Friday, February 13, 2009

Highway Freaking Robbery

Pin It (Post Disclaimer: I've been in a funky mood for the last couple of weeks, a mood caused by news that's completely thrown me. Like picked-me-up-and-slammed-me-against-the-far-wall kind of thrown me. I'm not ready to talk about it, but just know that I'm a little off. A little discombobulated. A little brittle. But I should be back to my regular self any day now. Probably.)

I hate Valentines Day. (CHEERFUL!)

Not because the romance is gone, but because it's this one day where it feels like you have to "PROVE IT! PROVE IT NOW! MEASURE YOUR LOVE! IN CHOCOLATE!" And then after Valentines Day, everyone posts about the darling things they did for their kids, or the darling table they set, or the darling gift their significant other got them, and then I end up chasing my eyeballs around the kitchen floor after I roll them so hard they freaking spin right out of their sockets.

Today we performed our annual St. Valentines Day Why-Don't-We-Just-Go-Ahead-And-Set-the-Money-On-Fire-a-thon, buying Valentines for all three children to give to their classmates, along with candy and Valentine plates and cups and drinks and napkins for the class parties. Of course, attempting to find anything red or pink ("Dear Sarah's Mom: The plates and cups must be red. Or pink. Sincerely: Sarah's Sadistic Teacher") at this late date was an exercise in complete futility which required visiting three separate stores, and after all of that I STILL forgot the parmesan cheese.

(For dinner, not for the class party.)

(Tell me about how fun class Valentines Day parties are and I will come over there and rip out your gizzard.)

Class party fury aside, I do try to make Valentines Day fun for the kids. Last year, in a fit of guilt over our impending move, I did all kinds of Type A Valentines Day Motherish things - even attempting pink heart-shaped pancakes (FAIL). This year I will probably... I don't know.... Do... something. (That is my big plan as of 11:00 tonight.)

My husband and I usually go to dinner, and that's what we're doing again this year, but on Friday instead of Saturday because 1) who cares? (romantic) and 2) finding a babysitter in our neighborhood on Valentines Day is impossible.

There are at least fifty-seven families with young children within a three block radius of our house. Babysitters are booked up for seven months in advance and when you do manage to win the babysitting lottery and secure one you have to pay them in Cool Ranch Doritos and freaking GOLD. Bidding wars break out for the good ones until only the babysitting dregs are left and you end up making incredibly desperate choices. "Well yes, I know Margene almost electrocuted Carter last time, but really, what are the odds it would happen twice? Pretty small, right?"

Here's the thing that annoys me about babysitters. My kids are good kids. I'm not just saying that. We won the good kid lottery. They're easy, they get along, they play well together, they do what they're told - and they're even easier with babysitters than with their mom. We usually have them in bed by 7:00, and the sitter typically comes at 7:30. So basically we pay some teenager $7 an hour to sit on our couch and watch TV and eat our food and make sure the house doesn't burn down. It really chaps my hide. A LOT. MAN. SEVEN BUCKS.

When I was a babysitter I did the dishes and cleaned the counters and mopped the floor and organized their 8-track collection, all for $1 an hour. BUT THESE KIDS TODAY. THESE LAZY KIDS TODAY.

MAN. !!!

(Actually, I'm not sure if I'm legitimately upset by this or if this is just a continuation of my MYSTERIOUS ITEM induced bad mood. Maybe I'm doomed to be irrationally irritated for a little while.)

(I apologize in advance if I end up posting tomorrow about how it really ticks me off when the sun is out, and also it ticks me off when the sun is behind the clouds, and also how inconvenient is it that it gets so freaking DARK at night?!)

(Any of these things might set me off. AT ANY MOMENT.)

Happy freaking Valentines Day.

75 comments:

  1. Looks like I'm not the only one that can't get to freakin' sleep tonight! :>) When I was about 15 I babysat two kids all summer during the day while their mom worked. A four year old and a new born. I had never been around a baby before in my life. Was that mother thinking leaving me with her new baby? Oh..I know what she was thinking. I have someone to clean house, do ironing(oh, yes I did), get dinner started, AND watch my two kids all for $1.00 and hour. The 4 year old boy was pretty funny though. He knew all the words and motions to Michael Jackson's "Thriller".

