It's the most wonderful time of the year. . .

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Those that celebrate it, anyway. :) These past few weeks have been extremely stressful for me, with Shelby having some troubles at school. It's still not completely cleared up, but hopefully it will be soon.

We had a great Thanksgiving. I cooked dinner and it was delicious, if I do say so myself. We went down to my grandparents' house to visit after we ate, as we always do. We missed most of the family though. Apparently they ate and ran. My psycho ex-neighbor ended up being down there. Gag. She didn't say a single word to me, and I just acted like she wasn't there. Crazy bitch!

That night, we watched Home Alone, as is our annual Thanksgiving night tradition. It kind of kick starts the holiday season or something. On Friday, we set up the Christmas tree and decorated the house. Hunter put up all the outside lights, so we are all decorated up. It's finally feeling like the holiday season to me. Thanksgiving sneaked up on me so fast!

Mackenzie's girl scout troop is going to be in the Christmas parade this year (Dec. 6th), and this year it's a whole family affair! Darrell is going to pull the trailer with his truck, which he is more than happy to do so he doesn't have to stand out in the cold. Shelby and Maggie are going to ride with him and throw candy. They'll probably sit in the back and eat the majority of it. Heh. My mom has been pulling out decorations and fabric to help get the girls costumes and the trailer ready for decorating. Me, I'll be walking alongside the float during the parade, which I am not happy about! Hopefully, it'll be warmer than last year's parade, though. It was all of 7 degrees or so last year at the parade. I'll get my mom to take pictures, if she doesn't ride with Darrell, and put them up after the parade.

My Art paper is finally due Tuesday. Shelby is starting counseling that day, so I have to drive to Columbia just to turn my paper in that morning and then come back home for her appointment. School is quickly drawing to a close. I have only 4 more classes until final exams. Wow. I don't think I actually realized that. I was able to register for my classes almost two weeks ago. While I didn't get the ones I really wanted, I got a pretty decent schedule. I'll be taking Monday/Wednesday classes in the Spring, and I'm taking Spanish II, Sociology, & College Algebra. I'm also taking Speech as an online course; I'm pretty curious as to how that works.

Okay, this was pretty boring. ;p

I am about to lose my mind

I swear to god that I cannot take one.more.fucking.thing. I am so fed up. I need a vacation.

Migraine Hell

I woke up this morning feeling good. My mom had got up with the kids, let me and Darrell sleep in, and started cleaning the house. Woot! Shortly after I got up, I started getting the telltale aura in my eyes. It lasted about ten minutes and then the headache started. It wasn't very bad at first, but the more I sat there, the worse it got. I was trying to do research on my paper, so that probably didn't help, either.

Eventually, I started getting sick to my stomach and finally went to lay down in my room. I fell asleep and slept for about 3 hours. So I pretty much wasted my day. I got up around 5 this evening, and my head felt much better. Since then, I've had just a small headache. It hurts, but it's manageable. I made homemade chicken noodle soup for supper, and homemade biscuits. It was yummy, and everyone ate some; even Hunter, who is my pickiest eater. It was full of those gross veggies, you know. ;)

Tomorrow, Mackenzie is going to be in the Veterans' Day Parade with her Girl Scout troop. Since I'm the coleader, I'll be up there walking with them. There is school tomorrow, so we have to get all the girls back to their classes after the parade. I have to try to work on my paper some more, and do a review for Spanish class Tuesday. I have my Art paper and a Lit paper due the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and I really don't want to be working on them over the holiday. So, can I really completely write two papers in just over a week, especially when one has to be 5-10 pages long? Stay tuned!

I'm pissed off!

I am in a bad fucking mood, lately. I don't know what it is, but I am more confrontational than I have ever been, and just about everything is pissing me off. My kids' teachers, my husband's boss (which also happens to be his father), my husband's brother (who thinks he is the boss), my college, random people on the internet. Heh.

