Brain Declutter...

 Jake is doing science right now with Papa G. so I thought I would take a minute to declutter my brain a little.  Papa G. is a pilot so he is the perfect person to teach Jake all the fun weather related stuff you are supposed to learn in the 5th grade.   And it gives me a few minutes to do something productive...or blog!  Blogging is productive right?

*We did a quick Science experiment yesterday with salt, water, and eggs.  It was pretty cool to see the egg float in the salt water.  Picture Jake right here doing the science project because yes I did take a picture of it...but my blog won't let me upload any more pictures.  I have really been wanting to blog, but I really don't want to have to figure out this whole "no room for any more pictures need to fix it" thing...So,  I am avoiding blogging...But my brain needs a declutter so here I am.
*We got a new car!  New to us at least-it is a 1998 Chevy Malibu.  Jake wants to name it Kirby but my brother-in-laws, brother (did you follow that?  He is the one we just picked it up from.  It was my brother-in-laws car, he gave it to his brother, who then gave it to us) calls it the Malibomber and I am kind of LOVING that name.  I spent a couple of hours cleaning it the other day and it looks like a brand new used car!  It talks to you while you drive.  The blinker dings off and on a lot. Even if you aren't turning and it is off.  I guess it should be annoying but I am just assuming it is talking to me.  How can you be annoyed by a free car!? Thank you Tina and Allen!
*I hadn't received the follow up email saying we were in fact approved to homeschool so I called them and they resent it to me.  Just to let you know, if you emailed me between June 30th and July 20th I didn't get it...Not sure what happened but I have no emails (including spam) between those dates and that just doesn't happen...The point of this ramble was really to tell you that I saw our homeschool name (you have to have a name in NC for your school), Harmon's Learning Academy, on the list of homeschools and was AMAZED at the number of schools in just the county we live in!  I will have to go back and count them when I get a chance.  I had to keep scrolling down just to get to the H's!  Now if I could just find a homeschooling group that has kiddos around Jake's age.  I was looking on line and there was a lady starting a "homeschool group" for her 18 month old...Isn't that just a play group?  Is it really called homeschooling when your child is 18 months old?
*Aaron is on his last semester of school!!!!  HORRRRRAAAAY!!!! He graduates in December and we are just a little bit excited to not be living the crazy schedule we have been living the past 18 mos.  Say a prayer that he finds a teaching position starting in Jan.!!!
*Have you ever heard of a "Common Place Book"?  (I mentioned it a long time ago.)  Thomas Jefferson's mentor had all his students write what they had learned in a "Common Place Book" so they could share the knowledge they were gaining with each other.  I really wanted Jake's blog to be called "Jake's Common Place Blog"...Get it?  He wasn't feeling it, but that's okay it's his blog...But anyway we made our own "Common Place Book" so we can all write down what we are learning.  You will never believe what we just missed!  I was on line looking up cheap or free places to take Jake on field trips and there is a plantation museum that actually had a class for homeschoolers on September 2 in which they made "Common Place Books"!!!!  We are so going to check this place out!  It also has this class that he can take for $5 called "Plantation Children's Life".  They get to see what children that lived on plantations here in the South would have done during a normal day.  FOR $5!!!  I am so excited to check it out.  I want to do it too!!!  I love homeschooling!..Even though I wanted to ring Jake's neck yesterday because he wouldn't stay on task and it was driving me CRAZY!  He just doesn't seem to get that he could be done with whatever it is he needs to do a whole lot faster if he would just do it-instead of spending 10 minutes trying to get out of it!!!!  Love that kid even when he is driving me insane. :) Is it wrong for me to threaten to send him back to public school if he is being disobedient? :)....
 *Our first field trip (or what we are calling it any way) is tomorrow and we are going to the homeschool store that is about 15 minutes away.  How cool is that?  There is a homeschooling school in the next town over! 
*I also found out while looking for cheap or free things to do in our area that there is a park that is fenced in that is a leash free park!  Sadie will love it.  After running free for a month in Vermont she is not loving having to be back on her leash AT ALL.  I don't blame her.

Well that is all I have time for. Jake and Papa just finished up and Jake is getting ready to do his "Wednesday's Wonderful Words" post over at his blog.  He is also doing an online book club that you or your kiddos can be a part of.  He is reading (we listened to all the Chronicles of Narnia on our car rides to and from Vermont and he loved them all!)  "A Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis and his book club is going to be on Friday September 30th.  I am trying to make writing bearable  fun for him.  It is like pulling teeth to get him to want to write anything...These math and science guys are really hard for me to figure out. :)

Brain Declutter...I have a lot on my mind.

Some of it important, some of it not so much....

*I went and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2 in 3D today.  I have read all the books and seen all the movies.  It is so strange to have spanned over a decade in one book/movie series.  It was a really good movie.  It played out like it did in my head when I read the book.  I really enjoyed it.  It seems strange that it is "over".  I am not saying I am emotional about it or anything...Just saying it has been a long time span from when I read the first book all the way to watching the last movie...As for my first 3D movie, it was cool but I don't think it makes the movie better.

*"Perspective" has been on my mind lately.  What is important? I have been thinking about life in general every since there was a death on Aaron's side of the family.  Kirsten is Brian's (Aaron's cousin who is just a year or 2 older than us) wife of not quite 6 years who just passed a way from cancer.  They have 3 children under the age of 5, one isn't even a year old.   They found out she had cancer in the winter and she died just a couple of weeks ago.  What will Brian do?  How do you pick up the pieces from that?  He lives in Texas, with no family close by.  Kirsten was a stay-at-home mom.  Will he put them in day care?  And those are the easy questions.  How do you keep the memory of your children's mother a live when none of them will remember her?  Do you pack up your whole life and move closer to family?...I can't imagine what I would do without Aaron...or what he would do with out me.  My heart aches for them...All I can do is pray for them...Did I just say "all"?  You know what I mean right?  I guess what I mean is there is nothing I can physically do that will help.  You know what I mean?  When you say your prayers tonight keep The Wren family in your thoughts please....

*We leave for Vermont in 2 weeks!  Which means: MY PARENTS GET OFF THEIR MISSION IN 2WEEKS!!!!  Where has the past year and a half gone?  We are so excited to see them!

