6.05.2013

Limping Across the Finish Line.

Have you read THIS post that Jen Hatmaker wrote last week? 
You need to read it. 
Oh my gosh...it's SO funny. And, so true.
It made me laugh because I could TOTALLY relate. 

Her line, "Limping Across the Finish Line" in regards to the end of the school year is EXACTLY how I feel.
But for me, I'm not just limping across the finish line.....I am being DRAGGED across the Finish line, while waving my white flag of surrender.....I AM DONE.
I have no more to give. I dream of lazy days with no schedule.
Summertime, take me away!

This picture of Claire was taken this weekend after she swam for about 4 hours straight.
She was too tired to walk in the house & go to bed.
She just wanted someone to carry her and put her to bed.
It is exactly how I feel.
I need someone to pick me up and carry me for the next week as we finish school.

This school year has been a CRAZY.
Having a baby 2 weeks before school started was nuts. 
That meant I missed the first 6 weeks of school while I was on Maternity Leave.
 I was an emotional post partum basket case because Claire was starting Preschool for the first time & Kate was started Kindergarten.
And, because I used all my days off for Maternity leave, I was only able to help out in the girls classes once this entire year. And, I wasn't able to go on any field trips. 
I was soooo out of the loop since I didn't do drop off or pick up for either of them (Thanks Kevin, Kelly, Susan & my mother in law!)

Honestly, this school year, I felt like a chicken running around with it's head cut off, at home and at school.
Spending each lunch period pumping. Trying to get all my grading done at school & in between classes so I didn't have to bring it home.

  3 kids is no joke. People with more...I don't know how you do it! 

As the school year progressed & End of School Year activities got busier,  I was starting to wear down. And, the weather we have had in the past 6 weeks has been BEAUTIFUL. It feels like summer...warm weather, swimming, BBQing, eating outside. I have the summer attitude, except...summer isn't here yet.
I lost the mo-jo and organization that I had earlier in the year.

Here are some "highlights" of things that have happened:
 Claire got sent to school one day with TWO left shoes on. (One was Kate's shoe)

 You are supposed to sign up to bring snack for Preschool (at least once a month)
Since I don't do pick up or drop off, I forgot about that until the last week of school when Claire asked why she never brought snack this year. FAIL. Sorry, preschool.

For the month of May, we slacked off with Kate's homework packet (I know, shame on me, I'm a teacher) It was due last Friday. The night before I had her do SEVEN days of homework so that her packet would be completed. (Hanging head in shame)

Kate went to school last Monday with one of Luke's bottles in it.  A bottle from Friday with crusty breast milk in it. (I guess I put it in there the Friday before when I picked the kids up from my mom's house. I obviously didn't check her school bag all weekend.) She found it when she was lined up to go into class. Thank goodness Kevin was still there & she gave it to him before she went into class.  My bad.

#momoftheyear

Here is another End of the School Year Confession:
I have 144 students this year. 
This weekend, I needed to fill out & complete 144 Recommendations for 8th grade math placement.
I needed to grade 144 math tests and grade 144 Homework Packets.
How many did I do?
ZERO.  ZILCH. 
I did not fill out one recommendation.
I did not grade one test. 
I did not look at one homework packet. 
In fact, I didn't even open my school bag.

What did I do instead?
I hung out with my family by the pool all weekend.
I read Gone Girl poolside while drinking a Vodka Lemonade. 
I started the book at 5pm on Saturday night & finished it at 5pm on Sunday night.
And, then on Sunday night, after I finished the book, instead of being responsible and getting work done, I downloaded Candy Crush.
Ummmm.....have you played Candy Crush?
Most addicting game EVER.
I stayed up until 1:00 on Sunday night playing it.
Then, on Monday morning, I told Kevin about this game he HAD to download.
Guess what? He's addicted also.
Our evenings this week have been spent playing Candy Crush.
#issues
#losers
#candycrushaddiction

I've only been playing 4 days and I need a Candy Crush support group. Seriously.
I only let myself play when the kids are in bed. But that means I am not getting my grading done & I am staying up too late playing. Ridiculous.
Who else is addicted?

The good news is that I finished the math recommendations (in between waiting for lives in Candy Crush) but I still have all the tests & homework packets to grade.
This is how I feel:
Whoooooo wants to finish my grading?
I would, but Candy Crush is calling my name......

28 comments:

  1. I feel your pain! Today was our last day of school, though I made our Summer Bucket List weeks ago in anticipation. It did not come soon enough!

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  2. You are too funny and so real... I love your posts.... You always have me dreaming about sunny California.. I live in AR, while I love our lakes and all... would love to visit CA sometime.... Have a great summer Melissa!

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  3. I love your posts too! They keep me feeling "normal" when most days I feel like I am just trying to keep my head above water. I lol about the bottle in the bookback. Since Chandler has been born I have found remotes in the fridge, chips in the microwave, etc... I have officially lost it! Enjoy your summer and every moment by that pool!!

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  4. Hahaha! I love this post so much. I only have one. My son is almost 2 and a half. So, he's not in school yet. I can't imagine when the time comes! It must be extra hard for you since you are a teacher AND a mom. You deserve the summer!

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  5. I love you so much! I felt like I was sitting with you while we sipped cocktails! You're hilarious. Fingers crossed that time passes quickly!! Enjoy that summer!!

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  6. It's year round school for us. I'm dying. Need a Vodka Lemonade stat.

    Thanks for the laughs! I can totally relate to this post with the three kid thing.

