Wednesday was the first day back to school here in our little corner of the world. There were backpacks to fill with a year’s worth of school supplies, snacks to prepare, and forms to sign.
I woke up extra early to make sure that everyone’s clothes were laid out and that the morning would go off without a hitch.
Then I got busy with the real work of the day. My work.
I made three signs that announced each child’s grade. I made sure my phone was charged and that my nine-year-old hadn’t decided to take 300 selfies the night before.
Tom was my first victim. The bus to high school comes early so he was up and dressed at 6:45. This was no small feat since all summer he was getting up around noon.
I was expecting a fairly grumpy teen. Considering how sleep-deprived he was, his mood was pretty pleasant.
This was crucial to my plan.
“OK Tom, can you hold this sign?”
“What?”
“This sign. Please hold it so I can take a picture of you for the first day of school.”
“Seriously? You want me to hold a sign that says, “First Day of 10th Grade?”
“Yes, that’s why I handed it to you. Come on, you don’t want to be late.”
He looked at me as if I’d lost touch with reality.
He’s watched me go from a woman who was proud of the fact that she didn’t have an email address, to a woman who wrote a weekly blog and can recite her social media stats in her sleep.
“Mom, really?”
“Hold the sign and let me take a picture of you. Now.” This was first said in a louder-than-normal tone. Then we both just cracked up. (But don’t let the laughter fool you. I was dead serious. There was work to do.)
He gave me his best, my-mother-has-finally-flipped look and posed for the picture.
One down, two more to go.
Now it was Peter’s turn.
He’s all dressed and ready to start fourth grade. I love this child. He sees the sign on the kitchen table.
“Oh, mom you made me a sign. That was so sweet of you.”
Well, we now know who wins the favorite-child-of-the-day award. No contest.
Peter is a willing model, and the picture looks cute.
His bus comes and now I have two down.
Only one more left.
Since Lizzy’s special needs make life challenging at times, she can be a bit tricky to get ready. But after a two-week break between camp and school, she was desperate to get back to her friends and teachers. It was pretty easy to get her ready.
She was a little too thrilled to be leaving her mother.
I hand her the sign that says, First Day of Sixth Grade. and she lets me take a few pictures.
Lizzy’s bus comes and she very happily gets on.
Oh happy day! All the babies are gone!
My husband, Joe, is working from home today. I know what he is thinking; now that the kids are gone we can enjoy some time alone. Hopefully before his morning conference call.
Silly, silly man. I have my own work to do.
After taking a few pictures of myself I now get on the computer, make a little collage, and start posting my masterpieces on Facebook and Twitter.
I think I may have detected a look on Joe’s face that wondered if perhaps the woman he married has taken this blogging thing a bit too far, but since he’s still hoping for some time with me, he wasn’t going to say anything that might ruin his chances.
Time flies by and I don’t even realize that I have been at my computer for over an hour posting pictures, writing witty comments, and answering emails.
The phone rings and it’s my mother wanting to know how her grandchildren did getting off to their first day of school.
“Oh, just great. They all seemed happy to be back. Even Tom.
“Well Kathy, now that they are gone, what have you been up too?”
I know she was thinking of all the dusting, window washing, and general cleaning that I had neglected all summer. I know the way my mother’s mind works. Surely I must be up to my elbows in Endust and Windex.
“Mom, clearly you have not been on Facebook. All those pictures don’t just magically appear by themselves. And then I have a book review to finish for my blog. Let’s not even get me started about all I have to do on Twitter.”
She gave me her best, “Oh, that’s great dear” and hung up.
It was then that it occurred to me, my little “hobby” that I started almost four years ago when Peter started full day kindergarten, has become so much more than that. After 40 something years I’ve found a career path that I love as much as I love being a mom.
The fact that I can torture my family in the process is a bonus.
Kathy, I couldn’t stop smiling especially at that last line and trust me I know the feeling with my own blog. And yes my family I do think thinks I am also crazy, but totally do love it and hey it even pays the bills now and again, too! But seriously, so glad went off without a hitch on your kids, too 😉
Janine Huldie recently posted…Roasted Corn, Black Bean, Tomato & Onion Tex-Mex Farfelle Recipe
Janine the way I look at it, I’m having fun, I’m preparing myself for life after I’m a full time drill sergeant, I’m making a few bucks AND I get to torture my family!!!!! Really, what could be better!! Lol! xoxo
My mother is good with the guilt, but she normally doesn’t say anything about my lack of house keeping skills..those comments are usually disguised in ‘oh honey, you must be so BUSY’ as she looks around with her eyebrows raised.
Michelle recently posted…My Thick Skin Isn’t
Yes, you gotta love that mom guilt move, the old, you must be so busy that’s why, your hair looks like that, your house looks like that , your kids look like that!!! Lol! I know it well!!! Lol! Michele do you think years from now our kids are going to be saying the same thing about us? Nay! xox
Your kids are so compliant, Kathy. Every time I take a photo of my kids, it has to be qualified – most of the time my daughter says the photo is only ‘for me, not my blog’. ha!
Jennifer Wolfe recently posted…Autumnal Resolutions and A Quest for Perfection
Jennifer my kids have inherited a bit of my ham gene. Plus, they are use to it, Peter was only 5 when I started and he is use to me saying, come on lets take a picture my Klout score is dropping! Yes, I know, I have no shame!! Lol! (My niece is scared to talk to me and always says, don’t put this on your blog, I alays let her know I”m only interested in torturing those children I gave birth to, but I don’t think she is convinced!! Lol!) xoxo
I love that this has become a career for you and that the kids all held up the signs!
