The Hannah Family

My kids would be jealous

27,000 students in Washington are missing school due to a teacher's strike.  They need to reach an agreement soon!

A revelation when vacuuming 13-year-old Katie's room this evening that this is not a phase

Dear Future Son-in-Law,

While you and I agree in private that Katie is too good for you, I want you to know that I see things for what they are.

You may think it is cute that Katie leaves clothes everywhere or makes a mess when she cooks.

You will probably ignore Matthew's drunken ramblings at the bachelor party about what a slob his sister is, but remember he bunked with her first when we lived in an apartment.

People will clean up after you on the honeymoon, enjoy that.

In case, God forbid, you too encounter a chicken bone on the carpet while vacuuming like I did in her room tonight (we haven't eaten chicken for weeks and weeks, and she just cleaned her room this morning so I would take her clothes shopping again), I nominate you for sainthood now.  All you need is a miracle and you're in.

Love,

Mom

P.S.  I just read this to Kate who recalls her friend showing up at noon with a Bojangles chicken breast in her hand, but I see no reason not to post this just because we know where the bone originated.  My loss is your gain, dude.  I recommend a cleaning service.

Rip Van Winkle

Matt was tired after his first week of school, slept for 15 hours last night (4:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.).  I was expecting him to sleep late Saturday, but this is better.  Now he can enjoy the weekend.

School girl

Claire is loving every minute of it.  Already had her first accident report from tripping on her way to the board - poor thing smacked her nose on a chair on the way down.  The teacher said it scared her because Claire landed so hard, but Claire held ice on it and came home excited about the inner workings of the nurse's office.

While the cat is away

The mouse is playing in her kitchen.

I'm going to have to stop watching the news

Thank God Jaycee Dugard was returned to her family at last.  Kidnapped at age 11, held for 18 years, now has two young girls with her abductor (registered sex offender) who are 11 and 15.  A long drawn out nightmare reminiscent of Elizabeth Smart and Elisabeth Fritzl in Austria.  Why can't the crazies stay in their holes by themselves?

Repeat sex offenders move around and don't always register again

Robert Kolibas is an example.  He was registered in Florida, but not in Vermont where he allegedly drugged a 13-year-old girl's smoothie and molested her when she was sleeping at the house with her friend.  Of course the mom wouldn't have let her sleep over if she knew the man's history, but not everyone is registered who should be.  People don't expect perverts to use their kids as bait.  People don't expect their kids to be given prescription sedatives when they're at someone else's house.  I think it's rare, but certainly not an isolated incident.  Something like that (without the benzodiazepines) happened in our apartment complex in Durham when a dad molested his 11-year-old daughter's friend who was visiting after school.  She told me about it because as she put it, "I don't want what happened to me to happen to them" as she gestured toward my young children playing a short distance away.  Such a sweet brave girl!  At least the first case has people discussing the problems with sleepovers, even people who don't have children yet.

Me and D

It's quiet here.  Dave just looked at me and said "This house sure is big!"  Didn't same that way during the summer when we were tripping over toys and the kids' friends.  This place seems enormous on weekdays (and when I vacuum).

It's the first day of school (again)

We have staggered entry times for the schools here as some buses do two routes.  How does that effect us?

In high school - Matt gets up at 5:30 a.m.

In middle school - Katie gets up at 6:30 a.m.

In elementary school - Claire gets up at 7:30 a.m.

And Darling Dave (3) sleeps through all three alarms.

Slow doesn't begin to cover the process

Matthew and I arrived at the DMV at 12:45 p.m., and they handed him his learner's permit at 4:57 p.m. (3 minutes before they closed for the day).  School starts tomorrow so it was really our only chance to get it done.  We're tired, but happy.  He drove me home!