My Dirty House

You know, It just doesn't seem like I have a chance in getting this place clean.

Never mind these facts; We school at home and there is someone home most of the time. We live in the South and we fight red clay, ALL the time. We are self employed and we use our home as our office. We have 2 crazy dogs running in and out of the house any chance they get looking for love. We have a rock sidewalk and a gravel drive way...........things get sandy, messy and really hard to keep up with.

BUT! Believe it or not those are not my biggest problem with dirt and grime.

There are hand prints EVERY WHERE! Yes, everywhere................I naturally, have hand prints in toddler sizes where Liz has rubbed her hands down the hall wall as she balances herself............There is also the writing on everything stage that she is in. If I am not paying close attention to her she will scribble on walls, furniture, books or just about anything she can find.

There are the little shoes running in and out of the house bringing in red clay, dirt and sand.

If she runs through the house with her shoes on it really does not matter much …….With a broom and a little scrub everything comes off easy.

AND

THEN THERE IS........

This GUY!!!!!!!

Nobody is more lovable then he is..............

BUT!

What a messy guy!

In his 14 year old style, as he races down the stair way he will grab on to the balcony stairs, swing and then jump into the down stairs hall..........As he amble down the hall into the kitchen he reaches up with ease and touches the low decorative part of the ceiling.

Then there is THIS………

These are HIS shoes........They are a size 15 and they are tight.

He is rough on the house, his clothes and his shoes..........

I realize some kids are just messy but this kid…………

has dirt everywhere……..As he walks down the hallway it is not unusual for him to rub his hands down the crown molding. Yes, You read that right. I said the crown molding.

Sometimes when I get the house clean I really just want to keep him out for a little while.....BUT THEN I figure I should let him in................He is good to me and even though he is messy he is my biggest helper. He knows when I need a hug, a laugh or even a piece of fudge. He is my diamond in the rough.

AND, I love him.

GEEE! I really don’t have a chance keeping this place clean.

DO I?

And Now She Says Everything!

Now that Mary Elizabeth is 2 years 9 months she just says everything, CLEARLY. She understands everything......and she is just so darn smart it is amazing to me. She knows all her colors. She can count to 14 and she recognizes letters as we travel down the road. It is not unusual for her to see an E and rejoice "Oh, Mommy, Mommy look an E". For months people would ask me when is she going to talk. For a very long time she would not say anything.

Well, She would not say words............She would more or less glare at people.

Let me clarify; it was more then that. This was a judgmental glair. If someone wanted to talk to her and she didn't know them or maybe just didn't like them.........she would look at their face and without moving her head her eyes would travel slowly as she took it all in, from their face to their clothing, right to their shoes and then back up again.

It was is if she was saying "Your wearing that?" With those shoes?" "WOW!"

It was really strange at how uncomfortable everyone including me became. I would laugh my uneasy, embarrassed laugh and the checkout lady or her grandmother, or even my very own sister would say "Wow, I feel like I should not have worn this today." Now, If she really liked you, she would only say things she was sure she could say........like "Mommy", "Nana" "M" and "up". When I would tell her to say down ...............she would say "up". As a matter of fact when I told her to say anything she didn't want to say she would say "up". She called Kathyrn "Y-O" . She would call the boys and to much of Marks displeasure........."Hey"

I remember one night Mark saying to me with alarm........"LISA! She is calling me Hey!" I couldn't help but laugh........Hey! It was funny. It was....... and............. still is........... To me. These days she seems to know everything and she says everything: She understands when her Grandpa is sick and we can't go to "Her" Nana's house to see them. She will say very sympathetically "Oh, Poor Ve-pa. He has chemo." When I am not listening to her and she is calling me she will say......."Mommy Lisa, Please listen." This always gets my attention.

She says "please and thank you" and too much of Mark's delight, when he come home at night she claps and says, "Yay, Daddy's home."

