Monday, January 30, 2017

What Happens When the Energizer Bunny Runs Down?

They never mention it in the damn commercials, but, I'm relatively certain it ends up on the couch with a mug of hot Throat Comfort tea, a box of Kleenex, and a warm blanket (that it can toss on and off as the "I'm freezing!", no, "I'm hot!" will arises).

Yeah, guess where I am right now?

Ugg.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Last Basketball Team Breakfast, By the Numbers

- 36 sausage patties

- 3 dozen eggs

- 45 buttermilk biscuits

- 1 gallon of gravy

- 3 bags of breakfast potatoes

- 3 dozen mini muffins

- 2 dozen mini cinnamon rolls

- 1 large fruit salad

- 3 gallons of orange juice

- 1 gallon of apple juice

- 24 basketball players

- 1 coach

- 2 basketball moms

Cooking commenced at 8:00, the first kiddo hit the door at 9:45, and every crumb that was going to be consumed was gone by 10:30, after which the boys relaxed on the couch or played basketball in the driveway before heading to the school to catch the 12:45 bus to Pixler, where the day's games were being held.

In addition to breakfast, we stuffed 24 snack bags for when the boys got hungry again later in the day, because, no matter how much you feed a teenaged boy, he will be hungry again in an hour.

True story.











Saturday, January 28, 2017

I'm Going to Miss This

I'll write more about this tomorrow, but, suffice it to say...team breakfast was a success.


And, now I am off to the games to see how far the boys get on biscuits and gravy. Carbs for the win? Let's hope.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Preparing for the Onslaught

I'm hosting the basketball team breakfast tomorrow morning, which means that I have some shopping to do today. I gave the Man-Cub a couple of choices for menu items and asked him to poll the boys, which resulted in a menu that will include biscuits and gravy, sausage, breakfast potatoes, and cheesy scrambled eggs. I'm also going to set out a selection of mini muffins and mini cinnamon rolls as well as a fruit salad, because, you know, healthy.

I am expecting three parents to help out, one of whom was my right-hand man at last year's waffle bar team breakfast, and two underclassman parents who have never witnessed a team meal, and, who will need to know what it entails if they are to carry on the tradition.

I can't believe this will be my last basketball team breakfast; the Cub's senior year is going entirely too quickly.

Last night, I attended an informational meeting at the school; we were learning about the new common scholarship application that the district is rolling out. After that meeting, I stayed for the senior graduation party planning committee meeting (say that fast ten times), where I was tasked with taking minutes, because, secretary (how do I get myself into this shit?).

Other than taking minutes, my contribution to the group is as a member of the decorating/refreshment sub-committee, which, I am actually enjoying (so far). BCPE and three other Booster Moms are also part of the committee and we work well together, so, I envision good things to come. So far, we have toured the venue (gorgeous private golf club) and determined that we will decorate with a rustic theme. We have also determined that we will set up several food stations, each featuring a different type of food, such as taco bar, hamburger bar, pasta bar, etc. We are also going to do a smores bar, because, chocolate.

The committee charged with planning the activities for the party presented a video that they will be showing the seniors next week, in order to inform them about the party and to get them excited about attending; I have to say, it was a kick-ass video, which, didn't surprise me because the woman who put it together is an absolute rock-star (she was my helper-mom at my football team dinner). The video got the committee excited about the party as well, despite all the work we know is to come.

I have to say, this experience is far superior to the shit-show that was Queen B's senior party planning committee and total credit goes to the core group of parents who have been working together to support these kids since Kindergarten; they are people I can relate to and that I enjoy, and, I anticipate this senior party being every bit as successful as the 8th Grade continuation party that we all planned four years ago.

Gulp. Four years.

Do I need to mention that this is the last time that I will plan a senior party? No? I didn't think so.

Anyway, time to hit the Hellmouth for groceries, paper plates, plastic utensils, and Kleenex (for the tears, this is my last team breakfast, remember?).

Peace out.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Could This Month Just Be Over Already?

Longest. Month. In. History.

I know I say that about February every winter, but, this year, the Winter Blahs came early and are apparently going to linger. And, linger, and linger.

Gah.

So far this month:

- I have been delayed on my trip to work by accidents three times. Lesson learned: Some people should just not leave their homes in inclement weather.

- I have written an extremely technical grant and submitted it through the state bid process. People? I am not a grant writer. Lesson learned: People who actually get paid to write grants are apparently actually just employed to occasionally check in on the peons doing the actual work before taking credit for the finished product.

- I have spent the first of two days with an evaluator from the State (today is Day Two). Lesson learned: I actually totally rock my job. This will, however, not result in like, a raise, or anything.

- I met with a new doctor, who, surprisingly, listened to my complaints without patting me on the head like I am simple. I am on a new dosage of my thyroid medication and have another appointment scheduled for eight weeks from now, when she will re-test my levels to see if we are making headway. Lesson learned: For me, female doctors only from here on out.

