Me: "Brooklyn told me she thinks you're mean."
Luke: "That's good. As long as they all think I'm mean equally. That means I'm being consistent."
Yah, can't argue with that logic.
366 Laughs- January 30, 2016
8 years ago
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Deliciousness of Karma
Occasionally, something memorable happens during my day that makes me pause and appreciate the goodness in other people. These things always seem to follow on the heels of doing some kind deed, so for that very reason I believe strongly in karma.
Last Thursday the sickening sight of dirty drain water rising back into the basin of our kitchen sink really brightened my day. No amount of plunging, Liquid Plumber (which apparently is a big no-no), time, hot water, a 20 foot snake, general man power, and of course my super human arm strength could provide me with an empty sink. As a bonus, the filthy water eventually began draining into the dishwasher which would then over spill onto the kitchen floor.
The man did all he could, but we were in need of a plumber.
Mr. Eli and Mr. Andre (I'm giving these guys their actual names because there was no other negative feature to distinguish them by) arrived at their designated appointment time. Not only were these two gentlemen professional, but they were actually kind and sympathetic. Mr. Eli noticed my vibrant paint palette, which I dutifully gave credit to my mother in law for, and Mr. Andre also had his own 4 boys and a girl to relate to.
Both guys covered their shoes with disposable booties and politely introduced themselves before going straight to my sad sink.
The job was scheduled as a $79.99 any drain, clear your clog special. Although, while I was folding laundry I began to hear words like "roots" and "grease" and "jet" and "roof" and "bust up the tile", and I knew deep in my soul that my hopes for a $79.99 fix were sneaking out the window.
Mr. Eli broke the news to me gently, but confidently. They needed to get Santa-y and hop up on the roof to snake the roof vents. Bummer dude...this job was priced at $152, but the good news was my cost never built up, it just invested itself. The money I would have paid for the standard drain unclog went towards the cost of the new attempt. I like investments, I hate expensive.
Less than an hour turned into a few hours, and before we knew it the guys were waiting on another Mr. Plumber to come provide a second opinion and a cost estimate. Mr. Eli didn't seem to be feeling well, and Mr. Andre insisted they never take lunch breaks anyways. If it were my man out there working through lunch, he'd be a grumpy fool, so I fed them. A ham, pepperoni, salami, lettuce, and swiss sandwich seemed to be a very welcomed lunch on the job for the two devoted plumbers. I also threw in a warm bottle of water from the garage, but Mr. Andre said it didn't matter...lunch was great!
Fast forward through the hour we all spent waiting for Mr. Plumber to arrive. He came as promised, and we know now this man as Mr. Brad (also worthy of a proper title). Mr. Brad tells me he's from a family of 8 sisters, and he just adopted his 16 year old half brother, so he's on the up and up when it comes to big families. I should say so!
I'm going to touch briefly on the camera work, the black "pudding" as he called it, the near tears eyes, and the man leaving for work, and from there we'll move on to verdict part of the story. Mr. Brad says there is no way around it, the clog is grease buildup mixed with cast iron scale and general debris which created a hard "pudding". No water was going through it, and even when the snake poked through, the "pudding" immediately closed around the puncture wound as soon as the snake was pulled back. We risked possible corrosion behind the clog because this has likely been building up for quite awhile...as in years, which I hear as "not my fault". We have two options: dig up the kitchen tile and replace the piping, or hydro jet our pipes and restore them to their day 1 operating status. Option number 2 was cheaper and more practical, but still pricey...$1600.
Hmm...I can live without a kitchen sink for awhile, right?
Mr. Andre and Mr. Eli become bystanders at this point, so it was all up to me and Mr. Brad. I don't have $1600, and in light of the fact that I just bought a brand new van, plane tickets to Kansas, plane tickets to California, plane tickets to Tampa, and a security system...I'm close to broke. Mr. Brad says he'll do it for $998 (remember the investment policy).