Recently one morning she woke up saying "I just love it when my nana takes me to see the monkeys."....my mother had told her Sunday on Tuesday she would take her to see the monkeys. It was Tuesday and she just knew it was time to see the monkeys with Nana.....

So they went.

What do you wear to the Zoo?

I only have 1 hour

It has been a busy week running here and there and everywhere. There is so much to do with school and all the end of the year "outside" programs that we are involved in. Debate is ending this weekend.........THANK GOD! There is so much to do when it comes to debate. We do it because it is a GREAT class and Matthew learns so much from it. It is a political science, economic, history and debate class rolled into one......There is always a tremendous amount of learning going on for everyone; from the debaters, to the parent judges, and the sibling timers. It really is amazing. You can't walk out of one of these debates without saying........hhhhhuuuuuu.....What did he say?

If you home school get your high school students into one of these classes and make them go. Take them kicking and screaming if you have too. It really is worth it. You will feel dumber then you ever have in your life but I tell you, they will learn so much.This program is called the National Forensic League of Debaters, it is all over the county and a remarkable class.

Next year it is Stephen's turn to start......I will be dragging, my by then 15 year old 6 ft 4 in., son all the way to get him there, but he will go.

He will be mad as anything. He will fight every Wednesday. I don't care. I will sit in the class with him if I have too. If there is one thing I am it is determined and tough. (okay that's two things).......... I believe in this class that much. We will get the job done and he will be the better for it.

Tomorrow we have a big debate tournament..........It will be all day from 8 to 8. And then, I think it is over, for this year. I hope!

I did not come here tonight to talk about debate and school.

I came to talk about working out and feeling frustrated.

I am trying to workout HARD again. Like I use too. I am trying to do a lot of things.......just for an hour. Unless that hour is in the middle of the night, it goes by so fast and it is so hard to get anything done.

You would think all I have to do is get ready and go.

Not so easy! I find getting out and staying focused very hard. There are always obstacles............such as kids, the phone or people I know stopping to say hello. I try to get up very early to get a workout in but sometimes Mary Elizabeth is up so much at night I can't move in the morning. Some nights, I wake up and find her curled up in the middle of my back.....I think how did she get in here? Then I remember...... I let her in........I know.....but we get so tired. We just roll over, pull her in......and hope for to get back to sleep.

Those are the days I try to fit a workout in after school with the kids or even sometimes at the end of the day.

When this happens:

