No cookies

 Today is the 25th anniversary of the attacks on September 11.  It is difficult to fathom that a quarter century has passed since that mind-numbing day. The trauma of those events dramatically changed both our country and us, yet I find it perplexing that so many students seem blissfully unaware. 

I suppose this is how my grandparents must have felt when they tried to talk about Pearl Harbor Day. It felt so distant and irrelevant. I viewed the attacks as nothing more than an act in the past that did not have any impact on my modern life.  Talk about youthful ignorance. 

I am proud that my boys have a handle on the impact of September 11. I guess decades of baking and delivering cookies to our firehouse made a difference. For nearly 20 years we have baked and delivered cookies to first responders on 9/11.  Last year was the first year we did not deliver treats. It was hard to let the tradition go, but it is time.  

My purpose was to teach my boys about 9/11. I have done that, and I am proud of the reverence and respect that they hold for the tragedy. Right now, whenever I see a uniformed cop I see the potential murderer of my brother. Until I can easily identify the good guys from the bad, nobody gets any cookies. 

True Test

 The past few days have been difficult.  Between my twingy back and the oppressive heat, which my students' refer to as walking into Shrek's armpit, my days have been both long and miserable. Thankfully our air conditioner has been working well, allowing me to pop my leg off and completely cool off when I get home from work. At this point, I'll celebrate even the smallest victories.

Slowly my back has been improving. While I'm reminded of my age with each step, I no longer feel like a knife is being twisted into my lower back with every movement.  Today will be the true test because my schedule is heavy with elementary kiddos. I'll be bending, twisting and, if all goes well, sitting in bean bag chairs this afternoon.  LOL  Wish me luck getting up!

While I've been nursing an ouchy back, Timmy has been blossoming in his new school year. His friends have returned, as evidenced by the squeals of laughter that radiate from his classroom during social times, and he is settling into the new academic rigors. He will never admit that he likes school, but he certainly is not complaining anymore.  Yes, I'll celebrate the absence of complaints as a victory.

Wish me luck today! If I can get through the twists and turns (literally) this afternoon, I think I'll be on the mend.   

Back

Growing up I have always hated Labor Day. Not because I held resentments against the Labor Movement but because the holiday always heralded the beginning of a new school year. With classes starting three weeks ago, this year Labor Day was a welcome respite in the midst of a chaotic school start.  

Saturday I went to PA to hang out with my Mom for the day.  I helped her around the house before going shopping and out for lunch.  Although my visit was short, I enjoyed spending the afternoon with her. With Robby being home from college and Timmy enjoying his first weekend after starting school year, I didn't want to spend the night because I had a list of things to do at home. 

Sunday was spent chunking through my to-do list. Robby's laundry is clean, Timmy's classroom is set up for success and my paperwork for the week is done. It wasn't a lot of fun, but the hours were well spent. 

In retrospect, Monday would have been the perfect day for me to tackle my paperwork. I woke up and had a difficult time putting on my leg because of the pain in my back. I don't know how I tweaked it, but I know that I was wildly successful in completely messing up my lower back.  

I spent the day stretching, medicating, icing, heating, resting and complaining. This morning I am moderately more mobile, although I am reminded of the injury with each step. Wish me luck today, because my poor back is certainly going to need it! 

F*ckBalls Hot

 Have I mentioned that it is hot?

LOL.  The past few days I have been dragging. Between the temperatures and the oppressive humidity, it feels like I'm walking through Shrek's armpit each time I step outside. Needless to say, my leg has not been happy!  Right now, it just really stinks to be an amputee!

Thankfully my students, usually chomping at the bit to explore outside, have been content to stay indoors. Even my little nonverbal kiddo appropriately communicated his preference by throwing his cane, sitting down and screaming "holy f*ckballs hot" as soon as we went outside.  While his language could use some cleaning up, he wasn't wrong.   

After work Scott had to run a vacuum down to Robby. Rob has been having a rough week and, although I know he needed to use a vacuum, I suspect he really just wanted a visit and a hug. After a lot of red tape and chaos, his schedule is finally correct. His new professors have welcomed him into their courses and have provided extra supports for him to catch up, so I think that everything will begin to settle down.

Have a great day and STAY COOL!

Support Pizza

 We have working AC! It was an absolute delight to come home yesterday to a cool house. After a long day in the heat, taking off my bra and leg felt amazing. As a bonus, the cooler house allowed me to recover more quickly from my day working in the sweltering temperatures and I was able to actually enjoy my evening.

While the AC was being repaired yesterday, Timmy was logging in for his first day of school. He complained incessantly throughout the weekend, be-groaning the end of summer and the return of his school routine. To everybody's delight, he had an amazing first day. He reported that he was happy to be with his friends and he is excited about what he is going to learn this year.

Unfortunately, Robby did not have nearly as good or productive of a day. He discovered that he has been enrolled in the incorrect Biology course. It is only the beginning of week two, but apparently it is too late to drop and add a course without a lot of professor involvement. He is extremely frustrated to have been put into the wrong section, and I honestly don't blame him. This is something that both his advisor and the registration system should have caught- but neither flagged the error and now he needs to work through the fix.

I know that he will figure it out, but as a Mom it is hard to not step in and do it for him. (I'm not, so calm down!) I'm offering a support pizza and an open ear as he works through the process.   

Hot Hot Hot

 Today is Hamlet's first day of school!  In anticipation, we spent yesterday finishing up his school room so he is set up for success this year. If the look of his room is any indication, he is going to have an amazing year! Although he isn't especially delighted with his summer vacation coming to an end, he is tickled with the plant that he chose for his room: a Venus Fly Trap. Last night we placed the plant in the center of a fruit fly infestation and watched it get to work. 

Not only is today Timmy's first day of school, but it is the day that our AC will finally be fixed. The past two weeks have been uncomfortable because we have been reliant upon a portable room air conditioner for the house. With the temperatures breaking through the 90s again this week, the repair is coming just in time.

With the local meteorologists' describing the weekly forecast as 'stifling' and 'oppressive', I am dreading this week. I love my job, but I struggle walking in that level of heat and humidity. I know that I'm going to be exhausted and physically hurting each day and there is very little I can do to avoid the discomfort. At this point, I'm just keep going and try to hold on until the cooler temperatures.

Have a great day, and wish me luck with the heat! 

PopSecret

 Over the past few days we have been preparing for Timmy's upcoming school year. His classroom has already been purged, scrubbed and reorganized. Most of his school supplies were ordered at the beginning of August when they were being sold at dime and quarter sales. Yesterday his final school supply finally arrived, courtesy of his Nana.

Timmy loves PopSecret popcorn and we have found it elusive in West Virginia. I found it one time on the shelves since we moved here, and that appeared to be an anomaly.  My Mom overheard Timmy talking about our PopSecret frustrations and decided to take the situation in her own hands.  

Hamlet was elated with his package, and immediately put a bag in the microwave to pop (despite dinner being in the oven, but I digress). As he was eating his treat, he began to lay the groundwork for his Christmas present.

"Momom, I've had my little refrigerator for almost a year and I think we can all agree that I'm responsible with it. At this point, it would probably be easier for the whole family if I had my own small microwave."

Can't blame him for trying, but if he had his own microwave he would never come downstairs! 

Have a great weekend!