Reality Me

Category: Family

Happenings in a 5 child, 2 adult household.

  • Bearden Middle School Bomb Threat – Update

    Since the school was given the all clear, normal classes began at 11am. Any student checked out received an unexcused absence. Words exchanged amongst parents in the office were:

    "the school declared this a drill and a normal day,"
    "originally they were claiming it would be an excused absence,"
    "all parents should call downtown to the administrative offices and complain to get this switched to an excused absence."

    Overheard of the students:

    "half my team is gone,"
    "we aren’t going to do anything but sit around,"
    "half the school checked out at the church."

    I reiterate: All parents of Bearden Middle School (BMS) students should call downtown, not the school, to protest this day as an unexcused absence. All checkouts should be excused.
    Central office information: 865-594-1900
    Middle School Coordinator 865-594-1619

  • Bearden Middle School Bomb Threat – Update

    Bomb threat was a false alarm. Parents can now go pick their children up at the Church the school.

  • Bearden Middle School Bomb Threat – Update

    The students have been moved to Middlebrook Pike United Methodist Church. (Google Maps marks this wrong. The church is at the intersection of Vanosdale and Middlebrook. My earlier post misquoted the students as being moved across Vanosdale when they were really moved across Francis.

  • Bearden Middle School Bomb Threat

    Bearden Middle School (BMS) evacuated students to the other side of VanosdaleFrancis due to a bomb threat.

    This information is unconfirmed.

  • MEeeeOUCH

    So, I’m noticing my newly cleaned desk has picked up bloodstains. A variety of interesting thoughts pass through my mind but after eliminating myself as the bleeder I quickly summize the cat is bleeding. A cross look to the dog; a grab of the cat and the evaluation begins. One of her front claws has poked into her pad. A large vet bill isn’t in the budget! My ARC training swirls through my head but my survival instinct says that if I try to take care of this myself that my arms will be shredded. What to do?!

  • Ugh. Man, the great hunter-gatherer; poor communicator.

    Woman sends man on errand while woman stay in cave sweeping and complaining that "no matter how much she scrubs walls, they still look like dirt!" Man to take boy child to warrior training class. After warrior training class Man think it good idea to do hunter-gatherer job and maybe Woman not complain about the unfinished additional to cave for one night.

    After warrior training class Man take boy child to market with wise idea to let boy child show Man all foods boy child likes. Boy child only like Brontosaurus burgers, Pterodactyl nuggets, and Wooly Mammoth steaks. Boy child carnivore! Frustrated Man send message to Woman, "boy child not even like sea food" to which Woman reply, "get boy child anything and bring me fish food."

    Man turn on great hunter-gatherer skills and look deeply at fish food realising this not best market for fish food. Woman and Man ate recently so must be something light. Soups! Man choose gumbo and wisely decides to give Woman choice so also gets crab soup. Boy child gets Pterodactyl nuggets. Upon returning to cave, Woman look at Man funny and say, "Where’s my Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food?" Man sleep in unfinished part of cave.

    Nice reference: Extinct Animal

  • From the mouths of babes

    Amy, 3 years: "Dad, I think my tongue is still broken because I bite it last night."

  • Improvised Edible Plate

    Here’s my parent hack for today. My 9 month old takes great pleasure in tossing or dumping a plate or bowl placed in front of him. So in his high chair, he eats right off the tray. Today I treated him to scrambled eggs (which he always devours) but today my eggs were sticking to the tray and frustrating the little fingers. I started to give in and place his plate in front of him anticipating the dogs would finish off the eggs. Instead I layered Cheerios on his tray and put the eggs on top of the Cheerios. He was able to easily grab the eggs and had a nice side dish with them.

  • Drink it up Evan!

    I gave Evan 30mL of water mixed with 30mL of apple juice and this morning he figured out that if he tilts the bottle he gets the drink. Until today he has just chewed the nipple unless I was holding it for him. Go Evan!

  • Daddy, snap it up!

    If there is one thing that I do really bad, it’s getting those snaps together on baby clothes. There should be something better! And when Evan starts kicking, we both start agonizing.

  • We Storm IHOP Again

    Eating at International House of Pancakes

    I’m thinking IHOP needs its own category!

    On Friday night the whole crew, minus Tommy who chose to stay home and play video games, went out to eat. We replaced Tommy with one of Sarah‘s friends. Lakesha (pictured), who knows us by name, came by for a visit. She always tries to get Evan to interact and sometimes he gives smiles while other times he cries. Tonight he giggled.

    I love this photo because you can see the love pouring from Sarah and Noah into their brother. Not pictured was the jealous Amy. Looking at this picture makes it is easy to understand why Amy is acting out. Amy, once the center of the universe, has been dethroned. Making sure each child gets a balanced amount of attention is always a challenge in a big family. I really like to see that each week each child gets one on one time with at least one parent. That time might be a game of chess, reading a book together, or several hours belaying at the climbing gym.

    Naturally we demolished IHOP and as we exited, the HAZMAT team entered. I think they are on contract now.

    Remember, FREE Pancake Day is coming February 28.

  • From the mouths of babes

    Last night Sarah (12 years), with sleep over friend, discovers Cathy’s egg photo (probably not worksafe) [tamer picture (worksafe)].
    Sarah, embarassed: "That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen!"

  • Because milk helps them grow…

    And ice cream has milk…
    At 8mths, Evan knows what he likes

  • I thought I juggled well!

    Now that’s a wife!
    You should see her carry five!

  • Infant Milestones

    Evan, 8 months, slept through the night last night! Now if we can get him out of the swing and into a crib…