School has started!
Some of us parents (like me) celebrate this while others (like Catey) lament it. Granted, it isn't the total freedom from responsibility I always imagine it will be by Week 8 of summer vacation. There are no languid days. Return to school means a return to concrete routine of bedtimes and wake-up times and leave-the-house times, tardy slips if you're late (we fill out a lot of those), lunches to be made 5 days a week, grocery shopping regularly to supply those lunches nutritiously, really being on top of laundry cuz the kids can't just live in swimsuits 24/7, homework... the list goes on... sadly.
It also means Back-to-School Night. Or Back-to-School NightS... plural... if you're lucky like me :P
I get to attend three Back-to-School Nights this year! Don't go getting all jealous now...
I've got two down and one to go. The first was on Tuesday... three hours. And because that child tends to space out and think he doesn't need to pay attention, I felt extra obligated to go. I wanted to know what I should be yelling at him about. I wanted to know what he's blowing off when it's happening instead of when his grades are irretrievably in the toilet. So yeah... three hours. Even missed my run :(
Last night was the second one. I went prepared. No... I didn't bring my iPod...
And another teacher "liked" that!
I think I know how I will be surviving the third Back-to-School Night...
Rum Punch # 2*
1½ ounces light rum (molasses based not agricole)
1 ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce freshly squeezed Lime Juice
¾ ounce Fruit Punch Nuun Simple Syrup (see below)
1 pineapple wedge, for garnish
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice and shake briefly but with conviction. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Some of us parents (like me) celebrate this while others (like Catey) lament it. Granted, it isn't the total freedom from responsibility I always imagine it will be by Week 8 of summer vacation. There are no languid days. Return to school means a return to concrete routine of bedtimes and wake-up times and leave-the-house times, tardy slips if you're late (we fill out a lot of those), lunches to be made 5 days a week, grocery shopping regularly to supply those lunches nutritiously, really being on top of laundry cuz the kids can't just live in swimsuits 24/7, homework... the list goes on... sadly.
It also means Back-to-School Night. Or Back-to-School NightS... plural... if you're lucky like me :P
I get to attend three Back-to-School Nights this year! Don't go getting all jealous now...
I've got two down and one to go. The first was on Tuesday... three hours. And because that child tends to space out and think he doesn't need to pay attention, I felt extra obligated to go. I wanted to know what I should be yelling at him about. I wanted to know what he's blowing off when it's happening instead of when his grades are irretrievably in the toilet. So yeah... three hours. Even missed my run :(
Last night was the second one. I went prepared. No... I didn't bring my iPod...
Okay... fine. I'm a dork. But that stuff is good! I always used to bring a bottle of water... but that's boring. The fruity splash in my mouth made me smile every single time. All that talk about curriculum and homework and field trips... no problem-o. I was so excited about my Nuun-assisted Back-to-School Night that I posted this pic on Facebook.
One of my kids' teachers replied...
"What, you didn't resort to the high school "bad girl" trick of hiding vodka in a water bottle?
<snark/>"
<snark/>"
I think I know how I will be surviving the third Back-to-School Night...
Rum Punch # 2*
1½ ounces light rum (molasses based not agricole)
1 ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce freshly squeezed Lime Juice
¾ ounce Fruit Punch Nuun Simple Syrup (see below)
1 pineapple wedge, for garnish
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice and shake briefly but with conviction. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Nuun Simple Syrup Preparation
Yields ½ quart
Dissolve 1 pill of any Nuun flavor into 8 ounces of Water. When completely dissolved mix the Nuun water with 2 cups of sugar. Stir until all sugar is dissolved.
Yields ½ quart
Dissolve 1 pill of any Nuun flavor into 8 ounces of Water. When completely dissolved mix the Nuun water with 2 cups of sugar. Stir until all sugar is dissolved.
*These recipes excerpted from gorp.com's Nuun Hydration Cocktail Recipes page.
And perhaps I should bring one for the teachers?
Uhhhhhh... probably not.
**I should mention that at my kids' school there used to be wine at Back-to-School Night (it's a french school, what can I say?)... so the notion of a cocktail isn't entirely far-fetched. Note, I said "used to be".
I've never had Nuun before. Where do you buy it?
ReplyDeleteA couple other moms and myself have made a tradition of going out for cocktails after our sons' curriculum night. Our boys were all in the same kindergarten class and we met each other then so last year we went out after 1st grade curriculum night and this year after 2nd. We've promised to do it every year until Middle School.
You made me think, though, in a few years I will have 3 separate ones to go to, as well! Aaaaah
Ahhh, back to school night. I blew off the first one (been there, done that, TOO many times), but I meant to got to the second one (for my 1st grader). It was the day after Labor Day and I completely FORGOT. *sigh* Mother of the year, I am not. I DID manage to make the 3rd. Maybe cocktails would make me hate them a little less?
ReplyDeleteWhat is nuun? haha I kid, I kid.
ReplyDeleteSo they 'used to' have wine at back to school night...who went and ruined that awesome tradition? It only takes one drunk math teacher to ruin it for the whole bunch. :)
The problem with back to school night is that, 90% of the time, the people who REALLY need to hear the information aren't there. And are never there. Now that my youngest is in his third year in the same school that his older brothers went to, I don't feel a huge need to hear the same stuff AGAIN. This year, we went to the BTS night but skipped over the schoolwide stuff (been there, done that) and just waited to meet his new teacher. My husband was all, "But we have to go listen to the principal!"
ReplyDeleteNo, no we don't. But with a drink...maybe.
Lol....Awesome. I would totally try this.
ReplyDeleteI've found that 1 part apple cider (I used soft, but hard could be interesting as well!) to 2 parts nuun is a FABULOUS combination. :)
Oh my god, you are hilarious. Enjoy that rum punch back to school night!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had thought of that last night when I was subjected to yet again another middle school Open House! How many other Mums get "stuck" with this joyous duty? My husband seems to be "conveniently" out of town for all these things...lucky guy! I am a pro now...it's practically a covert mission now to get in, introduce yourself to the teachers so your kid isn't singled out as the one with the parents too lazy too come out, and get out before some overly enthusiastic PTA mom tries to volunteer you for something. 1down, 1 to go ;)
ReplyDeleteCOCK-tails!!! Thanks for sharing M!!
ReplyDeleteThe next time I am tramping hut to hut in the Swiss Alps I'll have to see if the Matterhorn bar is hip to the Nuun cocktails.
ReplyDeleteNuun probably give you the perfect amount of hydration for sitting on your butt for 3 hours, but just barely. Make sure you bring some salt tabs with you to BTS night # 3 in case you start cramping.
nuun and rum ... hmmm .... wouldn't have thought; maybe worth a try.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have wine at my school too but the mom in charge now didn't like it so no more. I have a glass before I go. ;-) It's not enough.
ReplyDeleteHaving worked in a high school for a long time, I can tell you how to spot the alcohol induced water bottles!! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha! Sounds like TOO much fun ... so just as well I don't have kids; and just as well there's no Nuun downunder here in OZ (as far as I know)!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I'm thinkin' you might want to bring that drink for the teachers. With budget cuts everywhere, people blaming them for the country being in the toilet, they'd probably appreciate it a lot more than a giant bottle of hand sanitizer (although I know they like that, too).
ReplyDeleteThey would have probably loved some 'juice' that night. Too funny. That recipe looks great. I can always go for some rum punch. Well, maybe not always, but you know what I mean. Thanks for linking up to the hop this weekend. Really glad to see you on there!
ReplyDeleteWine at back to school night? How inappropriate would it be for a single, childless, wine lover to participate? Very? *sigh* Alright then.
ReplyDelete