*I finished reading Pride and Prejudice a couple of weeks ago-did I mention that?  It was so good!  I loved it!  I celebrated my first time reading it by renting the movie (the newest version.  I was going to rent the older one to but our local video store doesn't have it...) and it was wonderful.  I already knew that though because I have seen it several times.  I am onto Sense and Sensibility and I am enjoying it so far.  Now that I am done watching Jericho I can get back to reading...

*Jake had two firsts in the past 2 weeks.  He ran a mile without stopping with Aaron on Tuesday while I was at a Primary meeting and he met me at the door to "brag" because he was so proud of himself.  I am proud of him too. :)  He also bore his testimony of Joseph Smith to me a week ago Friday as his morning devotional while we were homeschooling.  It was amazing to hear him bare his testimony and feel the Spirit and know that he really did know Joseph Smith restored the gospel to the earth.  We continued to feel the Spirit while we read our scriptures that tied in perfectly with what Jake had borne testimony of.  Long story short we both had tears in our eyes and the Spirit in our heart.  What a great way to start the day!
 
*My sister and her family have had a really tough week.  They have waited a long time and finally welcomed a puppy into their family last Saturday.  Stella Luna is the name that Saku (my nephew and her owner-he has wanted a dog for a long time...) gave her and he said the name just came to him.  Long story short they have spent the week wondering if she was going to make it because of a very serious virus she came down with the 2nd day she was with them.  They live in another country and the vet has been coming to their house to treat her.  In the states this very sick (in critical condition) would be staying at the vet and they take care of everything. They have had this sick, sweet little puppy at their house trying to care for her the whole week.  Just today she was taken to the vet so they could try to recoup and get some sleep...So, if you don't mind keep Stella Luna and her family in your prayers too.

*Jake asked me today (this is a conversation that comes up every now and then) what I would do if someone came to our house and offered us $500,000,000.000 (yes that is 500 billion) in exchange for Sadie.   I said I would take it...Is that bad?  Jake said he wouldn't take it.  I of course would miss Sadie terribly but I feel like she would understand. I mean dogs really want their masters to be happy right?  Since this is a hypothetical I am adding in that they are wonderful people who have acres of land with rivers and lakes, other dogs for Sadie to play with, and that we can visit her anytime we want!  Does that make me a bad person?  I mean I love my dog and she is a spoiled girl that leads a great dog life...Why do I feel bad about this when it would obviously never happen?

*Did you know that if you are making a recipe that calls for cream you can substitute milk mixed with melted butter?  I didn't know it but it works.  Google is a good thing.

That is good for now...There is a lot more very random things rolling around in my noggin but I am sick of typing and I am sure you are sick of reading (if any one is).

A very long catch up and a brain declutter. (I am not proofreading this-just warning you...)

It seems like forever since I have posted!  Did you miss me?  I wasn't really gone.  I was at home enjoying FREEDOM!  We have had a fun time getting ready to home school, going to the park, playing the Wii, working on a project....We have been busy doing nothing and it has been FUN.  I am going to just make this a MASSIVE picture and brain declutter extraordinaire!  (I warned you ahead of time so don't be surprised when you see just how long this is...this is what happens when I don't post for a while. This could probably be about 5 separate posts...)

*I have mentioned before I am a Yankee (born and raised in NH), but I consider myself a converted Southerner (except when it is really hot and I wish I wasn't....).  Well, I often wish I had an accent like Paula Dean, but I don't think it will every happen.  What I am getting at, is that the other day we were watching something on the History channel or Discovery channel  (2 of our fav's...I also love Fox News and HGTV) and a Southerner said "thang" instead of  "thing" and I was instantly mesmerized...Not enough to remember who it was or what it was on apparently, but I really wanted to sound like that.  It wasn't a redneck or uneducated accent like people who don't live in the South think it is.  It was a civilized "thang"...Maybe one day I will get my wish and have a Southern accent...I girl can dream right?

*Jake was playing his recorder the other day and decided to write a song.  It took him about 10 minutes and was really AWESOME.  I am so impressed.  I told him that he could probably play it on the piano (which he wants to learn to play and is going to when Nee get home to teach him us.).  So, we sat down at the piano and I found the notes and he played it.  It really is a great song.  He played it on Father's Day for Aaron and Papa G.  He decided he wanted to wait and surprise Papa Harmon by playing it for him live on their piano, when we go down to Spartanburg some time soon. So, Nana don't tell.

*While I am typing this post Aaron is teaching Jake to play the guitar and they are writing down all the cords in a notebook for him to practice.  I told Jake the other day that when he was writing his song and playing it on the piano that, that was homeschooling.  He didn't believe me, but I asked him: have you ever written a song before?  (No)  Are you learning the first few notes on the piano (Yes).  That is learning!  It is educating yourself and finding your talents.  He was pretty psyched to think that an education is not just worksheets.  :)  I am excited too. 

*The other day while I was doing something (dishes or something...), I heard some noise coming from Jake's room and when I went down the hall to see what it was this is what I saw:

What is it you ask?  A club house of course!  This happened to be the day we thought maybe we would put Sadie's crate in Jake's room to see if she would start sleeping in there.  The night before she slept in his room, (not in her crate just on the floor...she has a nice comfy dog bed but choices to sleep on the hard floor?) but she peed on the floor!  I think she was nervous or something because she didn't know what to think when we shut her in there and Jake said she was pacing for a while.  She never pee's on the floor any more...Except today when we put a rug back down that she peed on a couple times when she was tiny, so we put it up until she was potty trained.  Fast forward a couple of months with no peeing....She pees in Jake's room and then pees on the rug we literally just put back out...Any way...back to the story.  This is what was going on in the club house:
Jake rediscovered his dress up clothes and was sharing them with Sadie.

I like to call him "Obi-wan-ca-Jakey" when he puts this old Halloween costume on, but he had another name for himself that I can't remember at the moment...He wants to post some pic's on his blog too so he will probably tell you on there what his name was....
****BY THE WAY**** Did that get your attention?  His blog has changed to: jake-myschool.blogspot.com and it is not private after all.  Aaron thought it was fine to be public since I talk all about him on my blog anyway...Good point...So, if I sent you an invite to the old one, just forget all about it and go to this one from now on...Back to the regularly scheduled post. :)

He got hot and changed.  Can I even tell you what a joy it has been to watch Jake play and enjoy himself again?  It seemed any time we played before it was in a hurry because we had to do homework or get to bed since it is a school night.

