Life at the Mauldin House

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Here are the pics from the pumpkin patch...see post below





Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Is it too much to ask????

This year I had such grand visions of our trip to the pumpkin patch. I knew it might be more challenging to get good pictures since this is the first year I have 2 kids to capture, but I thought it would be a piece of cake. My reasoning was as follows:
1. Sam is 5 now. He is finally out of the "grin like an idiot" stage (for the most part) and he knows to stay put and smile or else by now.
2. Maddie is only 6 months old, she isn't mobile yet, but repsonds to her name and smiles easily.

So, no problem right?

Reality set in when we arrived at Washington Farms in Watkinsville. We went straight from soccer, so I had Sam's pumpkin shirt ready to change into. He prompty protested with "that shirt is so not cool". After a bit of discussion, I decided it wasn't worth it. So he is in his soccer uniform. No biggie. Then I go to get Madison out of her carseat. She had puked on her WHITE pumpkin shirt numerous times. Oh well....we forge on. We start to walk in to the activities area and get stopped by the pumpkin patch police. Apparently to even walk around the activities, you have to pay a fortune. So, Sam and Jim paid and I sat in the only shade, right under the concession stand and fed Maddie so she would be happy at picture time. People were literally stepping on us to buy water.

We then set out to pick out a pumpkin. Sam literally wanted to get the first one on the first row, despite the fact that it was practically rotten. We had another "discussion" and talked him into the first one on the second row.

Then, it was off for pictures! We sat Maddie on a pumpkin in her puke shirt, and Sam got behind her. Before he almost dropped her into the dirt when he saw the hay ride, I snapped the only two pics of my kids together.

The place was crazy that day. I literaly stood in line with Sam forever to ride a cow train thing. The kid in front of us I am pretty sure had chicken pox, and kept taking Sam's hands off the line rope. The lady behind us had 4 kids who clearly have NEVER stood in a line before and kept touching my backside and pushing us aside. Sam then sat down and literally covered himself in dirt to entertain himself. I didn't have the energy at this point to say a word. Who cares if we were going to dinner at my favorite Japanese restaurant in Athens afterwards. I wasn't going to let a gallon of dirt on my kid stop us! Jim took him into the bathroom when we got there and practically bathed him in the sink.

Anyway, to wrap up, I now know for Trick or Treating tomorrow, the key is not to have any expectations!

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Complete and total UPHEAVAL

Ok...so the reason I have not posted since 8/31, my life was basically turned upside down the week after Labor Day. The principal at Magill found out we lost 13 or so teacher points, major boo boo, and told me the program I was teaching was being cut. Then, she told me I was being "displaced". I still don't get why and how, but I was officially displaced after teaching at Magill for 12 years....yes, TWELVE. So, I had to frantically find a new job for myself, which I did, at R.D. Head. It is still part-time, but I have to work everyday. I didn't want to pull Sam out of Magill, he is doing so well...he is already reading! So, I put him on the bus every morning, have about 2 hours with Maddie, drop her off with mom just in time for her nap, and head to Head. I teach writing for a few hours (4 1/2 per day to be exact) and head home, pick up Maddie and rush home to get Sam off the bus. Not exactly my dream days....but it is working for now. I am very sad I had to leave so many of my friends at Magill, so sad to leave all the great kids, and so sad to leave Sam there without me. After all, I stayed there for so long so he could be there with me and in our home school district. I have been job sharing with a friend for several years now, we feel like we are getting divorced! She is at another school too....all alone. It wasn't pretty, but it is getting better. I love the people at Head, and the kids, but it is lonely to be the new teacher who only works part-time. It makes it very hard to get to know anyone. So I am pretty sad these days, and trying to adjust, and trying to prove myself...I am not guaranteed a job for next year anywhere.....ugh. I never had to deal with this kind of stuff before this year. The worst part was, literally the night before I got "fired" ( I really wasn't fired, but it sure felt like that), I was scratching Sam's back putting him to bed, and he said, "Mommy, I am so glad you work at my school." UGH....sword through the heart. I have cried A LOT, and now I am just coping on a day to day basis. If you are thinking of commenting, "Everything happens for a reason", don't....I know....and I know God has a plan....but right now I am just having a pity party. :(