Conversation with a Teenager

Setting: Gorgeous sunny day - about 81 degrees.

Me: (to teenage son): What would you like to do today?
Him: Play x-box, eat, sleep.

Brief pause

Him: Why? Were you planning to do something?
Me: It's such a nice day!
Him (whining): I don't want to!

Longer pause, while I am on internet

Me: I need to get you a job.
Him: I'm perfectly happy without one.
Me: Yes, that's the problem.
Him: You don't want me to be happy??

Better Score, Broken Player, Bob's Hours

Quick post, then off to bed. Yeah, it's late.

See Cornerstone for the Winter Break Highlights for Tuesday.

After sledding today, the car wouldn't start. Just clicked repeatedly. Called Bob, he said get someone to jump it. That worked! I was amazed as I really didn't think that was the problem. So, hopefully all will be well with the van.

Got the taxes e-filed today. Finally. I don't know why I put it off so long, when we get money back! I just hate dealing with numbers.

My job training went better today. Attended the first live meeting session online this morning for some more training and then took another "test" tonight. Did much better than yesterday's. And I felt better today when I found out my poor score from Monday was still better than the average score. I think I will like the job.

Touched up my nails and cut my own hair. Like the hair, but the nails look patchy. They need to be redone. I like how they look and since I will be typing a lot, I figure it will give me something to look at. lol

Didn't Tae-bo today. Too busy and too tired. Didn't go to the Pampered Chef show either, though I wanted to.

Bob got the schedule for next week and he has FOUR days instead of three! YAY! I guess a couple people quit.

Suzy was carrying Emily's CD player up the stairs tonight and forgot the handle was broken. It fell down the staircase all the way from upstairs and busted apart. David to the rescue! He fit it all back together and duct taped it, so that it works. Well, the CD player works anyway. The cassette deck door broke off and was unsalvageable.

Made chicken potpie (Bisquick crust) tonight and it ALL vanished. LOL Also made blueberry crisp with the last of the blueberries from summer. It wasn't as well-received. What will I make tomorrow????

I don't have to go anywhere at all on Wednesday or Thursday, though I imagine I'll need to go at least to the store and library at some point before co-op on Friday.

OK, that wasn't as short as I had predicted, but now I am going to bed. Morning comes early.

Snow shoveling, Essay grading, and Ink flowing

Bob got called off work today. They said come in tomorrow instead, due to the snow. They are expecting fewer shoppers.

That was good since he could take David to the dentist instead of me. David had a tooth extracted today, so now he's laying down. Which means he'll be behind in his lessons. Which I warned him about earlier in the week, so he could consider working ahead. But did he? Noooo....

I think we got about 6 inches of snow. Anyone know how to check that? Is there a website with that info? David and James were sent out to shovel and Suzy did of her own accord. I'll make Emily do some shoveling later, no worries, ok?

Thinking of taking the kids to the children's museum tomorrow since it is $1 admission day. Of course, the older two are a bit too mature for it, but we hope to visit friends after and they won't want to miss that. They can take lessons to do if they get bored in there.

Got an email last night about a work-at-home job that would be WONDERFUL. I had to do a sort of "test" and submit it, so I did that right away. Hopefully that will put me ahead in the queue and they'll call me for a phone interview. It would be soooo great, so please pray that works out.

Essay homework is trickling slowly into my email inbox. We don't have class this week, but I asked the students to submit an essay by email so I could grade it and get it back to them for next week.

I already need another black ink cartridge! Dang, the ink goes fast.

Home Again

We're home!!!

Packed up in the rain Friday morning and pulled our rig up to our house around 1:30 pm. After dragging the dirty laundry and coolers into the house, we all collapsed in a heap. Then we realized that David's first soccer game was in a town farther away than I had thought and he and I hopped into the van and headed out, stopping on the way for a part for the water heater, since we have NO HOT WATER now.

David enjoyed his first game (WHEW!) and said he wants to work on his sprinting, so he can play better. I am SO GLAD to hear him say that. I was afraid he'd dislike playing since he really hasn't enjoyed practice. He told me I guilted him into playing. lol

Their team of all homeschooled high schoolers played against a team from a Christian school. The score was a 1-1 tie. David played midfield and forward. It didn't rain!

I will upload pictures from the trip as soon as I can find the USB cord for the camera. It's gone missing.

