Makin' Stuff

I've been busy making all sorts of groovy stuff to sell at Mama's Happy in Mound. I'll post photos as soon as I have everything done. After I got started I realized I should have had before & after pics, but that would have required planning. You'll have to settle for the finished product, I guess. I even re-did some furniture this time! I'll be back with pics soon....

I'll Be Around More Often Now, I Swear!

Where to start, where to start? I finished the school year out, had a 3rd surgery on my ankle, survived summer and now we're settled back into our school routine. One kid has gymnastics 2 nights a week, the other has music lessons 2 nights a week. Me? Still trying to figure it all out.

I have realized that whatever I do, it needs to be creative or crafty. The floral design gig with my friend really works for this. It's really part-time though. I'm trying to figure out how I can make that into a full-time money-maker, or do I find something else to supplement it with?

I have been selling some things through a new store in Mound called Mama's Happy. It is such a fun store! I've been doing okay, but not getting rich by any means. I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it financially to continue to make things to sell in stores or if I am merely breaking even as my hubby thinks.

I love the creating and if I can make some $ selling things I create - great. If I'm just wasting time - not so great. Hubby thinks I should substitute teach but I don't know if I can stomach it after being in the schools full-time last year. Some day I will blog about that whole disaster, but I still can't bring myself to talk about it.

For now - I'll post pics of things I create and you all can go buy them at Mama's Happy and help support my family. Deal?

Thinks that make you go hmmm..

So the story about the Houston teacher attacking the student? I cannot condone an adult (teacher or not) hitting a child (still a child - he was 13), but let's look at the facts that the media is not giving us.

1. The Houston school is on for students with criminal records - yep. Criminal records. As in 13 years old with parole officers.

2. The Houston school district has basically washed their hands of this school. The staff is in their own with these kids (seems to me like these brave souls should be receiving EXTRA support, but that's just me, I guess).

3. The kids at this school have behaviors so intense that there are not even chairs in the classrooms as they are considered a danger.

4. The teacher in question was a first year teacher, fresh out of college with no special training to deal with these behaviors (is that even legal?)

5. The student in question was degrading a special needs student in front of the class - he wasn't just sitting there minding his own business when the teacher suddenly went ape-shit.

Now again, I am NOT by any means condoning her actions. I am only trying to say that we are receiving a very one-sided story from the media on this one. Until you have worked one day in a school, do not judge this woman for losing it. Take this as a wake-up call and get MAD. Get MAD at parents pop out babies addicted to drugs and alcohol. Get MAD at parents who are uninvolved in their children's lives. Get MAD at school districts that do not provide support and adequate training for teachers and staff dealing with these issues. Get MAD at the government for continually cutting funding to schools. Get MAD at parents who set the example for their kids that they can continually blame their mistakes on others. GET MAD!

Bucking the system

Oh man. I really did it this time. A fellow parent from the school my son attends (the same one I work at) asked me to participate in a meeting withe the superintendant, assistant superintendant, and a school board member about the issues at the school. I agreed and went representing other concerned parents and also the paras at the school who feel like things are out of control and we have no support from the principal.

I think the meeting was eye-opening for the administration. No one has really said anything about all of the behaviors at the school because they worry about not having a job next year if they speak up. I also really believe that the principal is not correctly reporting the incidents as I know for a fact that many of them are down-played. Things like weapons, fighting on the buses, and the like. It's disgusting and not a safe environment. Most of the kids she seems to be lenient with are the kids that bussed in from N. Minneapolis. So happy that my tax dollars are paying for troubled students from other districts to be bussed to my neighborhood school where they make life a living hell for the teachers, staff and students. Good thing the principal protects them though. It would be a shame if they were actually held accountable for their actions instead of being allowed to continue to blame others.

We'll see if anything happens from the meeting. It's not that I don't like the principal, it's just that she's not doing her job and next year she'll be at a K-5 school and I am concerned that the problems will just follow her there.

How to Hurt An Old Guy

10 kids under the age of 15 plus 5 dads in their 40s equals one spirited and full-contact kickball game!

