Open letter to people in town

First of all to service providers in town, just because many or even most of your customers are stupid bordering on braindead doesn't mean that we all are. No need to treat me like and idiot when I ask a legit question.

To the dad at McDonald's, don't take your kid to McDonald's, feed them a salad and eat in the play place then refuse to get them a toy when EVERY OTHER KID in the place has "Spy Gear" toys. That is just mean. If you are insistant that you won't get your 6 year old more plastic junk, then don't let them eat in the playplace with all the other kids. Get your salad to go and go to a park to eat it.

To the lady at the park. If your dogs are "mean and might bite or scratch", for the love of God, do not bring them literally through the playground where there are obviously several kids playing. Walk around, use the sidewalk, etc. Don't put that temptation out there.

To Google. Neither of my blogs are, or have ever been, spam. Your filter sucks since it has flagged both this blog and my scrapbook blog as spam at various times. I don't do spam and I don't know what I'm posting that is triggering the lock downs. Clue me in and I'll quit posting it. It is as much a pain for me to be locked down as it is for you to have to continually review my blogs to find they really aren't spam!

Finally, to my neighbor. If your ill tempered dog EVER comes onto my property again, scaring my child and growling at me, I will drop kick it across the street. I realize that you don't particularly watch your children and your dog is watched only marginally better (at least you come outside with your dog instead of turning it loose to roam the neighborhood for hours at a time) but at least your children don't growl and potentially bite.

Suck

Today has pretty much sucked. It started with Ms Thang purposely peeing on the floor, continued with my Swiffer breaking as I was trying to clean it up, a SCREAMING fight with RF and a possibly broken cell phone (I fixed it but it was seriously just one more thing). That caused the rest of the day to just be crummy. Things aren't looking up for the weekend either :(

I was in such a crap mood, even playgroup was only sort of "meh" and that is seriously one of my favorite things to do. So now, I'm going to have some ice cream, read some of my book for Book Club (Me Talk Pretty One Day) and watch the top 100 songs of the 80s and try not to brood too much. That is a testament to how bad my mood is, that I can be grouchy listening to terribly great 80s songs.

Grouches and Gripes

I decided when I started this blog that it was going to be generally positive but it seems lately to have fallen off course. This is another post along those same lines. Maybe it will get better, maybe it won't but that is the way it is.

First issue, the SAGA continues. J's mom asked me yesterday morning if he was ok (because she is a super nice person) after the issue on Friday. I told her that he was fine and she went about trying to explain J's behavior. She said that he wants to be friends with C but not play with him all the time. That sounds fine because as an adult, I have yet to find anyone that I want to spend that much time with, without a break. But then she said that he said that he doesn't want to be play with C at school when there are other kids around but wouldn't mind playing with him at their house. I know I probably completely over reacted but that comment felt like "well, he is a good enough friend when no one else is around, but if anyone cooler is there, then he is too good to play with C" Probably not what she meant but the whole thing left me feeling icky. I stand by my ban on playing with him right now.

Next up, scouting. They are signing new Cub Scouts up for next year. They sent home all this paper work, flyers for things, etc. C is DESPERATE to join but I have issues with the politics of the BSA and I'm not sure I can support an organization with the internal policies that they have. Dh was a scout and his dad a leader so they think it is great. My brother was a scout and my mom a leader and they think it is fab. I'm not sure how I feel about it. :( Plus, J wants to join which means more opportunity for him to push C around :( :( I'll probably let him go to the picnic and open house and we'l see if I can get past my issues. The other problem I have, I hate pretty much everything that Boy Scouts do. Hiking is terrible, camping is worse and those tow are huge parts of scouting. Normally, I would say that dh would have to do those things with him, but with his schedule, he isn't around for those types of things very often. We'll have to see after he goes to the open house Thursday night (I have a district PTA meeting that night so he will probably go with DH).

Finally, reunions. My high school reunion is coming up in a few weeks. I hated the people that I went to school with when I went to school with them. I still hated them at my 5 year reunion 5 years ago, although less since I only had to spend a couple of hours with them, instead of 4 years. Enter the 10 year reunion. I wasn't going to go and a friend (the only one from my grade) sort of pushed me into it. I got the invitation and RSVPed yes because of her. We talked about getting together with the few people that we didn't hate and going together and stuff. When I emailed her the other day to see if she had talked to those people (she is closer to them than I am) and see about ride arrangements, she said she hadn't talked to them and her and her boyfriend were going. Apparently, they intend to go alone and visit her parents and make a day of the whole thing, leaving me to drive down by myself. Honestly, it is a long way to go, by myself (dh has to work), to see people I couldn't give 2 craps about. I'm thinking about not going after all. I'm waiting to hear back from the one person I emailed before I decide for sure. Since she has someone to go with, I don't think I'll regret not going. The only reason I might is if the one or two people that I was friendly with decide to show up (unlikely since they hated our school more than I did) and I'm not there to see them. That would be disappointing, but not the end of the world. I still have a couple of weeks to figure out what I'm going to do so we shall see.

