Since ZooDad was home doing pre-trip to Maryland stuff, he watched the rest of the inhabitants while I took M to the Evil Public School for the first day of Speech therapy of the new school year. (By the way the 2 PS girls that was supposed to be there, never showed up. Their teacher forgot to send them. How's that for dedication to children with special needs.)
As I left, J started his math. ZooDad helped him.
When I got home 45 minutes later. J was still doing math and looking very frustrated.
Wouldn't you know it, the day I hand over the reigns is the day a totally new concept was introduced.
The instructions read: Write a subtraction sentence to determine the number for n and find that number
The example problem showed that there were 5 girls and some number (n) of boys on the bus. There were 12 children on the bus. How many were boys?
The example showed that you set up the problem like this:
5 + n = 12.
You could then change this to a subtraction sentence (because we have studied fact families) by writing it as 12 - 5= n and then just do the problem.
So what did ZooDad do?
He taught him to solve for an unknown quantity.
Yep. He told him to subtract 5 from each side to isolate the unknown reduce the answer.
The poor, 9-year-old boy was writing out this for each and every answer. 50 in all.
5 + n = 12
5 + n-5= 12-5
0+n=12-5
n=7
But he didn't know why this worked. He was confused and frustrated. ZooDad could explain the process but not the reason why. Or at least not on a 4th grade level.
So when I got home, I spent about 15 minutes with our balance, and unifex cubes showing how equations had to be equal and that as long as you added or took away an equal amount from both sides, the equation would stay balanced. We practiced finding out the unknown quantity in the balance bucket by comparing it to a known number on the other side and then subtracting them until it balanced.
Then I showed him the shortcut of just converting it to a subtraction sentence. (Which is what the book asked him to do in the first place.)
ZooDad said he thought that it seemed a bit difficult for 4th grade math.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Day 2 comes to a close
Unlike those seriously dedicated homeschoolers, we take of the whole summer. Yep, we just sit around like bumps on a log. As A say "We are the pirates that do nuffin'." (Chuckle...he even sings it that way.)
Yesterday, marked our official First Day of School!
Everything went fine but we never got around to art or history.
Today...we did it all. Yes siree. We just jump right in and hit the ground running. We won't stop until Christmas with a small slow down for Thanksgiving. Then we'll be done by the end of April and can veg out for another solid 3 months.
Here's what everyone did today:
J (age 9 and in 4th grade )
Yesterday, marked our official First Day of School!
Everything went fine but we never got around to art or history.
Today...we did it all. Yes siree. We just jump right in and hit the ground running. We won't stop until Christmas with a small slow down for Thanksgiving. Then we'll be done by the end of April and can veg out for another solid 3 months.
Here's what everyone did today:
J (age 9 and in 4th grade )
- one lesson in MCP math D including mental math and a multiplication review.
- lesson 2 from Rod and Staff English. I was reluctant to use this program but the boy is loving it. He is such a "do this, do this, do this, then do this" kind of kid that this text just fits him to a tee. I humbly admit that I should have switched to it last year.
- Spelling Workout D, lesson 14. Yesterday we did a pretest and did the worksheets. Today he alphabetized the words and wrote them in cursive. He has decent handwriting. I am impressed.
- One science lesson in Singapore Science. Today's was on reproduction in animals. We had a big discussion about animals that laid one egg at a time versus those that laid many eggs at one time. (For those not in the know...birds: one at a time. Fish, amphibians, reptiles...lots at one time.)
- Story of the world. We are starting over with M. He wasn't that involved when we began this and now he is interested. So here we are at the beginning of the Ancients. We're doing history every darn day. I plan to skip a lot of activities and focus on the extra reading instead. J loves the books and M is thrilled to color a coloring sheet. That way I cover both boys learning styles. I have the CD's from "Hold That Thought" to add to our coloring options.
- Read the first chapter of Where the Red Fern Grows , discussed it and the vocabulary and wrote a summary of the chapter. I got these guides from Garlic Press. They are wonderful beyond my humble means of description.
- Handwriting Without Tears Cursive: letter e in the 4th grade book.
- Latin: Reviewing chapter 1 in Latina Christiana I before moving on. We both need to relearn stuff.
- Geography from the Evan-Moore book Daily Geography this covers all that silly Social studies stuff on the ITBS test but without the silliness.
- Read for about 45 minutes from his Fun Reading book. He's currently reading The Capture from the Guardians from Ga'Hoole series.
M (age 6, in grade 1 but doing mostly 2nd grade )
- one lesson from MCP math B and four exra word problems.
- a lesson from Houghlin Mifflin English 2. We'll switch to Rod and Staff next year. M does well with a lot of planned activities.
- He did the two activity pages from Spelling Workout B. This is his first year for spelling. He's not sure if he likes it.
- one lesson from Singapore science. Today was grouping objects by characteristics.
- SOTW with older brother J
- Reading: the first Tommy book from Learning Page. I don't know if I like this series or not. I appreciate the worksheets but some are much harder than the reading level.
- HWT letter w and some fine motor practice skills: mazes, tracing scribbles, and pushing a magnet on a dry erase board to build up his hand strength. M has fine motor issues and a weak upper body.
- 2 lessons in MCP Plaid Phonics B. M is loving this one for sure. I'm glad I got it instead of Explode the Code.
- A lesson from Evan Moore Weekly Geography.
- 30 wall push-ups with Baby S shadowing him.
- Speech practice. r-controlled vowels
- 30 minutes reading and A to Z mystery
A ( age 4, Pre-K with developmental delays and apraxia of speech)
- half a lesson from MCP math K. We take this very slowly.
- one activity from Easy Does It-Apraxia
- speeh practice from therapy
- 2 brushing therapies
- 2 cut and paste activities
- a couple of games of sound Go Fish (Do you have any mmmmmmmmm's?)
- Read Katy No Pocket for Before Five in a Row.
Baby S (age 2 and no where near school ready)
- listened to Katy no Pocket
- drew lots of pictures
- cut paper in little bits
- drove his train all over his brother's books
- gave lots of hugs
- enjoyed a quiet morning TV show with no brothers to complain about the "baby" show
- played with unifex cubes
- broke two crayons
2 days down. 178 more to go.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
In which Sheila goes from refilling ink cartridges to "Why I homeschool"
Have you seen that movie Being John Malkovich? If you thought that was odd, you should try being in my head. The ceilings are just as low and my hair is about as crazy.
This morning I was in the shower,thinking.
I noticed my left index finger was stained. Well, that happens every time I refill the ink cartridges on the upstairs printer. I'm too lazy to put the little plastic plug over the bottom opening so I just use my index finger. The ink washes off eventually and I couldn't care less about how my finger looks most days.
My black and purple finger (I had to refill 3 different cartridges.) reminded my that my finger looked the same way during my Organic Chemistry classes while I was in college.
I had to take Organic Chem lab as part of my credits. I would have taken it anyway since I am a big time science nerd.
In lab we had to do a series of reactions to determine an unknown material. This amounted to putting said unknown substance in a test tube, adding reagent, and noting the results. If a particulate formed, you'd have to pour off the liquid and then figure out what the two substances were...the liquid and the particulate.
