DOH!!!

Well, I think I am officially turning into my mother.... or my grandmother or something.

This past weekend was really stressful. I had a dirty house, an absent husband and two kids that are still a bit sickly. I had a ton of laundry, a ton of dishes, dirty floors and no money.

And on top of that, I had to deal with getting things together to shove my baby out of the nest and into the cold world of Absent Parents. He needed lunch, and a lunch box and new blankets and a coat... we had never bought him a coat because we have had such a mild winter. But now of course, it is dropping into the 20's at night, so it is not like we can send him to daycare in his footie pajamas...

Do you have any freaking idea how hard it is to find a coat in February?? Everyone has out their bathing suits and tank tops and board shorts and flip flops... What is WRONG with America that we have to buy our summer stuff in January, our winter stuff in July and our Christmas stuff at Easter??? I just want a coat... when it is COLD outside. I don't want to buy a bathing suit until 12 minutes before I am supposed to be on the beach. There is always that chance that I will lose that last... well, 74 pounds. And if that happens, I don't want to be stuck with a Memaw Bertha skirted - long sleeved black bathing suit if there is a CHANCE that I don't need it.

So we went to about 8 stores, and had no luck, until I finally broke tradition and went to Sears. I hate Sears. I have boycotted Sears for about 6 years now. (Except for the photo studio.) And there, on a rack all by its self, was a boy's 18 month coat. Who cares that Colby is a 2T to a 3T?? Run over that sucker in the car a few times, toss some milk, spagettios, cereal and oatmeal on it and it will look like a well loved coat, not one that his neglectful mother just bought him, three months before summer.

Actually it fits him pretty well, so that is another problem solved.

My point is - stressful weekend. And then Elizabeth's class was having a Valentine's Breakfast for parents and grandparents this morning. So I have all this Colby worry, and now all this party worry.

I made cookies, we made valentines, and we took pictures that we had of Elizabeth with some of her best friends, had copies made, and made frames for them.

So this morning, my mom met us at 7:30, and she, Elizabeth and I carried Colby, cookies, crafts, cards and other assorted items (cars, sippy cups, cars, cereal bars) up the 87 steps to the school. It was freezing cold and windy, and we were all excited about the party. We walk into her classrooms, our arms laden with party preparations...

... and her class is just sitting quietly watching the morning announcements. For a moment I thought, "I am the only good parent in this class. The only one that is here for the party." I was smug... for about 10 seconds.

Did you all know that Valentine's Day is actually tomorrow morning??