When I grow up...

Ok... in some life I want to be a historical achitect.

But after the last 2 weeks I realize... in this life I really want to be a teacher. 

So there.

Now... what to do about it.

Just the Facts

Since this is still my way of keeping records about my kids, I feel the need to record Gert's doctors appointment today.  She's 9, and is 53 1/4 inches tall, and 70 pounds.  Her BMI was 17.5.  All of which placed her between the 50th & 75th percentile, so just about perfect.  Her eyes and ears tested out fine as well.  (Though I suspect that the eyes won't hold out - on the bottom of the chart if there was an "S" she said "B".... and she comes from LONG lines of glasses wearers so... we'll see).  The doctor was pleased with her check-up.  It was a nice, easy appointment that only resulted in a prescription for some cream for the extrema on her inner-elbow.

After the appointment I took her up to see her dad for the weekend.  I miss her.  Essie is still having a blast in California.  Going to the Corvette Diner tonight.  I miss her too. 

And it's hot.  Very hot.  Too hot.

Blech.

It's Not That Easy Being..... (you fill in the blank)

I have 2 daughters, and 2 bonus sons.  This summer, 1 daughter is in San Diego with her grandparents, and we have the sons every other week.  This week is one of the weeks we have them.  Last week, Mr. B's ex-wife took Ernie (who is 10) to the doctor for his yearly check up, and to have some tests done because he is quite over-weight.  He weighs 132 pounds.  The doctor called back yesterday and said the blood work has raised some concerns and he wants to meet with "us".  So... it's not easy #1 - do I go to this appointment?  I have thoughts, I have opinions, and I want to hear what's said.  But the she-beast would be less than happy.  And what are those opinions?  Those opinions are that Ernie needs psychological counseling.  For 2 days now while helping to clean up after my 4-year-olds at VBS, I have watched Ernie pick pieces of food up off the ground, pretend to throw them away, but actually eat them.  There's just no way that's ok.  That's more than just "liking" food, right??????  It's hard to be the "new" guy.  I think I see things that Mr. B doesn't see anymore, or chooses not to see.  So... I should be at that appointment, right?  But I shouldn't... right???????  Ack.

Some Gave All

My Grandpa McCloud had 2 sons from his first marriage.  Mason & Merwin (Kay).

This is Kay in his high school graduation photo:

And this is Mason when he was about 4:

On the 9th of January, in 1942, Kay joins the army.  He is part of the Air Corps, and within a year, this young man is piloting a bomber in England.

On January 9th, 1942, there is an accident over the English Channel, and Kay's plane crashes.  He is listed as missing in action, and later declared dead.

Mason then decides to take his brother's place, so he enlists in the Air Corps.  On March 12, 1944, he graduates from flight school.

On June 18, 1944, he is flying a training mission in North Carolina.  His plane loses power, and he tries to land it in a field.  Unfortunately, it seems his engine kicks back in just at the wrong moment, propelling him past the strip of land he finds to land on, and into a marshy swamp.  He is killed instantly.

My Grandpa goes to Delaware to collect the remains of his second son, and brings them back to Minnesota.

Almost 2 years to the day later, my Grandpa has married my grandma, and they have a little girl.  My mom.  My grandpa's first words, after she was born, were, "Thank God she's a girl."

I can't imagine my grandpa's pain.  Two beautiful sons, in the prime of their lives, gone.  Boys that he loved and cared for.  Played with and disciplined.  Gone.

Up until this last year, both Mason & Kay were... more "family legend" to me than anything.  I knew my mom had 2 half brothers, and I knew they died in WWII.  That was it.

But thanks to searching for family trees and such, the "family legends" have become MY family.  MY uncles.  MY uncles who gave their lives for my freedom.

Memorial Day, while always meaning a great deal to me because of my deep patriotism, means immeasurably more to me now.  There aren't enough words, or even the right words, to express my deep gratitude to them.

God Bless you, Mason & Kay.

Bragging for bragging sake. Please pass by.

My girls are smart.  Scarey smart.

Gert came home today with her report card.  All A's... all year.  For the past 3 years.  And her test scores.  She got ONE wrong on the science portion of the state tests.  And the other were all above 900.  And her other tests she blew the lid off.  And she's going to be doing 5th grade math next year in fourth grade.  And she'll be in gifted language arts.  I think at this point she knows more than I do.  Wanna know a secret?  When she was little, I thought she was just going to be "average"... which I was fine with.  She was just so easy going and chill and calm... just taking things as they came.  And here she is.... tons of inner drive.  Just the right amount of competitive that she wants to do well, but not so much that she's a jerk.  She's amazing me.  Now... if she could just keep a room clean. 

Essie is a different story.  Essie is also freaky smart.  She's so smart that she can pay absolutely NO attention to what her teachers are saying or teaching, and not do any of the daily work, and ace pretty much all the tests.  Unfortunately, that doesn't translate into amazing grades, because the teachers seem to like it when kids do the work.  So... while being exceptionally smart... she's flunking almost all her classes.  Except Math... the one where she actually HAS a disability.  But those state tests?  Exceeds expectations in almost everything.  ARGH!!!!  She has potential.  I wouldn't care if she didn't have potential.

Those are my girls.  I'm VERY proud of them.  No matter what.
 

I will not be cliche... but... is this thing on?

For someone who stays home most of the day, I'm a pathetic blogger.  I think maybe I just don't have a lot to say.  Or maybe I have too much to say and I get overwhelmed at the thought of posting it all.  Or maybe some of it I'm reluctant to put out there, just because someone might stumble onto it.  Who knows.

So.

191 days after getting married, Mr. B started work today.  He's now a PM (Problem Manager) for HP (Hewlett Packard) , working at the CDC (Center for Disease Control) at their MRDC (MidRange Data Center).  So just leave it at a PM for HP at the CDC MRDC.  Sounds like something from Good Morning, Vietnam.  But what REALLY matters is that we get a 25% discount on our Sprint cell service.  No... wait... what really matters is that he'll only work in the office 2-3 days a week.  NO... wait.... what REALLY matters is that this is SUCH a major step up the career ladder for him, and he's SOOO very excited about what he'll be doing.  It's fun to see him so happy.

Since I last posted, I turned 40 ,

 Ernie (Mr. B's youngest son) turned 10,

 Mr. B turned 46,

 and Gert turned 9!

And our Guinea Pig, Fozzie, died.

And some birds moved into the birdhouse Gert built.

Our kitty, May, learned to climb the windows

And my mom sold her house in Minnesota and will be moving here to Georgia in about 3 weeks!!!

Well.  That sums up the big stuff.  I'm really gonna try to be here more often.

Not Good Enough

I'm addicted to several things. Diet Mt. Dew, Downton Abbey, taking pictures of my kids, Pinterest, and pizza rolls, to name a few.

One of the things I like to do is look for photography tricks so when I take pictures of my kids, they look awesome. And I keep running into tutorials about "how to make eyes look brigther, bigger, more intense, etc" and other ways to make pictures of your kids look better.

And then I read articles about people railing against magazines that use photoshop to make models look better and how horrible that is and how it's effecting little girl's self images.

But then... are we any better? Are my kids REALLY not cute enough as they are? Do I really need to enhance their eyes and cover their blemishes and remove their moles and whiten their smiles and all that?? Am I leaving an accurate portrait of my kids, or what I "wish" them to be? Cause really... they couldn't be any cuter or sweeter or more perfectly who they are....

what do you think? (About doctoring images of your own kids... I already know you think my kids are cute)