Friday at work my boss offered me 5 free tickets to a St. Louis Cardinal's baseball game for the next day. With them came free transportation. Woot!! Can't beat that with a stick. My dh was the most excited with the news, followed by two of my three boys.
Several things I've learned attended a major league baseball game.
- This new stadium, its huge. Not just huge, mega huge. Our seats were in section 271. We figured second level, newp. Third level because of the special CQ seats in between the levels. After hiking 6 flights of stairs, my oldest noticed the elevator next to them. *duh!*
- Don't arrive hungry. Every restaurant within walking distance is packed full. Even the restaurants farther out are filled to capacity. Why? Because in a major city one huge sporting event isn't enough. We need two or three going on at the same time.
- If you do buy food in the ball park, bring lots of moola. I have teen and pre-teen boys. We all eat a lot. We are not shy with this fact either. We only ordered 2 regular hot dogs, 3 polish sausages (better than a brat any day I say), 4 coke colas, and 1 beer. Total cost $52 and change. Not kidding. Small box of popcorn was $4. Bucket of cotton candy was $6. Bag of shelled roasted peanuts was $4. Ice lemonade (10 oz cup) was $4. You get the picture.
- Be prepared to get up out of the way for others in your row for food, potty breaks, and whatnot. Everyone is always polite which is quite refreshing.
- Cracking up with your kids at the antics of the mascot.
- Getting home after 2 am.
- Having your child fall asleep on you on the ride home due to exhaustion. No matter their age. Priceless.
All in all, we had a super time. We'd do it again in a heart beat. Well, then again maybe not that soon.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Pioneer Woman Cooks
I love to cook. Really love to cook. Hate the clean up, but that's all part of the process. So someone told me. Quite by chance, someone on a forum told me to look at a recipe on this site. OMG!! Step by step instructions, mouth watering recipes.....I've become an adict to this site. Who knew butter can be my friend? This site is a gem of a find.
Ree, owner of said site, teaches us how to cook (even the ones that know how to cook...me). Every recipe she posts to her website, she painstakenly takes photos of each step in the cooking process. Now that takes a huge amount of time in a person's day. Go Pioneer Woman!! You Rock!
Each recipe I've tried have become a family favorite here. This has also expanded my culinary experimentation too. My kids are willing for me to try out new recipes.
Go and check her website out, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I swear you won't regret it.
Ree, owner of said site, teaches us how to cook (even the ones that know how to cook...me). Every recipe she posts to her website, she painstakenly takes photos of each step in the cooking process. Now that takes a huge amount of time in a person's day. Go Pioneer Woman!! You Rock!
Each recipe I've tried have become a family favorite here. This has also expanded my culinary experimentation too. My kids are willing for me to try out new recipes.
Go and check her website out, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I swear you won't regret it.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Planning ahead
Our computer crashed last week. A week and a half ago to be exact. This has thrown me and the kids into a tailspin of not knowing what to do, when to do it, or where to put it. Our homeschooling schedule and unit study material was in that metal box. No to mention the games they and dh played. Who knew that our life revolved around that machine? I sure didn't.
This unexpected catastrophe has caused me to rethink things. How should we store our information? What kind of backup system should we use? A shoe box? A memory stick? What would be best for us? At the moment, anything would be better than doing nothing. Which is what we did. Nothing. No backup of any sort. Nada. Zilch.
As of tonight, I still have no idea what kind of damage was done to our computer. The techs have yet to contact me to say, "hey, your computer is fixed". For all I know it could be dead. How long does it take to look at and fix a computer anyways. They have had my baby since Friday. What's taking so long?
