We should be on our way to the beach by the time you read this, hopefully.
We have been planning on this all week, please do not let us get rained out today.
Oh and by the way, I don't mean this "beach" but an actual beach on a lake out of town.
Oh and by the way, I don't mean this "beach" but an actual beach on a lake out of town.
It seems like every time we have tried to plan something recently it has rained or it has been
101 million degrees. Okay, maybe just 101* but it feels a lot worse than that.
So anyway, speaking of hot, we made ice cream sundaes and ice cream cones yesterday.
That was on our Summer List too, another one checked off...wooohooo!
Here's where The Grouchy Old Bat part comes in.
Almost every day, the moment we step outside, the neighbor kid sees us (often from inside his house) and immediately pops over...like within thirty seconds. Every single day.
And for those of you that don't know me in real life, I can be pretty anti-social...or am pretty anti-social in some instances. I admit it, I totally own that about myself.
When I am at home, I like kind of like my privacy, I am not big on guests showing up
with no notice at all. I mean, give me just five minutes, I will put a bra on, k?
When I am at home, I like kind of like my privacy, I am not big on guests showing up
with no notice at all. I mean, give me just five minutes, I will put a bra on, k?
But every day? Ummm...no thanks.
Even a kid I really, really like a whole lot I don't want over at my house every day.
Is that abnormal?
Is that abnormal?
Here's the thing about this kid; he is not an easy-going kid, but a high maintenance kid.
He is an only child and kind of wants to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it.
He wants to play CSI every day. Every day. And in this house CSI would be considered a
"grown-up show" so my kids have no idea what he is even talking about.
Anyway, he is not a bad kid but it's just that I am not super social and it's the whole
every day thing that gets me...kinda drives me a bit crazy.
Anyway, he is not a bad kid but it's just that I am not super social and it's the whole
every day thing that gets me...kinda drives me a bit crazy.
So yesterday we went out on the porch to make our ice cream sundaes and twenty seconds
later here he comes. I wanted to take a bunch of pictures of the kids and sit and eat our ice cream, quietly, just the three of us. Right then I think I might have caught a glimpse of the little old lady me,
griping about the neighbor kids and the paper boy and people cutting through my yard one day in the
future. Maybe that day isn't as far off as I thought it was though....
griping about the neighbor kids and the paper boy and people cutting through my yard one day in the
future. Maybe that day isn't as far off as I thought it was though....
******
Happy Friday, y'all! Hope you all have a great weekend!
okay the Beach Boys album struck a cord. My brother, sister, and I ALWAYS listened to that album every summer!!! We loved it. Our dad is an old time surfer and was/is obsessed with the Beach Boys!
ReplyDelete-Ashley-
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI get it. It's not 'easy' when it's not one of your own. As soon as a ring-in is ringed-in, things are just a lot more complicated.
ReplyDeleteHave a little chat to his Ma and ask if he can seek permission before he pops over. When it's okay, you'll say yes, when it's not, you'll just say 'how about another time?' x
A sticky situation indeed. And non-assertive me has no advice to offer, but I empathize. But I don't think that it necessarily indicates that you will become a grouchy old bat. The ice cream making looks like fun-- I think I need to make a summer to do list for my kids, because its flying by. Have fun at the beach!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is a tough one for sure. I get it! I would feel the exact same way. You did make me giggle with the bra comment ;-)
ReplyDeleteTotally get this. I feel like our neighbors baby sitter. Drives me nuts. All the other moms/dads come out when their kids play outside. The neighbor hears us and sends her kid out to play and for us to watch him. Great kid, but I don't want to be responsible for him. On another note, rad photos. Love the ice cream with sprinkles. That's on our list too. : )
ReplyDeleteHe plays CSI??? Good grief! :)
ReplyDeleteAmy, I feel the exact same way. Really and truly. Sometimes I think I don't like people... but I do... just not all the time. And at home? I like it when visits are expected or - like you said - with a tiny bit of warning!
i am so glad you wrote this! i can be pretty ANTI-social too. i just told my friend that i don't like going to the public pool...cause i'm not in being in public. how goofy, huh??! i think you probably get it :) the kid? i so know what you mean. we had two little girls that lived next door and we couldn't have one second of family time before they'd be over. their parents were really struggling, so i (begrudgingly at times) took it as an opportunity to tell the little squirts about Jesus. maybe you could tell the kid why CSI isn't the best for kids...change his little life forever!! :) ha!
