My posts, as of late, are nothing more than a smattering of bullet points. Allow me to shoot you with bullets one more time:
-Today we went to court hoping our irritating tenants would not show up and we'd win our eviction case by default. No such luck. They answered our complaint. The answer was pretty much garbled googly-gunk that won't hold water in court. But, on the upside for the defendants, they get another week rent free until our trial date. I spent the afternoon talking to every real estate lawyer who would give me audience. Our case is good. But I am suspicious that having a just case is not the same thing as getting justice.
-We're making BLT's tonight for dinner, because it's summer.
- The boys are going camping this weekend. It's the 8th annual all boys, no-moms-allowed, camping trip. Picture Lord of the Flies and you'll get the idea.
-Yesterday evening Eddie and I went on an actual-real-life date. We ate Pei Wei (which Eddie's dad pronounces Pee Wee, as in Pee Wee Herman, do you remember him?). Delish! Then we walked around Colorado Mills Mall. A salesman in Perry Elis mistook us for cool, culturally with-it people. He kept dropping these references to people/things in popular culture. Finally I said, "Dude, did you think we were cool? We're not cool; we have no idea what you're talking about."
He seemed to respect that.
-I've started lesson planning. I'm contemplating the purchase of a cow eye-ball for disection. Go figure.
-I am, again, committing myself to the consumption of vegetables. Loosing weight is such a pain; couldn't they just make veggies taste more like cookies?
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Dude
I don't know when it happened, exactly, but it happened. A word snuck into my vocabulary, a four letter word, in fact.
"Dude"
I call my sons "Dude" - both of them. Sometimes, I even call my daughter "Dude".
Hello, I am a 33 year old mother of four. I am a school teacher for goodness sakes. I should not say "dude".
So I say to my self: "Self: we are not Keanu Reeves. We have never, nor will we ever, be an adolesent residing in Southern California. We are mature. We are responsible. We are educated. Like, git a grip, like, you have gray hair."
"Dude"
I call my sons "Dude" - both of them. Sometimes, I even call my daughter "Dude".
Hello, I am a 33 year old mother of four. I am a school teacher for goodness sakes. I should not say "dude".
So I say to my self: "Self: we are not Keanu Reeves. We have never, nor will we ever, be an adolesent residing in Southern California. We are mature. We are responsible. We are educated. Like, git a grip, like, you have gray hair."
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Summer
Does anyone else feel like their summer is going by too quickly? Our's is flying by at break neck speed. It's like a roller-coaster with it's ups and downs and loopty-loos. I never know what's around the corner and it's over before I ever get adjusted to its pace.
June wasn't summer... it was a mad dash to finish the basement.
Our summer started in July, and July is zipping by with nary a care.
Slow down summer, slow down. I like these mornings that we sleep in to 8. I like grilling hamburgers, and sipping lemonade. I like camping and visits from the family. We will go swimming more than once. And I'll be bejuggled if we never make homemade ice cream.
Lesson planning keeps whispering, "crack the books; begin the planning." The garage is begging to be cleaned. And I swore I'd get the kids to the dentist this summer.
Summer don't slip through my fingers just yet...I need more time to read to my children and watch my garden grow...
Carpe "the summer". Yea - it'd sound better in Latin...sophisticated and literary, but my Latin is rusty and you wouldn't understand me anyway.
June wasn't summer... it was a mad dash to finish the basement.
Our summer started in July, and July is zipping by with nary a care.
Slow down summer, slow down. I like these mornings that we sleep in to 8. I like grilling hamburgers, and sipping lemonade. I like camping and visits from the family. We will go swimming more than once. And I'll be bejuggled if we never make homemade ice cream.
Lesson planning keeps whispering, "crack the books; begin the planning." The garage is begging to be cleaned. And I swore I'd get the kids to the dentist this summer.
Summer don't slip through my fingers just yet...I need more time to read to my children and watch my garden grow...
Carpe "the summer". Yea - it'd sound better in Latin...sophisticated and literary, but my Latin is rusty and you wouldn't understand me anyway.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
"permanent" tooth
Ha! Here are the facts:
-E's permanent front tooth grew in not many months ago.
-Sunday he was racing a neighbor kid down the street on his bike, bailed and subsequently face planted into the concrete.
-He chipped off his front tooth nearly at the gum line.
-Today, we went to the dentist. He asked, "Did you notice your son chipped off his tooth?"
REALLY! Oh so THAT explains it! Duh!
-Our options stink. They are as follows:
a)see pediatric specialist to see if the tooth can be saved and subsequently capped (unlikely)
b)provide 9 year old boy with dentures
c)and wait till he's 22 (and his jaw stops growing) for dental implants
E AND I GOT ICE CREAM TO CELEBRATE OUR BAD NEWS!