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  2. Oops, that should read, "What was that mother thinking". Sorry, it's late and I'm tired. And yet,...I CAN'T SLEEP!!!!!

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  3. Anonymous3:19 AM

    You have totally captured all the reasons I hate Valentines Day. Urgh.

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  4. Oh Sue. You tease!

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  5. We barely remember V'Day and only do so because the children remind us.

    You pay $7/hour for three kids?! Here, the going rate is $8-10 for TWO.

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  6. Right there with ya! I'm so glad mine is in eighth grade now so it's not cool to do the whole Valentine thing. I did nothing this year and I love it!

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  7. Anonymous5:42 AM

    At my kids' school, NO ONE does Valentines. They are considered a thing for love-struck young adults only. Of course we live in Morocco and they go to a French school. Sometimes this school drives me crazy, so it was nice to see a positive side. At least they never ever have class parties, and if they ever do, the school does the whole thing.

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  8. You just perfectly expressed how I feel about Valentines Day. Fabulous post!

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  9. Finally I am getting around to checking out this blog. SO funny. I love your mood. I agree about babysitting-- I was one of the great underpaid too. I agree that most (freaking) blogs make my eyeballs roll on the floor. Thanks.

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  10. Wow! If I was making $1.00 an hour babysitting, I was making BIG BUCKS!

    We just go out for dinner, too, and exchange the same cards we have exchanged for the last 12 years or so. Silly little tradition.

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  11. I couldn't agree with you more on this one. I am the evil mom who refuses to send candy with Valentines. Too. much. candy. And I feel the SAME way as you about babysitters (plus the fact that no one every pays me jack for doing more than what they come do while my kids are SLEEPING!!).

    And p.s. I'm a dork and forgot you have Very Funny Friday every OTHER week, so I stayed up all night writing the funniest I could come up with, and then realized this morning that I wasted my time. So feel free to check it out and pretend I'm not a dork.

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  12. Happy freaking Valentine's Day to you too. I am also a hater, and loathed helping my daughter fold up little cards and put stickers on them. my husband and I could care less about the actual holiday, it's a crock, but we do get the kids maybe a little candy and a card, no cute settings over here!

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  13. I have 3 young girls. We found 89-cent boxes of V-day cards at Target. We did no V-day related crafts. I have no V-day decor. They don't seem to notice.

    Every parent in my daughter's 1st grade class has to do one party. I'm on V-day duty. The cookie decorating station. Ugh. Getting ready to roll them out with my 3-year-old.

    I WILL enjoy it. And I will use kind words the entire time. And smile.

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  14. I'm a lurker, and have been for months - love your blog... This post totally brought me out of my read but don't comment mode - I totally agree!! We decided that $20 for any teenager should be worth an evening of babysitting (two kids) - especially when said kids spend most of the night in bed and the babysitters these days don't even put the leftovers in the fridge, let alone wash the dishes. Heck - I would watch a friends kids for $20 so why shouldn't a teenager? And this year I asked my husband to give me a big huge box of diapers for Valentines Day instead of flowers 'cause my budget is so stretched from Medical Co-Pays - and Class party paraphernalia. So I think I have you beat on the Un-Romantic Side of this lame holiday.

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  15. Is it bad of me to be a little glad you are in a baddish mood? (although I am sure I am not glad about the reason) Because that is just about the best Valentine post I could read. I agree with all of it. Too funny, and spot on. Hope your babysitter doesn't burn down your house tonight while she eats all your food. Happy Freaking Valentine's Day to You!

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  16. Yeah, so I have both sides of my family living close (the in-laws and the out-laws) and I have two sisters, a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law that are all babysitter age. And wouldn't ya know, they are ALL BOOKED (probably 7 months in advance). So there went my free sitters (because family sits for free, due to the uber cuteness of my kid). And, of course, all the other teens in our HUE-MON-GUS ward will either charge too much, or are also already booked (probably 7 months in advance). Luckily, my RN dad has to work a 12 hour shift on V-day, so I snagged my mom to sit, as long as I get done with my date by 8pm, so my mom and dad can have some horribly romantic, post-germy hospital, I'm-really-too-tired-to-appreciate-this date. Can't they just enjoy the V-day evening with their uber cute grandson????