David on Missions Trip

As some of you know, David is gone this week on a missions trip. Twelve teens from our church went to Nashville with several adults from our church (and one toddler!) to work in a missions program there for 4 days.

They left early Sunday morning and the plans were to work Mon-Thurs in the missions program and spend Friday at a waterpark before heading back.

I've gotten a few texts from David since he's been gone. He let me know he was having trouble finding a signal. I asked him to tell me what his day looks like and here's what he said:
"Our day is on a set course. Eat, work in this homeless place moving stuff, lunch, paint a house, dinner." That was Wednesday's schedule. The days could all be the same or each one could be different.

I haven't called since I don't want to disrupt the flow of the experience there. Plus it's probably "not cool" you know. But I am sure I'll hear a lot when he returns on Saturday. He has his cell phone, obviously, so hopefully he's taken some photos with it. A friend is going to email me a pic of the whole group that was taken before they left.

Please continue to pray for their experience and for their safety. I am sure he's doing just fine, but prayers are an added blessing.

Weekend is over again.....

So, after Suzy's party Friday, I just kicked back and relaxed. David went up to the church and helped the Best Years Fellowship (senior citizens) pack up their garage sale. I got a nice email later saying what a great job he did. That's always nice to hear!

The kids watched something on TV and I stuck in some frozen pizzas. James had been visiting a friend and he didn't come home until bedtime. I showed my friend (who had been hosting James) what facebook is all about.

Saturday, David rode his bike up to the church again to see if they needed more help loading up the garage sale leftovers but they were done.

Then we headed up to town to the library and then to the soccer fields. It was Field Maintenance Day. Oh yeah, my favorite thing - GARDENING. NOT. Anyway, you'd be proud of me - I slung mulch and pushed a wheelbarrow. So did my kids! Even Suzy. She actually loved pulling weeds. James and David worked very hard. (Emily? Not her favorite thing either. She's going to need some practice on enjoying it.) Bob helped too. He can shovel more than I can, and he does it sitting down! He has some upper body strength! We worked there about an hour or so and then headed home.

The kids did their chores and I took a much needed shower, before heading off to the one-year anniversary of my book club! We gathered at an Italian restaurant for dinner and conversation before heading to the new apartment of one of our faithful members. Once there, we discussed our book (the play by Oscar Wilde - The Importance of Being Earnest) and then watched the movie. It's one of my all-time favorites -so witty and enjoyable! I highly recommend it!

Today David got up and rode his bike (again!) over to the church for Sunday School. The rest of us didn't aim for SS, but David really likes his class. Anyway, I was upset with him for not telling me that he was leaving, although I sort of figured he would. But he told me later on that he DID tell me; I just apparently wasn't alert enough to process it. Oops! LOL Next time, he better write me a note too. The sermon today was really inspiring to me. I hope it was to many.

This afternoon, my neighbor had to move out. She lost her house to the bank. They're coming tomorrow to take possession. That's sad. She's lived behind us for a long time - twice actually. She grew up there and lived there when we first moved here, but sold it and moved away for a time. Then she bought the same house again and has lived there for several more years. She has three teenage children. She passed on a lot of stuff to us that she couldn't take along - mostly clothes, but also a few other things.

So, that took up some time this afternoon, as well as getting David ready for camp. He leaves Monday right after lunch. He is so excited that I'll be surprised if he sleeps at all! He has the busiest summer of all of us!

I think I'm going to go finish my book and eat some popcorn with cheese sprinkles.

The Holy Hand Grenade

For your viewing pleasure - 2 minutes of David reciting a section of dialogue from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. He's not even seen the whole movie, just sections on youtube. I'm pretty much amazed at his ability to retain sections of dialogue. He's always been able to do it, but I can rarely get him to perform. He did so on this occasion in exchange for a can of Mountain Dew. LOL (And it might be more pleasing to the ear than four minutes of children shrieking. Heh heh heh)

The Nitty-Gritty

I did watch the inauguration, about an hour of it anyway - the actual swearing-in ceremonies, Aretha singing, Rick Warren's benediction (which was the best part, imo), John Williams' music, etc... The kids and Bob watched too.

Bob has been a little better every day. He can sit up and sit down by himself now, which he couldn't do for about 4 days. Today, however, he has a migraine, which has pretty much flattened him. He spent most of the day in bed resting. I also have a headache, but a couple ibuprofen took the edge off. My back is about the same - just a nagging ache, especially when I bend over, at which time I groan like someone's sticking me with a knife. Not that I know what that feels like.