I have to take my phone in case it rings with work for our business. I have to handle the calls and it does not matter where I am. I have to be ready to take down all the important information needed. I am the secretary in this operation and this is my job. Working out or not. Then there is always the friendly neighbor or passer bye that wants to stop me to say, "Hello". How are you? And "What are you doing out on the road?" "How far do you go?" I tell them, " I set my timer for an hour........that is all the time I can give myself." I want to tell them........"GEEE?? I really need to get going.....your holding me up.......don't you see I'm trying to get a workout in? What's wrong with you?" Then there are my kids; I don't care what time of day it is they want to come...........Yes! It is great! They want to be with me and I am "so happy". How many 16, 14 and 12 year old kids do you know that want to hang out with their mom? As Liz says "I'm so happy"........ well....... kind of. But, not so much when I want to workout. I have always taken my kids with me any were I go from the time they where very little. When I played at the Karate School, we took classes together. I also helped teach their classes. I was always there with them, they where always there with me. Now things are different, they are older and we are not at Karate right now. We as a family are running.........or trying to run. I try to get the kids out with me and make it a thing we can all do together. Maybe it is home school........I don't know. But sometimes, I just want a little space.....to run and listen to something on an I-pod....(not even mine or my music..... I wouldn't even know what to listen to if I had my own.) I just want to listen to what my kids have on their I pods and run........there have been a few times I would come home and tell my son to take this song off and I will ask him, do you really want this in your life? Stephen goes great guns in the beginning. But, then I find myself slowing "up" to drag him along. I don't want to do this.........I really just want to go. There is Elizabeth. She wants to run too. When I put her in the stroller she tries to climb out. She wants to walk. She tells me she is big now. She is 2.5. When I have her in the stroller, I worry about cars coming to close to us. I worry about having to get out of the way while the cars go rushing by. Now, I have put her in a back pack.........I'm caring 28 pounds on my back just so I can get a decent workout in...........people are telling me..........Oh! you shouldn't do that..........you will hurt this or that........But......... If your a mother then you know......these are the things we have to do. Like today, I got up early to run........by myself..........my 12 year old heard me up and around. She came down to see what I was up so early to do.....and asked me if I was going running. I told her I was and asked her if she wanted to go. She told me that is why she got up so early. GRRREAT! I thought. We started easy. I wanted to keep it kind of light.........she is only 12. BUT! I go for one hour and then I come home. She knows that. Ten minutes goes by, she says......."How long has it been? Oh, 10 minutes? It seems longer." I tell her, we can turn back and I will be happy to let her go in and wait until everyone wakes up but just be quite. Start reading your book for school. She says "No.....I'll stay." We run some more...........then start walking..........ugggggggg! I only have an hour I think to myself. We run...........she complains about her.....foot, ankle, knee, shins, elbow, nose, finger, eyelashes......we walk.......ugggg! I asked her again..........do you want to turn around and then I can finish myself.........NO! This goes on for the full hour. I say things like........are you in pain? NO. Is it an ache? NO. Do we need to go home? NO. NO. NO. NO. UUUGGGG! I only have an hour to get this done........... The hour ends.........we walk towards the house. Thinking ~ Boy that was not what I wanted today......we start to go in. As we get to the door She stops me, gives me a hug and says "THANKS MOM, I Really love going running with you." GEEEE! Now I feel bad.............It is only an hour............ For her, I should have a life time. I have to learn to stop and realize my time with her is only for a short while and most of all...........It is only a run. . One day I will have more then an hour to do whatever I want. I must remember not to rush things so much. Take my time and enjoy my hour run with my daughter.

"Not Me Monday" @ 90 degrees

Not me Monday on a Tuesday: Really this is okay. First of all ,this is my blog and if I get to a "Not me Monday" on a Friday then, so what? I will not, however, get to Not Me Monday on a Sunday ~ I am never that far ahead............I'm always days behind. Second and best of all, this is a "Not Margaret Monday" and was just too funny not to post.

Sorry Sis! But, I had to! Here goes: Margaret did NOT see me walking Sunday afternoon with Kathryn and Elizabeth in a back pack. She did NOT try to stop to see if we were okay..........(Yes! We were having a very happy time.) But, she couldn't stop because a car was coming our way. She did NOT travel down the road out of site and didn't come back. I waited, gave her a call.............She did NOT answer saying "Oh! Sorry! Oh Gee! I'll call you back. Every thing is okay." I then see her Night in Shinning Armor drive past with a wave and a look of distress. I continued walking, not knowing; as she turned around to check on me, just like a good Samaritan would, she did NOT roll off the road and did NOT roll right into a ditch. Yes, Everything was fine and dandy! She was NOT at a 90 degree angle and did not notice right away something was a miss. She did NOT have to have 3 grown men sit on the back of her trunk to hold the car down at ground level while she tried to back the car out! It was just luck a neighbor had a tractor for the job. Her son was NOT very shaken and he did NOT tell me later, "My mom is a good driver. But, she is a better crasher." He did NOT decide to drive home safely with his dad.

To our amazement the car did not have a scratch on it and the people where fine.......Well, Alex might not be. But...........there is time and therapy he will get over it. AND! Margaret did NOT film this video. She would have held the camera straight rather then at a 90 degree angel. When we tried to fix the video we could not........It has come to our attention a video cannot be flipped like a picture.