The good and the bad

First the good. We met Missy and her kids at the park today. The boys totally hit it off and before we ever pulled away from the curb, C was asking when we could see them again. Flynn wasn't quite so sure about Lizzie. I think her reputation precedes her LOL. Missy was great. Lots of fun to talk to and hang out with :)

Now on to the bad. I've posted before about C's "friend" J and how is just mean to C all the time. It started when C wanted to play his games all the time and J didn't like that so he quit playing with him. We told C that he can't force to play with him and gave him his options which were A)play by yourself B)play what the kids you want to play with are playing C)find someone else to play with that will play what you want. Despite my encouraging otherwise (I lean toward option C, myself) he decided to start playing what the other kids were playing. They still refused to play with him or sit with him at lunch or interact with him in anyway that didn't involve running from him and screaming that they didn't want to play with him. For after school, C found some other kids that he enjoyed playing with and things seemed to be ok for awhile. Then they went all to hell again. J has been just lfat out mean to C for the last week and I'm completely fed up with it. If C did that to someone and I knew about it, he would be in so much trouble he wouldn't even be able to believe it. His mom doesn't act like that so I just don't understand what is going on and why she isn't doing something more about it.

Well today, C was hanging on the monkey bar thing they were all (2 or 3 other kids beside those 2) climbing on and said something (no idea what since I was too far away to hear) to J and J screamed at him "leave me alone, I hate you!" and then grabbed him and started pulling on him. We left, C in tears, and I guess they left too. I have FREAKING had it. When we got in the car, I told him in no uncertain terms he is not allowed to play with J anymore, at all. If that means that we don't stay and play in the afternoons, then so be it. I also don't want them playing together at school anymore. I hate to be this way, but I told C if I caught them playing together anymore, he would get in trouble. He CAN NOT allow himself to be treated like that. I simply won't stand for it. I told him that if J wants to play anything that C is playing, C is to tell him that he isn't allowed to play with him anymore because he is mean and rude and that C doesn't need friends like that. I also told him that if Josh grabs him anymore that he should scream as loud as he can "get away from me, don't touch me" and then he has my permission to hit him. Then he can have the VP call me and I'll explain to him that I gave him permission to do it. I've already emailed their teacher and the VP about the situation but I don't want him in a lot of trouble for doing what his mom (the ultimate authority in his universe) told him to do.

Hopefully, he'll actually listen and J will get the picture.


In other good news, dh picked his schedule for work and he gets Sundays off all summer. He hasn't had a regular weekend day off since before Lizzie was born.

Unhappy ice cream

We had a meetup at BW3 tonight and one of the other mom's mentioned that Marble Slab Creamery was right down the way and we should stop by. I thought that sounded like a good idea so told the kids that I would take them. We walked down there, I ordered the kid's stuff and then proceeded to order myself a kid's sized birthday cake. I was told that I couldn't have a kid cup because I wasn't a kid. I told the girl that I didn't WANT that much ice cream, I just wanted a little bit. She apologized and offered me the frozen yogurt, which has less calories. The point wasn't the calories. The point was, I had JUST eaten dinner and I didn't want much but I certainly didn't want vanilla frozen yogurt. I simply wanted a kid cup of birthday cake. :( In retrospect, I should have asked for 2 or 3 different samples and been done with it, since they wanted to be that way about it. I won't be back. Honestly, if I hadn't promised the kids ice cream, I would have walked out right then.

Their ice cream isn't that good and certainly isn't worth the price over something like DQ. Honestly, the only things they had going for them over Cold Stone was the fact that you could get unmixed ice cream and a little cheaper and they actually have parking. Unfortunately, it seemes the "un-mixed" doesn't seem to exsist anymore because everything included "one mix in" blah So now they have parking going for them and that isn't enough to drive all the way over there and eat substandard ice cream.

