boy woke up this morning fever-free for the first time this week. I went up to check on him and found him sitting on the stairs outside his bedroom. "You ok?" I asked. "Yeah. Making my way to the shower." He's a little on the weak side. Not that he ever lost his appetite. The Boy NEVER loses the appetite. Yesterday morning, he woke up briefly after I had taken Little One to school. He immediately threw up, and went back to bed. Around noon, I checked in on him, and he was lying still in his bed. "What time is it?" he asked. "Noon" I replied. "What's for lunch?" he asked. "I figured you wouldn't be hungry". He sat up quickly in bed. "Mom, I'm never not hungry. I was thinking of the new barbecue chicken sandwich from Zaxby's". This was comforting for me. I can't sleep when the kids are sick, and this week has been a double whammy. In addition to The Boy, The Senior is sick too. I can't get to her to help, so my answer is to worry about her doubley as much. I'm hopeful that everyone is on the mend...and saying a little prayer that the normal chain of events don't happen...that would be Little One getting sick this weekend and then me on Monday....

Little One brought home "great news" yesterday. Every time there is a field trip, she puts my name in the basket as a chapperone. I've been to the science museum, the dairy....wherever they go. This time it was for an overnight trip to the zoo. Can I be honest here? I might have been hoping to be overlooked on this one. The zoo part is fine....but the overnight part, sleeping in the same room with 45 kids and 10 other parents and the principal...not so much. Little One informed me that I will have a lovely blow-up mattress to sleep on. I may not sleep in pajamas, but sweatpants are fine. There will be no showers for anyone. Goody. Can't wait. And this is the reason I gave up the glamorous job and trips to Paris...Just kidding.

One last TV item. Those 2 new shows, 'Modern Family' and 'Cougartown' are so funny that they make me laugh all week. At first I though the 'Cougartown' was going to be too crude or silly, but it isn't. Courtney Cox's character is so honest that besides being hilarious, it is touching. The show I was looking so much forward to...The Good Wife...is ok. The Husband says I don't like it as much because it turns our that Mr. Big (Chris Noth) isn't in it very much, and this could be true. But the story lines are kind of predictable too. I'm going to give it a few more weeks...

So until next week, with hopes that everyone will be well...and with much anticipation for the zoo trip...

There is Always Something to be Grateful For.

When Big Sister was in college, she dated a terrific guy we'll call the Bohemian. He was part of the family for a couple of years, but in the end, he went to Europe to find himself, and she found the amazing SIL...and they both moved on. They've kept up with each other over the last few years, commiserating on jobs and life, and chatting on facebook. He had moved to Charlotte to do graduate work, and life seemed to be progressing well for him. Over the weekend, while she was in NYC, Big Sis received a message that he had been in a random shooting. Walking back from a restaurant with friends (in an upscale neighborhood, no less), he was mugged, and then shot and left for dead. Thankfully, someone found him, and he has spent the last few days on ICU fighting for his life.
This morning, as my prayers continue to go out to him and his family, I am reminded that life is so fragile...and though it sounds trite...you have to live each day like it's your last. When you think about the fact that someone you see and talk to today could be gone tomorrow...it makes each moment seem more important...each interaction a blessing. I am so guilty of letting the "minutia of life" get me down (this from The Husband). I get bogged down with too much to do, or things not going exactly the way I want or plan....and I forget that it is the journey and not the destination that I need to be enjoying.
Without getting too philosophical, because it is just too early in the morning for that, the old quote that says "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it" is so true. I guess the trick is how to do that on a daily basis.

So today, as The Boy stays home sick again, I am going to quit worrying about him and enjoy our time together. I am going to be so happy for Little One , who auditioned for a role in the production of 'Grease' at the local playhouse...and made it! I will worry about how we will fit in school work, softball, hip-hop class...and now rehearsals....later. I will savor all of The Husband's sarcastic comments, knowing full well that I would miss them if he weren't around...

And until tomorrow, with hope and prayers that the Bohemian makes a full recovery...

"Somebody's Boring Me. I Think It's Me."

I've go nothing this morning. I've already perused Little One's sheet called 'Writing Ideas'...but I decided to spare the reader a discussion on "My First Pet" or "My Trip to the Dentist'....both riveting topics, but maybe for another day.



Usually when I cannot come up with a subject, I peruse the Wall Street Journal for ideas. This is impossible this morning, because for the second time this month, my carrier brought me The New York Times. I hate The New York Times. I'm a middle-of-the-road kind of girl...I don't like anything that leans too far right or too far left. the Times falls under the category of the latter. Now I use to subscribe to the weekend Times just to read the Fashion and Style section...but unfortunately, you cannot get to that section without seeing the front page....



