produce and parties

Yesterday I went with Annabelle's class on a field trip to the grocery store. It was not a hotspot destination like the pumpkin patch in the fall. I was talking with a few moms on the playground the day before and the general consensus was no one wanted to go since we all go to the grocery store all the time, but hey needed parent volunteers so I said I'd go. It was very much like a scene from The Hunger Games when everyone salutes the poor soul going to fight. All the playground moms wished me luck but were clearly relieved they didn't have to go. 

The children looked like a row of little green ducks wandering around the store.

It went much more smoothly than I expected, bringing 21 small children into Publix. Everyone was well behaved and only a few boxes of oatmeal were pushed over. I immediately went into full-on teacher mode. Being around a large number of children brought me right back to my teaching days. I didn't mean to, but I told a little boy to stay in line and told another to pay attention. I totally forgot I was the parent and not the teacher.

In other school news, I signed up to do the class Valentines party. Since the beginning of the year, I was the only one signed up which was fine with me. I have pinterest boards for such a time as this and quite frankly I didn't want to compromise on anything with someone who might not have the same love of themed straws and coordinating napkins. Last week Victoria's family was guilted into helping out. I was there when the whole thing went down but didn't say anything lest they think I'm a difficult and/or rude mother. The teachers gave me Victoria's grandmother and nanny's phone numbers so I could make plans. Yesterday I ran into the woman who brings Victoria to school in the hallway which seemed very providential since I hadn't yet called either of the women. I didn't know if she was grandma or nanny. I wasn't sure if nanny meant babysitter or nanny as in another name for a grandmother. She was an older woman so it really could have gone either way. That's why I said, "Are you...? I mean, hi. Are you Victoria's grandma? Nanny? The nanny? I'm doing the party with you and...the other woman. Um, are you either of those people?" CALL ME SMOOTH AS SILK. She looked at me like I was crazy (legitimate thought), threw her hands up in the air and said, "I'm just the nanny, call Grandma and plan it with her. I can't do any of this." Great talk! I'm so glad I embarrassed myself for this.

I finally got in touch with Grandma Denise this morning. She's traveling in from another state for the party which I'm taking as a good sign we'll work well together. I appreciate someone dedicated enough to throwing a good party that they'll travel across borders to attend.