You’d think i was Horatio Caine

File this under the it can happen to anyone....

Yesterday, Monday, my hubby went out to the mailbox around 2:10 to check the mail. He found a stack of mail all belonging to our neighbor. So he took the stack and walked it nextdoor to put it in their mailbox and check to see if maybe our mail was there. The mailbox was empty.

At around the same time the girl 2 doors over is checking her mail and finds a big stack (12-15 envelopes) in her mailbox that belong to another neighbor about 3 doors down, so she walks over to put his stuff in the mailbox.

Meanwhile my husband is going over to our other neighbor on the opposite side to see if maybe our mail is there, it's empty.

I get home around 2:30 and he's telling me this. So i call the Post Office, which by the way was not listed anywhere on the phonebook, and i had to call the 1-800 number to find out the number. I tell the lady who answers the phone that apparently whoever they have delivering mail is making mistakes and did not deliver any of our mail today. She asks me where i live, i tell her the name of our street, and she says that another woman just called complaining about the same thing, and she's called the delivery person to figure out what's going on.

Get this. The mail person has not come on our street yet.

As i'm hanging up the phone the neighbor who is going through the same thing comes over and rings the bell. According to her, she and her husband came home saturday night from the football game around midnight. She figures she better let the dog out and steps out to her front porch. Her house faces the street head on, and she sees someone getting mail around this time. In her mind she says, "oh they must be getting home now and checking their mail". instead of turning and walking into their house they walk over to the next mailbox and open it. **Neighborhood regulations have all our mailboxes on the same side of the street, so in most cases there are 2 or 3 mailboxes right next to each other** So she thinks maybe they opened the wrong one by mistake. But then they open the 3rd mailbox and she's starting to freak out. At the same time the dog barks and the person turns around to look towards her house. She quick calls the dog in and goes inside. The person crosses the street towards the front house. She goes to spy from the window and sees the person hide behind some trees and after a few minutes goes back to the side of the street and looks in the following mailboxes.

She picks up the phone and calls the police. Nobody picks up and she goes to get her husband. He tells her to just go to sleep.

On monday morning she calls the police again. They come over she tells them the story, they write it down, tells her that they'll pass on the information and they'll patrol at night.

Apparently, what she and I have concluded, is that the person got scared and decided to return mail sometime late sunday night. We picked up our mail on Saturday and there was no mail on Sunday, so how we ended up with mail that wasn't ours on Monday before the mail had passed is beyond our understanding.

P.S. You know those envelopes that come with the 3 edges that need to be torn off? I found a small piece of one next to my mailbox on Monday. Trash pick up is on Tuesday, and i can't imagine it had been sitting around all this time, plus we don't generally open mail out by the mailbox.

HMMMMMMM

really cute story about kids

i've been working in a 4K classroom on and off this year.  today while the kids were in center time, i go over by two boys who are playing with one of those Magna Doodles.  these are 4 year old kids.  the one (who is pretty bright and can write his name) is teaching the other one how to write his name.  it was just so cute to hear him say, don't worry i can teach you.

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:34:00 -0700

More on Soccer

Like i have mentioned my boy is playing soccer for the town's rec center.  he is in the 6 & 7 year old league.  at practice today there were 2 teams on the field that we usually practice in, dressed up in their uniform.  our coach just moved over to the other field instead.  after about 30 minutes the other team that practices on the other half of the field shows up and the coach is not happy.  he is pacing on the grass by the parking lot calling the rec center to find out why these teams are there playing there when that's the field that they practice on and blah blah blah.  about 5 minutes later someboy from the rec center comes over and tells the 2 teams that they have to leave because of this.  i go over cause i know a couple of the kids on the field and ask them if they had been able to finish their game. no, they say, and they would have been more than happy to stop their scrimmage if the guy had come over to them and said "hey we practice here  now, how much longer are you going to be?"

the worst part of this was that the team scrimmaging today, had boycotted their game on saturday because the coach of the team that they were supposed to play is a real a$$h*ole.

and this is a 6&7 year old league.  can you imagine when these kids are older??

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:23:00 -0700

Boonies

OK so i live in this fairly sub-urban town.  Yea we're outside of Charleston SC which has just about everything, but who the hell wants to drive 25-30 minutes to find a restaurant to eat.  Some people might enjoy this, but i would love to get in my car drive to main street and find a place to eat.  Well apparently my town is getting bigger, maybe it's because GOOGLE is opening up it's new data center just up the road.  Anyway, i digress, we just got a Japanese restaurant.  I looooooove it!!!!! 

