Ladies and germs . . .

The kids are bringing all kinds of things home from school. Homework, art, fundraiser kits, telephone numbers of their new little friends, and germs. We have enjoyed a particularly yucky cold virus this week.

So . . .

Sniffle. Sneeze. Cough. Cough. I'm taking this week off!

Wednesdays are tough.

We have used silly nick names in our blog not just to be funny. I was advised to not use our whole names or to refer to our city, the names of schools, teams, etc. for safety and privacy. I feel especially silly about the names, so sorry about those. I am disabling open viewing of comments at this time. Please make comments! We will be able to read them, just others won't, for now.



Our Schedule

Disclaimer: by no means am I complaining about our schedule ! We make choices!
Please try to get through the boring, first paragraph as it will lead to a little bit of funny stuff further down.

School has continued to go well for the Freund kids. They are learning, having fun and we are finding our schedule groove. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Baby is buckled up in the van as we watch #1 and Rock Star get on the bus. Then, we drive straight to preschool. Tuesday, Baby and I are home all day. Thursday, same routine as MWF except it's dance class, for Baby, instead of preschool. When I have kid free mornings I have time to do a quick grocery shop, or shower and load of laundry. I hope to use that time someday for parts of bigger projects, like painting the bathrooms. Jobs that are easiest done without little helpers! When I pick Baby up from preschool we have just enough time to get home to see Rock Star get off the bus. Then it's lunch. Sometimes we pack a picnic lunch and go to a park. After lunch clean up, it's time to do homework with Rock Star. Yes, kindergartners have homework! Usually it is to practice writing and identifying letters or basic math concepts. For example, one day we had to count how many steps it took to get from our door to the bus stop. First with normal steps, then tiny steps, then giant steps. (of course Baby wants to participate and compare- and include the dog. "How about the cats now?" she asks.) Next, time to think about dinner and more laundry. When #1 gets off the bus it's snack time. #1 does her math and spelling before she can have "Choice Time" which can be a TV show and/or playing outside. Then surprise, surprise it's mealtime again. After dinner, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we are off to #1's soccer practice. Dad is one of her coaches. It's fun for everyone. Soccer practice is at the school. We all climb into the van for one of those noisy rides. Baby and Rock Star play at the playground while I divide my attention between watching them, the practice, and if I get lucky, talking with a grown-up for a while! Later in the fall, #1's soccer will be replaced by hockey and Rock Star is thrown into the mix with practice and game times of his own. I have joked that I believe in polygamy if it means another grown up to talk to and help with the driving and laundry.

Wednesdays are tough.

If you are reading this you know me well enough to know that on one end of the continuum of organization and coordination there are the air traffic controllers, my good friends, my husband, and on the other end, there is me. (I am drawn to clever, organized people, you know why!) Anyhow, Wednesday is garbage and recycling pick up. The addition of this alone can push me over the edge of despair into hysteria and our whole team into the throws of a ragging cyclone. Guess who's the cyclone?! It's a small thing but, I have turned it into a scene from a natural disaster movie from the 1970's. Imagine "Towering Inferno" or "Earthquake". You know, running, screaming, crying, bad hair, ill fitting clothes, melodrama. Kids need to get dressed, have breakfast, brush hair, brush teeth, pack a snack, check backpacks for necessities, homework, etc. , Dad needs black socks. Who's turn is it to feed the dog? Everyone needs to get out to the pick up, the van and bus stop. But we must get the garbage/recycling to the curb! So, somewhere in there I'm freaking out and taking it out on everyone. I never remember the garbage! I never remember how stressful I make garbage day until it happens again. Most people would think "I'm not going through that again" and plan ahead, take care of it the night before or get up earlier. Maybe next week will be different. Probably not.

This past Wednesday was extra fun. No one was crying and everyone got to school and work on time. We'd missed something though. I had forgotten that #1, who needed coins for a math project, was 3 quarters short. Dad had some quarters in his pick up but we'd forgotten to get them. Dad called me on my cell to say he could arrange getting those to #1 if she needed them immediately. So, Dad called me and was surprised to hear the phone answered by someone other than me. Here's the conversation,

Someone who is not me: Hello?

Dad: Hello. Who is this?

Someone who is not me: Rock Star.


In the background Dad can hear the kindergarten teacher saying something about what they should do with their snacks. Dad figures out that the boy has my cell phone at school and tells him to put it away. They hang up. Dad tries to reach me unsuccessfully on the land line. In the mean time he worries that that phone will be ringing at kindergarten all day. Maybe friends calling Mom! Oh , no. Dad calls the cell back. Dad had told Rock Star to put the phone away and leave it, but of course the boy answers.

Rock Star: Hello?

Dad: Can I talk to your teacher?

Rock Star: Okay.

Dad apologizes to Mrs. B for the phone calls and asks her to turn it off.

What kind of people provide a kindergartner with a cell phone? Not us! What's even funnier is that the phone is pink and when it rings, it rings loud and to the tune of "The Imperial March" from STARWARS. You know, the dark music each time Darth Vader is on screen?! Dand, dant dant-dant, da, da!

