School Project

B came home last week with a "family" assignment. As a "family" we were suppose to use materials found around the house to make a turkey. Now I absolutely HATE doing these projects. My son has never liked doing them either. So I was dreading this project. I hate craft projects and try to keep that kind of stuff to a minimum. Not sure why, I think it's the mess that it makes and the magical clean up fairies never show up.

After a week of avoiding the project, I decided that what I needed was a plan. B wasn't super keen on using one of our small pumpkins, or a potato. Things that were suggested in the note sent home. So a quick search on my favorite tool... the internet... we found a couple of projects that we could really get behind.

B settled on a turkey napkin holder. Basically, a strip of construction paper with a head, wings and feet cut out. We folded another piece of paper accordion style for the tail feathers. He added a beak, some googly eyes and some poms. He's very proud of his turkey and thinks it's cute. His words. lol

So I'm pretty proud of myself and of B since he took an interest and did most of the project himself with only little help from me. Well, we had his parent teacher conference last night. BTW, he got rave reviews from the teacher. As we are sitting there listening to all of his 1st grade accomplishments, I notice that some kids have already turned in their turkeys. It's OBVIOUS that the parents of some of the kids DID the project themselves with little help from their child. It's FIRST grade not some commissioned piece of art that will be hanging in some gallery in New York and needs to be super elaborate.

Why do parents feel they need to get so super involved in a craft project? They don't get the grade anymore. They already had their turn in the sun. Let you child take the lead and do the bulk of the project. I know it said FAMILY on it, but I believe that your child was suppose to take the lead and do the bulk of the work with little guidance from mom and dad. I'm all for helping B with his homework, but as a parent I also need to take a step back and let him pass or fail on HIS efforts. If he has to suffer the consequences of a frown face then so be it. Maybe he'll work harder next time for that smiley face and learn to put his best efforts into his work.

Since he's only in 1st grade, I'm thinking I've got a long hard road of projects ahead...

Am I an addict?

So I think I may have issues. I'm not an addict in the traditional sense like smoking, drinking, illegal drugs, etc. I don't even know if there IS a 12 step program to help me. But are you even considered an addict if you don't want to stop?

So what is this addiction that I speak of. Well, let me tell you what happened today. I'm at the grocery store and enjoying the time to myself. I use to hate getting groceries, but when I can go by myself it's heavenly. I am going through the self checkout, click on finish and pay and swear under my breath. I FORGOT to scan a fountain drink cup. UGH! So instead of just shrugging it off and moving on, I purchase the cup all so I can get a little bit of the brown fizzy stuff.... COKE! A habit that I really need to give up but am not all too excited about. The addiction was only made worse by a certain fast food restaurant chain that had game pieces included on their medium sized drinks. So every time I drove past said chain I would have to pull in to get one via drive thru. I was making up excuses to go places that just happened to be near one. My oh my am I ever hooked. Why is it so easy to feed into my $1.47 habit.

Oh and that's a whole other rant. Does it really cost $1.47????? I mean just two weeks ago it was $1.37 and over the summer it was only a buck. What is up with that?!! I guess at least it's cheaper than souped up coffees.

I do have other addictions but I am so in denial. Like the facebook one. I avoided it for months, finally stepped a toe into the waters of facebook and within a month I'm hooked! Heaven forbid if they have issues or I call down the powers that be to curse them in one breath and take it back in the next... just in case "they" can hear me and decide to mess with my profile some more. What's a girl to do? At least on facebook I'm interacting with people instead of the TV. That's what I tell myself anyway.

I think I'll keep the rest of my addictions to myself... for now. Until it's time they rear their ugly heads. Why can't I be addicted to healthy things like running, exercise, or even just fruit. lol Maybe I'll try turning over a new leaf and find some new and improved addictions, but then again.... coke just tastes so good.

What is this blogging thing??

There are so many people who are blogging these days. A good friend of mine just started a blog. So I thought I would give it a shot. I have not a clue what I'm doing, but I love to rant and rave about things that bother me. I'm tired of only talking out loud to myself. LOL. Maybe if I put my rants online I'll have an audience.

So a little bit about me.....

I have two kids. My son B is 7 and my daughter Grainerd is 4. So lots to talk about there. Lots of comedy and drama and new parenting issues that I have NOT a clue on how to deal with. Where is that manual? I must have misplaced it at the hospital before I brought them home. Even if they did have one, I'm not sure it would be in a language I understand. Not sure how I am old enough or grown up enough to have a 7 year old. Where did the time go?

I've been happily married for almost 10 years now. He is my rock. It's been a wild ride and I wouldn't change any of it. It's all helped to shape me into the... dare I say it... woman I am today.

Not sure how much I'll be posting. We'll see where this takes me. Between being wife, mom, business owner, chef, chauffeur, judge, jury, executioner, pardoner, friend, sister, daughter, aunt, decision maker, accountant, facebook addict etc. we'll see how much time I have to post. I'm sure I'll have a rant very soon. Us redheads usually do! lol