School

End of School — Beginning of One Hot Summer

By Lisa B on June 7, 2008

Yesterday was the last day of school for Doodle, and I didn’t send her. They weren’t doing anything — they’d already had their end of the year party Wednesday. I was amazed at how much pizza a third grade boy can put away. Seriously, Doodle doesn’t eat anything compared to some of those kids. She’s just like me.

I think I saw where it was 104 here yesterday, and it’s supposed to be even hotter. Fletcher likes to come in and plop on the vent in the kitchen floor. He loves to be outside, so you know the weather’s gotta be bad for him to come in the house.

Last Wednesday Doodle’s softball team lost their tournament game. Doodle played an awesome ball game — Duck and I both were so proud of her! She played 2nd base the first inning and actually threw someone out! The move she did was one Duck worked on with her when she was the only one who showed for practice. We only scored 5 runs, and she had a part in scoring 4 of them — she hit really well every time she got up to bat. Just shows that it’s hard being the coach’s kid and practice pays off.

Today we’re headed to Build-A-Bear. Doodle’s birthday is pretty close to July 4th — or at least if I’d try to have a birthday party for her the weekend around her birthday, people would probably be out of town. So I got the bright idea to do her party a little early and right after they get out of school. She’s going to be celebrating her birthday for a good month I think.

If you happen to be around today, say a quick prayer for me. There’s only 6 kids total, and they are 4th graders now — so it really shouldn’t be that bad.

Oh, and if you haven’t seen the newest Straight from the Heart with Shannon @ Rocks In My Dryer, go check it out!

| Filed Under: Family, Priorities, School, Softball

Field Trip Highlight: Mating Ducks

By Lisa B on May 15, 2008

I just got back from a field trip to a big garden with a bunch of 3rd graders. It was definitely educational to say the least. The highlight of this field trip (besides walking around for 3 hours with nothing specific to do or learn) was the ducks at the pond. All of the kids were very excited to head off to the pond to feed the ducks the bread which everyone brought. (Later someone saw a sign that said the ducks were on a special diet and not to feed them bread — whoops!)

There was a momma duck with 3 little ducklings swimming in the pond. There were at least 3 male ducks also around this general area. One of the male ducks decides to “chase” the momma duck eventually landing on top of her while she was in the water. He proceeds to do his business with her as she’s pushed underwater. She gets to come up for air every now and then, but honestly, if you’d walked up at this point, you might not ever have seen her underneath. Two of the male ducks decide they are jealous or something and start harassing the one male duck who’s doing his business. Eventually, the male duck finishes and the momma duck swims away with her ducklings.

As I’m standing there next to one of the fathers also chaperoning, I look at him questioning how we explain this to the group of kids. The kids were going on about how mean those ducks were trying to drown the momma duck and all — I think some of them wanted to jump in and save the momma duck, but most of them calmed down when they saw the momma duck swim off. That is, except for the ones who left during the excitement. They started telling people that the momma duck had died. I think it was kinda of funny with the rumors that went around — the kids telling the teachers about what had happened. I certainly didn’t want to be the one to explain it to them — so yeah, those really mean ducks were beating up on the momma duck. We’ll leave it at that.

| Filed Under: Family, School

God, we’ve got a problem.

By Lisa B on May 12, 2008

Conversation before school this morning.

Me {yelling down the hall}: Are you ready yet?

Doodle: No!

Me: Why not?

Doodle: It’s none of your business.

Me: Oh yes it is! Everything is my business!

Doodle: No. My business is my business and your business is your business.

Me {walking into her room}: That is so not the way it works. Why are you putting on makeup? It’s not even Sunday.

Doodle: Mom! I have a whole secret life you know nothing about!

Me: Really? What kind of secret life?

Doodle: If I told you, it wouldn’t be secret.

Just some background here. Doodle will be 9 next month. I generally let her wear a little bit of makeup to church because she wants to be like me, but clearly this is starting to get out of hand.

| Filed Under: Family, School

The best laid plans …

By Lisa B on April 14, 2008

aren’t always God’s plans.

I had a renewed sense of purpose for today. I was going to get up early, read my Bible, have quiet time, pray and after taking Doodle to school, I was going to just write. Well, I got up early. That’s about it.

Doodle got up early and went to the bathroom for a drink of water. I got up to check on her and she told me her stomach hurt (which is not unusual when she has gas). I got her a glass of water and some infant gas drops (yes, she’s 8 but I think these are more a mind comfort for her). I went to the other end of the house to — read my Bible? No. Alas, I sat down to check email figuring quiet time would come after I dropped her off at school.

“MOOOOM!” I heard her scream as she normally does from the other end of the house.

I casually walked back there, threw open her door and yelled “What?” She was throwing up in her bed. I ran to grab a trash can although most of the throwing up was already done. I felt so bad for thinking she was just ‘beckoning’ me to come do her bidding again.

I got her cleaned up, stripped the sheets and blankets off the bed, and set her up in the den with me to watch tv. Now she’s playing a video game and chatting up a storm. She even ate a little breakfast and seems to be feeling fine. No fever by the way.

I mentioned maybe she should go to school, but she said “um Mom? I’m worried I may give my germs to my friends and they’ll throw up too.” I’m usually all for giving her a day off, especially when there’s been a lot of testing and hard work at school. But she just went back to school last week from a 3.5-week break.