- I have woken up at 3:13 every day for the past 25 days. And, I mean 3:13 A.M., as in, before dawn. Lesson learned: Lack of sleep makes Chelle a very unhappy individual.

And, now I am late for work, which, I should note, has happened several times this month, and, while my tardiness is due to procrastination, I plan to blame it on the light skiff of snow on the road, because, every one of those three delays earlier this month were the result of sitting in traffic behind accidents caused by idiots driving on a light skiff of snow.

I hate winter.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

The Family That Basketball Built

The boys lost their game yesterday, a game that was played on the road, in a community not well known for their spectacular sportsmanship or good manners, and, located in an area that requires a treacherous drive in bad weather. Yesterday, we had terrible weather and saw equally terrible sportsmanship. Good thing we weren't expecting anything different.

The boys played well, they maintained their composure and we left the gym with our heads held high, every bit as classy as we expected. Then, we went to a local pizza parlor, where, we polished off several pizzas, a number of calzones, twelve salads, and a couple of dishes of pasta. It may sound like we were pigging out, but, in our defense, there were a lot of us.

This is what basketball has created: a family that travels together, cheers together, laughs together, eats together, and that vows to haul each other's asses out of any snow banks that we may accidentally crash into on the way home. Thankfully, that last part didn't apply last night, but, had it not been for my basketball family, I wouldn't know that I am in need of a new bulb in my brake light.

Family for the win!





Saturday, January 21, 2017

Playing With My Pic Monkey

I haven't written much here lately and I have about a million excuses for that, the best one being the old standard "I've been busy!". "Busy" covers a multitude of sins, y'all.

Eventually, I'll get back into the writing groove (she said, with utter good intentions). For now, however, I am getting a giggle out of editing some pictures that I took of the boys after practice the other day. Coach asked BCPE and me to come up with something different and unique for the boys' Facebook page, and, we accepted the challenge.

I'm guessing he won't be disappointed.

Before...



During....



After...



Total credit for the idea goes to BCPE and her mad Pinterest addiction. Additional credit goes to the boys for being such good sports, and, a special shout-out goes to the father of one of the boys, who managed to provide both the hardhats and the sign.

Have I mentioned how much I am going to miss these opportunities when they are gone? Not today, you say?

Consider it mentioned.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Elusive No Longer

Last night, the boys won their game in a nail-biter that had us on the edge of our seats. And, by "us", I mean the fans, the boys, it should be noted, were calm and focused and determined. It. Was. Awesome.

They can now say that the losing streak is officially over; they have tasted victory both at home and on the road, and, they did it with class, just like they handled their losses.

So proud of these boys.
















Tuesday, January 17, 2017

I Feel a Rant Coming On

The Boosters met at the school last night to decorate athlete lockers. We had invited the parents of all the winter athletes to decorate for their kids, and, we had a few takers. Not nearly as many as we would have liked, but, that seems to go hand in hand with some of our other frustrations around our fellow parents and their interest in volunteering for the Booster cause.

I get it; people are busy. I know this, because, we hear it from people every time we ask for help with a project or fundraiser. I also know that, between us, BCPE and I have three jobs, five kids-each of whom play at least two sports, two households, four other organizations for which we volunteer our time, and a serious need for some personal downtime every once in a while. I understand busy.

What I don't understand are parents who can't make at least a little time to help with events that they partake in, benefit from, or enjoy; the up-coming sports banquet being the best example of that right now.

Anyway, enough of my bitching. As always, I am grateful for the core group of parents who make up the workforce of Boosters.
Also, the parents who did show up for their kids did a great job and I'm sure their kids will be pleased.

I know my kid will be.





Sunday, January 15, 2017

The Senior Six Pack

BCPE and another of the senior moms just left here after spending a few hours working on decorations for the boys lockers; we are scheduled to install them tomorrow evening and we wanted to get a jump start on our kids' decorations so, tomorrow, we will have more time to help the other parents as well as to put up stuff for the kids whose parents don't participate.

I'm pretty happy with the way that our stuff turned out and I'm excited for the boys to see it.

Speaking of the boys, their senior banners have been hanging in the gym since shortly before the holiday break, but, Friday night's game was really the first opportunity that I got to take pictures of them.


They also turned out great, considering the shenanigans the boys pulled while we were at the photo shoot for the images that the designer ended up using.

















Wednesday afternoon, BCPE and I have been invited by the coach to come into the locker room to take pictures of the boys. We have some neat things planned for that shoot, but I really want to pose the boys under their banners for a few as well.

In related news, whatever am I going to do next year when I don't have a kid at home to take pictures of?

Ha! Bet you thought I was over whining about "lasts". Not quite yet, I'm afraid. Bear with me!