My Identity

After renewing my membership at Sam's Club today and getting a new card, it occurred to me that my children have become a part of my identity.  Literally, my picture on my Sam's card is a picture of me, but fairly overtaken by two smaller faces.  As I checked out, the cashier looked at the card, then at me and the kids, comparing the picture with the person carrying it and correctly concluded it was me.  Likely wouldn't recognize me without my kids.

I get my driver's license redone next year.  I wonder if it will look the same?  If I try to buy beer, will they let me check out of the grocery store if I didn't bring my kids?  I can see it now:  "I'm sorry Ma'am, but this ID doesn't match.  The person who is old enough to purchase beer according to this ID has five heads, you only have one.  We can't let you complete this transaction until you can prove your identity and your age..."  Of course, this would only happen at some place like WinCo or Walmart, where the cashier would compare my signature on my driver's license to the one on my credit card, then conclude I'm not me because the signature doesn't match up just right. 

Defeated and embarrassed, I would head back to my car and find my husband towing four children on into the store for a potty-run because the beer-run was taking too long.  After bird-dogging three girls in the bathroom, I would lead them to an empty shopping cart and make my way back to the refrigerator section.  At this point, I would no longer be interested in the beer I had to leave at the register because it is too warm.

I head back to the cashier with my cold beer and Mike offers to take the kids back to the car to wait while I check out.  Xander is fussy, Penny is twirling like a ballerina endangering every glass object around her, Seren is stripping shelves of Cheetos, Doritos and other desired items, and Evy is inquiring about the chances of checking out with the never-ending list of things she cannot live without.  Me: "No, honey, it's less hassle this way..."

The cashier scans the beer, then looks at me and my circus, and says in jest, "This is well deserved beer and you're gonna need it tonight!"  Me: "Don't you want to check my ID?  I have all five heads this time..."  Cashier: "No, Hon, you look old enough I don't need to card you." 

*Sigh*

Ballerina Party

I apologize for the lack of updates in recent days.  The kids have been doing interesting things, but not necessarily blog worthy.  Although, I did take my oldest daughter, Evy, on a shopping trip yesterday (shopping for a ballerina party).  We were riding around in my 20 year old Volvo.  She's used to riding around in our 6 year old minivan, which is new enough to have a remote key lock.  At one point she asked me how I unlock my car!  Er, um, the old fashioned way, by sticking my key into the door and turning :) 

Then, this week, we found our back scratcher.  Seren was quite delighted about that and started reaching down the back of her shirt, scratching her back high and low.  I warned her to be careful about how low she goes because she doesn't want to give herself a wedgie.  She said:  "Don't worry, mom...I'm not digging that deep."

At any rate, here's some pictures of the party.  I threw in a few of Xander dressed for the party, although he didn't go.

Xander gets a new sippee

This video was fantastic!

This Well-Drilling Disaster is Straight Out of "The Three Stooges" - Cheezburger

Sorry about the lack of posts recently.  Believe it or not, I haven't had much going on that's post-worthy.  Although, I brag about my oldest child, Evy, whom I don't mention enough on here.  Usually, she isn't doing much in the way of entertainment, but she's insightful and a very deep thinker.  Well, to brag, she got invited to participate in the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program next year.  The kid has to to meet minimum scoring and IQ requirements to be able to participate.  I believe that she will be in a classroom full of kids like her next year, doing work that challenges her, not stuck teaching other students how to do work that challenges them.

At any rate, enjoy the clip above.  The ending beats all :)

Today's Serenism is brought to you by: DeLorean.

Seren and Penny were playing with a box that was leftover from an ice cream variety pack and were pretending it was a time machine. Seren popped in Penny's doll and her doll, closed the lid, lifted the box and made "whirring" sounds as the box traveled through time.

As I was pouring my coffee, I heard the "whirring" stop, the time machine doors open, and Seren's doll exclaim, "It's the 1960s...UGH! Let's keep going!" The "whirring" began again...

Park renegade

Well, as part of my stay-cation, we took the kids to the park. There at the park was a young renegade of a child who was riding a scooter over bridges up high on the play area. Later on I heard a crash right next to me. I turned to see a pile of child and scooter at the bottom of a slide. it looked as if this renegade had ventured on down the slide while riding the scooter. The renegade got up and ventured on without remorse. This same renegade was found bringing sand up to the upper level of the play area, only to dump and kick it onto the unsuspecting adventurers below. As the renegade chastised the adventurers for leaving, Mike reminded Penny, the renegade, that this was not acceptable park behavior. ;)

Today's Serenism was a sweet Serenism...

This was a picture she drew of me today.  It isn't much to look at, as she is 5, but it spoke volumes to me this morning when she presented it. 

On the surface, it looks like a scribbled stick figure wearing a dress, which was drawn with all of the wrong colors.  But, what I don't see in the picture is my padding (believe me, I have plenty of it!) or my glasses.  What I do see is a woman with a desirable figure, who is stylish, and well put together.  That is not how I see myself, but apparently, that is how she sees me.  How sweet.  It is a rare gift to be able to have the chance to look at one's self and see the person that their children see, which is often who their children aspire to be.  Well, Seren, I aspire to be that woman you admire as well.  It warms my heart to know that, at least in your eyes, I have succeeded!