Party All The Time

Wack's party last week was a great success, as I've already written.

Then on Thursday - Wack got his wisdom teeth out on Thursday and it (knock on wood) appears to have gone off without a hitch!  Special props to DDS Chad Collins, UW Grad and now, fellow FIJI brother of Wack!  

Today there are 3 parties to attend and my heart hurts for the party throwers with all of this dreadful rain... and cold temperatures.  But, these parties, bad weather or not - have all been great!

Last night - was another one of the group parties and the weather held.  Was a great party, supposed to go from 6-8p - and we got home after 10.  At one point one of my best girlfriends, and mom of one of the celebrated boys last night - we finally got to chat as it was winding down and I found myself getting all emotional.  We both teared up.  I remembered that this morning and The Dad said he had looked over and thought "Uh oh, fun party now."  But it was all good.

But it's hitting me now.  Not on Wednesday when he was home all day after graduation practice.  Or on Thursday when I was taking him to the oral surgeon and getting prescriptions, soft foods and changing gooey gauze pads in his mouth whilst he dribbled a Zips chocolate banana shake on his white t-shirt...  Or even on Friday when he called from home to see if he could eat something other than the soft foods and brought back that ever favorited 18 year old "tude".  Won't miss that...  most of the time.

Tomorrow he'll walk across that stage with his principals medallion and I will be so proud of his accomplishments.  He'll start his job with his older brother, Blue Eyes, out at the golf course next week and perhaps the sun will start to shine and allow me to bask in it, allowing me to temporarily displace the unpleasant thought that next year, these boys will leave my nest for the year and I'll have to figure out how to cut back on how much to cook, or even buy.  

This still just sucks.

But I'm happy that he's happy.  

I'm late to get ready for the first of 3 parties today.  I spent valuable time this morning putting game pieces on my Sizzlin Summer Albertsons game card...  I've sent The Dad off to one of todays party throwers houses with our tailgating tent and costco table - which seem to be making the rounds this weekend.  

Since he's gone, I'm going to go all "Sandra Bullock" on his ass and start looking at how to adopt a Baby Louis...

Ciao for now!

Time Keeps on Ticking...

I thought my time might free up a bit since we made it through the graduation party last weekend (without a hitch) and that I could then enjoy the rest of this time before the actual graduation weekend.  That I would be able to sit back and listen to the buzz from the other moms' about their plans for their parties this weekend.

Monday found me off kilter still with my music issue...  Tuesday, instead of coming home at lunch and writing my "supposed" daily post, I HAD to run down to Macy's and get my lotion.  And an eyeliner.  A new eye shadow.  A mascara and then another new eye shadow.  As I was walking out the door at Macy's, I realized she gave me the wrong lotion... <sigh>.  Then last night, was the Senior Awards Banquet.  Various awards were given away and then Wack (and others) was recognized as not only one of the Top 10% of graduates in Washington State, but also received his Principal's Medallion for finishing his high school career with a 3.75 or better.  

On the way home I found myself somewhat in awe of my boys.  All three of them received this medallion and after graduation on Sunday, this 3rd medallion will hang with the other two in my office.  I am so proud of all of my boys.

Tonight - finds me at bunco.  Tomorrow Wack has his wisdom teeth pulled and is the first "party" night of the weekend.  Friday morning - one of the DI kids at Sac, Joey, will "graduate" from Sac at the age of 21.  Sac is having an actual graduation just for Joey and I am honored to have been invited to attend.  And then there are parties to go to after work.  And parties all day Saturday.  

I have no time.  I thought I would have time. 

I need more time.

I DID IT!!!

After feeling a bit like Chicken Little and thinking the sky would fall if I couldn't get music on this page - and feeling like throwing in the towel...

I did it.

And on the 8th day, God... oh nevermind.

The High School Prank

It's raining, it's pouring, mom's not cooking dinner...

Goes something like that, right?

So I texted all of the fellas at the end of my work day and asked them if they wanted to meet me at Waddell's or Twigs.  Waddell's it is.  Was.  Whatever.

When I got all the way there (2 blocks from work) I waited about 3 minutes before braving the torrential downpour and when it didn't let up, made a run for it.  Blue Eyes was next, Wack... then The Dad.

Idle chit chat, orders and then more chat.  Wack mentioned that tonight is Senior Prank night.  He said a few of the thoughts, details and then about the "stern" warning about not receiving their diplomas if they went through with it.

The Dad talked about how his groups idea was to, while the staff had their last staff meeting in the library, chain all of the doors shut.  Which is funny - though, probably not the best idea.  I could see that being a fairly serious disciplinary issue.  But my class... well... Leave it to the Class of '88.

We teepee'd the courtyard.  Yes, it's been done a gazillion times - but well...  

Back in those days, PETCO was Safeway and well wow, before it was Petco, it was actually Hastings.  Man... this is making me feel O.L.D.  Well, so we went in as a mass community of 18 year olds and bought toilet paper up the yin yang.  I actually went to school from 7a to noon and worked from 1 to 9 back then (then went home and did homework) but because of my job was one of like 9 that had a checking account... with money in it.  I remember writing some astronomical amount for toilet paper.  We're talking 25 years ago - $36 dollars worth of toilet paper.  And that was just ME.  