This is around the time the man leaves for work, and the near tear eyes come out. It was starting to look hopeless and my days were going to be filled with washing dishes in my shower (yah, I did this). It was also going on 4 hours that the guys have been in my home. Mr. Brad tells me he understands budgeting for a large family, so to tell him honestly, without fear of insulting him, what I could afford to pay him monthly.
Say what? This professional plumbing company is really and truly trying to make this work for me and not just pack up and move on to the next paying customer. I threw out a very meek number compared to the nearly thousand dollar bill, and Mr. Brad left to his truck to speak to the owner.
I'll wrap it up for you...Mr. Brad, Mr. Andre and Mr. Eli all vouched for our "responsible people" appearances, and promised to be liable if we skipped out of the country without paying our bill. They took my meek monthly payment and a promise to pay in full upon next income tax, and said no problem, let's do it. No interest, no contract, no paperwork. Just a promise from me to deliver payment on the 19th of each month...oh and those sandwiches.
Last Thursday the sickening sight of dirty drain water rising back into the basin of our kitchen sink really brightened my day. No amount of plunging, Liquid Plumber (which apparently is a big no-no), time, hot water, a 20 foot snake, general man power, and of course my super human arm strength could provide me with an empty sink. As a bonus, the filthy water eventually began draining into the dishwasher which would then over spill onto the kitchen floor.
The man did all he could, but we were in need of a plumber.
Mr. Eli and Mr. Andre (I'm giving these guys their actual names because there was no other negative feature to distinguish them by) arrived at their designated appointment time. Not only were these two gentlemen professional, but they were actually kind and sympathetic. Mr. Eli noticed my vibrant paint palette, which I dutifully gave credit to my mother in law for, and Mr. Andre also had his own 4 boys and a girl to relate to.
Both guys covered their shoes with disposable booties and politely introduced themselves before going straight to my sad sink.
The job was scheduled as a $79.99 any drain, clear your clog special. Although, while I was folding laundry I began to hear words like "roots" and "grease" and "jet" and "roof" and "bust up the tile", and I knew deep in my soul that my hopes for a $79.99 fix were sneaking out the window.
Mr. Eli broke the news to me gently, but confidently. They needed to get Santa-y and hop up on the roof to snake the roof vents. Bummer dude...this job was priced at $152, but the good news was my cost never built up, it just invested itself. The money I would have paid for the standard drain unclog went towards the cost of the new attempt. I like investments, I hate expensive.
Less than an hour turned into a few hours, and before we knew it the guys were waiting on another Mr. Plumber to come provide a second opinion and a cost estimate. Mr. Eli didn't seem to be feeling well, and Mr. Andre insisted they never take lunch breaks anyways. If it were my man out there working through lunch, he'd be a grumpy fool, so I fed them. A ham, pepperoni, salami, lettuce, and swiss sandwich seemed to be a very welcomed lunch on the job for the two devoted plumbers. I also threw in a warm bottle of water from the garage, but Mr. Andre said it didn't matter...lunch was great!
Fast forward through the hour we all spent waiting for Mr. Plumber to arrive. He came as promised, and we know now this man as Mr. Brad (also worthy of a proper title). Mr. Brad tells me he's from a family of 8 sisters, and he just adopted his 16 year old half brother, so he's on the up and up when it comes to big families. I should say so!
I'm going to touch briefly on the camera work, the black "pudding" as he called it, the near tears eyes, and the man leaving for work, and from there we'll move on to verdict part of the story. Mr. Brad says there is no way around it, the clog is grease buildup mixed with cast iron scale and general debris which created a hard "pudding". No water was going through it, and even when the snake poked through, the "pudding" immediately closed around the puncture wound as soon as the snake was pulled back. We risked possible corrosion behind the clog because this has likely been building up for quite awhile...as in years, which I hear as "not my fault". We have two options: dig up the kitchen tile and replace the piping, or hydro jet our pipes and restore them to their day 1 operating status. Option number 2 was cheaper and more practical, but still pricey...$1600.
Hmm...I can live without a kitchen sink for awhile, right?
