Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Its Off To School They Go!

I quit my part time Donut Shack job on the last day of the school year thinking it was going to be great to spend the summer with my boys. And it was...for the first month or so.. Then boredom set in -for them not me, and they started to fight. A lot. More than usual. It was too hot to play outside much and frankly I think they were just getting tired of looking at each other. The 2 oldest boys especially since they have been forced to share a room since the renovation started in June. (Just an update, they are still sharing a room even though Papa Bear promised me that they would be in their own rooms by the time school started...).

The "staycation" didn't help matters. Staring at the same faces in the same setting for an extended period of time is bound to make you a little bit restless.

Through out the summer I have been stressing about Fuzzy's readiness to start school this year and riding the bus and not being fully toilet trained and so on. By the end of August I wasn't so much concerned about that as I was how many more days until he started.

The closer the back to school date got the crazier the boys got until finally Back to School eve was upon us. Noon the day before isn't too early to pack a lunch and set out clothes is it? I was a tad bit excited so that is exactly what happened here.

Most kids wake up early and are excited to school on the first day -not Little Bear. Not even a little bit. He moaned and groaned before eventually dragging himself from his bed. His brothers were excited to see him off. Probably thinking to themselves "see you later haha, go pick on someone your own size. We are going to get into your stuff ALL day". That was until the bus pulled away and for the rest of the day I heard "where's Little Bear?" "Where did he go?" "When's Little Bear coming home?".
Geez, you fight with him all day long for months and then as soon as he leaves for a few hours you yearn for him? Absence makes the heart grow fonder? If barely ever saw each other they would be the best of friends?

Fuzzy didn't start until a few days later. We did the usual first day of school photo shoot and I loaded me little man onto the great big bus. He was so excited. I thought I was doing well until the bus was a bit down the road and then I bawled like a baby. I don't care what anyone says, it doesn't get easier with experience. Once I got over that it was time for Wee One and I to bask in the quietness.

The crazy summer and the last few weeks of headaches were all worth it when Wee One laid down for a nap and there was no one to shush. I love my kids but a break is nice. Now I can't wait for Monday when the 2 oldest are in school and Wee One starts 1 day a week daycare. Can you say nap?...I mean housework?

Bear Family Staycation

Papa Bear and I had originally planned to take a real away from home vacation. Unfortunately trying to get a straight answer from Papa Bear on what dates to take as vacation (or really any question) is like trying to grow a palm tree in a snow bank. By the time I got a definite date decided on we were too late to book a cottage at the place we had hoped...or anywhere close for that matter so we decided to stay home and just do day trips with the boys.

Today was day 1 of the "staycation". We didn't really have any plans for today because it was supposed to storm all day...we had a few very brief showers... The definition of vacation is; a period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation. Today was no freaking vacation!

I started my "vacation" out by having a metal 1:16 scale John Deere combine dropped on my face...while I was still asleep...Thank you Wee One and good morning. No problem. The swelling in my lip didn't last more than a couple hours and really wasn't much more painful than when I slipped stepping over a baby gate yesterday and ended up straddling the gate and scraping my arm to crap. I'm pretty sure I broke my lady part but I'll live.

It was then that the fighting started...and so did the migraine. I don't even know where the 3 of them even find that much to fight about. At one point Little Bear yelled from his room "I hate Fuzzy!"
to which Fuzzy replied "No you don't, you love me Little Bear, you do".
Did I mention it was 104 degrees out with humidity today so nobody would play outside for more than a few minutes at a time?

The entire day was used up with cleaning up messes, organizing useless time outs, breaking up fights and preparing meals that nobody was really going to eat much of. Where was Papa Bear while I dealt with my "vacation"? The answer, hiding out in our house addition that is a work in progress coming in only long enough to grab lunch and dinner and then escaping as soon as the fighting resumed from the short break they took to pick at their food.

I don't remember any pleasure or rest or relaxation in my day. There was no pleasure in having an end table drawer fall on your head causing a goose egg (and possible concussion) while you try to repair the damage done to it by 2 little boys. I know. There was no rest in having to vacuum the family room/office/playroom because Fuzzy thought he would open a package of microwave popcorn there. There is no relaxation in listening to Wee One scream because he thinks all the toys are his and Fuzzy feels the need to remind him that they are not.

I have no idea what would possess me to take an entire week off from my job and deny myself 4 hours a night away (no, I am not a hooker). I can assure you this though, there is no way on earth I will be doing it next summer if there aren't any going away plans. We are only 1 day in but so far "staycation" SUCKS!