Halfway There

Today is the first day of Spring Break, which means that Baby Boy and I have officially made it halfway through our first semester at the community college! 

Hurray for us!

We're both finally starting to master keeping up with other peoples' inflexible dominance deadlines, positively responding when someone who really has no idea who the heck we are writes purely hateful crap constructive criticism on our research papers, and learning in a holding cell classroom environment.  We've officially been trained!

 No, but seriously, we're both starting to really settle in nicely and have a great time with this new stage in our lives.  We're both rocking A's and B's, even though we'd both really like to be rocking A's and A's.  The semester is only halfway over, that can still happen.  Right?  Right! 

So while all the other co-eds are on the beach testing exactly how much alcohol their livers can filter, I'm going to be catching up on my housework, laundry and nutritious meals, because I'll admit, I've lost a grip on all of them lately.  Plus, I've got three papers to write this week.  I actually could stand to write four to get a touch ahead, but I don't think that last one is going to happen this week.  Let's put a pin in that and revisit it next week, LOL.   

Oh, and my reader is full to the brim.  I'm going to stop by and visit all of you this week, so if you haven't updated lately, get on it.  I need some fresh reading material. 

Baby Boy is planning on catching up on sleeping until 3 in the afternoon.  He hasn't done that since . . . yesterday.  Oh, to be young.


Should be a blast!


Until next time . . .

Black IS Beautiful!

I know, I know.  I haven't been around much and there's a lot of stuff I need to catch you up on. 

I don't want to bore you with all of my pathetic excuses my entire life saga, so let's just jump right in and leave the dirty water under the bridge where it belongs.  Shall we?

Baby Boy finally got the chance to test for his Black Belt last weekend. 

First, he ran a mile . . . but I don't have any pictures of that because when people start running miles, I get the strong urge to sit down and have a cold beverage.  It was delicious, oh, and Baby Boy ran the mile in great time too. 

Then he did 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups.  I forgot to take photos because I was too busy daydreaming about 20 years ago when I used to be able to do push ups and sit ups . . . when I came back from my short stint in La-La-Land, I looked up to find . . .

Baby Boy's instructor trying to kill him . . . 

 . . . then he got away . . .

. . . then he tried to kick another instructor in the face, but they forgave him . . .   

. . . because he broke a bunch of boards . . . some with his feet and some with his hands.

After that he did some two-on-one sparring which is when two Big Black Belts beat up on my little Baby Boy and try to see if Mom #2 and I can stay in our seats and pretend we're OK with it.  Mom #2 was OK with it.  I covered my eyes and started crying.

Then we had to go home and wait by the mailbox like it was the Saturday after payday.

We just got our letter.  Guess what?  HE PASSED!!!  So now he's officially a Black Belt.  The award ceremony will be in a couple of weeks, so he can't actually WEAR the black belt yet, since we didn't pay for it they didn't give it us yet, but we're super duper proud of him.  He's been working very hard.  Hurray for Baby Boy!


Sooooo . . . now that the awkwardness is over, I guess I'll get back to posting more regularly.  Hopefully I still have a few readers left.  ;-)  


Until next time . . .

YIPPEE!!!!

I got a 96% on my first test!!!!!  

Baby Boy hasn't had any tests yet, because his teachers aren't sadists, so I'm savoring this little victory solo.

Oh, and it's in MATH . . . can you believe it? 

I owe it all to Baby Boy.  I had done NO higher math before we started homeschooling and on several occasions since we started community college he's had to help me with my homework (the pupil has surpassed the teacher, naturally), so he totally helped me to ROCK IT!  

Once again, gotta love homeschooling!

Until next time . . .

Gotta Love Grandpa!

Usually on the weekends, Baby Boy gets his "man time" in by spending time with his grandpa, my dad.

I have no idea what they do or where they go . . . it's just guy time.  I can tell he really looks forward to it because he gets all of his homework and chores done in advance so he can stay gone all day and night.  This works for Mom #2 and myself as well as we can enjoy relaxing and catching up on The Young and the Restless via DVR without feeling like we're neglecting him.  It's actually a pretty nice set up. ;-)

Well . . . imagine my surprise when I'm chillin' watching my stories and Baby Boy calls me on the phone and says, "Come out to the driveway for a minute because Papa (that's what we call my dad) wants to tell you something."

