Friday Randoms and Plans

[rere]

Our last volleyball game of the season at 8:30 tomorrow! DD and I are going to go for a walk/run also. I then have to go home and get ready for DS's 15th birthday party!  He is having about 9 friends, boys and girls (no romance here, they all grew up together).  We are planning burgers, dogs, pool, darts, cards and bonfire.  Hopefully that will keep them happy for several hours. 

Sunday - my first free day in weeks.   I am planning on heading to the nursery to buy some more flowers for landscaping.   Then starting on the garden.  My plan is 20 tomato plants, 2 quash, 2 cucumbers, and 10 peppers.  Maybe a random watermelon thrown in, but I can't seem to get them to produce a decent watermelon. 

[twinmomma]

Busy weekend with fun plans! I've been looking forward to this one.

Tomorrow I'm quilting all day with friends. Then headed to an escape room and dinner for a girl's night out with other friends. I think I finally found some mom friends that I can hang out with and have a good time. We've been trying to do a night out every month or two. Overall it's just going to be a really good self-care day.

Then Sunday morning we're doing a play date with a bunch of kids from daycare. The kids all got split up to different schools for kindergarten, so it'll be fun for them to all hang out again together.

[2chatter]

DH will be at SS’ beck and call - plans ha e already changed literally six times since 7am.

I told DH he has to take DS to Swim Lessons Saturday and come with us to a family picnic Saturday night. Other than that he can do whatever.

DD and I are scouting teams. It’s frankly absurd. In order to play competitive soccer in our area you have to pay. I was really clueless to the depth of this. ONE club has 140 teams and 2500 players locally. There are like seven big clubs. No wonder we can’t easily find a non-club team. Quick math - so one club (at lowest pay rate of 3K/year) is raking in $7.5M? Now i understand why they have a stadium field development that’s pro grade. And why there aren’t any independent teams. I can’t believe everyone pays for this. I’m kind of fired up about it - like call 60 Minutes for a youth sports insanity expose fired up. Ugh. Does every other parent for real care about club names and status?

[librarychica]

OMFG my weekend is insane. H is back from travel for a week and tonight we have a food truck date. So that’s of the good.

Tomorrow he is going to our rental to do repairs and I have the girls. At some point I have to hit the nursery for plants, etc, and though I tried to pre-buy the repair supplies I am sure he will find something that i forgot so I’m planning for a hardware store run. Hopefully his friend will help. If not, I’ll likely bring the girls over and help for a short while. (They can’t entertain themselves in an empty house for long).

Then DD1 and I are going to a Girl Scout overnight at a baseball field.

Sunday a friend is watching both kids while H and I, my dad and my brother knock out some rental house landscaping and any lingering repairs. HopefullyDD1 isn’t an overtired jerk for said friend and her daughter.

I am le tired thinking about it.

[twinmomma]

Random: People are so dumb. I feel your pain, all you WPs who have been hiring lately. I'm advertising a job. It explicitly says "You need XYZ software experience." it is actually the only real requirement. I have had at least a half dozen people say "I don't have XYZ software experience. But I would be a great fit!"

No. No you wouldn't. Because you don't have the one single requirement that this job lists. WTF.

[msn06]

2chatter club sports have take over here and even the township sports teams are called club. So when I go to sign my 4 year old to play soccer in our area of town I write the check to the “club”. The township club is only a few hundred dollars at 4 compared to the private clubs that are more selective. The mentality of having your kid play club sports is huge here. It seems there is even various levels of prestigious clubs to make the team. Kids try out for multiple clubs to try and guarantee they make one team.

I hear travel club teams are even worse to deal with. I’m not sure how some parents who have multiple kids can afford to entrance fees.

[sdlaura]

I’m at a conference today and moderating a panel in an hour - cue nerves.

It was so amazing to wake up in a hotel room this morning and not have to take care of three kids and a dog in addition to myself. But I’m excited to see my kids again later.

The only things on our calendar this weekend are tball and my workout. I might invite friends over for dinner tomorrow night. Yay for an open weekend!

[2chatter]

msn06 - I think it’s all stupid. It’s pay to play - of that I am certain because there are plenty of kids whose skills are lacking, but they “play club”. Because there are virtually no options other than club - it is indeed a take over. Parents need to stop buying into this model. When I played select there were two teams. Everyone else locally played rec.

Select isn’t select if everyone can throw money at a club and play. I called this morning and local clubs do have teams that aren’t trying to qualify for National Premier or ODP. There should be soccer that isn’t club that is fun and competitive. Instead, those teams are the lowest club teams. It makes me want to scream.

[twinmomma]

2chatter, These stories make me want to continue to NOT sign my children up for any sports outside of after school program options through the PTA... That just all sounds nuts!

[msn06]

2chatter I’ve heard that several the clubs by me have various levels of club play at each age division. So there is the everyone who pays plays category and then groups of kids with talent. They also all have feeder programs for kids with talent so they can play on the travel team. When teaching I had fifth graders who would travel 16-18 hours away for tournaments.

After much discussion we’ve decided we are sticking to the YMCA until our kid shows an actual interest in a sport and then where we sign up will be determined by her talent level.

[2chatter]

twinmomma it is seriously insane!

msn06 - the low level club teams should not be club - the pay to play “club prestige” and market strangling is the problem - I delved into the local soccer forum and so many of these parents just want soccer and think it’s OK that it costs 4K for a fifth grader plus tournaments. SOME kids should play at that level, but the kids who aren’t playing at that true select level shouldn’t be paying for the club name.

I’m wondering if in areas with lower average incomes if there’s more rec play.

I’m down with 3K - 4K a kid/year for SPORTS. But not ONE sport. Why is my area so weird!?!