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  17. Eventually you'll have a built-in babysitter. SO worth the wait, I'm tellin ya.

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  18. I'm not a big fan of Valentine's day either. We don't ever go out to dinner on Valentines day. We learned our lesson a few years back when we ended up at Arby's because the wait to get in everywhere else was 2 freaking hours. Now we usually go out sometime before...usually the weekend.

    And some day you will be able to go out without needing a babysitter. Really you will. I'm finally there and it's lovely.

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  19. We have one of those built in babysitters. Anette is right. It's worth the wait. But then again, there is a trade off. You will then have an eye rolling teenager living in your house.

    Just think of it this way, in 48 hours, Valentines day will be over.

    I'm annoyed that it gets so dark at night too.

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  20. I agree. Valentines day is so not worth the hype. We don't even go out to dinner any more. I do, however, REQUIRE my husband to get me a card. And, I have also stipulated that he must buy it at least 2 days prior to V-day. Why? Because one year he went at the last minute and I ended up with a card for a DAY CARE PROVIDER. Not that there's anything wrong with d/c providers, but I am not one. Because I am evil, I never let him forget this one. ;)

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  21. I am sooooo with you. I Hate Valentine's day, or as I like to call it "Hallmark Day". I truly believe this holiday is perpetuated by 3 corporate giants, Hallmark, M&M/Mars, and the Necco Wafer Co. No romance at all, just capitalism. And speaking of capitalism, the babysitters in our area START at $10 an hour and go up from there, if you can get them.
    But, alas, my kids are finally too old for babysitters, and my husband is totally over the "out to dinner on Feb 14th" thing. Looks like Chinese food and a chick flick for me. Oh, and how much do you HATE the jewelry ads! In this economy, who's getting diamonds? I want to know so i can smack them! Happy Freakin' Valentines Day to you too!!!
    (instructions for above post - read sarcastically...)

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  22. OhMyFreakingGosh.... you're PREGNANT?!?!?!

    ;)

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  23. Hey, I got $1 per hour when I was a kid and I was a kid a lot longer ago than you were. I think you got jipped. (Or is it gyped? Or gypped?) I'm leaving hubby home and going out to eat with some blog friends who will be in town. Truly, I can't think of anything more romantic since it's what I want to do and he's jiggy with it. (Sorry you're feeling brittle but turns out, brittle is so darn stinkin' funny! Erm, maybe you don't feel like laughing but it's good for US)

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  24. step away from the edge sue...

    but i feel you on babysitters. i was an amazing babysitter, cleaned, did dishes, ate everything sugary out of their pantries to save them the effort...

    and the pay was peanuts. except for the one set of parents who always came home plowed. that job was quite lucrative because they usually ended up paying me twice in a drunken stupor.

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  25. Ha ha ha ha ha! Thanks for the laugh. And yes, I am going to one of those 'valentines' excuse for not teaching parties, today at school. And I am bringing my two younger kids and not feeling guilty about it... the babysitter thing- I go over my budget every month because of babysitters. You out there who have parents and relatives that babysit; 'whenever'- you don't know how blessed you are. Someone was asking me what I was going to get my kids for valentines day and I was thinking... oops- I have to get them something- like other than a warm place to sleep and some food at the table?

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  26. In our ward, there aren't many Young Women. (Or Young Men for that matter.) I think the entire ward shares two babysitters (the Bishop's daughters), so my babysitter choices tend to be adults... who are free. :)

    This weekend, we're actually going to visit my in-laws... who will watch my daughter (for free) while my husband and I try to find somewhere to go by ourselves which isn't crowded with other people on Valentine's date. But our date Saturday is not because it's February 14. It's because we have willing babysitters. It just happens to fall on that date. Cuz, really, who cares?

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  27. Where, exactly, is my gizzard located?

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  28. GJ, don't make me hurt you.

    Melanie - I don't know. Humans have gizzards, right? Or is that just turkeys?

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  29. I did the same thing as a baysitter. Made sure the house was spotless before the parents came home. Now.....babysitters just don't do the same. Why is that?

