This Full House Archive

Category: School Daze

  • Mini-Me loves chocolate, Mommy don’t…

    Actually, I have a terrible crush on anything flavored, dusted
    and/or dipped in "dark chocolate," unlike that of my children’s desires
    for milk chocolate, plain and don’t even think about trying to serve
    them anything – like, brownies, ice cream and chocolate chip cookies –
    with nuts!

    "I told-did teacher you would bwing bwoo-bewy muffins!"

    Huh?

    "I thought you didn’t like blueberries and when do I need to bring these muffins in, btw!?!"

    Yesterday, of course.

    "Today, when you come in, wee-membuh?"

    Of course – having suffered from a selective memory since, well,
    having children – it’s been a little crazy here, lately, and – though I
    did remember to invite my MIL and FIL to the Author’s Tea with
    at least, you know, one day’s notice – I totally forgot about baking
    the stupid muffins!

    Minimuffin

    She was so nervous, poor thing, and with good reason – especially,
    since, you know, she’s got me for a mother – coming up on the last week
    of school, not to mention Mini-Me’s birthday (the day before Father’s
    Day) and her kindergarten graduation (the day before Thing Two’s 5th
    grade graduation) I can’t help but feel as if all h-e-double hockey
    sticks is breaking loose and I’m playing goalie!

    Especially now, since receiving some more bad news (I’ll save you
    the details, you can thank me later) the likes of which can take the
    wind out of my sails (which isn’t all that easy to do, quite frankly)
    and now I definitely know what it feels like to get punched in the gut,
    probably.Seriously, I haven’t felt this bruised in a very, very long
    time!

    "I should have let the stupid answering machine get it!"

    Yes, I talk to myself…often…and decided that I’d better snap out
    of it, quick, lest I rain on Mini-Me’s parade and totally wreck the day
    for her, too.

    Minimestory

    She started to read and – though, her grandparents were visibly surprised, "They’re in kindergarten, right?"
    and kept giggling at barely being able to see Mini-Me’s face over the
    podium – I was amazed at how strong (and loud) her voice was.

    Minimestory2

    She spoke of me, her sisters and all things Corbin Bleu, and a friend of mine (one of the very few mothers who actually knows what I do for a living) glanced back my way and smiled.

    "That was a pretty terrific story; she must get it from you!"

    Yes, my friend, it was like a slapshot to the groin and this was NOT what I wanted to hear, right now!

    "Look, I made Mini-Me’s favorite blueberry muffins!"

    [eyes go wide]

    "No you didn’t!"

    Huh?

    "My fav-o-wit is chocwit and you told-did me you buy-did them at Stop and Shop!"

    Why, yes – I nearly died and isn’t she just a giggling grab bag of
    humor!?! – I am very glad it’s Friday, thank you, and I am reasonably
    sure that you’ll excuse me, while I go soak my head and won’t be
    answering the phone again, anytime soon!

    Blueberry muffin, anyone?

  • A glance into the world of higher thinking and dirty fingernails.

    Tea_yummies

    My 8-year-old son’s 2nd grade class hosted a tea and poetry reading,
    Friday afternoon, that the children have been preparing for, for weeks,
    and were put to task with having to create their own invitations, for
    up to 3 people.

    It was very cute and I would love to be able to share it with you,
    only, I can’t. Because, I gave it to his grandparents and forgot to
    take a picture of it – not to mention, show his father – but, I thought
    that perhaps my parents would enjoy the handwritten envelope marked "By invitation only" and "To Mama and Papa, pleeeeease, come!" and I hand delivered it, personally.

    "No, you keep it…really…I’ve got tons just like it, at home, already!"

    I work from home – yes, it’s a perk – so, I was an obvious 1st
    choice on his guest list and the poor kid agonized, for days, over
    which of his grandparents to invite.

    "I chose Mama and Papa, well, because I told a lot about them to my teacher, already."

    Little Man’s teacher is Ukranian and – being that my parents are Hungarian – well, you know, we are practically kissing cousins, afterall.

    "Are these the grandparents who inspire you in your love of history?"

    His teacher was being very gracious.

    "Yes, and he’s the one who was almost shot in the haystack!"

    The boy (and his sisters) really does enjoy listening to my father
    tell of life in "the old country" – especially, having narrowly escaped
    it, with his life – and Little Man’s teacher often allows him to repeat
    the stories to his class and has also included my parents into his
    history projects. Like, his oral report on on Dwight D. Eisenhower:

    "If it wasn’t for people like him, President
    Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, my Mama and Papa would probably not be
    here, or been able to escape from the bloody communists!"

    Yes, Papa’s history lessons can be quite…um…graphic and filled
    with colorful language and, quite frankly, I was a bit nervous to hear
    my son’s choice of poem, you know, that he finds…GULP…inspiring.

    Little_man_read

    He did great!

    What?

    Oh, the poem…um…well, I don’t remember what the title was –
    because, I was too busy worrying about whether or not I remembered to
    charge the stupid camera’s battery, okay! – and then I noticed the dirt
    under my fingernails!

    Stupid weeds.

    "Wonderful to meet you, finally, and thank you for sharing your stories!"

    My son and I are going to miss her and – although, she is Little
    Man’s favorite teacher and this has been his best year – all that
    homework…not so much!

    "I just like to tell my grandchildren, like it is, straight from my heart."

    She glanced over at me, but I just smiled and hid my hands in my skirt pockets.

    "Not many American children are exposed to such
    worldly thought, or understand history as much as Little Man does, and
    thank you, very much, for sharing him, with us."

    I was overcome.

    "Did you know that European women don’t shave their legs!?!"

    [eyes go wide]

    "But, my mom does."

    [glancing down]

    "I think."

    Little_man_tea

    Yep, the boy is a piece of work.

    The_tea_party

    Just like his Papa.

    Although, he and my mom haven’t been feeling very well, these days –
    they do look great, though, don’t they and yes, that’s Mini-me, she was allowed to sign out of her class to join us and she is wearing her "Brother for Sale" t-shirt, appropriately enough – I understand that having grandkids can be pretty good medicine.

    I agree, just not yet!

    I’m looking forward to watching him (and the rest of my gang) grow
    to be, well, very smart and well-versed in the world of higher
    thinking…and yet…surprisingly very down to earth and a bit hairy,
    like their mother!