I could discuss politics..but I've already done health care and I'm waiting to make up my mind on Afghanistan. I could discuss the President winning the Nobel Prize...but I don't like to make a big deal out of something that doesn't really cause anybody harm (unless you count the people who have dedicated their lives to valiant causes only to be insulted by having it go to someone who has only been "at it" for 8 months...I thought it was based on achievement and not hopefulness)



I could discuss The Boy who is home sick the last few days. He has the "faux flu"...fever, cough and boredom....He rarely gets sick, and to be honest, he is an excellent patient. He eats and sleeps (The Boy never loses his appetite) and watches DVDs of 24. The best thing is, he does not complain about going to bed...the worst thing is, he's just kind of pitiful. But he's definitely on the mend, and I'm happy that he gets to sleep late on this gloomy, rainy day.



Little One has her huge test today....the one we had to retrieve the folder for...I can't say that she is 100% ready, but I can say that I now know more about the rainforest than I ever wanted to know. Her biggest concern was that I made her promise to study this morning instead of doing her beloved car duty....Car duty is when you get to open the car doors for everyone in the morning instead of just sitting around and visiting with your friends??? In about another year, she will look back on that little exercise and ask herself why she would actually want to leave early every morning to do it...



The Big Sis and SIL are back from New York, safe and sound and depressed. Nothing compares to life in the Big City...it takes awhile to adjust to being back home. We have been keeping their little pug while they were gone. She is a darling little dog, and Little One and The Boy were both so sad to let her go. I'm going to miss her little eyes staring up at me 24/7....even The Husband enjoyed her....



So that's it for today...it can't always be interesting or exciting....until tomorrow, when hopefully I'll get my WSJ...

If You Think Education is Expensive, Try Ignorance

It's always a little hard to get back into the routine after a 3 day weekend. This morning was no different. Yesterday, the kids were off for a teacher's workday. It was meant to be an easy-going day since the last few weeks and weekends have been packed with baseball, softball, dance...and of course, school work. Little One has 3 big tests this week, so we knew at some point that we would have to study. She wanted this later...not sooner. But I had her set out all of her study guides in preparation. Uh Oh. We were missing one of them...the biggie...the folder that was needed to study for the Rainforest Test. She had left it in her desk somehow, and now she was panicked. We went online to check the school website to see if there was anything there...but there wasn't.
Now Little One and I have had many discussions on how she has to be more vigilant about packing her bookbag in the afternoons...but I sensed this was not the time for a lecture. I decided to send an inquiring e-mail to her teacher (not the one giving the test...the homeroom) to feel her out...see if there was a chance I could pick it up....Well, back came a sort of code message saying that the room would be open and she would be in meetings....and if I parked in back, nobody would see me. Ok, I knew what this meant. Mr. Principal would not approve...but if I wanted to chance it and sneak in...I could try. I pondered this for about 10 minutes...and then e-mailed a friend. Lo and behold, her daughter (in the same class) had forgotten her folder too...Well, that was it. I had to do it. It was not only imperative for Little One to be able to study, but the Principal is the one of the few people in the world that I feel the need to disobey.

I approached it like an assignment in a 'Mission Impossible' movie. I considered camouflage and face paint...but settled on jeans and tennis shoes since it was pouring down rain. Little One would have to go with me....mostly because I did not know where the friend's desk was...and partly because she would be my buffer if caught. I drove to the school in the rain and parked at the spot designated by her teacher as "safe". Little One and I looked at each other and synchronized our watches...ok, we didn't really do that...it just sounded good. I told her to follow me, and we hiked up the stairs. The coast was clear, so we ran in the building. Again...nobody around, so we ducked into her classroom. As her teacher had said, she wasn't there, but the room was open. I whispered to Little One to grab her folder and she did. She then ran to the friend's desk and grabbed hers to. At that moment an unfamiliar teacher walked by and waved. My heart was in my throat...but I waved back. Little One giggled and we waited for her to pass. Then we ran out of the building back into the rain. Down the stairs and into the car...mission accomplished...
When we got home, The Boy wanted all of the details, and of course I exaggerated everything. He was quite impressed by my rebellious spirit...but I cautioned him that I would not be doing the same for him. 4th grade qualifies as the last year for this kind of thing...after that...you're on your own.

Last night, we studied our hearts out. You'll notice that I use the pronoun "we" and not "she"....it is still a joint effort at this age. There are flash cards and study guides everywhere.

This morning, as we were walking out the door, Little one yelled "Mom! Quick ! Draw me a picture of a howler monkey! I need it! Don't ask why!"....Not knowing what this was, I ran to the computer and found a picture and did a sketch. If you can believe it, Little One took one look at it and said "That is the worst picture of a howler monkey I have ever seen." She left in on the counter and headed for the car...

So that's it for this morning...2 more big tests to go this week...and then I can take a break. I'm learning so much more in school this time around...

Until tomorrow...