    Yesterday was my son's preschool valentine party. All we had to do was send a box to collect valentines, and valentines to give. Being that it was 3 days before payday, I simply cut out hearts of construction paper with his name on them. And I didn't worry about candy because I didn't think the 4 year olds needed ANOTHER piece of candy.

    SLACKER MOM. There was one mom who actually STAMPED. Made cute cards attatched with rafia. Whatever.

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  30. Sue and/or Melanie:
    Gizzards are found in the digestive tract of birds, reptiles, earthworms, and some fish. (Thank you, Wikipedia.)

    What...? It's a slow day at work.

    (And you funny when you're cranky.)

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  31. A few things:

    Being cryptic is NOT. COOL. You suck. (But only a little bit, and only until I find out what's going on.)

    Babysitters today suck. When I babysat I was taught (by the all-knowing Babysitters Club book series) that you always leave a home cleaner than you found it, and you never eat the good stuff. Because it's theirs. Now babysitters come and they eat my best treats and they don't even rinse off their plates and I want to ask them to pay me because, hi, I have way better cable than they do and they ate my treats so I practically gave thema gift.

    I also hate Valentine's day. It's so lame. My hatred is intensified by my disdain for all things cutesy and crafty, and valentine's day is the cutesiest friggin day of the year. I think I'm going to make a big garland of black paper hearts and write SUCK IT on the middle one. That will make me feel better.

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  32. P.S. Your sister will babysit for free. Cancel the babysitter and I'll come over tomorrow night.

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  33. I loved your commentary on V-day.

    As for babysitting? Well, going rate back in the '90s in my neighbourhood was $10/hour for an infant in the evening n or $15/hour for three kids between five and ten. Perhaps its because I'm a parent, but I still stick to the rule of thumb that babysitters ought to be paid an hourly rate of a minimum wage + $1/kid. The only reason I babysat was for income and certainly not for love and adoration of someone else's "darling" children.

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  34. Anonymous9:51 AM

    I'm sorry the fact that Mary Tong's moving to China and won't be able to blog has upset you so much. Me, too.

    (Seriously, I'm way sorry about whatever-it-is, and hope the sun comes out in time for, say, St. Patrick's Day. I mean if you're liking the sun by then.)

    I'm in a strangely cheerful mood this Valentine's Day. Probably because we negotiated with the kids that they got to have sleepovers last week and this week they have to babysit. (My 8yo daughter is in a less-cheerful mood: "But it's a holiday! Aren't we supposed to have a party or something?!" Me: "That's what school is for.") Oh, and I told the kids to make their own Valentines and they DID and I made my husband help them scan them and print them -- so I was totally off the hook except for buying candy to stick on the valentines. (Well, and I did have aspirations to help the littler kids make valentines for grandparents, but then we stumbled onto Disney Princess ones on clearance for my daughter and then amongst my stuff I found some leftover Incredibles ones from a previous year for my son, and I think I'll make the older kids help the younger ones address them and call it good enough.)

    Unfortunately, even though we've had our date scheduled for over a week, neither Dean nor I has formed any opinion about what we want to do, so we'll probably end up spending two hours huddled in a corner of a restaurant foyer trying to make conversation over the heads of strangers while we wait for a table. It will be fun!

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  35. Girl. I hate Valentine's with a passion worthy of the day. But now it's going to look like I stole your post idea. But REALLY it's been planned for weeks. I'm not even going to read yours until I finish writing mine. You have a direct line into my psyche and I will subconsciously parrot you if I read you first. But I bow to your blogging superiority in advance. 'Cuz I love you. Hope you are OK.

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  36. wow! We were paying 5 for three kids, now that we have four?... bummer.

    But I make it a point to make the sitter get the kids to bed, my absolute least favorite activity. Ever. So I feel like I am getting my $$'s worth, and that was before I read how much y'all pay!

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  37. I get grouchy when the sun is behind the clouds too. :)

    Crappy Valentine's Day to you too! lol

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  38. Anonymous10:44 AM

    I totally forgot to get up on my soapbox (and I know you'd have been so disappointed to miss it!)