Have tried and failed to get into a number of books lately. Gave up on a few. Read the intro part to The Shack and it didn't grab me. I do intend to finish it, but I'm not in the mood. Reading The Jane Austen Book Club now, which was made into a movie. The movie version was the impetus for Dar and I starting OUR OWN Jane Austen Book Club, better known as The Rollicking Readers. Anyway, the movie wasn't all that good, and to be honest, so far the book is worse. Blech.

Watched Waitress last night. Though it made me cry, I didn't really like it. Not big on movies that condone extramarital affairs, even if the husband is mean and nasty, or senile and drooling. Whatever. Also watched Panic Room this week, which was better, but quite scary. Jodie Foster is always good. And, no, neither of those star Hugh Jackman . I can look beyond my current obsession, you know.

We have also been watching Planet Earth DVD's and they are awesome, but they'd be better on a TV that isn't all washed out like ours is. There's no way of fixing it. It's just the way the darn thing is. Old and stupid. At least it works. I'd like to replace it with something NICE AND BIG but Bob resists.

Let's see. I've been exercising three times a week in the mornings. Long ago, I taped some fitness shows off ESPN - the Fitness Pros. (See how long ago that was? I had CABLE then. It was when David was a baby, I think.) I liked them then and I still like them now, so I dug out that old tape and put it back into service. Once I get a month of this routine down, I'll take it up a notch, perhaps by adding a 4th day to my routine, or maybe by adding strength training on opposite days. Not sure yet. Once it gets warm enough (April?), I'll add walking to the routine.

I've also been counting calories and staying within my calorie limits almost every day. (I went slightly over a couple days and on scrapbooking weekend, calories are free, or so I've been told.) Candy has an amazing amount of calories in it! ACK! So anyway, hopefully results will follow.

I'm getting rather discouraged that we haven't heard the results from Bob's disability hearing. Apparently it doesn't matter to them that our whole LIVES hang on this decision and we really can't move ahead until we know. The hearing was September 16th, so that makes it over four months we've been waiting now. I hope there is not some simple reason why, like they don't have a report from a certain doctor, or something. Those things we could hurry along IF we knew about them!

David's bronchitis is a little better, I think. It's hard to mother a sick teenager. He resists at almost every turn, but then is surprised when he isn't healing.

And no one wants to play Word Twist with me. Wah!

OK, laundry needs folded, dinner needs worked on.

Health Update 2

Bob is a little better every day. He spends his day in the recliner and then moves back to bed to sleep. He isn't taking Vicodin anymore though, just his regular OTC meds that he always takes for pain. He is very sore, but I think he'll mend well.

David is about the same, maybe a bit worse. Hard to tell. The cough comes and goes. I am 90% sure it is viral bronchitis. (Did I say this here already? Losing track.....) Anyway, rest, fluids, vitamins, etc... is what the doctor would say. OUR doctor would probably prescribe a useless antibiotic. (Useless because they don't combat viruses, only bacteria.) Anyway, I'm making him sleep more. I gave him the day off lessons on Monday and let him SLEEP IN on Tuesday. (giggles! wondering why? see my post on Cornerstone about bedtimes/wake times... lol) I'm giving him garlic capsules, zinc, vitamin C, echinacea, orange juice, Delsym cough meds (barely touch the cough). I tried tea. That went over like a lead balloon. I will try hot cider today.

I remember having bronchitis when I was pregnant with Suzy. I didn't have any insurance and never went to the doctor for it, so I wasn't officially diagnosed. I coughed for weeks, awful paroxysms. TERRIBLE. (Did I use that word right? No, not "terrible"! LOL)

Oh yeah, my back. Still hurts. It's not a terrible thing, just an annoyance. But like I need one more of THOSE right now. lol I am exercising and going about my business anyway.

OK, I am just procrastinating the writing. I think I am at a painful part in the story and I don't want to write it. I've been avoiding it for days now. I may skip that and write a better part first. That way, at least I know where it's heading.

Health Update

Decided against taking David to the doctor today. Going to concentrate on fluids and rest. I think he has viral bronchitis and I'm pretty sure that's what the doctor would say. They might prescribe an antibiotic, because they tend to do it no matter what, but if its viral, it won't help anyway.

