Monday, August 18, 2008

Green Pens....

today i've been cleaning out the cabinets above my desk in the kitchen -- getting the old stuff out and making room for the new stuff..... Kids bring homes lots of papers, and when you have multiple kids, the paper stacks become enormous. I hate keeping too much, but as soon as I toss something, I need it (Murphy's Law). Today I took things from last year and put them in cardboard memory boxes -- one for each kid. Now I have room for the next wave.

I'm one of those folks who begins to clean out one area, and if I leave the area to go find something or put something away, you can bet I'll be cleaning a new area without finishing the first one..... I get pretty aggravated at myself sometimes when I do that. Today I ended up in Brennan's closet -- disaster! While in the closet looking for a green ballpoint pen (odd place to look, but I know I saw one in there), I started cleaning up. His closet is awful. I mostly avoid it. It's the place where Brennan stashes EVERYTHING when I tell him to clean up his room. While in there, I kept telling myself "only look for the pen.... don't start cleaning." I didn't listen, but the closet looks better, and I did find one green pen.....

The green pen? Brennan needs several for school. Why? Apparently, green pens are used in the classroom when the kids are checking their own work or each other's work. Try to find some green pens today -- someone bought them all! I can order a case from Amazon at $21 -- no thanks. I'm hoping this ONE that I found in the closet will have an endless supply of ink.

Speaking of green pens and school supplies..... our schools have this great option for purchasing school supplies for each grade at the end of the school year. I love this option, especially with four kids to buy for each year. It may be a little more expensive, but I figure at the rate of gas these days, I've saved some money in travel expenses -- not to mention time! One year, the "buy ahead" option wasn't available, and I remember taking all four kids to Wal-Mart to buy supplies. Fun times -- not!

Oh my gosh, the kids wanted EVERYTHING. I had four lists to look at, and four kids asking for four different kinds of notebooks, pens, pencils, etc. The menace, though, was the one list that requested a specific kind of red folder -- easy, huh?! -- not so easy when three pre-school teachers have picked every single RED folder off of the shelves and have filled to shopping baskets with them all! I need ONE -- not four -- just ONE. Forget it! Those teachers weren't willing to share -- no spare to share. I guess I understand their need, but I was so wiped out! I don't remember how or where we finally found the folder, but it wasn't at Wal-Mart -- and, yes, each one of us considered swiping one out of their baskets -- could've been so easy......

This year, I ordered school supplies ahead again. Great move -- until Tuesday when 2 of the 4 kids come home with additional lists -- more stuff each day! I don't know how many times I had to run down to Walgreens..... the manager started to smile the last time I walked in and asked me if I hadn't been able to get it all the night before -- umm, "no... that's why I'm here AGAIN!" Good thing Walgreens is close -- it's no Wal-Mart, but it has certainly saved the day -- except on the part of green pens..... no green pens.

So, that leaves me lacking -- green pens. Hmm, I guess it could be worse. Certainly, it could be worse -- I could have had to find a pack of green M&M's..... ahh, that takes me back

No comments: