Tag Archives: the kids

13 year old logic–or lack thereof

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Me: Ian, you haven’t done your literature. It’s incomplete. It’s inaccurate.

Ian: (Shrug)

Me: Why?

Ian: (Shrug. Lip smack. Eye roll. ) Because it is.

Me: (steam flowing from my ears. Blood streaming from my nose due to the aneurysm) Explain why it just is. With words. Minus the visuals and sound effects. (I think I growled, and then I popped a ventricle from trying not to yell…)

Ian: I don’t like that teacher. That’s why it just is.

He doesn’t like his teacher? So in order to hurt his teacher, he doesn’t do his work?

Yeah. That’s some logic right there. I mean, that’s like uber-advanced-college-thesis-level logic. It’s so high level, I need a diagram to help me understand.

have things changed?

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In the comments of my last post, Liz said:

I haven’t been to a high school football game since I was in high school. I too miss it, although my memories of the games include sneaking drinks in, chatting, walking off site to smoke, and checking out the 17 year old guys. Have things changed?

In a word? Nope.

But apparently I have.

It’s a bit strange being an adult at a high school function. I haven’t seen so much eye rolling and gum smacking in one place ever! I looked around for a 17 year old guy to make out with, but they were all already occupied in the with their own girlfriends. Darn.

The clicks are still around in full force. The junior high kids go off and nerd it up together. The senior high girls are all wearing too much make up and showing too much skin. Whatever happened to jeans and t-shirts at a football game? When did hoochie “skirts” become the in thing for a football game. Honey, when you sit down, we see your bidniz. K? And when you stumble down the bleachers and fall because you’ve had one too many “Cokes”, well, we can really see your bidniz. Put on a pair of pants. Hell, I’m not picky. Put on some panties! The kids don’t need an anatomy lesson just yet.

The senior high boys are all trying so hard to look nonchalant that they all end up looking constipated.

Pretty much, things haven’t changed at all.

Saturday was busy, busy for us. We got up and went to the park for a family run. Fishdog and Ian ran about 1.5 miles and Rader and I walked and ran a mile. We were getting ready to start our second trip around the track when a yellow jacket decided to attack. It got Rader on the arm, landed on his ear and I knocked it away. We ran toward the van, got about 10 ft. away from the original sting site, and that bitch yellow jacket caught up to Rader, landed on his shoulder blade and stung him again. Bitch had to die! Get my boy twice! Of course, you know how bad those things hurt and Rader did a good job of letting Saline County hear his wailing. After a while, he was okay. I was afraid he was gonna let the drama interfere with his soccer game that afternoon, but he manned up and managed to play a helluva game. The kids lost, but I was proud of the way Rader played.

Now the weekend is over, today we rest, hang out with some friends, and tomorrow we start all over. Soccer, cross-country, confirmation class, CYM Jr., working out…oh, and writing. Yeah. Gotta fit my job into my busy schedule!

days go by

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What day is it?

Oh, FRIDAY.

That’s been the strangest thing for me since I stopped working at my office job. I can’t keep up with the days of the week. Even the fact that I’m taking the kids to school everyday doesn’t seem to help. I’m always carting them around anyway, right?

I’m not complaining, mind you. It’s just strange that today is Friday and I’m not feeling that “THANK GOD!” excitement hum through me. And come Monday, I won’t feel that, “it’s really Monday?” sense of dread as my alarm goes off. That is a nice change. I feel much more even and happy.

Yesterday I completed my chapter. I’m thinking that library thing might really work out, so I’m gonna do it a couple of days a week, I think. But I have to take a sweater because they keep the temperature set on Meat Locker in there. Burrrrrrr.

Ian completed his first full week of cross-country yesterday. He’s been whining like an old lady about his thighs and how much he hurts. I just hand him two Advil and tell him to drink plenty of water. Poor baby. He thought because he was skinny that meant he was in shape. Hah!

Rader’s soccer team looks like they might be pretty good. I really like the coach, he’s Irish (so I love listening to him talk) and he loves soccer and he’s good with the kids. Fishdog’s gonna help out when he’s around more. Rader is still struggling with running, too. We’re gonna have to make this running thing into a family thing. Not that I’m any better off the elliptical. But I think I could manage ten mins of running. Maybe.

Fishdog is coming back tonight. Rader’s first game is tomorrow and the Fishdog has a game on Sunday. Ian’s first cross-country meet is the 19th. That should be interesting. I’ve never been to a cross-country meet before. I hope Ian’s competitive side kicks in and he runs through the pain. LOL

I’m taking the boys to the Catholic High football game tonight. They play my high school’s rival, Benton. It should be fun. I miss high school football and tonight should be perfect. Unless it’s raining. I don’t miss it that much.

horseshoes and hand grenades

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Writing

I almost made my goal yesterday. I actually completed a scene which completed a chapter, but I did not write an entire chapter.

As my daddy always said, “Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”

So, today’s goal: complete 1 chapter.

Other

It’s storming today in Arkansas, and boy am I glad. We’ve desperately needed the rain as well as the cooling temperatures. It came a quick flood yesterday afternoon. A short burst of angry rain that nearly washed us off the road as we drove toward Rader’s soccer practice. Of course, by the time we arrived at the fields, the rain was over, which was great, because Rader really needed to practice.