This is a video of my brother,George, pushing a boat across a field into a pit of fire. He bought the boat a few years ago. He wanted to fix it up and then take it sailing. He could not work on the boat to make it sea worthy because he broke his leg badly shortly after his purchase.

The leg healed. The boat, however, did not!

Is this what happens when your "Ship comes in and your at the Airport?"

Really, if you hold your head at a 90 degree angel you can't even tell.

Prayers for Stallen

I put this new button on my blog and I am quite proud of myself. I am getting the hang of this "Layout" and "blog" thing. Now it is time for serious talk: The button comes from the "Not me Monday" button or pin. I am not really sure what they call it in the blog world. For those that don't know, click on the button. That will take you to the site this story is on. There you can read the full story about this child and put this special button on your own blog. I put the "Not me Monday" button on weeks ago. I have had lots of fun playing with the "NMM" and have not looked back until the other day; Now, I find this family in under more stress I can ever imagine. They have a 5 month old child that has a heart condition and is not doing well. It really makes me think of how truly blessed we are to just have the "little troubles" we have in our lives. Let me tell you we have been through some rough times with my father's illness, Mark's father's death, lay off after lay off, under employment and that is just the fun stuff. But, This.........This is huge. If you pray, pray for this family and this child. If you don't pray but do other things then do them. (I can't even imagine what it could be)......but...Do it....Do it for this family....... This baby is only 5 months.

It was for the kids

A few Saturdays ago, I got to take Elizabeth to a Character Breakfast. A good friend invited me to go with her and her children. We had a great time..............and....... I think the kids did too.

The girls were not really sure of what to think about it all.

But, they loved the pancakes and balloons that decorated the Hall.

We saw lots of characters like Dorothy and the Tin Man AND

This guy.............Who ever he is.

The best part was the party on wheels.

AND just hanging out with my friend.....

I mean for Elizabeth to hang out with her friends........

Yeah, the best part for the kids,

was to hang out with their friends....

That's right........

it was for the kids.

Remember that Melissa.........It was for the "Kids."

Oprah Said

Oprah Said, "Throw out your scale"..............I did this after I had my fourth child. Yes, I threw out my scale................Oprah told me the scale was not my friend and people do better with their weight when they go by the feel of their clothes and not the numbers on a scale. WELL! I think Oprah is wrong! 2 years later I bought a new scale and WOW!! are those numbers high! Okay! I will admit it...........It was not just Oprah that told me to get rid of the scale. I told a friend of mine that I was weighing my clothes before I put them on, then I would then put them on and then weigh myself again. AND......then every time I went by the scale.............I would get on it again and again and look. Maybe I dropped a pound by not eating that cake............ Hey, it could happen. Okay, I know....... You don't have to tell me..........My son already did....... It is all a "little" Obsessive Compulsive............I know...... When I told a friend of mine all this........ She said, "Lisa, throw out your scale." "It is making you crazy." then I heard Oprah say it and I thought well this must be right. Oprah knows about weight, being a woman and who better to listen too.............and my friend said it too. BUT! Once again, I should have listen to my dad.............When I told him I threw out my scale...........he said "WHAT!! Throw out your scale..............How will you know how much you weigh?" "That is a terrible idea."......I told him what I was doing with it and he really didn't see much wrong with that type of behavior............Thinking he didn't know much about being an expectant mother, having a baby, or being a woman.............I threw it out. 2 years later......I feel fatter then I have ever felt in my life! (Excluding pregnancies of course. ) My clothes fit me fine...........they are a size larger then I am use too.......... but, hey they fit me fine..... Then again............ I can't stand the way I feel in them............ So, I went out and bought a scale. The good news is ~ THE VERY LARGE NUMBERS DID NOT THROW ME OFF! I kind of knew what I weighed. To my surprise, I was off 5 pounds...........in my favor. YAY! So now, I am back to reality...............and weighing myself 4 - 5 - okay 6 times a day. I know it is a little Obsessive Compulsive.........but, I really did have to know! I still have my smaller clothes waiting for me............calling me...........saying....."Lisa, we miss you!" 'Come back" I miss them too! When I told another friend about all this the other day, she laughed and said "Your nuts, I love you anyway AND Oprah needs to buy a scale too!" She is a good friend. AND I don't listen to Oprah anymore. I think I am going to move the scale into the kitchen by the chocolate chips. They call me too.