In other news, I baby sit for my friend K today. She was worried that M and S would be too much trouble but, seriously, her kids are so freaking easy, especially compared to Lizzie! We walked to the park and then M found our train table and it was all good. Lizzie really seemed to like having the chance to be the "big kid". On the way to the park, she provided running commentary about everything we were seeing to M (although she called him S the whole time LOL). Once we got home, she kept telling him "don't worry M, I'll handle this" LOL The only snafu that we had was when we were at the park and Lizzie had to potty. M was impressed with having to leave the park to take her to the bathroom. He kept telling me "nah, nah" and waving my hand away. Finally, I had to carry him and S one on each hip. He was even less impressed with that and decided that walking and holding my hand was a better choice LOL When they left, some snacks got left behind. Lizzie was upset that they got left but then said "but it's ok mommy, I can eat them" :)

And no, K, I don't feel even a little weird writing about people that I know will read this. Dh and my brother read all the time and I write about them sometimes. That is the parell of reading blogs :)

Library

Seriously, we have a VERY PRETTY new library. I desperately want to like it but everytime I go in, there is another problem and it makes it hard for me to appreciate it. My orignal complaint, before it even opened, was the book drop being a pain. It is automated and you have to put things on the belt one at a time and if anyone on the other side (inside if you are out and outside if you are in) is using that belt, your belt stops for up to several seconds. I thought make this was a small kink in the system but it appears to be a perpetual problem, although I'm the only one that seems to have a real problem with it (possibly that is my type A++ personality that can't stand to wait for anything but whatever). Other people notice it but I'm the only that it makes want to scream and throw my stuff at the damn slot before stomping off in a huff. When I'm outside, I just put all my stuff on the belt at once and forget about it. Inside, I let the kids load the belt and they operate at about the speed of the belt so it is all ok.

My next problem is the parking issue. Parking as been a joke since they started construction on the new building. The parking lot is too small, the drive is too narrow and no one can seem to figure out that the parking lot is one way in a counter clockwise pattern. To compound that problem, now you have to park in this awful lot and walk all the way around where the old building used to be. When it is 70 and sunny or I'm by myself, it wouldn't be the end of the world. When I'm dragging 2 kids along and it is 13 degrees or raining, it is a huge PITA. Add to the fact that the corridor between the new building and place the old building was is the worlds fastest wind tunnel, I almost don't like going to the library anymore because it so difficult. I've been parking across the street in the scrapbook store lot because it is a little closer, but then I have to cross the street with 2 kids so it is far from an ideal option.

My dad has decided to go to the other library because he objects to the idea of self checkout. I'm seriously considering following in his footsteps because I object to the reality of the self check out. Typically, I don't mind it. At most places, I actually prefer it. Not so at the library. The scanners don't work half the time and even when the do, a lot of the books aren't tagged to be read by it. Why do we need those pad scanner things anyway? Why can't we have the mounted barcode scanners like they used to use at the old building? We can figure them out at grocery store, what makes them think that library patrons can't figure them out. No, they give us these janky pads and books that aren't tagged so not only do you have to wait in line to USE the self check out, then you have to wait in line AGAIN to see a librarian to check out half o your books. I fully understand the people that refuse to use the self check out and I think I'm going to become one of them. Unfortunately, they have like 1 person working the counter at any given time trying to check out all the people that won't use the self check and helping all the people brave (or dumb) enough to try.

My final complaint deals with the automatic check in again. When things are put in the drop box, they are automatically checked in. When things are checked in and you have it on hold, a notice is automatically generated telling you your item is in. It matters not that your item is actually sitting in a hold bin somewhere waiting to be tagged with your name and card number (another thing I don't like. Put my name on, don't make me rifle through everyone's stuff looking for mine because I can't remember the last four digits of my card unless I'm sitting at the computer and then I don't really remember it, I just know the keystroke sequence). They've gone from a 7 day hold to a 3 day hold (yet another complaint of mine, although I understand that it is because the hold room is tiny, yet another problem, you build a whoel new building and you can't make a hold room big enough to hold all the holds, and they can't keep everyone's junk for a week at a time) and when you book scans in, it starts your hold time. Nevermind the fact that it could be 2 days before your hold actually makes it to the shelf. So I get my email, I deal with the bad parking to go get it, only to find out it is no where to be found and I have make another trip a day or so later and deal with the hassle of getting there all over again. I'm going to start being a PITA. When I get my email, I'm going to call and have someone confirm that my holds are on the shelf before I go in.