On other fronts:
-We may be evicting our less-that-straightforward, untimely tenants. Wasn't that diplomatic of me? I have many, many not so nice things to say about the said tenants and am trying to keep those "inside words" inside.
-We had a fab time camping. Wonderful! Devine! Good! I might someday post pictures.
-We went swimming yesterday. I applied sunscreen to my children. I did not apply it on myself. I am now utterly, and pathetically sunburned.
-Today is my birthday. I am going out with my husband. I am 33. I feel at least 33. I am wondering how I'll pull off looking sexy for a date with my husband when my skin is striped sunburn pink and glow-in-the-dark white. Am I up for that kind of challenge? My mom gave me this cute LBD (little black dress) she got for me in Hawaii, it would be just the ticket except for the stripy arms and shoulders. I also have a cute purplish top, but it sorta matches my skin tone...so maybe not that either. A turltle neck and jeans should just about cover my sunburn, but then again it's pushing 100 degrees today...what's a girl to wear?!
-E's permanent front tooth grew in not many months ago.
-Sunday he was racing a neighbor kid down the street on his bike, bailed and subsequently face planted into the concrete.
-He chipped off his front tooth nearly at the gum line.
-Today, we went to the dentist. He asked, "Did you notice your son chipped off his tooth?"
REALLY! Oh so THAT explains it! Duh!
-Our options stink. They are as follows:
a)see pediatric specialist to see if the tooth can be saved and subsequently capped (unlikely)
b)provide 9 year old boy with dentures
c)and wait till he's 22 (and his jaw stops growing) for dental implants
E AND I GOT ICE CREAM TO CELEBRATE OUR BAD NEWS!
On other fronts:
-We may be evicting our less-that-straightforward, untimely tenants. Wasn't that diplomatic of me? I have many, many not so nice things to say about the said tenants and am trying to keep those "inside words" inside.
-We had a fab time camping. Wonderful! Devine! Good! I might someday post pictures.
-We went swimming yesterday. I applied sunscreen to my children. I did not apply it on myself. I am now utterly, and pathetically sunburned.
-Today is my birthday. I am going out with my husband. I am 33. I feel at least 33. I am wondering how I'll pull off looking sexy for a date with my husband when my skin is striped sunburn pink and glow-in-the-dark white. Am I up for that kind of challenge? My mom gave me this cute LBD (little black dress) she got for me in Hawaii, it would be just the ticket except for the stripy arms and shoulders. I also have a cute purplish top, but it sorta matches my skin tone...so maybe not that either. A turltle neck and jeans should just about cover my sunburn, but then again it's pushing 100 degrees today...what's a girl to wear?!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
confessions of a homeschool drop-out, a note to homeschoolers
To be a good homeschooler you have to believe in what you're doing. You have to believe the choices you're making are the absolute best for your kids. Homeschooling is hard and requires great sacrifice so if you didn't believe in it you'd quit.
I quit.
Truth be told sometimes I feel nostalgic for the good ol' days of homeschooling. And there were some - good days, that is. But all and all I knew, I KNEW, that homeschooling was no longer the best choice for my family.
Sending my kids to school has not been without cost (tuition for a private school AIN'T cheap folks). But for us it has been a good fit. So to all you homeschoolers out there here are some good reasons to quit, or at least not judge those of us who have chosen differently.
-I was going "head to head" with my daughter daily. It was exhausting - for both of us. Delegating the role of "primary teacher" to someone else has allowed me to step into the role of coach. I am able to walk with my daughter through her struggles and sidestep much of the direct conflict. It's good for our relationship.
-My daughter thrives on predictability. I was unable to provide her the structure she needed to learn the best when I was also trying to manage a toddler.
-It has been a wonderful, wonderful thing to have other godly adults (namely, my kid's teachers) speaking into their lives. They reinforce the truth that we are teaching at home.
-Homeschooling was, partly, a control freak thing for me. I like to be in control of what my kids are learning, how they are learning it, and when they are learning it. It's been good for me to let go of some of that control. Truthfully, I still THINK that some of my ways are better. But God is using other methods, and other people to educate my kids. And sometimes they are doing a much better job than I could. (Homeschoolers - wonder of wonders my kids can SPELL NOW!)
-My son is an extrovert. He needs to be with people, lots of them, for lots of time. It's how he's wired. Homeschooling doesn't necessarily equal poorly socialized kids - not at all. BUT I was unable to meet one of my son's legitimate needs at home. He is happier now.
-Peer pressure combats laziness - we had laziness issues homeschooling. Competition can be good.
-I am a parent to an absent minded kid - a genetic trait he, unfortunately, inherited from me. School has required him to step it up or deal with the consequences. Believe it or not, the kid can and does remember to do his homework, and turn it in. (Most of the time!)