He did well during practice but when the coach made him run a lap of the 3 fields, he nearly died. We told him during the last part of summer during his slouching, eating, and video game phase that soccer was gonna kill him if he didn’t get outside and run a little. Well, he figured it out real quick last night.

Ian started Cross Country yesterday, too. His coach said he hit that 1st mile with no problem, but about a quarter into the 2nd mile: problem. It seemed the summer couch potato lifestyle came back and bit him on the arse as well. LMAO. He runs 3 days a week at school. They’ll both be running with me the other days. I’m thinking being out run by your big momma might be incentive to get into shape. We’ll see.

Last night, after the kids went to bed, I settled in with my Kresley Cole book (I’m so gonna stalk her. She’s like awesome and totally in need of a new BFF. ) I was reading about this hot Scottish Vampire while the rain drummed soothingly on the tin roof of the porch when all of a sudden this loud freaking CRASH and BOOM shook the house. I thought a deer had crashed through the back porch. I turned on the light with the full expectation of finding a terrified 30 point buck thrashing around the patio.

Nothing.

Hmmmm.

So, we traipse into the backyard with our flashlight and began to investigate. We saw a very large tree limb on the roof of the patio. As we’re standing there, we hear a very loud CRRRRRRRAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKK and another limb falls, scaring the piss out of us all. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, well except for the patio roof.. It was so loud it woke the kids, but they quickly got over it and went back to sleep.

And I settled back in with my sexxxxy vampire and the steady drumming of rain. With a glass of wine for my nerves.

i heart arkansas!

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I love being home. It’s not that I didn’t love some things about Oxford, MS…it’s just that Oxford never felt like home. I do miss my friends though. (I’ll be there this weekend, y’all…so get ready!)

Yesterday, I was thrilled to discover that my favorite morning DJ was still on the air, just on a different station. Tommy Smith aka The Outlaw, apparently moved to 103.7, which is a sports talk radio station. I’m not sure exactly what happened between Tommy and his former radio station, Magic 105, but from the tidbits I’ve picked up, I might actually be putting my own life in danger by mentioning Tommy and Magic 105 in the same sentence. Shit. Now I’ve done it twice. Sorry.

Anyway, I had been flitting from station to station looking for morning DJs that just did it for me. Sharpe and gang over on Magic 105 are fun, and I do enjoy listening to them, but they don’t hold my attention enough. I’ve never been a big fan of Corey and Jay on 100.3 (which is my favorite radio station for music, but not for their morning show) But I would flip over there and listen for a while until one of them would say something that would make my ears bleed and then I’d have to flip again. (btw, I can’t pin down what it is about Corey and Jay that I don’t like. I honestly think it’s one of their voices and not the content. Or maybe it’s both. I dunno.)

I programmed 103.7 into my stations because you won’t get better Razorback talk anywhere else…but I hadn’t tuned in yet. And then I saw a commercial announcing Tommy Smith’s Roast to benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Arkansas. He’s still on the radio! Rock on!

So, these last few days I’ve been listening to him and Bazzel and some other folks and I feel whole again.

Plus, I get to hear Razorback talk, which let’s face it, is like manna from heaven after living in Rebelville. Let’s take this moment to enjoy Shirley Q. Liquor’s rendition of Woo Pig Sooie. Go on, click the link. I’ll wait. Even my Rebel friends should listen. Don’t be a puss about it. I tolerated Hotty Toddy for 7 years, you can listen to one special hog call.

TOTAL SUBJECT CHANGE

The boys have been in school now for 2.5 weeks. Last night, Ian spoke to his best friend’s mom back in Oxford. He tells her how much he loves his new school and how he misses Oxford, but the school here is really a lot better. That warmed my heart.

And you know what warmed it even more?

The fact that he wore a faux-hawk to school today. My sweet little long-haired-hippy-boy who had to cut his beautiful locks for his new private school, is still trying to push the rules. How proud am I? (he looks thrilled that I’m taking his picture, doesn’t he?)


is it really too hot?

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Last week, I went to the lake with my parents. I tried to get my brother to bring his kids, but he said it was “too hot to go.”

That puzzled me, but then, my brother and I don’t think the same way so I just chalked it up to Michael being Michael.

We get there Friday around noon. I say, “Let’s eat lunch then head to the harbor.”

My parents both say, “It’s too hot to get on the lake.”

Huh?

We’re at THE LAKE. It’s a big body of water in which you dive into if you get too hot. We drive around on a boat that has a covered section and the wind hits us in the face. Since when did it become too hot to get on the lake?

After school yesterday, the kids ate their snack and did their homework. Rader asked his grandmother if he could go jump on the trampoline. I didn’t hear this or I would’ve said, “Sure, go. Have fun. Take some water…”

Nonnie said, “No. It’s too hot.”

He’s a kid! Sure it’s hot…but he’s a KID! They need to be outside! What the hell?