*I forgot to mention Jake has been lucky enough to go to a b-day pool party and to a  friends house who has a pool in his neighborhood?  He is a fish and loves the water like I do.  That just popped in my head for some reason...Probably because I really want to go swimming...

*This is a picture of Jake reading from an awesome new collection of books a friend of mine from church brought to Cub Scouts to see if Jake wanted them.  She got them a the school she works at and thought her kids would like them.  They didn't...at all and since Jake had excitedly told her at Church (she is our Primary pianist) that he was going to be homeschooled she thought she would bring them to someone who would appreciate them.  And he does!  They are so cool and it is the whole set A-Z talking about cultures in different countries.   On a completely unrelated note (I can do that because I am brain decluttering...) see the peach he is eating?  I told Aaron I got peaches and he excitedly went to eat one and then informed we they weren't real peaches.  We are used to the peaches that are almost the size of a softball, that are so juicy you have to eat them outside because the juice drips down your arm all the way to your elbows...I wish I had one right now...Which makes me think of one other quick thing...Nana, Jake thinks you are very tough.  (Why did that make me think of Nana?  Because you get those awesome peaches in SC and there are awesome peach stands off the highway on the way to Nana and Papa Harmon's house....See how randomly my brain works...)  Any way.  Nana has a broken foot right now and went a week after hurting it before she went to the doctor to get it checked out.  So, in Jake's book you have to be tough to walk around on a broken foot for a week...In my book too, now that I think about it.  Jake stubbed his pinky toe today and said if it is broken (it's not...) than he will just be tough like Nana.  Just thought you would like that Nana. :)...

*Here is Jake working on his first homeschooling project.  We aren't "officially" starting until July 5th because July 1st is when we can start taking attendance according to the county we live in.  This is a project that Jake decided to do on his own, just because he wanted to.  That makes me a happy camper. :)

This is what it looks like so far.  It is a report on Black Mamba snakes, which happen to be the most dangerous snake, but not the most poisonous.  Jake will have to explain all that to ya.  He learned it in his research and it is all pretty cool if you like that kind of stuff.  Jake some how became a big snake fan and I am not sure how...The pattern on the poster is an extreme close up on the what a black mamba's scales look like.  Pretty cool huh?  I was excited because he let me help. :)

Aaron serenaded us while we painted.  He of course would not look at the camera, since he is a PTPP (picture taking party pooper).

Sadie just hung out looking all cute like she does.

So cute Jake couldn't resist playing with her and a few days later the project has not moved any further along than printed pic's from the internet of black mamba's (that I was REALLY sick of looking at on the computer desk so I made him move them to his room), and a sheet with "fun facts".  Did you know there was such a thing as "fun facts" about snakes because none of it sounds fun to me....

*This is a park close to our house (we gave up on the ghetto park after we had to leave because several cop cars pulled into the parking lot with their lights on, to arrest a bunch of people in what was apparently a drug deal...And we had one of Jake's friends with us.  Luckily his grandmother understood when she came and picked him up...), that we LOVE.  We went twice in one day the end of last week.  Then we went back the next day again.  Jake made a couple of new friends and had a great time running around with them.  I had a great time not having to be the one running around and I painted my nails and cleaned out my purse while he played.  Actually it was the other way around.  I found the nail polish in my purse while cleaning it out and then I painted my nails.  We had to cut playing short (it had already been over an hour so they were getting tired since it was 9,000 degrees out) because one of the boys Jake was playing with a had teenage cousin who was playing too, that cussed a couple of times and then when he said "rape" and "hey my cousin tagged me and tried to touch my private parts!".  I don't think he was a child molester or anything like that.  I think he is just an idiot and doesn't know what is and is not appropriate to say around younger kids..  At any rate, I called Jake over and told him it was time to go, which he understood.  Sad isn't it?  I remember when I was little and  we used to play outside all day with our friends...It is a different world.  On a more positive note.  I showed Jake all the fun things we used to do on swings on the playground when I was a kid.  Like twist and swing at the same time.  Or hold onto each others chain and swing sideways together.  All those things he doesn't know about because he has never had swings at his schools because they are too dangerous.  And the last time we had a swing in our yard he was too little to show those things too. :)  I have heard more of my favorite Jake belly laughs in the past week than I have in a long time.

*This is Jake getting ready to roll the dice and pick what 5 states he is going to research first.  He decided he wants to start with geography, researching a few interesting people, and researching animals this summer.  Sounds good to me.  We are also going to be reading the Book of Mormon. 

Where ever the tiny little dice landed would be one of the states he would start with.  With exception of Florida and Texas, he just wanted to do those 2 first and he helped the dice land where it needed to land. :)

We were having a game day last Tuesday and took turns picking the games.  I love this card game called "5 State Rummy".  You have to get cards for 5 states that border each other.  While playing Jake decided he wanted to learn the states.

*We made Aaron blueberry streusel coffee cake one morning.  Don't be too impressed-it was out of a box.  But you can be impressed that I got if for almost free on sale plus my coupons...which I really need to cut out, I am so far behind...This is the best pic we could get with our resident PTPP.  Jake was concerned when we first started making it, that it had coffee in it, since the box said coffee cake.  I assured him it didn't and we enjoyed it's yumminess.

*This is a random picture of Jake playing Wii Fit Plus on our game day last week. (Out of order but I don't feel like moving it...)  He was doing the flying chicken one...It was much funnier than the picture makes it...

*I can't believe I haven't posted all this stuff already!!!  This is the very first lightening bug Jake caught of the season last week...I think it was on our game day last Tuesday...Yep it was because Sadie turned 6 months that day.  She goes to the vet on Thursday to get spade.

Sadie played with our neighbors dog "Bear" (he is the vicious looking one in the picture, but he really isn't...), while we caught lightening bugs.  Bear is Sadie's best dog friend.

I couldn't for the life of me get a shot of them running that wasn't blurry.  They are way to fast.  They ran from one yard to the next.  We don't have to worry one bit about Sadie running off if Bear is out to play with...If he isn't?  Forget about it-she is gone.  Little stinker...

Here is the mason jar filled with the bugs.  One lite up as I took the picture. :)

Love this sweaty headed boy.  Nee you can see your little bushes growing back in, in the back ground.

See all the little guys in there. Don't worry we let them all out before we went in for the night.

