The Boys Helped Me Pick Out My New Glasses

The title get you?

Yah, it's true.

I have worn contacts since a senior in high school.  That means that my glasses are prehistoric.  Sure, I could get new lens for my new prescription in them but they are ancient old and I just don't want to be caught in those glasses for anything.

Because I have a trip coming up (check back to find out where on the 7th), I figured I really should have a "back up" plan in case my contacts malfunctioned or my eyes were too tired and dry to handle wearing them for a second longer.

Sam's Club happens to have an optometrist on hand.  I have visited my eye doctor faithfully and think the world of them but I couldn't pass up inexpensive frames.  And I was in Grand Rapids for four boys dentist appointment (Dentist side note...there is one hygienist there that the boys and I fear.  She would be much nicer if she drank coffee and ate donuts, I am sure, but she doesn't.  And she chastises us for doing that and damaging our teeth.  We try to avoid her.  She was suppose to clean S2 and S3's teeth.  S4 said, as she walked out of the waiting room with S2), "That's the mean doctor. Glad I don't have her!") so a stop in at Sam's Club was easy.

I went to see if I could get an appointment while I let the four boys eat as much food and drink as much soda from the cafe.  Hey, they had just come from the dentist.  That soda shouldn't effect them one bit.

I fully expected a quick "Your prescription is this, pay here" type of exam.  But the optometrist was thorough and I was impressed with all that he did to make sure I had the best prescription.  He had me try on some contacts.  He took pictures of the inside of my eyes (kinda freaky) and was nice and chatty in a not bad way.

The boys?  They gobbled down food and stood outside the door watching the huge flat screen t.v.'s that happened to have a cartoon on it.  Could it get better?

Then I had to find a pair of glasses.

I had four boys trying to help me.

I had ten pairs of glasses they liked.

I had three boys trying on glasses begging me to buy them for them.

I took approximately 500 hundred pictures and sent 1,000 texts asking for help.  Okay, not really, but I did take a bunch of pics and I did send a bunch of text and I did send my pic on twitter and instagram to see what they said.

S1 picked my glasses almost immediately.  The pair I liked the color of the most just didn't fit right.  The glasses S1 picked I liked everything about.  The woman who ran the desk told me they were the best look on me.  But I still hemmed and hawed because it's a touch choice.

I finally picked them out.

I paid. Because you all will want to know, for me to get frames, lens, eye glass exam, contact prescription, photo of the back of my eye to make sure they were well (they are) it costs $277.  The glasses should be ready on the 9th.

I turned to let S1, who had come to check on me and see if I was finally ready to go, and told him we just needed a few groceries as I put my checkbook back in my purse.  But I looked up to not see S1 but a VERY surprised older man.

Oops.  Don't need groceries with him!  I laughed and explained and he was too shocked to reply so I just gathered up the boys and headed as far away from there as possible.  To the clear other side of the store.  Where girls with long beautiful hair descended up on me.

"Sit here! Oh, let us style your hair!" and so they got out these flat iron curler thingy's and curled my hair.  "What do you do to your hair?" they asked.

"Nothing."  It's true.  It is washed and combed and that's all.  Sometimes I blow dry the very top of my head to speed along the drying process but it's too thick to blow dry.

"Oh, I am so jealous! It's soooooo pretty!"  Another stylist started working on the other side of my head to show of the flat iron to a woman with too short hair.

"They sell for upward of 300 dollars but we sell them here twice a year for 40 dollars," the girls explained to me.

The boys, suckers for all infomercials, begged me to get one.

My amazing stylist assured me it was a great deal when I sent her a text.

So I purchased one.

The boys cheered.  Literally, three of them hugged me and jumped for joy.

I would wonder if they think I look hideous and this is my turning point to look pretty but I'll just go with they were glad I bought the cheetah print one.

So soon I should be posting a picture of me with curly hair - or super soft super straight hair - and glasses.

All thanks to my boys. 

I guess my worry in having them help me choose them was as unfounded as my husband said it would be.  He assured me that they would be great at picking out glasses for me.  Well, I should have never doubted him.  They picked out glasses AND a flat iron.

He may never let me have them pick things out for me again.

What Blessings Have I Missed?

Today I am over at Praise and Coffee with a post all about S3. (I really need a new photo on the blog with him and his new glasses. But currently the glasses are broke and super glued...ya'll seen that coming, didn't you?)

To anyone who is new to the blog, welcome! I am so glad you stopped by! Be sure to leave a note on Sue's blog, its such a great one!

Friday Night Hockey Game

Friday night we took the boys (minus S1, who was off hunting) to the local minor league hockey game. We had no idea who was playing them, we had no idea how they were doing but we were ready to go and have a great time.

It was dollar beer and hotdog night. This made Hubby giddy. That's a lot of hotdogs you can feed the family with. We loaded up before we sat down to enjoy the game.

The problem with it being dollar beer night...there are some crazy people (mostly guys) by the end of the game. Just take my word for it.

Hubby was surprised I was so “into” the game. Hey, all I had to do is sit and watch and since I had no jumping up to get something done it WAS fun. A lot of fun!

The boys really didn't remember going before. Our seats were about four rows up from the ice and we were right next to the locker room so when the team came on or off the ice, S2 was leaning as far down as he could to get high fives or touch the players sticks.