It was never “too hot” for us to be outside. Never. We would go tent camping for two weeks at a time in late July or early August. In 1980 we had 41 days over 100 degrees and 103 days of 90 degree weather. I played softball almost every day that summer. I was 11 years old. We just ate oranges and drank LOTS of water. My parents never once stopped letting me play outside or stopped me from playing softball because it was “too hot”. When did things change?

What do you think? I know it’s hot…but is it too hot to let the kids outside in the evening? Is it too hot to go to the lake? Is it EVER too hot to go to the lake? Really?

back to school, 2007

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Gee, don’t they look happy?

The good news is, orientation went well on Monday night. They really took to the school and their teachers. My first impression was that the school was very tight-knit. That they all know each other and if they don’t know you yet, it’s only a matter of time.

Ian was really taken with his art teacher, Mr. Peterson. He’s excited about getting to do some work with the Arkansas Arts Center and going there for field trips.

Oh, yesterday Ian had to go to the doctor to get his physical so he could play sports. It was the “big one” for boys… you know, “turn and cough”. LOL He wasn’t very happy about it, but he got over it pretty quick. He also had to get two shots…Tetanus and the meningitis vaccine. He really manned up and didn’t even flinch. A few years ago, it took 5 of us to hold him down to give him a shot…this was a nice change.

Apparently with the scare over kids keeling over during sporting events, they’ve now added taking an EKG to the physical. So, as any proper mom would do, I promptly humiliated him by snapping a picture and now I shall further the humiliation by posting said picture here…
after I dropped the boys off today, I joined a fitness center. I did 30 mins on the elliptical (ouch) and then worked arms and abs. (ouch, ouch) As much as it hurt, it also felt great to be back in the gym. All my soft bits were getting softer….

happy thursday, friends.

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Well, I’m here in Arkansas. It took me longer to leave Oxford yesterday than I had planned. Of course, I don’t know why I bother planning anything cuz this always happens.

I had to see Bevan one more time and say goodbye to my friend Mitch Cohen. I had to take Ian back to the dentist to be refitted for his bottom retainer…since it only lasted a week before he broke it. I had to run by the gym and tell them to PLEASE stop drafting my account and say goodbye to Rose, Veda, and Millisa. And Fire Inspector Clarence. We can’t forget Clarence.

The niece and nephew were thrilled to have us back. They loved on us and wouldn’t let the boys out of their sights.

Mom and I had a great time catching up, but I can already tell there’s gonna be an adjustment period to me living here until our house sells in Oxford.

We’re headed to Lake Ouachita (prounounced Washitah). We’re planning to be there til Sunday. I’m looking forward to a few days of fun in the sun before next week..when I start my fulltime writing gig and the boys go back to school.

BTW, congratulations to Jenna Mayson, Blogging Sex Kitten for winning the prize. She’s the first person to write the word clit in my comments. Your gift is in the mail. You rock.

I miss you, Fishdog.

day the first.

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Well, today started off a little strangely because I didn’t have to be anywhere by a certain time. It was fuckin awesome. (no offense to my ex-fellow-co-workers. I know you understand.) When my alarm went off I woke up all on my own, I leisurely made a pot of coffee, then savored each cup as I checked my email and listened to Matt Lauer interview the dude who fell 45 feet off his skateboard.

After I showered, I dropped Charlie off at the vet and took the boys to Memphis on the hunt for uniforms. Khaki pants for Ian and navy thank-god-I’m-only-9-cuz-otherwise-i’d-never-get-laid workman pants for Rader. Both wear white knit tops. I promised to buy Ian a couple of pair of real pants instead of the typical Target uniform khakis, so we went to American Eagle first. My baby can wear a size 28 waist now. He’s all grown up. *sniff*

After our shop-a-palooza we went to Steak-n-Shake for a late lunch. Yummy.

While we’re driving back to Oxford, I get a call from our vet. Dr. Bart is a great guy, but I could tell he had some not so great news. (backstory, Charlie has this growth on his throat that has steadily gotten larger and larger. It has been tested several times and so far, no cancer) Well, Dr. Bart doesn’t know what it is still, but he knows it needs to come out because Charlie is struggling to breathe. However, because this growth is located on his throat, the prognosis isn’t great. He might not be able to remove the growth and if he does, there’s a very high probability Charlie won’t make it. He’s going to call me tomorrow after he opens Charles up to let me know.

This breaks my heart because Charlie found us. He adopted us. And no matter what a pain in the ass he can be (he’s part monkey, doesn’t like to stay in the fence) he’s still MY dog. He loves me endlessly. And I love him. And tomorrow, I might lose him. That sucks sweaty moose balls.

On a good note, tomorrow I get to see my friend Bevan who has been living in Kathmandu for the past nine months. I’ve put off heading to Little Rock a day just so I can see him. I can’t wait. Maybe he’ll be a bright spot in what could be a really bad day.

it’s come to this…

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I apparently owe my youngest child an apology. He wanted to be a yellow simpson…so I’ve redone his character.

My bad, Rader. Hope you will forgive me. For the record, this one is much more in line with Rader’s personality…

Oh, and just for shits and giggles, I redid mine, too:
This is me, all dressed up.