preparing for battle

The boys have been "working together" to look for their nerf bullets to shoot. In the process they have torn apart their rooms looking and moved on to other playing. SOOOOOO I am mentally preparing myself for the 6:00 PM timeline I gave them to have it all picked up just like it does before a good vacumming. Better have some wine soon to prepare and for the aftermath

Pseudo Mountain Biking

So hubby has been into mountain biking for a few years now (when he has the time) and my oldest son loves it (it is amazing how much faster he is on a trail then in a track race). Anyway I have toyed with the idea of trying it myself but never have. The whole idea of falling and then falling on rocks is not very appealing. BUT I really want to be able to go as a family so I have tried it a couple of times-and didn't fall so willing to try some more.

Hubby invests in a nice bike for me and we go out today with younger son. So today as I am riding I realize I REALLY like it, but not for all the reasons I think I would.

I thought it would be great exercise-I go so slow (fear of falling again) that I don't really work up a sweat-so at this point it is not the greatest workout-still love it

I like to do things I AM GOOD AT-I am not good at this, I look just like an almost 40 year old trying to take on a new sport and it is not very graceful-still like it

I like to go fast and workout quickly-again this does not happen but still love to ride

I am competitive I want to be as cool and good as these other mountain bikiing women I know-and I know that is impossible -and for once I really don't mind and here is why...

I realize WHY I am really liking this biking thing. It is NOT EASY. It takes all my concentration all my intensity to maneuver over things, up things, go the right speed, NOT FALL. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing else running through my brain at the time-NOTHING but my body, the bike, scenery and especially the crunch of the tires over leaves and rocks and sticks.-I even forget to stop and wait for small fry. I am an expert multi tasker and I am often thinking of a million things-work, parenting, school and just plain worrying. But when I am on the bike my mind is clear and challenged. CHALLLENGED and not just going through the motions, how often can I say that happens each day-not very often.

T

Future scientist or unabomber??

Ok I am putting the first real cooked meal I have made in two weeks in the preheated oven. As I slide the casserole dish in I notice a bright green blob on the bottom of the oven. Hmmm I think to myself that is a weird food particle. I proceed to scrape and SCRAPE the blob off the hot surface and lay it on the counter to cool. I am perplexed as to what it is so I ask hubby. He says "Looks like some kind of pottery, I bet the boys threw it in their like a kiln". Ahhh the postitive genetic trait is coming back to me.

I take green blob back to big kid and little kid and say "What is this?". Big kid claims to have no idea and little kid says "oooohhh pottery". Busted. He denies it, I threaten and drop if for the evening. Later in our confession booth called the xterra. Little brother says to me "ok mom let me explain I think it was some plasticy stuff, yeah, maybe with some crytstal stuff in the middle and I think I threw it in when you guys were outside or sleeping. And oh, it may have some metal in the middle." WHAT. After a lecture about NOT putting things like chemicals and metal IN THE OVEN. He says to me, "ok, well I am really going to not tell you about my next experiment when I was going to make this stick thing and light it with a spark, really mom how am I ever going to be a scientist!!"

This kid is never getting his own work bench in the garage.

Ahhhh

Nothing like nature to soothe my weary, tired, crabby self. I put off laundry, homework and house stuff to go fishing and a small (very small) hike at our favorite place. The colors are just turning. It was just what we needed. A few pics of course to share our fun. I love the one of Q from the side, it is such a genuine smile-not the goofy one he gives me when I usually take pictures.

Falling Down

Anyone ever see the movie with Michael Douglas where he just gets out of his car and starts walking along the freeway aimlessly? That is how I have felt since the start of school for numerous reasons. BUT it will be okay. To save time I am responding to many of you in one post. Sorry-until things settle down there is no individual attention for anyone, read the list-you will know who you are:)
On the Bright Side
Coffee shop-Do it-revel in the scariness, dreaming and the new and unchartered path-regret is way worse
Fall-Yes I love the fall to-if it would get here. Sitting in a 90 degree classroom is not fun
Bouncing-Whatever you do-don't mess with the nose
I am actually making a dinner tonight that didn't come from a can, box, drive through or leftover container (this HAS been the norm since school started)
My professor cut out at least HALF the course work-lots of complaining on my classmates part.