Spring registration for currently enrolled students starts Monday. They have the schedule up now, so you can view it and pick your classes. I can't get any.thing. to match up. The classes that I had planned to take are not available on the same days, the times don't work out, and it's all pissing me off. I think I've got it figured out now, thank goodness. Speech as an internet course (although I'm not sure how that works), Essentials of American Government and Politics, Spanish II, and College Algebra. I had only planned to take two of those courses, but the other two aren't available in the times/days I need them to be. I was planning to take an 8:00 AM class, so I could get home earlier, but I can't because they are wanting to change Darrell's hours at work to start at 7 AM, and he couldn't be able to drive the kids to school. I would have to leave by 7:15 at the very latest to make an 8 o'clock class.

Darrell's brother suggested today that they start working Saturdays. Every Saturday. And working 7-5 everyday. That is 60 fucking hours a week. Even if he got a raise with this shit, it still wouldn't work out to be very much per hour, compared to the current hours and pay. IF he got the raise he wanted, he'd still be making $3.75 less per hour than he is now, and be working 20 more hours per week. He's salaried, so increasing his hours doesn't increase his pay necessarily. It's a ridiculous notion, and it would take me all night to explain the history with his family, and the reason we are so pissed about this. Nevermind the fact that he has a wife and small children that he likes to spend time with, nevermind that he has things he likes to do on the weekend, nevermind the fact that his back is getting worse all the time and he needs the weekend to at least somewhat recuperate from the workweek and let his back rest. They just want to get the work out faster so they can make more money.

Then his brother has the nerve to tell him that sometimes we have to "make sacrifices". What the FUCK does he know about sacrificing anything? He's always been taken care of by their dad, while Darrell gets the shitty end of the stick. He's always gotten extra money, back when they worked on commission. If he didn't make at least $700 each week, their dad would give him more money to go on. There were weeks, when Hunter and Mackenzie were little, that Darrell would barely clear $100, but that was just fine. But we didn't need any help. I think we've made plenty of damn sacrifices in our marriage. We don't have new vehicles, we don't have a nice new house, we don't go and drop hundreds of dollars on things just because we want them, their dad didn't go and finance a home for us in his name. I'm in awe of the kind of nerve it takes for HIM to tell US that sometimes you have to sacrifice.

So, anyway, that was way more than I intended to type about that particular situation. I'm just stressed with school, and I think it's causing my inner bitch to come out. I'm usually so easy going, but I'm at the point where I want to break bad on somebody's ass here lately. Heh.

My (not so) spooky spooks

The kids had a blast on Halloween. Hunter was dressed as a punk rocker, Shelby was Snow White, and Maggie was a witch. Mackenzie was a devil, but she was very last minute on going, so I don't have any pictures of her. Anyway, we live out of town, so we have to drive into town to trick or treat. We met my sister, her fiance, and her kids in a neighborhood near the park and walked around with them. My younger sister and her baby went with us, too. There were tons of people out this year, way more than I've seen in the past few years. We walked around for about an hour and a half, then picked up supper and came home.

Hunter:

And the closeup:

Shelby & Maggie:

And my niece, Kyra:

Crazy week

I have been so busy this week, it's making my head spin. My mom moved back to town last weekend. She's staying with us temporarily until she can get things in order. My sister and her almost 10 month old daughter were here from last Saturday until this evening, visiting. I've had school and everything I normally have going on. I was up until 1:30 AM the night before my project was due, getting it finished. I think I did a pretty decent job, but then I thought I nearly aced the test we had and I made an 89 on it. Heh.

I only have 9 classes left until the end of the semester. Yay! I can't wait. I get to register for my spring classes on November 12, and I'm going to try to take an easier load next time. I don't think this semester would have been so stressful if I hadn't taken Art under the instructor that I have. At this point, I'm thinking I will be fine as long as I pass the class. I am doing the best I can, but I'm not an Art expert, I'm not even an Art major, and I think she asks too much of her students.

Anyway, my current plans are to take Spanish II, College Math, Intro to Education, & an American Gov./Politics class that I can't remember the exact name of right now. :) Hopefully I'll be able to take those classes. I'm worried about the Intro to Ed. though, since it's a class for my major, and they're still saying I need to take Dev. Reading. But if I can't take that I'll pick something else. I need to go ahead and do my Biology and get it out of the way, but I'm dreading it and putting it off as long as possible. I am totally not a science person. Plus, there are separate labs with science classes. I've got to go to the doctor one day this next week, hopefully, and get my MMR shot so that I can register for more than 3 classes for the spring.