*Here is a where a picture of the Papa John's pizza we got the other night would be...but I can't put it up here because it is one of the pictures I took for the secret shop we did...don't tell them! You just order the pizza (you have to be approved to do it obviously...), answer some questions about the customer service. Take a few pictures of the pizza with your shopper number on it and you get a free pizza. This time it will cover the cost of the pizza, tip, and I get a $10 bonus because I haven't done it for a while and they really needed someone to do it. Did you know you could do that? It is the only time we order Papa John's. :)

*And last and definitely least...Did I mention that I dyed my hair "dark mahogany brown" about a week and a hal ago?  I have dark brown hair and I have been dying it for a few years because I am getting gray...I would have a skunk stripe on both sides of my face and they are starting to pop up other places throughout too...I usually just go with dark brown, but since I have red undertones anyway I decided to try the mahogany for a change. This is me waiting...

I got bored waiting for 30 minutes, when there was no one around (Jake was asleep and Aaron was at work) to distract me from the fact that I may look like a clown when I rinsed it out, so I took a picture of myself...That makes sense right?.. Can you tell by my facial expression how I am feeling about it? It was so much runnier than the regular dark brown and where I could see it on my forehead it was BRIGHT red...I have no after picture...yet.  I haven't really worn my hair down since because the roots are so red.  The rest of it looks pretty much like what it always looks like.  I am just waiting a couple of weeks to go back to my regular color.  After 4 days and 4 times washing my hair red dye was still coming out of my hair in the shower.  That never happens with the brown I use and it was the same brand.  So, I learned my lesson:  I will just stick with the color I've got...as long as it's not gray.  I am too young for gray...

Brain Declutter...Because my brain is overflowing with clutter...

Clutter is putting it mildly....There is some guilt mixed in too, so i (a lower case i because that is all i deserve at the moment) will start with that and get it over with...

*i will not be winning any mother of the year awards any time soon i am sorry to say...We got an invitation to attend an awards ceremony for awesome kiddos (Jake of course was one of them) and i...forgot.  Totally and completely forgot...i was in school on Tuesday morning and the saw the principal and she said "I gave Jake his medal and award.  Sorry you weren't able to come on Friday night."...To this my reply was come to what?  i didn't even remember it then!!!  My child could have walked across a stage and gotten his medal and award for being a smarty pants (at the local High School, because it was that big of a deal and i could have cried like a baby clapped and cheered....but i forgot....i stink.  i am also really bummer because they changed the words to apply to the kiddos getting good grades and sang "Firework" originally by Katy Perry.  i really love that song and wish we could have heard it. i would have cried for sure...
Here is Jake with his medal and certificate.  Sadie had couldn't resist being in the picture.

*Jake's way of trying to make me not feel so bad (he forgot too, but he is 9 after all and i am the mom) is to remind me that he feels bad about getting into our mini pool and playing in it with Sadie...with my cell phone in his pocket.  We are talking submerged fully for enough time that they couldn't even retrieve my phone numbers or photos from it when i went to Verizon...i really can't be mad at him and i'm not.  He was carrying my keys and phone in his pocket when we went on a walk with Sadie, because I had on yoga pants that didn't have pockets.  So, if you are a close friend or family member that didn't receive and email from me here is what it said: "Please send me a text (or email) and tell me who you are if you would ever like me to call you again."  There are some people i expected to hear from but haven't...i wonder if they didn't get it, or if they are not responding deliberately...This mishap made me realize:  i don't even know my mom and dad's cell phone or my in-law's...And I thought I knew Aaron's (my husband, for those of you who may have stumbled upon my random blog), but I was off by one number.  This is my wake up call to get organized.  It would be pretty bad to not be able to call...well anyone, if there was an emergency.

*i went to Jake's school today to help with a field day of sorts.  The 4th grade was playing "A Minute To Win It" and it was a lot of fun.  It was 9,000 degrees out so i was lucky that i got to be in the hall way.  You see i had "defying gravity" that required balloons which popped as soon as they hit the 9,000 degree ground.  They were supposed to keep 3 balloons up in the air for 1 minute...We ended up modifying it all the way done to 1 because the longest anyone could go with 3 balloons was not quite 4 seconds, and with 2 they made it to almost 30 seconds...Try it-it is harder than it sounds.  We are talking 1 person trying to keep 3 in the air with out holding them. It was fun but again no mother of the year award because i forgot my camera!!! But i did remember it on Tuesday when the 4th graders did the NC Living History Museum.  They all had to pick a person linked to NC in some way and dress up like them and give a speech.  It was so neat, but for whatever reason it was 7,000 degrees in the hallway Jake's class was standing in (the rest of the 4th grade was in the nicely air conditioned gym...)  and by the end of the hour, costumes were being peeled off and parents had abandoned their children and were standing in the gym chatting... Not all parents. i I only went in to hear a couple of kiddos in the gym do their speeches and then went back out to suffer with my child's class.  After that we had a picnic and an ice cream party and i I took Jake home early. Jake was Sir Walter Raleigh.  Have you heard of him?  He is pretty interesting, you should Google him.

By the end of the hour Jake had shed his fancy neck ruffles and cape...

At the picnic with his best buds in his 4th grade class.  From left to right:  Kayla, Sophia, Maddie, and Connor.  Jake/Sir Walter Raleigh in the front. :)

*i  (back to lower case because this is not nice...) am thrilled that i am done being a room mom!!!!  i will just say what is on my mind right now (don't judge me people):  it is really hard to be the room mom for a teacher you are not a fan of.  i had to go and buy her an end of the year gift with the $165 people sent in (how much do people send in for awesome teachers???).  i have to admit a tiny part of me wanted to put the money in Jake's savings account to compensate him for his pain and suffering of being in her class all year...(i told you not to judge me...).  i didn't of course.  YIPPPEE that my duties as room mom are over!!!

*i have to go and check on a baby bird Sadie almost stepped on this morning when we were on our walk. I called the vet and they said don't pick it up because this time of year baby birds are learning to fly and the chances are good that the parents were nearby waiting for me to leave so they could go on teaching their baby.  Part of my hopes it isn't there because i don't want a pet bird...but I can't leave it there to die...

*Sadie threw up in the car 2 times yesterday as we drover around trying to find the park we went to a couple of months ago to play in the pond...Awesome.  The great thing is I have this car cleaner that works amazing and the car doesn't even smell like puke-not even in 10,000 degree weather.