JDaniel4’s Mom recently posted…Reading Games- Sight Word Stackers
Thanks!!! I’ts fun!! Deep down I think even Tom sort of, kind of, likes it! Though I’m sure he would rather eat vegetables before admitting that!! Lol! xoxo
Sharing with Melissa with the following note “See, I’m not as bad as my friend Kathy, I didn’t make you wear a sign”
Although maybe I’ll stick a sign around her neck next Sept. for the first day of senior year!
Please feel free to use me as your, “See it could be worse”!! Lol! You totally have to do the sign for next year!! Lol! A friend of mine posted a picture of her daughter on her first day of kindergarten and her first day of her senior year, trying for a similar pose!! So cute!!!! That one made me cry! xoxo
You clearly have found your passion Kathy and you’re fantastic at it. Keep up the amazing stories you share with all of us! I look forward to them every week. This post is adorable and so darn funny. xoxo
nancy@skinnykitchen.com recently posted…Low Calorie Cheeseburger and Potato Casserole
Thank you Nancy! It does feel good to find something that I am passionate about besides my family. As you have said before, I do think it’s good for th e kids to see that other things bring me happiness too! xoxo
Each year on the first day of school, when the kids get on the bus, Kevin and I hi-5. 😉 Sometimes we go out to breakfast, but like you, this year I had work to do. We love them, but it’s a nice sigh of relief, right? Ah, serenity.
Linda Roy recently posted…Dirty, Sexy Laundry
It is a nice bit of relief! I think we all do better with the schedule!! xo
I love this! Smiled the whole way through!! I totally got every bit of it!
Ice Scream Mama recently posted…Left the kids for a few days. It only took 12 years.
Thanks!!!! Maybe our kids can work together on a mommy dearest book about their moms the bloggers!!!! Lol! xo
Cute idea for pix. Nice to start the day with a smile!
Carol Cassara recently posted…Doing unto others
Thanks Carol! It was fun! xo
This is too funny! Sounds like the same conversations in our house minus the kids, since mine are all grown!
Rena McDaniel recently posted…A LOOK FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF DEMENTIA
Thanks Rena! xo
Soooo glad you don’t have kids who take themselves too seriously to indulge you because you’re doing a sweet thing for everyone to “document” these days. But MOST important, you will have noooo trouble slipping into a role that is fulfilling when that last one waves at you from the dorm. Nice job, you’re inspiring people and probably don’t even know it 🙂
Thank you! You are so sweet! Thankfully all three of my kids inherited their mother’s ham gene!!! Lol! xo
Kathy Radigan recently posted…A Season of Renewal
Ha! You are so funny. I was wondering why all of the kids are holding signs on FB. Now I know! Adorable.
Congrats on having a little time to do your work! Yay, Kathy! xo
Cathy recently posted…September 11 And Prayers For A Better World
Cathy that is how I got the idea! I wasn’t doing it for any sort of campaign, just using my children to up my social networking scores! Yes, I am THAT mom!!! Lol! xox
Kathy Radigan recently posted…A Season of Renewal
It could be tough for the ‘others’ to understand what exactly we do online. If only they knew how BUSY it gets for us. And like you said, that kind of ‘busy’ doesn’t even begin to include our real lives! All the reading, writing (our posts), and then more writing (commenting, tweeting, promoting, pitching, stalking, haha!)….24hrs are never enough. *sigh*
Joy recently posted…I Fell In Love With My Husband When He Asked Me This Question…
Joy I don’t think anyone really knows what blogging entails! What I love about it, as a SAHM, is that it keeps me in the loop of social media and has allowed me to gain new skills which is great!!! xoxo And, yes, 24 hours is not enough!! xoxo
So much fun! And you’ve captured the nuttiness of family blogging perfectly. Hats off to you! (And I am not even a little bit jealous that you thought of the sign idea…okay, I am, but in a good way.)
Karen recently posted…A retiring woman
Ha! I loved seeing those pictures on FB and I’m pretty sure most moms I now felt that same way! 🙂 I love this blogging thing, too. If I could, I would sit in front of my computer all day long!
Lisa @ The Golden Spoons recently posted…Don’t Cry Over Summer’s End
I love this so so much! The photo collage is awesome (and yay for Tom participating). Isn’t it amazing that we can seriously get lost in FB and Twitter for hours and hours?? Love it! Happy back to school, Kathy! <3
Kristi Campbell recently posted…Climbing Back on The Parenting Book Wagon with a Review of Dr. G’s “Get the Behavior You Want…Without Being the Parent You Hateâ€
Standing ovation here, Kathy! Go you! I’m so proud of you for doing what you and claiming it! (and for making those back-to-school signs 😉 )
Meredith recently posted…One Step in Front of the Other
LOVE LOVE LOVE the pictures!! And of course, we LOVE your blog!! You rock! :)-The Dose Girls
thedoseofreality recently posted…You Want The Name Of Our Decorator, Don’t You?
Kathy, you’re so funny! Hey, you’re lucky your kids let you take the pictures–I doubt mine would. Your daughter’s expression is priceless. Funny when you told your mom what you do all day. I get the same reaction when my kids ask me what I do all day. Guess they think we writers are sitting around eating imported chocolates and watching trash talk shows, hahahaha! 🙂
Marcia @ Menopausal Mother recently posted…Growing Up Groovy