Friday the 13th

"If you can't laugh at yourself, make fun of other people."
--Bobby Slayton

Well, the mysterios rash of Friday and Monday sicknesses goes on. Wonder who's interviewing today? Even the newest new girl was sick yesterday. The last 2 newbies we had who were "sick" in their first week were working on lining up better jobs. Hmmmm. Well, this new one seems to be pretty good at her job and not so LOUD and GRABBY as the last one. Two of our regulars are out today. What sucks is I was out last Monday sick because Beth really WAS sick, no playing hookey even! Burned another day of vacation that I'm gonna miss come Christmas-time.

It's FRIDAY!!!! Thank God and all that. It's been a long-ass week and I'm ready to get out and not have any obligations for a while. Beth's off to the Great Wolf Lodge for a sleep-over bday party with her friend Imory and her mom. Should be fun. Totally forgot to get a PRESENT as it's a BIRTHDAY, so got to do that before I get her dropped off at her friend's house this afternoon. You know, it's a sad sad thing when you're looking around your house at 1am trying to think, could this be a present for a little girl???

I used to be so organized, I was super-mom. Of course, I wasn't working full-time back then. I had this amazing idea of the "present box". Whenever the kids got a present they already had, or I saw a great sale at Target I'd stock up on stuff and put it in "the box." Then, whenever we had a last-minute gift need, I'd go to the box, pull some lovely wrapping paper out and be ready in an instant. The last bday party we went to we ran by Osco to their NOT very cool toy aisle and the gift ended up wrapped in "kraft paper" (ok a paper bag turned inside out) that the kids colored on the way to the party. Beth colored a card (copy paper folded up) and Joey "decorated" the package. Amidst all the lovely bags with cascading ribbons, shiny papers, stickers, etc. was our sad little package. One of the moms next to me told her friend, "I wish I had the time and energy to have my children be so creative" when the little girl opened our gift. I thought, lady, 3 1/2 minutes will inspire creativity you would not believe, but just smiled and looked like one of those moms who make cookies from scratch, bake our own soap and the like. Man, I'm lucky if my kids even get bathed every day. I'm guilty of the smell test when things are really rushed. If I can't smell you from across the room, we'll just use a washcloth for the dirty face and knees and wet down your hair, you're good to go. Good thing I only had 2 of them, how did Grandma do it with 14 kids????? Man, Grandpa would have had to find another freaking room to sleep in if it were me.

Also, Damn Damn Damn the Little Debbie company for making nutty bars. damn damn damn. Ate 3 packages last night, that means 6 nutty bars. Good thing I had a kid to give one to or I would've eaten the whole box. So much for master of my domain, the domain crumbled like crunchy peanut buttery chocolate covered cookies....