So we did that, then we all spent the night every which where - and the following morning, prior to heading in for finals - I remember walking into Rosauers on 29th (actually still the same place it was back then) with Wear and Tina.  I watched in awe - old people stop reading now... as my buddy Wear opened up a deoderant and put some on and then replaced the cap and put it back on the shelf.  Then, Miss Tina, opened up a toothpaste, squirted some on her hand and put it in her mouth, also replacing the cap and putting it back on the shelf.

I still proudly consider them friends.  

But I feel for the unsuspecting souls that bought those two items.

<snort>

*&^^%%^ Playlist.com

I'm all in a funk right now.

We had THE BEST, last high school graduation party to be had.  It rained... poured from 5 am to 9 am yesterday morning and I had calls and texts from people saying they were thinking good thoughts and praying for sunshine for us - and while that was very nice of them, I wasn't ever worried about it.  With the remodel, our house is more conducive to larger groups and if we had to be indoors, we had to be indoors.  The rain wasn't really a concern of mine.  

The sun came out and when the 10-15 mile per hour winds weren't blowing, it was near hot out on the deck. 

The pizza was great, the cake was great (just ask our 13 year old black lab, Jack) 

the party ran long and the family and friends that joined us were all great, Zach spoke to everyone that came and we went to bed feeling like this might have been the best party in this house in 12 years.

So yesterday, what with spending from 9am until 230pm readying the house, running errands, cleaning, mowing, organizing - then holding the party from 4 to 7 (945 is then the last group left), only getting one piece of pizza and no cake (again, thanks to Jack) I didn't end up getting my post up.

But even though it was half written, I couldn't post it yesterday or today because since PLAYLIST.COM removed the option to load music to my blog - I've been searching nearly all day for a good code/player/free music site to make this work.  And I've been unsuccessful.  My ADHD and inability to be patient is not helping.

Stupid Playlist.com.  Stupid stupid stupid  STOOOOPID Playlist.com

On a good note - Yah Tiger Woods!  Yah Boston Celtics!

The Graduation Party Circuit

Well...  Click on the video before reading...  because I said so.

It started tonight.  The first high school graduation party of "the season".  The first money card of many to come deposited into a purple box with a boys picture on it.  <sigh>

Tomorrow - we will host the only party we are aware of for June 2 - for our Wack.  As it is now... Zach's is the only party that is a "single" party.  Meaning - all of the other kids paired up and/or are having group parties.  With #7, we only knew of 2 kids that had a party together.  When it came to ole Blue Eyes - a lot of girls were doing it in 3's and 4's.  But this year - this whole group thing is all the rage.  And that's fine.  I have no issues with that.

Okay - I have an issue.  My only "issue" with it is this:  Last year, we went to group party.  (5 kids).  So with 5 kids comes 5 kids siblings, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, cousins etc.  Less parking and more people standing around awkwardly seeking out someone they know to talk to.  

Sure that can happen at a party where one kid is the focus.  Absolutely.  But last year, at this party... the great aunt of the girl we attended for (because we don't know girls mostly, being an all boy family... except for me, obviously) was sitting in a chair as her niece, nephew-in-law and the siblings restocked food and offered more beverages and said "hello's", "thank you's", and "good-byes".  It was cool out and because we are close with the family, we sat to talk with her, a blanket over her lap... - for nearly most of the time we were there.  There is nothing wrong with that and we were very happy to do that.  She is a wonderful lady with stories to tell.  But there may well have been 5 or 7 or more extended family members at that very same party that were feeling the same way because there were SO many people.  And perhaps, no one like The Dad and I that took the time to "involve" them into the festivities.  I can't say for sure.

I think it's hard enough planning for my one kid, every two years... working full time, trying to run a house, do FAFSA's, pay bills, do laundry, get the taxes in, pay college deposits, and just live life in general - that the thought of trying to coordinate rectangle tables or rounds and chairs, table covers and what other families want or imagined leading up to their child graduating... just doesn't seem like a headache I wanted to ever have.  So we didn't.

But it all comes together.  Tonights party was for three boys and it went off without a hitch. Well, if there were "hitches", no one saw them.  So there's that.

Ohhhh wait.  I have one other issue for the whole group thing.  "Of course you do." you say.  Well... lets say I get an invitation from Suzie.  And Suzie is having a party with Kami and Meg.  I don't receive an invitation from Kami or Meg. So I take a card or gift for Suzie only.  I'm not made of $$$ that I can take kids I may not know cards, let alone, cards with money in them.  So it's always awkward walking in with just a card.  Or maybe 2 if there's 4 or 5 kids.

I just don't like it.  So my rule is... you send an announcement, you get a card.  You don't... you don't.  

Well anyhow.  Was a great party tonight.  Ours is tomorrow (come on by!  David's Pizza will be cooking in our driveway!) and hopefully the weather holds.  You can never count on good weather for long in Spokane until July hits.  It's supposed to rain late tonight but clear up by party time.  I can live with that.  

I still have my calendar on May and I usually forget to change it for a few months... but tonight as I write this, I'm anxious to turn the page and see all of the possibilities that may line those dates in the years to come from the adventures of Zach... #7 and Blue Eyes.  

The Grad Party circuit has officially started.  Congratulations to all of them, and to us, for getting them all there.


I had the perfect song for this post, but Playlist has revamped their site AND deleted the option for people like me to add it to our own sites.  They get a HUGE HUGE thumbs down from me and countless others tonight.  Sad times...