Mr. Andre and Mr. Eli become bystanders at this point, so it was all up to me and Mr. Brad. I don't have $1600, and in light of the fact that I just bought a brand new van, plane tickets to Kansas, plane tickets to California, plane tickets to Tampa, and a security system...I'm close to broke. Mr. Brad says he'll do it for $998 (remember the investment policy).
This is around the time the man leaves for work, and the near tear eyes come out. It was starting to look hopeless and my days were going to be filled with washing dishes in my shower (yah, I did this). It was also going on 4 hours that the guys have been in my home. Mr. Brad tells me he understands budgeting for a large family, so to tell him honestly, without fear of insulting him, what I could afford to pay him monthly.
Say what? This professional plumbing company is really and truly trying to make this work for me and not just pack up and move on to the next paying customer. I threw out a very meek number compared to the nearly thousand dollar bill, and Mr. Brad left to his truck to speak to the owner.
I'll wrap it up for you...Mr. Brad, Mr. Andre and Mr. Eli all vouched for our "responsible people" appearances, and promised to be liable if we skipped out of the country without paying our bill. They took my meek monthly payment and a promise to pay in full upon next income tax, and said no problem, let's do it. No interest, no contract, no paperwork. Just a promise from me to deliver payment on the 19th of each month...oh and those sandwiches.
Monday, April 11, 2011
The "F" That Became an "A": and a little about Jake
Coming off of a very low report card last 9 weeks, we were pleasantly surprised at the results of some positive changes Jake made during this 9 weeks.
Our philosophy on report cards revolves around improvement. We don't anticipate straight A's from each child, but we do keep certain expectations.
#1) No missing assignments! We very strongly believe that if you put forth effort and complete/turn in all of your school work, you will not receive anything less than a C. Fittingly, Jake's lowest grades were the result of several missing assignments, homework that was forgotten in class, or conveniently pushed down to the bottom of the backpack. As a 6th grade student, Jake is responsible for completing his own work and asking for help when he needs it.
#2) Good behavior! While Jake is probably the sweetest and most caring student you could ask for, he makes up for it with his lack of focus. The teacher is lecturing on circumference and diameter, and Jake is reading under his desk.
#3) We reward for improvement and give consequences for not meeting our expectations! First to go are video games and computer time, and the most serious offenses result in time alone brushing up on some required reading. When the kids bring up a grade or maintain it, we are quick to praise and offer a special reward. It doesn't matter the letter grade, we focus on effort.
If you know me personally, you know my thoughts on ADD/ADHD medications and school age boys. I'm not open for argument on the topic (discussion sure!), but I would like to share Jake's story.
We ALWAYS hear the same opening line to Jake's conferences, "Jake is such a sweet and loving boy. Such a pleasure to have in class; however..." And then they go on to describe him as spacey and unavailable. We went down every possible avenue for his benefit, while still trying to keep in mind that he was just a growing boy after all (growing boys would much rather be outside playing!), and steering him far away from ADD/ADHD pills.
Jake was referred by his second grade teacher for occupational therapy and a psychological evaluation. We met together, and ultimately decided to avoid medication (at my insistence) and try various behavior modification techniques. Jake was given less work at times, or his work was divided up, and he was consistently given visual cues from the teacher and by his parents to pay attention or redirect himself.
Despite our efforts both at home and at school, little improvement was seen with the exception of the end of his 4th grade year. A lot of the success depended on the adult guidance he was getting. In 4th grade, Jake had a set of teachers that were clone worthy. They devoted hours of extra time to helping Jake grow, and as a result, he made honor roll! He had also lost his xbox privileges for the previous 9 weeks due to continuous missing assignments, which I think was a real eye opener for him. It was the first time we had given a harsh consequence for school related issues.
