Shopping fun!

Whoever thought that back to school shopping could ever be fun has never done this with boys, or at least with mine.

3 stubborn boys and a Dad in the stores shopping for clothes of any kind let alone for back to school = nightmars of the highest order.

Boy3(youngest 11 years old) not sure what he wants won't try things on sure it will "FIT" finally gets a decent fitting pair of jeans and a shirt that he deems cool enough, and yes, he tried them on, damn straight, i try thhings on, so i know they fit.

Boy2(middle 13 going on 20) trying to convince me that they jeans he needs only have to be 30 inch inseams, he is as tall as me and I know he needs them to be longer, but again he won't try them on, as the fitting rooms are too close to the women's clothes. finally, a different store same style jeans,(longer inseam) tried on fits, done..

Boy1(oldest 15, going on 40) tries on aprroxamately 2,000,000 hoodies, before finding the right one, but at least he tried them on right?.

and the school supplies, why do they put odd numbers of things on the lists, and why specific name brand items, a staples brand highlighter is just as good as a Sharpie brand one, and costs about 50% less. and why all the Kleenex for the lower grades, do we have to supply all the kids in a class with stuff? If some parents are to lazy/ cheap to do this , why should I pay to support their kid?? Boy3 is the only one with piles of stuff on his list like this, it's like they give you the list for the whole year. I don't think that it should all have to go with them on day one. Boy3 says that in the past, some of his teachers have put all the extra stuff in a cabinet, and passed it out to kids who needed it during the year, not really noticing whose it was originally. What? I paid for stuff for my kid, not someone else's, if they need something, let their parents buy it , not me. so, he will only be going on the first day with the basics, as he needs something else, he will get it sent with him, with His name on it.

I hate back to school shopping. Their has to be an easier way.

Dad

When ever I think about my dad, 2 dates always come to mind, July 5th, and August 28th.

July 5th is the date of his death, I can recall with absolute clarity where I was, what time it was, and how I felt at that moment. In the kitchen, 6:30 am, sadness, loss and a small sense of relief that Dad was no longer suffering, and that his long ordeal that really started in 1989 was finally over.
You see, Dad was a cancer survivor, in 1989, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, had surgery to remove it, no recurrence, no chemo etc, and stayed that way until 2001, when it came back.

2001, surgery, chemo (painful chemo, new drugs, worse than the cancer, he said) months later, back in remission, doing better, travelling, and skiing again.

2006, March, dreaded phone call, middle of the night, in hospital, a decision was made by all of us for a DNR order. weeks later Dad home doing OK, not great, but OK.

May/June, see dad, not great, getting ready for us to move back closer to home in a few weeks say see you soon to Dad, he replies with a goodbye.

July 5th, 2006 Dad gone a long fight over, drive to work to arrange time off, Paul Brandt's "Home" comes on radio, lose my shit the reality sinks in.

August 28th is Dad's Birthday he would have been 78. I still miss you dad, and so do the boys, you loved them and it showed, they loved you too, and I hope you are still watching as they grow into 3 young men that you could be proud of.

1st

Hey anyone, I'm just starting this, so I have no idea what this will be about.

mostly me and my challange of being a divorced dad to 3 boys who live in a different city and the adventure(ha) of trying to stay involved with thier lives as we go on, apart.

Last weekend was the first weekend with them. At least my ex is sane, she was willing to meet me at my mom's which is part way between us so neither one of us has too far too drive.

The boys and I had a decent time, waterslidess, beaches, go karts, I hope they don't think every weekend is going to be like this, I'll be in debt even further.

More posts will be coming soon, and hopefully will be funnier.