Have I mentioned that H starts kindergarten on Tuesday? Oh, I have? I wasn’t sure.
So. Kindergarten is looming, and my mind is swirly. Not look how my dress twirls when I spin swirly, but impossible to corral my thoughts swirly.
We are meeting the teacher today. She sounded great on the phone, and I was instantly at ease with her (as we discussed the other day, that’s saying something for me). I’m still kind of nervous, though. I know, I know. She’s not my teacher, but she sort of, kind of is. After having a tough-ish teacher experience with H once before, I am well aware how important it is to have a rapport with your child’s educators.
Of course, I also want H to be happy in his class. Seems I should have mentioned his happiness prior to rambling about my own concerns, but it is my blog. {I joke, I joke. Not about it being my blog, but – oh, you know what I mean.} I do worry about him being be scared, or lonely. H loved preschool, though, and he is really excited about kindergarten. I have no logical reason to worry about him. Like I ever needed a reason. Or logic.
Also on the agenda for today, I’m returning to spin class for the fist time in, uh, too long. Several weeks, at least. Basically, between the spin class and the anxiety-inducing visit to school, I’ll very likely be sprawled on my fainting couch, drinking mint juleps, by the time you read this. Wait. I forgot who I was – and what year I live in – for a minute.
What I’m getting at here is, I don’t think this is the day for a focused blog post. {See above: swirly.} Instead of exploring any one topic, I have some questions that need answers. Now, these may not look like heavy-hitters, but I promise you I’m interested in your answers. So help me out, take my mind off kindergarten and my aching quads, won’t you?
A photo to get us started:
Bossy socks. Don't tell me which foot to put you on.
- Have you ever seen socks labeled L and R? Aren’t they usually ambi-footed or bi-footed or whatever you call it? I just bought three pair of these, pictured above, and I’m kind of freaked out. You know what happens to socks in the laundry. What if all the R’s go to wherever it is socks go to and I have to wear two L’s?
- Do you love your shampoo? I do not love mine, so I want to start using yours (I’ll buy my own bottle, of course. Just want to know what you use.).
- If you have a tried-and-true meal planning tip, or a favorite make-ahead recipe, I want it. I am determined to be organized in regard to meal times. I want the only stress to come from the toddler who somehow manages to smear his meal across an area that is three times larger than his wingspan. Or from the five-year-old who likes to discuss every piece of food, where it comes from and whether it’s an acceptable dinner item (animal, vegetable? on a tree? in the ground? what part of the animal? too spicy. too hard. too chewy. and on. and on. and on.).
- Anyone know of a natural, organic moisturizer that works as promised? What about makeup?
- What do you use to clean your floors? I’m interested in either homemade or a natural/non-scary-chemical product. Oh, and I need to clean wood and tile floors.
- How many hours of sleep does your 5-ish-year-old get? What’s your routine like between the end of the school day and bed time? I feel like things are about to get a wee bit busier around here, and H, like all kids, is a much more pleasant little person when he gets decent sleep.
- A blogger-specific question: Which conferences have been your favorite? Why?
- Austin-area specific question: Do you have a cabinet builder and/or a general contractor you love? Really, really love – as in, the work is great and they were pleasant to work with?
- Why is Vienna still on TV?
Lapsed homemaker. Looking to hire a full-time housekeeper who will work for the sheer joy of a job well done and free coffee. Interested parties, DM please. 
Wow! Those are some “deep” questions 🙂 That I don’t have many answers too. But I DO have a question for you… where do you find socks that are labeled “L” and “R” ???? Crazy!
I think they are labeled R and L because they are padded for each foot with some of that gelish material- very normal for running socks.
Blogging conference? Bloggy Boot Camp. Love it. Go.
I am currently loving Suave’s Rosemary and Mint shampoo and conditioner ( I think that is what it’s called) It smells very spa-ish! Love it!
Hmmm…
1. Never seen socks labeled R and L
2. I hate my shampoo. My mother-in-law uses some kind of Dove that I am going to buy when mine runs out.
3.I do my meal planning one week at a time… either Sunday evening or Monday mornings and I try to stick to one grocery store trip a week. If I think it’s going to be a busy week then I pull out my crockpot and casserole dishes!
4. If someone else talks about a good moisturizer then let me know!
5. I use a scary chemical cleaner for my wood floors. 🙂 I couldn’t find anything else that worked as well.
6. Don’t have a five year old.
7. I haven’t been to any conferences yet 🙁
8. Only been to Austin once… confession to you… I graduated from A&M 😉 We are still friends right?
9. I wish Vienna would get off of my screen too!
🙂
* I would absolutely throw out any labeled socks. That is ridiculous and I have no time in my life for ridiculous. Save your self the frustration you will inevitably face when trying to find a L and a R. Laundry is bad enough without additional frustrations.
