5 Hours for 6 Kids

It took me five hours this morning to do all six of the Easter bags for the kids that I mentioned in a previous post (one where I was complaining about the ex I am sure). I will get pictures of them later tonight or tomorrow and post them. Some look really good and some look so-so. My stepson's is one of the ones that looks so-so. The ex will probably think I did it on purpose (assuming he doesn't just leave it on the bedroom floor like trash when he leaves to go back to mommy dearest like he did last Easter instead of taking it with him). His was the one I did first though and I learned what to do as I went along. He's a boy; I don't think he'll notice but who knows. We'll see.

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Making Easter Baskets

This year, I decided to be a tiny bit creative and do something different over the "norm" of Easter baskets for the kids. With six kids, why would I want to do spend a bunch of time doing that? Well, because my stepson just tossed his basket aside (with different sports toys, lots of candy, etc.) aside last year (after he devoured all the candy) like it meant nothing to him (it most likely did but still). He left it here when he left on the floor of the boy's room. I thought I'd find something that had to mean something to each child and make it reusable.

Instead of Easter baskets, I bought tote bags. I am going to embellish them with different things (depends on which child and what means the most to them). Here's what I'm doing:

• For my stepdaughter and oldest daughter, I have a "green" bag. It's not technically green but it will be about peace, earth-friendly, etc. because my daughter is huge on environmental issues and my stepdaughter is a vegetarian. In addition to candy, there will be a book in each one (teen vegetarian cookbook for my stepdaughter and a Harry Potter book for my oldest daughter who just recently started the series and is becoming a huge reader - - like her momma!). I am going to also add their name and bling it up a little bit.
• For my stepson, I am going to make his all "rock guitar" because he inherited great musical ability on the guitar from his dad. I figured he could use it to carry his music back and forth to his lessons. Besides candy, I bought him a rock music book so he can learn some new rock songs with his dad while he's here for spring break.
• For my son, I am going to do a rock bag for him too but use drum graphics instead. His book is one of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books he loves them.
• My middle and youngest daughter will have a bling-bling bag because they're both really girly. My middle daughter's bag will include a book with different stories about High School Musical (one of her favs) and I haven't bought the book for my three-year-old yet.

A lot of work. If I do all this work, only to have my stepson toss it aside again (or thank his dad and ignore me), then I'll deal with that if (or when) it happens. After 13 years, any appreciation probably isn't going to happen given how he's been taught to treat me but I'm hoping it will mean something on the inside where he can keep it hidden from his mother? Probably not, but who knows. I won't know until they're 18 and out from under alienating momma but we'll see.

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The Stepkids Went Home

The stepkids went home yesterday. It'll be at least a couple of months before we see them again (during summer break). My oldest cried for about an hour. My son cried for two hours straight. Our other two kids were ok (the two not closest in age to their half siblings). To take their mind off of their sadness, we went bowling last night (only my second time EVER bowling, lol...I broke two nails.)

I took a lot of pictures and movies while they were here (in case it is longer than a couple months until we see them next...you never know), put it all together onto a dvd into a movie, and sent the movie home with the stepkids. I wonder if this one will work in their computer or dvd player. They never have before though they've always worked fine here (imagine that). Yes, that is sarcasm.

My house is quiet again. My house is clean again.

I found out that my stepson wasn't as good as I had thought (well other than the hyperactivity/loud behavior we had to tell him to settle down with on numerous occasions). I thought he was better because nobody needed medical attention. He did have one occasion where he got ticked off at me because I made him put back the 50 or so books that were throwing around my daughter's room. Boy was he mad. He whipped one at my stepdaughter and hit her right in the temple. Mad at me? Oh well. I found out that he was swearing - A LOT - in front of the younger kids, even calling my daughter that "b" word twice. He didn't swear in front of me ever (he knows better) but I guess he swears at home. My stepdaughter said they have a swear jar that they have to put money in when they swear. Yeah, that's obviously working for him! Not. If I really wanted my kid to stop swearing and what I was doing wasn't working (the swear jar obviously isn't), I'd try something else. A swear jar for stepson? That's a joke.

I hear Irish Spring soap is an acquired taste.

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Easter Shopping for Stepkids

Well, I bought all the easter stuff today for all the kids. Since my stepdaughter and stepson will be here for easter, I bought everything equal. If they weren't going to be here, we of course wouldn't mail them an easter basket but some type of gift/candy instead. However, this year they get the full basket with candy and toys.

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