    With the lax teen babysitters these days, obviously ideally their parents would be teaching them what to do, but if that's not happening, we CAN be assertive and tell them our expectations. I have a sister-in-law who leaves babysitters with a list including things like housecleaning and laundry, and I personally wouldn't go that far, but I do try to make it clear that any messes that happen on the babysitter's watch should also be cleaned up on her watch. Sometimes we have the babysitter come about 15 minutes to half an hour before we plan to actually leave, and I'll have her help me get dinner ready or hlep with other things. I still can't say that I'm as assertive as I could be or that my house is cleaner when I get home than when I left it, but at least I don't feel quite so helpless and annoyed.

    Of course, if there's severe competition for babysitters in your area, it could make you less competitive if you're the "strict" ones to babysit for. On the other hand, you could end up with some babysitters who later in life feel grateful for your high expectations and life-skills-training. And it can set people at ease when we're very open about expectations (at least it did me when I was that age.)

    I do realize that none of the above applies to a situation where the babysitters arrive to a clean house where the kids are already in bed -- except maybe you want to try going on earlier dates to make the sitter work harder?

    One thing that has surprised me as I've had babysitters help me get dinner ready for my kids: it turns out that 14-year-old girls these days don't necessarily know how to use a carrot peeler (I guess because we live in the age of pre-cut baby carrots,) and also don't know how to scramble eggs. But now a few more in my neighborhood know how than before.

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  39. My clearest Valentine's day memory was the year I spent they day in the ER.

    I was trotting down the uncarpeted, wood stairs in my oversized shirt, red leggings, and pink socks. I had my red plaid Keds in my hand. (It was 94. Don't judge.)

    I missed a step and fell down 3/4the of the staircase, hitting the back of my head on each step as I went.

    Dad says I made that noise Goofy does when he skis off of a cliff. You know, "Yah-hoo-hoo-weeeeee!"

    Yeah.

    On the bright side, 50% off chocolate on Sunday!

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  40. Oh Sue. You're so cute in your Valentine's induced rage. I just want to pinch your little flushed cheeks.

    On a happier note: stop by my blog to get a coupon for a free entree (when you buy one) at TGIFriday's. The only kicker is that you can't use it on V-day, but that doesn't seem to be in the plans for you anyway.

    Have a better freaking day, okay?

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  41. For some reason the stars aligned and we were able to get a babysitter! However we are having dinner at 3:30pm! It was the only available time slot left, unless we wanted 9:30pm! At least we have plenty of time to see a movie if we want to, and beat the crowds!

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  42. I think you freaking hit a nerve here. ha LOVE IT

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  43. I'm not into Valentine's Day either. My husband and I are going out to dinner tonight because he has to work tomorrow. My oldest is 13, it's the best thing ever. We will probably pay him $5.00 for the night and he will think that's great.

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  44. I'm SO WITH YOU. I'm TICKED! I'm TICKED that I had to flush money down the toilet for stupid valentines that will be land-fill fodder in 24 hours. I'm TICKED that I have to do something FUN and CUTE for my kids for Valentines, because lady, I don't do cute. I'm TICKED at the wind, and I'm TICKED at the sun, and if it was snowing, I'd be TICKED at that, too.

    Perhaps I'm just in a bad mood. Your post helped, though. Thanks. Now I'm off to be TICKED at my stupid dog. The stupid dog always bears the brunt of it. Poor thing. Or not. She's a dog.

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  45. I have a real problem with the cost of a 14 year old sitter. I cannot believe that they make more than minimum wage. It was even worse when we lived in Wisconsin. It was five bucks a kid an hour. You got three kids that is 15 bucks an hour. My kids are always alseep when they get here. It infuriates me. But what makes me the maddest, the girls charge when I go to the temple. So much for service. I have to travel an hour each way to the temple. With they outrages rates and the travel time alone, I have to save for weeks to do any temple work.

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  46. WOW! I'm pretty sure you'd hate my family right about now. If you check out one of my Feb. posts you'll see we celebrate the whole month. Pretty sure your eyes would pop out, your head explode and your body would blow away in ashes if you had to celebrate the whole month. Hey, I'll come over and watch your kids sleep for $7 an hour. When do you need me there?

