Today is Black Friday...dunhdunhDUNHHHHH!!! The only thing I plan on purchasing today is milk and pull-ups. Seriously, I am happy if I don't even leave the house on Black Friday, as I have put in my time on the front lines, working at a toy store, as a teenager. Never again.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving.
I was able to see someone be honestly and openly thankful last night. Hubby's step-aunt has two sons. Both of them are military boys. One was recently released, the other is being stationed in Texas for a month and a half between tours of duty way out east.
For the first time in YEARS she has both of her boys home, and safe, for Thanksgiving, and they will both be there for Christmas, too.
I have many things I am thankful for, but I don't think that it comes close to matching her level of thanks, of peace of mind, of security. These are all things she hasn't gotten to feel on a holiday for a long time.
She totally supports the troops, obviously, as do we. She does not support the war, but being her sons are in, and were in, the troops, often times on the front lines, having them in one piece was the best thing she could ever receive.
Libraries- My fair city has a rather extensive library system. I live right near one of their branches. Years ago, I had a library card for Fair city, but I let it lapse.
Last night, I was checking out their on-line card catalog, and thinking "Damn, Housewife, there are all sorts of good books and movies that you could get from your library, and once you are in school, all sorts of good resources. You should really get a new library card. Even though some of the books you want to reserve have a wit time, you can at least get on the list!"
Lo- Not only could I get on the list, but I could actually sign up for my card, on-line! All I have to do is bring my ID and proof of address down to the library, and they will print it out! Since I was able to sign up on-line, and since I am a Fair City resident, I was given a temporary card-number so that I was able to request the books that I want, being put on the list for two of them, and having the third shipped to me branch from a different one.
Damn! I love the public library system, and cannot believe I was not using it for so long.
School- I start in less than a month. In a few weeks I turn thirty. By the time I graduate, I will be in the 34ish range, and 35 or 36 if I want to get my CPA. I am surprisingly OK with this.
I am nervous, excited, nervous, pleased, and nervous.
I am also trying to figure out if there is any way in hell that I will be able to obtain a laptop.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Edumacation
So, in a month and a half, shortly after the major holiday hustle is over, I start working towards my Bachelors in Accounting.
It will be a long road, and I am seriously hoping that I can manage to cram four years of schooling down into three, so that I can start working right after Loki starts kindergarten.
In reality, I will be happy to finish in four, as that would still be full time, and I have three kids, and other stuff to do, nothing resembling a life mind you, 'casue if commercials are to be believed, the only life a mom has is her family.....
That's a topic for another post, though.
It will be a long road, and I am seriously hoping that I can manage to cram four years of schooling down into three, so that I can start working right after Loki starts kindergarten.
In reality, I will be happy to finish in four, as that would still be full time, and I have three kids, and other stuff to do, nothing resembling a life mind you, 'casue if commercials are to be believed, the only life a mom has is her family.....
That's a topic for another post, though.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Oldest lost another tooth
...quite literally.
Oldest had a tooth last night that was so loose it guarenteed a trip from the Tooth Fairy. About 15 minutes after we sent him up to wind down for the night (we send him to bed an hour before bedtime, he may read, play, watch TV, whatever, it's just 'him' time) he came downstairs to tell us he lost his tooth, and show us the gap.
Yay! Where is the tooth so we can put it in the Tooth Fairy pillow that hangs on the door?
No, I lost it.
He was sitting on a rubbermaid bin, playing and watching TV at the same time (oooh, the mltitasking) when all of a sudden, without him wiggling it, it fell out of his mouth, and into his pile of Legos. He jumped up, kicking the pile of many Legos and one tooth in the process, and the tooth is now nowhere to be found.
I looked, he looked, Hubby looked, cannot find the tooth.
Oldest was rather concerned that the Tooth Fairy would not come. We assured him that the TF would come. He asked if the TF would cdome again when he found his tooth. We explained that it doesn't work that way. She will either come that same night, or when/if you find the tooth, but not both.
Being a kid, he opted for the same night (smart kid, do you know how hard it is to find a baby tooth that goes missing? I lost one at my dad's once, about three months before they moved. We never found it, not even when they did a thourough deep clean to get their rent deposit back!).
Oldest asked what happens when he does find the tooth.
Quick thinking on my part, coupled with my brain to mouth filter not working lately, caused me to blurt out that when we find it, we will let the TF know, and then ship it to Tooth Fairy Central.
I was expecting him to question this, as he questions everything. I was expecting him to ask why she wouldn't just pick it up when she got his next tooth, which is already loose, or why she couldn't just find it in his room?
Nope, he just looks at me and says "OK, momma, that makes sense."
Seriously, loyal readers, I was o shocked by this that as soon as he went back up stairs, I looked at Hubby and said "I cannot believe he bought that!" Hubby looked back and said "I know!"
Now, I just have to brace myself for the questions regarding Tooth Fairy Central.
In other Oldest news, he came downstairs the other daus and asked if Santa was real. I asked why, and he explained that some kids at his school say there is a Santa, some say it's just your parents.
I aksed him what he believed, and he told me that he believed Santa was real. I told him that if that was what he thought, then Santa was indeed real.
Once again, I cannot believe he bought it, and didn't question.
I have a feeling that when he gets older, and learns that the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa, and any other number of things (like the Dirty Room Demon (don't ask)) are not real, per se, but parental and sociatal constructs used to trick small children into behaving in exchange for treats, money, candy, and gifts, he is going to be majorly pissed off. Not because they are not real, but because we led him to believe in something so illogical.
Oldest had a tooth last night that was so loose it guarenteed a trip from the Tooth Fairy. About 15 minutes after we sent him up to wind down for the night (we send him to bed an hour before bedtime, he may read, play, watch TV, whatever, it's just 'him' time) he came downstairs to tell us he lost his tooth, and show us the gap.
