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Saved by The Bell - Quirky Hops in The Tank

Monday, September 13, 2010

FriendsYouLove




Smackers, how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.....


I love you so much that today I am sharing a really special reader of mine.  If you don't follow her....seriously, I'm not sure we can be friends.  I love her and you will too!  She really needs no explanation for you all to understand the genius that is she...THE TITLE OF HER BLOG SAYS EVERYTHING....


Without further adieu...a doo doo doo...DOO, I present  QUIRKYLOON




Once upon a time a Quirkyloon had a Quirky Son.


They shared five tempestuous and, at times,horrendous years together before Quirkyloonwas saved by the bell.


The school bell.


The day that Quirky Son #1'official education began, the angels sang, the heavens wept with joy. Yes, he entered kindergarten and our lives (especially mine-insert big smile here) changed dramatically.


Albeit, we are still sharing many joyful and, at times, horrific, moments together now that he is in the 8th grade. I still pray for year-round school.


Enter Quirky Son #2 and although we didn't share as much quality horror time together (he was adopted at age 2), I found myself anxiously awaiting the sound of the dear old school bell.


*doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo*


Pray tell! What was that sound? Ah! The sound of the modern school-day bell.


Whee!


Now he, too, is an official member of the public school system: a kindergartner who has been indoctrinated to recognize and love, okay, maybe not love, but understand: the bell.


And those bells are music to my soul!


Yet despite this most welcome onset of the beloved bells,I had forgotten something.


Something very important.


The time in the morning BEFORE the school bell rings.


It's typically a chaotic time with all sorts of scrambling of eggs and minds, reminder yells, and screaming admonishments.


"Did you brush your teeth? Well go do it now!"


"Where's your homework folder? Does it belong in the toy bin? Go get it!"


"Where are your shoes? What do you mean you can't find them? Didn't I tell you to put them in the same
spot, so we can find them?"


"What do you mean your forgot to finish your homework?"


"No, ice-cream is not a good breakfast! Now go get some Cap'n Crunch cereal!"


"Come on guys! We're gonna be late."


Surprisingly, I found myself starting to resent this quality time together.


And then?


The bell went off in my head!


Ah-ha! The wonderful bell system could come to my rescue once again.


I instituted our own at home new pre-school bell. Complete with new rules.


At 8:10 am (MST) there is a line-up in our hallway next to the entry way or in this case, the exit. What this means for my boys is that EVERYTHING must be ready by that time. They must be clothed for the day (hopefully, including clean underwear), back-packs completely;readied, water bottles filled, homework completed and placed in their folders, they must be toileted with bumms wiped clean, breakfast eaten, teeth brushed and for my thirteen-year-old, AXED (an evil and odorous deodorant body spray) for the day.


At 8:09:50 am (MST), I start ringing the bell.


"doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo!"


Yes, I make the annoying bell sound in my own home at which time, the boys line up and we exit the house together.


It's a keeper of a system!


Week three and we're still doing great!


And my vocal chords and sanity have never been happier.


Who says the public school system is sub-par?


What's that I hear?


A bell!


I don't care if another angel got his or her wings!


A Quirkyloon has her sanity back!




B.S. No bells were harmed during the production of this post. They are most revered and respected in this household.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my! That girl is hilarious! Why haven't I read her before?

Wait. That's me.


Never mind.

Thanks Mama! *smooch*

Mae Rae said...

great post and a big fan of the BELL!

Ducky said...

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

Now...just see to it your halls are not filled with clouds of AXE and all will be good.

Anonymous said...

Ha! Yes, why havent I been reading her? Im off to follow her now!

We have a system in the morning too. I dont have a bell noise. But I do have a squirt bottle for kids trying to sleep in... =)

Andrea said...

Excellent plan! I, too, am anxiously awaiting the bells to start ringing. We're only 3-1/2 here ... ;)

Mama-Face said...

I found you again!

Ice Cream vs Cap'n Crunch. It is a quandary.

"Saved by the Bell"?

K A B L O O E Y said...

This is SO happening tomorrow. I'm not even asking if they use bells in kindergarten, I'm just gonna start ringing.

Anonymous said...

@MaeRae Thanks and it's always good to find another Bellie!

@Daffy I have my moments!

@BlueZoo I love you and will have your first born child! Is it a problem that I'm POST menopausal?

@Andrea There's hope!

@MamaFace I'm so glad you did!

@Kablooey You know me. I'm always willing to share nuggets of .... wisdumb? hee hee

Michelle Pixie said...

I feel like my life has been lacking something until today! I will be off to follow Quirkyloon as soon as I am done typing these words. Oh and I totally caught on to that bell system last week after I could no longer yell because my vocal cords were raw. Now I have a little alarm going off on my phone and that is the signal that it is time for socks and shoes and whatever isn't done before that isn't going to get done. It is time to leave. So that may mean a child is going to school in her PJ's but we are not going to miss that school bus!

Imaginative Me said...

I love the bell idea! Very clever. And congrats on winning your sanity back, I'm still searching for mine.

Nancy C said...

Brilliant. I too have told my kids, "No dessert until you eat all of your fried cheese sandwich." Much like the Captain Crunch vs. Ice Cream debate.

Shell said...

So funny! That time rushing around to get ready is about to drive me crazy already.

Anonymous said...

@MichellePixie I'm glad I could give you something today so that you're life is NOT lacking anymore. And now, if you'll just send me $19.95, we'll be even. What? You didn't think I gave out this wonderful advice for FREE did you? *grin*

@Imaginative Me I feel for you being sanity-less. It sucks.

Anonymous said...

@Nancy Ah another junk food junkie provider! I love it!

@Shell You and me both Sister!

ReformingGeek said...

Yum! You lost me at Cap'n Crunch!

Wait. Was there something about a bell.

....for whom the bell tolls.....

Anonymous said...

@InspiringYouToSave I dunno Sweetie, I think I'm beyond saving! Kidding!

@Reffie The bell rings when your Cap'n Crunch is ready ma'am!

Liz Mays said...

I can just picture you ringing the bell, the fake bell! I'm glad you're sane!

Anonymous said...

@blueviolet Sane? Yep. (Relatively, speaking of course!) *grin*

Ash said...

I live and die by the microwave alarm. Well, what I should say is that my kids live and don't die by the microwave clock.

Glad a bell can save your day too!!

And I didn't imagine you dressed like Quasimoto once during this post. I swear ;-)