Not Me Monday and more to come later

I'll blog tomorrow about Sesame Street. Stay tuned. I think its becoming my favorite show. No really. ...NO....REALLY.

Meanwhile....Here's Not me Monday

My neighbor pulled out a slip and slide the other day and her kids were playing in it when Connor and I got home from lunch. I most certainly did not let my child run in my neighbor's sprinkler and slip and slide fully clothed. (Also, note to those who are curious...it is hard to slip and slide with jean shorts on.)

My husband and I most certainly did not spend an hour and a half on the computer trying to figure out how to get Connor's Sesame Street Party invitation (that I designed) copied onto Wal-Mart's photo postcards. I also didn't think about how in that hour and a half.....pre-made party invitations could have been purchased, addressed, stamped, and mailed.

I did not get exasperated when our 8 year old neighbor came to the door to see if Connor could come out and play. (Lest I remind the readers Connor isnt even two yet!) I also didnt mutter under my breath when the kid rang the doorbell during Connor's naptime. No he can't come out and play even though you may of just woke him up.

I also did not get the free kids cookie at the Publix bakery just so I could have a bite. Okay...two bites...at the most...half the cookie. Nope not me.

Not Me Monday....and a rant about school supplies

My sister-n-law has a blog about her life and family and one day as I lurked around her friends' blogs...(yes I admit I lurked. I'm a lurker.) I caught onto one blog that I have found myself reading consistently. On this lady's site...besides her BEAUTIFUL photography of her kids is a weekly blog post called "Not me Monday." www.mycharmingkids.net

Basically, as the author pens it, the point is "being brutally honest and living to tell about it." The point is to spread the word how people arent always perfect.

So welcome to "Not me Monday"

This past week Sean (hubby) was practicing all week long for a children's production called "Children's letters to God." (He was playing bass in it, not performing) So it was just Connor and I for most nights. Usually Sean puts Connor to sleep because he does it so much faster. ....However....
I most certainly did not rock my almost 2 year old to sleep. And he certainly did not fall asleep in my arms with a sweet little smirk on his face.

This past week I did not pretend not to be home when the ADT man came to solicit his home security systems at my door. Even after my son crashed over to the window and blinds and looked at the solicitor and smiled.

Last weekend, it certainly wasn't me who flashed my backyard lights at my backyard neighbors for making so much noise at 2 am that it woke up my toddler 3 times. Nope, not me!

I did not bake cookies for the new neighbors as an excuse to have some for myself.

I also did not just eat tuna and crackers for dinner last night. On the couch. At 9PM.

And finally I did not throw a slight fit at Sunday School upon hearing the news that teachers are no longer allowed to "require" school supplies. Nope not me.

Okay, maybe I did.

I have to admit something to you. I am a school supplies nerd. School Supplies nerd with a capital N. I love it. And I dont even have school aged children. But I love seeing new packs of crayons for 20 cents and new packs of blunt tip scissors for buy one get one free offers. Siggghhh....

Dont judge me.

Anyway. I totally understand there are many moms and dads out there who having a hard time making ends meet and school supplies are just another addend expense stress. And I sympathize with that fact. I truly do. Our church is running a back to school drive to help these very parents. And I love that as a church family we are doing this. There is nothing sadder on a first day of school when a child is upset that they dont have their supplies and everyone else does.
However...with this news I received from a friend in Sunday School who's sister is a new teacher in the school system....school supplies are no longer "required"...makes me shake my head and want to throw a bottle of voluntarily bought Elmer's glue at whoever came up with this idea.

Now granted, this is what you would call "hear say" news. And I really dont know if school supplies were ever really "required" in the first place. Because really, are they going to look at that first grader and say..."Hmmm no zippered pencil case?? You're outta here kid! Back to kindergarten with you!"
Last night I tried looking for some piece of news or article on the web that talked about this but couldnt find anything. However, after being in the school system and remembering when our principal had told us that the school board said we could no longer ask for items students didnt "need" but we "liked" having in our class....like tissues or a pack of computer paper, this recent underground announcement in the school system does not surprise me....but it definitely angers me. (Oh and by the way...Tissues I think are a NEED in a classroom, not a want. If you insist on sending your sick kid to school....I NEED tissues in my room. Period. Gross. This is another blog entry and I digress.)

Back to voluntary supplies. Supposedly this is being done to alleviate parents of the cost of school supplies due to the economy. Again as I stated before there are parents out there who legitimately need some extra help when it comes to school supplies. My problem is, if you make a blanket statement like that....that no one has to bring in school supplies then some parents who have the means of buying school supplies, wont and will be covered by that blanket statement. So who buys the NEEDED school supplies? Not the school system! Enter the teacher and her mediocre salary check.

Last night I was at Walmart and the school supplies lists are out. No where on the list is it mentioned that these are not required. So maybe all this is, is that teachers cannot ASK for the supplies, but they wont say anything to discourage parents from bringing in supplies. I dont know.

What I do know is that Walmart has folders for 15 cents.

-Brooke

Everyone else is doing it...so why not me?

So after reading a few blogs...blogs about kids...blogs about people's jobs...blogs about well...blogs, I think to myself why not me? Why not Brooke Elkins? Sure you go ahead and write yourself a blog. You may be the only one to read it...but then I can tell myself...Hey that was pretty insightful stuff on that Blog I read today. And then I'll remember..."Oh yeah, that was me talking."

Actually insightful will probably be stretching it. Maybe like ....mildly entertaining in a "mom" funny kind of way.

So here we go.

I'm a mom....which still at times throws me for a loop. I get a kick out of thinking I'm someone's mom now. I was actually referred to as "Connor's mom" the other day. I get flashforward visions of children knocking on my door, "Hi Mrs. Connor's mom...can Connor come out to play?"

I used to be an employed paid teacher. I now consider myself an employed paid teacher. Confusing? I know. Let me explain. After I graduated highschool I went to college, got married to my wonderful husband and became a teacher. I taught for 3 years and loved it. (well except for those days that I hated it. Most of those days included screaming children...or screaming parents.) We got pregnant with Connor and my original thought was "Ok maybe I'll go back to work after taking off a year." After spending like 5 minutes in the hospital, staring into the most beautiful wrinkly face you have ever seen in your whole life.....I made up my mind that I would NOT be returning to work...for a long time. Years. So I resigned my posistion. So back to my original point. I still consider myself an employed paid teacher, even though I do not work in "the working world." I still teach. I teach my son everyday. I am bound and determined to give him quality education before he's off to Preschool. I am paid through the smiles and goofy grins spread about his face during the day. (Plus I dont have to give half my paycheck away to the IRS.)

So why the name Applesauce is the New Black? After having Connor I became quickly aware how many of my clothes were becoming accessorized by my son. A day does not go by without a smear of applesauce on my pants or a shirt stretched from my son tugging on its hem. Not that living in Brandon, Fl requires any amount of glamour, so it doesnt worry me. Such is the life of being a mom.

All in all, I love being a mom and as I venture into toddlerhood for the first time (besides my own of course) I look forward to all the memories I make with my son and my family.

Home again, home again. Bloggity blog.
Brooke