We anticipated 5th grade would be better after his miraculous 4th grade year; however, it was all back to the "same old Jake". Once he entered into 6th grade, we were advised by some friends that it was selfish to deny Jake possible medical intervention because of personal feelings on ADD/ADHD over medication. Coming from any other family member or acquaintance I likely would have been insulted, but from the mouths of these particular friends, I felt ashamed that I had allowed myself to become so closed minded. Was I truly acting in Jake's best interest or just in a way that let me avoid feeling like a failure as a parent? Jake's dad had been asking about possibly going through another ADHD evaluation again, and I stubbornly insisted that he was still just a growing boy who could care less about school.
Shortly after this Jake received the lowest of the low report cards...an F, a D, and two C's.
That "F" really hit me much harder than I saw it hit him. It was time to veer away from my narrow path, and explore some medical options. We first went through Jake's pediatrician who evaluated him physically and looked through all the records I had kept from his previous 2nd grade observations.
Jake also suffers from tics. He has gone through various cycles since he was just 2. We started with throat clearing, moved onto nose sniffing, wrist twisting, and now it's facial flexing and neck tilting. This has never been a major problem until Jake's 5th grade year when another student slammed Jake's head into a tree because he "wouldn't stop moving his face". Due to his tics and my epilepsy, Jake was referred to a pediatric neurologist who read his beautiful brain waves and did a formal ADHD evaluation with myself, Luke and two teachers.
The results were sad and somewhat surprising. I chose two trusted teachers, and they both answered nearly identically to what Luke and I had done. The handful of doctors we saw diagnosed Jake with Tourette's Syndrome, ADHD, and OCD.
That was the bottom point, and from there you can only go up! Jake was started on a moderate dose of a common ADHD medication and an additional pill to help relax his tics.
I cannot stress enough how valuable the support from my husband and Jake's father were at this time. We avoided telling family and friends for awhile because we wanted to have results to back up our choice before we heard the very criticism that I myself would once have given.
Just 9 weeks later, the results were astounding! Jake's teachers all report a noticeable change in his ability to retain information, his motivation, his focus, and most importantly...his confidence. He went from feeling like a failing student, to knowing he was capable of far more than that. He trusted his body to react to the medicine he was taking, and went with the flow from there on. After the first week, Jake said to me, "Mom, I feel like I can hear whole sentences now instead of being interrupted by my brain."
This most recent report card was all A's, B's and one C which was a 77.8% in his most difficult subject. The science grade that was once an F, has become an A. His test scores went from below 60%'s to 100%'s. My heart is full of pride, love, and appreciation for how hard Jake has worked to turn himself around. We all recognize that his medication is not a cure all, but rather an aid to help jump start his brain, so he can push himself to his full potential.
Please take a minute to congratulate Jake and encourage him to bring up that C to make honor roll for his last 9 weeks.
Our philosophy on report cards revolves around improvement. We don't anticipate straight A's from each child, but we do keep certain expectations.
#1) No missing assignments! We very strongly believe that if you put forth effort and complete/turn in all of your school work, you will not receive anything less than a C. Fittingly, Jake's lowest grades were the result of several missing assignments, homework that was forgotten in class, or conveniently pushed down to the bottom of the backpack. As a 6th grade student, Jake is responsible for completing his own work and asking for help when he needs it.
#2) Good behavior! While Jake is probably the sweetest and most caring student you could ask for, he makes up for it with his lack of focus. The teacher is lecturing on circumference and diameter, and Jake is reading under his desk.
#3) We reward for improvement and give consequences for not meeting our expectations! First to go are video games and computer time, and the most serious offenses result in time alone brushing up on some required reading. When the kids bring up a grade or maintain it, we are quick to praise and offer a special reward. It doesn't matter the letter grade, we focus on effort.
If you know me personally, you know my thoughts on ADD/ADHD medications and school age boys. I'm not open for argument on the topic (discussion sure!), but I would like to share Jake's story.
We ALWAYS hear the same opening line to Jake's conferences, "Jake is such a sweet and loving boy. Such a pleasure to have in class; however..." And then they go on to describe him as spacey and unavailable. We went down every possible avenue for his benefit, while still trying to keep in mind that he was just a growing boy after all (growing boys would much rather be outside playing!), and steering him far away from ADD/ADHD pills.