I got to talk to a friend of mine that I haven't talked to in forever tonight. She found me on MySpace the other day, and sent me her phone number. We met online at a parenting forum in 1998, and talked on the phone almost daily for the next two years or so. She and her husband came over and visited us a couple of times, too. We lost touch there for a while, then she looked me up online and found me. It was just like we had never been out of touch. I'm glad she looked me up! :)

I've got to get to bed now. I've got some pain meds in me that are making me sleepy. Well, that, combined with the fact that I've gotten very little sleep this week!

Overwhelmed. Again.

I don't know how I'm going to get through the next 5 semesters of school. This one is kicking my ass. I just had midterms on Thursday and today, so there was lots of studying to be done. (I made a 94 & 89 in Spanish and Art, respectively) My Art project is due a week from Thursday, and I have barely started on it. I'm supposed to go to Nashville Sunday to the Frist Center, and then I have to write that damn paper, which I'll then have three weeks to write and perfect. I'm just feeling very overwhelmed, and I'm not sure how I'm going to do it all. I wish like hell I had not taken Art this semester, it's killing me. Oh, and I have to figure out some time to take the placement test, so I can get out of taking Developmental Reading. AND, next semester I have to take the Praxis I, which is required before I can get into the teaching program at the university I plan to transfer to.

I just want to scream. And now I have to go cook supper and clean up before Mackenzie and I have to be at her Girl Scout meeting (did I mention I signed on to be a co-leader?). Then back home to get kids ready for bed and try to fit some homework in. It's neverending.

Yes, boss

Maggie has started telling me "yes, boss!" If I tell her to do something, she says "yes, boss!" If I tell her to stop doing something, she says "yes, boss!" I have no idea where she got it from. It's cute, but I'm just waiting for someone in public to ask me why I make her call me boss.

Operation Potty Train: Day 2

So, I've decided to go ahead and try to potty train Maggie. I had originally intended to wait until I'm between semesters (mid-Dec. through the first week or so of Jan.) to try, but my friend Dawn, who babysits Maggie, said she wouldn't mind keeping it up when Maggie is at her house. That's why I had decided to wait, I didn't want to be inconsistent, with me only being home every other weekday, and I didn't want to ask Dawn to help train her.

Monday, we bought her some new underwear while we were shopping. I quickly realized one pack would likely not be enough and bought another. Yesterday morning, she did fabulously, no accidents at all. She did have to wear a diaper at lunchtime, because we went to have lunch at Mackenzie's school. When we got back home, she put underwear back on. Then we went and picked up the kids from school. As soon as we got home, she had an accident. She was very upset about it, and I reassured her that it was okay.

I guess she decided it was fun, because after that she had one accident after another. She didn't get back on the potty at all after 3 PM yesterday, and dirtied up an entire package of underwear. Today, she's just sitting around with no clothes on. She went to the bathroom to poop two or three times, but never did. She told me she didn't know how. That's kind of pitiful. I tried to help her, but you know, there's really not a lot anyone can do to help in that area. Tomorrow, she goes back to the babysitter, so we'll see how she does. I'll pack diapers and underwear, and let her lead the way. We'll see how it goes!

Parent teacher conferences

I had PT conferences this week with the kids' teachers. I didn't schedule one with Mackenzie's teacher, because her grades are good and we haven't had any behavior issues. Shelby was having some behavior issues at the beginning of the year, so I wanted to see how she was doing. Her teacher reported that she is doing better, especially since he separated her and her little friend. Heh. He also said she is one of the few students in the classroom that can already write her name. I was surprised!

Hunter's conferences were on a first come, first served basis, so there were no appointments. I went over after I finished talking to Shelby's teacher. I had only intended to talk to his Reading and Social Studies teachers, but since I was there I went ahead to all of his classes, except his PE teacher. And? He's not doing so well. Out of the 6 classes I went to, the highest grade he has coming on his report card next week is an 85. He has that grade in both English and Social Studies. His other grades are far worse. Let's see: 77 in Math (C+), 76 in Science (C-), and a 70 in Reading (D). He actually had a 75 in Science, but it was like two hundredths away from being 76, so his teacher curved him. Not like it made a lot of difference in the whole scheme of things, but anyway.