*Don't let the fun activities fool you.  Jake's school has done more this week than they have done the whole year.

*While waiting in the car rider line today, a mom carrying a toddler, wearing a huge t-shirt with words on it walked by.  i got as far as: As* (rhymes with bass...) and Bit#@ (a term when used correctly means "female dog") and stopped reading.  i watched her (judging her very harshly, i must admit) as her daughter (i am guessing a kindergartner) ran up to her wearing a pretty pink princess dress...Oh the irony.  This after talking to one of Jake's classmates moms, who kept dropping the F bomb.  Lovely.  It did make me feel better that she dropped the F bomb while sober, because Jake went to a pool party at her house (i thought is was safe to leave him under her care because i have known her since 3rd grade...) and when I came back from going to the grocery store to pick him up, i found all the adults drinking on the porch while the children were in the pool...She was dropping the F bomb while i was talking to her at the pool party so i assumed she had to be drunk.  Apparently she wasn't, she just talks like that all the time children aren't close by.  So, as far as the pool party goes if she wasn't drunk, she could have jumped in the pool and rescued a drowning child.  I am trying to look at the bright side of our decaying society....

*Random picture of Jake in one of the trees in the front yard.

That's enough decluttering for now...Hopefully my next post won't be a picture of our new pet baby bird...

Brain Declutter: Because as far as words go..I've got nothin'.

My brain seems to be on vacation here lately.  Maybe decluttering it will help...Hopefully there is something in there that will come out and make sense....

*I forgot to go back and post about why Aaron had a week off from work. Short version: He had an accident, in which he scratched the tip of the wing on a plane while he was towing it.  The company policy is that they have to leave work immediately and take a drug test.  This happened on a Thursday night and he went and took the drug test Friday morning....Blah, blah, blah...They got the results and on Wednesday he had a meeting and he was back to work Thursday night (he would have gone back that night but he is off Mondays and Wednesdays).  Good now it is documented (kind of) for posterity's sake.

*I have a song running through my head, at least part of one that I am using to justify my "blahness".  It is from back in the day when I listened to music pretty much all the time.  I can't remember at the moment who the band is...Better Than Ezra, maybe?  Any way the line that keeps going through my mind is "Seems like it's always understood this time of year.  Well, I know there's a reason for change.  And I know there's a time for us.  Think about the good times and you live with all the bad.  You can feel it in the air.  Feeling right this time of year."  Great song.  Really the words that keep popping in my head are the "feels like it's always understood this time of year."  Some people get the blues in the winter.  I get mine in late Spring. Maybe it is another birthday?  But I don't think so.  Maybe it is the Spring Cleaning.  Cleaning and organizing gives you a lots of time to think.  I tend to think of all the things I haven't accomplished in the Spring for some reason...Maybe it is because bathing suit season is coming and I am still fat.  Not that that has ever stopped me from swimming.  Maybe it is allergies. :)  Maybe it is the end of another school year.  I CAN NOT wait for school to be out...but at the same time the 4th grade is coming to an end.  Jake will never be in the 4th grade again.  For some reason the words to the song play in my head and I feel like it is okay to reflect a little and even have the blues, just a little for a little while.  Not bad blues-just the ones that make you refocus on what is truly important and what should be a priorities and what isn't. So, that is why I keep running those words through my head "Seems like it's always understood this time of year."  That might make any sense to you, but it does to me...:)

*Jake loves to roll his eyes, sigh, and try to talk his way out of everything I ask or tell him to do. He tries to compromise EVERY aspect of what is asked of him and when he really needs to do it.  Take out the garbage, take a shower, scoop the poop, etc.  It drives me insane and I end up yelling at the top of my lungs raising my voice and he gives in.  I have started going right in at speaking loudly right after he rolls his eyes and sighs.  I am sick of compromising.  If I speak loudly he does it quicker.  I know this is not the best way to parent but all the energy I have right now.  I am thinking of borrowing a genius idea from Nike and I may make a sign that says "JUST DO IT!" and every time he rolls his eyes, and sighs I will hold it up.  It will be like yelling with out the guilt afterwords.

*I bought some tanning oil because I will not have white legs this summer.  The other day Aaron said, "Your legs are almost dead person white." Thanks for keeping it real Aaron.  The sad part is I agree with this statement completely so I couldn't be offended.  Maybe I will post a before and after. :)

*I think birth control pill may kill me...Okay, I may be a little over dramatic, but I  now know what it feels to have all those hormones in my body I am supposed to have and I don't like it.  For the record I am not taking birth control pills to control birth.  I am doing it to try to regulate my hormones (I have PCOS for those of you who don't know) and it appears there must not have been much in there to regulate...I have been keeping track and this is how is goes for me:  Week 1 on the pill I have a head ache so bad I want to crawl in to a dark whole and shut out the world.  It is horrible for one day and no fun for 2 after that. Week 2 is not being able to sleep. Awesome.  Week 3 is stomach issues and spotting.  Diarrhea and sometimes puking.TMI, I know but it is true. Week 4 is  the lightest period known to man (or woman I guess I should say.  I am used to having my period every 2 or 3 months and it being very heavy for 7 to 10 days), and being always on the verge of an emotional or mental meltdown.  Hormones rock.  This better be worth it...

*There are officially 13 days of school left, not counting today.  I said there was 23 like 7 weeks ago I swear. :)  But this is the official count.

*Jake passed the EOG's (no surprise there).  They send home this sheet with 2 numbers that mean absolutely nothing to me, but then out to the side written in it says "Great Job!" so I am assuming it means he rocked them.  I can't remember from last year what the numbers mean but they are similar to last year and he was placed in AIG (academically and intellectually gifted) so, AWESOME JOB JAKE!

*That is all I've got.  My brain doesn't have much that needs to be decluttered...

Five Minute Friday: Deep Breath

I have really enjoyed a blog I stumbled upon called Pitterle Postings, and I have loved reading her Friday posts especially.  Patty is a gifted poet and writer!  She links up to "Five Minute Fridays" over at Gypsy Mama and I have been intrigued...So, I decided to give it a try.  I AM IN NO WAY CLAIMING TO BE A WRITER.  I am a rambler-that is probably why 5 minutes of just typing about a topic interests me.  So, here goes.  (This is the dialogue that went through my head this morning...)



