Stasha at Monday Listicles asked us to make a list about school. Quite frankly, we have been too busy to have time for the requisite cartwheels and high-fiving, but we see you, Carpool Moms, celebrating with your barely concealed glee and we say, “Meh, we’ll catch ya next year.”
We COULD have made lists of the back-to-school necessities which almost required a bridge loan. With 5 kids back to school this year, Erin’s monetary expenditures over the last month rivaled the GDP of some small countries.
We COULD have gone on about the myriad ways in which we procrastinated at the business of back-to-school and how that came back to bite us. Thank goodness for overnight shipping and generous return policies!
We COULD have poked fun at the Pinterest boards full of Bento boxes, healthy lunches, and back-to-school ideas all of which anyone living with an actual child has no time to do.
But like we said before, things have been a little hectic around here so our Monday Listicle is going to showcase what we’ve been doing since the kids went back to school.
Channelling our inner Paul Harveys, “This is the rest of the story.”
1. Ellen spent last week as a New York City nanny for a New York minute to her 3 year old nephew. She saw how the other side lives, this time as a City Mom rather than a Country Mom. She hung at the Central Park Zoo and the American Museum of Natural History. We might have lost her to this urban oasis if she could hang in Central Park all day, the temperature never went below 55 degrees, and the taxi prices weren’t about to go up 17%. And, oh yeah, her family in Maryland falling apart without their fearless leader.
2. Two days before school started, Erin got a job! After a 14 year baby-raising hiatus, she is officially back in the classroom as a teacher. It’s a dream part-time gig at her kids’ school. In fact, the only better job for her might be driving the karma bus, but as it seems that THIS gig actually pays, she is pretty happy about this new change.
3. Barely unpacked from her nanny gig, Ellen repacked and headed out into our local environs to play camp counselor for a week with the sixth-graders at her daughter’s middle school. Apparently, a summer spent kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and camping with her crew and all of ours wasn’t enough—she wanted to do it all with other people’s tweens. To further underline what a rock star move this is, we are sharing this card with Ellen’s philosophy on camping.
4. On the home front, Erin showed her homework center who was boss. She was not going to be taken down by chewed up pencils and errant pencil grips anymore. If you have a handful of kids, you know this was no small feat, so we are mentioning it. And yes, we would appreciate some nodding in solidarity and even a little shout-out for taking the time. Erin’s kids are not nearly as impressed as they should be.
5. In a similar vein, Ellen liberated her Tupperware drawer. She cleared out ALL of the old and replaced it with ten dollars worth of matching Rubbermaid. Don’t judge. You know you wish this is what your Tupperware drawer looked like. Feel free to pin this on to your “Genius” board.
6. Erin bought new brakes for her car, because while a “Soccer Mom with no brakes” sounds like a great punchline, it could get ugly and dangerous pretty quick.
7. On the SAME day, Erin bought a new water softener system, because if things are going to get ugly, they might as well get expensive and messy and stressful as well. Thank goodness we keep wine and Cheez-its around for just these occasions.
8. On the other side of town, Ellen’s lawn mower broke with her lawn half-mowed. These things tend to come in threes. But usually to the same person. Perhaps Ellen and Erin are spending too much time together.
9. Because Erin JUST got her job, she is still on the hook for some of the volunteering gigs she was doing BEFORE the big change. This means that she spent the better part of a week hunting down suppliers for 100 lbs of mushrooms and 80 lbs of cabbage for her kids’ school, hounding local businesses to sponsor her cub scouts’ pushcart race, and helping her son who is in the final stages of finishing his Eagle Scout project. Don’t tell her that she needs to slow down. Don’t tell her that she needs a break. She knows. She KNOWS.
10. Oh, and a fair amount of time was spent working on the blog, which was not an afterthought AT ALL, but the thing we talked about in every spare moment NOT driving kids to practice, helping them with homework, and doing all of the other things we did since school started.
And now you know the rest of the story.
Erin and Ellen
That made me tired just reading how busy you are. Congrats on the new teaching gig and if you’ve got a minute my tupperware drawer is in desperate need…LOL
paul recently posted..If I knew then
Oh man, we aren’t busy like you’re busy. You deserve a neat Tupperware drawer! Ellen
Congrats on the school gig and it sounds like ya’ll are trying to pack as much as you can into these last few days of summer vacation.
Robbie recently posted..SOC: How Awesome Would It Be
Congrats on the job Erin! You guys sound way too busy though. Thank goodness for wine and Cheese-Its!
Jen {at} take2mommy recently posted..First Morning of a New School Year
Whew, that IS busy!
Lisa C recently posted..List #40: Ten things I don’t miss about school
Congrats on the new job, Erin! And I completely agree with Ellen’s view of camping, which is why I’ve never done it. She is a much braver woman than I!
BonnyBard recently posted..The last days of summer…
That is an incredible schedule and job you have there. It must be rewarding to see it all work out in the end.