Bob is resting, pretty comfortably, until he has to move one way or another. He decided to just rest and see how much he improves. It's possible he cracked a rib, but I would imagine they'd just tape it.

Somehow I got my back out of alignment. I can feel one of my vertebrae in a weird place. Going to research if I can put it back somehow on my own. Not thinking I want to pay a chiropractor at this point.

Outlaws, Doctors, Barbies

Loving the Robin Hood BBC series! Will be posting more about that on Mirkwood soon. If I don't, call me on it!

David is sick - has had a persistent cough that got much worse yesterday. Today he woke up with laryngitis. I think I'll take him to the doctor tomorrow.

I need to find some paper for my co-op class this Friday. Will call a printer tomorrow and see if they can provide it.

The girls love the MP3 players they got for Christmas, Suzy especially. She uses hers every day! They look like Barbies and they can snap on and off the clothes and hair. Very nice item - I am pleased with it!

Clearance Shopping!

Clearance shopping is fun! I like to get wrapping paper and bows and gift tags. I bought wrapping paper that COULD be Christmas-y, but it isn't specifically. So, I can use it year-round. EXCELLENT! :::plays air guitar:::

I also found some of those new LED Christmas lights, and a hanging light globe thing. Got a few things for gifts next year - Christmas socks and such, as well as 4 gifts to put away for birthday party invitations. What else? Hmmm... Some plastic Christmas cups and bowls. I'm sure there are some other things. Candy, of course. lol

I also bought David a birthday gift and a cake and some pizza. He's FOURTEEN tomorrow!

Fall portraits of the kids

Well, these aren't "school pictures" but they are the equivalent. :-)

Dude, You're Getting a Dell?

My dad sent us this ad in the mail with a note wondering when David started modeling. LOL It sure does look a LOT like my son. For those of you that know him in person, what do you think? You should be able to click to make the pic bigger.

Everyone Had the Same Idea

David had fun at Cedar Point, but only got to ride 3 rides. Evidently they spent a good deal of time in the arcades, because the lines were very long for the rollercoasters. He said the parking lot was crammed full of church vans and school buses. One would think a Tuesday would not be prime time for visiting an amusement park, but apparently everyone else had the same thought. Well, at least he had a good time! They got back last night about 12:30 am.

I think some people imagine I spend all day on the computer looking at blogs and such. On occasion I do sit here most of the day, but that's when I am writing or doing other work. I was telling a friend that it will be difficult to stay focused when I have to work on the computer for several hours and the internet is Right There All The Time. lol

But usually I find I can accomplish all I need to in less than half an hour. Right now I have been online for less than 20 minutes and I've read several blogs, read all my email, wrote a couple emails, checked my facebook account, checked the weather and paperbackswap, and looked at 20+ job listings sent to me by the Michigan Talent Bank. Oh yeah, and wrote this blog entry. And had some coffee - essential!

Now it's time to get dressed. After we have family prayer/Bible time, I'm heading into town (probably taking James along) to file my business paperwork, go to the library book sale, and stop at Walmart. Oh yeah, and the Secretary of State to file the title for the trailer.

Coaster Question

David is on his way to Cedar Point! His youth pastor called yesterday to give him the opportunity to join the group, as they needed one more student to get the group rate.

Because he doesn't really LIKE amusement park rides, David hadn't signed up for the trip when it first was announced. So, I wasn't sure he would be interested. However, he took the opportunity and he's on his way!

We spent some time last night on Cedar Point's website, as they have video for each rollercoaster, so you can see what riding it is like! Wheeee!

Stay tuned for the report - will he ride a rollercoaster? (I would! I would!)

Manic Monday

The family picnic was awesome!

Whoa, I just had some major deja vu! Yikes. OK, I am apparently doing stream-of-consciousness posting here tonight.

We spent all day Sunday with my family. Will have photos and a report later. Since mostly my family reads this, they were all there and don't need a report! LOL

Monday we hung around my parents' house until nearly noon and then headed home. Got home to unpack the car and head out again for the kids' dental appointments.

No cavities! YAY! One orthodontic referral. One oral surgeon referral. Boo!

Headed over to get David's new glasses - 2 pair! He loves them!

Headed home. By now, we've logged almost 4 hours in the car today, but it's not over.

Had PBJ and pea pods for dinner and then headed out to our homeschool group's fundraiser at DQ - yep Dairy Queen! It was so nice to see so many people there! Then we had a kickball game together at a local park. A nice evening!