Kathryn's 12th Birthday Week

This is Kathryn's Birthday Week:

Kathryn at Grandma's.... Day 1

One year many years ago, Mark started a tradition in our house; We have "Birthday Weeks" instead of just the one day of birthday cake and presents. It all started with me one year when Mark gave me a birthday present. This present happened to be the exact same present he gave me the year before, a beautiful pair of earrings. When Kathryn , who was 7 years old at the time, saw that the earrings in the new box where the exact same earrings I had on, cried. Like a good daughter, she was very worried about me not getting a proper birthday gift. At the time, we thought it was all very cute and funny. We calmed Kathryn down and let her know it would all be okay. I handed the gift back to my embarrassed husband and told Kathryn she would have to go with her dad to the store and help him out. She then started to cry again. She was not only worried about me not getting a proper birthday present, she was worried about me not getting one on time. Like any mother would, I told her it was okay because "I would be accepting presents all week" and as she could see, her dad really needed her help. That was the year it started...................everyday for a week Mark brought something special home for my "birthday week".

It really was all very wonderful! Now that years have pasted and things have changed this is one tradition we try very hard to keep.

March 23, started off with a"Birthday Breakfast" of muffins and a candle.

Sam came by with presents!

"M" gave a beautiful picture for Kathryn's room we are redecorating.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the afternoon, we had a cookie cake with Nana, Grandpa and Nana and Grandpa's neighbors......the boys next door........... Sadly I forgot my camera and I do not have any pictures of that.

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

There was also the lunch and dinner with a very tired Daddy.....

More presents! and a Home Made Cake

Do you think it looks anything like my cousin Ann's in simplysweeter.blogspot.com

check it out and let me know..........I think it does.......well.........maybe a little. The home made part at least........

I think Kathryn had a nice couple of days...............for the rest of the week we will be repainting her room and getting it ready for the up and coming "Teen years".

Should be exciting! I hope!

Kathryn Grace with the Beautiful Face

Today is Kathryn's Birthday!

Kathryn and Nana

Kathryn and Mary Elizabeth I can't believe she is 12. How could "IT" be?

The Concert

One day last month I thought it would be a good idea to put on a concert for the residents at the Magnolia Manor Nursing Home in Spartanburg. I got the idea only after an illness my father had because of a Chemo treatment. My daughter, Kathryn, had a recital that my parents had to miss because my father was to sick from the "cure". After the recital Kathryn called my mom to let her know how she did and that she had missed her nana. My mother as involved as always, asked Kathryn if she would take her harp over to their house and play the songs they could not hear. With much delight Kathryn obliged her requests........The next day with the harp in hand Kathryn played for my mom and dad.

As usual, we stayed most of the day and Kathryn practiced much of that time. Even though my dad really didn't feel well he sat in the room with Kathryn as she softly practiced.

When we talked during the week my father told me how he "thoroughly enjoyed" her playing. He told me, her playing lifted his spirits and it all seemed to help him feel better that weekend. Without knowing it, my 11 year old daughter gave her grandfather a gift of love. Even though Kathryn is a novice player, I started to think...............my father is very much a positive person and the music really seemed to help him find strength that day. I started to wonder, what would it do for someone who does not have the optimistic out look that my father does? I wondered, what would it do for Kathryn? She loves music. She is always playing her harp or the piano. I thought maybe if we look into this she may find this to be something she would like to do as a career..........Music Therapy........ I e-mailed the other moms in the home school co-op Kathryn belongs too to find out if anyone would be interested in putting on a little concert for the folks in the nursing home we as a group have visited. There was lot a of interest. The nursing home could not wait for us to come and the children in the co-op could not have been more enthusiastic about it all. All the kids were so delighted to play their instruments. Some of the kids where excellent and some only pecked at the key boards. But, all the children wanted to share what they knew. When we first started our concert the hall was mostly empty with only a few residents in the room. One by one men and woman came into the hall. One by one the men and woman sat down and listened. One by one the children became more and more excited andthe "Captive Audience" enjoyed our concert . When I think back on the experience; I think once again I am the one who received the gift that day. Even though everyone seemed to really love the whole thing, I walked away in 'awww' and a full heart.

