Before I was a parent (and still knew everything about parenting), I used to cringe and force a smile when a mom would talk about having to miss something because of little Suzy's sporting event. The excitement of watching every single moment of your offspring's sporting attempts is lost on me. Completely lost.
Not only do I dislike sports, playing sports and heaven forbid, hearing about sports, but I also dislike kids sports. Even when my own kid is playing, so it seems.
I keep waiting for that magic mom moment when the planets align and the love of sports descends upon me. (Gene might be waiting for this also) Until then, I guess I'm just an old grouch who hates yet another intrusion on the weekend.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Good Deeds
Not many men would claim to be able to figure women out. Heck, I am a woman, and I can't figure myself out most of the time.
At the end of last year, I said I would be happy to record some books for my son's at the time kindergarten teacher (things went well and he's now in first grade). So, I have these 12 books all summer long. I see them every week or so and of course, feel guilt.
So night before last I decide I am going to knock out this project. I can read. I read hundreds of books to my kids, so I think I'm the one for the job. First, I hunt around for a microphone for the computer that I know I've seen in the last five years. After 15 minutes of poking around in the garage, my husband wonders what exactly I'm doing.
I tell him and he informs me that the microphone was an old way, no longer compatible with our Mac. "Good grief," I say. "Can I ever get a break?"
So he suggests using my iphone and recording the books using the handy-dandy voice memo application. Sure. It does, in fact, work, so I have my first four minute book recorded.
I think I can easily e-mail the file to my computer. Ha! It's too large. I try dividing it up multiple ways, but I just can't get it. Back this summer, my first iphone was stolen, and I have not exactly been good about getting my new one all in one spot. I did not want to synch my phone because that allows my computer's junk to go to my phone, but it erases my phone. What kind of dumb, backward idea is this? I mean seriously. By the way, this is the next day and I have now spent a good chunk of time on this project (and yes, I have PILES of other things I should be doing). I am angry and getting less reasonable as time goes on.
Wow! This rant has some length, but I don't care. In the end, my usual go-to guy is not much help (sorry, Gene). However, I ended up texting an iphone/Mac junkie who comes to my classes every now and again and makes fun of my blogs. Turns out, he had the perfect solution. So I stayed up until midnight recording the rest of the books.
And, I wonder why I was grouchy today when my kids were super obnoxious and all-out naughty as they battled (literally) for about 20 minutes in the backseat. Thankfully, my sister came to save me. The hour escape really helped, but I think my kids half-worried whether I was coming back.
At the end of last year, I said I would be happy to record some books for my son's at the time kindergarten teacher (things went well and he's now in first grade). So, I have these 12 books all summer long. I see them every week or so and of course, feel guilt.
So night before last I decide I am going to knock out this project. I can read. I read hundreds of books to my kids, so I think I'm the one for the job. First, I hunt around for a microphone for the computer that I know I've seen in the last five years. After 15 minutes of poking around in the garage, my husband wonders what exactly I'm doing.
I tell him and he informs me that the microphone was an old way, no longer compatible with our Mac. "Good grief," I say. "Can I ever get a break?"
So he suggests using my iphone and recording the books using the handy-dandy voice memo application. Sure. It does, in fact, work, so I have my first four minute book recorded.
I think I can easily e-mail the file to my computer. Ha! It's too large. I try dividing it up multiple ways, but I just can't get it. Back this summer, my first iphone was stolen, and I have not exactly been good about getting my new one all in one spot. I did not want to synch my phone because that allows my computer's junk to go to my phone, but it erases my phone. What kind of dumb, backward idea is this? I mean seriously. By the way, this is the next day and I have now spent a good chunk of time on this project (and yes, I have PILES of other things I should be doing). I am angry and getting less reasonable as time goes on.
Wow! This rant has some length, but I don't care. In the end, my usual go-to guy is not much help (sorry, Gene). However, I ended up texting an iphone/Mac junkie who comes to my classes every now and again and makes fun of my blogs. Turns out, he had the perfect solution. So I stayed up until midnight recording the rest of the books.
And, I wonder why I was grouchy today when my kids were super obnoxious and all-out naughty as they battled (literally) for about 20 minutes in the backseat. Thankfully, my sister came to save me. The hour escape really helped, but I think my kids half-worried whether I was coming back.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
funny, funny e-mail joke
We who have taught, or love children who have been taught, know this is funny!
From the diary of a Pre-School Teacher
My five-year old students are learning to read.
Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said,
"Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"
I took a deep breath, then asked...."What did you call it?"
"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"
And so it does...
" A f r i c a n Elephant "
From the diary of a Pre-School Teacher
My five-year old students are learning to read.
Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said,
"Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"I took a deep breath, then asked...."What did you call it?"
"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"
And so it does...
" A f r i c a n Elephant "
Monday, September 07, 2009
Making the rounds
Some people see a holiday and see downtime and relaxation. Others see an extended holiday like an invitation to cram in as much as possible.
As the wife of a man who works sports for a living, I view free Saturdays a bit differently than the 9 to 5, Monday through Friday folks. So, I decided it would be a good idea to traipse all over Missouri to see my family on Saturday after accomplishing a few chores at home first.
We saw grandma in the nursing home along with my parents and grandma's sisters. Then we headed up the road to meet a new cousins new baby girl, Isabel. Stopped by to see grandpa and headed back to St. Joe for dinner with my parents.
Then I thought we really should head over to Gene's stomping grounds as well. We went to church Sunday and headed up I-70 to Marshall, Mo., Sunday afternoon. I drove (and sinned) all the way there. For those of you who don't know, failure to obey the posted speed limit is a SIN (boo!)
Knowing our boys are 4 and 6 and hate being in the car, some might call us insane. But, if we don't spend time with our families, how will our kids convince everyone that we are related to that we totally suck at parenting? We stopped on the way home and had dinner at Taco Bueno. Our oldest was pleasant. Jared was sleepy and insisted on sitting on my lap, but he sat down and ate. Knowing once we arrived at home, it would be quick showers and bed, I was glad to spend the positive time with the boys.
Most of the weekend, Gene and I took turns being on the edge of crazy as they fought, showed incredibly rude versions of their sweet selves, out and out defied any request we made and terrorized everyone at the dinner table.
As the wife of a man who works sports for a living, I view free Saturdays a bit differently than the 9 to 5, Monday through Friday folks. So, I decided it would be a good idea to traipse all over Missouri to see my family on Saturday after accomplishing a few chores at home first.
We saw grandma in the nursing home along with my parents and grandma's sisters. Then we headed up the road to meet a new cousins new baby girl, Isabel. Stopped by to see grandpa and headed back to St. Joe for dinner with my parents.
Then I thought we really should head over to Gene's stomping grounds as well. We went to church Sunday and headed up I-70 to Marshall, Mo., Sunday afternoon. I drove (and sinned) all the way there. For those of you who don't know, failure to obey the posted speed limit is a SIN (boo!)
Knowing our boys are 4 and 6 and hate being in the car, some might call us insane. But, if we don't spend time with our families, how will our kids convince everyone that we are related to that we totally suck at parenting? We stopped on the way home and had dinner at Taco Bueno. Our oldest was pleasant. Jared was sleepy and insisted on sitting on my lap, but he sat down and ate. Knowing once we arrived at home, it would be quick showers and bed, I was glad to spend the positive time with the boys.
Most of the weekend, Gene and I took turns being on the edge of crazy as they fought, showed incredibly rude versions of their sweet selves, out and out defied any request we made and terrorized everyone at the dinner table.
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