Celebrating Women...for the Real World
Thursday, March 08, 2007 This & That

Today's post is a Hodge podge of thoughts floating through that area at the top of my body between my ears.

I think about stupid things while I'm showering in the morning. Take into account that the shower occurs pre-coffee, therefor, not all thoughts/ponderings make sense. Take today for example. I was pondering the fact that I really must have things be "the same". I was thinking back to when I was young (teenager years) and how I (we) did everything in our power to not conform. We rebelled when our parents told us it was room cleaning day, or to put away our clothes. We hated that we has "assigned" seats in school and thought it a big deal when our teachers let us sit wherever we wanted. Maybe it was just me, but I remember my friends were the same way. Now I find that if things aren't "the same", my day seems off kilter. As an example, here is my morning routine:

Smack alarm and cuss
stumble to bathroom and turn on heat light and shower
turn on sink
go pea
brush teeth/wash face
shower
toner/lotion on face
lip balm

Then, and only then will it be safe to talk to me. But only talk. No questions. Why, well the next step in the program is coffee. Can't talk much before coffee.

And it's not just the shower routine. If I go to the gym, I use the same locker every time. If I go to the restroom at the office, I go to the same stall. Hmmm, maybe it's a touch of OCD. Ya think?

What else was I going to write about. Hmmmm. Don't quite remember. Oh yeah. I just ordered oldest's senior portraits (yeah, a little late, his fault. Trying to teach teenagers responsibility is tough!) I spent a shit ton of money. Can't tell you how much cause hubs reads the blog. Let me just say a shit ton.

This brings about another ponderance. What exactly was I thinking when I had three children. It's not the fact that there are three, but so close together? It wasn't bad when they were young, but now that they are teenagers, I worry in stereo. And the money-crap. As much as I'd like to take my hubs up on the offer to be a kept woman, ugh. See, I don't feel totally guilty when I spend money cause I make a decent salary. It's nice to spend without thinking and perseverating over every penny! Because my kids are so close in age, there is no break to recover financially. Let me give you an example of expenses during Sr. year:

SAT Prep Class $150
SAT test $80
College App fees - $35 - $75 each (times three schools)
Cars
Gas
Insurance (yes, the kids help, but.......)
Sports (If your kid participates in school activities you will have Club fees, ticket purchases, out to eat expenses, t-shirts, etc., etc., etc. SuZan and I were talking how our check registers from July and August was filled with entries-to the school)
Homecoming Expenses (Boys cost as much as girls)
Class Rings ($350 plus)
Sr. Portraits (Can't tell you how much, but it's up there)
Letter jackets if they participate in sports (The jacket was free, so far I've spent about $300 in patches/embroidery, etc. When they say the jacket is free, that's all you get, the jacket)
Prom expenses (I've been contributing to project prom since last May. I've tallied about $500 in contributions through all the different fund raisers).

See where I'm coming from. Now remember, I have a daughter that's a Jr. She too costs $$$. See, she is ahead of the game and already starting to apply at colleges.

Ugh! Teenagers-the best form of birth control!

Posted by Sheri & SuZan :: 8:08 AM :: 12 comments

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