All of this automation is supposed to make less work for the library staff and makes things easier for patrons. What has actually happened it has probably doubled the work for the staff because they are running all over looking for stuff that isn't where it is supposed to be and fixing the self check outs all the time. And it has made the library completely user UNfriendly and down right unpleasant for the people forced to deal with it. I completely freaked today while trying to use the self check out. I slammed the CD on the pad, snarled at the computer and yelled at my mother (who was with me) that I "would most certainly not calm down. This was the biggest piece of crap that I had ever been forced to endure and I was freaking done" Then she suggested that maybe I should go to the other library for awhile and responded loudly, right in front of the children's librians desk that "I fully intend to use Urbana exclusively because Champaign was like a supermodel, pretty but completely freaking useless besides that"

I just want this stuff fixed. I LOVE the library. After all, where else can I get my minions? I love all the stuff it has to offer, I really like the new building and it has so much potential, and the children's department is super. I HATE that I'm having such issues with a place that should be so much better than this. However, I do think that for the time being I will be using Urbana. I'll have to be strong and refuse the coffee (Lizzie calls them "the coffee library" and "the regular library", I haven't mentioned they will both be coffee libraries eventually) and I'll have to get over my objection to paying for parking but that is a minor annoyance compared to all the issues I have with Champaign right now. Maybe, in a couple of months they will have some of the kinks worked out and I can go back to enjoying the library again. :(

Breastfeeding rooms

http://www.thecowgoddess.com/?p=723

Being the punk-ass that I am, I never saw nursing rooms as a "you must nurse here" type of thing. I always looked at them as nice to have if you needed that sort of thing but not required. C went through a phase, shortly before I weaned him where any sound would catch his attention and he would turn his head to look at it. The problem was, he didn't latch off when he did it, thus stretching my nipple halfway across the room. That was when we started the "dark and silent" nursing sessions. Anyone that dared come in the house while he was nursing was subject to a violent beating! Nursing in public was OUT OF THE QUESTION. I ADORED nursing rooms during this time period.

I think too many breastfeeders feel persecuted and so feel that they must use things like this. I always felt it was my absolute right to nurse anywhere and everywhere that I went and if people didn't like it, they could just not look.

Once upon a time, we took C and A to the Children's museum in Chicago. They had a beautiful nursing room but I couldn't watch A and be in there and it wasn't "lets go to Chicago and sit in a nursing room" It was "Lets go to the museum". I plopped myself down in the middle of the young children's area (where I could see her no matter where she went) and proceeded to nurse until he fell asleep. No one said anything to me and I can't imagine anyone doing that (I wouldn't have stood for it and there would have been hell to pay had someone tried to force me ot move). Maybe people don't mess with me because my whole attitude screams "screw you" :)

Gripes and growls and banks

Photowalking pictures will be posted later. I don't feel like messing with them right now. I got a letter from my bank yesterday and I'm ticked. My bank is being combined with another (terrible) bank in town. Because the other bank has a bunch of branches, my bank had to get rid of 5 branches as part of the merger. I assumed they would just be closing those branches because we would be gaining so many from the other bank.

Turns out, they are selling those branches (actually already have sold) to another bank. Mostly, I ignored the stuff about it because I don't bank at any of the branches that will be affected. Then I got this letter last night (although I just read it this morning) saying that despite the fact that I have never even been to most of the branches (I think I've been to one once or twice) because they are scattered all over town, my account is housed at one of the branches being sold off. As a result, my account was sold with the building!!! I'm so completely angry about this. I use the bank I use because there is a branch 3 blocks from my house. It is easy and close by and I can walk there is I want to.

I have some other accounts at another bank that is nearby and if I could get logged in and see if they have online bill pay, I'd switch all my stuff there today. As it is, I will be finding a new bank. I did not consent to having my account sold to a new bank. I was willing to wait and see on the merger because I knew about it. This came totally out of the blue. And really, it isn't that they switched my bank without telling me. It is the fact that there are no good branches of this new bank. I'm not driving all over town for a bank when I had one I was perfectly happy with within sight of my house.

First, I'm calling my bank and throwing a fit. I'm going to be very sure to let them know that I'm leaving because of this. They should house the accounts in the main branch or the branch most often used. They shouldn't be able to just sell off accounts without telling people that it is happening. Finally, because they are FORCING me to change banks, they will be paying to get me all new checks and cards and everything else. I just have find a bank with online bill pay that has more than one location.

Apology to ES and my fun at Payless

I snarked about ES and their prize in the ADSR. Then I found out that they are having some SERIOUS issues. So my coupon issue is minor and I feel like a tool for griping about it.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Payless to buy some new tennis shoes for the kids. While I was there, I noticed a sign saying that the toddler sized Airwalk Croc knockoffs (dh called them Krocs LOL) were being recalled because the strap tab could pop off and pose a choking hazard. Both kids have a pair that were in the size range (although entirely too small for both of them now) and purchased during the time that the recalled shoes were sold. I finally got around to taking the shoes in tonight to get them replaced.

They determined they were recalled and told us to go pick new ones. C picked a Shrek pair and it was fine. Lizzie was the problem. There were NO Krocs in her size, AT ALL. There was only two pairs in a size that was bigger (not even the next size up they were 2 sizes bigger) and they were black racecars. Lizzie proclaimed them "blech" LOL I asked the girl if we could get a different pair of shoes since there was nothing for little girls and she said that was fine. Lizzie picked a pair of sparkly pink princess shoes (which I proclaimed "blech", but that matters not LOL) and we took everything to register to do the exchange. Lizzie ran and hid because she thought we were going to make her take her new shoes off! They had to call somewhere and get an authorization code and whatever so mom took the kids to the car, because they were getting antsy. They get the code, punch it in, scan the new shoes and tell me "your total is $17.89" WHAT! I think not. I brought in RECALLED shoes to EXCHANGE. I did not come in to buy new shoes because I just did that a few weeks ago.

I ask for an explanation and they tell me that C's shoes were only $5 and that because we picked non-Krocs for Liz that it couldn't be an even exchange. First of all, C's shoes were 14.99 when I bought them, not 5. Second, you people told me that I could get different shoes because you didn't have the ones I needed. They decide that they would give me the full credit C's shoes but still wanted to charge me for Lizie's. I said forget it, I'll go get the shoes and then I just want my money back. My plan had been to bring Lizzie in the store, sit her on the counter and tell them "you tell this baby that she can't have her princess shoes and you get them off her feet" and then let her scream the store down in a Lizzie fit. Lizzie's fits are enough to stress someone used to dealing with her. I figured they would relent, just to get her out of the store.

Instead, my mom went in and had at them. They told her they couldn't do anything but the manager would be in tomorrow. Mom says "well I'm here now, not tomorrow". They tell her that she can go over to the mall store and talk to the manager at that store. Uh, also not an option. Two kids, who are cranky and tired and ready for bed? So not dragging them all over town. The girls end up giving her the number for the other store and she talks to the manager. After explaining that whatever they sold the shoes for, they are now selling them for $19.99, so that is the amount that we should get for exchange since we can't buy them for the original price and also the princess shoes were only $17.99 so $2 cheaper, the manager agreed with her and they did an even exchange.

Lizzie is so excited about her shoes, she wanted to sleep in them. Boy did she kick up a fight when I took them off. I had to put them next to her bed and promise her she could put them on her feet the second she got up in the morning.

Also, I'm hungry. I didn't eat dinner because I had a frozen coffee thing that filled me up. I may go dig out a cheese stick or something and then go to bed

Not happy with Elemental Scraps

I played the ADSR season 2. It was fun but I don't know if I will do it again. I need a partner that works closer to how I work so who knows. I didn't win :( but with 180 some teams, I really didn't expect to. A lot of the prizes were coupons to stores, instead of just kits. That is fine, but since I don't go to the stores very often, I didn't have any idea what I wanted at any of the stores. I needed to find some time to sit down and really look at the stores to decide what I wanted. Well, I finally got around to that yesterday. I went through all the emails, one by one and went to the sites and really looked for kits. I spend close to two hours shopping for digi kits. Fish scraps and Oscraps were great. I found what I wanted, put in the code and went on my merry way. Then I spent a long time at Elemental Scraps looking for what I wanted. I put in the code and get an error that the coupon was expired. What? I haven't had it 3 weeks. I emailed the race host who told me to email the site directly. I did that and was told "sorry that expired Sept 1st" I emailed her back and told her that perhaps they should have made that more clear from the get go. There was no experation date listed in the email from the race host. I'm mad that I wasted my time looking for things I can't have and I made a point to tell her that I wouldn't be back to her site. I haven't heard back, but I'm sure she doesn't care. It is like I buy anyway, but that is so not the point.

In happy news, I got Glenda's "Sibby goes to K" kit for playing the DSD tailgate. It is freaking awesome! Bright bold colors, lots of back to school items, etc. It rocks :)

Thanks to Hummie and Glenda for doing this :)

mothers

I'm really upset with my mother right now. We share a duplex with my parents so they are always around. Typically, this is a great thing, lending another adult or 2 when needed. However, recently, everything I do is wrong. When C broke his elbow, I didn't race him to the doctor so obviously, I didn't care that he hurt himself (a note, there was little or no swelling and he was using it just fine most of the day).