Just opened today and so we swung by afterschool to get something to eat.  Now all we need is a Cheesecake factory and we're all set.

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:18:00 -0700

Soccer

The boy is playing soccer and he had a game this past saturday.  I did not accidentally kind of miss it like last week.  He was plaing against his best bud from class who is a really good athlete.  First quarter his buddy scores a goal.  The boy sat out first quarter and goes in second quarter in Offense.  His buddy goes in as goalie, which was great for us because now he couldn't score.  The boy and the other 2 in the front line took the ball all the way to the goal, and in a moment of glory my son gets his foot on the ball, kicks it, and SCORES!!!!

OMG i am jumping up and down on the sideline, not sure if i actually saw that right and the boy runs to me with the biggest grin on his face, pumping his arms up and down.  I was so proud.

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 10:30:00 -0700

total senior moment

this past week it rained all week and so soccer practice was cancelled.  on saturday morning we're all sitting around in our pajamas.  the girl is on the computer working on a book report, i'm reading the book she's doing the report on, the husband is reading the newspaper and the boy is watching cartoons.  i put the book down and look at the time.  it's 10:29 and i think out loud how strange it is that the coach hasn't called to cancel the game yet.  i call the coach and can't get a hold of him.  i call my friend to see if her coach has called, she says no.  i look at the schedule and it's an 11 am game.  in a matter of 5 minutes i showered, got  his uniform on him and rallied everyone to get dressed. needless to say we got there at 11 oclock.  the game had not been cancelled and it was a mudfest.  i am such a dingbat!!

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 03:35:00 -0700

Kids & Technology

It's sad to think that the things that we grew up with as normal are foreign ideas to my kids.   My daughter wants to see HSM2 again but we were invited to a birthday party.  My son  figures he'd help his sister out and tells me to "Use that Recording System I have in my room".  The VCR i ask him, "Yes, mommy, that thing".

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 06:39:00 -0700

Made in China

I went through my daughters toys a couple of weeks ago to take out all her Polly Pocket toys that are on the recall list.  We explained that these toys were dangerous because of the magnets and they may have lead paint.  She remembered that a few months ago there had been  problems with the dog food from china and the toothpaste.

Today she was doing homework.  After she finished we were going to sit down to have pizza and she said "I better go wash my hands, my pencil might have been made in China".

I just about lost it.        How sad that an 8 year old is concerned that something is made in china and it might harm her.

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:05:00 -0700

I’m having a cow

I was going to bbq on thursday.  The weather has been really hot (heat index around 110) and i took the kids to the pool.  We were there for about and hour and then came home.  I had taken out a steak to defrost and figured we'd shower and have dinner.  The kids were having leftover pizza.

I could not turn the bbq on.  It's quite old and the ignitor just would not work.  I tried everything and it just did not want to lite.  My husband called right around that time and of course i was so 'happy'.  As i walk back into the house i'm just bitching about the grill, he's telling me to relax and i tell him that i'm having a cow.

My son sitting at the dinner table hears me, then says "Oh mommy can you put one on the grill for me too?"

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 08:43:00 -0700

As Luck would have it

I was on-line today ordering the HiSpeed Cable.  I had called customer service and they had told me that i could get it for $33 for 6 months and then the regular price.  I checked on-line and they had it for $19.99 for 6 months and then the regular price.  So i go through all the steps and when it's time to check out it would not go.  I tried it 3 more times and the same thing happened, it would stall on me and not finish.  So the next time i did all the steps and the one before finishing was "To finish checking out by phone call 1-800 blah blah blah"  so i figure ok, let's try that.  Well if you call on the phone they can only offer the 33$ deal and you have to have a service call instead of the self install which is another 30$.  So i'm like "NO, i want the self install and the 19.99" and the guy is like, well i can't do that for you, you can pick up a self install at a local office, but it's not going to be the 19.99.  So i tried it one more time and it went to check out to a Live Chat where someone on the other end confirmed that it was me and that i wanted this service.  It took close to 15 minutes just for the live chat to connect.  When i complained, the girl is like, well that probably happened because your connection is slow.   And i was like DUH,  which is why i'm trying to get HiSpeed from you DumbAss.

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:32:00 -0700

Finally had enough

I have finally caved into and accepted the fact that the only way we will have Hi-Speed Internet is if we do it through Comcast.  I have been anxiously awaiting Bellsouth DSL, but as of last week they still didn't have any idea when they would get to our neighborhood.  So i'm going to get cable internet. 

It will be quite an adjustment, what will i do with all the time that i usually waste while waiting for a page to load?  And imagine being able to send pictures without having to wait hours for my little dial-up connection.

what is this world coming to?

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:55:00 -0700

Parenting Lesson

You know your child is watching too much TV when your 6 year old child asks you if he can go on Quicken.com to get a loan.

"What is a loan?" i ask.

"I don't know, i just know we need to get one."

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:43:00 -0700

Groundation

Cute story, well, sort of....

The other day we were in the car coming back from the movies.  The devil monsters (i.e. my two children) are in their seats.  The girl is reading something, a book or magazine, i don't know.  All of a sudden i see, out of the corner of my eye, something black flying in the car and she screams OW!!!!  The boy, for absolutely no reason, has thrown his sunglasses and hit her in the eye.

I was so effing mad that i almost smashed the breaks and caused a pile up on the road.  She's crying, he's bumbling between saying sorry and explaining why he did it and i just tell him "Don't say a word!"

We get home and i tell him that he is to stay in his room until i am calm enough to talk to him and let him explain why he threw something at his sister.  "Do not come out of your room for anything, except going to the bathroom, and then it's back to your room.  No talking, No crying, and absolutely no having fun.  You are grounded!"

A few day's later their in the car with their dad doing the 3 L's (as he calls them) Library, Lunch and Lowes, the boy says "cause when i was groundation i couldn't watch t.v."

HUH????

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:46:00 -0700

Roller Coasters

A few weeks ago we went to Busch Garden's Williamsburg for a little family vacation.  I was so excited about riding on some roller coasters, unfortunately i was the only one that wanted to ride. There is a brand new one in Busch Gardens callde the Griffon.

It takes you up 205 feet into the air, dangles you for just enough time to let your heart stop, before plunging straight down under a bridge and up around a loop before doing it again.

It was AWESOME!!!!!  My hubby stayed with the kids and just happened to snap a picture of one while it was slowing down in the water feature.  By pure coincidence it was the one i was riding on.  Check it out.

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:33:00 -0700

the end of Harry Potter

I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  It was an awesome book, but it's so sad to think that this is the end.  I know that at least i can look forward to 2 more movies, but there's nothing like a good book, and i just loved this series from the beginning.

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 19:30:00 -0700

Definitely the worst vacation EVER!!!

I didn't even know that when i wrote my previous post it would be so true.

My dad "forgot"the day we were flying in and was not able to come pick us up from the airport.  We took a taxi to the hotel where my sister was staying and were lucky enough to be able to hang out by the pool and the beach.  This definitely came as a blessing in disguise as we spent the first 5 days in PR hanging out at the hotel like tourists.

On the second day, my dad "forgot" to give us a key to the apartment.  We were really hoping to go out to breakfast and have a walk around Old San Juan, but i feared leaving and not being able to lock the door.   We taxied to the hotel (this was the mode of transportation of choice) and hung out there all day until he came to pick us up.  He dropped us off at the apartment and then left for a meeting, leaving us without a key, or anything to eat at the apartment.  We left the door unlocked and went out to eat.

When my mom finally arrived (she was out of town) we all slept in the room with her since her room had air conditioner.  The doorknob broke after she closed the door to go to sleep.  When i say broke, it did not turn and open.  Not from the inside, not from the outside.  We were stuck with now way to get out.  My dad is hammering on the door apparently thinking that if he hit the doorknob hard enough it would decide to open.  My mom is tearing through drawers trying to find something that we can use to take the doorknob off the door.  I break into a hysterical fit laughing because i realize i have to pee really, really bad, and the kids are sleeping through it all like there is nothing going on.  My mom finally finds a switchblade that is think enough to fit into the screwhead, the screwdrivers were too big (figures!!).  She can't see the hole so i'm shaking laughing so hard, trying to unscrew a door with a switchblade as my dad is still pounding it on the outside with a hammer.  It took us 45 minutes to get out of that debacle.