For the most part, I've done my best to keep having school each day. Even if its only Math & Spelling, we are doing something each day. The kids read all the time from books from the library, they love watching the History & Discovery channels, and everyday chores must be done. They are helping to take care of two elderly grandmothers with me has taught them more than what they could learn in a class room. As many will say, there will be holes in every education...we have holes here. Wish they were donut holes. ; )
This unexpected catastrophe has caused me to rethink things. How should we store our information? What kind of backup system should we use? A shoe box? A memory stick? What would be best for us? At the moment, anything would be better than doing nothing. Which is what we did. Nothing. No backup of any sort. Nada. Zilch.
As of tonight, I still have no idea what kind of damage was done to our computer. The techs have yet to contact me to say, "hey, your computer is fixed". For all I know it could be dead. How long does it take to look at and fix a computer anyways. They have had my baby since Friday. What's taking so long?
For the most part, I've done my best to keep having school each day. Even if its only Math & Spelling, we are doing something each day. The kids read all the time from books from the library, they love watching the History & Discovery channels, and everyday chores must be done. They are helping to take care of two elderly grandmothers with me has taught them more than what they could learn in a class room. As many will say, there will be holes in every education...we have holes here. Wish they were donut holes. ; )
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
School started Monday
To the shock of my sons, school started in our house Monday. They drug their feet grabbing up the books we needed for class first thing that afternoon. DS1 went to the computer and loaded up Saxon's cd for his Algebra I lessons. He loves it. Much better than me trying to explain it to him. DS2 has a goal this year, straight A report card. Because I have to keep grades for the oldest, he wants me to do it for him too. Why? So he can show it off to everyone. LOL!! If it means that much to him and it gets him to do his work, I'll do it. DS3 just goes with the flow, but loves to have one-on-one time with mom. He and DS2 fight over couch time (study time with mom). I'm finding that DS3 might need a more advance set of curriculum, he's beyond 5th grade as is. I'm going to wait and see though. Don't want to push to much on him, or he'll baulk.
Yet, after all this good we are doing I'm having issue with my oldest. He has to get over this crappy attitude of "but I was taught this way, you're showing me different. I can't do it that way" Talk about grinding your teeth. I hear him, I understand what he's saying to a point. It the tone he's using. This kid fights me on everything, its like his joy in life. See how to tork mom off in 10 words or less. Some may say its his age. Maybe, but he has major underlining anger issues that stem back to 3rd -7th grade in public school. He was the victim of bullies (yes plural) and never told me about it; mom had to figure it out on her own. I'm starting to see what his problem/issues are. He totally believes he's an idiot. My helping, teaching, etc., are triggers for him and only adds to his embarrassment. This will be a work in progress. He has a long road ahead of him. I truly believe when he starts seeing progress in his own abilities his anger/embarrassment at himself will go away. Lots of prayers are needed for us.
Our schedule is working out great! While I'm working the kids do their 'homework' at grandma's. I work until 1pm or so; we get home 30 min to an hour later. Get home, unwind for 15 minutes and start school.
I can throw a load of laundry in, get supper started, tidy up a room, etc., as I get a free moment between lessons with the kids. They are all self starters, which is great for me. In the evening, after dinner, we finish up school. Usually done around 8pm that night. Bedtime routine beings (baths, jammies, snacks, cuddle time on the couch). After the kids go to bed its my time to work some more to add to my 4 hrs at the office, but from home. This is working for us so far. Doesn't mean it will last, but for now...its doable.
Yet, after all this good we are doing I'm having issue with my oldest. He has to get over this crappy attitude of "but I was taught this way, you're showing me different. I can't do it that way" Talk about grinding your teeth. I hear him, I understand what he's saying to a point. It the tone he's using. This kid fights me on everything, its like his joy in life. See how to tork mom off in 10 words or less. Some may say its his age. Maybe, but he has major underlining anger issues that stem back to 3rd -7th grade in public school. He was the victim of bullies (yes plural) and never told me about it; mom had to figure it out on her own. I'm starting to see what his problem/issues are. He totally believes he's an idiot. My helping, teaching, etc., are triggers for him and only adds to his embarrassment. This will be a work in progress. He has a long road ahead of him. I truly believe when he starts seeing progress in his own abilities his anger/embarrassment at himself will go away. Lots of prayers are needed for us.