We had 4 families over for a little get-together last Saturday and the kids ended up challenging the dads to a game of kickball. This was no ordinary kickball game though - not when the dads involved are all super-competitive types who also happen to be just a tad uh... immature when they get together. To give you an example, my husband's favorite method of 'tagging' the kids out was to nail the ball at their ankles to knock them off their feet. It was ll in good fun and no one got hurt until one of the dad's dislocated his shoulder (previous injury involved) and had to ram it into a wall to pop it back in. Now that's a fun afternoon! Here are some pictures for you - enjoy!

Back in the cast again

Hanging out on the couch again. I find out on Thursday when I can return to work (not that I'm in any hurry, but walking and driving again would be nice). I thought it would be today, but at my 1st recheck after surgery the doc said "we'd discuss my return to work at my next appointment."

I woke up at the end of my surgery and watched a little of it on the tv screen. It was really weird. I could see all these people bending over my ankle, which was cut open. It looked like they were pulling really hard on whatever they were trying to get out. Ewww. I kept thinking that I shouldn't look, but it was like a train wreck. I couldn't look away! After the surgery, the doc said I might have some permanent numbness/nerve damage after this one. He was surprised by how quickly the cyst grew.

I know everyone is good at something, I just wish I wasn't so good at growing ganglions.

CRAP

So... the nasty ganglion inside my ankle has returned. Well, not really. It's a new one, I guess. So I'm back in my walking cast until another surgery on 3/19. After that... who knows? Much the same as last time, I guess. Casts, crutches, a scooter (that should be fun at school!) the 2 new things this time around? A longer time completely off my foot and a handicap permit thru JUNE. Dang. That's a really, really long time. I haven't quite wrapped my brain around it yet. I'll be back with more later...

Great frustrations, to say the least

So. The kid that threw the chair last week? Technically shouldn't have been in school because she should have been suspended (according to district guidelines anyway, which our principal doesn't feel the need to follow). But she was in school and on Thursday at recess I saw her chasing kids and making a stabbing motion. Weird, I thought, but it looked as if they were playing a game. I still moved closer to get a better look and saw her doing it again. Since I was closer, I saw she had something in her hand that looked like a pink pencil. She was making stabbing motions at the kid she was chasing. Not a game. I told her to stop and come to me. She of course turned her back to me and I saw her put the object in the pocket of her snowpants. When I asked her for it, she pulled a plastic toy out of her coat pocket and tried to tell that's what she had. Ummm. No. Wrong pocket. Wrong color. Wrong shape - this was a monkey, not a pencil. Obviously, she thinks I'm an idiot. I asked for the object in her snowpant pocket - she started yelling that she didn't have anything and trying to get away. I saw the object poking out of her pocket and reached for it. She went ballistic and stared hitting me and screaming at me and twisting away. Long story short - I pulled a long, pink hard plastic thing with a sharp tip from her pocket. She said it wasn't hers. She ended up being restrained until we could get help to take her to the principal (who wouldn't come down on her own).

So. District guidelines call for a 5 day suspension for the assault on myself & the other 2 students. I don't know what she got. She was gone yesterday, but I bet she'll be back Monday. She told the principal that I was touching her inappropriately and trying to pull her pants down. If I did it again she was going to kill me. Yes. That is definitely something I would do - and right smack in the middle of outdoor recess. NOT. The principal reviewed the tapes from the video cameras on the playground and guess what? She wasn't able to see the kid making the stabbing motion, so it must not have happened. Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME??? I have the weapon, I SAW her doing it. 3 other staff were with me restraining her when I pulled the thing out of her pocket, but because she was out of camera range it didn't happen?? Lady, you have no business being a school leader. I shudder to know that you are going to be the principal at my children's school next year. Can you say open enrollment anyone???

Big Liar

Sure. I'll post more often. I'm glad no one was holding their breath! I've been having problems with my ankle again and have to have the new cyst (yep, that's right) needle-aspirated with ultra-sound guided by an interventional radiologist today. Sounds expensive, doesn't it? Hopefully the 4th time will be the charm....