He was in his glory.

When he realized he could act like a crazy cheering fan with awesome dance moves and maybe make an appearance on the jumbo screen, he went insane. He made the screen. He was ecstatic.
During the period breaks, they have fun games or what not to watch. The first period break it was synchronized girl skating team from a local college. S4 was NOT impressed. Girls were not suppose to be skating at a BOY game. At all.

To add insult to injury they played Miley Cyrus's song “Party in the USA”. Sad as it is, I really like this song. S4 cannot STAND this song. Moma moving her hips and another girl insult was almost enough to make it an awful night to S4. There was soon a hockey fight in the next period so he guessed it was an alright night.

S3 was transfixed. By the game...sorta. A girl in front of us had one of those little hand-held video gamey things and he nearly fell on her once he was so intently watching the little screen. On our way out of the game (that they lost by one, but it was thrilling all the same), S3's glasses fell from his face. They were promptly stepped on. I will be at the eye doctors' next week getting them bent back into place. Thankfully the glass did not break.

Even with that, it was terrific night by all. Truly a great time. So great, all three boys fell sound asleep on the way home so Hubby and I could sorta pretend it was date...which meant we talked uninterrupted. That was worth the trip right there!

I Can See Clearly Now, Part Three

This day just got better.

S3 has pink eye.

Hooray for us.

I Can See Clearly Now, Part Two

So, real quick, S3 came home minus his glasses. I nearly panicked when I couldn’t find them in his back pack, but there were there all zipped up safe and sound.

Phew.

His teacher called then about as soon as all the boys got off the bus. She wanted to let me know how it went today with his glasses, telling me he took them off and cleaned them and put them in the case so often and she wanted to know if he had to wear them all day (yes) or just sometimes. She had him give a class demonstration on how to clean and care for his glasses and we are both hoping the newness of the glasses and case wear off soon.

But, funny story. He was headed to lunch when he looked at his teacher and said “oh, I had better take my glasses off now for lunch. I wouldn’t want to spill food on them.”

Here is another photo from this morning. I wasn’t going to use it, but then again, it shows S4 in action so perhaps you will all understand school mornings more. Keep in mind that baby Jr was in the car seat next to me for this photo.

But, hooray! We survived day one with glasses!

I Can See Clearly Now!

Today is S3’s first day at school with his new glasses. We had to go get them yesterday after school, he was thrilled. The glasses have been on back order and the office agreed with me it was better to wait for the glasses S3 picked out then get a new pair. His teacher has noticed that he is having a difficult time seeing in class so I have been anxious for them to arrive.

It turned out to be a good idea to wait for the glasses; he was so excited to put on his DARK BLUE GLASSES. Although, there at first, I wasn’t sure what impressed him the most, the dark blue glasses, the cloth to clean the lenses or the handy creaking to a slamming sound glasses case. Everything was ‘awesome’.

When he first walked in them, he had the perception that there was a big hill he had to walk over so everywhere he walked in the optometrist office was a huge step. Between his excitement, S4 thinking the tinted glass meant no one could see in but he could see out so he had to knock on all the windows and wave hello and S1 trying to figure out the best sunglasses for hunting or fishing and S2 secretly wishing he had glasses so he was trying on every pair he could in hopes he would suddenly see thru them so dramatically better we would have to get him a pair too, we were quite the hit at the office.

As they all climbed back in the suburban, I had S3 sit in the front seat, the most coveted seat of all in the suburban on any and all trips. It was so fun to see him drinking up all the sights around him, as if he were seeing things for the first time. I remember getting my glasses for the first time and thinking the same thing.

That night we had Word of Life club at church and when he walked in, everyone made a big deal of his glasses. R.C. introduced herself to him and showed the proper amount of shock that she knew him already and raved how handsome he looked. Then she said the best thing of all, “the sides of your glasses remind me of blue and red snake skin.”

Oh man, life could not have been better in that moment for S3. He was grinning before, but now his grin seemed to nearly crack his face.

Today at school I took photos like it was the first day of school for him all over again. I am hurriedly writing this because he will be home soon and I will get to hear all about how ‘new’ school will have seen to him today. I can’t wait!

But as I dropped him off at school after we had a morning of him taking his glasses off and putting them in the case, taking them out and wiping them off, putting them on and pushing them on top of his head, wiping them down, putting them in the case, putting the glasses back on his face….it’s amazing we made it to school at all this morning…I reminded him to be careful with his glasses today. I have checked the insurance policy on the glasses yesterday and while there is one, it is by no means a boy proof insurance. He needs to wear them all the time, but still I feel I must need to stress the importance of being careful with them – which will be hard as cool as these dark blue glasses are.

I think this is the beginning of a long, tiring journey.

Anyone with tips for us, I’d be happy to hear them!

Getting Your Vision Checked

I wear glasses. Well, actually, I wear contacts because I don’t like to wear my glasses. You would think something so close to your eyes would not get banged into, but when you have boys you are always getting banged into and glasses are not a safe thing to wear.


S3 began kindergarten this year. In order for him to go to school, he needed his vision checked.


See how the rest turns out at Praise and Coffee !!!!

http://praiseandcoffee.blogspot.com/2009/10/getting-your-vision-checked.html