# 8 education

Thankful # 8

I'm thankful for the education I received while getting my teaching credential. I think it has helped me be a better Mother and Child Care provider I'm less likely to get REALLY ANGRY at Super Tired Kids because I recognize that they are SUPER TIRED KIDS. I' really thankful that Mari and a lot of other Moms seem to intuit this. Teacher training has given me not only the skills to recognize this but to know what to do about it, and the courage to do it.

Recognize the problem ie: Kid fatigue

Identify the causes ie: time change and back to day care Monday

Evaluate the solutions ie: give up and let kid yell,scream and run wild or do calming projects with lots of attention going to tired kid until it is nap time

Communicate ie; "KID, I recognize you are tired. Yelling etc. is NOT okay. Let's do something productive. Let's talk about Thanksgiving and what nice things people have done for you. Let's be like the pilgrims and show our Thanks. Maybe we could make cards for all of the people who have been nice to us" I was smart and used crayon as the medium instead of paint. I learn by experience.

Take action ie: We traced our hands then colored them in with Fall colors. I then used a sharpie to turn ihands into a turkey. Even without him staying inside the lines his turned out GREAT (if we both say so ourselves). Wish I had a way and the smarts to scan our finished products so that we could share them

Follow thru on the real cause: Kid went down for an EARLY NAP. I read somewhere that it takes about 20 minutes to fall asleep. It took KID about 20 seconds.

Enjoy Results; I have time to type Thankful #8

# 7

THANKFUL #7

I'm thankful for really miserable nasty tough hard weeks. They make you appreciate the small stuff on the weeks when EVERYTHING is NOT going wrong. That,the miserable nasty etc. etc., was last week. This week ,although probably just an everyday ho hum normal week, seems absolutely WONDERFUL

THANKS

I'm behind in this Thanksgiving thing that Mari started because of a persnickety computer, So my 1st THANKS is to our kids for their patience and tolerance. I'm sure it isn't easy having semi-computer literate parents who constantly turn to them for help. Kids, your excellent technical and teaching skills are apparent by the fact that this blog made it to print.

Thank-you all for the computer help and all of the other things you do and have done for Dad and me on a regular basis. These thanks extend to Kris (I'm sending the Jones Camping Cocoa to Liz),Kurt, Gabe and Shellie as well.

THANKS#2 Which would have been #1 if Computer (I'm MAD at him and refuse to call him by name) weren't acting up. I'm thankful for waking up each morning to enjoy the sunrise and the promises of the day to come. Corney but true

THANKS#3 Thankful for my Mom's and Grandpa Henry's Homolies. "My home is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy" as well as "you are no better than the worst nor no worse than the best" things I try to live by,especially the "dirty enough to be happy" one

THANKS#4 Thanks to Dr.Seuss's lessons: "A person is a person no matter how small." Obviously I was reminding myself of this one while working. And "I said what I meant and I meant what I said" I'm Thankful for KIDs and all of the lessons you can learn from Kid Books. I wish that the newly elected politicians would strive to live by this as well

THANKS#5 This could have been #1 also because I think of it often. I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY (and not just those who are related by birth) A friend once told me that FAMILY ARE THOSE WHO ARE THERE WHEN YOU NEED THEM. THEY DON'T JUDGE. THEY ARE JUST THERE WHENEVER YOU NEED THEM> (Thank you Judy). I'm Thankful that Dennis and I and all of our kids have such GREAT FAMILIES.

I'm thankful for our kids and the adults that they have grown to be. I'm thankful (even though I sometimes disagree with their parent's methods - a Grandparents perogitive) for the people our Grandkids are growing up to be.

I'm THANKFUL for Doug, who is competent and busy at work but who always finds the time for others.

I'm THANKFUL for Bob,who while suffering thru back and leg pain but how is just like his brother, hard working and always there for others first

I'm THANKFUL for Liz who is not only there for immediate family but who serves all of us in her military capacity

I'm THANKFUL for Mari and her communication skills who keeps all of us connected, immediate family and extended family as well.

I'm THANKFUL for our Sons and daughters-in-law who put up with all of the parenting mistakes Dennis and I made in raising our tribe of 4. I hope that they realize that "perfection is boring and that to enjoy life you need challenges." I'm sure that all 4 or Dennis and my kids, although NEARLY PERFECT,present challenges

THANKS#6 I'm thankful for exterminators because even though Dennis is a GREAT HUSBAND, FATHER, ENGINEER<>

Think I'll leave todays THANKFUL for tonight. The day is just beginning and holds still more promise for wonderful things to be THANKFUL for

What do I ant to be remembered for.

What do I want to be remembered for? I have trouble remembering where I put the car keys and I do very little of the driving. I have trouble calling our kids and Grandkids by the right names.

