Okay, so I am an Idiot

I got the kids to school yesterday a little earlier than usual. There was definitely the feeling of the last day of school in the air. Children more exuberant bubbling all around, teachers looking very relaxed and unhaggered, and no one seemed to be in a hurry to get anywhere. I told Roo's teacher I would be picking him up early because his sister had a half day today. After getting them to classes I drove to my favorite coffee establishment (non-starbux) and got myself a mocha. I enjoyed a brief conversation with my friend in San Jose who had her baby on Monday. She and baby are doing well. She had an 8 lb 2 oz girl who is a little jaundiced, but otherwise fit as a fiddle. I got home and allowed myself 45 minutes of self absorption on a computer game. I don't get much time to do that stuff anymore so I went for it. It was enjoyable playing whilst sipping my coffee.

Soon enough time came for me to head to the assembly at the school for the award presentations. I got their right at 10:00, when it was slated to begin. However, being the last day of school, none of the teachers got their classes there on time. Remarkably enough, Lyd's kindergarten class was one of the first classes to arrive. I have never seen that class be the first to arrive anywhere. They are usually the last. I went down to the front row where they were sitting and said hi to her and gave her a kiss. She was very happy to see her mommy there. I then took my place in the back with the handful of other parents. Finally the awards started and they went by grade. Lyd's class was first. There were quite a few awards, but not all children received an award. First to get recognition were the merit roll students. Then the honor roll students, and finally principle's list. Lydia received an award for being on the honor roll two quarters and merit roll two quarters. Her penmanship kept her off the honor roll all four quarters. LOL. That is certainly her struggle. There were two kid from her class who were on the principle's list. Lydia also received an award for Outstanding achievement in spelling and phonics. She was very excited. She was also an extreme reader which meant she had read through the entire battery of books for their class as well as all the "extra" books that went beyond that. Though I could have ditched out after their awards were given I opted to stay and watch the other classes get their awards. By about 11:00, I realized that they were not going to be done at 11:30 (when minimum day was to get out). They finished about 11:40 and I walked to Roo's preschool and picked him up. We then went to Lyd's classroom to get her. I met with the teacher and she said they were all getting ready for lunch. I looked at her a bit confused, "Isn't it a minimum day today?" She tells me no, it is a full day. So, we chat about that for a bit and she says I can take Lyd no if I wanted to. I tell her I will do that. So, we pack up and leave and head out for lunch. Lyd starts complaining that we left her lunch box (it had her snack in it). I just tell her we can go back after school and get it then. She wasn't happy with that, but parry off her whining. She was much better after eating. She then tells me she wanted to go back to school for the rest of the day since it was the last day. That was fine with me. We got there before lunch recess was over so that was good. All the kids had their yearbooks (can you believe an elementary yearbook?). They were looking through them, and upon quick glance I seed several of my photos I had taken at their trip to the apple farm found their way into the book. That was cool. I was happy they liked them. After getting her back to school Roo and I went to get me something to eat. I was not going to eat McDonald's when they ate their chicken nuggets.

After my lunch, I opted to take Roo to a new park we hadn't been to yet. It was a nice park, though it could use some trees. It is still in the process of being built, so trees may be coming, but it will be a while before they are big enough to offer shade. I took my place on a bench to watch Roo while two other mom's on the bench next to me engrossed in conversation. They were chatting about this and that with an air that implied they must have though very highly of themselves. Over time, I grew weary of their conversation and walked around the park again only to find myself back at the bench next to the them. This time, I decided, I would try and talk with them if the opportunity presented itself. It did, and I spoke with them briefly, but I could immediately tell that I wasn't really welcome to talk with them. It was something reminiscent of the outcast wolf trying to break into an established wolf pack. I had asked them how old their sons were. One was 4 and one was 4 1/2. I had then asked if the 4 1/2 year old was starting kindergarten in the fall. She said, very haughtily back, "no, he will be in preschool another year". As if I was prying information out and looking down on her child because he wasn't going into kindergarten in the fall. She must have felt defensive about it. One lady was certainly more unwelcoming of others talking to them than the other, but neither were overly friendly by any means. I immediately chalked them up as b*tches and let them continue their conversation about their cars and one of the ladies husbands work who was traveling to Germany or something. I obviously wasn't in their "stay-at-home-mom's club". I figured they were probably like that in highschool too.

Roo enjoyed his time at the park. He linked up with two boys who were playing a bit rough. I was glad he linked up with them rather than the two tippy-toe boys of the lady's who were too timid to play with anyone else. Roo actually tried playing with those boys first, but they were just as shunning as their mothers. The other two boys were a riot. Just running around climbing and being boys having fun. This was certainly the way I remembered boys being. Roo was playing some form of tag with them and they took turns clogging up the tube twisty slide. They were having a ball. After a while they were wrestling a little bit and Roo was a bit overwrought. He isn't used to playing with boys who are rough and tumble. He is one, but there isn't any others in our neighborhood. We have all girls, so one boy wrestled him to the ground and Roo scraped his elbow on the cushiony ground where all the equipment is. I think it was more of an ego issue than anything. I went to look, and the other two boys were looking like they had done something seriously wrong. I ensure them they hadn't, and that Roo wasn't used to being wrestled to the ground. He is usually the one doing it to others, so when the tide was turned, he wasn't sure how he felt about that. On that note, it was 2:00 and time for the boys to ride their bikes home. Roo and I stayed a while longer, and then went to get his sister from school after stopping by at home to get something to drink.

Today, I have both kids home and they have converted Roo's room into a huge "fort". Blanket unds tucked under here and there and others being held down with whatever heavy toy they could find for an anchor. Ahhhhh, the days! I have built many a fort with my brothers. We are going to buzz out of here shortly and get on with the day. They have some serious pent up energy today. Perhaps a trip to the park is in order, or maybe to the beach. That sounds like fun to me.