Work is still going well, but many of the kids are VERY challenging. I get really frustrated because many of the behaviors we deal with have a district policy for the consequence that is not followed thru on. For example - a student threw a chair across the room this week, narrowly missing several classmates. Her consequence? One day in school suspension. Apparently they couldn't get a hold of her mother. So was she suspended the next day? Nope. She was back in school. Nice message we're sending there.

The kids talk back constantly which is one thing that makes me WILD. You ask or tell them to do something and they are right in your face "why do I got to do that?" or "man, I didn't do nothing, why you hating on me?" Nothing is ever their fault, they take absolutely NO responsibilty for their actions. Of course, this is not reflective of all the students, just a subset of problem children. Again, trace it all back to PPP - piss poor parenting. I feel like these are the kids that are running the school, not the good kids. The change needs to come from the top - principal. Hopefully next year when the boundaries are re-drawn and schools are switched around, the dynamic will change.

I'm Baaack!

Really sorry for the long absence. Really, I am. Life has been busy and changing and, and, and... After I got the greenlight to walk again from my surgon, I went out and got me a full-time job. You heard it! I am gainfully employed, full-time for the first time in uh, 1o years? I am an educational assistant in the 4th grade at my oldest's school. It's good. School has changed A LOT since I last taught 4th grade. Needy, needy, children. Whoa. I'll be venting quite a bit here. Mainly about bad parenting and how these bad parents are fucking up ('scuse me) their kids. It's a BIG peeve of mine.

The last 4 months have been all about getting the family used to a new schedule, getting me used to a schedule of any sort, and trying to come to terms with the fact that I cannot do everything I used to do with the addition of full-time employment. It's just not gonna happen. I have to let go. It's hard. I can't be a type-A, OCD, clean-freak mommy. It makes NO ONE happy. We all need to compromise. Cleaning is what I'm letting go(well not completely - don't call the Health Dept. on me or anything!) so that I can still do the things I LOVE to do. It's all about balance, right? I'll keep telling myself that and you keep believing it, okay?

So expect to see me a bit more often. I guess I'll need to change the "about me" section of my blog too - another year come & gone. Yikers - 41!

Parenting from the Couch

I know I've been terrible about posting lately. I promised to be back if anything changed, and it did. So here I am. 2 weeks ago I had surgery on my ankle and I have to spend another 2 weeks off of it. Plus another 2 weeks after that in a walking cast. When I first learned that I'd have to be completely off my feet, I though that would be easy. No problem. Right. Try using one leg to lower yourself into the tub (the other leg can't get wet), or onto the potty. Not so easy. At least I don't have to use crutches all the time. Check out my new mode of transportation in the slideshow to the right. I know. You're jealous. Looks like fun, doesn't it? It kind of makes you a freak show on wheels though. You would not believe how many people stop and stare. Dead in their tracks, not even trying to hide the fact that they are staring. My favorite is when they burst out laughing. Nice. Do you laugh at people in wheelchairs too, people?

Anyway. Back on course here. Hubby has been very helpful, actually. I spend a lot of time on the couch with my foot up and my laptop in (where else?) my lap. My digital photos for the past 2 years have been labelled and organized, I've read 4 or 5 trashy novels, countless magazines, and I think I'm going to start making my Christmas cards now. I know sick.

The kids are getting used to me dictating from my couch throne. And sometimes they even listen. A positive side effect has been that they have become very independent in the mornings. They are up on time, dressed, brushed, make their own breakfasts, pack their own backpacks, and sometimes even their own lunches! It's so great. Last year mornings were never our best time. We were rushed, I was yelling at them to hurry, etc., etc. I'm not sure if it's the fact that they are older now (7 & 9), or if it's just that they don't have a choice. Whatever the reason for this latest upturn in behavior, I will take it! Maybe after my ankle is healed, I won't let the kids know. I'll keep sitting on the couch bossing them around. Whatever works, right?

Sometimes even the new same stuff seems ... the same.