Yesterday, he asked to play a video game and I told him not right now (I didn't say no, I just simply wasn't ready for him to play because there was stuff I needed to get done). Instead of taking that answer, he came in the house, turned on the computer and proceeded to set up a game. While I appreciate the initive, he willfully disobeyed what I told him (a recurring problem of his) and when I told him to end the game got an attitude problem with me telling me "you let me play this game or else (also a recurring problem). I took away video games for a week because of it. Then tonight, he went up and asked to play at her house. I reminded him he was on restriction and that meant her house as well. Well obviously, that makes me a mean and horrible mother. How dare I set restrictions and expect my child to follow them!

And now, he has picked all the foam padding off on his cast. It has started to rub on his wrist because of it. He was doing it this morning and I told him repeatedly to cut it out, or it would make his wrist sore. Did he listen? No, because mom must be stupid. He told me at 2 minutes till 5 that he had picked it all off so it was too late to go back to the doctor to have something else done (I tried to call, but they had switched over to the answering service already). To protect his wrist, I ended up wrapping it (and the rest of his arm, because otherwise it would have been huge) in an Ace bandage until I can call the doctor in the AM. They open at 8:30 and I intend to call as soon as they open and see what we can do about getting a new splint or something. I said to my mom, "I'm cooking dinner right now, I'll deal with it when I'm done. Leave it until I can deal with it so that it gets back on correctly" She proceeded to start scrounging around looking for the Ace bandage. I told her again to leave it alone until I could handle it. A few minutes later, C walks in the kitchen, completely unbandaged! I yelled at her and told her that she needed to butt out. That splint is only supposed to come off for baths so she asks him if he wants to get in the bath while I finished dinner. Not the point!! Bath means off, wash, dry on. Not 20 minutes of playing and splashing in the tub. Then about 10:30 she comes down and starts griping at me about it again. It is a horrible thing that I wrapped his arm in the Ace bandage. Then she starts yelling at me telling me that I should just have put a sweat band on it or something. Does she have one? No. Neither do I. did she plan to go to the store to find one? No. Neither did I. Had she given me 5 minutes to do soemthing about it on my own, I probably would have come up with something better but instead she did exactly what I told her not to and I had to come up with something RIGHT NOW to make it work.

I'm so tired of this crap. If the kids hadn't been sleeping, I would have told her to mind her own business but I was afraid it would have started a fight and I didn't want to wake them up. As it is, I intend to call her tomorrow and tell her to butt out. If all she has is negative things to say, I don't need her help. I'm honestly about ready to lock the door and cut ourselves off from them completely.

Oscar the Grouch

Or possibly grumpy from either the 7 Dwarfs or the Carebears is me tonight. I made a pissy comment about allergies on my playgroup list and got a bunch of flack over it. I've felt less and less like I belong in this group recently and I think this was the final straw. I don't regret what I said, I just regret that it was the tipping point and will likely cause me to leave the group. It is a great local resource, full of what I used to think were like minded moms. There are still plenty of people that I like and get along with, I just don't feel like my practices are in line with the group ideals any longer. It is for "natural families" and I don't do any of that stuff anymore. Lizzie didn't nurse past 6 months, I gave up on cloth diapers, I don't buy organic, I'm not veggie (and have no interest in being), I don't homeschool, I vax to some degree, C is circed etc, etc, etc. I've always been kind of the odd mad out. Another mom and I are about the soggiest of the bunch, but since she WOH and has 4 kids she is crazy busy and we never get to hang out. We have a playgroup tomorrow but it is going to be too hot so I doubt I will go. The group has a website and I might monitor that once in awhile to see what is happening.

Now, I'm left finding people to hang out with again. I've searched yahoo groups and came up with squat. I tried goggling as well and came up with meetup.com which charges $2 a month or moms and more that charges like $45 a year. I don't really want to pay to go to a playgroup but I need friends. I'm hoping that once C starts school, I'll meet some other parents and then it won't matter. If not, I might just have to suck it up and pay for one of the other groups.

Apparently, I'm a bad person. What - the hell - ever. I don't need that crap.

Anyway, next post should be less gripy and more fun because it will have pictures of my cool new centers that are set up and ready to use! I'm going to do a "math" center as well, if I can figure out where to put it. I'm going to put sorting bears, unifix cubes and file folder games in it. It will be fun :)