I loved that stuff. But I was a bit lazy. I was supposed to use a rubber stopper on the test tube. Instead, I would just cover the top with my index finger and give it a quick shake.
This was not a safe practice since more often than not, the additive was some sort of acid. Eventually, my index finger developed a thin, black scab and then my fingerprint sort of peeled off.
No biggie in the grand scheme of things. My finger is fine and I got an A in both organic labs.
But the lack of fingerprint did cause trouble when I started my education practicum.
I was assigned to the C-STOP program at the state youth detainment center. I was thrilled...really. I love a challenge and these kids were challenges.
C-STOP is the Chronic Status Offenders Program. It's a short term (maximum 60 days) kid jail for chronic truants, probation breakers, and runaways. To volunteer to work at the center, I had to be fingerprinted.
When my left index fingerprint didn't show up...the Officer jokingly asked, "What did you do? Burn your fingerprint off with acid. Ha, ha, ha."
Ummmmmmmmm...yes actually. I did.
He gave me that crazy woman walking...watch out look and then seemed to keep a close eye out on me for the rest of the semester.
As a college student, C-STOP didn't bother me that much. These were some bad kids. But as an adult and parent looking back on the experience, I am just horrified.
I can't imagine any child being treated this way for such minor infractions. The children slept on thin mattresses on cinder block tables to elevate them. They had no privacy at all. The toilets had no doors. The shower stalls had no doors. The rooms had a door that stayed locked at night but had a large window to the hall. The lights were on 24 hours a day. They could not wear their own clothes and were not given uniforms. Instead they wore "state clothes" that were given to the state from charitable organizations. These were the clothes that would not sell in the thrift shops. They were out or style, ill-fiting, and humilating for 11 to 15 year old children. The most shocking thing was that there were children who had been there for over a month and their parents had never visited them.
Looking back, I think...Of course these kids acted so terrible. They were taken away from home and put in what I saw to be a worse situation then treated with no dignity at all. Then they got proof of what they had always felt...that their parents really didn't care about them.
Most of the kids I met said that they were dropping out as soon as they could. There was no sense in staying in school when they were so far behind that they could never catch up.
I wonder how they all turned out.
The beautiful, tall, black girl who was all smile even though her Mamma's boyfriend beat her until she felt she had to run away, repeatedly. She would put on her "state clothes" every Friday night and put on a variety show. It was hysterical. She had a light in her that should have mattered to someone.
The pretty, blonde girl who just wanted her mom to tell her that she was special. But since that never happened, she was so desperate for approval and love of any kind that she ran off with various older men, across state lines and ended up pregnant twice by 14.
The angry boy who glared at me each time he saw me. When I gave him an extra fudge round that I brought, he asked me what I wanted in return. I told him, just a smile. He crammed it in his mouth and grinned a chocolate grin. From then on, he would grin at me like a maniac until we both started laughing.
I wanted to do so much for those kids. In the end, all I could do was hang out with them on Saturdays while they waited to see if their parents were going to visit. And then try to cheer them up when they didn't show up.
I wish I knew how society failed them. How could parents care so little about these precious little people? Who let them down and who could help them?
When I started teaching, I wanted to save them all. But there is precious little one person can do in a 180 hours. I did what I could to make them feel intelligent and worthy of respect. But I know I didn't do nearly enough.
A few weeks ago, one of my former students was arrested and charged with home invasion and endangering a child. He was a handsome, smiling, quiet boy in 7th grade when I last saw him.
Now he's facing serious jail time.
I can't save those other children but I can do my best for the 4 lives I know I can change. I will not fail them.
This is why I should refrain from filling ink cartridges. I promise the shower wasn't really that long.
This morning I was in the shower,thinking.
I noticed my left index finger was stained. Well, that happens every time I refill the ink cartridges on the upstairs printer. I'm too lazy to put the little plastic plug over the bottom opening so I just use my index finger. The ink washes off eventually and I couldn't care less about how my finger looks most days.
My black and purple finger (I had to refill 3 different cartridges.) reminded my that my finger looked the same way during my Organic Chemistry classes while I was in college.
I had to take Organic Chem lab as part of my credits. I would have taken it anyway since I am a big time science nerd.
In lab we had to do a series of reactions to determine an unknown material. This amounted to putting said unknown substance in a test tube, adding reagent, and noting the results. If a particulate formed, you'd have to pour off the liquid and then figure out what the two substances were...the liquid and the particulate.
I loved that stuff. But I was a bit lazy. I was supposed to use a rubber stopper on the test tube. Instead, I would just cover the top with my index finger and give it a quick shake.
This was not a safe practice since more often than not, the additive was some sort of acid. Eventually, my index finger developed a thin, black scab and then my fingerprint sort of peeled off.
No biggie in the grand scheme of things. My finger is fine and I got an A in both organic labs.
But the lack of fingerprint did cause trouble when I started my education practicum.
I was assigned to the C-STOP program at the state youth detainment center. I was thrilled...really. I love a challenge and these kids were challenges.
C-STOP is the Chronic Status Offenders Program. It's a short term (maximum 60 days) kid jail for chronic truants, probation breakers, and runaways. To volunteer to work at the center, I had to be fingerprinted.
When my left index fingerprint didn't show up...the Officer jokingly asked, "What did you do? Burn your fingerprint off with acid. Ha, ha, ha."
Ummmmmmmmm...yes actually. I did.
He gave me that crazy woman walking...watch out look and then seemed to keep a close eye out on me for the rest of the semester.
As a college student, C-STOP didn't bother me that much. These were some bad kids. But as an adult and parent looking back on the experience, I am just horrified.
I can't imagine any child being treated this way for such minor infractions. The children slept on thin mattresses on cinder block tables to elevate them. They had no privacy at all. The toilets had no doors. The shower stalls had no doors. The rooms had a door that stayed locked at night but had a large window to the hall. The lights were on 24 hours a day. They could not wear their own clothes and were not given uniforms. Instead they wore "state clothes" that were given to the state from charitable organizations. These were the clothes that would not sell in the thrift shops. They were out or style, ill-fiting, and humilating for 11 to 15 year old children. The most shocking thing was that there were children who had been there for over a month and their parents had never visited them.
Looking back, I think...Of course these kids acted so terrible. They were taken away from home and put in what I saw to be a worse situation then treated with no dignity at all. Then they got proof of what they had always felt...that their parents really didn't care about them.
Most of the kids I met said that they were dropping out as soon as they could. There was no sense in staying in school when they were so far behind that they could never catch up.
I wonder how they all turned out.
The beautiful, tall, black girl who was all smile even though her Mamma's boyfriend beat her until she felt she had to run away, repeatedly. She would put on her "state clothes" every Friday night and put on a variety show. It was hysterical. She had a light in her that should have mattered to someone.
The pretty, blonde girl who just wanted her mom to tell her that she was special. But since that never happened, she was so desperate for approval and love of any kind that she ran off with various older men, across state lines and ended up pregnant twice by 14.
The angry boy who glared at me each time he saw me. When I gave him an extra fudge round that I brought, he asked me what I wanted in return. I told him, just a smile. He crammed it in his mouth and grinned a chocolate grin. From then on, he would grin at me like a maniac until we both started laughing.
I wanted to do so much for those kids. In the end, all I could do was hang out with them on Saturdays while they waited to see if their parents were going to visit. And then try to cheer them up when they didn't show up.
I wish I knew how society failed them. How could parents care so little about these precious little people? Who let them down and who could help them?
When I started teaching, I wanted to save them all. But there is precious little one person can do in a 180 hours. I did what I could to make them feel intelligent and worthy of respect. But I know I didn't do nearly enough.
A few weeks ago, one of my former students was arrested and charged with home invasion and endangering a child. He was a handsome, smiling, quiet boy in 7th grade when I last saw him.
Now he's facing serious jail time.
I can't save those other children but I can do my best for the 4 lives I know I can change. I will not fail them.
This is why I should refrain from filling ink cartridges. I promise the shower wasn't really that long.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Conversations from our House
Scene: Sheila at the dining room table with the portable printer, printing out lesson plans for the impending "first day of school." ZooDad in the living room watching a movie after all the zoobys have gone to bed.
Sheila Looks up just in time to see a woman in a bikini on the TV screen.
Sheila: "What are you watching? Some scantily clad woman?"
ZooDad: "It's a James Bond movie."
Sheila: "And it is surprising to find an scantily clad woman in a James Bond movie? What are you doing looking at other half naked women?"
This is said in jest.
ZooDad: "This movie was made in 1962. 1962! This woman is as old as my mom now. Ewwww! Feel better now?"
Why yes I do, dear.
Sheila Looks up just in time to see a woman in a bikini on the TV screen.
Sheila: "What are you watching? Some scantily clad woman?"
ZooDad: "It's a James Bond movie."
Sheila: "And it is surprising to find an scantily clad woman in a James Bond movie? What are you doing looking at other half naked women?"
This is said in jest.
ZooDad: "This movie was made in 1962. 1962! This woman is as old as my mom now. Ewwww! Feel better now?"
Why yes I do, dear.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Note to self
It's a "new" school year.
Make sure you cover the following items found on the ITBS test. These are apparently holes in the boys' education.
1. Show them how to use a card catalog.
I don't know a library that still has this fine piece of furniture but apparently it is still an important skill. Also, go over the Dewey decimal system so the boys know that they can find a specific book instead of browsing though the stacks. (But what's the fun in that?)
2. Practice alphabetizing.
This must be a more useful skill than I realized. I guess we can practice by alphabetizing spelling words. If we write neatly, we'll call it handwriting practice.
3. Explain what guide words are.
Yes, the boys know how t use a dictionary, but the "terms" surrounding the massive book have been overlooked. I didn't know what they were either.
4. Bite the bullet and use the Rod and Staff grammar.
Worst case, I get a kid who hates diagramming but knows his parts of speech. There are worse things that could happen.
5. Figure out what equality sentences are and find out why my son has so much trouble with them when he aces all the other sections of the silly test. Once you figure them out...make the kid practice a few right before the test.
6. Keep reading.
Apparently, I'm doing that part just right.
7. Do more Latin.
It will help with vocabulary and logic.
8. Stop worrying about "Social Studies." It's too silly to worry about.
Make sure you cover the following items found on the ITBS test. These are apparently holes in the boys' education.
1. Show them how to use a card catalog.
I don't know a library that still has this fine piece of furniture but apparently it is still an important skill. Also, go over the Dewey decimal system so the boys know that they can find a specific book instead of browsing though the stacks. (But what's the fun in that?)
2. Practice alphabetizing.
This must be a more useful skill than I realized. I guess we can practice by alphabetizing spelling words. If we write neatly, we'll call it handwriting practice.
3. Explain what guide words are.
Yes, the boys know how t use a dictionary, but the "terms" surrounding the massive book have been overlooked. I didn't know what they were either.
4. Bite the bullet and use the Rod and Staff grammar.
Worst case, I get a kid who hates diagramming but knows his parts of speech. There are worse things that could happen.
5. Figure out what equality sentences are and find out why my son has so much trouble with them when he aces all the other sections of the silly test. Once you figure them out...make the kid practice a few right before the test.
6. Keep reading.
Apparently, I'm doing that part just right.
7. Do more Latin.
It will help with vocabulary and logic.
8. Stop worrying about "Social Studies." It's too silly to worry about.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Since Dy is about to call out a search party
And Jacqui is sending "How are you doing?" emails.
As requested....
beep. be beep, beep, be beep, beep, beep....
NEWS FROM THE ZOO
The couch is in place. It is lovely and it does not sink when you sit in it. This is a good thing.
The moving guys scratched up my new tile when they took out the old couch. I refuse to let that bother me. It is a small thing to be fixed when we sell this house in the distant future or when some thing really bad happens to another tile.
I have a new dishwasher. The old one from Sears is gone, gone, gone. But they have yet to refund my money. If I have to show up in person...I will extract my pound of flesh from someone. (insert evil glare)
The new dishwasher is a Kitchen Aid and it is from Lowe's. The Lowe's people were fast, friendly and thoroughly satisfying. (Which has some dirty undertones that I'm not going to explore.)
This bad boy washes like a fiend. I'm not even using the Power scrub and my steel pots are too hot to handle. I mean that, I have to let the things cool for a good half hour.
ZooDad opens the dishwasher door periodically and man-speaks..."Stainless steel, baby."
I'm glad to have it. I was getting tired of planning meals around clean up time needed. Plus washing 16 plates, cups, and utensils a day is way more housework than I signed up for. (My heart goes out to the dishwasher-less. I don't know how you do it.)
We had an anniversary. As of the 30th ZooDad and I have been blissfully wed for 11 years. We spent the day installing the dishwasher. That is love! And since the 11th anniversary is steel, it totally works out.
Oh yeah...and I got a laptop for my birthday. It is a posh beast. 1 gig RAM and 100 gig memory. (shock....100 gigs. I remember when ONE gig was huge news.)I have a DVD burner on it. snicker .
It is total overkill for my needs but for ZooDad it is the equivalent of bagging the mighty mammoth and taking it home to the little women. Caveman grunt..."See, I bring you laptop. It good!"
I'm trying to get used to the keyboard and getting all my files transferred over. Of course, I have nothing I need on it. But I can play the Sims while I wait for the boys at therapy.
ZooDad has been informed that it is verboten to back up his laptop on mine. That's how my old computer got full of junk. I had back ups of back ups. This baby is mine and I change the desktop picture daily just to annoy ZooDad. LOL
What else?
MIL is having an upper endoscopy today. She's losing blood somewhere and that may be where. I'm waiting for news since she wouldn't let me take her today. Uncle N took her instead. She had to be there it 8:30. She's an hour and a half from me and the hospital is another hour from her. It wasn't the greatest plan logistically for me to take her but I could have swung it.
ZooDad had his upper endoscopy on Monday and was all kind of fun to be around. He thoroughly enjoys the meds and says the most hysterical things. I threatened to record our conversation for posterity. We're still waiting for results but everything should be fine as frog hair.
We have to buy a new bed. Baby S, who has just turned two, no longer wants to sleep in his crib.
Last night he climbed into his brother's bed. When I lifted him out he started yelling out, "But I a big boy. I a big boy!"
Heartbreaking. I guess it is time for a big boy bed.
I think I will be lost at the thought of not having the crib in the house. I've had a crib around or almost 10 years. He's also showing sign of potty training...but I relish passing that little torch. I've been changing diaper since January, 1994 with no break.
The PS kids started back to school here yesterday. I got my normal, "Am I doing a disservice to my boys?" thoughts. Then I looked up the bus routes and I found that the oldest two would have to board the bus at 7:40 and would get off the bus at 4:20.
The two hours of wasted bus time is half our normal school day.
(scoff)
I think we can use that time a little bit better.
So there you are. All the news that's fit to type.
More later.
Beep,...be, beep, beep...be, beep, beep, beep
As requested....
beep. be beep, beep, be beep, beep, beep....
NEWS FROM THE ZOO
The couch is in place. It is lovely and it does not sink when you sit in it. This is a good thing.
The moving guys scratched up my new tile when they took out the old couch. I refuse to let that bother me. It is a small thing to be fixed when we sell this house in the distant future or when some thing really bad happens to another tile.
I have a new dishwasher. The old one from Sears is gone, gone, gone. But they have yet to refund my money. If I have to show up in person...I will extract my pound of flesh from someone. (insert evil glare)
The new dishwasher is a Kitchen Aid and it is from Lowe's. The Lowe's people were fast, friendly and thoroughly satisfying. (Which has some dirty undertones that I'm not going to explore.)
This bad boy washes like a fiend. I'm not even using the Power scrub and my steel pots are too hot to handle. I mean that, I have to let the things cool for a good half hour.
ZooDad opens the dishwasher door periodically and man-speaks..."Stainless steel, baby."
I'm glad to have it. I was getting tired of planning meals around clean up time needed. Plus washing 16 plates, cups, and utensils a day is way more housework than I signed up for. (My heart goes out to the dishwasher-less. I don't know how you do it.)
We had an anniversary. As of the 30th ZooDad and I have been blissfully wed for 11 years. We spent the day installing the dishwasher. That is love! And since the 11th anniversary is steel, it totally works out.
Oh yeah...and I got a laptop for my birthday. It is a posh beast. 1 gig RAM and 100 gig memory. (shock....100 gigs. I remember when ONE gig was huge news.)I have a DVD burner on it. snicker .
It is total overkill for my needs but for ZooDad it is the equivalent of bagging the mighty mammoth and taking it home to the little women. Caveman grunt..."See, I bring you laptop. It good!"
I'm trying to get used to the keyboard and getting all my files transferred over. Of course, I have nothing I need on it. But I can play the Sims while I wait for the boys at therapy.
ZooDad has been informed that it is verboten to back up his laptop on mine. That's how my old computer got full of junk. I had back ups of back ups. This baby is mine and I change the desktop picture daily just to annoy ZooDad. LOL
What else?
MIL is having an upper endoscopy today. She's losing blood somewhere and that may be where. I'm waiting for news since she wouldn't let me take her today. Uncle N took her instead. She had to be there it 8:30. She's an hour and a half from me and the hospital is another hour from her. It wasn't the greatest plan logistically for me to take her but I could have swung it.
ZooDad had his upper endoscopy on Monday and was all kind of fun to be around. He thoroughly enjoys the meds and says the most hysterical things. I threatened to record our conversation for posterity. We're still waiting for results but everything should be fine as frog hair.
We have to buy a new bed. Baby S, who has just turned two, no longer wants to sleep in his crib.
Last night he climbed into his brother's bed. When I lifted him out he started yelling out, "But I a big boy. I a big boy!"
Heartbreaking. I guess it is time for a big boy bed.
I think I will be lost at the thought of not having the crib in the house. I've had a crib around or almost 10 years. He's also showing sign of potty training...but I relish passing that little torch. I've been changing diaper since January, 1994 with no break.
The PS kids started back to school here yesterday. I got my normal, "Am I doing a disservice to my boys?" thoughts. Then I looked up the bus routes and I found that the oldest two would have to board the bus at 7:40 and would get off the bus at 4:20.
The two hours of wasted bus time is half our normal school day.
(scoff)
I think we can use that time a little bit better.
So there you are. All the news that's fit to type.
More later.
Beep,...be, beep, beep...be, beep, beep, beep
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Shaking my finger at myself
Have you ever had a really evil thought about someone? Have you ever come up with the perfect zinger in your head and then just been appalled at yourself?
I'm mean the perfect comeback for that one person that secretly gets on your very last caffeine deprived nerve. The kind of comeback that makes you giggle until you start snorting.
Of course, you can't actually say it. You'd be seen as an awful person.
You can't even share it with a friend...Because it is just that bad...but still such an ideal zinger. You don't want anyone to know just how secretly horrible you actually are.
sigh
Such a waste.
I hate when that happens. I always feel so bad about myself for even thinking it.
I'll have to punish myself. I'm a bad homeschool mom.
I'm mean the perfect comeback for that one person that secretly gets on your very last caffeine deprived nerve. The kind of comeback that makes you giggle until you start snorting.
Of course, you can't actually say it. You'd be seen as an awful person.
You can't even share it with a friend...Because it is just that bad...but still such an ideal zinger. You don't want anyone to know just how secretly horrible you actually are.
sigh
Such a waste.
I hate when that happens. I always feel so bad about myself for even thinking it.
I'll have to punish myself. I'm a bad homeschool mom.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Boys and Birthday cakes
I made the cakes below. I always joke that I am setting four women up for future failure by making these outlandish cake for the boys. Someday, one boy will say to his wife, "A round, vanilla cake! I've never had a round vanilla cake in my life. Where are the streamers? Where's all the food? This is supposed to be a birthday party."
Or course, one of my boys better not say that. When presented with a round, vanilla, crooked, and slight burned cake, they'd better say, "Oh Honey, it wonderful. I'll bet it's delicious.
Birthdays are a huge deal around here. I go overboard with the celebration.
We decide on a theme and I set out to bake the cake they ask for. My toughest one was M's alligator cake. (I'll have to find a picture of it. It was pretty cool.) I love seeing the boys' happy faces and hearing their exuberance over this edible art made just for them.
I make a ton of food and invite what seems like the free world over to my house. It's really just family and a couple of close friends. Then the kids, cousins, and friends all run around like crazy and the adults laugh at them, eat, and just enjoy the company.
Party days are always satisfying even though I stay busy.
But I got to thinking, why does celebrating these birthdays mean so much to me?
I grew up thinking my own birthday was a special day, but I never had the big parties that I throw for my sons. I sure didn't get "cake art" or mountains of presents. I don't expect anything for myself at all other than an acknowledgement from my family. And actually, anything lavish kind of embarrasses me.
So why do I lavish all these birthday wishes on the boys? Oh,and ZooDad too. He won't let me throw him a party. But we do buy presents, cook a cake, make him a special dinner and even decorate the house.
So I've spent the last couple of days wondering why these birthday celebrations are so important. The truth slowly creeped into my mind into like fog and then finally formed some concrete idea that I found to be true.
I don't celebrate the day for the person. I celebrate that day for me.
I met ZooDad shortly before his 30th birthday. We actually had one our first dates on his birthday. So that was not only the day he came into this world. His birthday is just a time for me to celebrate to arrival of this wonderful man in my life.
