This year I will.....

I volunteer in Cameron’s classroom every other week. It’s fun because I get to help out, see what’s going on in the classroom (since Cameron tells me nothing), and I am able to see all the displayed work in the classroom and in the hallway. Today I had to compose myself before entering the classroom after reading one of the Cameron’s written pieces hanging outside of the classroom.

Cameron’s teacher had the kids write about their New Year’s Resolutions. As I glanced at them, searching for Cameron’s, I discovered the kids had written some really nice goals. Most involved something like not fighting with their siblings, keeping their room clean, helping out around the house. Reading those I was especially eager to see Cameron’s kind ambitions for the year.

This is what I found on his:
#1. I want to get better at playing Playstation.
#2. I want to tag less harder at playing tag. (Apparently they get a little rough at recess).
#3. I want to learn how to help Patrick in playing Madden better. (Madden is a football game on Playstation).

If he thinks we’re going to change the rule of “Playstation only on the weekends” so that he can work on his resolutions, he better think again.

It's a start

Here it is a new year and I got to use my hairdryer today!

No, not for my hair…don’t think I need a dryer for ½ millimeter of sparse hair growth.

I used the dryer to help expedite the melting of the ice that formed in the back of the freezer when our water valve broke and apparently leaked H20, which of course turned into ice, coating the back of the freezer with about 6+ inches of the frozen stuff!

So for most of the day I had the privilege of emptying the refrigerator and freezer, cleaning out every drawer, shelf and wire basket, and now trying to make this damn ice melt.

I want to get it to melt tonight so that all my refrigerator food does not freeze, as it sits in the cooler outside in….well…below-freezing temps.

In addition to my fridge duty, I began the year:

* Ignoring, but still putting up with, this sinus infection.

* Getting in an argument with my husband about the initiative I don’t take around the house.

* Dealing with a very crabby, feverish 2 year old.

* Consoling an injured 3 year old who pinched his hand, removing a tiny patch of skin on his palm, while playing with some Cub Scout flashlight contraption

* Allowing my 6 year old to play Playstation for way too many hours.

I hope this first day is not an indication of how the rest of my year is going to be. I’m going to try to look at it as getting the bad stuff out of the way first to make way for all the wonderful days ahead!

Hey, at least I'll start the year with a clean fridge...a VERY clean fridge at that!

5..4..3..2..1

New Year’s Eve

I’ve had some really wild ones.

In high school I remember my junior year hanging out in the neighborhood, standing in the middle of the street singing the B-52’s Love Shack.

My senior year we were at my friend Melanie’s house. Her mom was always going out on dates, so that left her house open for parties. My friend Norma and I actually looked in the phone book and called our French teacher at midnight to wish him a Happy New Year. Obviously alcohol was involved.

One year in college I spent the big evening in Boston with my then boyfriend…now husband. We spent fifty bucks a ticket to go to a club down the street called The Roxy, and being a college student, that was a lot of money I remember thinking that if I was going to spend that much money, I was going to drink all the free champagne I could down. Not much I actually remember about that night. However, I do recall going to the bathroom, standing in line for a long time, then forgetting where I had left Melvin. I spent at least 30 minutes wandering the club looking for him. We did manage to find each other for the midnight kiss…but it was close. Now the next day I remember very clearly, and it was not a pretty sight!

One year when I lived in New Jersey I spent the big night in New York City. Not in Times Square though. My friend Lanette and I took a group of kids from her high school Cross Country team, and we ran a race in Central Park, which began at midnight. Half-way through, in addition to having a water station, they also had a champagne station! I was SO COLD that year, but we had a lot of fun...and encountered some interesting characters on the train ride home.

The next year was the year 2000! I was VERY excited about Y2K. Melvin and I decided to ring in the new millennium in style by going to Vegas. We went to a club called Rum Jungle at Mandalay Bay, spending $250 for a ticket to get in! We were really going all out. And I had the same mind set that night as I did back in Boston…trying to drink my money’s worth! I remember the DJ playing Prince’s “Party like it’s 1999,” ringing in the New Year, then Will Smith’s “Willenium.” And like in Boston, I wasn’t feeling all that great the next day…and we had to catch a plane back home!

Since having children, our New Years have been more kid-centered, including a First Night celebration in Ocean City, NJ, and last year hanging out at our town’s sports center, watching the kids jump in the inflatables, dance to a DJ and create crafts.

This year...well...nothing. Melvin’s on call (and as of 8:30 PM is at the hospital), I’m fighting a sinus infection and Ella has a fever of 101. So no exciting celebration this year.

But next year……we’re going to party…preferably someplace hot!

Happy New Year everyone!