My dad let us keep the car on the day that my sister was leaving town so that we could go pick her up, get some lunch and then drop her off at the airport.  We made it to lunch and when we came out to leave for the airport the car wouldn't start.  We had every man at the restaurant looking at the motor under the hood, and they all came to one conclusion, the car wouldn't start. Woowee!!!  My sister had to take a taxi to the airport, and we had to wait until a towtruck came to where we were, mounted the car on the flatbed with us inside the car, and drove off.  We had no way out unless we took a taxi and we had no reason to go home just yet.  The towtruck driver dropped us off in front of the mall.  My dad got a ride to the mall after work and we all took a taxi back to the apartment.  But wouldn't you know that as we get into the car a light in the taxi dinged and the taxi driver said "that's just a battery warning".  I just started laughing hysterically.  The man looked at me as if i was crazy.

We went back to the mall on the bus, it took about an hour's ride, because i wanted to buy some things in specific.  An Old Navy Flag shirt for the kids and some sneakers for me.  Old Navy didn't have the shirts, i managed to find one for my daughter and tried looking for one for my son, but no.  I finally just said whatever and went to the cash register, luckily i looked down and there was one in a return bin under a closed cash register.  It was a size too big but i took it.  They didn't have the sneakers i wanted in my size.  The store where i went to buy some clothes, after i had spent almost an hour trying on clothes, picking out what i wanted had trouble with the credit card machine. 

It was pathetic.  I was just glad to get home without anything bad happening to the plane, or to our car once we got behind the wheel.

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:11:00 -0700

This could be the beginning of the worst vacation ever

So as i've been saying i'm going to Puerto Rico tomorrow.  I bought these tickets back in like December.  Unfortunately my mom is not in Puerto Rico, she is in Miami with her aunt and she's having a hard time getting back home.  It's very possible that she might not make it back to PR while we're there.

I had also planned on staying with a friend in Charlotte overnight tonite, since we fly out early tomorrow.  Well she called me last night and told me that she had come down with the Stomach Virus the night before, and the kids had started throwing up the next morning.  Seeing how i had it a few weeks ago, and the boy just finally got over it, i don't think it's a good idea to stay in their house.  So i had to find a hotel with availability and a good price to stay in today.  Luckily the hotel i found also has an airport shuttle so my friend and her husband will come over and take the car this evening so that i don't have to worry about leaving it at the airport.

This is definitely the last trip i plan to PR.  If i go again it will be a real family vacation with the hubby and hotel stays.

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 05:29:00 -0700

Nothing new

On saturday we got some much needed rain finally.  Unfotunately the boy had his last Tball game and it was drizzling the entire time.  The party had been planned for right after it and we did it anyway.  We met at the park next to the Sprinklers, it didn't really matter since we were all soaked anyway from the rain.  They had fun though and we were the only people there, for obvious reason.  We ate pizza and he got his trophy.  The rest of the day was a chill out day at home. 

On sunday we were supposed to go to a birthday party at the water park, but it got cancelled because of the rain.  Instead we went to see Shrek the Third.  It was all right, not as funny as the original, but still humorous.

Today it was back to swim practice at 8:30 in the morning.  We went, and some little twerp decided to push the girl into the pool.  She ended up scraping her legs really bad, bleeding.  When she came and showed me i stormed over to the coach, but the little bully had already left.  Figures.  I complained to her coaches, but they are college students and really didn't seem too concerned.  I sent an email to the swimming director making sure he knew what had happened and making sure that he follows up since we are leaving tomorrow for PR.

We did our weekly trip to the library and ran into some friends.  They signed up for the summer reading program and the boy read ten books in the hour we were there.  The girl got all upset because he read more than her and she's been grumpy ever since.

Later we're going to go to Barnes and Nobles to pick some books for the airplane ride and have dinner at Jason's Deli.  Kids get a free meal with the purchase of an adult meal.  Best deal ever!!!!

Today is also the lottery for the Arts Infused Magnet School.  Chances are that our number won't be pulled, but i'll be there hoping that it does.

later.

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:02:00 -0700

Another boring day

Nothing exciting has happened.  With the girl joining the swim team we've been hitting the pool every morning from 8:30 - 9:30.  We did go to the library yesterday and checked out a bunch of books.  I already read the first one.  Nicholas Sparks' At First Sight.  I have 2 more to read through.  Today is a shopping day, either Sam's or WalMart.  Tomorrow is the boy's last baseball game and sunday we've got a birthday party to go to.

Just a few more days before we're on our way to Puerto Rico.

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 07:13:00 -0700

Schools out

Ok.  So i've been slacking in writing in my blog.  But i've slacked on even more important stuff, so does it really matter.

