Fun With the Boys
My sons and I are really enjoying this week off. We’re still doing school-work, of course, but once that’s done for the day, we can have fun. Today’s plan is to go to the zoo, if it’s not raining. Yesterday, we had a luncheon and a doctor’s appointment, and then we went to Chuck E. […]
What a Lovely Day!
The kids and I got up an hour late this morning, had waffles for breakfast, and then settled in for a few hours of lessons. The boys are progressing well in maths … except the older one has NO self-confidence about it. Present him with an addition or subtraction problem, and he shuts down. No, […]
We Have the Green Plague
This time of year, it’s impossible to keep your car, patio, windows, porch, sidewalk, or any other surface clean. It’s the Green Plague. When the oak trees start to bloom, they release enough pollen to blanket three or four planets this size. And it goes on for just WEEKS. Saturday night, I asked my sons […]
Sibling Rivalry
My boys are all boy. And that means that I have to live, day in and day out, with the most outrageous levels of competitive spirit. The boys love each other, but each is determined to outdo the other, in everything. Most days, I can handle the competition with equanimity. But yesterday I lost my […]
Almost There….
Basketball season, for my kids’ teams, will end on Saturday. I’m glad. They decided halfway through the season that they really didn’t care for basketball, after all, and it’s been tough to motivate them when their teams are losing games. Last night, my younger son was angry because one of the boys on his team […]
The Kids Are Home
They went to Reelfoot Lake with their father to watch the eagles. They had a great time, and are full of stories …. though I heard more about the dead beaver than I did about the bald eagles. I’m not sure how my older son is handling this crazy week. Both of them are excited […]
Taking Things TOO Far
Three kids did a really dumb thing, and the grown-ups in their school are going way overboard in punishing them. The kids got the “bright” idea to set up a myspace account, impersonating a teacher at the school. They apparently managed to keep it up for three days, and, of course, word spread around school, […]
This Is Just SO Wrong!
There is a family in our area that is trying to regain custody of their daughter after giving her up to foster care when she was a few weeks old. She’s now eight years old. The Baker family has reared this little girl for eight years; they are what she knows as “her family.” Her […]
I Made My Point
I think. This morning, both boys were awake before I was. Just before taking my shower, I told them that it was time to get dressed and make their beds; they were done before I got out of my shower. I told them to get their breakfasts and eat while I got dressed. They were […]
Nothing Like Making Them Hate You
Well, it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. LOL! But I remember when I was a kid, how I hated being awakened in the morning. I went in at the normal time this morning and did the normal, “Time to wake up! Get up, get dressed, and make your bed!” Five minutes later, I […]