The alarm is going off...already?  Deep Breath...I can do this.  I can get up and start the day...But I really don't want to...REALLY Deep breath.  I'm up, I'm up...Great Jake isn't up.  He is so grumpy when I have to wake him up!  It is such a better start to the day when he wakes me up....Deep breath.  Quick prayer.  Wake the poor boy up even though he was up late last night (late for him at least-the boy needs his sleep-he is only 9 1/2...almost 10 really...Where has this decade gone!?).  FOCUS!  I am starting to doze-WAKE UP!!!  Deep breath.  I am still in bed...Did I put the clothes in the dryer last night?  I hope so otherwise we are wearing unmatched socks again today.  I have got to remember to get dog food today...I wonder if Blogger will be working today...Did I just snore? DEEP BREATH...Aaron should be home soon.  How does he work 3rd shift-full time and go to school full time?  Because he loves us, that's how.  I married a great man.  Deep Breath.  If he can stay up all night for us, I can get my lazy self out of bed and wake up by almost a decade old baby...Where does the time go?  Deep breath...Another day is here...

How fun!  It is like a brain declutter and typing frenzy all in one!  You should try it!!  Link up here and join the fun!

A Short (maybe) and Sweet Brain Declutter.

*I loved this post so much I had to do a post just to link to it...If you blog, it is a MUST read.  The author is pure genius...So how many of you will go check it out without me even saying what it is referencing?  (Trust me it is worth it...and it is on Mormon Mommy Blogs so you know it is clean.)

*Happy Cinco De Mayo!  Is that how you spell it? Although I am not Mexican, any chance to have a mini party works for me!  We had shredded beef nachos and a few different flavors of some soda from Mexico.  Here are my 2 P.T.P.P posing so willingly (sarcasm) for a picture.They were hungry and ready to start watching "The Sorceror's Apprentice" (which was just okay for me...I started making desert half way through it.)

 I also tried to recreate a desert (is it called Sopapias? sp...) that is so yummy.  That counts as trying a new recipe, even though I didn't use a recipe I just guessed, right?  I am counting it.

 I don't fry things...and this reminded me why.  I HATE the smell in my house after things are fried.  I have 3 candles lite and I sprayed the house with Lysol nuetra-air.

 Just about anything tastes good when you put cinnamon sugar on it.

*Aaron you were right. I waited to long to Zumba...BUT I WILL get up at 5:30 in the morning to do it.  That is the only goal I have for May that I haven't been very diligent at haven't done at all.

*Thanks Jamie for telling me how to cross words out.  :)  It really is amazing that I love to blog so much and yet I hate don't know how to use computers any form of technology.  I am really going to get annoying with the crossing out, I can tell already. :)

*That last one isn't completely true.  I know how to use my cell phone, ipod shuffle, and my early Mother's Day/34th Birthday Again gift: MY KINDLE!!!!!  The price has lowered on Kindle's to $114 and it is SOOOOO worth it!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU AARON!  I finished Anne of Avonlea  and am half way through Laddie all on my Kindle.  Not to mention, I have read my scriptures every day on it.  I maybe slightly addicted to it already and I just got it a week ago...

*I am listening to the Republican Presidential Debate in the background...Ron Paul is crazy. I am liking this guy named Herman Cain...Cane?  Never heard of him until right now and I didn't listen to the whole thing, but what I heard I liked...And he has never been elected or held public office.  He sounds perfect to me-he isn't a politician-I like him already!!!

*I did this post about my goals for May.  I have thought of my #10...about a million times but keep forgetting what it is!  This is why I blog: to remember things that I don't want to forget, but will, if I don't put them down on paper my blog.  :)  Oh----I just remembered!!! We are going to write as many letters to Nee and Papa, on their mission, as we can this month to make up for how slack we have been on doing it!  We can call them whenever we want...That is the only excuse I can come up with.  Prepare to be swamped by mail Mom and Dad!!! (In the 1st 5 days of  May we have sent 2 mother's day cards, a Mother's Day package, and a late Easter/Spring package.  Papa's b-day is next week so he will have a bunch coming to him too!

*Okay, so this wasn't short at all.....I need to get in bed so I can get up early tomorrow!!! Good night. :)

In need of some serious brain declutter...

*I am supposed to be at work right now...instead I decided to take a mental health day...which translates into: my sleeping the last 3 nights has been not so good, I had food left over from YAD (I will tell you what that is in a minute...) and didn't want it to go bad in the car, I am slack, I just didn't want to go, I realized a couple of hours in the house by myself sounded heavenly, and since I was going in late I am only missing a whopping $32.46-before taxes. I can live without that $32.46 for a few hours of peace.

*I still haven't watched all of General Conference. I think I will go do that in my remaining time in a quiet, empty house. I need a spiritual uplift...and an easy one that I can just listen to and feel it sinking in. I don't have the energy to have to work at it today.

*I feel guilty talking about not having energy when Aaron works 3rd shift full time and goes to school full time. I am glad one of us is not a big baby.

*Yesterday I was taking a picture of a bell (you will see why in a minute) and Jake said "when are you going to take my picture?" I responded that he never wants me to so I wasn't going to bug him. To this he said: "Now that I have a camera I understand why you want to take pictures." I hope this lasts! I gave him Aaron's old work camera that never gets used and he is loving it! All this leads up to why I took the next picture...This is a new Lego set he got with the Easter money he got. Yes, he got enough Easter money to buy a $20 Lego set...I call it "guilt money". I thought I was going to feel guilty that we told Jake there is no Easter bunny, but I don't...I still need to post about our awesome conversation and coloring Easter eggs....
*Remember the 1000 piece puzzle I started...weeks ago? I am still not done with it. I have only really sat down about 4 times and worked on it. I ended up moving it to a small table so I didn't have to put it away. I WILL FINISH IT. Aaron said one day I am going to come home and it is all going to be in the box because he is sick of picking pieces off the floor. I will do it Aaron I swear. In fact I am going to do it tonight! I like doing it, I just don't make the time. For example I could be doing it right now, but instead I am blogging! Priorities people. :) I keep dusting it carefully so I don't lose any pieces. It is amazing how you can stare at the pieces and all the sudden your mind just spots one and knows right where it goes. I think that is the closet I will ever get to feeling like a genius.