ReplyDeleteI am 100% this same WAY!
ReplyDeletewhen we moved here to this subdivision 5 years ago, all these girls came to my house and I hadn't even met any of the mom's (only one of them) and they come INSIDE and stay ALL DAY LONG, one even spent the night and I hadn't even met her mom! It got old REALLY FAST feeding them all and having them take away all of our family and mommy time. I put an end to it. I had my kids because I WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH THEM, not have everyone over 24/7 to play and I don't want them gone to someone else's house either! I know exactly how you feel!!!!!!!!! keep that time with your kids sacred and don't let anyone ruin it!
I saw this idea on super nanny where you take a stop sign and on one side it's red and that means they can't come over right now, and if you want them over, turn the sign to the other side which would be green and means okay come on over....is there a place where this would work in your house where the kid can see the sign from their house?!!!
you are NOT going to be a mean little old lady! it's good you have boundaries! don't let anyone make you feel bad for it!
xoxo
tara
Oh, you had me grinning and nodding my head in agreement!!! My husband always thinks, EVERYone is welcome here ALL the time and like you I would like a bit of warning!!! I see myself quickly turning into that crotchety old lady very fast! :)
ReplyDeleteOh this made me laugh out loud! We would be great friends! and CSI...really?
ReplyDeleteohmygoshitotallygetit!
ReplyDeletetell that little punk to scram. CSI???? no.way.
but them...you you start feeling bad.
he's lonely.
he watches CSI.
but still.
(p.s.i wanta come to you house right now! well, maybe in five minutes so i don't have to see your true cup size...)
I totally hear you. It is hard.... can you just send him home and say "Sorry, we aren't up for playing today." Do your kids enjoy him or is it hard for all of you? We tend to have similiar neighbor issues too... we all live very close and there are a LOT of kids around and it gets really sticky sometimes. Oy!
ReplyDeleteI so get it...and love the bra comment...I so get that too
ReplyDeleteI feel ya, and I'd feel the same way. Family time is family time. No Outsiders Allowed.
ReplyDeletebaahaha i'm gonna be right there with ya. and hello!!! seriously just give me 5 minutes to wash my face & put on a bra. i don't like company all the time. i don't like to be out all the time. i just like to be with those who matter most, my husband & my boys at HOME! :-)
ReplyDeleteI would consider myself to be exactly the same! I really just want to be with my two boys and husband and all is happy with the world. We have a neighbor like yours except it's not a kid...Rather a grown man. We've had to get rude with him and it gets rid of him for a short time....but then he can't help it and he's back again. As of right now we're on the "mad" week...Hope it stays this way for a while.
ReplyDeleteI would consider myself to be exactly the same! I really just want to be with my two boys and husband and all is happy with the world. We have a neighbor like yours except it's not a kid...Rather a grown man. We've had to get rude with him and it gets rid of him for a short time....but then he can't help it and he's back again. As of right now we're on the "mad" week...Hope it stays this way for a while.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that this kid, being an only child, is lonely. He sees what you are doing with your kids and just wants to be a part of the fun.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, some limits need to be set...and sometimes you just have to be a bit rude to get the point across. But your time with your children is precious (even though they can make you nuts) and your just gonna have to tell him so.
ohmygosh ohmygosh. we live next door to the same overindulged, overexposed only child who wants to take one of my children so that she's not alone, and leave ME with an only child. not happening. drives me batty. (did shauna just say "cup size" in her comment?)
ReplyDeleteThose photos are gorgeous and I love how you lightened them. How did you do that? Gives them such a gentle feel :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
This Good Life
I know what you mean. My kids are older so its more of a balance between spending time with family and their friends. I want their friends to feel welcome at our house, I just like to take off my bra some evenings before midnight:)!
ReplyDeleteWe had this issue with some neighbor kids. I assumed their parents hadn't taught them visiting etiquette so I did. I nicely told them, sometimes when we are outside we want to be just with our family and sometimes we welcome others. If they would like to come over they should say, "is this a good time? or Can I join you?" I told them sometimes we will say yes and sometimes no. It doesn't mean we don't like them, it just means sometimes we want to hang out with only our family.
It worked. They were good about asking and sometimes we said yes, and sometimes no:)!