I was so impressed with the enthusiasm of the children and the residents.

BUT,

I was most impressed with my daughter who, after the concert, went over to talk to a woman and answered the same questions over and over again. This woman was most definitely suffering from Alzheimer's. She could not remember that she had told us, many times ,about her son who played in a band . She had told us about her husband who died and she told us about her little dog. She told us she did not get many visitors and she really enjoyed it when children came to the home.

She would then tell Kathryn, she had beautiful skin and then ask about her school. The conversation went like this; "Oh yeah, you told me that........and did I tell you about the time my son played in a band and I really loved the music today.........and Kathryn answered and answered and knew...........Even though this lady looked perfectly fine this woman needed a little extra care. Kathryn gave it to her...........I was so impressed with my daughter once again. This experience filled me with pride to see what a wonderful woman Kathryn is growing up to be.

It is funny to me, how I think I am the one that is giving but then for me, the giving always turns to receiving more then I could have imagined.

I guess I am just lucky that way.

Not Me! Monday!

I am not posting "Not Me! Monday" on Wednesday. I am not behind in everything, mostly my days. I did not hit the tree in my yard Saturday night. After all, my husband........ who did not take it very well..... said "How could you have done that? You have only past that tree for the past 12 years." I think that tree is out to get me! It jumped right in front of my car. I saw it! I think it is okay to blame the tree. It never happened. Stupid TREE! This blog carnival was created by MckMama.

Who's the Teacher?

When you home school something wonderful happens: Your kids get to learn about things they are interested in. AND When you have grandparents that want to encourage their grandchildren every step of the way some thing even more wonderful happens: You get to see real dreams come true. One day last summer my father wanted to put in a little garden, just something small, like a salad garden............His thoughts where he, as a city boy, could teach the kids a little bit about real country life and they would be able to eat the fruits of their labors.
Win! Win! Everyone loved the idea.
We as a group really do not know much about gardening but we all thought maybe we would get a good summer tomato out of the deal. My boys suggested to their grandfather it might be a good idea to build a shed to hold all the tools they would need for the garden. The shed went up and the tools went in. Through the summer they worked and worked on the garden and the shed. Many fruits and vegetables were eaten. However, that was not the only thing that grew the summer of 2008. Huge things developed from these little ideas……Relationships grew stronger. My son’s got to spend real time with their grandfather learning and building and just dreaming… Matthew started dreaming of a muscadine farm. He started reading and researching and talking to my dad about how wonderful it would be to have a real muscadine vineyard. Like any reasonable person talking to a 16 year old kid would say………. “Sure that sounds like a great idea”…..”Let’s do it!’ Did I say reasonable? I meant crazy man would say………….
They went on field trips to the neighborhood farms. They started to research. They went to a convention out of town. They had the small fruit expert from Clemson University out to the land to give them advice. They held business meetings. THEN They started to clear land.
The kids (I mean we) have learned so much about soil, seeds,wine making, clearing land, driving trucks and tractors.………..We have even learned that scientists are using the seeds in research to try to make diesel fuel and are researching uses for the skins for cancer research. We have learned muscadines are the highest known natural resource for antioxidants and for resveratrol…….. What the heck is resveratrol?? SEE This is why you need kids to study hard to teach you things like…resveratrol……Which is a natural compound found in grape skins that slows aging, prevents cancer and something else. Look it up if you really want to know more. I forget! The kids want to grow muscadines and sell them, make wine and earn money for college…..
When we started home schooling 6 years ago I never imagined where it would take us……… I never imagined these kids could teach and give us all so much.