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  47. Wait, I think to be generous I'll lower my rates just for you... $6.50/hr. Act now or I might change my mind.

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  48. Well, just when everything aligns and there are no kids to be babysat, and I actually have come to like Valentine's Day: it falls on Stake Conference weekend. That means meetings, folks. I drew the line at the all hands meeting, but my husband has to go to his. So if I lived closer, Sue, I'D babysit your kids.

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  49. I so agree w/ your third paragraph! Oh & my daughter's teacher Doesn't like v-day so the kids (1st grade) were told to bring in bags/boxes pre-decorated & no, she didn't want anything for special treats. Thank you very much. Really kinda pissed me of! Whoops, sorry bout the bad manners!

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  50. Kiddo wanted to take candy for her valentines. I said no, they'd get enough sugar at their class party.

    Color me the evil mother.

    I usually *do* make heart shaped pancakes, or regular pancakes with chocolate chips in them in the shape of a heart ... I hadn't thought about any of that until just now, reading your post. Not even after this morning when kiddo asked me what we were having for breakfast. tomorrow.

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  51. Sometimes I wish we could just time travel and skip the day altogether. Who needs chocolate and flowers on a specific day to know they're loved or to prove their love? Just fast forward me to the day after when everything is half off.

    Nothing says love like clearanced chocolate.

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  52. I have found that going out on actual V-Day is silly - there's always a huge wait, etc. One year we went to Whataburger (you don't have those in Utah yet, I don't think, but you should!!!), just to avoid the crowds.

    I am sorry you're in a funk, but if this is you in a funk, stay there. You're freakin' hilarious! You made my day with this post!

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  53. This is one blog I try to read regularly but not comment, but this post had me in tears. Thanks.

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  54. The way we say this in our house is, basically: "It's touching me. Everything's touching me."

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  55. Ha! We're celebrating Friday, too because it's more convenient and also because who cares! (romantic)

    In Poland Valentine's Day is strictly for couples so kids don't do anything at all. This is nice for so many reasons.

    And I absolutely refuse to believe that people pay babysitters seven dollars an hour.

    AND my kids are exactly like yours. ;) (I really mean that. The wink didn't mean I was kidding, but just that it's funny that I'm bragging about my kids or something.)

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  56. I'm with you on the babysitter front. I am the parent of one lone child... an almost eight-year-old boy. He is virtually self sufficient.

    Babysitters are so scarce in my area that we end up in a near bidding war with other desperate parents. We usually end up having to pay $8-10 or more an hour for one kid. It's insane. I didn't get paid that much when I started my first real job.

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  57. We usually stay at home with a DVD and a heart shaped Papa Murphy's pizza.

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  58. I'm so glad I didn't get the memo about posts about what I did to make my girls' Valentines so special. Because you know what I did?

    I sent them skiing with my husband. I'm taking the whole dang weekend OFF.

    I so totally, utterly, incredibly rule.

    (But I'm a little worried about you. You okay? I'm hear with loads of time to listen and become outraged on your behalf.)

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  59. Amen to everything.
    Except for the mystery item.

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  60. To myimaginaryblog: I have a 13 year old daughter. She babysits quite often and has never once told someone what she "expected" to be paid. She accepts whatever is given to her with thanks. She also knows how to peel a carrot and scramble an egg. Please don't lump all teenage girls into the lazy category. There are some very delightful girls out there that are very responsible (yes, their mothers DO teach them some things)! I guess I'm a valentine's day grouch too!

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  61. Don't worry, the sun doesn't shine on Valentine's Day.

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  62. I can't figure if it's me or the rest of the world that's messed up. Thanks for tipping the scales in favour of the WORLD with this post. Oi.

    I am currently mad at my husband because I told him not to buy me flowers. I don't like flowers particularly. I'd rather have a stack of books, frankly. But because it's expected he went ahead and did it anyway.

    What a stupid reason to be mad. But oi!

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  63. I keep thinking---

    It was never like this when we were kids right? Our parents didn't make crafts and sugar cookies and decorate our rooms and on and on and on and on...


    So why are we?

    Let's build some character and say NO.