It appears that he is not turning in all assignments in most of his classes. His English teacher has them do all work during their class period, so he has to turn in all of that homework. But in every other class, he is not doing all of his assignments. His test grades are sucky, too. Like F and D sucky. Those pull his grade way down, as did his 9 weeks tests in most subjects.

So, starting next week (no school this week), he is grounded for two weeks. I am copying all of his assignments from his agenda book each Monday, and he is expected to bring material home to study when he has upcoming tests. He is also expected to do and turn in all homework assignments from here on out. Some of the things he didn't turn in were so easy, too. In Science, for example, his teacher gave them the opportunity to make three 100s if they did some vocabulary. All he had to do was write out the definitions. He didn't do it, so he got three zeros instead.

He is also going to start going to an after school tutoring program the school started this year. It's optional for all students, but I got a sheet last week saying he had been recommended to go, and I signed off on it. So 2-3 days a week, he will be staying after school until 4:30. They only cover Math and Language Arts, but that's better than nothing. I'm not sure when it starts though, hopefully soon! I also told him that if he backslides and starts not turning in homework or not bringing stuff home to work on after he's off of his grounding, he will go right back on. He still has three more 9 week periods, so he has plenty of time to turn it around and get back on track.

Par-tay!

So, I'm drinking a little tonight. Whiskey. I haven't drank whiskey in probably oh, 12 years. I have been nursing a very, very mild drink, but I am totally feeling it. I'm surprised I am typing coherently. Or at least I think I am.

We just watched the wildest fucking movie, or maybe it was just wild because I'm tipsy. It was Bug, with Ashley Judd. I had this idea that it was a horror type movie, but no, it's just about paranoid, delusional people thinking they were implanted with bugs by the government. I might think it was sad if parts of it hadn't cracked me up. Like when Ashley Judd stood up and yelled "I am the super mother bug! I am the super mother bug!" Seriously though, if you get the chance to watch the movie for free, you can, but I really wouldn't spend money to rent it.

We had a bonfire with the kids tonight. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and made s'mores. We had a nice time, and the kids absolutely loved it. Maggie fell asleep shortly after we came in, she hadn't napped all day. We had to go feed my SIL's dog for her today, since she and her husband were out of town today. We had to go over at 12 and at 5, and feed the dog both times. With a fork. Yes, folks, I am completely serious. For starters, it's a 3 year old dog, it doesn't need to eat three times a day. That's why he's so fat. Secondly, with a fork? Are you fucking kidding me? A fork?! I knew she fed the thing with a fork, but I had no idea she really expected us to do that. Geezus, it's a dog. And she had to call us twice to check on him and make sure he was okay. Yeah, he's fine. He stays home alone all the time while you're at work, dumbass. If you were that worried, then etake him with you or stay home. I understand some people just really love their pets, so maybe this is totally normal for them, but it's a foreign concept to me.

I'm going to stop typing now. Y'all have no idea how many times I'm having to hit the backspace button. Hee!

That Art class again

I know, it's always something with that class. I guess because most of the class is 18-19 years old, I don't know. Yes, the instructor is quite picky, and she doesn't always make sense, but really it's not that hard to get everything together. For instance, she told us we have to do an experience report, which is basically going to a museum or an architectural work and writing a paper on it. Alternatively, if anyone is unable to do those things, they have option C, which has some different guidelines and expectations. It's not a hard concept to grasp, unless you're Boy A in that classroom. He seems perpetually confused, unable to understand even the simplest details. I don't believe there is anything wrong with him, such as a learning disability, I think he's just dim. And he doesn't pay attention in class. Yeah, you might miss some things if you DON'T LISTEN! He wasted almost our entire class period yesterday, asking her to clarify and clarify again a very simple concept. If this class is too hard for you, then drop it and take it later under another instructor. It is not rocket science. You have choices!