Yay! Where is the tooth so we can put it in the Tooth Fairy pillow that hangs on the door?
No, I lost it.
He was sitting on a rubbermaid bin, playing and watching TV at the same time (oooh, the mltitasking) when all of a sudden, without him wiggling it, it fell out of his mouth, and into his pile of Legos. He jumped up, kicking the pile of many Legos and one tooth in the process, and the tooth is now nowhere to be found.
I looked, he looked, Hubby looked, cannot find the tooth.
Oldest was rather concerned that the Tooth Fairy would not come. We assured him that the TF would come. He asked if the TF would cdome again when he found his tooth. We explained that it doesn't work that way. She will either come that same night, or when/if you find the tooth, but not both.
Being a kid, he opted for the same night (smart kid, do you know how hard it is to find a baby tooth that goes missing? I lost one at my dad's once, about three months before they moved. We never found it, not even when they did a thourough deep clean to get their rent deposit back!).
Oldest asked what happens when he does find the tooth.
Quick thinking on my part, coupled with my brain to mouth filter not working lately, caused me to blurt out that when we find it, we will let the TF know, and then ship it to Tooth Fairy Central.
I was expecting him to question this, as he questions everything. I was expecting him to ask why she wouldn't just pick it up when she got his next tooth, which is already loose, or why she couldn't just find it in his room?
Nope, he just looks at me and says "OK, momma, that makes sense."
Seriously, loyal readers, I was o shocked by this that as soon as he went back up stairs, I looked at Hubby and said "I cannot believe he bought that!" Hubby looked back and said "I know!"
Now, I just have to brace myself for the questions regarding Tooth Fairy Central.
In other Oldest news, he came downstairs the other daus and asked if Santa was real. I asked why, and he explained that some kids at his school say there is a Santa, some say it's just your parents.
I aksed him what he believed, and he told me that he believed Santa was real. I told him that if that was what he thought, then Santa was indeed real.
Once again, I cannot believe he bought it, and didn't question.
I have a feeling that when he gets older, and learns that the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa, and any other number of things (like the Dirty Room Demon (don't ask)) are not real, per se, but parental and sociatal constructs used to trick small children into behaving in exchange for treats, money, candy, and gifts, he is going to be majorly pissed off. Not because they are not real, but because we led him to believe in something so illogical.
Friday, November 07, 2008
conferences
We had conferences for Hermes last night. We also set up his IEP for speech. He will have speech therapy two times a week, in half hour doses. After a month or so, they will adjust as needed. He will also be in a one-on-one setting for at elast the first month-and-a-half to two months.
Conferences:
Well, he is smart. Being in second grade, he has to do the state mandated standardizd testing. For reading, he scored fairly average for his grade level for the begining of the school year- let's take into account he has been in full Mandarin immersion ubtil this year, his English teacher also said that she is certain he is at least a full grade level above that.
In math, he is scoring average- for a third grader- half way through the school year.
Take into account, second grade, begining of school year, oh, and did I mention he was home sick the two days before he tested, not yet at %100 when he tested?
Basically, Hermes is very, very smart, he has some social/behavioural issues that are exactly what you would expect for a second grader, and less thatn what you would expect when you take into account that he is a YOUNG second grader (summer birthday, will turn eight between second and third grade, if he skips no grades, he will not turn 18 until a few weeks AFTER graduation.)
It went well, he is having less behaviour issues than last year, especially after we explained to him that you cannot refuse to do school work, especially not when you are at school.
He is listening better, interacting better, and we all expect to see HUGE improvements once he is speaking better.
Conferences:
Well, he is smart. Being in second grade, he has to do the state mandated standardizd testing. For reading, he scored fairly average for his grade level for the begining of the school year- let's take into account he has been in full Mandarin immersion ubtil this year, his English teacher also said that she is certain he is at least a full grade level above that.
In math, he is scoring average- for a third grader- half way through the school year.
Take into account, second grade, begining of school year, oh, and did I mention he was home sick the two days before he tested, not yet at %100 when he tested?
Basically, Hermes is very, very smart, he has some social/behavioural issues that are exactly what you would expect for a second grader, and less thatn what you would expect when you take into account that he is a YOUNG second grader (summer birthday, will turn eight between second and third grade, if he skips no grades, he will not turn 18 until a few weeks AFTER graduation.)
It went well, he is having less behaviour issues than last year, especially after we explained to him that you cannot refuse to do school work, especially not when you are at school.
He is listening better, interacting better, and we all expect to see HUGE improvements once he is speaking better.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
I voted
I voted, did you?
Pleasantly, I was in and out in about twenty minutes.
MN still uses the fill in the bubble and feed the slip into the machine forms, so I know that I am credited with the correct votes.
I got my fabulous red 'I Voted' sticker, and I will wear it with pride all day long.
Please, if you are able to, get out and vote. Yes, you may have to stand in lines, but at least we have beautiful weather.
Yes, people will be cranky, but at least their voices are being heard.
If you care about your future, my future, the kids future, vote.
Hermes made sure to tell me this morning that I needed to vote, if a seven year old remembers, certainly you can.
Pleasantly, I was in and out in about twenty minutes.
MN still uses the fill in the bubble and feed the slip into the machine forms, so I know that I am credited with the correct votes.
I got my fabulous red 'I Voted' sticker, and I will wear it with pride all day long.
Please, if you are able to, get out and vote. Yes, you may have to stand in lines, but at least we have beautiful weather.
Yes, people will be cranky, but at least their voices are being heard.
If you care about your future, my future, the kids future, vote.
Hermes made sure to tell me this morning that I needed to vote, if a seven year old remembers, certainly you can.
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