On the dark side- I was a little peeved though, most of my classmates DIDN'T do anything for class last weekend so we did it IN class AFTER I had worked to the bone every night until 10 or so after work, ignoring everyone in my house to get it done.
Orthodontist-yeah get your kid to be one! Can we all say "payment plan"
I am catching a cold or something-uggggggg

Alright if you have just finished my scattered, incohesive ADHD like post-you are good friend!

A positive genetic trait-maybe

So maybe this a sign I haven't passed all my negative genetic traits on to my children (stubborness, sarcasm, emotional, competive). Maybe, just maybe they have a slight artistic side.

A had his first pottery wheel class this summer-Not bad for a first timer-looks the same as my first efforts. He is begging to go again this fall.

Q tried handbuilding so of course the pot had to have an octopus stuck in it some how

Why homeschooling would not work for me

My reward for completing some homework is a quick blog before bed.

So older son brings home a worksheet on Mt. Rushmore for homework. The last question is "Who do you think should be the next president on Mt. Rushmore?". Elder son is lost as to a names, (you can tell we don't talk a lot of politics over here) and mentions one that hunts would be good (yeah, don't even ask). So I SAY "Well what about the president who developed all the National Parks and was a big outdoor guy, you know Teddy Roosevelt?"

Elder son looks at me with this LOOK and says-

"Mom, he is already up there"

Oh....yeah, I knew that.

I saved myself though, we looked up Franklin Roosevelt and discussed World War II and the Great Depression.

A little redemption...

today ugggggggg

Like it says in the childrens book with Alexander.

Today was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I am never, never going to make it through this semester

LOVE THIS SONG

So in my busy day I even managed to download some new songs for my shuffle. I found this awesome song by Alicia Keys-Superwoman. If you haven't heard it, it is awesome!!

Ahhhh ungrounded

Things finished today:
4 baskets of clean laundry
2 hours of homework
Lesson plans
Meatloaf, cake, chicken tortilla soup (thanks to hubby)
Clean boys bedrooms (with their help)
Trip to shopko

And I even slept in until 8

Today's goals

Put the clean laundry away that has been sitting in the basket since labor day

Clean the mini reptile gardens cages in A's room-too close to smelling like the real place

I am officially grounded from any blogging until these things are done, so if you don't hear from me until later this week you know I didn't complete my mission.

What I really want to do today though is fishing in the cool, misty, rainy weather!

Ok what is a new word for overwhelmed?

All right got my SECOND class syllabus-it makes the first one look easy. So instead of looking at it and wanting to cry I come over here to blog... which is actually another word for procrastinate.


Uggggggggggggg, this is so going to drive me over the edge!!!!

Overwhelmed

Overwhelmed as defined in the dictionary:
To load, heap, treat or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything
Yep that about fits right now or I can sense it coming down this way. WHY??

Today I only crossed one thing off my to do list-called to make a hair appt. it is all about priorities
Recieved the syllabus for 1 of my 2 classes this semester-with assignments attached-a syllabus always visually overwhelms me
Keep staring at the big internship book that hasn't been touched in 2 weeks
The laundry in the basket, that is staying in the basket
The after school crush of dinner, baths, playing, going over backpacks and paperwork
The loss of working out for the next few weeks-something has to take a back seat for the start up of the school year
The weird smell coming from the boys bathroom sink-I have no motivation to pursue that any further
My neglected plants outside since I have been at work
Lesson plans
Assessments
Meeting with teachers
Rapport with parents
Begining of the year paperwork
Putting out small fires....

The shining star-A's first day went well. He even asked me to get his book order done, he wants to turn it in early AND he showed me his daily planner

Riding in Cars with a boy

AGAIN our best conversation is in the car
Big A and I were prepping for the first day of 4th grade and discussing making good choices etc...
We were discussing gross a and silly things NOT to do. I mention armpit farting-a third grade favorite with his group. He turns to me so seriously and says,
"OK, but you know what mom, when I get fur under there I won't be able to make armpit farts anymore or fur on my legs I won't be able to do them under my knees"

Hmmmm