The catalyst for this blog is Hubby going to a conference. For the first time in FOREVER, I've had the time organize and even clean (UGH). While doing the former, I found a book Mari asked me to fill out outlining our family history for Cares or Belle or, no, it couldn't have been Gracie. The book was covered in DUST (surprise! surprise!). Remembering is something that JUST HAPPENS. I don't seem to have much control over my memories. I am glad to say that most are pretty pleasant. Summers at the beach in Manasquan N.J., Square Dancing at the World's Fair. But that isn't the question at hand.

Maybe because I'm as old as a dinosaur (according to the D.C. Kids, with a walnut sized brain like brontosaurus,now appatasaurus according to Russell) or perhaps because I had a bug a couple of weeks ago that caused my body to ache and made just getting out of bed an ordeal. And staying up past 8pm harder than usual. I've been thinking about the question " What do I want to be remembered for?"

My mother wanted me to be a doctor. Her Mother died in childbirth (or so I've been told) and she had a less than easy childhood until an Aunt took her in. I was a premed major at Drew University for a while. She also wanted me to be "Better than the best" a part of the 4-H motto if I remember correctly. :)

My Dad wanted his 1st born to be a son. That may be why I enjoy Lowes and Home Depot more than Old Navy and Victoria Secrets. Along with the things my Mom taught me ( how to stand up straight and suck in my gut) I learned how to use wood working tools.

These are things my parents would have liked me to be remembered for.

My Grandpa Henry was a CHARACTER!!! and a big influence in my and I suspect others lives. He was a GOOD man. He was an inventor, an entrepeneur, a gold prospector, a futureist, a fisherman and an intregrationist ,a harmonica player and a bit crazy. Regarding the futureist and integrationist Black workers regularly shared food with us at our table WAY before it was politically correct to do so.

Grandpa Henry said some things when I was a kid that I've taken with me thru life:

1 You are no better than the worst, nor no worse than the best

2 There is NO failure in trying

3 There is Nothing you can do that is more valuable than helping someone else.

So I guess what I want to be remembered for ISN'T being better than the best (4-H) I was surprised years after graduation from college, that I was Validectorian. At the time I thought it strange, to be asked if "Judy" (a catholic) could give the valedictory speach. It isn't for being a Dr. which I'm Not, altho I have put bandages on more than a few BooBoos. Or for being as good as a guy. Even tho I can't do it now, I once could work as hard, lift as heavy, cut as clean as any guy.

It is Grandpa Henry's remarks that have stuck with me. I'D LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR BEING THE WIND BENEATH THE WINGS OF THOSE WHO HAVE CROSSED MY PATH. I've tried, as has Dennis, to give our kid lots of different experiences (sometimes ones they did NOT want as exemplified by the"I HATE PIANO" scribbled on an old music book I recently found - "GOT IT MARI")

I'D LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR WORKING HARD so that our kids could take trips to places like Washington D.C. and gain an appreciation for the wonderful place that they live and the sacrifices of those past that allow them to live here

I'D LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR RECOGNIZING THAT EVEN THO OUR KIDS WERE ONCE SMALL, EVEN THEN, THEY DESERVED RESPECT AS DO ALL PEOPLE (Dr. Seuss) and even critters DO

WHAT I'D LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR IS HELPING OTHERS BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE AND TEACHING THEM THAT THEY ARE NO BETTER THAN THE WORST NOR NO WORSE THAN THE THE BEST. THAT THERE IS NO FAILURE IN TRYING AND THAT TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF YOU HAVE TO PUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS FIRST.

THANKS GRANDPA HENRY

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BROCCOLI

LONG TIME NO BLOG

This is the FIRST weekend in what seems like YEARS that we have taken a weekend OFF and just stayed home here in Montrose. WAIT! IT PROBABLY HAS BEEn YEARS since my last blog was over two years ago.

Yesterday I worked the morning watching three kids. (so I guess technically we didn't take the whole weekend off) Since the temp. was in the 80's I set up the big Costco pool and slide that Doug talked me into 2 years ago. (Thanks again Doug) And the kids had a blast for over an hour. We made bunny ears out of Trader Joe's paper bags and rolled orange construction paper into carrot like candy holders topped with "leaves" also out of green construction paper. We will be down South for Easter so some of the Day Care Kids and I had an Easter Egg Hunt a bit early. Dennis was at a CVWD/ Town Arbor Day Celebration that morning.

In the afternoon we went to Encino to an event called TOMATOEMANIA! For someone who HATES DIRT Dennis didn't have a problem spending money on pots, tomatoe support cages and hybrid heirloom tomatoes for ME to get dirty planting. The place had chickens and a calf and bunnies and was just out right wonderful. As long as each of the 6 plants we bought produces about 50 lbs of tomatoes each we should just about break even on our investment.