* Shampoo – I am not loyal. I love Aveda {rosemary mint} and buy it from time to time. Sometimes, however, I become cheap and use Dove. It works just fine but doesn’t give me the awww, spa experience in the shower, and well, don’t I deserve that from time to time?!
* I just did a post on some of my strategies / favorite meals and linked to a meal planning linky. http://www.eatlivelaughshop.com/2011/08/meal-planning-made-easy.html
* I do not use an organic moisturizer. I like the Rodan+Fields AM and PM anti-aging products. I’m a Bobbi Brown / Smashbox makeup girl.
* I use Simple Green on my tile and wood floors and my counters. It is natural-ish and works on everything. I buy the gallon size and dilute it for different purposes.
* I think at 5 my kids still went to sleep around 7:30 pm. Maybe closer to 7 during the beginning of kinder. They were EXHAUSTED. We ate dinner at 6pm and would quickly wind down after that. I would say as close to 11 hours of sleep would be ideal for most kids that age. My kids, at age 8, still like 10 hours of sleep per night. I’ve always been a big believer that a well-rested child is a happy child!
* I’ve only been to the conference in Austin at which we met. I’ve decided until I have actually goals or a purpose for my blog I really can’t justify the travel / time away.
* No Austin contractors on my speed dial.
* What is Vienna??
I have been a teacher and now I’m a school psychologist, and I tell you right now, I feel the SAME things and think the SAME thoughts about my boy having school experiences! He starts prek soon, and I know I’ll be nervous about kinder. Everything changed when I had a child, and now I totally “get” the parental angst about school stuff. I cringe when educators don’t work well with parents. And, Vienna? Don’t get me started!
Holy moly, I have a lot of these I feel compelled to answer.
1 – Sleep – I’m gonna say 10-11 hours at a minimum for 5 years old. That’s likely in bed by 8-8:30 nightly. It’s still what I do for my 9 year old during the school year. Ok, maybe this year she’ll get to stay up til 8:45/9. But the 4 year old? 8 or 8:30 for sure.
2 – Conferences. I’ve never been to one! Poor, poor me. BUT, I’m thinking about Blissdom in Tennessee. Wanna meet up? It’s kind of halfway between us.
3 – Vienna – I love to hate her. But really, Rachel on BB is MUCH more fun to hate than Vienna. Why? At least Rachel is unpredictable. Vienna isn’t even close to hiding the fact that she just wants an acting career. And like THAT’S going to happen.
Fun questions!
Oh dear, I thought I would have more answers, but I’m afraid I had to read the comments since I was stumped on more than one of your questions! The bossy socks are hysterical. They remind me of the Bossy Boots that Little Miss Bossy has to wear in that book in order to teach her to be kinder. I, too, would be afraid that the laundry monster would eat all of the Rs! I love Bumble & Bumble shampoo, even more now that Target carries it. My meal planning tip is to have a Word document in which I type meals that I can make quickly and easily. Then when I am trying to make my meal plan (on the weekend, when there are two of us to watch the kids), I can just scan the fridge & pantry, scan my list of options, and fill in the blanks of a weekly meal plan chart. Works well. I’m trying out some crock pot recipes, too, as they definitely make dinner time easier. I get home and dinner is ready!
re: shampoo. Sounds like you are ready for a drastic change. Could I suggest no-poo? Here’s a post I did on it. I swear it works and you don’t stink! 🙂 http://stuffparentsneed.com/2011/06/going-without-shampoo-the-great-experiment-begins/
and a follow up post on it: http://stuffparentsneed.com/2011/06/no-poo-update/
for cleaning our wood and laminate floors, we use a combo of vinegar and water. Simple as that!
I went to Blissdom and I’ll go again (hopefully). My primary reason for choosing it was proximity to Chattanooga, where I live.
-Okay those L and R socks are creepy! Did you accidentally buy kids sized?
-Don’t love it or hate it. It was reccommended by my hairdresser and so I use it. Expensive as all get out though.
-My meal planning these days sucks so I’m really no help. I used to make a calendar with meals on it for each day and that worked well…when I did it…which I’m not….which is why my meal planning sucks.
-Can’t help in the makeup department either (I bet you’re wondering why I’m even answering these questions since I’m so unhelpful).
-I actually have housecleaners who clean my floors every two weeks. Don’t hate me! I just couldn’t do it myself anymore!
-My 5 year old gets around 12 hours of sleep at night.
-Never been to a conference as I’m a newbie, but I’m dying to go to one
-Not in Austin
-I have no idea why Vienna is still on TV. She always reminds me of the goats in the puppet play on “The Sound of Music” Lady-oddle, Lady-oddle, Lo!