I simply imagined that Papa wanted Baby Boy to spend the night or go to fancy restaurant for dinner and wanted me to pack him (yes, he's spoiled) some extra clothes or something like that.

Never, ever, EVER in a million years did I expect to see what I saw . . .

Apparently, on a whim, without consulting parents or anything logistical like that, Papa decided it was time for his grandson to have a brand new car.

I'm very emotionally mixed up in a happy-sad-excited-mortified-appreciative-pissed off sort of way.

Darn that Papa.

When I tried to discuss it with Papa, he just brushed me off with that attitude that the over 50 crowd has.  You know, "it's my money, he's my grandson, and I can do whatever the heck I want."

Yes, that attitude.  I should be a real delight in a few years, LOL.

So now I'm off to make up a whole bunch of rules since giving it back doesn't seem to be an option, but actually it will really be a great big help.  We've been having a heck of a time with Baby Boy and I both in school and Mom #2 working with just one vehicle and a couple of bus passes.  I think this is really where Papa's heart was.  Giving it to the grandson was the only way he could get that vehicle into the family because I certainly wouldn't have taken it from him myself.

As you can see, Baby Boy doesn't that problem. 


Until next time . . .

Here's My Nickel . . . Advise Me!

First let me set the stage:

Picture me in a reclining position, possibly holding an empty bottle of tequila a margarita, and the back of one hand ever-so-gingerly applied to my forehead.

Picture yourselves all ready to listen and advice, because we're such good friends.

I know there are several of you who either are currently going or not too long ago went back to school during the midlife crisis years prime of your lives, and right now I need you . . . or anyone in general who likes to give advice . . . I'm in need of some.

When you are used to being perfectly organized and in charge of everything and everyone around you, how do you adjust to . . . being . . . well . . . not perfectly organized and in charge of everything and everyone around you?

I mean, I've been the CEO of Two Moms' Homeschool for many years.  Many, many years.  I envision  everything.  I research everything.  I organize everything.  I facilitate everything.  I execute everything.  It's my vision, for better or for worse.  I'm a little perplexed at my new position.  It's extremely difficult to be in the little bitty seat that certainly is not the great big desk at the front of the class.

That's problem one.

Also, I thought I was pretty smart.  Actually, really smart, if you don't mind my saying so.  I'm seriously . . .  pretty capable of deep thoughts.  Not all the time.  Not all at once.  I'm not out to hurt myself.  But sometimes, I'm pretty darned profound.  I've just never really believed in heavy rote memorization.  These instructors want me to memorize stuff.  Not just a little stuff.  A bunch of stuff.  I was blessed with the research gene.  Give me a problem, I'll find you a solution.  Get back to me in a day or two, and the solution will be clear.  I've never really seen the value of committing a lot of tidbits to memory.  Let's just say . . . I'm rethinking that strategy.  Really rethinking it. My mind is old.  My mind is dark.  My mind is dusty.  I like lists.  I just made a list last night of all the stuff I want to do today, because if I don't have the list I will forget what I am supposed to do today.  I can't remember stuff.  Stuff doesn't need to be remembered.  Stuff needs to be researched and written down and then referred to when necessary, at least, that's my opinion.  Unfortunately, that is not my instructors' opinion.  

That's problem two.

Finally . . . I am very thorough.  Ok.  I'll admit it.  I AM SLOW.  Everything takes me forever.  I cook slowly.  I clean slowly.  I walk slowly.  I think slowly.  Turns out, I do homework slowly too.  So how do you balance classes, homework, housework, nutritious meals and maintain a sparkling personality with 10 too few hours in the day?  HOW???  I demand do know!  One of you needs to tell me.  This may be my most pressing issue.  I'm really fighting to find a balance here.  Anyone got any pointers?  Oh, and while I'm on the subject, how on earth do you not let this whole school business take over your entire life?  I hope it's because it's all shiny new and different, but I may just be one of those people who is incapable of having more than one event in their lives at one time because I am exhausted.  Mom #2 has been making fun of me because getting dressed and leaving the house 2 to 3 days a week apparently is harder on me than I thought it would be and I really don't like it.

And that's problem three.  

*SIGH*

Other than that, all is going well.  I intend to work through these issues and, although I am a lot of different things, but a quitter is not one of them.  I'm really having a fabulous time; even though one of my classmates called me "Ma'am" last week, bless his 22 year old heart.  I hate him. 



Until next time . . .