Chalk it up for EXPERIENCE

Yesterday I took my 2nd test since I have been an official college student. I had a boost of confidence after scoring 100% on last weeks test in my "history of jazz and blues" class. However, I suspected this test in "environmental geology" wasn't going to be as clear cut.

I did one final review of my 3 inch stack of flash cards before my teacher (Mr. Indiana Jones as I like to think of him), passed out the tests and then away I went. So far so good as I'm on question 10 of the 53 question test. Then all of a sudden I get to page 3....what in the heck is this!? Ok...so maybe the teacher "mentioned" this in his discussion but I KNEW it wasn't in any of our notes. I felt a rush of panic; then irritated, I skipped over it and decided to come back to this page later. The rest of the test wasn't too bad, although I felt my brain being quickly drained of any future memory capabilities.

As I'm nearing the end of the test, the teacher announces that when we are done, we are free to leave OR if we want to stay he'll review the test after everyone is done. He also added that he won't be reviewing it any other day, so this is it. I look around and see only a few people working. Those that wanted to stay are looking bored. My hands start to quiver and I felt a flash of perspiration spring from my body. The pressure was on to get this test done quick. I'm down to the last 3 problems, however I still have to go back and make my best guess for the questions on page 3. Pretty soon, I realize all eyes are on me as I'm the only one that hasn't finished. The teacher kindly nears my desk to see my progress. I politely ask if I can go to another room to finish as I just realized that my calculated answer for question 50 is going to affect question 51, 52 and 52! I can't double-check my work under this stress!

Luckily I got to finish in a nearby classroom. I made my best guess for the questions on page 3 and then left while my teacher was still reviewing it with those that had stayed.

If I actually end up as a teacher someday, I decided this particular experience is one I won't be incorporating into my method of teaching. I thought about my my music teacher and appreciated his instruction because he made sure we knew what to expect, allowed enough time for the exam and then reviewed it the following day.

In my opinion, Mr. Indiana Jones' expertise is definitely out exploring.

Hatatouille

Happy 40-something Birthday to my hubby Ron! We spoiled him with a bunch of cooking gadgets (his latest obsession), saw the movie "Julia/Julia" with some of our bestest friends and ate delicious German chocolate cake, baked by my future daughter-in-law Jackie. He even got a cool Mag-lite from his favorite mother-in-law that he can use in case his little side-kick jumps down out of his hat! Maybe he should start by looking under the bed first!!

TV Land Blues

My oldest son Nathan, decided that he would be living his dream life if he were a member of the Brady family.

WHAT!!!???? Other than having Alice at my side 24/7, I was surprised that he wasn't living that dream already!?

Carol was the prototype liberated woman. Although she chooses to be a stay-at-home mom, she is anything but a housewife. She is a freelance writer, a sculptor, political activist and singer. She also organizes plays and PTA events while keeping dinner on the table and completing needlepoint projects all while keeping her home emotionally balanced.
Some of her favorite things are a large terra-cotta vase, dangly earrings and singing in church. She also loves telling corny jokes, and finding clever ways of zinging her husband.

Ok...so maybe I don't like politics, earrings, needlepoint, sculpting, PTA, cooking or own a terra-cotta vase....but hey...this is the 21st century! I am great at going thru drive-thrus for dinner, stocking up on chocolate milk, Saturday morning donut runs, watching sports-(namely basketball and high school football), sewing on merit badge patches, typing essays, taxi-ing all over town, having church clothes ready each Sundy, not to mention hugs, kisses (even in front of middle school kids-ha!) and reading together!!!

What more could a kid want? Will my kids complain about me to their therapist someday? Does Carol have any regrets? Should I have married an architect? Obviously...only time will tell and hopefully someday Nathan will realize life at our house is better than the Brady's!? If not, he can go live on "Fantasy Island!"

See How They Run

I decided, against my better judgement, to stay up late and get some reading done for school. I was sitting on the edge of my bed when all of a sudden a flash of fur (along with a tail) ran out from under my bed. Upon hearing my gasp, the furry creature, who probably thought the coast was clear at that late hour, retreated back to the dark abyss. Aughhhhh*!@#*!@#......I DON'T WANT A MOUSE UNDER MY BED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hurried and found a trap, applied the best lure I could think of- Laffy Taffy (strawberry) - quickly and stratigically placed it under my bed and jumped back on my bed for safety. Within seconds I heard the snap! I couldn't believe it. I intercomed for Ron to get upstairs pronto! ewwwwwe, ughhhhh, yuck......the gross lifeless creature dangled from the trap as Ron took it outside...the dogs are going crazy! (Why couldn't they get that excited when it was roaming around under my bed-alive?! Don't they have any cat instincts?) I made sure Ron reset the trap and exhausted, I gave up my reading and fell asleep. The morning was a repeat of the night before...emptying another trap; the dumb dogs going crazy! Where were the mice coming from? WHY were they under my bed?!! The trap was reset once again. A few days pass and sure enough, we have another one! Not sure how long this latest saga will go on? I'm wondering if they were all trying to get away from the farmer's wife?

Kick me Please!

My boys are always begging me to drive these semi-motor vehicles around the grocery store (of course the answer is always NO!!!) Today they raced into Stater Bros and while I was grabbing a shopping cart, I see my younger son, Emmett, swing his leg back and kick my older son, Nathan, right in the shin!!! I was horrified but before my mouth could formulate a punishment, Nathan hobbled over to the motorized shopping cart and sat down. They both started laughing hysterically and drove off. I could hardly keep a straight face as I told them to return it NOW amongst the arguments that Nathan was too crippled to walk. As Nathan hobbled to the check stand (still giggling with Emmett) I couldn't help but wonder how I was going to survive the crazy antics, only appealing to boys, as the only female in my house??!! Help...where's Rachel when I need her!??

Dodging the Draft

Head coach Nathan, in the goofy hat, along with Bryant in the cool shades and Parker his new acquisition to the SUNS, enjoy their day at Disneyland!

Will the REAL coach please stand up?

Division III basketball at the Valley Wide Rec Center in Murrieta comprises boys and girls from 5th and 6th grade. My girlfriend and I each have a boy in the respective grades...lucky for us, right? Well the only way for these division III best friends to play on the same team is for their parents to coach their team. At his request and not wanting to add anything more to my plate, we got permission from the league director for my 9th grade son to coach his little brothers team...as long as I sign up as the head coach. He assures me that he will take charge and I have nothing to worry about! We received a phone call about the draft late Monday night. "The draft will be tomorrow night," a voice on the other end states. "Wait...", I'm thinking..."my son (the real coach), will be at Disneyland for his birthday tomorrow night along with his little brother, hopeful teammate and hopeful teammate's mom! That leaves only me...the reluctant head coach to attend the draft!" My son (the coach), pours over his chicken scratch notes from tryouts of who I need to get and also those on the "absolutely NOT" list. I translate it into something useful and wearily head out to the draft Tuesday night. Sitting in a conference room full of jovial men with an underlying Mark Cuban mentality, I draw out my first number for round 1 picks...#5. The night didn't get much more hopeful as every round I either drew a #5 or #6 (out of seven numbers). However, when it was all said and done, I managed to put together a pretty good team, securing at least 2 players from the coaches top 10 list along with his little brother and best friend. I was offered to do some trading but upon realizing the other team was willing to trade 2 of their players who were on my "absolutely NOT" list, I politely declined stating my reasons why. I felt pretty good as I was leaving the conference room knowing I had the "ball in my court". Lets just hope it stays that way.