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  7. This cracks me up! Girlfriend, you look like you have it all together. Trust me, even if it doesn't feel like it...it looks like it! Happy summer!

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  8. You deserve a break! After all, it's the first weekend of summer break. I don't have school-aged children, so I can only imagine how much running around that I will be doing once we're there. This post and Jen Hatmaker's post had me dying laughing. Thanks for that!

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  9. This is so funny! Next year will be my first year in the classroom and I knwo who to go to when I need a support group!!

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  10. Love this post. Our last day was last Thursday... Yay!! This weekend I did a last day of school post and as I was writing it I thought about doing a post kind of like this...... All the fails I had the past month. I did post about one ... I missed my sons band concert and he came home sick because he was so upset. Being a mom is hard.
    You are almost there!!! You can do it!!!

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  11. I am right there with you! I still have 9 teaching days left but keep carrying papers back and forth and don't even open my school bag. And I didn't have a baby this year and my kids are 10 and 13--but I can totally relate--dragging to the finish line right along with you!

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  12. Laughed about the breast milk bottle, way too funny! Gotcha one beat though, I forgot Kieran at school this year. Oh, yes. And not one, but 4 count them 4 times! Last time was Monday! Talk about #issues, #fourkids! Ha!

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  13. Hey you're ahead of me....I still have to fill out my 170 math placement letters.....haven't started those and I only have 1 kid to deal with. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. 6 more days.......

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  14. Have 139 math recommendations to do still. Just finished grading my last test. Still have to grade projects that were turned in 3 weeks ago. 139 HW packets to go.
    And you just now downloaded candy crush?! So behind. I've forced myself to stop. Too much of a time sucker...

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  15. My MIL and SIL are obsessed with Candy Crush. I don't get it. I don't get addicted to games though.

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  16. I am right there with you. I can't even imagine teaching and having kids at home right now because I'm spent at school and at home. Recesses are getting longer and time spent doing work outside of school is getting shorter. Soon enough I'll know what it's like to balance my own kid and my students but hopefully I'm still standing long enough to make it to that point! Hang in there!

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  17. Thank you for being so relatable! I have 3 kids and while I don't work outside the home, I have a full time etsy business and when you said you had to grade/do recommendations/etc and instead you spent the weekend with your family....well, it made me feel better for the layers of felt waiting to be cut in my office. Some days, I just need to sip an adult beverage and play in the sun with my kids too! Hoping you are close to being done - Happy Summer!

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  18. I can totally relate! I am an adjunct professor on the side and it is so hard to get motivated to grade sometimes. I have my last class for this semester on Monday and I will have 14 final projects to grade and catch up on the other assignments. Don't you wish they would just grade themselves? Maybe I will treat myself to the Clarisonic I've been eyeing if I get all my grades in on time.

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  19. hahaha love the brutal honesty! You are SO close to the finish! And I feel you... every teacher feels that way at the end of the year- you're not alone! The end is in sight! Have a GREAT weekend!

    ~Heather

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  20. My boys are in year round school and I thought this would help with the end of year burn out. (They get 3-4 week breaks in Jan, Mar-Apr, July, Oct). NOPE! Just as burned out except we have 3 more weeks! Then we get a four week break and go right into the next grade.

    I almost cried when they sent home the June homework packet. Stop sending homework!!! They don't even grade it or return it.

    PS. I am on now on Candy Crush level 349. 350 is the end. SO CLOSE TO FINISHING. So burned out.

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  21. Gah! I'm addicted to candy crush but have found myself (shamefully) stuck on level 30 for the past few weeks! I held out downloading it because I refused to be a "bandwagoner" but alas I've caved and I'm loving it! :)

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  22. I feel the same way! I have taught 10 years, but having a 3-year old and a 1 year old at home, makes it a little crazier. My school year ends next Thursday at 11:40am. You will hear me rejoicing all the way down here in So Cal!
    Jennifer Johnson

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  23. I hear you!! We ended last Friday and I did not think I was going to make it until the end! Going to read Jen Hatmaker's post now! I am sitting with my 3 and 1 year old girls thinking maybe school wasn't so bad....;)

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  24. LOL this post was hilarious!!! This gives me hope Mel!! You seem so freaking perfect that its nice to know you are just like us normal crazy moms.

    I am not addicted to any games because I don't allow myself to play games but I am addicted to reading and stalking blogs like yours lol

    Hang in there... it is almost over!!!

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  25. Love the owl picture! Only a short time to go. You can do this!

    However, Candy Crush will not help you get ANYTHING done. I finally had to take it off my phone. I was seriously obsessed. I would ask how far you got the first night but I feel I might fuel the fire :) It's probably in your best interest that I don't tell you the game can also be played on Facebook so you can just alternate from your phone to the computer when you run out of lives. Meaning you actually get ten lives rather than five. Opps...wait did I just write that?!?

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  26. You just make me laugh. I'm feeling your pain this time of year. However, I don't have the wonderful light at the end of the tunnel that is summer. I'm so jealous!
    I've been trying to get the husband to get Candy Crush but he just makes fun of me for my addiction. Ha! If only he knew. Gone Girl is the next book on my reading list!

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  27. I started the Candy Crush addiction in our family. I gave up at Level 52 and my husband is still going strong on like Level 125. He's so addicted he can't give up. :)

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  28. I am addicted to candy crush! I have been stuck on level 110 for like 2 weeks, and every time I see that some has passed me up, I get mad all over again!

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