*Jake is really not a great sneaker-picker-outer. His sneakers are pitiful and needed to be demoted to play shoes. After school yesterday we went to look for shoes. We found the "perfect pair" that was on sale and it was BOGO 1/2 off so he got a pair of nice flip flop sandals for 1/2...Both pairs together were still less than the sneakers were full price. I love a bargain. Long story short: he has a field trip tomorrow and want to wear his old sneaks...This after he put on his new ones this morning and then decided to wear his flip flops...Finally he admitted they aren't as comfy as he thought....He just like the way they look, I think...UGH! I told him today after school, indoors, he needed to wear them a few hours and see if they are going to be keepers or not. You can exchange shoes after one day of very light wear right?...

*I realized on Sunday how out of practice I am on so many domestic things. Yes, I only work part time...But that means my home making skills are lacking for that part of the time, which adds up to 20-25 hours a week. That is enough to get me behind... a lot. Not to mention I am a slacker to begin with! On Sunday while I was trying to get the Easter meal all finished, Jake reminded me, oh so sweetly "If Nee was here (we always have Easter dinner with Nee and Papa Graves but they are on a mission) we would already have eaten on the fancy table by now."...Thanks for reminding me dude. We have gotten so used to quick meals served from the counter (not in serving dishes on the table. We still eat at the table...after we move the half done projects to the side...Seriously...help me please...), that it makes we wish for the "normal life" again. I will be the best home maker ever when I am at home full time again. I will never take it for granted again!

*The mom of a friend of Jake's from school called me the other day to ask if Jake is going on the field trip tomorrow. (He didn't go on the over night field trip last year...that's right an over night field trip in the 3rd grade...?...I didn't get it. I think that is why she was wondering if he was going) I told her he was and that wasn't the answer she was looking for. She is not feeling good about sending her son and was hoping I wasn't sending Jake so she could convince her son it was a good idea not to go. Two things went through my mind: I kind of take it as a compliment...and does it mean I am a bad mom that I feel okay about him going on the trip? Isn't it strange where your mind goes?

*I cooked down the ham bone from Easter dinner and made what I like to call a "poor mans meal", that was straight from my childhood. We are calling it ham bone soup. It smelled just like when I was little and my mom made it. It tasted just like it did when I was little...all except that part where the noodles absorbed so much of the juice the were totally mushy and gross...and no one like it except me. And I didn't like it enough to eat it again. Can you imagine how mushy the noodles would be after reheating it again?..

*Sadie may be smarter than I thought...We once saw a video on America's Funniest Video that showed a little lap dog dinging one of these bells to let her family know she needed to go out. I thought that was a pretty cool idea, and since we have a puppy I thought we would try it out. Long story short, when Sadie has to go potty we bring her to the back door, ding the bell with our foot and say "Potty?" and then open the door. We started on Saturday and she is already catching on. Last night Jake and I were sitting at the table and Aaron was at his desk, when we notice Sadie sliding the bell on the floor. Aaron was like, "I think she needs to go out." I asked her if she had to go potty, she wagged her tail and jumped around, I opened the door and she went right outside. She is a little doggy genius. Now we are going to take her paw and show her how to tap it (instead of us tapping it) and see if it will really work. (Ignore the messy floor and spots on the door that need to be painted please.)
*I need to be cleaning right now....
*YAD-Young Authors Day. Today I got up at 5:00 am (I am not a morning person...) to cook the 2 breakfast casseroles that I needed to bring in to Jake's class today. I am the class parent and I am counting down the days until it is all over...Today parents were invited to come in and hear the stories their children have been working on. I came home loving Jake's stories, having 1 1/2 casserole's left (the kids really just wanted the doughnuts...No surprise there. That is what I thought would happen, but that is what Jake's teach wanted...), and frazzled because I really am not a fan (at all) of Jake's teacher (she is mean. picture me saying that period rather than typing it...). I am so glad it is almost over....

Brain Declutter: A bad day, lessons you wish you didn't have to teach, a snake hunter, and a Glog..

*I watched House Hunters International last night and a women said she didn't want to do any remodeling...She was talking about having to paint. Am I the only one that doesn't consider paint remodeling? (And she was American, it wasn't a matter of not understanding the language...)
*I am washing the car today to get the Robin blood off of it. A suicidal Robin flew right into the front of the car on Wednesday on the way to work. Why does stuff like that always seem to be in slow motion? I swear that bird looked me in the eye when it bounced off the front of the hood before the poof of feathers that brought it back into regular motion...I was in shock and about in tears when I clocked in. The head book keeper asked what was wrong. She laughed when I told her...
*I am officially a slack class parent and I don't even feel the need to work any harder at it. Don't get me wrong I am doing what I am supposed, but that is it. Bear minimum people. I am just waiting for this school year to be O-V-E-R...
*Speaking of school...Jake came home yesterday after a bad day at school. As he told me about it he was in tears (and I was too...). Jake has had a "friend" (I use the term loosely) all year that really seems to be a bully. Jake is like me-if you want to be friends with him, he will be your friend. This boy...lets call him Ken (to protect the innocent...), is best friends with Jake one day and treats him like crap the next. If Jake decides to play with anyone else Ken starts calling him stupid and other mean things. Yesterday Ken was mad at Jake (keep in mind Ken doesn't just treat Jake like this, he works his way around the classroom with several of the kids that are nice enough to keep giving him chances), but Jake had 4 other good friends on his side who helped him through the bullying and stood up for him. Long story short, Ken was saying mean things to Jake (and his 4 other friends) and Jake finally told him that he was acting immature and maybe he should just go do something else and let them enjoy their recess. Sounds like a good way to handle the situation. Ken then says to Jake: "I am acting immature because I am black right?! "...Jake was surprised and told Ken no and that he didn't know what that had to do with anything. Jake asked me why he would even say that. My child has no idea why that would even be said, but Ken's parents have obviously taught him that he would be treated differently because of his skin color. Who is perpetuating racism here? I am sure that Ken's parents are just trying to prepare him for hardships that he may encounter-but it sounds like it did more harm than good. I believe you need to have an open line of communication with your child. Yes, you need to prepare them for the world, but you don't need to teach them to be on the defensive because of your skin color. That, in my opinion, is teaching them that there is in fact a difference-WHEN THERE ISN'T! Would you ever treat someone different because they had red hair? No. What if they were really tall? Of course not! So why even teach your child that they may get treated differently because of the way they look?!!!! To me that is one of the lessons you teach when it comes up. Why would you put those thoughts into your child's head!?!?! I blame the parents in this situation...I was so sad for him that he had to deal with this at 9 1/2 years old. I explained what Ken meant and told him that Ken's parents have probably taught him that. I then went on to tell him that the chances are pretty good that Ken's parents are really the ones that have issues with the color of peoples skin, because of situations that they may have encountered. I told him that some people do treat people differently based on their skin color and how wrong that is. (He knew they used to from learning about slavery in history, but he had know idea that people still felt that way ever! He is so good...). That is my only explanation why a 9 or 10 year old would even know to bring it up. I am so sad that he has to learn this lesson. Parents need to think about what they are teaching their children. I would NEVER teach Jake to treat people differently based on ANYTHING that may be different about them. UGGGHHH! Why does the world make it so hard to think of everyone as children of our Heavenly Father. We prayed this morning that Jake would be able to continue to handle the situation by respecting every one's feelings and having peace that that is the best we can do. Please say a prayer for my sweet Jake today. (sorry for the rambling, but this is REALLY bothering me...I am so sad that Jake EVER had to deal with this. I am so sad that Ken's parents have probably been treated differently and that is why they most likely felt the need to pass it on to their child...) I let him have ice cream for a snack to try and cheer him up a little. How could you be mean to this face?..with the hair on top that needs to be cut...I am trying to lighten things up and make myself feel better...

