Whoa! Are you serious?

So this holiday season finds me with a lot to be thankful for. Thinking of channeling my inner Charlie Brown. We ate too much and spent time with most of the family. College boy is still doing his acting gigs and going to college. College girl has changed her major and is really excited about some up coming opportunities. Now teen queen, well, is teen queen. Tootsie is now in her last year at elementary school and I am thankful all of my kiddos came through my school. It will be weird her being the last one.
Change can be painful but necessary and a lot of things well, they are a-changing soon.
This will be a post in progress.

Well just because it has been a long time does not mean I have mastered Mommydom! Far from it actually! I can't believe how time has flown. College Bound is now College Boy, Teen Queen is Teen Queen Sr. and Middler is a middler no more Teen Queen Jr. and well Tootsie is still Tootsie!
I am willing to concede a lot of things:
1. A teenage boy going to prom and a teenage girl going to prom are TOTALLY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS!
2. I have learned how to cut the water off when the pipe busts.
3. Yes cereal is a dinner option.
4. There is no tired like mommy tired.
Only to name a few!
We did senior pictures for Teen Queen Sr. and it made it all too real that I am heading down the senior path with my girl (again different from a boy). We went back for more casual shots.
Summer work is torture for the parents! I didn't have summer reading and well I turned out okay! (I think so!) When you add more than one assignment, yes there will be procrastination.
My summer task of cleaning out my closet HAPPENED!!! I had a proud moment all I had to do was offer Chick Fil A and I had HELP!
College Boy is a thespian now and has a desire to be in plays. Soon, he might desire to work maybe.
Teen Queen Jr. well the summer has been an on onslaught of fashion experiments and hairdo experiments.
Tootsie and I decided to do "Mommy and Me" craft days once a week, since we have had a ton of rain. On a Tuesday we bought supplies and by Friday of the same week we had done 4 of the 7. Patience is not a virtue the Tootsie has learned as of yet.
Wishing everyone blessings and enjoy your adventure!

I can't believe it. My minivan became a yellow cab service for Winter Break. Hubster took week off as well but dental work doesn't make way for fun week. I had lofty plans for the week. Clean out the building, donate used things and make some trips to Goodwill as well. Needless to say, NAH! NADA! NOTHING HAPPENED! Now it is Friday and I have done nothing but drive.
I have gone back and forth about my thumb, do I go to the doctor or let it go. Can't use it but don't want the hassle of ridiculous copay! I would hate to pay for visit and it be a sprain. Quite the conundrum!!
Tootsie has shown me many aspects of her quirky personality this week.  After acting out Jacob and Esau with her favorite glasses (no glass/ plastic of course) and red workout headband, she asks me to teach her how to play chess. (I have no clue!) So precious! We even baked a cake . . . AWWW!
Middler and College Bound have been helping with laundry. Pardon my laughter!
One of them doesn't care how it looks (you can guess) the other thinks if they do it poorly enough I won't ask anymore. That's wonderful I responded to eye rolling!
College Bound is a gamer and is obsessed with the games he just got. I figure I will text him from now on. I thought about putting a latch on the outside of his door but that would make me mean.
Teen Queen has been helpful. Putting off things that need to get done, but telling us all about it.  I told her earlier in the week I didn't want complaining about homework on Sunday. So into the kitchen she came, complaining. I asked her, "What did I say?" TQ:"It's not Sunday!" Well then.

Well, "What's for dinner?" should be considered swear words! I have heard it from 4 of the 5 of my family members and it is barely 4:00!
I will admit it. . .Cooking is overrated! They are all rude. They eat it before I can sit down to eat my share! Time for dishes - they scatter like cockroaches! Phenomenal ability! My OCD kicks in after a bit and I sadly succumb to the clutter and wash them myself. I would rather not eat - couldn't hurt! LOL!
College bound kinda grazed on cereal bar, granola bar, and Starburst for dessert.
Middler well she only knows pizza. It is not really a food group but she is a teenager and I get a "Psh."
Tootsie wants to know about dolphins today.  She even wrote a song using spelling words about dolphins.  This time she didn't get out the guitar missing two strings and her quarter to play AND sing it for us.
Teen Queen well if I took her phone . . . I can't decide if she would cry like she lost a best friend or go in a rage. I may just hide it while she is sleeping to see. Yea I am cruel sorry.

There's a moment when you think to yourself, but never say it out loud, I fed you yesterday! Doesn't that count for something? Shouldn't you learn how to cook already?
Oh the battles of the bath! Just wash already! Let's be done and in our pjs! Why do you protest cleanliness?
College bound only emerges for food and fist pumps with dad. I think he is part bear?
Teen Queen has made it necessary for me to document ALL of our conversations/ interactions. She announced her weekend itinerary and when I responded, "In your dreams!" She was all aghast! "Oh! I asked you and you said yes." Obviously I forgot my minion status! Sadly not the cute Twinkie looking guys that have been turned into cute memes!
I think reflectively again. Then laugh because I remember my teen years and my healthy respect for my parents! Then I am angry because surely I did not raise these "people" to appear entitled. I hope we have instilled in them good values and that they forgive me when I giggle at the actions of their own future "peoples!"
Asked Tootsie, "Is your hair dry?"
"I have NO idea!" Aww, love each of them!

Plugged in?

That moment when you look over at second grader, wearing polka dot glasses with the frames popped out, with the laptop open, playing on her daddy's phone.
"Whatcha doing tootsie?"
"Well I was on First in Math and it got too hard. So now I am playing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle game. But I did ALL (four syllables) my homework." Then pushes said glasses up farther on little nose.
Middler has laptop on school site. "What are you doing babe?"
"Science I guess."
College bound has headphones on and a book open.  I could never do that. He has great grades so I won't mess with the "system.." For now. . . 
Teen Queen has headphones in and book open as well. Laughing intermittently.  I am sure Shogun is not funny. Again, for now great grades. . . 
Me, well I felt reflective and thought about my teen years when laptops and cell phones were not a part of the homework process at all. I remember being jealous of my neighbor with the see through phone that lit up when it rang and her 17 inch television. My 5 inch television that was a part of my cassette player/ radio would probably have sent my kiddos into ORBIT!