Boy B is a brown noser to the nth degree. He's also a know it all. He thinks he knows all there is to know in the art world, when really he's just talking out of his ass most of the time. He regularly interrupts the instructor (which is just rude) to interject his own comments and points of view. Like we care, dude! He also starts talking religion at the drop of a hat. I know there is a lot of religious art, and some of it is in the book, and when analyzing it, you do have to understand the belief system behind the painting. I have no issue with that. There are also Chinese paintings featured in the book, and a lot of them reference Buddhism. This guy will almost start preaching when we get on the subject, though. Highly freaking annoying.

A couple of weeks ago, she was lecturing, and asked a question about something she had told us in the previous class. This guy starts answering, but he's going around in circles, and not giving her the ONE WORD answer that she was looking for. So when he stops talking, I said the correct answer. No biggie, right? Well, I guess I offended the poor fella, because he had it out for me after that. Everytime I answered something after that, he had to correct me, even though I was not wrong. I pay attention, I take notes, and I know what I'm talking about (and if I don't, then I just keep quiet). He even corrected the order in which I read a list of items off, like that matters! He corrected me about 3-4 times in just that one class. Apparently he doesn't like to be wrong. I felt like standing up and asking him what the fuck his problem was. I'm not going to sit there and not participate to soothe his fragile ego.

In other news, I had my first Spanish test last Thursday. I got it back yesterday, and I made a 97! Woot! I actually made a 95, but I got a couple of points extra credit for turning in all my labs on the day of the test. Funny, I thought the labs were mandatory. Besides, they are helpful, and some of this Spanish language stuff is complicated! I need all the practice I can get. I'll leave you with what I learned how to say yesterday: Me tomo tres clases: el espanol, literatura, y arte. :D

Adios!

However, but

This is what my Art teacher says all.the.time. However, but. At first I thought it was just a one time thing, she must realize they mean the same thing, right? But, no, she has continued to say it repeatedly at each class. And she says it all together, like it's one word. It's especially funny, because she is such a stickler about pronunciation and such. She'll correct us if we say Renaissance incorrectly (or incorrectly according to her anyway. I'm not so sure we're the ones saying it wrong). Every time she's lecturing and says "however, but" I want to laugh out loud. So, yeah, that's the highlight of my Art class. Sounds really fun, right?

Mackenzie told me yesterday that she tested on a book at school for AR and got a 60. Then a few minutes later she says she has to walk all of her recess period on Friday, as well as during the free recess they usually have. I asked her why, and she said it's because she made a 60 on the AR test. What.the.hell? I meant to write her teacher a note and ask her what the hell kind of policy this is, but I forgot. I'm going to write one today and get it to her tomorrow. I think that's insane, and I'm not having it. AR is not optional, the top 5 grades of all the books she reads in a 9 week period count for 25% of her Reading grade. However, but (haha!) I don't put it on the same par as homework, especially since I know Mackenzie reads well more than 5 books in a 9 week period. If she can have five 100s to account for the 25%, then what's the big deal if she occasionally screws up and doesn't do well on an AR test. She told me it took her from last Monday to read the whole book, during which time she also read another book. So, most likely she either took too long to finish and couldn't remember certain details, or the book was possibly just out of her comprehension level. She told me it was nearly 300 pages, but she couldn't remember the grade level.

In any case, I will be talking to the teacher, and letting her know it is unacceptable for Mackenzie to walk during recess on Friday, for that reason anyway. I'll let you know what happens!

At least the first two weeks were easy

I'm on my third week of school, and the pressure is mounting. I got lulled into thinking it might not be so bad, so hard, during those first two weeks, but uh, yeah, it is. I have so much to do, I need to start my first paper in Lit, which I'm terrified of doing. My first Art test is coming up, and I know it's going to be killer just from what she's already told us we need to know. I have to do a project for that class, as well as visit an art exhibit and write a 5-10 page paper on two pieces of art that I see. I am behind in my Spanish lab, too.

My house was a wreck today, so I've been cleaning today until just now, and of course this evening I had to cook supper and get Shelby & Maggie ready for bed, plus take Kenzie to church and go back and get her. So now, here I sit, when I should be reading "The Fall of the House of Usher", Chapter 5 in my Art book, studying how to tell time in Spanish, and catching up on my Spanish lab, blogging. With it being this difficult taking only three classes, I don't know how I'll manage the 5 I plan to take next semester. Argh, stress!