Jake was referred by his second grade teacher for occupational therapy and a psychological evaluation. We met together, and ultimately decided to avoid medication (at my insistence) and try various behavior modification techniques. Jake was given less work at times, or his work was divided up, and he was consistently given visual cues from the teacher and by his parents to pay attention or redirect himself.
Despite our efforts both at home and at school, little improvement was seen with the exception of the end of his 4th grade year. A lot of the success depended on the adult guidance he was getting. In 4th grade, Jake had a set of teachers that were clone worthy. They devoted hours of extra time to helping Jake grow, and as a result, he made honor roll! He had also lost his xbox privileges for the previous 9 weeks due to continuous missing assignments, which I think was a real eye opener for him. It was the first time we had given a harsh consequence for school related issues.
We anticipated 5th grade would be better after his miraculous 4th grade year; however, it was all back to the "same old Jake". Once he entered into 6th grade, we were advised by some friends that it was selfish to deny Jake possible medical intervention because of personal feelings on ADD/ADHD over medication. Coming from any other family member or acquaintance I likely would have been insulted, but from the mouths of these particular friends, I felt ashamed that I had allowed myself to become so closed minded. Was I truly acting in Jake's best interest or just in a way that let me avoid feeling like a failure as a parent? Jake's dad had been asking about possibly going through another ADHD evaluation again, and I stubbornly insisted that he was still just a growing boy who could care less about school.
Shortly after this Jake received the lowest of the low report cards...an F, a D, and two C's.
That "F" really hit me much harder than I saw it hit him. It was time to veer away from my narrow path, and explore some medical options. We first went through Jake's pediatrician who evaluated him physically and looked through all the records I had kept from his previous 2nd grade observations.
Jake also suffers from tics. He has gone through various cycles since he was just 2. We started with throat clearing, moved onto nose sniffing, wrist twisting, and now it's facial flexing and neck tilting. This has never been a major problem until Jake's 5th grade year when another student slammed Jake's head into a tree because he "wouldn't stop moving his face". Due to his tics and my epilepsy, Jake was referred to a pediatric neurologist who read his beautiful brain waves and did a formal ADHD evaluation with myself, Luke and two teachers.
The results were sad and somewhat surprising. I chose two trusted teachers, and they both answered nearly identically to what Luke and I had done. The handful of doctors we saw diagnosed Jake with Tourette's Syndrome, ADHD, and OCD.
That was the bottom point, and from there you can only go up! Jake was started on a moderate dose of a common ADHD medication and an additional pill to help relax his tics.
I cannot stress enough how valuable the support from my husband and Jake's father were at this time. We avoided telling family and friends for awhile because we wanted to have results to back up our choice before we heard the very criticism that I myself would once have given.
Just 9 weeks later, the results were astounding! Jake's teachers all report a noticeable change in his ability to retain information, his motivation, his focus, and most importantly...his confidence. He went from feeling like a failing student, to knowing he was capable of far more than that. He trusted his body to react to the medicine he was taking, and went with the flow from there on. After the first week, Jake said to me, "Mom, I feel like I can hear whole sentences now instead of being interrupted by my brain."
This most recent report card was all A's, B's and one C which was a 77.8% in his most difficult subject. The science grade that was once an F, has become an A. His test scores went from below 60%'s to 100%'s. My heart is full of pride, love, and appreciation for how hard Jake has worked to turn himself around. We all recognize that his medication is not a cure all, but rather an aid to help jump start his brain, so he can push himself to his full potential.
Please take a minute to congratulate Jake and encourage him to bring up that C to make honor roll for his last 9 weeks.
Big, Giant Brains!
This morning marks the beginning of FCAT week for Jake and Toby. Five days of testing until noon, but it comes complete with a week of no homework. Lucky boys...we'll make up for it with chores. No worries mates!
As a bonus, McDonalds very generously offers the FCAT takers a free egg McMuffin, apple dippers, and oj/milk on the first day of testing (today!). We were up bright and early to take advantage of the offer.