Our schedule is working out great! While I'm working the kids do their 'homework' at grandma's. I work until 1pm or so; we get home 30 min to an hour later. Get home, unwind for 15 minutes and start school.
I can throw a load of laundry in, get supper started, tidy up a room, etc., as I get a free moment between lessons with the kids. They are all self starters, which is great for me. In the evening, after dinner, we finish up school. Usually done around 8pm that night. Bedtime routine beings (baths, jammies, snacks, cuddle time on the couch). After the kids go to bed its my time to work some more to add to my 4 hrs at the office, but from home. This is working for us so far. Doesn't mean it will last, but for now...its doable.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
*Drum roll* School starts....
Monday. Yep, two days from today we get to go back to the grind of learning, coaxing, begging, pulling our hair out, and walking away before you say something you'll regret later just so out kids will actually learn something. School is upon us.
Driving to work this week I saw the public school had started up. I watched new mom's walking their little ones to school, both scared and nervous about the first day. First day of school and adventures for the kid, first day of no more little one at home with mom. Broke my heart, I remember those days. Always wondering what my boys were doing, if they were safe, if they needed me. Those days are no more for us.
**********************************************************************************************
Wrote out a school schedule this week, in pencil of course. hehe I know there will be changes to this baby before the month's out. Got a call from our homeschool support group yesterday, they had a meeting that I couldn't attend. Looks like I'm the go to person for information, getting things done, etc. Don't know if I'm in charge of the group or not, I'll find out soon though. Even so, I'm seeing that no one wants to or can get things going. So I sat down last night and came up with some things we as a group could do together.
Field trips once a month. I tried to make them on the 2nd Friday of every month with the exception of February. That's when we will go see the Maple Syrup begining made, but its in the last part of the month. Another idea I had was schedule a play day once a month. Say the 1st Fri of the month. Everyone knows that if the weather is nice (warm, no rain, etc.) then it will be at a local park. If it is not so nice outside, then we can meet up at a church and have arranged games/activities for the kids to do for a couple hours.
So, today I'm going to get my household chores done first. Then I'm going to come up with more ideas on what we can do as a small group. Co-op classes will have to wait until Spring because this fall there are too many of us weighed down with extra things in our life. Like a new job, a new baby, other commentments, etc. We'll get together, do what we can this Fall and start planning for Spring.
Driving to work this week I saw the public school had started up. I watched new mom's walking their little ones to school, both scared and nervous about the first day. First day of school and adventures for the kid, first day of no more little one at home with mom. Broke my heart, I remember those days. Always wondering what my boys were doing, if they were safe, if they needed me. Those days are no more for us.
**********************************************************************************************
Wrote out a school schedule this week, in pencil of course. hehe I know there will be changes to this baby before the month's out. Got a call from our homeschool support group yesterday, they had a meeting that I couldn't attend. Looks like I'm the go to person for information, getting things done, etc. Don't know if I'm in charge of the group or not, I'll find out soon though. Even so, I'm seeing that no one wants to or can get things going. So I sat down last night and came up with some things we as a group could do together.
Field trips once a month. I tried to make them on the 2nd Friday of every month with the exception of February. That's when we will go see the Maple Syrup begining made, but its in the last part of the month. Another idea I had was schedule a play day once a month. Say the 1st Fri of the month. Everyone knows that if the weather is nice (warm, no rain, etc.) then it will be at a local park. If it is not so nice outside, then we can meet up at a church and have arranged games/activities for the kids to do for a couple hours.
So, today I'm going to get my household chores done first. Then I'm going to come up with more ideas on what we can do as a small group. Co-op classes will have to wait until Spring because this fall there are too many of us weighed down with extra things in our life. Like a new job, a new baby, other commentments, etc. We'll get together, do what we can this Fall and start planning for Spring.
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