Happy Birthday, Maggie!

3 years ago today, I gave birth to my baby, my precious last child, my namesake! I so wanted to hold on to her time as a baby, knowing just how fast it goes, and I did, but it still went by far too fast. Today, she's a rambunctious, chattering, smiley, laughing, hilarious, sweet, affectionate, loving, adorable little 3 year old. She melts my heart when she says 'I love you, mommy', and irritates me beyond belief when she says 'I don't have to!'

I have her all to myself for one more year, before she goes off to pre-school, then Kindergarten, and out into the big, bad world. It won't go by slow enough, and before I know it, she won't be my little baby anymore, my little Maggie May. But for now she is, and I will enjoy every single day of it, even when I'm cleaning up the 3,000th mess of the day, or listening to an infamous toddler tantrum. Well, okay, I may have to refer back to this post during some of those times. ;)

Happy Birthday, my sweet little Maggie.

[sappy post over. please return to your regularly scheduled blogging.]

A little cheese, please...

To go with my whine. I'm sick. :( The kids have ever so thoughtfully shared their cold with me. I feel like crap today. I'm congested, barking like a dog, dizzy, and just feel rundown. My back is hurting and now my tongue is numb. I've just been laying around the house today, but my house is an utter disaster and tomorrow I have to get it completely cleaned up, and grocery shop, since I have school Tuesday. I had planned on getting it all done before now, I wanted to do some yard work too this weekend, but that's not going to happen now. I hope I feel better tomorrow. *whine*

What does the airplane symbolize?

So, I had my first week at school. It went well, although now I'm quite a bit older than most of the other students. Heh. I'm liking Spanish, that is going well, although it is hard. I am not liking Lit or Art. I'm not a big fan of analyzing everything to death, and that's pretty much what we're doing in both classes. "What does the airplane symbolize?" Who cares? I read mostly for entertainment purposes. I do read non-fiction, and it does make me think, but I don't want to pick a story apart. Luckily for me, we only have to write two papers in that class, and a friend of mine has offered to help if I get stuck. So that's a load off.

I think I'd like the Art class more if I had a different instructor. The one I have is very old-fashioned, even recommending that we consider dressing professionally to come to class. Okay, I'm not going to trek across a campus in a business suit, sorry. When I finish school and start interviewing/working, then I'll dress appropriately for my chosen career. She also likes to show DVDs, which so far, I have found incredibly boring. With her, it's pretty much read chapter X, and watch a DVD. I don't think it'll be too hard, it's just difficult for me to get interested when she makes it so boring.

Well, that's it in a nutshell! It's going good, but I will be glad for the semester to end. I only have 28 days of classes (plus final exams), so I know I can do it. But still, think good thoughts for me. ;)

Back to school - for me!

Tomorrow is my big day, I start school! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. There are still a few things to be done, which irks me. I thought getting my financial aid stuff filled out back in April, and my admission application in June would leave enough time to get everything squared away before the first day. But, no. I have to go in early tomorrow and make sure my tuition is charged to my financial aid, get my parking permit, and check on book prices. I wasn't planning on buying any books until after my first day of class, but my friend ever so helpfully said "What if they give you homework on the first day?" That's a way to bring my anxiety level down, friend. Heh. I'm going to go ahead with my way of doing it and hopefully it will work out. From what I remember, you just get the syllabus, book list, etc. on the first day anyway.

So, I leave as soon as I drop the kids at school tomorrow, and I'll be home in time to pick them up. I'll try to post tomorrow night about how it went. Wish me luck!

Put yourself on the map!

I added one of those buddy map things to my blog, so please add yourself! I'm not so arrogant as to assume I have a lot of readers, but I thought it would be fun to do. It's at the bottom of the blog, so please add your name. :)

The Tooth Fairy's coming!

Shelby lost her first tooth tonight! I had no idea she even had one loose, she never told me. She ran up to me this evening and said she had a loose one, and it was just hanging on by a thread at that point. She pushed it around with her tongue for a few minutes and it popped out! Everything is happening at once with her. She just finished her first full week of school, and now lost her first tooth. The one next to it is pretty loose, too, so I figure she'll lose it within a few days.