Classes started back up yesterday after spring break, and all my students came trotting back to class with tan faces and stories of trips to China, Cancun, and Florida. I, well, came back with my same old pasty Michigan face, contemplating what I was able to accomplish…
I think my greatest accomplishment was completing this craft kit that my Mom gave the kids, probably because it took literally all week to finish. I’m serious! It had a pencil holder with feet, face, and wrapped with those little fabric loops that I used to make potholders out of, a trivet where you had to sand the ends of these wood beads and glue them to giant popsicle sticks (Parker helped with the glue), and this hippie googly eye picture clip – all stuff that had to be glued together and of course, had to dry in between each step. So, every time we would sit down at the table to do something, we would complete the “next step”. The kids lost interest way before they were done – but I was bound and determined to get them completed…and ta da…we did, and Madi promptly filled up the pencil cup with her “sharpened pencils”.
I also got a pedicure for the first time since last summer, which was way past due, and got my haircut. Two interesting things happened…she talked me into cutting a little side bang, which I had just probably successfully grown out about six months ago, and she also told me that I have fine hair. Now, this doesn’t sound like a huge revelation, but I have NEVER thought that I have fine hair. Honestly. So…I have been buying the wrong kind of shampoo for years….go figure. Needless to say, she also talked me into buying some “fancy” shampoo – the kind that I buy once every two years and try to make it last as long as possible and when I run out, I end up using whatever is absolutely the cheapest, and my hair definitely pays for it…funny how that works.
Let’s see…I got my teeth cleaned this week too…without the kids. That was a huge accomplishment. I was so relaxed that I almost fell asleep in the chair, which is a little wierd considering they are picking away at your teeth. But…huge revelation…they used this high powered water pick thing because my gums are all inflamed because of being pregnant (gotta love it) and it did not hurt at all. Of course, I went home and told Ben and he said that they use that on him every time, so it’s not a new thing or anything, but it was lovely this time around for me!
Hmmm…I also finally was able to cross something off my list that has been on it since November. Yes…November. We got our carpets cleaned. It was so overdue that the guys who came to clean it were rather taken aback by how grungy they were. And yes, they were, especially when you take everything out of the living room and are able to see the spots…and the spots where we tried to clean the spots…and failed…but now it is back to a semi-pristine state. Boy do I dislike our light colored carpet…but when it is cleaned up, it’s definitely manageable.
Lastly, I was able to spend some extra time with the kiddos without racing around trying to get ready for class, leave for class, crash after class…so that was nice. Unfortunately, they thought it was so nice that they didn’t nap very well, so it was kids 24-7…and I was looking forward to those extra afternoons of downtime when I didn’t have to go to class. Oh well…you can’t have everything you want.
It’s funny how you change your indicators of a successful “vacation” when you aren’t 18 anymore and sandy beaches aren’t on your radar screen. But, it was nice to have a change of pace and a different kind of busy for a little while…now we’re back to the grind. 7 or 8 more weeks left of classes…which means about 9-10 more weeks before the baby arrives…but let’s not talk about that right now, okay? 🙂