[mustardseed2007]

Today I'm going to swim when I get off work, and then go home and cook salmon. My cleaning lady is coming in the late afternoon so I'm hoping she'll be gone in time for me to cook dinner and us to eat by 7:30....we'll see. Maybe I should have asked her to come on a different day.

Saturday I'm going on a bike ride and so may miss gymnastics but I'll make DS' game. FX he gets a hit this time. After this we have only 1 more regular season game on Monday and then play offs start wednesday...FX that we get eliminated early (sorry, evil mom wish).

Sunday I'll have my long run but I don't have other plans. After trying to get my kids ready and out the door today and straighten up before the house keeper comes...I kind of want to spend sunday burning all of my excess clutter in a big bonfire in my yard...debating front or back yard.

[justcheckingin73]

Yesterday I got back from my work trip and I had such a great time! Even though I was jet lagged and didn’t sleep well the entire time, it was so nice to only be responsible for myself after DHs busy tax season. Plus, I didn’t have to watch my SS lay around taking naps and playing video games when not working. Apparently DH got on him about his crap everywhere which I was glad about. We have 2 side tables and one coffee table in the living room and his crap is on every single one. No consideration for anyone else. Maybe consolidate things? I think DH thinks I overreact to SS and then he experiences it and suddenly it’s a big deal. So annoying. Anyway, I could go on and on but the good news is that he found a place to stay and this will be his last night here. Looking forward to his regular visits.

This weekend is one of the crazier ones we have this spring. We’ve got DD’s confirmation rehearsal tonight, my nephew’s bday party tomorrow and DD’s confirmation on Sunday. DH ended up getting SS a hotel room for the weekend so his SMIL could stay with us. This is her first trip up here (5-6 hours) since FIL died so we want to make sure she’s comfortable. FIL always drove and “took care of things” so this is very big and very new for her.

[justcheckingin73]

mustardseed2007, I feel the same way when I declutter for the house cleaners!

[k3am]

If I never move again, it will be too soon.

[xctsclrx]

Solo with the kiddo again this weekend. We are cleaning the living room and hopefully his room. Going to the store for some small things and hopefully going to the park. We shall see if the weather holds up.

[2chatter]

DD is babysitting this weekend all day Saturday. I wasn’t mentally ready to take her shopping for her two upcoming formals, so I am sooooo relieved.

[polecat8]

We have no plans tomorrow, other than me going to the gym in the morning. We have to do some grocery shopping and get DH, DD, and DS1 haircuts.

On Sunday, we are going to SIL's for niece's first communion. It is a 2.5/3 hour drive one way to their place, so it is going to be a long day.

[msn06]

I managed to get DD and DH both out of the house tomorrow so I can have a sewing day without interruptions. I really want to work on a new quilt top but have a pile of need to finish projects that I really should work on first

[mae0111]

Tonight we were supposed to go to a game night at DD1's school, but her "friends" were pretty nasty today, so we are going bowling together. She wanted to go to a trampoline park, but I didn't want to take DD2 to bounce with much bigger kids. So DD1 asked if we could figure out something to include DD2. After being excluded all week, DD1 didn't want to do the same thing.

Tomorrow we have our team pictures and softball. We will be at the field for a few hours, then DH and I have more mulching and yard work to do. DD1's first communion is next weekend, so this is our last opportunity to get everything ready outside. Sunday will be an inside catch up day. I also need to get some work done on my contract project. It would be nice to start bringing in $$.

[twinmomma]

Yay for a sewing day msn06 !
I'm going to a "class" tomorrow, but not actually learning the new quilt pattern. I just want to use the time to socialize and work on a quilt top I started a year ago...

[librarychica]

mae0111, it’s so sweet that she wanted to include her sister. It’s awful the way she’s treated at that school, but it must be some small comfort that she’s becoming so empathetic.

[covergirl82]

DH leaves late tonight to go to the NASCAR race with friends. He'll be back on Monday, so I'm solo parenting this weekend.

Saturday: Our morning is open. Then DD is going to open gym for about and hour and then DS has a baseball game. I told the kids I would take them somewhere for dinner. If the weather is nice, we'll walk around our downtown and get ice cream, or, if the weather isn't very warm/nice, we'll come home and play some games.

Sunday: Church and then the afternoon is open until late afternoon, when DS has a hit-a-thon fundraiser for his travel baseball team.

Random: I had a super great idea for a business today, but it would require hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not a million dollars to put down as a down payment. The idea is to convert a vacant mega-church into a place for basketball leagues. (Because the only place in our area is about 40 minutes away.) The location is perfect for at least 3 school districts, including ours (and it's about a 15 minute drive for us). So now I need to figure out if I know any wealthy people who could be investors...

[2chatter]

covergirl82 - you could literally make millions. Seriously.

[traveltheworld]

We leave for France in less than 24 hours! I have not packed, but we have no plans tomorrow morning so that should be enough time. But most importantly, it seems that the stars have aligned, so for the first time in a dozen years, I may not have to work while on vacation! I'm beyond excited about that. *fingers crossed*

[covergirl82]

Apr 27, 2018 16:13:38 GMT -5 2chatter said:

covergirl82 - you could literally make millions. Seriously.

I know!!  It's a great location, huge existing building, and ample parking.  It's just northwest of what is arguably the wealthiest school district in the area, so I would think those parents would jump at having their travel leagues play a few minutes away instead of close to 25-30 minutes. 

And if I could get a former NBA player to do a camp there in the summer, that would help draw people in. 

[186momx]

I spent my off day today running all errands in the pouring rain but they are done.
Having a quiet stat at home weekend. Big plans are: take DD to open gym tonight.

All your weekends sound crazy.

[librarychica]

Update: food truck night much improved by some folding chairs, a cooler of beer and no children.