Schoolwork

I love my children.  They are each delightful in their own, very different ways.  They make my life better and oh, so much more fun!  Today Marian showed me some of her work from Social Studies and it was so marvelous, I had to share.  She had 2 essay questions. I'm going to write the question, and then her response, and I'll write her response exactly as she did.  The papers had check marks on them so I assume the teacher looked at them.  I don't think the responses quite fit the questions, but I have no clue what grade she got on these.  Maybe just getting anything written was good.  And the answer to the first question just cracks me up!

1.  In your opinion, would you prefer to live in current day America or during the colonial times? After reading the passage, write a 2 paragraph essay in which you answer the question and explain your reasons.  Give 3 examples from the passage to support your decision.

I would like to live in the modern day because the bathrooms back then were realy bad and smell horrable! You have to work all day and the punishment at school was realy bad! wear a dunce hat, wear a sighn around your neck saying "Bite finger Baby," put  wispering sticks in your mouth and lots of other things.  When you get sick you are more likelly to die, the medicines werent very good at all!  And thats why I would rather live in modern days, were the bathrooms are way better!


2. How has America's history shaped our world today?  Write a letter to a fourth grader explaining the importance of studying slavery's role in shaping America.  Examine the economic impact slavery had on the Americas.  Discuss the cultural and social structures.  Be sure to give textual evidence to support your opinions from page 10-13.

Dear Bob,
It is good to study slavary becaus it is good to learn what the past was like and how much has chainged today.  America is a better place after slavary was distroid.  People bought lots of slaves and those slaves were forced to work for free.  first the very rich people who almost never have to work, then there's regular people with small houses, farmers grow crops and work, and last are the slaves who work all the time with absalootly no pay! (on bigger plantations, the owner often lived in a fancy house called quarters)



However, the very best part of Marian's assignment packet was this.  I strongly recommend you enlarge this picture and enjoy it properly!

When things go wrong

I had grand plans for my day.  I was going to get my allergy shot, and visit my friend Nancy at the hospital.  Then I was going to go home and meet my friend Robin to go running.  I needed to clean the house and get dinner done early so I could have friends over for pie right after school.  

I did not get most of it done.  

I got into my car at the hospital parking garage and it felt funny.  Yep, totally flat tire.  Now, I DO know how to change a tire.  I have done it.  However, van's tend to have the tire underneath in the middle of the bottom and I didn't feel like dealing with it.  What good is paying to have Roadside Assist on my insurance if I haven't used it in almost 2 years?!!

It was a 45 minute wait for the guy, who was super nice.  It was another 45 minutes for him to finish getting everything done.  He was thoughtful enough to inflate the flat tire to see if it was an easy fix.  It was not.  I had a gash in the sidewall.  So with the spare properly installed, I crawled to the tire place that had just replaced my tires less then 3 months ago.  Yep, I have brand new tires, and now I need to replace one of them.  The tire shop didn't have my tire and won't till Monday.  So I have till Monday to cry about having to drop $200, all because I rode up the curb when I parked this morning.

I did not make it running.  I barely made it to get Rylee from preschool.  I have no idea what dinner will be.  But I AM going to have Pie!

One of Those Days

Joshua woke up with a sore throat and a froggy voice.  He spent the day lounging on the couch whining pathetically.  I couldn't tell if he felt bad or was scowling because he was cross. Even when he spoke it was still hard to tell since everything was growled and bemoaned in a loud and cranky voice.  I tried to not ask him any questions because he was so dramatic about how painful it was to speak at all. He does have a fever and he is legitimately sick, but he sure is no fun as a sickie!

I got to pull Callie from school today for a doctors appointment.  It was for a non-sick thing, but she complained of stomach pain while we were there.  Based on the tummy cramps and belches emanating from her, both the doc and I told her it was gas.  She went back to school after nibbling half a pepto tablet. She apparently was still having tummy cramps and went to the nurse.  The nurse sent her back to class.  5 minutes before school let out, she puked.   On the plus side, I didn't have to clean it up.

So that's 2 down and 2 more to hang out with me tomorrow rather than at school.

To make my day even more fun, I asked Rylee to get something for me.  She looked at me and shouted, "I'm not your Butler!!"

Yay!

I am delighted to announce some delightful news:  Rylee is Potty Trained!!  

I know, she's certainly old enough!  She just did not want to do it. She had told me she was never going to potty train.  She had refused to wear underpants.  She was quite comfortable in her pull ups.  The past few weeks I started actually trying to get her on the potty, rather than waiting for her to suddenly decide to do it herself (That worked with all the others, I don't know why she had to be contrary!)  

She began to consistently poop on the potty and had about a 75% success rate with peeing. However, she was NOT going to wear underpants.  She liked the security of that pull up.