I had used Rock Star's back pack for our picnic lunch the day before and had slipped my cell phone into the outside pocket for safe keeping . . .

The Tooth Fairy

On Wednesday, #1 lost a tooth waiting at the school bus stop to return home. She was very excited and shared with each of us the gory details of how wiggly it was and how she had to "twist and twist". EEEW! It is especially fun to lose a tooth in the company of your peers. Her bus friends congratulated her and took turns carefully inspecting the tiny tooth. After our bedtime routine it was placed under her pillow.

The nights of Tooth Fairy visits can be challenging. It is typically hard for the child who's lost the tooth to settle down. All the excitement and anticipation of the visit! At our house it's also Baby who sometimes has trouble, and she hasn't lost a single tooth yet.

When #1 lost her first tooth it was an education into the customs and traditions of this fun, growing up stuff for Rock Star and Baby. But Baby was young, and misunderstood what was to happen. The first time we put a tooth under a pillow in our family, Baby was hysterical. She thought the Tooth Fairy would be coming for a tooth from her, too. None of them were even loose and that would hurt! Baby understands now but still is uneasy on the nights the Tooth Fairy visits.

Off to school!

Well, so far, so good.

Number #1

Our first born, who is shy and sensitive but also smart and intuitive, has made a nice transition to her new school. Her teacher seems great. Her third grade teacher has been teaching for more than two decades and has awesomely, honed powers of order, structure and routine. This is ideal as my girl thrives in this sort of environment and gets none of it at home. She is an amazing reader and retains everything. She is witty and clever and makes the kind of jokes that are so smart that I don't always get them right away. Who would be expecting this from an eight year old! She loves animals, her music, and sports. #1 is very hard working! She is excited about school and making new friends. Her third grade classroom is cool and full of great stuff. Wait, it's "cool" and welcoming, but it's HOT. There is something wrong with the air conditioning and there are more than 30 active, little bodies in that tiny, crowded room.


We have had no school related crisis with #1. All is good, despite my fears and my innate ability to almost always say the wrong thing or to just plain say something those moments that I shouldn't say anything at all (you will see a lot of run on sentences and other grammatical errors on this blog). She was nervous and excited the first day as she waited for the bus but did not miss any sleep the night previous. She left for school with a smile and returned home with a smile. Wearing a smile and clothes she chose herself, not forced upon her by a loving, but critical, controlling mom. I am very proud of her. I underestimated her and boy did she put me in my place.


Our Middle Child, the Rock Star


Day one of Kindergarten for our boy was easy. He casually waited for the bus with #1, who had already been to school for two days and was casual herself. When the bus arrived he grabbed her hand, crossed the street, climbed on the bus and rode off into the unknown, joyfully. With him almost everything is joyful. All things start and end with giggles and little hops, skips and arm swings of happiness. I'm not sure if he always understands what's going on around him but whatever it is, he's okay with it. Before you are too charmed by this description note that he is a six year old boy who loves bodily emissions humor, weapons (although we don't allow them, with the exception of swords and light sabres), gore-y action and sci-fi.


When our middle child got off the bus, Baby and I were waiting. He hit the ground running (which is one nickname we have for him!) and was followed by shouting and the sound of little hands banging on the windows. We watched the bus drive off with boys and girls, their noses pressed against the windows, waving and shouting, "Bye, (his name)". Was this happening at each bus stop? We'll never know, but I will refer to him in our blog as Rock Star.

Baby is the Boss


Our baby has been ready for school always. She couldn't stand it that the others started before she did and that they got to ride a bus. I checked her in at her preschool classroom and kissed her goodbye. She grabbed her name tag from her teacher with authority and never looked back. For her, school provides a whole new audience for her jokes, stories, songs and dances. And 20 new people, 22 if you count the teachers, to tell what to do and how.


This one loves to perform and be the center of attention almost as much as mom and maternal grandpa. A van ride with our whole team can be crazy, all of us talking, except for Dad. We try to take turns, directed by Dad. He is best at that since I'm one of "them" that wants to be heard. Inevitably, Baby interrupts with screams and shouts of, "That's enough!" and "My turn!". Her life is an operetta. To compare it with a musical is too tame, she has more darkness and drama than that. She walks around singing her conversations and sings descriptions of objects and her feelings. On the spot she can create a song to honor you, if you are on her good side, or a song to let you know how you have betrayed her. She is so loud and intense that it's always been easiest to just give her what she wants. Her own siblings cater to her a lot of the time!

Birth order psych has our kids pegged.

our first day blogging!

Hello from the Freunds!

We look forward to keeping our friends and family around the state, the country, and the world up to date with our adventures!

We may be among the rare, few who sincerely enjoy receiving those traditional holiday letters in which everyone brags up their darling children and their family's joys and successes. This blog will be something along those lines with the hope of also doing something a little different . . . we will also let you in on our calamities, disasters and disgraces.

Something new will be posted each Friday. We will be checking comments regularly but if you need to reach us immediately use our email or give us a call.