NaBloWriMo Day 18 - School Daze

Son is home on a short break from college working on some homework while daughter does her homeschool lessons...

One second is studious...

...the next second is silly.

Love, love having my kiddos home and all of us together!

Life is good :)

NaBloWriMo Day 17 - Random Status Post Thursday - The Consequences of our Actions

The random status post on my facebook news feed this morning ended up being a lengthy rant regarding a local issue, so I looked to the next post for today's blog prompt--which was (of course) someone sharing someone else's photo-quote-recipe-grumpy-cat meme, etc..  Seems like 80 percent of the news feed anymore is "shared" content and not "friends" interacting...but I digress.

The shared image was a list of "House Rules"...which probably should have been displayed prominently in every room of my home:

• If you sleep on it, make it up.
• If you wear it, hang it up.
• If you drop it, pick it up.
• If you cook or eat from it, wash it up.
• If you make a mess, clean it up.
• If you open it, close it.
• If you use it all, replace it.
• If you borrow it, bring it back.

If I had just implemented this simple statement of preventative maintenance a long time ago when my kids were old enough to understand, I could have avoided so many conflicts and confrontations over the years. 

Not only should the rules be posted, but the consequences should be made clear as well if the rules are not followed.  

So often, parents make up consequences on the fly and not only are they unrealistic and not fitting to the circumstance, but they are not carried out--making them empty threats.  A child learns at a very early age about empty threats and knows that when the parent wields the "if-then" statement, it is nothing to be worried about...

I have watched and listened countless times as young parents state the following while their little ones pick at a meal:

"If you don't eat your food, then you won't get dessert."  

A half hour later when the youngster is screaming for a cookie and has only taken one tiny birdie bite from their plate, the child is handed a cookie.  That precise instant is when the parental unit loses all credibility and the threats become empty and the child KNOWS it.

My favorite threat to watch play out is the young family on an outing with other families. When the young one has a melt down or is picking on another child, the frustrated, exhausted parent says,

"If you don't stop that, I'm taking you home."  

About the fourth time this statement is uttered, not only is it laughable, but the child knows the parent is never going to leave the group to take them home making it useless as a tool of discipline.  I nearly chuckle out loud when the parent then whines, 

"How many times do I have to tell you?"  

And I think to myself...the exact number of times you have conditioned the child to hear that--indefinitely with no consequences.

It's called tough love for a reason.  Be the parent...not the pal.  

NaBloWriMo Day 16 - SMILE!

Take care of your chompers...they are the only ones you get!

“You don’t have to floss all your teeth…only the ones you want to keep.” This was a quote on the wall in my dentist office that has always stuck with me and reminded me there’s more to good dental hygiene than just brushing.

The every six-month dental check up is essential. I’m so glad a visit to the dentist has improved over the years. Not that I didn’t like leaning over and spitting in the miniature toilet bowl next to the chair, but the new spit sucker is much more effective in grabbing the Technicolor rainbow that used to connect the patient to the spit bowl according to Bill Cosby’s comedy routine about going to the dentist.

The dentist chair isn’t the only area to see improvements in this necessary care-taking of the teeth and gums. I currently own a toothbrush with a sonic button and floss is strung taut across the end of a stick instead of cutting off the circulation in my fingers. The high priced rinse and whitening strips are ego trips but less expensive than cosmetic dentistry if you have that caffeine habit. But now that I have four things in my mouth, wanna ask me about my summer vacation?

My grandma had one good tooth left in her entire mouth at the age of 99. I wonder if that was the one she flossed consistently.

Life's short. Brush, floss, and see your dentist on a regular basis.

NaBloWriMo Day 15 - Chilled to the Bone

We attended my nephew's junior high football game this afternoon.  The temperature was 50-ish with mist that blew sideways.  My daughter laughed at me as a half hour before we left for the game, I began getting dressed--first the Cuddl Duds, followed by two pairs of socks, jeans, a turtleneck, and a long sleeve shirt.  A sweatshirt jacket, tennis shoes, hat, windbreaker, and two pairs of gloves completed my ensemble...not my first rodeo.  I know me and cold, and me is borderline cold urticaria (so I know there are not enough layers in my closet to do the trick).  I felt like Ralphie's little brother in A Christmas Story when he has his snowsuit on to go to school and can't put his arms down.  I did, however, manage to have my daughter grab a blanket as we headed out the door...she was still snickering at all my layers and feeling like the blanket was totally unnecessary.

Once we got to the field, we climbed up a few steps into the bleachers to sit down on what can only be described as slabs of ice.  Just that much higher up and the wind and sideways mist suddenly seemed gale force compared to the weather down in the parking lot.  Cups of hot cocoa became our life blood, and we huddled together like our lives depended on it.