Wayne recently posted..Monday Listicles
Just pretend I wrote the long comment that I actually wrote before my baby smashed his hand into the keyboard and deleted it, okay? Because now I have to quit reading blogs and go to work. I do love your post, as always.
Katie E recently posted..Magazine Day: Ready for Fall TV!
You both are busy busy! Props to you!
And I can’t stand Tupperware drawers! I just did the same thing with mine! I’m certain I had about 10 extra lids and 20 random containers with no lids. ugh…
MamaCassie (@FotoFriendlyMom) recently posted..Back To School
Congrats to Erin re the job and the awesome homework center – I appreciate it! And, I’m totally on board with Ellen’s camping philosophy. That’s why we deprive our kids of camping. We’d rather be comfortable…
Stacie @ Snaps and Bits recently posted..10 Awesome Things About NJ Public Schools
Before I head back to bed (because I am totally exhausted by reading your blog and it only reminds me of my own crazy life) I am going to organize my tupperware drawer because you have totally inspired me!!
Hate the Tupperware drawer, mine a cabinet, can’t keep it clean. Nice job not losing your minds.
Congrats on the new job Erin! How exciting for you!
I love your Rubbermaid drawer Ellen! I finally got rid of all my mix and match stuff too…was a bit of a Tupperwear fanatic back in the day. Ha!
Diane recently posted..#Monday Listicles…School Edition
Busy double e’s!! After my van died , my dryer followed the week later. I am waiting for #3 too 🙂
One day I will tackle my plastic containers wildland. I will! Congrats on going back to classroom Erin.may the force be with you xo
Stasha recently posted..Monday Listicles
I’m exhausted for you two!
And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’m a bit envious of the part-time job at your kid’s school Erin. I do hope in a few years I can follow your lead… you know after I birth this next kid and everything.
Enjoy carpooling hell!
Jackie recently posted..Before Back to School
You girls are the most productive and are wild and crazy women. I vote that you all run the White House—that would fix everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love You!
I always find this time of year very busy, but it sounds like it has been incredibly busy for you!
The Tupperware drawer is awesome! Mine has a way of getting out-of-control before I know what is happening.
Co-Pilot Mom recently posted..Back to School – Looking Forward
wow. you guys so rock.
whew….I’m suddenly so so tired…..Ima gonna have a nap now and dream of lovely drawers.
wait…that sounded completely different in my head.
RoryBore recently posted..4M: Music Makes Me a Better Mommy
If ever I were to pinterest something (and I never will b/c it scares me), I would pin that tupperware drawer. I think those damn plastic things are breeding in the darkness, or else like starfish they spontaneously grow extra lids. It’s freaky. Your list proves the old saying: if you want to get something done, ask a busy person. Keep it all going – and pass the cheez-its, please.
deborah l quinn recently posted..Labor Day & A Metaphor
See I was envisioning more of a Hunger Games scene where the bowls were being killed off by the lids and hovercraft were coming in the middle of the night to whisk them away. Ellen
Wow, you were definitely busy – when school actually starts, this must be such a relief 😉
Congrats Erin, on your new job!
Anja recently posted..Back to school or Not back to school
Erin – congrats on the new job! I’ll say it again: part time work is the holy grail of modern motherhood. Hope you can make it work with all your pre-work commitments.
Thanks for sharing ladies. I don’t know where you get the energy, but part of my wants to join you – especially if we can have a tupperware organizing party. That’s a thing, right?
Kim at Mama Mzungu recently posted..Village Stay: How to get your kid to wash dishes
Thanks, Kim, it really is the Holy grail of Motherhood (love that!)—I feel so fortunate. erin
Nice tupperware drawer! And congrats on the new job!
Audrey recently posted..A Trip to the State Fair
Erin gets the back-to-school super mom medal! I’m tired after reading ALL ten, let alone doing just ONE!
Lisa Nolan recently posted..What Does Back-to-School Mean to Me?
No medals, please. But if you want to come cook my family dinner, that would be much appreciated. ; ) Erin
Congratulations on the job, Erin! Woohoo! I need you guys to sort out my Tupperware. It’s a disaster. Containers everywhere, missing lids..yikes! (That’s a Scooby Doo reference just for you)
I’m over the healthy lunches and the perfect lunch bag or the most magical organic food for your child ever! posts and pins. Come on, people.
Love your posts. I always feel good about myself when I visit here.
heidi recently posted..summer as winter
Aww, thanks, Heidi! Those Bento boxes make me twitchy. Erin
Wow! So many things! Brakes, lawnmowers and water softening, oh my!
Just Jennifer recently posted..First Day of First Grade
Happy Back to School, congrats on your new teaching gig, Erin. Ellen, the Rubbermaid drawer looks fabulous!
Sperk* recently posted..Wednesday’s Woman: Alicia Reece