Here we go again.... Homecoming

Yep, it's that time of year again - HOMECOMING! Complete with the mums and all of the week long hoopla that surrounds homecoming activities, including the one time wear $10 t-shirt that WE HAVE TO HAVE, and the Big Sister Volleyball gift that I have to put together for some kid I've never met and don't really care to know what her favorite candy and drink are?

Never mind that our school's football team STINKS and can't win a game. Never mind that we are a little podunk district in the middle of nowhere and we don't exactly have much of a venue for fun homecoming activities.... oh never mind that, 'cause we got MUMS and we've got a hick town parade that wanders down through town - the entire city block - throwing out cheap candy to the few that have off during the day to attend a parade at 2:30 on a Thursday afternoon. (So maybe we don't want to get me started on this soap box. I'm sure you can imagine my sarcasm on this!) Oh and the orange ribbon really isn't orange...it's a very pretty gold that matches the rest of the gold in the mum? Not sure what that's all about?

I remember wearing/wanting homecoming mums from my years in Jr. High through High School. It was the 80's - we were living large, don't ya know? As the mean Mommy that I am, I've managed to prolong the need for my girls to have homecoming mums until they reach High School. Now the real crisis for me during those formative years was that my meager little mum was ordered by ME, for ME, and paid for by my mother? I never seemed to have a boyfriend when I needed one. It was sheer humiliation to have a mum purchased by your mother? What can I say, I guess it didn't scar me as badly as I anticipated.

Fast forward 20 years or so and the diva, Brittany always had grand plans and ideas of what she expected and as usual I did my best to accommodate those plans. Lucky for HER, we have a great store near our town that specializes in MUM junk and Wedding junk and pretty much any other type of party supply or hard to find items you could want. Their prices are half of what you find at Michael's of Hobby Lobby. So yes, I made all four years of Brit' mums (she never seemed to have a boyfriend at the right time, either?). Our school colors are Black and Gold, but one year Brit's mum was black, hot pink and silver with lots of bling. But then would you expect any differently from her?

In direct contrast, Bailey announced to me on Tuesday (yes, two days ago) that she wanted a mum for FRIDAY (yes, tomorrow). She's the kid that would not have even realized it was homecoming if someone hadn't said something directly to her about it! I mean, they could have huge signs hanging around the school and announce it every morning and she would still be totally oblivious! Anyway, since I'm so excited to have her participate in these lovely events, (NOT!) I trek off on my lunch hour and go pick out all of the decorations and garb to create for her a one-of-a kind mum. I can honestly say there's much less stress involved in planning and preparing for Bailey. When I brought in the basic mum that I build and add on to, she was tickled to just have the basic boring stuff. I almost hated to tell her that I would be putting more stuff on it? Ya' know? I would kinda like to keep her expectations of my creative ability - LOW - for as long as I can! :)

So two hours later and only one hot glue gun burn (my pinkie finger will not be the same for a while)... I finished Bailey's mum. I'll tell you one thing, that kid appreciates every little thing I do for her, like that! She's totally overwhelmed by how much effort I put into it. Shhhhhh.... I'm not going to burst her feelings of gratitude and tell her that it's pretty much easy enough a kindergartner can do it? I'm not even going to let her know that there's about a million more things that I could have put on it? It's just going to be my little secret and I'm going to keep letting her think that I ROCK!

The more I look at it, I kinda feel bad that I didn't bling it out like I did Brit's so I might end up making a quick run to the Mum Store for a few more things. I do have a heart, I'm just lazy! LOL