"I think things are set at lunch...........

You don't need to come there,"  he said choosing his words carefully.  I looked at him perplexed, bewildered, astonished, stunned, horrified, sad and disbelieving all at the same time while calmly responding, "you don't want me to come and have lunch with you at school?"   He paused briefly while looking down at his plateful of spaghetti and said, "no mommy.  I would kinda be embarrassed." 

I sat there stunned holding a forkful of salad suspended in midair while I took a deep breath and realized the day had come.  The day my son was embarrassed of me.  Where was my little guy who begged me to meet him for lunch and tell me not to sit next to anyone but him?  Where was the little boy who still holds my hand while we walked to school? And, most importantly, me an embarrassment?!?  Why I never......  But, nonetheless, here I sit staring across the table at this person, who very politely, I might add, told me to get lost.  "Can I still come and volunteer in your classroom?" I asked hopefully.  "Of course you can mommy! he said cheerfully.  "Can you be there everyday?" 

So, now I'm confused.  Apparently lunch time causes complete and total embarrassment for him. However, my presence in the classrom leaves him completely unaffected. No matter..... I'm not going to waste time trying to figure it out......I'm just going to take what I can get while it last.....sniff....sniff..... 

 

Now that I've wiped my tears away, let's move on to old books.......

 

And, I mean old.  Look at this poetry book. It's a hundred years old.  I love holding a book and leafing through the pages knowing that it existed a century ago.  People who held this book when it first was published stood in a world where automobiles were the newest gadget. 

 

But my biggest score by far were these books below.  Do you see what it is.....It's 8 volumes of sheet music.  This is what happens when you have some time on your hands....Instead of telling children to get out from under the clothing racks, you get to look in dark corners where things are hidden. At first, I thought it was a set of Encyclopedias.  But, upon further inspection, I realized that it was eight volumes of "The World's Best Music."  The first volume was published in 1904-1907. 

 

 

 

So of course, my first thought was that I would have sheet music at my ready for the rest of my life.  But know I'm kind of scared to tear it apart......I need feedback on this...What would you do? 

I also worked on some Halloween cards last night.  I had a headache during the day and took a 3 hour nap resulting in tons of energy at 10:00pm.  SO I decided to be productive and make some cards to put in my Etsy shop.....

   

 

 

Off to make some more Halloween things...I'm thinking crown........Talk to you soon!  Karin

Comments

[Joanna {sweet finds}]

Too funny! My kids still love for us to go to lunch with them... too bad I rarely have the time to do it. My 13 yr. old son just started holding my hand again in public. I'm not really sure what's up with that. I asked my hubby about it & his response was... "he misses you". I'm not sure what that's about either considering I have been around my son almost every day of his life (minus a mini-vac. here & there).

Maybe your son will soon change his mind about lunch & holding your hand. :) If not, Mickey D's for lunch might do the trick. LOL xoxo, Joanna

[Victoria]

I use sheet music in a lot of my crafting but can understand why you don't want to start tearing pages out of those books.

Victoria x

[Cindy (Junque Art)]

Oh sweet Karin...you are not alone. My two kiddos have given me the old boot from school too! My daughter a few years ago and my son last year. It was heartbreaking I tell ya! So I feel for you!!! Those books are wonderful and love the Halloween cards!! Oh...now when my kids say "you are embarrassing me!" I just look at them and say, well that IS MY JOB! LOL

[MonicaA]

They grow up fast dont they!
I have a scrapbook page I did about the day I tried to give my little guy a kiss goodbye in kinder and got scolded! He told me only on the weekends mom! Funny little dudes huh?
Loving all your late night creations!!!

[Vickie]

Love the cards! I think when they want to no longer have lunch with us, that's our first hint we will eventually not be the primary woman in their life :( At least you still get to hang out at the classroom. As far as the music goes, I'm trying to find Halloween pixies that might spirit a book or two away! I can never find any so I'm a bit jealous. I can understand the hesitation about taking the book apart. Maybe you can scan the books so that way you always have it. You can print it out and still have the books. Hope that was helpful.

[Laume]

Awww, I've had my sons do this "don't stand too close" thing when they are with their friends. I was really lucky, they were mostly always willing to have me around - well, some more than others. Now that they are all adults ('cept the one last teen still at home) they are all fighting over us to move next door to them in different towns. So I guess we're fashionable once again.

About the books - tough call. I scored a bunch of lovely old books at a major clear out of our local library last year. The idea was to use the books for papercrafts as I certainly had NO space to keep them. Now I'm afraid to rip pages in any of them and feel protective of them. Sigh. I do think being brave and using them unless you PERSONALLY enjoy the book intact, both text and images, is the way to go. A lot of old books aren't terribly valuable. They seem like they should be but sadly, they are not.

[Donna]

My 5th grade son was mortified when I was snapping pics of him and his friends on the first day of school. Oh well! He'll thank me later!
You tags are just beautiful! I seem to get a second wind later in the evening. I hope you got some sleep last night :)
Music books-I felt the same way when I cut my first photograph for scrapbooking. You'll get over it. I say, Craft away!

