Friday, May 12, 2017

7 Quick Takes about Prison Rules Soccer, Questionably Educational Toys, and Paying to Cut Your Own Hair

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?

1


Having a lot of kids is funny because you feel like you've read certain books or watched certain movies, and it's not until the younger ones ask what Charlotte's Web is about that you realize they weren't born yet so you need to do it again.

That may have been our impetus to re-watch The Princess Bride this weekend, and it was as cute and goofy as ever.

As we watched the final credits roll, the 3-year-old sat deep in thought and then gave me his take on the movie:

"The big boy got a big rock," he said.

"Yeah? And then what happened?"

"He threw it at the wall."

"And then what?"

"The queen jumped out the window."

So I think he got all the crucial plot points.

2


Pee-wee soccer is always lenient on the rules because of the age of the players, but when it also started pouring rain during my daughter's game on Saturday the coaches just let the kids do whatever they wanted.

Literally whatever they wanted.

There were kids running on and off the field in the middle of the game, kids playing through the legs of spectators on the sidelines, kids dribbling the ball around behind the goal, and one kid who decided to go shirtless for some reason.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}

Needless to say, it was a pretty crazy game to watch. I was so caught up in the energy I didn't even pay attention to whether shirts or skins won.

3


My toddler has been enjoying this cute little bath toy from his grandparents:

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}

And then my 8-year-old pointed out something:

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
The hexapus in its native habitat.

That's right, it's an octopus with only 6 arms. If my kids end up not getting into college, I'm going to assume this is the reason.

4


Mid-May is always the point in the school year when my kids' lunches begin to look pretty sad.

The shiny new lunchboxes we bought in September are stained, zipperless, or broken. The insides aren't much better. The kids pack their own lunches so I can't take full responsibility for the contents, but it's theoretically my job to buy the food and I'm not doing so hot in that department, either.

As far as I know, my 10-year-old hasn't had any problems with kids stealing her lunch. But then again, I guess you can never be too careful.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}

5


One night I was playing with the baby on the floor while the older 5 kids were getting their pajamas on upstairs.

My 13-year-old came down first and sat with us, coaxing the baby (who is almost walking) to take a few tottering steps over to her. Then she turned him around and sent him walking back to me.

One by one, the other kids finished putting on their pajamas and trickled downstairs to join us, until there was literally a circle of 6 people around the baby, calling him and holding out their hands for him to walk to them next.

Sometimes people look at our big family and wonder how the heck we can have time for everyone, and it's true that sometimes it's a challenge when everybody needs something at the same time.

But there are also plenty of moments like this, when I look at the baby surrounded on all sides by people who love him to pieces and I know he's actually the luckiest kid in the world.

(Eventually things devolved into a cage match over who got to have the baby walk to them next, but it was sweet while it lasted.)

6


I dropped the kids off at a church activity and took myself to get a long overdue haircut (we're talking a year plus, people.)  I was anxious to make it back in time to pick them up, so I wasn't thrilled that there was a wait.

Until I realized that I was by myself, for half an hour, with no responsibilities and no kids. 

In retrospect, I probably should have gone and taken a nap in the car. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
And they're running a special? Somebody pinch me.

As it turned out, though, what I really should have done instead is just stayed home saved myself the $5.99 (plus tip) because I hated the haircut I walked out of there with.

It didn't even slightly resemble the picture I brought in, even after the stylist redid the cut twice. I won't even post pictures for comparison because I don't want to besmirch Great Clips' good name.

I got out of there just in time to pick up the kids, go home and let Phillip put them to bed, and lock myself in the bathroom for an hour to give myself an all-new haircut. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I was happy with the way it turned out.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Self-haircut success. I think.

(If you know hair theory or whatever, it's possible that your eye is twitching from looking at these pictures. Sorry about that. My entire education consists of watching a YouTube video one time on how to cut hair.)

7


I saw an article on the front page of a couponing blog I follow that claimed you're supposed to replace your baby's pacifiers every 2 to 5 weeks.

You heard me.

According to the article, the latex breaks down quickly and can harbor germs.

I guess most of our pacifiers are lost well before the 2- to 5-week mark so the point is moot, but the ones we hold on to are in use for years. Sometimes they're even handed down to the next baby.

Once again, it's a miracle that any of my kids have survived.


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8 comments:

Hannah said...

I didn't realize The Princess Bride was a comedy until I was in my teens so I think your kid might have a leg up on me! The hexapus is fantastic - those creatures are seriously overlegged (Mother Nature take note).

Hannah said...

PS Love the haircut - I just got mine after 1+ year too!

Carolyn Astfalk said...

I know just what you mean about having to re-discover books and movies and such with the little kids! I'm always asking the little ones, "Didn't I read such-and-such to you?" Uh, no.

Also so grateful to se the love among siblings. Love it when my almost 14-yr.-old son puts his 4-yr.-old brother on his shoulders and carts him around. They do get lots of love!

PurpleSlob said...

I love your haircut!! That reminds me, I need to start hacking at my own again!

Ann-Marie Ulczynski said...

I watch YouTube to cut my own hair as well. I think you did a great job. It looks lovely and frames your face nicely. The baby walk one just chokes me up - precious, and that is a lucky kid.

Terra Heck said...

I think you did well with your cut. It's only in the last year that I've been pleased with a hairdresser. Before that, I'd always hate the cut. Bad news is that now my hairdresser (that I really like) is moving out of town next month. I'm thinking a 2.5 hour drive is worth it to get a cut I like. Love the writing on the lunch bag!!

mom jeans said...

I love your haircut, You very beatiful :) Thanks for nice post

Julie - Happy, Frugal Mama said...

Wow. Every 2-5 weeks? Seriously??!!? Well, looks like we're a few months overdue...