-Even at a small Christian school we run into "people issues". Kids tease. Girls are catty. People get their feelings hurt. My kids are not insulated from those struggles like they were when we were homeschooling. That's a con. It's so painful for me, as a mom, to watch my kids struggle with these things. But it does give me ample chance to coach them through difficult people issues in the relative safety of their home and with their Christian teachers. (This is not to say that I would ever, ever put up with bullying. But that's not what's going on - it's just kid stuff)
-I am emotionally healthier. Eddie and I are ultimately accountable to God for how we parent, but we can delegate. Delegating is good. I DO NOT HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF. I am a better mom to my kids when I am not also their teacher.
- Homeschooling rocks, in principle. In reality, it is imperfect. If you homeschool, and you're honest, you know that. For us too many balls were being dropped, and too many needs going unmet. God provided us CCA as a resource to help us as a family. It is clearly where he wants us for this season.
-Who knows, someday we may even send our kids into the trenches of public school. I know parents, parents I admire, who have deliberately chosen public schools for their kids. They didn't choose it because it was easiest; they thought it was the best choice for their family. And it was.
PS - guess what I miss most about homeschooling? Sonlight. I LOVE their literature and their approach. My kids do too! Ironically, CHEC (an organization with whom I take issues) has not allowed Sonlight to be a part of their confrence. May I just express my outrage: OUTRAGE. Don't even get me started on that one....
I quit.
Truth be told sometimes I feel nostalgic for the good ol' days of homeschooling. And there were some - good days, that is. But all and all I knew, I KNEW, that homeschooling was no longer the best choice for my family.
Sending my kids to school has not been without cost (tuition for a private school AIN'T cheap folks). But for us it has been a good fit. So to all you homeschoolers out there here are some good reasons to quit, or at least not judge those of us who have chosen differently.
-I was going "head to head" with my daughter daily. It was exhausting - for both of us. Delegating the role of "primary teacher" to someone else has allowed me to step into the role of coach. I am able to walk with my daughter through her struggles and sidestep much of the direct conflict. It's good for our relationship.
-My daughter thrives on predictability. I was unable to provide her the structure she needed to learn the best when I was also trying to manage a toddler.
-It has been a wonderful, wonderful thing to have other godly adults (namely, my kid's teachers) speaking into their lives. They reinforce the truth that we are teaching at home.
-Homeschooling was, partly, a control freak thing for me. I like to be in control of what my kids are learning, how they are learning it, and when they are learning it. It's been good for me to let go of some of that control. Truthfully, I still THINK that some of my ways are better. But God is using other methods, and other people to educate my kids. And sometimes they are doing a much better job than I could. (Homeschoolers - wonder of wonders my kids can SPELL NOW!)
-My son is an extrovert. He needs to be with people, lots of them, for lots of time. It's how he's wired. Homeschooling doesn't necessarily equal poorly socialized kids - not at all. BUT I was unable to meet one of my son's legitimate needs at home. He is happier now.
-Peer pressure combats laziness - we had laziness issues homeschooling. Competition can be good.
-I am a parent to an absent minded kid - a genetic trait he, unfortunately, inherited from me. School has required him to step it up or deal with the consequences. Believe it or not, the kid can and does remember to do his homework, and turn it in. (Most of the time!)
-Even at a small Christian school we run into "people issues". Kids tease. Girls are catty. People get their feelings hurt. My kids are not insulated from those struggles like they were when we were homeschooling. That's a con. It's so painful for me, as a mom, to watch my kids struggle with these things. But it does give me ample chance to coach them through difficult people issues in the relative safety of their home and with their Christian teachers. (This is not to say that I would ever, ever put up with bullying. But that's not what's going on - it's just kid stuff)
-I am emotionally healthier. Eddie and I are ultimately accountable to God for how we parent, but we can delegate. Delegating is good. I DO NOT HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF. I am a better mom to my kids when I am not also their teacher.
- Homeschooling rocks, in principle. In reality, it is imperfect. If you homeschool, and you're honest, you know that. For us too many balls were being dropped, and too many needs going unmet. God provided us CCA as a resource to help us as a family. It is clearly where he wants us for this season.
-Who knows, someday we may even send our kids into the trenches of public school. I know parents, parents I admire, who have deliberately chosen public schools for their kids. They didn't choose it because it was easiest; they thought it was the best choice for their family. And it was.
PS - guess what I miss most about homeschooling? Sonlight. I LOVE their literature and their approach. My kids do too! Ironically, CHEC (an organization with whom I take issues) has not allowed Sonlight to be a part of their confrence. May I just express my outrage: OUTRAGE. Don't even get me started on that one....
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