Tales of a Shoebox Princess

1. Putting labels in English textbooks is a surprisingly good workout. 2. Parent volunteers are all but invisible to the teen population of the school. 3. Some teachers' voices carry QUITE well. I learned lots about how to decipher what I read in the StarTrib (The Red Star, the Hammer and Sickle--what else do you, my brothers, call it?) 4. Time goes really really fast at school. 5. I still feel like a student. 6. I'd still be a teacher's pet if I were a student because I like helping. Putting barcodes in textbooks was fun. 7. Jimmy and Paul don't have lunch at 12 noon. Or if they did, I didn't see them. 8. "The Fishbowl" is cube-shaped. 9. Break down the boxes after putting barcodes in the textbooks. 10. Never ever ever wear hot pink semi-sheer lycra footless tights as pants to school. Please.

10 things I haven't posted about but should have: 1. Can you stand one more mention of the Utah trip? While hiking the trail around Devil's Tower, I remarked to Jim, "I have only 5 or so pictures of Katie from this trip on my camera, but I've got about 25 of Devil's Tower." He replied, "She didn't have a path around her." I laughed so hard! 2. Katie doesn't have to wear scrubs at her new job. 3. She liked church this week and looks forward to going next Sunday and she might even go to their "Little Rascals" activity this week. 4. Katie now knows a Bruce Wayne. 5. Jake's club puts on a fab pre-Labor day party. It's open to the public (it's a private club) and Jake is kind enough to invite us. We always have a great time. This year, Mike and Jen and their girls were able to join Steph and kids and Mom at the party. 6. Matt was used as a prop in the juggling act at the club's party. He loved the attention. ...

I thought I'd do a random picture post today, but when I stumbled upon these pictures, I knew I had to post them. They are three pictures of Katie with some of the family who are watching over her in Utah. Katie was a week old when these pictures were taken. This is Jim's uncle Art and Katie. He looks mostly the same except now he dyes his hair to give the effect of silver highlights for that mature look, and the beard and 'stache are gone. David and Katie are about 5 months apart. David is a recent high school graduate, like Katie. David is a bit taller now, but the eyes are definitely the same. This is Art's wife, Karen. She hasn't changed a bit. Wrights and Stevenses, thank you for taking care of my baby!

This just in! Hot off the presses! Extra, Extra, read all about it! Katie no longer works for Sam's Club. Jim's cousin, Sara, got her a job at a doctor's office as the receptionist. It was Sara's job, but she's going to have a baby soon and just put in her 2-weeks' notice. The doctor took Sara's suggestion and interviewed Katie this evening and hired her on the spot. She starts tomorrow. She'll make appointments, answer the phone, file paperwork and be a pleasant face to people who come in to see the doctor. She'll have weekends off--which Sam's Club couldn't give her. And she'll get more hours than Sam's was willing to give her. And the pay will be roughly the same as she would have gotten at Sam's. And the big thing is that the office is within a mile of where she is living. Sam's was a 15 minute drive on the freeway (not including rush hour traffic). And Sara will train Katie, so they will get to know each othe...

Deep breath.... The last one just got on the bus. The house is quiet. Fake child won't be here for two hours. It's cold outside, perfect morning for hot chocolate. And I can drink it in peace! I get a daily respite from "Mom, can I..." There are no pictures. Jimmy and Paul are too cool for first day pictures and if I can't have the whole set, I might as well not take any. Hayley and Matt both told me that there was no need for me to accompany them to the bus stop, even though both go to a new bus stop this year. I sneaked out to the yard to watch Matt get on the bus. I don't think he saw me. I just had to see him get on. This year, he's at a bus stop with 10 other kids (last year it was just Hayley, Laura from down the street and him) and most of the other kids' parents were at the stop taking pictures. I would have gone, but I was wearing slightly too big AC/DC pajama pants and slippers on my feet and all the other parents were actually fu...

...which signals the return of the B-movie title feature at the shoebox castle. I just wanted to say that Jimmy is now officially employed by Le Mart d' Wal (Help me with the Francois, Jen). He is a cart-return boy. I'm more excited than he is; although he is happy because now he can get his license. (The sandwich making thing didn't work out for him--or should I say he didn't work very well for the sandwich place. Don't even get me started on that. Suffice to say he is now well aware of what he should have done. And now he is determined to be a good worker for the Walton family of stores) His orientation is on Saturday. Thanks to my mother for driving him to the drug screening and his second interview while we were out of town. Anyway, Katie has orientation with another store in the Walton empire, Sam's, tomorrow. She's hoping to work in the bakery instead of cashiering, and has to talk to the manager about that. She has interviewed with the baker...

It's back to work for both Jim and me. I have fake child here until 3:30. It's ok though; babysitting this fake child is pretty easy. I have errands to run today and she's a good errand runner. Tomorrow I take her along when Matt and I go to the elementary school for the open house to meet his teacher. Fake Child loves going to the school. And so does Matt. I thought Hayley would be sad that her big sister is gone, but so far, I haven't seen any tears shed. In fact, she's taken over the bathroom with gusto (and by gusto, I mean she's made a mess already). Yesterday, Hayley had two friends over and she was mighty pleased to be the hostess in her very own room. It used to be that Hayley was afraid to sleep by herself, and would want Matt to sleep in the room with her when Katie was away, but that hasn't happened this time. School starts on Thursday. The summer has barely started and already it's over. Today I must write a thank you note and a hap...