Life as a "soccer mom"

I don't recopmmend going from no kids to a sixteen year old overnight. It is exhausting. I am always running somewhere, buying something, picking something up. Who would have thought that it annoys me when I have to pick things up. I used to leave things lay aaaaallllllll over the house and it didn't phase me. Ever.

I had the experience of making dinner for 20 high school soccer girls tonight. It's not a joke. I really did. 7 pounds of ground beef, 7 packets of taco seasoning, two big bags of shredded cheese, two tomatoes, one humungous onion, 2 containers of sour cream, 36 tortilla shells, 2 bags of tortilla chips, a jar of salsa, a jar of hot sauce, 2 peppers, and 2 boxes of ice cream sandwiches later the dinner was complete. They swooped in and huddled around the table. They had their plates picked up and ready to go before I even had the meat out of the oven! (I was keeping the meat warm in teh oven...good thinking, eh?) The only things that remained at the end of the night was a bowl of diced onions and a bowl of diced peppers. Everything else? Ravaged. You may be asking "Why would you do this?" to which I would answer "Because it is what soccer moms in Seneca Falls do." Each night when there is a home game the following day, the entire team has dinner together at one of the girls' house. We sign up and provide food. I am glad I got mine out of the way.

So what is it like to be guardian to a 16 year old blonde bombshell? Well....she is currently grounded. She "missed" curfew by an hour and ten minutes. Yeah. Not like 5 minutes. SEVENTY MINUTES. To make me even crazier, there were sirens going by the house at about the same time she should have been coming home. I was neurotic. I got to experience going to look for a teenager at midnight in my baseball hat, Dansko clogs, and mismatched pajamas. I was ready to go to the door of the house, ring the doorbell, and go in and drag her out of the house. I didn't really care about my personal pride or whether I would embarass her at that point. Did. Not. Care.

So, I would like to say the following to my parents:

• I am sorry I left lights on in rooms I wasn't it. If it makes you feel better it drives me nuts now.
• I am sorry that I really thought that I could lie to you and you would believe me. I now realize that when I told you I was in the house at 11:45 and wasn't that you really did know I was not in the house at 11:45.
• I know that "helping to clean up" is more than just standing in the kitchen watching you actually put things away and wash the dishes.
• I am no longer mad at your for "not getting me up on time." I realize that you tried to get me up on time, when I asked you to get me up. I now take responsibility for the fact that I stayed in bed 45 minutes after you woke me up. I am sorry I blamed you for being late.
• My room would have been clean if I would have had a wall shelf. At least that is what Martine is trying to convince us of. You should have bought the damn shelf.

I think that is all for now. I am tired and my back hurts. Being a mom sucks and so far the pain hasn't gone away. :)