Today after he spent the morning cleaning the 66 Galaxy we took a ride to the 94th Aero Squadeon for a 4 hour Sunday Brunch. I couldn't help thinking about Mari and her girls, Isaac and Micaela and Jonny and how much they would have enjoyed the outdoor seating we had, just feet from the runway and duck pond. Dennis was happy watching the airplanes and helicopters take off and land and I was happy watching other bruncher's kids and ducks. The food was fantastic. Only thing missing was the Grandkids. Know we took Liz and Kurt , and Doug there to eat but can't remember if Mari Gabe, Bob, and Shelli ever made it. Perhaps one of the next times we are all together.

After that I started to clean out the cupboards. Don't think I have done that since my last blog either. If the kids thought MY FRIDGE was bad and didn't buy into the excuse that I'm a closet scientist trying to develop a new antibiotic in the mold that was growing there, I'm glad that they weren't here for the cupboards. I DID find kitchen stuff that has been missing for over 5 and maybe closer to 17 years. Guess I can't complain too loudly about Hubby never throwing things out.

Hope we take another DAY OFF in less than the 2 years since my last blog, so that the time in between isn't quite so great. Dennis and I really don't do that much interesting to blog about and never seem to have the time to blog anyway. We leave the interesting stuff up to our kids who have nothing to do but work and raise kids, so they surely have LOTS of time to blog..

Only kidding about the lots of time. Thanks for being who you all are and for sharing your lives with Dad and me thru blogs, face book, phone calls and visits.

The Ants are Marching

I like critters as well as the next guy. When our kids were growing up we had multiple dogs cats rabbits gerbils guinea pigs (UGH all they did was eat and poop with emphasis on the poop) hamsters parakeets silvercrested cocateels frogs lizards snakes (that dennis brought home from work in his pocket) Joey the burmese python or whatever he was was Doug's and Doug's alone. spiders (one trantula for only a day), silk moths (until Brenda put them in the freezer to hibernate instead of putting them in the fridge ) and snails. The hamsters and the snake from work were the worst . When they escaped their cages I thanked God that they were gone and then did a gratitude reversal when , in the middle of the night I stepped on one of them.

Back to liking critters. The Day Care kids and I are all pro critter. We watch WONDER PETS, DORA and GO DIEGO GO all shows focused on saving critterdom. Just yesterday I "BUGA BUGAed" along with Jacob as we helped Dora help a Bugs Buga critter with finding a lost cookie. BUT !!!! I call a halt to ANTS !!!

California has been in the midst of an extended drought. Critters of all sizes (humans included) have had to adapt to the diminished supply of liquid from the sky. Husbands seem to have latched on to the idea that showering with their wives or girlfriends is a GREAT water saving idea, This is according to water conservation specialists that I surveyed

THEN the RAINS came ! This past weekend we had almost 6 inches of rain. Dennis and I stayed home and slept in and generally relaxed. The ANTS however, having adapted to drought conditions were NOT happy. They sought the dryness and floor crumbs (a veritable smorgesboard) of our Montrose abode.

I awoke that Saturday am to a real life MTV type version of the song "THE ANTS ARE MARCHING" The floor was undulating with waves of them. For those more adventuresome they found another route, From our back door they marched up the wall around the window over the counter across the washing machine and onto the sink where they settled in on the sink sponge.

Mari you were right ! The kitchen sponge is NOT something you want to use to CLEAN anything. But it is a veritable CLUB MED for ants,,Warm Wet and all the food debris they could ever want to eat.

I whipped out the Lysol and Bleach and after about an hour Dennis took me out to Brunch. I now have a LOVE/Hate relationship going with those ants. Did I mention that I called ROOMBA my faithful robotic vacuum cleaner in to help with the ocean of ants on the floor? Roomba did an outstanding job, but I then had the problem of what to do with a ROOMBA full of live ants. Ignoring the dismal results of Dennis's failed mouse relocation program, I released the critters outside.

Sunday brought a second storm and a second wave of soggy tiny critters. who were obviously turned off by my hygenic counters, floor and the absence of kitchen sponge, They decided to settle in on the gourmet fare of our trash can. I discovered them when without looking I tossed a paper towel into the can and withdrew my hand wearing a creapy crawly glove of ants.

The SUN came out on Monday and the ants seemed to have retreated to bail out their own residences outside (or at least I hoped so) But alas, a third storm came thru. that night. I awoke with trepidation. Would my kitchen floor undulate with their masses,, Would I end up with a pair of living sox as I atempted to make coffee? No more sponges so no worry there! AHHH ! ! Home Free !! That was my feeling until I went to the microwave to warm up my cup of coffee which had cooled off while I checked out corners and cupboards in case the critters had gotten sneaky. THERE THEY WERE !! IN THE MICROWAVE !!! They had taken it over (I'm not that great a cleaner) My first thought was ROOMBA. He wouldn't fit into the microwave. So again I reached for the Lysol and bleach

Dennis has a board meeting and I'm preparing cookies for the meeting snack. I am putting them in ziplock bags and then into the fridge. If the ants get to them I surrrender. I'll pitch a tent at the nearest McDonalds that has a A health Dept. Rating. The "A" means NO ANTS doesn't it???