Thank God its OVAH!! Halloween has come and gone and so has my first BIG event with a fancy title. Chairing an event is a lot more work than I had ever imagined and quite frankly, I prefer being unknown. As I frantically searched for the perfect costume that would leave me incognito, I realized afterwards that my big wig was a dead giveaway at the carnival to anyone who wanted to find Michelle Larson. (I was dressed as Marie Antoinette) The good is that sans costume, I am completely unrecognizable to most. (Haters can't find me!!)
The Halloween carnival was six weeks in the making. From buying decorations to searching for fun prizes, food, snacks, donations, etc. it has been a long six weeks and really took its toll on my family. I don't think my kids wanted to go to another Halloween store even if I bribed them with candy! They were so over it.....And if anyone else had to listen to another one of my jingles or decor plans, they might just lose it!! Everyone at the party store now knows me by first name! The night before the carnival, we pulled an all-nighter, completely transforming the school into a Halloween paradise for both children and adults. And when I say an all-nighter, it was exactly that. It was strange to watch the darkness turn into morning and realize that I had been at my daughter's school all night and we weren't even close to being ready!! I was setting up the outside bar area at 7am. Fortunately for me, "we" was my team of "single guys" who were kind enough to give up their Friday and Saturday nites, come to my rescue, see my vision and help create the most spectacular scene ever! And all for the kids. Talk about good guys, good friends, and clearly, they loved my kid. What more could I ask for?!
The event was a huge success but I was left completely and totally exhausted/wiped out. By the time it was ovah, I had literally been UP for almost 48 hours straight! Everyone loved the event, enjoyed the food, kids played endlessly, parents participated in the costume contest and well....let's just say that all the haters out there were left to shame. Oh-and the Mad Scientist Lab was a HIT! I bet the parents who doubted my "electrical" powers asked themselves, "how the hell did she make light?" (Battery operated and extenstion cords through a window baby....) They really should've, could've had the haunted house up there! (Mean Girls Story) Oh, and the 2 most important things--didn't run out of food or alcohol! The new Kindergarten parent SURVIVED! Yes-I received many compliments but the one that really stuck was, "I can't believe you are a kindergarten parent!" WTF? I didn't get that one. I mean, what's my kid being in Kindergarten got to do with anything? It's not really about her, its more about the parent and what grade the child is in if that makes any sense. I am learning that grades do matter. I had a friend tell me the other day that they used to laugh at the kindergarten parents at her son's school because they were the only mom's dressed up at morning drop off! They were the newbies still trying to impress. Clearly--I didn't get that memo because I drop off my kids in the roughest of rough, stinky and very disgusting running gear. No Lululemon Athletica here!! In fact, some days, I even show up for pickup directly after a workout! Talk about F-U-N-K-Y!
But back to what I was saying. Being a Kindergarten parent means many things: 1) you will sign up to help at any/all events. Example: We went to a school picnic and my plus one was walking around collecting garbage (AKA-being helpful) and someone made a comment to him that he must be a "Kindergarten Parent." 2) SUCKER (AKA-Michelle Larson taking on Halloween Carnival Chair) I took on this position so the event would not be cancelled. After accepting, I was informed that it would never be cancelled! 3) When all else fails and you need volunteers for anything-ask a Kindergarten Parent. The Newbies will 9 times out of 10 say YES! (Think how helpful you were your first year of preschool vs. your last) 4) Being a Kindergarten parent means that--You're not supposed to Chair a successful Halloween Carnival let alone make it the best event the school has ever had! Okay....I am NOT saying that the school community is out to lynch me so please, DO NOT THINK THIS!!! (It's a wonderful school community) I guess what I am trying to say is that as a Kindergarten Parent, you're the new kid on the block, the rookie, the newbie, the nobody, the person with the least amount of experience. As a Kindergarten parent, you are NOT supposed to Chair any event, let alone a big one. In my case, I took on the biggest event at the school. Biggest meaning that most everyone attends and it happens at the school with no hired help. Therefore every decision is left up to the Chair (me) and every mistake is MY fault. But that's just it-- there were NO mistakes! In fact, this event was like no other in the past. Completely new and every change this Kindergarten Parent made was for the best and it all worked out! (I got LUCKY) EVERYONE came and EVERYONE (kids, parents and grandparents too!!) had a GREAT time!! But again--the event was Chaired by a Kindergarten Parent!
So what's the point of this blog? Ummm....my kids are happy to have THEIR mom back, my plus one is happy to have HIS wife back, and I'm happy to have MY life back! Oh-and I repeat, I will NEVER, Not Ever Chair a Halloween Carnival event or any event ever again! And yes-a Kindergarten Parent CAN Chair a successful event so if you must give it a try, know that YOU CAN do it but once you do, you'll never want to do it ever again!!
And the Mean Girls DIDN'T live happily ever after.......at least not in my story....LMAO!!
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