As for the boys, well, that part is obvious. I celebrate the four most wonderful days of my life every year. I can not imagine my life without these four little souls.
ZooDad and I often joke about the mountain of boys in the floor or all the little boy heads seating around our table and filling up my van.
I look at these future husbands and fathers and I feel a sense of pride because I grew these children. I often wonder if this is how God feels when he looks down on our world. "Look what I made! Grow! Learn! Be Happy!"
These over-the-top parties are my own selfish celebrations. "Look, what I made! Aren't they wonderful! See how blessed I am!"
So it seems only right that on my own birthday, I'm thinking about the births of the lives that means so much to me. I don't need cakes and streamers. I get to do that often enough. I don't need presents because I've received a lifetime full.
Happy birthday to me.
Or course, one of my boys better not say that. When presented with a round, vanilla, crooked, and slight burned cake, they'd better say, "Oh Honey, it wonderful. I'll bet it's delicious.
Birthdays are a huge deal around here. I go overboard with the celebration.
We decide on a theme and I set out to bake the cake they ask for. My toughest one was M's alligator cake. (I'll have to find a picture of it. It was pretty cool.) I love seeing the boys' happy faces and hearing their exuberance over this edible art made just for them.
I make a ton of food and invite what seems like the free world over to my house. It's really just family and a couple of close friends. Then the kids, cousins, and friends all run around like crazy and the adults laugh at them, eat, and just enjoy the company.
Party days are always satisfying even though I stay busy.
But I got to thinking, why does celebrating these birthdays mean so much to me?
I grew up thinking my own birthday was a special day, but I never had the big parties that I throw for my sons. I sure didn't get "cake art" or mountains of presents. I don't expect anything for myself at all other than an acknowledgement from my family. And actually, anything lavish kind of embarrasses me.
So why do I lavish all these birthday wishes on the boys? Oh,and ZooDad too. He won't let me throw him a party. But we do buy presents, cook a cake, make him a special dinner and even decorate the house.
So I've spent the last couple of days wondering why these birthday celebrations are so important. The truth slowly creeped into my mind into like fog and then finally formed some concrete idea that I found to be true.
I don't celebrate the day for the person. I celebrate that day for me.
I met ZooDad shortly before his 30th birthday. We actually had one our first dates on his birthday. So that was not only the day he came into this world. His birthday is just a time for me to celebrate to arrival of this wonderful man in my life.
As for the boys, well, that part is obvious. I celebrate the four most wonderful days of my life every year. I can not imagine my life without these four little souls.
ZooDad and I often joke about the mountain of boys in the floor or all the little boy heads seating around our table and filling up my van.
I look at these future husbands and fathers and I feel a sense of pride because I grew these children. I often wonder if this is how God feels when he looks down on our world. "Look what I made! Grow! Learn! Be Happy!"
These over-the-top parties are my own selfish celebrations. "Look, what I made! Aren't they wonderful! See how blessed I am!"
So it seems only right that on my own birthday, I'm thinking about the births of the lives that means so much to me. I don't need cakes and streamers. I get to do that often enough. I don't need presents because I've received a lifetime full.
Happy birthday to me.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Ashley people called...
they have ordered the replacement couch and will deliver it when it arrives.
I guess they have a better service model than Sears.
Nothing else has broken today.
Keep your fingers crossed.
I guess they have a better service model than Sears.
Nothing else has broken today.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Broken, busted, all torn up.
You remember the story of my new furniture. Well, we also bought a new dishwasher. The old dishwasher, which did work, did not clean very well and was leaking around the door. It was also old and the detergent door would not open.
It was a pain in the rear.
On the 1st of July, I bought a new dishwasher from Sears. Of course I wanted it in a color other than white (it only came in black, white, and bisque.) so that meant that it had to be ordered.
It arrived on the 7th and my darling, but mechanically inept hubby installed it.
Ooooooohh..The language in that kitchen would have made Eddie Murphy blush.
So I loaded up my brand new dishwasher and pressed the button. It made some dishwasher noises and then the green "clean" button started flashing.
According to the manual and the Sears Service people... The flashing green light is a very bad thing. They said they would send a service person out on Thursday the 14th.
Uh....ok. It was a brand new dishwasher. I didn't even get to use it and it was broken.
Guy came on the 14th and couldn't fix it. It needed to have the whole electrical board replaced.
Guy came back on the 21st to replace the electrical board. (Same day as MIL trip to the ICU) the stupid dishwasher still wouldn't work. It seems that it needed to have the pump replaced also. $300 billed to my warranty for the first service....$380 billed for the new pump which could be installed on the 26th.
The dishwasher, didn't cost that much to begin with.
So I called Sears. They agreed to bring me a new dishwasher, install it and take back the old one...for an additional $53. Yes, either that or I could disconnect it, haul it back to Sears, wait the week until the new one arrived....Leaving a gaping hole with the water and power turned off on that wall of my kitchen, pick up the new machine and then install that one and pray it worked.
They'll deliver it next week.
Despite the fact that I have a mower, edger, blower, oven, refrigerator, freezer, hood, and dishwasher from Sears........I will never buy anything from them again.
Then they had the audacity to try to sell me the extended warranty plan.
Then...Just to add insult to my already dishpan hands.
My new couch broke.
The frame broke.
The guy came out to see if it could be fixed and said it was a manufacturers defect. We all took pictures and he is sending the info to Ashley so they can replace it.
We'll see if they follow the Sears business model of customer service.
At least I can still sit on the couch. (snicker....hee, hee, hee.)
It was a pain in the rear.
On the 1st of July, I bought a new dishwasher from Sears. Of course I wanted it in a color other than white (it only came in black, white, and bisque.) so that meant that it had to be ordered.
It arrived on the 7th and my darling, but mechanically inept hubby installed it.
Ooooooohh..The language in that kitchen would have made Eddie Murphy blush.
So I loaded up my brand new dishwasher and pressed the button. It made some dishwasher noises and then the green "clean" button started flashing.
According to the manual and the Sears Service people... The flashing green light is a very bad thing. They said they would send a service person out on Thursday the 14th.
Uh....ok. It was a brand new dishwasher. I didn't even get to use it and it was broken.
Guy came on the 14th and couldn't fix it. It needed to have the whole electrical board replaced.
Guy came back on the 21st to replace the electrical board. (Same day as MIL trip to the ICU) the stupid dishwasher still wouldn't work. It seems that it needed to have the pump replaced also. $300 billed to my warranty for the first service....$380 billed for the new pump which could be installed on the 26th.
The dishwasher, didn't cost that much to begin with.
So I called Sears. They agreed to bring me a new dishwasher, install it and take back the old one...for an additional $53. Yes, either that or I could disconnect it, haul it back to Sears, wait the week until the new one arrived....Leaving a gaping hole with the water and power turned off on that wall of my kitchen, pick up the new machine and then install that one and pray it worked.
They'll deliver it next week.
Despite the fact that I have a mower, edger, blower, oven, refrigerator, freezer, hood, and dishwasher from Sears........I will never buy anything from them again.
Then they had the audacity to try to sell me the extended warranty plan.
Then...Just to add insult to my already dishpan hands.
My new couch broke.
The frame broke.