Today was the last day of school for the year.  I was more excited than my kids.  My daughter is crying that she's going to miss her teachers and her friends, and i'm running down the hall waving my hands shouting "WhooooHooooooo Summer Vacation"  

On my son's report card he found out who his teacher will be next year.  Now, i am extremely involved in our school, besides working there substituting, so i figured that since i had requested a specific teacher for my son that we would get her.  I almost fell to the ground when i saw that not only did he not get the teacher he's been going to for reading since January, but it wasn't any of the 5 teachers i had requested along with her.  I stormed over to the principal to find out w.t.f.  she told me to come back on monday and talk.

His teacher was also surprised that he did not get the teacher we had requested or any of them at all.  She called to apologize to us for not letting us know earlier, but she could not say anything.  Apparently she mentioned it to the principal also after school let out.  A few hours later the student coordinator called the house apologizing.  She had the request i had turned into the office and asked me which of the teachers i wanted.

Phew!!!  He'll be able to stay with the teacher next year, at least until he gets moved up to 2nd grade (just my prediction, not actually happening).

I'm flying out to PR next week for 10 days.  My sister is supposed to be staying down there at one of the resorts and is putting us down as staying in the room with her so that we can hang out at the pools.  The kids would have such a blast since that is where we used to hang out over the summer when we were kids.

Wed, 30 May 2007 12:53:00 -0700

On becoming an Internet Stalker

Ok.  Reading over the subject it almost sounds worse than i thought.  My daughter is working on an Issue Research Report.  The kind where you have to choose and Issue.  Choose a position on your issue.  Write down question or answers that you want to find.  Research it through 2 or more ways (books, newspapers, magazines, internet, documentary etc.) and write down the answers.  Then put it all together and type up a 2-3 page report plus bibliography and title page.  I remember doing this in 10th grade library science.  She is in 3rd grade. 

Her topic, "How are kid celebrities different than regular kids?".  Her interest mainly being the Disney actors: High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Raven, Corey in the House, Jump In and the likes.

What do I do? I'm trolling the internet to find out how on earth i'm going to help her interview them or find the answers in magazines or old interviews.  A light went off in my head and I found a website that helped me find out who their managers are.  So i spent 2 days sending e-mails with my daughters note asking for any help in asnwering these questions from the agents of these actors.  In reality i didn't expect anybody to even bother answering the e-mails, but hoped that at least one would so that she could have something to put in her report.

We got 3 responses so far!!!! 

Shout Outs to Orlando Brown (That's so Raven), Kyle Massey (That's so Raven & Corey in the House) and Mitchel Musso (Hanna Montana).

How excited was my baby when i showed her those e-mails!?!?!?!  

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:40:00 -0700

who knew pizza hut could be so dangerous

i took the kids out for pizza at the hut this evening.  they get a free pizza coupon every month from school for reading so many books and it's nice to not have to cook anything at home.

anyway we're sitting there and they have these little word trivia games at the table.  they like to ask them while we wait for the pizzas.  all of a sudden i hear kaylah asking me the question "fictional christmas and easter ......." followed by "What? OhhhhNOOO"
I have no clue what i'm going to say and my son, luckily had not heard what had transpired.  she looks at me and says "mommy?? is this true" and i swear she's about to start crying.  so i said to her, "well yeah, i mean no one knows what he looks like, so they have to make up a picture of him"  luckily that made sense to her, but i was dreading having that conversation.  i'll have to remember to look at the questions before letting them read them.

good lord.  at pizza hut.  can you imagine??

 

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:26:00 -0800

Duh!! quote of the day

Overheard in the hallway of the school.

2 first grade boys talking on the first day back from vacation.

"So did you and your girlfriend break up?"

"She's not my girlfriend.  She likes me, but i don't like her."

"So does that mean that you broke up?"

"Did you hear me? I don't like her, she's a girl."

 

Ahhhh. young love, ain't it grand??

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 20:03:00 -0800

Funny Quote for the Day

This one comes courtesy of the boy and it comes in 2 parts.

 

"Kaylah - you're only famous for your elbow."  In reference to the girls elbow being in a newspaper picture from the 4th of july.

"When I get into the third grade I'm going to sign up to be in the front of the newspaper"

From his sister "You have to do something really bad to get in the front of the newspaper, or Die like the president"

 

There you have it people.  Enjoy.

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 10:35:00 -0800

Quote for the day

After being told for the third time to go take a shower, the boy responds "I'll go shower but i can't close the door, i'll get lonely."

How can you argue with that?

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:41:00 -0800