Total hours in car: nearly 5!

This is a busy week. The local fair, a night of VBS, beach day, co-op registration, the Jane Austen Book Club. I want to get some work done too. Plus there is BREAKING DAWN to read! lol

Saturday

I have a headache and my throat is scratchy. I want Bob to go buy some OJ.

David is back! He loved camp and had a great time, other than losing his glasses. He is VERY VERY tired and already went to bed.

I spent the afternoon at a friend's house since David was invited there to play Airsoft battle with her son. Other people came and went. We chatted about Twilight, Outlander, movies, Wii, church, worship, and other topics. What a nice afternoon! I stayed far too long - Sorry, Dar!

She lent me some movies - P.S. I Love You (which I have been wanting to see), Housesitter, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Yep, Jen, she loves it too! lol) She also lent me a couple of books - Darcy's Story by Janet Aylmer and Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Ashton, as well as Twilight on audio CD! (She's an enabler of all my obsessions. LOL It's ok, as I do that for her as well.)

The kids are watching Bibleman and Bob is heading out to pick up the stove shortly.

I didn't get down to order David any glasses since he got back later than I thought he would today. So I'm going to have to do that tomorrow, I suppose, before I go out to the movie.

Under the bridge

David called after I left for work, sounding very upset.

Evidently he lost his glasses at camp.

In the water. Under the bridge.

Sigh.

I guess that adds something else for me to do tomorrow. Take David to the cheap glasses place and order him some new glasses. I don't think he has any spares since his previous pair broke, if I recall correctly. I believe he has used up his glasses insurance benefit for this year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

In more cheerful news, I am now officially laid off! I don't know yet if I will go back to work at all when called back. My decision will come when I see how long the lay-off will be and how if any writing work is lined up. Some are predicting a long layoff; some say only a week. No one knows, probably not even the boss. I do still have two vacation days to use up too.

Tomorrow - pick up Angel Food, connect with David (someone else is bringing him back), probably order him glasses unless he found his, take him to a birthday party (which won't be much fun since he probably won't be able to see anything), Bob needs to go pick up a used stove we are buying from one of my coworkers, oversee the chores around here

Sunday - church, family time, I am going with friends to see Mamma Mia

~~~~~~~~~~
Man, am I TIRED. This has been a long long week. I am going to bed.

Take a Shower!

Sooo... let's see.

David left for camp yesterday. No, I didn't cry. lol He got in the van with the other guys and I stood around talking to the moms. They described how their sons took ONE shower during camp week last year or how they put their wet towels in their suitcases instead of hanging them up. I marched over to the van and addressed all the boys. "You ALL will shower at least once every day. You'll keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean clothes! Have fun!" LOL

Oh wow, Maryann just called and told me Christian Bale (Batman!) was arrested in London for assault. Yikes, I hope that's just an exaggeration or a misunderstanding.

Bob is having a sleep clinic evaluation tomorrow night. I will be taking half the night off work, since David is not here to babysit.

We are going to the library after lunch for an animal program. Should be fun!

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Verbal+assault
assault, in law, an attempt or threat, going beyond mere words, to use violence, with the intent and the apparent ability to do harm to another.

If violent contact actually occurs, the offense of battery ( in criminal and tort law, the unpermitted touching of any part of the person of another, or of anything worn, carried by, or intimately associated at that moment (as a chair being sat on) with another) has been committed; modern criminal statutes often combine assault and battery.

An assault may be both a crime and a tort (in law, the violation of some duty clearly set by law, not by a specific agreement between two parties, as in breach of contract . When such a duty is breached, the injured party has the right to institute suit for compensatory damages) for which the party assaulted may sue for damages; the victim's freedom, as to move or remain at peace, must have been impinged on.

Modern criminal statutes recognize certain degrees of assault (e.g., with intent to kill, to do great bodily harm, to rape) as aggravated assaults and felonies, though simple assault remains, as at common law (system of law that prevails in England and in countries colonized by England. The name is derived from the medieval theory that the law administered by the king's courts represented the common custom of the realm, as opposed to the custom of local jurisdiction that was applied in local or manorial courts) a misdemeanor.

Either malevolence or recklessness (as in driving a car in reckless disregard of human life) may constitute the intent necessary to assault in most jurisdictions.