Last week I bribed her with something she really wanted and told her if she wore underpants for a week, it was hers.  What was this coveted item?  Stompeez.  Yes, that awful slipper who's ears fly up when you step.  She has been asking for them for months and was sad she didn't get them for Christmas.  It is SUCH a lame item with such limited use and value, there was no way I was getting it for her. However, desperate times call for desperate measures and I cam home with a pair and showed them to her.  I said she had to wear underpants for a week and they were hers.  

She did it. She wore underpants and she kept them dry and she earned her Stompeez.  And up till today, she has been accident free.  Tonight, Dan and I went on a walk with the dog, and when we got home, Delaney told us Rylee had had an accident.  Here is the best part:  It was in the bathroom and they had cleaned it up!  Awesome Sauce!  

Random Tidbits

This was thermometer last Monday.  24 degrees outside!! 

This was the thermometer last Friday.  71 degrees out!  How crazy is that?! 

Guess where I got to go to lunch on Monday?! 

Oh, Five Guys, how I have missed you!  Oh, happy tummy, and happy day! 

 Filled out a questionnaire at the shrink about my kid.  275 True/False questions.  Should I be worried that most were false?!

And yesterday I got to shoot at the gun range for the first time!  So fun! I shot 3 different guns, and this was my target.

When the Girls give the Dog a "Makeover"

Seeing New Orleans

Dan's folks were in town to visit us.  Dan thought they might like to see the sights in New Orleans, so Thursday we bundled up and headed out.  It was COLD!  Not Alaska cold, maybe, but it was darn tootin' cold for Louisiana.  It wouldn't have been too bad but the wind was blustery and strong.  

We took the ferry across the river, which was fun for the little girls who wanted to hang out in the wind.  I huddled inside.  We had brought jackets for everyone, but the wind has a way of creeping in.  We moseyed around for about 2 hours.  The place was crazy packed!  Apparently New Orleans was hosting the Sugar Bowl Football game and there were tons and tons of fans everywhere.  Lots of maroon Alamaba shirts doing the same sightseeing we were doing. We did walk a block of Bourbon Street, and it was early enough that the street didn't smell of vomit and alcohol yet. 

The kids were really good with all the walking.  Delaney ran out of steam first.  We did stop for beignets, which made everyone happy.  We meant to go to the Cafe du Monde, because that's the most famous place, but all those Alabama fans had the same idea and the line was out the door and down the block.  We found another place to get chocolate milk and beignets and still waited about 20 minutes in line.  I must say, beignets are quite yummy!  We have made them before, but they were nothing like the delicacy I enjoyed on Thursday!  Then we hoofed it back to the ferry and barely made it on.  The poor man was trying to close the gate while Dan was making him hold it open till his mom and I arrived.  Whew!  It was close.  

It was a fun afternoon.

Look!  Right by the ferry is a Tardis!  (Dr Who fans!) 

Heading to the River Walk. I love that Joshua is piggybacking Rylee and Dan has Delaney.

Posing by the river. 

Love my girls' smiles! 

Callie will not let me get a photo.... then demands I take her picture!  Silly pickle. 

Joshua likes all things spicy, so he was pleased to see this Tobasco store. 

I'm sad you can't see the sign well- this is the corner of Bourbon Street! 

Heh heh heh... I got her when she didn't notice! 

Rylee is getting grumpy waiting in line for beignets. 

My very first official beignet!  (I know, after 2 years?!) 

Rylee gobbled hers down. 

Delaney was happy, and covered with powder sugar! 

Hustling back down the riverfront to the ferry. 

Again with the "Take my picture!" poses with Callie. 

Not a great shot, but it was so cute to see Grandpa and Rylee together!

Ringing in the New Year

Traditionally we have gone bowling on New Year's Day.  The bowling alley here had the nerve to be closed on January 1st.  So we went Roller Skating instead.  Dan's mom accompanied us and enjoyed watching the kids wobble around in their skates.  Delaney did not enjoy it because she fell down a lot.  Rylee had a blast.  Callie and Marian zoomed around too fast to really get any photos. Joshua skated a lot longer than I thought he would and he was still having fun after the little girls were all done.  The best part?  They had $1 Entry and $1 skate rentals!

A very sad Delaney hugging the wall as she works her way to the exit. 

Joshua used his own money to buy a drink, which he thoughtfully shared. 

The arcade area was a big draw fro the girls. 

3 of my lovely ladies rocking it in the little ring. 

Delaney, on her feet and all by herself! 

Rylee, having a good time.

Overheard

I'm balancing the checkbook in the dining room.  The girls are all playing quite nicely with the doll house in the living room.  I over hear Delaney (as the doll mom) telling someone, "I have a really hard time being pregnant that many times.  7 times is a lot, you know!"