The guy came out to see if it could be fixed and said it was a manufacturers defect. We all took pictures and he is sending the info to Ashley so they can replace it.
We'll see if they follow the Sears business model of customer service.
At least I can still sit on the couch. (snicker....hee, hee, hee.)
MIL update
MIL is in a regular room and doing better. She might even be home today. I've instructed ZooDad to stay with her until at least tomorrow night. Most likely through Sunday. The boys and I are heading down there tomorrow afternoon to visit.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Prayers Needed for Mary Lee
My MIL was supposed to come up tomorrow to pick up the oldest 3 boys so they could spend 3 days down on the farm with her.
Instead, the hospital called to say that she was admitted to ICU with a fast and irregular heartbeat. ZooDad has taken off to be with her. He has about a 2 hour drive. They called at 9 pm. We last spoke to her at 6 pm.
Shortly after he Zoodad left, he called to make sure the boys were in bed and assured me that he would be home as soon as he could.
I took the time to explain what "being in ICU" meant and told him that he was going there to act as his Mom's advocate. I warned him about what to expect. I told him the questions to ask and to write down everything. I also told him that I would bring him anything he needed because he was going to be there for the whole night and maybe longer.
"You only have one mom, Honey. If I was widowed and in the hospital, I'd want my boys there to hold my hands."
He thanked me for reminding him of his priorities. He has work deadlines and there is a project due for his Masters class.
Work and school are way down the list when Moms, wives, and children need you.
So please pray for my MIL.
Instead, the hospital called to say that she was admitted to ICU with a fast and irregular heartbeat. ZooDad has taken off to be with her. He has about a 2 hour drive. They called at 9 pm. We last spoke to her at 6 pm.
Shortly after he Zoodad left, he called to make sure the boys were in bed and assured me that he would be home as soon as he could.
I took the time to explain what "being in ICU" meant and told him that he was going there to act as his Mom's advocate. I warned him about what to expect. I told him the questions to ask and to write down everything. I also told him that I would bring him anything he needed because he was going to be there for the whole night and maybe longer.
"You only have one mom, Honey. If I was widowed and in the hospital, I'd want my boys there to hold my hands."
He thanked me for reminding him of his priorities. He has work deadlines and there is a project due for his Masters class.
Work and school are way down the list when Moms, wives, and children need you.
So please pray for my MIL.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Got my mind on my math, my math on my mind
Apologies to Sean Paul for butchering his lyrics. (Which are far from brilliant but do tend to stick with you.)
I've been thinking about math lately.
obsessed actually.
Not that I'm thinking about doing math. I more consumed with math programs.
You see, we are the rare homeschoolers that use MCP math. It's inexpensive and schoolish. It's also self teaching and the TE has cool stuff in it. That's two bonuses in my book. MCP is the same company that makes Plaid Phonics and Spelling workout. So we aren't talking junk math here. It just doesn't have the SWB seal of Well Trained Mindness. ;)
So welcome to my thought process. I'll warn you. It's hurried, busy, sometime illogical and when it is logical...it makes big leaps. As ZooDad has said, "Your thought processes are scary."
I got to thinking. MCP math ends at 6th grade. So eventually, I am going to have to switch companies. Standard homeschool protocol dictates that Saxon is the program of choice, so the oldest ZooChild will have to start Algebra 1/2 in 7th grade.
(I fully understand that there is a chance that a zoochild will not be ready to start pre-algebra in 7th grade. If/when that happens, I won't make any kind of big deal at all and will just do what is best for that particular kid. So don't think I'm going to sacrifice any of the z-boys to the gods of mathematics. But taking higher math is a non-negotiable item in this household.)
Back in my head...I thought it would be a poor decision to change math programs at pre-algebra. I have repressed memories from my own experiences in pre-algebra. It was the beginnings of my long hatred of all things numerical. I'd like to avoid that issue with any of my brood.
So I came to this conclusion that I should switch for 6th grade to get one year of Saxon under his belt before doing algebra 1/2. Well, if one year is good preparation...then maybe two years would be better. (see how my mind works.)
J will be starting 4th grade soon. Two years of Saxon before pre-algebra would mean starting Saxon for 5th grade and...(the gears just spinning in my head.) our homeschool support group was having a used curriculum sale. If they had a used copy of Math 65, I could go ahead and get it for next school year.
Wow...I was so proud of myself. This was some serious planning. I was getting all the final details nailed down.
Then I had this idea to let J take that Saxon placement test. Afterall, we've all heard about how demanding Saxon is. And I know my goofball child will incorrectly answer 3x4 regularly. I really just wanted to make sure the boy could tread water in Saxon. But I also wanted to make sure that I was buying the right year at the used book sale.
Apparently, he could do more than tread water.
On the Math 54 through Algebra 1 test, he got all 10 of the first questions right. I was tickled pink. According to the Saon people, that meant that he could start math 65 now! (I need a big eyed smiley.)
He went on to get 5 out of the next 10 correct...which translated into starting math 76...now! A fourth grade child taking math 76!
Well, I knew that wasn't going to happen. So I started looking into the programs. Checking out websites. Would Singapore be better? What about Right Start? A friend recommended math-U-see. Another said that the boys needed Singapore.
Then my darling ZooDad...who is a pure genius of the obvious...said, "Why not just keep in in what he's been using? Obviously, it got him where he is."
Clunk. Skreeeeeeeeech
That was my running mind getting hit and slamming on brakes.
Obvious answer.
If his current math has him ready for Math 76 now. I'm sure he'll be ready for pre-algebra in 3 more years. So that eliminates any need to switch boats early.
See this is why I need my hubby around and not traveling. He needs to put the brakes on my brain more often and help me track down escaped hamsters.* So now, I'm right back where I was originally. With my 4th grade MCp book. I will try to be content. try.
*Don't worry Jacqui. The renegade rodent has been rounded-up and is not safely ensconced in his plastic home. You can safely come over. I still want you to bring the math-u-see...just in case. (hee, hee, hee)
I've been thinking about math lately.
obsessed actually.
Not that I'm thinking about doing math. I more consumed with math programs.
You see, we are the rare homeschoolers that use MCP math. It's inexpensive and schoolish. It's also self teaching and the TE has cool stuff in it. That's two bonuses in my book. MCP is the same company that makes Plaid Phonics and Spelling workout. So we aren't talking junk math here. It just doesn't have the SWB seal of Well Trained Mindness. ;)
So welcome to my thought process. I'll warn you. It's hurried, busy, sometime illogical and when it is logical...it makes big leaps. As ZooDad has said, "Your thought processes are scary."
I got to thinking. MCP math ends at 6th grade. So eventually, I am going to have to switch companies. Standard homeschool protocol dictates that Saxon is the program of choice, so the oldest ZooChild will have to start Algebra 1/2 in 7th grade.
(I fully understand that there is a chance that a zoochild will not be ready to start pre-algebra in 7th grade. If/when that happens, I won't make any kind of big deal at all and will just do what is best for that particular kid. So don't think I'm going to sacrifice any of the z-boys to the gods of mathematics. But taking higher math is a non-negotiable item in this household.)
Back in my head...I thought it would be a poor decision to change math programs at pre-algebra. I have repressed memories from my own experiences in pre-algebra. It was the beginnings of my long hatred of all things numerical. I'd like to avoid that issue with any of my brood.
