back to babysitting

"Do you miss your sister?"- me

"I miss making her call me a brat."- child 2

"I am the evil villain.... of mustard." -child 3

"I love target kids clothes. They are so cute."- me

"You know, Krista, when you get married you can have a kid and buy them."-child 1

"Well that will happen when I meet a boy that isn't crazy, and that may not ever happen."-me

I've enjoyed being back this week with the kids I used to nanny for.  I sound a lot like my parents, though. "(In the house or out of the house, don't stand there with the door open.)"  It's probably a good thing, though, because I turned out really well.

jijjles

 

I've decided that I am going to market a new invention.

They are called "jijjles" (pronounced gig-lés).

They are exactly like goggles except that you can not see out of them.  They are for the common cheater kids playing "marco polo" at the pool that won't keep their eyes shut.

The "marcos" open their eyes at some point during the search almost 100% of the time and therefore cut down the "marco polo" game time with a lot of arguing instead of a lot of playing.

I only hope I don't get sued for the random gropings that are quite possible since the kids reallycan't see and have to use their auditory senses entirely.

pool days

I bought a pool pass for the four pools located in my suburb.

I have to go 18 times for it to be worth it.

I went once about two days ago and I'm going today.  So I only have 16 more times.

Yesterday I got to babysit for the family I used to nanny for.  I missed them.  I was concerned I wouldn't remember how to do anything but I did!  I just couldn't remember when to eat or how much to give them (about an ounce of food, total, unless it is sugar).  They even listened the whole day. It was amazing.  We also went to the pool.  

That doesn't count towards my 18 times, because they live in a different suburb.

facebook

I kind of hate facebook. I'm going though some changes, which I usually hate, so I make lots of other ones at the same time.  One of those was deleting facebook.

I also know that I am going to miss it.  

Anyway, I didn't want to delete my pictures. I like them and I think the people that I care about like to see them.  I didn't care about all the randoms being able to see them.  So, here is the site.  It is going to take me awhile to get it up to speed. I think I had 45 albums on facebook. Yikes.

I realize it makes no sense to delete facebook (semi private) and to post them on this blog (not private) but I have a feeling there are less people that read this blog than visit my facebook site randomly.

I won't promise to not ever go back, but I'm gonna let it challenge me for awhile at least.  

If you want to see a funny 30 minute episode on facebook via My Boys: click here. 

My pictures here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kmbradt      

messed

This article was printed the day that we returned from Royal Family Kids Camp and sent the kids home with their caseworkers, foster parents, or biological families.  

Before I read the article I was pretending I was okay.

Afterwards I was really upset. This is one example of why I don't normally read the paper.

chilling at home

GOOD NEWS, everyone.

"My Boys" can now play on my computer.  The story goes like this: I love the show. I couldn't play full episodes on my mac. Now I can.

I can also pop popcorn in my microwave.  It's been a good day.

dear commuters

Dear Chicagoland Public Transportation Commuters,

Thank you for saving the tollways extra hours, and the earth extra emissions.

I just have one small item on the agenda this evening.  When there is a line of people waiting to exit at their necessary station, please do NOT get in the line and then stop in front of the door- blocking their exit to the outside world.  If you do this, you will cause them to have to go to the next stop just because you are in the way.

They will then be forced to call their roommate to come pick them up at the next stop and they won't even be able to explain to their roommate why they missed their stop in the first place because you are standing RIGHT HERE and saying that people were standing in front of the door- in the way- would be rude.  Then again- so is standing in front of the door, in people's way.

Thanks for your consideration of others,

a fellow commuter

p.s. When I was griping to Lydia about this I finished the vent with "I'm going to blog about this." Her response? "You should. People need to know this is happening. You should really raise awareness."

I then felt like a huge drama queen, but I still had to blog about it.

my royal family

I guess it didn't hit me until I read the excel document with all the counselors names and campers names: this Sunday I will once again be leaving for Royal Family Kids Camp.

I knew it on Monday when I thought about the fact that the following week we'd be cheering in the yellow buses, getting all teary and excited as the kids pulled up with their huge excited eyes looking out the windows for their names on our carefully decorated posterboards.

I knew it Monday night when I thought about how it'd be our first night reading them poems, singing them songs, saying goodnight and I love you as we made them feel safe in their bunks for the first night of sleep.

I thought about it today when I realized tomorrow would be their birthday parties, with cakes and gifts, boat rides and Jack Johnson playing as they soaked it all in.  

Tomorrow will already be half way through the week when the kids start to think about going home- and react accordingly.  Ditto for me (just ask Charlie- Wednesday of last week I was already bawling about the fact that Friday was coming and we'd all have to return home).

As I read the names on the excel document just a moment ago, I got teary.  The tears will start now, they'll end about 5 weeks from now.

I have five campers returning from my (and Cook County's) very first year's cabin.  Five others returning from my cabin last year.  I have one camper the same from last year.  

The two from my first year have aged out and can't return to camp.  One from last year they couldn't contact her foster mother :(.  But I am so excited to have my one returner, and my newby.

Be praying for us.