After a long, unnecessary and much-criticized hiatus, I'm back to blogging. So much to say! So many escapades to be blogged! The "holiday season" just about wore me to a nub. We drove to Arkansas for Christmas, which is probably a really good place to pick up on the blog. It was such an adventure I am confident it'll be two or three posts. So here goes...
The West Chester school district only allowed a few hours break for Christmas - er, I mean, the holidays. Up here all I heard was "Happy Holidays," or "Season's Greetings." Very rarely, I think, uh, twice, I actually heard or saw the words "Merry Christmas." Anyway, seriously, we only had Friday, December 24 through January 2, and then it was back to the grindstone bright and early on Monday, January 3!
So being the good parents we are, naturally we took the older two out of school on Thursday, December 23 so we could hustle back to Arkansas for the holidays. I must stop here, however, and discuss the holiday party at school. Katie's class was scheduled to have their party on Thursday, so unfortunately we missed all the fun there. Jack's class, however, had their "party" on Wednesday, December 23. The plan was we would be packed and ready to go as soon as Jack's party was over. It was scheduled to take place in the classroom from 2:00 t0 3:00. School dismisses at 3:30. Why not let the fun continue until then? I think the answer will be apparent shortly.
Miraculously, I did have everything packed by around noon on that Wednesday. Dan had meticulously choked it all into the Suburban, with enough space for me to ride with my knees on my ears while holding a couple dozen packages. So on a whim, I decided to just show up at the school and offer to "help" with the party for Jack's class. Strangely, the front doors were open, and there was a small desk in the center of the foyer area with a sign directing all parent volunteers for holiday parties to sign in and proceed to the classroom! What??? No interrogation before I darken the school doors? You don't want my blood sample this time? It must be that holiday spirit.
I scribbled my name on a line, and hustled back to Jack's classroom. Actually I hustled to where I thought Jack's class was, but since I've only been allowed on the premises a couple of times, I wasn't totally sure where it was, and had to double-back a couple times.
When I walked in the room, I found the "mom in charge," whom I had previously met at Sneak Peek the week before school. Somehow, she remembered me! I explained to her that I knew I hadn't received permission as requested to assist with the party, we were about to leave right after the party to drive back to Arkansas, and I was just hoping I could help a little bit. She said sure, she didn't think it would be a problem but needed to ask the teacher, as last year this same situation with another mother doing just that caused quite a ruckus and made the teacher rather upset. Uh, okay...
She hotfooted it to the teacher, lest my unauthorized presence be detected by authorities, but thankfully, the teacher didn't object. Teacher said it was okay, and Mom-in-charge explained to me it was the first time she'd met the teacher. Ha! Me, too!! I then hotfooted it over to Teacher, and introduced myself. She was amiable enough, and actually seemed happy to meet me. Nevertheless, I explained myself to her as well, just to try to make sure she knew I wasn't trying to bully my way in to her classroom.
I asked Mom-in-charge what I could do to help, as the children were already divided into groups and rotating on a precise schedule around the room to the different "stations" or "activities" monitored by another Mom. Most were games, none with prizes, and the last station was a craft that was already 90% done but did allow a teensy bit of gluing by each student. It was suggested I handle the snacks. Sweet, I thought, I love me some chocolate, especially at Christmas!
Sadly, there was nary a piece of chocolate to be found among the snacks. I sat down behind the large reading table, and she helped me arrange an assembly line of sorts. I was to distribute the snacks on the plates, and then we moms would hand out the plates to the students at their desk at the end of the activities. Here is what I had to work with: regular tortilla chips, salsa, pretzel rods (big change: last year they had whole pretzels!! *gasp*), and pudding cups. And bottled water. BOTTLED WATER! Slightly chilled BOTTLED WATER, that is.
I wondered to myself no less than 45 times if someone had told these people this was supposed to be a PARTY, as in for the HOLIDAYS.
The children stayed in their neat little groups, rotating on a precise schedule, and then it was time for snacks! Yay!!!!! We moms distributed the plate of goodies - yes, the same plates I described above - and there was a little hullabaloo when some students didn't want salsa, and some students wanted more. Thankfully, it all worked out. Yes, I was definitely sweating it for a minute, but no worries. All salsa needs were met. There was a constant murmuring among the moms about whether the pretzel rods were better than the whole pretzels, but overall it was agreed it was a good choice.
After that, it was time to distribute the goody bags. Woo-hoo!!!! (Surely to the Good Lord there is some chocolate in there...they can take it home, don't have to open it here, right??!?) These little bags of goodness consisted of a pencil, a twirly straw, and a tiny plastic horn (? like you blow on New Year's Eve I think). Yes, you read that right. Don't waste your precious time reading it again. No candy, and more importantly, no chocolate. Not even a frigging candy cane!!!!!!!!!!!
By now, I was about to explode with excitement!! I could hardly contain myself. I will concede that it was well-organized, and the students appeared to be having a good time. And right on schedule, at 3:00, the party was over. What they did for the remaining 30 minutes I don't know because I took my child and left. Yes, I did it! I left the school premises!! I'm sure they finished the day with some math problems, or maybe a geography quiz, but by that time I didn't care. I needed a huge ice-cold Diet Dr. Pepper and some Tylenol.
As I found Katie and I practically tore out of the doors dragging them behind me, I tried not to think our 1,100 mile, two-day drive was just beginning! Next post: Super Glue, and...."Mom, he's throwing up in the car!!!!!!!!"
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