Good luck today boys! Time to show those adults what big, giant brains you have!
As a bonus, McDonalds very generously offers the FCAT takers a free egg McMuffin, apple dippers, and oj/milk on the first day of testing (today!). We were up bright and early to take advantage of the offer.
Good luck today boys! Time to show those adults what big, giant brains you have!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Whiskey Tango Moths
My personal greatest joy from raising children hasn't come from their unconditional love, their adoring looks of admiration, the generous compliments from patient strangers, or the piles of handcrafted notes and gifts. No, the moments I hold nearest and dearest to my heart are when some phrase uttered from their innocent mouth stops me in my tracks and has me seriously thinking how complex those little minds are. Now onto the story...
My three lucky boys were given the disgusting task of clearing and wiping out the pantry shelves to eradicate our problem pest...the common kitchen moth. It hasn't been a pretty last couple of hours. We're finding leftover cereal bags that have now become cheap moth hotels, and opened boxes of pasta that baby moths (aka worms) are happily munching on as fuel for their growing bodies. Probably the most disturbing are the hundreds of moth nests lined up in the crevices of the shelves just waiting to hatch open and start their worthless life cycle all over again.
Alex says, "I bet thewe's a lot of moths getting mawwied in thewe."
How sweet is the simple logic of a newly six year old? A little background information: just before the gerbils had their babies, we pronounced the mom and dad husband and wife once we found Tibby, the dad, happily riding piggy back on his fiance, Megan. What a beautiful wedding!
I have to be realistic here; I don't expect my children to follow in footsteps that I myself did not lay. Jake was an out of wedlock baby, and he is well aware that his father and I were married when he was nearly a year old. Therefore, I feel like a hypocritical mother teaching them that babies are the product of matrimony. My lesson of choice is that babies should be made with love and preparation. There is nothing more wonderful than being ready to parent a child, and most people just aren't until they've found a suitable mate and settled into a comfortable life first.
Regardless, Alex has deduced that the moths must have somehow performed an abundance of wedding ceremonies deep in the nooks and crannies of our pantry in order to be setting up shop and creating families at every corner.
I COL'd (chuckled out loud since it wasn't quite enough to be a LOL) when I overheard this conversation...
Toby says, "I bet they didn't get married and that's why there are so many of them."
Jake says, "If they were ready to be parents then there would only be a few moths because they'd have been responsible and had a normal number of babies. But because they weren't married yet, the men moths had babies with ALL of the girl moths instead of just his wife."
Toby says, "Irresponsible moths. Now we're losing money on all our food because we have to feed all these babies."
Jake says, "I wonder how long it would have been until the babies found boyfriends and girlfriends and had a bunch of their own babies? Then we'd really have been losing money."
Then he shouts, "MOM! How long does it take for a moth worm to become an adult?"
And now for my moment...Toby says, "I wonder if Wal-Mart has moths."
Damn, I love my kids.
My three lucky boys were given the disgusting task of clearing and wiping out the pantry shelves to eradicate our problem pest...the common kitchen moth. It hasn't been a pretty last couple of hours. We're finding leftover cereal bags that have now become cheap moth hotels, and opened boxes of pasta that baby moths (aka worms) are happily munching on as fuel for their growing bodies. Probably the most disturbing are the hundreds of moth nests lined up in the crevices of the shelves just waiting to hatch open and start their worthless life cycle all over again.
Alex says, "I bet thewe's a lot of moths getting mawwied in thewe."
How sweet is the simple logic of a newly six year old? A little background information: just before the gerbils had their babies, we pronounced the mom and dad husband and wife once we found Tibby, the dad, happily riding piggy back on his fiance, Megan. What a beautiful wedding!
I have to be realistic here; I don't expect my children to follow in footsteps that I myself did not lay. Jake was an out of wedlock baby, and he is well aware that his father and I were married when he was nearly a year old. Therefore, I feel like a hypocritical mother teaching them that babies are the product of matrimony. My lesson of choice is that babies should be made with love and preparation. There is nothing more wonderful than being ready to parent a child, and most people just aren't until they've found a suitable mate and settled into a comfortable life first.