Ah well, God must have plan — maybe for me to work on my patience, or for me to spend some quality time listening to Doodle ramble about her games, movies and tv shows. I guess writing will have to wait until tomorrow

| Filed Under: Family, Home, School

You know you’re in trouble when …

By Lisa B on March 24, 2008

Mom IM’s you to make sure you’re still alive — because it’s been for-e-ver since you blogged!

I’ve actually had quite a few people get on me for not blogging lately. So here’s a somewhat update since the last blog post.

Charter School: Well, I went to the lottery. I was really disappointed because Doodle is #31 on the wait list. I know God has a plan, but it’s really hard for me to believe His plan is for her to stay at the school she’s in now. I know others whose children were on the waiting list last year and got in, so I’m holding on to the hope that she’ll get in. We’re trying to get her in to the 4th grade there. To give you an idea of the public school system around here, there were 2 spots open for the 6th grade — and about 175 kids on the wait list!

Walking Pneumonia: Almost 2 weeks ago, Duck was sick with coughing and congestion. I wanted him to go to the doctor, but he kept saying he was getting better — that it was viral and the doctors wouldn’t do anything about it. After he kept me up a few nights coughing, I made him an appointment and told him he’d better go. He was a good boy and went — the doctor said he had walking pneumonia, gave him an antibiotic and super-duper cough medicine, and he’s all better now. Doodle started coughing along the same time Duck did, but neither she nor I have it.

Allergies: I am allergic to many, many things: grasses, trees, pollen, house dust, pet hair, makeup, housework, laundry, work, etc. You name it — I’m probably allergic to it. Friday morning my nose started running and hasn’t stopped yet. So whether it is pollen season or the little bit of cleaning I tried to do Friday, I’ve felt run down. Yesterday I broke out in my typical rash — the kind that makes it sort of painful to be wearing clothes. Out comes the big sweatshirts (it was kinda cold yesterday!). The rash will go away in a few days and hopefully my runny nose with it. With this crummy feeling, I haven’t been riding my bike either.

Easter: I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. We ended up not going to church, which bummed me out but I needed the rest. I had to take Benadryl for my allergies — which knocks me out. Poor Callie did her best to wake me up at 7:45 am Sunday morning to see what the Easter bunny brought, but I couldn’t make myself move. She was excited to get a Google — did you know there’s actually some kind of animal from Webkinz that they’ve named Google? Amazed me.

Softball: Softball season will be starting soon — for all of us. Doodle is actually doing quite well with Duck coaching. We picked up some more girls on Doodle’s team, and lost a few. We’re still at 16 which is still too many for one team — and not enough for two teams. I’ll share some things about Youth Athletic Associations in another post. There’s too much to comment on in this post.

Slump: I am in a slump. I started out the year desperately wanting to be in God’s Will for my life and it’s just March — I already feel off-track. I haven’t been doing my quiet time each day or reading my Bible. Due to sickness and my motorcycle class, we haven’t been to church in 3 weeks — and I feel it. I’ve fallen into looking at other blogs and thinking I don’t have anything really important to say or share. I look at other women who are making money online and know I have the knowledge to do the same, something’s just holding me back. Whether it’s procrastination or the lack of follow-through I’m not sure. I had wanted to work my way to She Speaks, and I saw last week where they are full — they’ve started a waiting list. So if I go to this conference, it will truly be a miracle from God.

| Filed Under: Bloggin', Church, Family, School, Softball

Sanity may not be overrated afterall

By Lisa B on January 7, 2008

Yes, today I got some of my sanity back. I had a great morning even despite the fact Doodle did not want to get up and go to school. She wasn’t as combative as she could’ve been though and I know that’s a miracle from God. Both Duck and I have been praying for that

I got the kitchen cleaned up, lunch made, Doodle to school, and actually made it to the gym for my first workout in about a month. It felt good to get back to the gym although I did have to cut back on the weights and the reps in my routine. I got to add one exercise that will strengthen my wrists. When I’ve been riding my motorcycle, my right hand has been cramping up, but I think this cool wrist machine will help. I’ve signed up for my motorcycle class in March, and softball will be starting the same time — so I’ve got 3 months to get back in shape.

I’m off to do laundry. I actually remembered Oh, and I might have to make some tea for Duck — the tea alarm’s been going off!

Stay tuned as there’s lots to share with the upcoming Bible Study groups!

| Filed Under: Blessings, Family, Fitness, Motorcycle, School

The Room Mother (eeewww …. aaaawww)

By Lisa B on July 31, 2007

Ok, so this title loses a lot when you can’t hear my wonderful husband saying it, but just imagine you hear him ew’ing and aw’ing about me being one of Doodle’s room parents. In the past 2 years I’ve helped with the PTA (spirit sales for an elementary school — how much spirit can you really have in a school without sports? but I digress…). I know you remember the tv show (hopefully I’m not showing my age here) Harper Valley PTA? Well, Duck would sing the theme song to Harper Valley PTA all the time! So I decline a position this year on the PTA board and decide to just help out in Doodle’s room. Now I get this — this title — complete with wiggly fingers. I think I’ll just have to video it so ya’ll can enjoy it — at least one of us should enjoy it!