I know, I know. It's been more than 2 months since I've contributed anything here, but honestly life has been so monotonous, it's even boring me. Summer days blend into one another and I am usually hard-pressed to even remember what day it is. I'm not whining, I promise. I'm just saying, if I think my life is boring right now - anyone taking the time to read this blog would find it even MORE boring. So I'll spare you all. I'll just keep doing laundry and dishes, feeding the kids, the cat, the gerbil, and the hermit crabs, taking care of the yard, the garden, the house, etc. etc. etc. If anything changes, you'll be the first to know. Promise.

Are you kidding me?

The Swine Flu is in Minnesota. Yay us. The governor had a lovely press conference this morning and advised us all that "there is cause for concern, but not panic." Why does everyone keep telling us not to panic, yet they are in our faces 24 hours a day about this damn flu? Will they tell us when it's time to panic? When one of my family members shows cold/flu-like symptoms, my 1st impulse is not to run to the doctor. How are we supposed to know the difference between a run-o-the-mill virus and this "possible pandemic?" I am just going to sit back and wait for it to show up in my kids' school, because for some reason I feel pretty certain that it will. There is a family in my neighborhood that just returned from visiting family in Mexico for the last month. Should I start wearing my surgical mask a-la Michael Jackson? Oh! And just an FYI, apparently we're supposed to be calling this the H1-N1 novel virus so as not to give our little piggy friends a bad rep. Whatever.

A Little Wine - ing

Okay. So let me just say that I am NOT a wine drinker. Everyone who knows me, is clear about the fact that I am a hard-liquor gal. Liquor is quicker. But my better half (who is reading over my shoulder right now and wondering what the H I'm doing) and I were at MGM today and as I cut through the wine aisle on the way to the checkout, a few of the labels stopped me in my tracks. They are too funny and clever! So, while I have no idea if they are any good, these wines get an A+ for creative names. Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape or form suggesting you run out and buy these wines. I don't know ANYTHING about them other than the fact that they have awesome names. Also - don't try to convert me to wine. Ain't gonna happen. Don't send me comments full of outrage that I don't like wine. Don't care. So. That being said, onto the great names I saw: First off, by now I'm sure everyone has heard of Bitch wine. Now I see we've added to that category with Royal Bitch and Bitch & Wine, and Bitter Bitch. Funny. Another clever name is the generic, plain white label with "Good Pinot Grigio" or "Good Merlot" written in black on it. I think though, my favorite would have to be Mommy's Time Out. I told hubby that our dentist (Dr. Fenske - she's awesome!) should copyright her term for wine - 'coping elixir'. That's awesome!

Catching up

I figured I had better write something in April before the month was over. This will be a random stream of consciousness blog (as opposed to my well organized and articulated prior posts). I was dumb enough yesterday to actually open a message in Facebook that I thought looked weird. Should have listened to that inner voice and hit delete, but no. I had to be curious. Well that curiosity let the Koobface virus into my Facebook account and laptop which then started sending messages to all of my friends on FB infecting even more computers with this lovely little virus. Once I had it, my laptop was taken over. I believe "turned into a zombie" is how the article in PCWorld put it. http://www.pcworld.com/article/155017/facebook_virus_turns_your_computer_into_a_zombie.html
It was kind of comical how I was trying to "beat" the virus by getting to emails and links I wanted before it could hijack my computer and reroute me to some fake "virus scan". Eventually, I was able to get rid of the stupid thing (with my smarty brother's help, of course). But I managed to waste most of the day on it. Of course, I can usually waste most of the day on the internet anyway, so it was really anything new! Ah technology. It's just so darn handy.

In other recent exciting news around here, it seems like the crappy economy and money woes are hitting most of my friends as well (please read that with appropriate sarcasm). I love my friends. They are THE best in the world and make me laugh just when I need it. One of my unnamed friends recently saw her therapist to talk about how to deal with her husband's depression and their general lack of money etc. The therapist asked the standard "Do you feel safe at home?" and my friend responded with "No. I'm afraid I'll trip on all the crap that's lying all over the house because I am sick of being the only one to pick anything up." She quickly found out that most therapists really don't have much of a sense of humor. They also don't think it's funny when you mention that you don't think of divorce, but you do think of killing your husband! Now I thought that was he-larious, but I guess Ms. Therapist didn't. I guess I have a warped sense of humor.