An hour and a half later when the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game, I was beyond numb and in desperate need of a loo...in fact, since I couldn't feel anything from the waist down, I wasn't sure if I actually had to go or if I had already gone!

Back at home, I began peeling off the layers and trying to prepare a hot supper to aid in my recovery.

It is now four and a half hours post-game time, and I just got the feeling back in my toes.

You're probably wondering how I'm going to survive the winter when I live in a state where the temperatures will most likely dip below zero for weeks on end.  I'm wondering the same thing, and the answer is probably stay indoors until next spring.

NaBloWriMo Day 14 - Blog du jour

For our homeschool language this year, we are using Rosetta Stone French Homeschool edition.  If you're wondering if this hyped up course is all that it touts--rest assured, it is!...when it works.

Here's my tip of the day:  DO NOT think you will cut costs and buy used like I did!  Unfortunately, I ended up with an outdated version that would not install on my computer without a call to tech support.  And tech support (once I could understand what he was saying), was not all that helpful.  :(

It was not merely downloading a newer version from their support page as Mr. Tech Support led me to believe.  Thankfully, my hubby, who is a computer wizard, intervened and went through the 15 step process which basically amounted to fixing my outdated version with duct tape...a series of renaming files, deleting files, re-downloading files, and re-renaming files before re-installing from the start-up disk made my head spin as I watched the tedious process.  Unfortunately, all the rigmarole was not a perfect fix.  The program still crashes and my frustrated daughter has to restart the computer to get it to work.

All that being said, I have been very impressed by the Dynamic Immersion method of teaching that this language software provides, and I do look forward to continuing with all the levels...which I will purchase in the form of the latest version from a reliable source from now on!!

NaBloWriMo Day 13 - A Recap of the Weekend

On Saturday morning, I met the MIL at a church salad luncheon and bazaar.  The church ladies bring out their finest salad recipes for this day and add crackers and bars and drinks for only a $5 donation.  Such yummy food and a craft and bake sale and raffle all under the same roof--that's multitasking.

Saturday afternoon was a shopping trip with the hubby and daughter for some clothes followed by pizza and a hot cookie sundae.

After viewing a couple tutorial videos on the ancient Japanese art of Kumihimo, I purchased a Kumihimo disk kit and bobbins and successfully completed my first braid.  I have so much extra time on my hands (NOT) that I decided to add this craft to my growing list of jewelry making skills.  I'm telling myself they will make great Christmas presents.

Saturday night, I attempted to keep a 4-year-old and a 10-year-old occupied for two and half hours while their parents visited with my mother.  It felt more like two and a half days, and I saw and heard (and smelled) things that I'm not used to seeing, hearing (and smelling) anymore.  I wouldn't say I babysat as I have always thought that was the most ridiculous term...I wish I COULD have sat on them, but with two such "high-spirited" children, sitting was definitely out of the question!


I was beaming with pride Sunday morning as my daughter read her faith statement to the congregation.  She will be confirmed in just two weeks...a milestone we look forward to celebrating with family and friends.

Lunch was Erberts and Gerberts, and then wash some bedding while making some of the favors for the Confirmation party.

A bike ride topped off the beautiful sunny Sunday before leftovers for supper and some mindless TV watching.  

I'm sure I've left out a few hundred other things, but life is too short for me to ramble on about my weekend.  It's time for sleep...perchance to dream.

NaBloWriMo Day 12 - It's a Bazaar Time of Year

I love to hate this time of year!  Craft fairs, church bazaars, and art festivals--OH, MY!!  Inspiration abounds browsing the various vendors and their wares.  Why didn't I reserve a table this year?

I am an artsy crafter.  I just lack the time and motivation to mass produce my handiwork for the unwashed masses year after year.

I still walk around admiring all the creative market items thinking..."I could do that.  If I started in right after the first of the year and made an item or two every week, I would have plenty to sell come this time next year!"

I actually have participated in three different craft shows--one indoors and two outside.  And while I do make more at the fairs than selling my jewelry in gift boutiques or on consignment, shows are a lot of work--and a huge investment.  You better be prepared to do several shows if you're going to do one, as the set up requires a lot more than just plenty of inventory to sell--tables, table coverings, canopy, display racks, signage, and a cash box are just a few of the necessary items needed to set up for a show.

Maybe next year I will get it in gear and set up at a craft show again.  In the meantime, this year will just be my year of inspiration.

My table at an outdoor main street craft show two years ago.

My table at a mall craft show three years ago.