So I came to this conclusion that I should switch for 6th grade to get one year of Saxon under his belt before doing algebra 1/2. Well, if one year is good preparation...then maybe two years would be better. (see how my mind works.)
J will be starting 4th grade soon. Two years of Saxon before pre-algebra would mean starting Saxon for 5th grade and...(the gears just spinning in my head.) our homeschool support group was having a used curriculum sale. If they had a used copy of Math 65, I could go ahead and get it for next school year.
Wow...I was so proud of myself. This was some serious planning. I was getting all the final details nailed down.
Then I had this idea to let J take that Saxon placement test. Afterall, we've all heard about how demanding Saxon is. And I know my goofball child will incorrectly answer 3x4 regularly. I really just wanted to make sure the boy could tread water in Saxon. But I also wanted to make sure that I was buying the right year at the used book sale.
Apparently, he could do more than tread water.
On the Math 54 through Algebra 1 test, he got all 10 of the first questions right. I was tickled pink. According to the Saon people, that meant that he could start math 65 now! (I need a big eyed smiley.)
He went on to get 5 out of the next 10 correct...which translated into starting math 76...now! A fourth grade child taking math 76!
Well, I knew that wasn't going to happen. So I started looking into the programs. Checking out websites. Would Singapore be better? What about Right Start? A friend recommended math-U-see. Another said that the boys needed Singapore.
Then my darling ZooDad...who is a pure genius of the obvious...said, "Why not just keep in in what he's been using? Obviously, it got him where he is."
Clunk. Skreeeeeeeeech
That was my running mind getting hit and slamming on brakes.
Obvious answer.
If his current math has him ready for Math 76 now. I'm sure he'll be ready for pre-algebra in 3 more years. So that eliminates any need to switch boats early.
See this is why I need my hubby around and not traveling. He needs to put the brakes on my brain more often and help me track down escaped hamsters.* So now, I'm right back where I was originally. With my 4th grade MCp book. I will try to be content. try.
*Don't worry Jacqui. The renegade rodent has been rounded-up and is not safely ensconced in his plastic home. You can safely come over. I still want you to bring the math-u-see...just in case. (hee, hee, hee)
Friday, July 15, 2005
Phone call with ZooDad
ZooDad has two favorite restaurants. Both are all-you-can-eat. These are not your normal style of AYCE places. Not these are upscale. One is a beef place. The other is a seafood place.
He ate at the seafood place last night. He said he had 3 lobsters. 3 whole lobsters.
Later on in the course of the conversation:
ZooDad: "You wouldn't like this place. It was seafood only. No freshwater fish at all. In fact the only fish on the menu was some fish I couldn't pronounce."
Me: "Tilapia?"
ZD: "yes...that's it. How did you know? That's what everyone at the table said when I told them the same thing."
Me: "Just a guess."
ZD: "So how does everyone know about this fish and how do they know that I can't pronounce it. What is it? The fish that morons can't say."
Silly man.
I can't believe he ate 3 lobsters. And no, he didn't eat any tilapia
He ate at the seafood place last night. He said he had 3 lobsters. 3 whole lobsters.
Later on in the course of the conversation:
ZooDad: "You wouldn't like this place. It was seafood only. No freshwater fish at all. In fact the only fish on the menu was some fish I couldn't pronounce."
Me: "Tilapia?"
ZD: "yes...that's it. How did you know? That's what everyone at the table said when I told them the same thing."
Me: "Just a guess."
ZD: "So how does everyone know about this fish and how do they know that I can't pronounce it. What is it? The fish that morons can't say."
Silly man.
I can't believe he ate 3 lobsters. And no, he didn't eat any tilapia
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Who came up with Meme?
Here's one from Quiet Life
5 snacks I enjoy ...
Nestles' Treasures
Boiled peanuts
Hot fries
cold cereal...from the box
Cheesy bread
5 songs I know all the words to...
hmmmm....I know a lot of songs. Here's 5 that me make me think about ZooDad, who is away from home again.
Come away with me
Here without you
Love of a Lifetime
Every day
The Reason
5 things I would do with $100,000,000...
Build a no-kill animal shelter dedicated to my Daddy.
Build a house big enough for my mom to move in and have her own "place."
Dump a bunch of money in the boys' college plans
Set up a scholarship at my high school.
Take my family to Europe and Disney World. (How's that for a dichotomy!)
5 locations I would love to run away to...
England
Hawaii
Yellowstone
Grand Canyon
my own house... for a week with no obligations, cleaning, or errands.
5 things I like doing...
Going places with ZooDad and the boys.
Scrapbooking
Playing games (both board and video)
teaching my children
working with children
5 things I would never wear...
a thong bikini (you should be thankful)
a 10 Ft long scarf ala Dr Who
leg warmers
Anything worn by Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, or any other half dressed starlet.
platform shoes
5 recently seen movies I like...
National Treasure
Troy
Enemy of the State
Second Hand Lions
The Village
5 famous people I'd like to meet...
the President
Dr. Phil
JK Rowling
Rafi
David Letterman
5 biggest joys of the moment...
Freshly painted walls
4 sleeping heads
a clean house
empty laundry hampers
hydrangea blooms
5 favorite toys...
Game Cube
Cranium Caraboo
ZooDad
Sims 2
Clue (the boys crack me up with their guessing)
5 snacks I enjoy ...
Nestles' Treasures
Boiled peanuts
Hot fries
cold cereal...from the box
Cheesy bread
5 songs I know all the words to...
hmmmm....I know a lot of songs. Here's 5 that me make me think about ZooDad, who is away from home again.
Come away with me
Here without you
Love of a Lifetime
Every day
The Reason
5 things I would do with $100,000,000...
Build a no-kill animal shelter dedicated to my Daddy.
Build a house big enough for my mom to move in and have her own "place."
Dump a bunch of money in the boys' college plans
Set up a scholarship at my high school.
Take my family to Europe and Disney World. (How's that for a dichotomy!)
5 locations I would love to run away to...
England
Hawaii
Yellowstone
Grand Canyon
my own house... for a week with no obligations, cleaning, or errands.
5 things I like doing...
Going places with ZooDad and the boys.
Scrapbooking
Playing games (both board and video)
teaching my children
working with children
5 things I would never wear...
a thong bikini (you should be thankful)
a 10 Ft long scarf ala Dr Who
leg warmers
Anything worn by Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, or any other half dressed starlet.
platform shoes
5 recently seen movies I like...
National Treasure
Troy
Enemy of the State
Second Hand Lions
The Village
5 famous people I'd like to meet...
the President
Dr. Phil
JK Rowling
Rafi
David Letterman
5 biggest joys of the moment...
Freshly painted walls
4 sleeping heads
a clean house
empty laundry hampers
hydrangea blooms
5 favorite toys...
Game Cube
Cranium Caraboo
ZooDad
Sims 2
Clue (the boys crack me up with their guessing)
Monday, July 11, 2005
My Left Foot
It looks like I won't be the next Christy Brown. I am glad I have two good hands because my left foot is not healed.
I went to the bone doc today. Apparently, I have reached the outer time line for normal recuperation. My ankle should be just fine.
