Conspiracy Theory

Yeah, okay, I'll admit it, I like to assume conspiracies on the part of big business, governments, etc. occasionally. So now, I've figured another one out: Gas Prices! See, it was always the plan for gas prices to be around $2.50-$2.60, but "they" knew we would whine and complain about it, so "they" jacked the prices up to and over $4 bucks so when the prices "dropped" down to $2.60, we would celebrate and sing praises to the oil and gas companies.

HA! I've figured it out!!

Or not.

New Interest?

One of our home-school groups has a team that just competed in a local robotics competition against area high schools (and a few middle school teams). Our team ended up in 3rd place overall out of 22 teams!! And most of our kids are in 5th grade, from what I hear, so more kuddos to their teachers (parents) and of course, to the kids themselves.

Hunter had signed up to be on the Jr. team for this competition, which would have just "watched" and "supported", but learned more along the way. But he ended up being the only junior to attend an initial meeting, so the decision was made not to have a Jr. team. However, the parent leaders kept Hunter in the loop of the progress and offered him to be included in the process if he so wished. Timing kept us from going to some of the beginning meetings - and I don't think Hunter's interest would have been kept for long in the design phase, but when the robot was up and running and the team was practicing driving for the competition, Hunter went over to watch and was invited to "drive" the robot.

He was in Heaven! That's all he could talk about all day long. Then this Saturday we went to the competition event and he saw the other school's robots. He thought his team's robot was better and kids were better drivers. And yeah, from what I saw, pretty much.

Anyway, he is all into robotics now and can't wait for the next junior opportunity to get involved somehow. Cool. He's never been into sports - except for NASCAR - so this may give him something to "do". Yea!!

No Wonder I'm Tired

I just found out tonight why I'm so tired.

My parents are moving from the house I grew up in. I was 3 months old when they moved into that house. My mother told my sister, Jodi, that they had been in that house for 50 years and had so much to go through.

To which Jodi replied, "Fifty years, huh? I can't wait to call Lori and let her know that."

The reason I would be concerned...I turned FORTY at my last birthday as far as I know. But the one person in this world that you would think would remember when I was born is saying she's been in the house for 50 years -the house they moved into when I was an infant.

No wonder I'm so tired. I'm 10 years older than I thought I was. Dang, I look good for 50.

From Mars

Do you ever have the feeling that someone just does not like you? Do you ever know why that is? There is a lady at my church that looks at me like I'm from Mars nearly every time I see her. She was a mentor mom in a mom group I was in a few years ago and I thought that would give us a better chance to get to know each other, but no, she avoided me like the plague and again, gave me the look. I read blogs from other friends and talk to other people who just nearly - not entirely - worship the ground she walks on, so to mention this to them would elicit the looks from Mars as well. I know that I have never been rude to this lady - I've had no reason - I've always greeted her and her family anytime I have seen them, but still...the look. I actually ran into her at a restaurant recently as we were leaving and went to greet her. She and her table mate gave me the look and then she sighed and asked if we were coming or going. I replied that we were just leaving, but I saw them and wanted to come say hello. And that was about all of that conversation. I certainly don't try to force myself on her or anyone else for that matter, but I won't be rude.

Yeah, it bothers me to the point of wondering did I inadvertently do something so long ago to really hack this woman off to the point of holding a grudge for years and years (I've been at my church for over 12 years - this has been on going since the beginning), or does she just not like the way I look? Or my husband? Or my children? Or what?

Now, there are people that I just don't like, and it's usually been over an attitude toward me or my family. But I have always greeted them and been friendly because I can't change them, but I can change my attitude towards them. If this lady is holding a grudge from the beginning, it most certainly could have been over an attitude of mine in the early days - I was 12 years younger and very immature in many ways.

Perhaps I am still immature in many ways if this still bugs me when I see her or hear people raving over how wonderful a person she is. Or maybe I'm just hurt that I would love to get to know such a wonderful woman better and feel left out of that circle. Again, immaturity. Jealousy, maybe.

Just needed to be a little transparent and throw this out there. Thanks for listening.

Sad Day for Hunter

It was a sad day in McKinney today for a little boy watching a race going on in Talladega, Alabama. Jeff Gordon was doing really well today and Hunter was so excited...until...well, a blown tire on another car took Jeff out of the race - and out of championship contention.

Hunter buried himself under pillows on the couch. I asked him to come sit with me and a very teary sounding - but muffled - voice said, "why? I'm not crying." He did sit with me for a short while, but soon left the room to go mourn in his Jeff Gordon sanctuary of a bedroom.

As much as some people may not like JG, I think he is great. My little boy sees a leader of a man admitting mistakes and accepting blame when necessary and no matter what, always praising his team and their hard work.

Yeah, it was a bummer seeing him leave the track, and it was discouraging to see Hunter so upset, but it is always a good thing to be able to talk about things like this - that life doesn't always go the way we want it too - and how we can praise God in all things, no matter what.

Sorry, Jeff, but thanks for the good lesson!

Princess Diva

Hadyn loves "nunns" and "wings". For you without innate knowledge of almost 2 year old speech, this means necklaces and rings (I haven't figured out what bracelets are called). Oh, my, how we love to dress up in our nunns and wings. So much so, I found a little shelf for her growing jewelry collection.

Fitting, don't you think?

Pushing

Hunter and I have head to head combat occasionally. Oh, not in any violent way, but in a Mother/Teacher to Son/Pupil type of way. There are those times when he will decide on his own that something is just too hard to do and all of a sudden, he "can't do it." I really don't like those words and usually won't let them fly too far out of his mouth before "yes, you can," leaves mine.

The math curriculum we have this year is Singapore Math, which moves very quickly and is more advanced on grade level than what we would be doing in public school this year. I'm trying to make up ground from what he forgot/didn't get last year in school. So to really drill in addition math facts, I found a worksheet that has 100 boxes on it with all the math fact equations (you know, 0+1 through 9+9). The worksheet goes on top of a blank paper and the student then fills in the answers in the boxes.

When we started this worksheet on September 11th, I decided to time Hunter to see how long it would take him to do this sheet. I clocked him at 26:49. This time was atrocious! So, I set a goal for him. If he could get the time down to 8 minutes, I'd take him to Bono's Race Shop so he could pick out a new NASCAR car. We did the worksheet 3-4 times a week and charted and graphed his progress. Each time we did the sheet, his time would get better, then go back up, then progress down, on and on. Finally, on this past Monday, Hunter hit 8:30. The goal was 8 minutes so we were super close. Tuesday morning we sat down with the worksheet and talked over some problem problems and discussed how we "skip" answers we don't know immediately then come back to them later. I started the stop watch and watched my little boy blitz through these addition math facts. He hit the end and went back to the top to skim for skipped questions, answered all of them, and I hit "stop". The time on the watch was amazing to us... 6 minutes and 45 seconds!!!

We sang and danced all over the kitchen. So, yes, we went to Bono's on Wednesday and Hunter got to combine his two loves: Jeff Gordon and Speed Racer with a new 1/64th diecast car.

What a fantastic accomplishment for him (and for me). I told him that I knew he could do it and that I will continue to push him when I know he needs it, so just get used to it. I love seeing him happy with himself.

Yea!!