Day by Day

Who in their right mind would put themselves, much less desire to put themselves, in a place where 1600 13-18 year olds roam the building? The students come back to school tomorrow and I can't wait!! They make everything else (all of the politics, meetings, conflicts with adults, red tape, rules and regulation disgust) worthwhile. If it wasn't for kids, I wouldn't want my job! They have so much hope, promise and very little fear, and to a degree that's a good thing!

I was driving in the car and looked back in the rearview mirror. Keera saw me and pointed her two fingers at her eyes and then at me. "I have my eyes on you," she said. Later that night she was telling a story to me and Grandpa and she used her two fingers to signify a quote of a word. Two days ago Katie and Keera were sunbathing and I made the mistake of moving Keera's towel a bit. Apparently she told Katie that, "mom just crossed the line and that is not allowed in this house." Keep in mind that though I have said many things to my kids, the above has never been one of them, so I do not know where that came from. Keera picked up a coin and put it in her pocket. She said, "I'm putting this in my pocket for safe keeping." She sounds like a grandmother or something. Lastly, she opened her hamburger bun and said, "Pickles, I know you're hiding from me in there," because she doesn't like pickles. I wish I had this blog back wh...

There is a song that came on the car radio. As Keera and I rode around I turned the song up and sang it....not realizing how big - little ears can be. The song has a cool beat, but the words are not quite appropriate "I hope it gives you hell." Later that night Connor reported to me that Keera was singing a song and saying the word "hell". So began the strange conversation. I said, "Keera the word was bell." "No, mom. It goes hell." "Ok Keera...it's a bad word..so we can't say that." "But mom, that's how the song goes." "Keera you can't say that word." "But mom, on "Malcolm" (a tv show we have been watching lately) the Dad's name is Hal and they say it." "Keera that is Hal, not hell." "No it's Hell....so I want to sing Hell." "Ok Keera - you can sing Hal, but not Hell." "Mom...it is Hal." I give up.......if I get a call from Kinde...

We work for money, we work for feeling productive, we work for social reasons, we work to feel purposeful, we work because we enjoy what we do. How often do we need to enjoy what we do? Daily? Weekly? by the minute? At what point do you stop doing what you are doing because it does not satisfy you? At what point do you stop trying to move ahead and just change courses? Is it really practical to think we are in control of it all, or is that a dream because practically we all need to work to survive and provide? I don't have the answers.....but I wonder what they are........

The time on the past four posts is wrong....it's actually 3 a.m.. The question now becomes what the heck am I doing up on the computer at 3 a.m.? Here's the answer.....feeling motivated. I havent' felt this motivated in a few weeks. Yeah baby.....I'm back (and going to be tired).

Katie is bored....it's been a summer of hanging out at home since about the middle of July, so I get that. However, I believe overall she has enjoyed just doing nothing. But, lately she has taken up a cause....she wants a laptop....her own laptop. Now she is willing to pay for this laptop with her hard earned money (watching Keera, doing chores, etc.). Bob and I have been holding out with, "No, we don't want you to spend your own money on that, and we are not buying you a laptop right now." Those are the objective facts of the situation.....here's the inside scoop....can you believe that she has been talking about this for about two weeks....everytime she can get the idea in a conversation-boom-it's there....everytime she senses weakness on our parts, or she thinks we are feeling slightly guilty about anything dealing with her, or anytime her brothers have picked on her and she knows I feel like I owe her for that-boom-up comes the topic of the laptop. Ka...

So about a week ago Bob injured his arm playing softball. Before he could get in to see the doctor there were at least three more games, because it was playoff week, so he continued to play injured. In one game he actually dove for a grounder, rolling over his injured shoulder, at second base and then threw the ball underhand to attempt to get the out. As it turns out, he probably has a torn rotator cuff; he went for an MRI today and will find out results soon at the next doctor's appointment. Now, here's my point of view on this.....have you ever seen a husband,with a torn rotator cuff, jump the couch to get to the bathroom to clean the toilet, then roll through the livingn room to get to the kitchen to do the dishes, run outside to mow the lawn, etc....to win one for the gipper? Me neither....what is it about men and their sports, hobbies, whatever? Maybe if society made it a competition to do chores we would have more success in this area.........hmmmm

Keera has become more rational in the last month-if it is possible for a 4.5 year old to be rational......yesterday she was really upset about something, so the tears started to flow.....a full blown tantrum was in the works when out of the blue she said, through crocodile tears, "I'll be in my room", (which she doesn't even sleep in, let alone retire to when she is upset.) A few minutes later she came out of her room to say, again through crocodile tears, "Can I please have my soda in my room?" (A month ago that would have been a demand, not a question.) How can anyone stay mad at that cuteness????

I've had some sort of writers block....not sure what that is about. Where should I start? The opposum or possum (spelled differently depending on the hemisphere you live in) who decided to inhabit our room above the garage (affectionately known as "the fort" by our kids). The devilish possum managed to grab part of a tuna grinder out of the store bought trap and then walk out again. We brought that trap back the next day! We purchased a better trap and kept trying to trap it, but no go. A few days later, the noises stopped, so either the possum hit the road (maybe even road kill) or it has made a home somewhere in there and is giving birth to babies.....I guess we'll find out. We purchased a couch set for the upstairs open room. We went to Bob's furniture store - the "pit section". All furniture in this section is floor models or discontinued; therefore, it is discounted. Of course the salesmen attack you the minute you walk into the store then ...