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  64. Anonymous11:50 PM

    sww: I guess I left out the part about how I adore our babysitters. They are beautiful, smart, delightful girls who do a great job of caring for our four kids for a mere $5/hour. For some reason some of them have not yet learned how to peel carrots or scramble eggs, but I don't mind showing them and they catch on quickly. My main point was just that we can offer some guidelines when babysitters seem not to already know what our idea of good babysitting would be -- but I'm glad to hear of girls like your daughter who do know those things already.

    Azucar, my mom did make Valentine's Day and all holidays special -- although when I think about it, she did so with a lot less fuss and fanfare than what some moms these days are doing. And I agree that we shouldn't do all the fuss and fanfare unless we WANT to.

    Also (Sue,) I was realizing this afternoon that how you feel about Valentine's Day is a lot like how I often feel about Christmas -- and at least there aren't labels like "Scrooge" and "Grinch" for those who dislike Valentine's Day.

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  65. Sorry I hardly comment anymore. I am a sucky blogger all around lately, if that's any concelation. Anyway, I am so sorry you are in this funk. I hope the "throw you up against the wall" news doesn't shake you for long. I miss you A TON. Hope ou feel better.

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  66. Oh my gosh, you're not dying, are you?

    I don't care about V-day. My parents still send me Valentine cards. I have no clue why 'cause they sure as heck don't get any from me. The husband and I exchange cards and he gets me flowers, mostly to prove to outsiders that we still love each other. Otherwise we wouldn't do jack crap. And $7 an hour?? We think $5/hr. is stretching it! Glad we don't live in UT. And glad we never go out, come to think of it.

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  67. I hope whatever has thrown you for a loop...well against the wall...works out.

    :(

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  68. I am the bad mom who's kindergartner didn't take Valentine's to school. I am the bad mom who made her kids a pan-cookie with pink and red m'ms and called it a valentine. I am the bad mom who texted "happy valentines day" to her older ones. I am the bad wife who belched in her husband's face instead of kissing him and then exclaimed "happy valentines day!"...he laughed and did it back. This is not JP, this is Lisa...we are clan of the cave hair.

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  69. I had to run storebought cupcakes over to the school yesterday so The Girl would not GO ON ALL WEEKEND about The Tragedy That Is Her Cupcakeless Life. Yeah, yeah kid.

    My husband brings me flowers on Valentine's Day and makes supper. Very nice. But what really sells Valentine's Day for me: HE BRINGS FLOWERS TO EACH OF OUR KIDS AS WELL. I LOVE that man.

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  70. Yeah, I totally hear you. This year, with 3 kids in preschool and gradeschool, I told them they would have to make Valentines cards themselves, or do without. You know what? They did without, and the world kept on spinning. Image that! And my kids didn't even care if they were the only ones who didn't bring anything. The holiday shouldn't even be celebrated in school. Valentine's Day is for LOVERS!
    :~D
    :~D

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  71. Dang Sue! Just when I didn't think I could love you any more, you go and use my favorite "freaking" word a bunch in this post! I have a cure for your babysitting woes: you need an ex-husband. (But without all that sticky, sad, heartbreaking divorce stuff. Oh and you get to keep your current husband.) A few good things come out of divorce and one of them is that there is this other person out there who loves your kids every bit as much as you do and isn't put out by them and actually wants them around and, oh ya, they take them every weekend. You need one of those.

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  72. I'm sorry things are not going well right now. I hope you were able to have fun out to dinner. I am right there with you on the whole babysitters thing.

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  73. Thank you for the laughs! I had paying babysitters too. We pay someone to watch t.v. while the kids are sleeping. SUCKS! Hope you had a good Valentines Day.

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  74. WOW you are getting some comment LOVE aren't you! I am new here, loved your post. I feel the same way. I usually let my babysitter know that there is a few EXTRA bucks in it for her if my house is clean when I get home. Works quite well. Also did not do much for Valentines. We left town and went to a wedding. Yeah~ totally RUINED my Valentines...but probably would not have done anything anyways... plus my husband actually told me when I went to the store on Monday to go ahead and get myself some flowers! Yeah he was that great about it....

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  75. Yeah. Yeah! That. Nails. It.

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