Not Me! Monday

Let's Play! I did not eat raw brownie mix one day last week. I am allergic to the wheat and I know if I have anything tasty like that, I will have cankers. Cankers hurt and they make me miserable! I also care very much about my weight and my body. Most of all, I want to be very healthy. I did not hang on to the plant that was my sister’s birthday present from the woman in her Co-Op last week. They gave it to me because they knew …I would have rushed it right to her house that very day. I would have never put the plant in my trunk and forgotten about it, immediately. I would not have driven around with it for two 2 days only to have my daughter bring it into the house Sunday night when we had our freezing rain and snow storm. It could have died out there! Also, I would not have had the same plant sitting in my kitchen window for 3 more days. I would have given it to my sister way before she sent out a thank you e-mail to her friends for her beautiful gift and card…….. That she had………. in her house…. because…….. I gave it, ALL, to her right away………. I’m just like that………….GOOD, Kind & Thoughtful! I did not forget about the Mandatory Meeting at Debate club Wednesday afternoon either. I wrote it all down in my date book and I would have looked at my book in the morning and knew that the meeting was for me. I am way too organized to forget something like that. Even if I did forget, when I noticed all the cars in the parking lot, it would have triggered my memory to the very important meeting for the parents that day……….I would never have thought I could have an hour of peace before I willingly and happily went into Judge a debate round that afternoon………… I am much to on the ball for that to happen and never think of myself. I would have never fallen to sleep reading what Matthew finds a fascinating economics book, that he wants to share with everyone in his life. He is insistent that we all read the book and enjoy it as much as he does……I tell you, I do enjoy it….I do……I do…….I do! That same day; I would not have been late to a very important play date with my daughter's friend. After I sent my message about our play time, I would have stayed by the computer to see if the play time was still on. I would have never walked away, sat on the couch and fell to sleep making us an hour and a half late. We love going to play with this friend and my attention span is much better then that. Plus, I am never tired! Now let me know what you did or did not do. This blog carnival was created by MckMama. With her encouragement and her blog button, I have decided to play.

Judging

You may think this post will be about judging others or how I was missed judged or something like that.

But, No!

It is about being a Judge in a home school debate class:

This class is more like a political science class then anything else. The class consists of home schooled high school and a few middle school students. This program is a nationally recognized program that is run by the parents of the students.

The kids that debate take old issues that have been argued in Congress or the Senate and have been passed or maybe not passed and rework them. The students write up thier own ideas of how to make things work better for the policies and then they argue them.

The last couple of years the class has debated issues such as:

Medical Malpractice, NATO, and Emigration Reform....This year the students are debating whether or not Sanctions should be placed on India. Every team has a different approach.........Human rights for the Dalits , a work study program in the US, Free trade in India and on and on. You get the idea....right?

As a parent, I pretend to happily go to class with my son and listen to brilliant kids argue their brilliant cases. I am to pick a winner of the debate. I should know why I picked the team I picked and why the other team didn't win.........I should know what each team member should work on to make them a better team. I need to know what they did well and most of all I am to UNDERSTAND the whole thing.

I am to tell the students, in person, why I think what I think. I should stop the debater when he or she makes mistakes.........I am to rate them as first, second, third and fourth speakers....decide how they did on their persuasiveness, organization, delivery, how the evidence worked for me, how well they cross-examined the opponents and refutation............ and ,to me, worst of all, I am write all this out on an official NCFCA form.

Every time I do this I feel like I am being weighed............ in public..........ugggg!!

The students debate on stock issues and reforms and transparencies and harms and definitions and Policies and Advantages, and disadvantages and core issues, and inherency, and, and, and, and....................when I listen to all this I think my head is going to explode!!!!!