[sherri]

I'm sad for you. I remember the day too when mine told me that. I love the music books, but I'd have to just hold onto them as is-not cut them. I've often thought about using a music book as the base for an altered book or journal, the music will already be on the page.

[Dana]

I don't even have children and it stings to hear about your son wanting to pass on the lunch with mom! Oh I can't even imagine! I am glad to see you are turning your angst into a creative outlet..loving those cards friend :)

[Kathy Lowry]

I remember the same time in the life of my children , all grown now . But think how wonderful , you are raising a well adjusted , happy boy , who can be independent at times , but still is so proud of what you do . It is a joy as later you see ,you did allright --
*as to books -bought a similar music book mtyself at a thrift shop , but as to whether I can cut it up --don't know -- very funnny ,as we who love and want to use these things -revere them -
and I think that is what makes you the artist you are -- seeing
the beauty in a book that somewould throw in the trash -- after all it still has a story to tell in your hands. Love your cards ---need to get crackin myself --still sorting and arranging my studio - Kathy - GA

[Amy Sutter]

Oh my Gosh will probably be mortified when my boys do the same, he he! Atleast you got confirmation that you are still needed, just not at the "cool" lunch hangout spot, lol!
We are having a give-away on Aged Vintage Papier, please enter and spread the word!
HUgs,
Amy

[Alisa]

Oooohhhhh.... I remember when that happened to me. Don't fret. When my now 16 year old was in 5th grade, we couldn't be any closer than a mile away from the school for me to get a goodbye kiss. However, just this past weekend, at the age of 16, he kissed the top of my head in a very crowded mall. It'll pass. :)

[Bejeweled]

How quickly our little ones grow up! Just wait until they are old enough to run technology circles around us -- they will be so embarrassed for us to still be doing such old-fashioned things as watching broadcast tv :)

I'm not the right person to ask about the books. I cringe at all the irreplaceable books being cut up in the current scrapbooking craze. Maybe you can make photocopies??

[Heather]

Oh no.. kids. I bet he will want you to eat lunch with him again in a couple of weeks. They seem to change their minds so often you can't keep up.
OK, I am supremely jealous over that music score!! Wow. Rip into it sugar!

[alice adair]

So I don't have kids and I can't relate to what you are going through... but I also came full circle of being my mom's best girl to thinking she was over-the-top (I was in middle school)... to being just as over-the-top as she ever dared to be and counting her as my best friend. This is just a stage for him. Do not fret my pet.

Now onto the real issue at hand: DO NOT TEAR UP THE BOOKS! To find ALL eight and for them to be in great condition? -sigh- I LOVE old books and my mantra is this...

Never tear it up if it's: a) a complete set, b) possibly rare and/or valuable, c) falls into category a or b and the binding is in good condition. :)

There are plenty of cheap, not-so-old books to be had at thrifts for dismantling.

And of course, you can always scan and print!

~ adair

[ButtonsMcD]

oh! my heart broke reading this post. I remember when my son told me not to kiss him anymore when I dropped him at school. I cried for an hour at work!

[alice adair]

p.s. I was totally lagging on inspiration for my own blog today and yours did the trick! thanks much!

~ a.

[Carol Weiler]

I would consider tearing out every other or every few pages to use in your work and then alter the rest of the book-it served it's purpose for years-repurpose it now with your talent. A way to let others as well as yourself enjoy their beauty. Carol w.

[Tamy]

my heart is BLEEDING for you!!
my 11 year old is sullen, moody and hates to be with anyone else but his "crew"...sniff sniff - at least i know he is well fed and well taken care of!!
i will definately take whatever i can get!!
love your halloween cards too.
xo

[M (Tales From an OC Cottage)]

I know it's not something a nice girl should do, but, yes, I am lusting after those books! They are amazing!! WOWIE!!!

M ^..^

[Andyann]

Hi, Karin!
Your Halloween cards are great!
Love them!
Regarding the lunch at school thing---maybe it's a kind of thing where he thinks only little kids need their mommies to have lunch with them and he's a big kid now. So the lunch thing makes him uncertain but you being in the classroom is just cool because he thinks you are fun and cool!

[Lisa Russell]

Hi - LOVE your cards and your score of old books!! I'm just like you. I would think I was set for life, then I would be too sentimental to tear them apart. With the lunch thing, if you tell him you'll bring in his favorite (like McD's, subway, etc.) I bet he would LOVE for you to join him for lunch! That is what I do. It is definitely over once they hit middle school, unfortunately.

Lisa

[Lolly]

Your halloween cards are fantastic! You write so well about life with your kids...it is a real joy to read. Have you ever thought of writing a book?
~Lolly

[thrifty_misspriss]

How WEIRD is this? A few weeks ago I scored the SAME music books in a box at a yard sale. I feel the same way...now I'm afraid to rip it out...although that was my intention all along! Let me know if you find out anything interesting on this stuff...I've been unable to find anything!

[babs]

Make photo copies of the sheet music then you can use them over and over.

[Patricia]

Your Halloween pieces are just wonderful.