Regardless, Alex has deduced that the moths must have somehow performed an abundance of wedding ceremonies deep in the nooks and crannies of our pantry in order to be setting up shop and creating families at every corner.
I COL'd (chuckled out loud since it wasn't quite enough to be a LOL) when I overheard this conversation...
Toby says, "I bet they didn't get married and that's why there are so many of them."
Jake says, "If they were ready to be parents then there would only be a few moths because they'd have been responsible and had a normal number of babies. But because they weren't married yet, the men moths had babies with ALL of the girl moths instead of just his wife."
Toby says, "Irresponsible moths. Now we're losing money on all our food because we have to feed all these babies."
Jake says, "I wonder how long it would have been until the babies found boyfriends and girlfriends and had a bunch of their own babies? Then we'd really have been losing money."
Then he shouts, "MOM! How long does it take for a moth worm to become an adult?"
And now for my moment...Toby says, "I wonder if Wal-Mart has moths."
Damn, I love my kids.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Go Lightning Go!
What a night for our freshly 6 year old! Alex very innocently asked to go to a hockey game without his brothers and sister for his birthday. So we agreed, and last night was the big game. I think it's safe to say he's found a yearly birthday tradition.
Family that sent money for his birthday...Alex took his funds to the gift shop and bought himself a hat, a pin, and a game hockey puck. Thanks everyone for being so thoughtful!
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
Family that sent money for his birthday...Alex took his funds to the gift shop and bought himself a hat, a pin, and a game hockey puck. Thanks everyone for being so thoughtful!
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
It's an honor roll kind of day!
Way to go Alex! "R" club, honor roll, and perfect attendance. He's my only kid to get an "E" in math.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
I saved 57%!
It was worth the extra time spent clipping coupons to get everything for $37.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Respect, Responsibility, and Right Choices!
Today, Toby had his school award ceremony. I could not be any more proud of his very first "R" club award. This is given to kids that demonstrate the ability to be respectful, responsible, and make right choices. I see him capable of these virtues everyday, but to be recognized for them at school is an honor. Way to go Toaster!
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Cross, loop around, push through, and pull!
Motivation: a powerful tool for getting a six year old to do undesired tasks.
Last night, he begged me, "Momma (yah, his brothers make fun of him for calling me momma.), please, please can I have some new shoes? Please! These are the only ones I have ever wanted!"
Momma says, "Sorry my man, but you aren't of the shoe tying human variety yet."
Alex says, "I'll learn, I pwomise!" (No spelling error. The boy has a speech issue too cute for words sometimes.)
Thus, a bargain was formed and sealed with a high five. The white and blue tie shoes belonged to Momma until he was a shoe tie-er.
We sat together at the desk, one shoe each, and worked step by step on our project last night. After a mere hour of quiet tears of frustration and gritted teeth, there was success!
"Mom! I did it!"
Yes! My youngest son is ready to join the league of shoe tying boys.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
Last night, he begged me, "Momma (yah, his brothers make fun of him for calling me momma.), please, please can I have some new shoes? Please! These are the only ones I have ever wanted!"
Momma says, "Sorry my man, but you aren't of the shoe tying human variety yet."
Alex says, "I'll learn, I pwomise!" (No spelling error. The boy has a speech issue too cute for words sometimes.)
Thus, a bargain was formed and sealed with a high five. The white and blue tie shoes belonged to Momma until he was a shoe tie-er.
We sat together at the desk, one shoe each, and worked step by step on our project last night. After a mere hour of quiet tears of frustration and gritted teeth, there was success!
"Mom! I did it!"
Yes! My youngest son is ready to join the league of shoe tying boys.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Play Ball Kids!
Saturdays at the baseball park with my friends and family make me happy. Especially when I can come home and throw these dirty, grimy kids in the pool.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress and my still beating heart.
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