It also cheered him up watching Sadie go crazy and try to bite the water when he was filling up her water bowl. That dog is a mess!!!!

*On a lighter note...Jake and I had a GREAT time the other day finishing a "Glog" (it is like a blog for kids to do projects on...we WILL be using this in home schooling! Nee and Nana: I will send you a link so you can check out his project and leave him a comment, which he is REALLY hoping for!) project the other day on jobs in France. He had such a great time researching. He LOVES researching. We will be researching a lot when we home school....I have already come up with a game for researching different countries (more on that later!). I need to start making a list of things he talks about wanting to research and learn more about. So far he wants to research Mozart, Impressionism, Pointillism, black holes and blue holes, Einstein....and so many more I should have written down! He is such a smart kiddo!
Jake loves this ghost buster shirt we found. I loved it because that means I can put up another one of his beloved T-shirts that doesn't fit but he can't part with because it is so awesome (example: Empire Strikes back t-shirt, that Aaron says is so cool we need to frame it...)

*Speaking of smart, Aaron is doing so AWESOME in school! He made a 92 on a test that he didn't even study for...?...He is not taking easy classes people! Great job Aaron, you are going to be an amazing math teacher! And thank you for not making me feel like an idiot last night (Thursdays are one of the days we go 24 hours without seeing him), when I had to text and call to help with Jake's math homework...Fractions and decimals must be where I started my hate for math, because I felt it all coming back last night. But, I do have to say, Jake and I did about a million high 5's when we came up with the same answer. How sad is it I was so proud of myself when I could do the problem faster than him?...Jake is a math genius, like Aaron. I have to admit it was fun to do the problems once I finally had Aaron remind that it really isn't that tough...
*I got Zumba (I won't go into it too much on this blog, since I already mentioned it on my weight lose journal blog, but I wanted to let you know!!!) and it ROCKS!!!! Seriously! I am so excited to exercise. It goes by so quickly and I can feel it working muscles that don't usually get worked. If you love to dance and want a great work out you should seriously try this out!!!!
*Sadie is a snake hunter...I was blowing bubbles for her yesterday morning after dropping Jake off at school, sitting on the back step. I looked down (after sitting there for about 5 minutes) and saw a dead (stiff) snake. It was little (it could have been 10 feel long...it makes no difference to me. A snake is a snake.), maybe 5 or 6 inches (I looked at it through the French doors, after I screamed, ran inside, and shut the door, leaving Sadie outside with it.). I made Aaron take care of it because I wasn't about to get near it again. I told him I was worried about Sadie with the snakes, and he said "Who do you think brought it to the door? It didn't just die right there." AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I am going to go back to Walmart and buy the huge rubber boots I saw and I am going to rack up every last leaf there is in our yard. Jake will have to be standing there with the shovel because I will not be able to kill a snake if I see one....I want it dead don't get me wrong...I just don't want to stay close enough to kill it. I will let my child do that. I really am an amazing mother aren't I? I can't wait until Aaron's ankle is better....I am warning you all now, I love my dog, but I will not rescue her from a snake! AHHHHHH! I am creeped out just talking about it.
*Jake has never eat bologna. (Have I mentioned that before?...I can't remember because the dialogue in my head is exactly what I type here, so it is hard to remember what are just thoughts or actual things I have blogged...I could go back and look but I am already taking up WAY too much time to do that!) There is no reason why he hasn't. People at work were shocked when I told them that. I realized it one day while bagging someone's bologna. I know you didn't need to know that but I am just dusting out the extra clutter that gets caught in my brain and that is one fact that won't get out. Maybe I will just buy some bologna and get it out once and for all!
*Talking about buying bologna made me think about what seems to be a LARGE amount of food we throw away...Do you throw a way food? Well, obviously you do...But does it seem like a lot sometimes? When I clean out the fridge I think of all the people starving in the world and it makes me sick to my stomach that I just forgot about that left over piece of chicken...or the lettuce that went bad before we used it...I need to work on that, big time.
*Okay, one more thing before I stop my rambling!!! I am sorry I haven't responded by email to those of you who asked about the hair product sent straight from Heaven into my hands. I actually got two and they cost...gasp! $32 combined...(I started out with one for $15 and then decided to really splurge.) BUT!!! (I NEVER spend that much on hair anything!) They will literally last at the very least 6 months and I was able (for the first time EVER) to actually recreate what my hair dresser did to my hair. You know how you leave the shop loving your hair and then want to cry the next day when nothing you do makes it look like that again? I did it, and it looked AWESOME! I felt so sassy with my new hair cut and I love my new products....All that just to tell you: DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND IMMEDIATELY GO AND BUY "AQUAGE" (transforming paste-you use the size of a pea at the most and it is the BEST!), AND KENRA VOLUME SPRAY. You will not be disappointed and you will love your hair. I also traded in my cheap and not worth owning flat iron, for one my hairdresser (and new best friend) told me about. It is this tiny little thing and it is AWESOME...I need to wrap this up so if you want to know about that one I will tell you next time....I have to go accomplish something now!
*Have a great weekend!!!!