I use to think I knew a little bit about something and then 'we' joined this club and I became a parent judge..........I listen to these brilliant kids that know these brilliant words that I have to sometimes (try) to write down so I can look them up later or worse ask one of my kids what it means...........because I forget!!! or I just don't know the word!

I am a terrible speller. I am not a good writer. I get confused easily....... I forget things all the time.

AND! I really don't know what the heck these kids are talking about! I sit and listen and pretend..........and I think..............Huh??...........What???..... The who?? Now is India anywhere near Charleston SC? Or is it in NC near Cherokee Valley? Kidding!!! BUT!

I know I should be fair. I know I should be informed. I know I should kind of know what I am doing. After all, these kids are our future.........I have to keep in mind they are debating to win scholarships, get to college and maybe even learn how to lead this Great Country of ours...............not to make me feel stupid.

Now, if I am asked whether this top looks good with these pants.......I am your woman.......or if Susie's eyes are to close together. I can give you a big.......... YES!! You know make up could do wonders for her.... AND Why the heck is she wearing those shoes with that dress??

But, THIS!! It is just too darn hard! These kids are just too darn smart! The worst of it all we cannot judge our own kids..........I would be good here because I would know if my kid cleaned his room or not that day. I would know if he worked really hard in school that week. I would know if he was very nice to me and very helpful to his brother and sisters……. then..........

He wins!

If he wasn’t and made me crazy that week......... It is a BIG lose!!

At one time, I use to think I knew a little bit about politics and policies and maybe a big word here and there ......but now……. I know........... I know nothing!!

Gee, being a Parent Judge in a home school debate class is really hard.

SNOW! Southern Style!

Yay! SNOW!

Wonderful Snow!

Stephen is caught in the first Snow ball fight of the season.

We where having a great time........

UNTIL

The power went out!

AND

We didn't have electricity all through the night.

It got cold!

Really cold!

Not cool......well, too COLD!!

TREES came crashing down and the wind made terrible howling sounds.

I was a very worried about what the morning would bring.

It brought.......

Power!!

With the power back on and with a good cup of coffee...... the snow was a welcoming sight.

A beautiful! SIGHT!

We had so much snow Alex and Brian had to crawl to make it home!! SHUU! Alex made it,

with a little help from his friend. On our end Kathryn knows people too! And so does Mary Elizabeth.

Natasha was not amuzed.

She had enough!

After all,

she is a Southern Bell.

Today the snow is, for the most part, gone.

The roads are clear and we are back to school.

But,

it sure was nice to have a day of fun, snow and electricity!

Not Me! Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. With her encouragement and her blog button, I have decided to play. It should be fun! The idea is to post the things you know you should have done but didn't......or the other way around! When you’re done here, head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. Here goes! It's time to 'fess up!' Not Me! Monday! This morning, I did not get up early and enjoy the peace and quite. I would have woken everyone up nice and early to get started with their day. It snowed last night and after all I knew the kids would be excited and I would want them to get out into the fun before it melted away. We live in South Carolina and the snow just stays and stays! When Mark told me he was going to work today, I didn't think secretly....... "I will get on the computer and blog when he leaves." I would not have done that, because I never waist time. I just have too much to do! When I took my two year old daughter out into the snow, I did not get too cold really fast and tell her I had Hot Chocolate in the house. Then I did not tell her we could make a cake and that Barnie was on.........after all I know the snow is rare around here. AND I am much nicer then that. I did not waste too much time under a blanket reading the book my mother gave me today. I cleaned up my house right away and it really looks great. I am not sitting in a mess thinking..........How does it get so bad so quickly? My wonderful husband and mostly my kids and are very, very neat and tidy and always puts things back where they go. I will never find them hiding from a mess...... My house is ALWAYS perfect! Because I am a REALLY GREAT house keeper! Now it is your turn! Tell me what you have not been doing today. Looking forward to it!