Well I can walk on it. I can even hop a little. I can not jump, walk quickly down stairs, run, jog, or kick.
Soccer season is starting soon. I kind of need to be able to do those things if I am going to coach A's team.
Hmmm.... the x-rays show no bone damage but that doesn't rule out cartilage damage yet.
I go back in 4 weeks. I also start PT again to try to get things worked out. If I am not 100% by that time, the doctor wants to talk about orthoscopic surgery
I will approach my renewed physical therapy with the utmost determination.
oh, yes.
I went to the bone doc today. Apparently, I have reached the outer time line for normal recuperation. My ankle should be just fine.
Well I can walk on it. I can even hop a little. I can not jump, walk quickly down stairs, run, jog, or kick.
Soccer season is starting soon. I kind of need to be able to do those things if I am going to coach A's team.
Hmmm.... the x-rays show no bone damage but that doesn't rule out cartilage damage yet.
I go back in 4 weeks. I also start PT again to try to get things worked out. If I am not 100% by that time, the doctor wants to talk about orthoscopic surgery
I will approach my renewed physical therapy with the utmost determination.
oh, yes.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
The world's shortest personality test
 You are dependable, popular, and observant. Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness. In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do. You are unique, creative, and expressive. You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while. And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming! |
You know...I keep my "freak flag" in the closet most of the time. It has frogs on it. Sometimes I hang it on the house as a landmark. As in, "Turn left and then my house is the one with the frog flag."
"The what.....?"
"Frog flag. And a green mailbox. You can't miss it
By the way
I'm very surprised that none of these homeschoolers got my literary reference on the Tweetsie post. Apparently, you have not read that classical tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff to your children.
You must be neglecting their little minds. LOL
Even my "I read nothing in high school. I played football." Husband quickly figured out why the kids wanted him to stand under the bridge while the goat walked over.
Shame, shame, shame.
You must be neglecting their little minds. LOL
Even my "I read nothing in high school. I played football." Husband quickly figured out why the kids wanted him to stand under the bridge while the goat walked over.
Shame, shame, shame.
So what should homeschoolers read?
I often read on the various homeschool boards about the "fine literature" that these homeschoolers' children are reading. And that they would never let their children read "twaddle" or at the very least, they would severely restrict it. That TV and video games are out. That these inappropriate TV and games that are available to others...Shouldn't be. And that the kids do school year round with minimal breaks because every moment should be a teaching moment.
Hmmmmmm........
Wow.
We've been off for the summer. I'm probably one of the few homeschoolers I know who just lets her kids veg like mushrooms all summer long. Heck, I don't even wait until summer. We started this in May. LOL
The boys play video games (including the Sims...but only the Pet shop version), drag out toys (non-educational ones), play outside, and lay around. My only rules are: you have to do your chores, you have to bathe and get dressed, and no Gamecube before breakfast. You can read if you want, but I'm not going to make you.
By the end of July, the boys are begging to start their new books and to visit the bookstore and library. They get bored with veging and want to get back to work.
I caved and took then to B&N on Tuesday. M picked up a Magic Tree House book. (He's 6.) and J (age 9) picked out the first of a series about Owls. I read it. It's like Redwall but shorter and with owls instead of mice. Both children have finished their books.
It's Thursday morning.
This is why I hate buying books. They go through books like water. (Says the woman who read the last paperback she picked up, in three days.) It's like a waste of money. But I'm forced to since our library doesn't have many of these titles.
Books are actually my guilty pleasure. I wish I could say that I regularly pick up out the classics or works of fine literature.
I don't.
I love Anne Rice, both her vampire chronicles and the Witches of Mayfair.
I've read and re-read all of them. Right now I'm into Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Mystery Series.
Alabama and Louisiana vampires. Too funny.
In this series, a vampire was the morgue attendant when Elvis died. You guess where this is going. The transformation was not that successful and "the King" is now known as "Bubba." Southern life, mystery writing, and vampires...it's a great mix.
I read what I like to read. I read twaddle. Yes, I have read many of the classics. Yes, I have read some of the great educational books. But that stuff can be pretty boring sometimes.
I'm looking forward to Mary Janice Davidson's book arriving this week so I can enjoy Undead and Unappreciated while ZooDad is gone next week.
Given my tastes in literature, why should I be surprised that my son is reading Charlie Bone and dragon books and books about Owls planning to overthrow a cruel tyrant. (That owl series is pretty good. I need to buy the next book so I can pre-read it. Oh yeah.)
So we aren't reading Homer and Don Quiote. We're reading. And we are choosing to read over all other types of entertainment. We're reading for the pure love of hearing the tale. And just because we're reading owl twaddle right now, doesn't mean we can't enjoy the great literature next month or next year.
What matters most to me right now is having boys that chose to read a book. And raising them to understand that reading and fun are not mutually exclusive.
Hmmmmmm........
Wow.
We've been off for the summer. I'm probably one of the few homeschoolers I know who just lets her kids veg like mushrooms all summer long. Heck, I don't even wait until summer. We started this in May. LOL
The boys play video games (including the Sims...but only the Pet shop version), drag out toys (non-educational ones), play outside, and lay around. My only rules are: you have to do your chores, you have to bathe and get dressed, and no Gamecube before breakfast. You can read if you want, but I'm not going to make you.
By the end of July, the boys are begging to start their new books and to visit the bookstore and library. They get bored with veging and want to get back to work.
I caved and took then to B&N on Tuesday. M picked up a Magic Tree House book. (He's 6.) and J (age 9) picked out the first of a series about Owls. I read it. It's like Redwall but shorter and with owls instead of mice. Both children have finished their books.
It's Thursday morning.
This is why I hate buying books. They go through books like water. (Says the woman who read the last paperback she picked up, in three days.) It's like a waste of money. But I'm forced to since our library doesn't have many of these titles.
Books are actually my guilty pleasure. I wish I could say that I regularly pick up out the classics or works of fine literature.
I don't.
I love Anne Rice, both her vampire chronicles and the Witches of Mayfair.
I've read and re-read all of them. Right now I'm into Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Mystery Series.
Alabama and Louisiana vampires. Too funny.
In this series, a vampire was the morgue attendant when Elvis died. You guess where this is going. The transformation was not that successful and "the King" is now known as "Bubba." Southern life, mystery writing, and vampires...it's a great mix.
I read what I like to read. I read twaddle. Yes, I have read many of the classics. Yes, I have read some of the great educational books. But that stuff can be pretty boring sometimes.
I'm looking forward to Mary Janice Davidson's book arriving this week so I can enjoy Undead and Unappreciated while ZooDad is gone next week.
Given my tastes in literature, why should I be surprised that my son is reading Charlie Bone and dragon books and books about Owls planning to overthrow a cruel tyrant. (That owl series is pretty good. I need to buy the next book so I can pre-read it. Oh yeah.)
So we aren't reading Homer and Don Quiote. We're reading. And we are choosing to read over all other types of entertainment. We're reading for the pure love of hearing the tale. And just because we're reading owl twaddle right now, doesn't mean we can't enjoy the great literature next month or next year.
What matters most to me right now is having boys that chose to read a book. And raising them to understand that reading and fun are not mutually exclusive.
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