I also had another girls' weekend with my 2 pals who are responsible for all the shenanigans in my life. We basically went on a pub crawl from Albertville all the way up to Deerwood. Don't worry, there was a designated driver. We love townie bars and the townies in them. We found a new one in Longsiding, MN. Very fun. A stop at the Blue Goose, The Deerstand, Coach's Corner, and Spaulding House rounded out the evening. You really have to love a bar that hosts an evening called "ABC - Anything But Clothes" and the owner shows up in waders. That's it. Waders. No shirt, nothing under the waders. Just waders. He-larious. I'd say more but.... then I'd be killed, or worse yet - not allowed on any more girls' weekends! Eeeek!

Things that make me crabby

So I'm feeling a little irritable. It's probably a tich of PMS, but that's hard to say seeing as I have no uterus to confirm that hypothesis. Anyway - I thought I'd share my list of things that make me crabby with all of you.
1. Morning - specifically having to wake up.
2. People who talk to me in the morning.
3. Grocery shopping.
4. People who stop in the middle of an aisle at the grocery store and block all routes around
them.
5. Paying taxes.
6. Paying bills.
7. Not being independently wealthy.
8. Lack of motivation.
9. Inertia.
10. The new Facebook format.

Aaaah. I fell better already. Thanks for letting me vent.

Terribly sorry for the absence

Life happens and all that. First I couldn't access my blog because whenever I tried to log in, all these random windows would open up and gunk up my computer. Then I tried to stay away from my computer because my techno-phobe husband was giving me grief about blogging, emailing, facebooking - whatever! I'm sure I would 'talk' to him more if he was on Facebook. Then we went to Disney. Then my oldest child had his tonsils and adnoids removed and I was kinda busy taking care of him (or napping with him - you decide). Then my grandpa died and I was a little preoccupied with scanning over 400 photos of him and creating memory boards for his funeral. Now I find myself at home with a feverish kid (youngest) and in a bit of a funk. So - I'll turn to my blog and let it all out.... hope it helps. In the meantime, here are some photos of what I've been up to lately. Here is a pic of the last time I danced with my grandpa. One of the CUTEST children ever - in their Christmas outfits ala Grandma Pam. Our little family in the Magic Kingdom. Me in the High School Musical 3 show at Disney MGM, me with Capt. Jack Sparrow, me buying out the Bacardi store in Nassau, and just for fun - a photo of my doppelganger. No, that last one is not really me - my uncle saw the photo on a beer fest website in Wisconsin and thought it looked just like me. Weird, huh? I know I'd like her - she's got a drink in her hand and she's stompin' grapes. Plus, I really like her hair. Well, that outta keep you entertained for a little while. Tune in again for some emotional purging - or not.

Bowling .... I wish for dollars!

I know that when I tell people I'm on a bowling league, they immediately wonder if I live in a trailer. Well, I don't. I love to bowl. There. I said it. It's out in the open. Judge me if you want, but it's fun and what other sport encourages so much beer drinking of its participants? Besides, I have my own purple, pink, and blue swirly ball and my very own Pink bowling shoes. Stylin'. My average is only 122 but I think that might have changed after last week when I bowled a 143, a 165 and yes, a 197!! Impressive, I know. I'm going to try to sneak a few photos of some of the AWESOME early 80's hairdos I see at the lanes tonite to share with you. AN added bonus to my Sunday evening bowling league? The bar has karoake afterwards and it is THE WORST karoake I have ever had the enjoyment of listening to. These sad folks bring in their own karoake cd collections and belt it out like they are American Idols. Not even close - I can sing better and I ain't no singer!! Sometimes it's just good to be bad, I guess.

Still a little sketchy, but I can make it work!

Well friends, I just successfully posted a comment for the 1st time in over 2 weeks. It feels good to be back - those of you I comment on may feel differently ;) The little people who live in my computer and make things work must have been on holiday.