Why we can't have nice things. Reason #228

I would love to tell you my boys are responsible for this tragedy, but that would be a lie. *sigh*

Prepping them for adulthood

Recently while participating in the fair, I was pondering what I want my boys to be involved in, how I want them to grow up. I won't lie, I worry sometimes what people think about those kind of activities. Do they think we are dumb because we think it is fun to chase a pig? Do they think we are uneducated rubes?

I'd like to think our children are going to get a unique education. Daddy with a music degree and manager of a Symphony, mommy with an agriculture degree and a love of bugs and plants and cows.

I couldn't help think I want them to learn how to handle animals for a thousand reasons, but mainly because learning how to handle situations that seem impossible, like getting a 2000 lb animal to behave. If you can't muster some self confidence in that situation, you wont succeed.

I want them to play sports and have a coach who pushes them to their physical limits so they understand sometimes we push past what we think we can do physically and triumph. I want them to lose a big game and get back in the play the next one like it didn't happen.

I want them to master an instrument so they can know the beauty and release of music in all it's forms. Whether it be Cash, Mozart,Black Flag, Persechetti, Bob Wills or Metallica (the old stuff). The hard work, the mastering of rhythms that seem to complex on the first try and then roll off the tongue or fingers by the last.

I want them to learn that education comes from experience, while books guide and give direction they aren't a replacement for having been there and done that.

I want them to understand Love, not the sugary candy flavored romantic love sold in the media, but real unconditional love. I want them to understand the grace of God and its transforming power.

Recently I happened upon a blog where a mom said this.. You want to hear a real punk rock mommy parenting tip… I always believed that it was not my job to raise good children but rather to prepare my children for adulthood. Everything you teach them as children ought to be for the purpose of having them be strong, healthy, and independent adults. (Punk Rock Mommy. June 19, 2008*)

I had never thought of it that way, but that is exactly what I want to prepare them for adulthood so they are strong and capable but still know how to have fun. Don't get me wrong, I want to have good kids, but from the inside out, you know not just well mannered in front of the right people.

What did your parents do to prepare you for to be an adult?

*For more about Punk Rock Mommy please see the comment section.

Magnetic Monday -- Tarantula Hawk

Tarantula Hawk: a wasp that gets it's name from using the tarantula spider as a food source for it's young. While large and scary looking, they don't bother much with humans, although the sting is reputed to be quite painful. I had never tried to grab one, but have had been in close proximity often and never felt threatened. Keeping with my New Mexico Hall of Fame theme, I should note that they are our state insect.

Trying on a new dress.

I have been inspired lately, some of you have really spiffied up your blogs. I have spent the better part of the last few hours trying to do that to mine. It didn't take me so long because it was hard but because I was trying to find a background to go with my header. I may have to change it or learn digital scrapbooking and make my own background. You may notice that I added a blogroll over there in the corner. I thought that was cool feature how it shows the last post. I didn't realize I had never put one on here, sorry if you have linked me and then felt left out.

So on to other news or lack there of. Zach and mom survived first week of school just fine. You should be proud to know I sent insects for his first show and tell. Ladybugs because last week they were learning the letter L. Do you think I can come up with a bug for every letter? That might be a tough call, but I may try. His teacher may hate me by the end of the year. She told me she may call me in for when the study insects in the spring. Oh and just a side note for you teachers out there... as an entomologist I have a wee suggestion. Consider having your insect teaching section to the fall. There is a larger variety of insects out now in most parts of the country than in March or even April.

Monkey Toe Momma from Donna Reed in Blue Jeans tagged me to a meme with 10 weird things about myself. I have done that before, right here, so go check it out if you are interested, but it was only six, so here are four more.

1. My mother counts this as one of my weird traits, I have a degree in entomology, plant pathology and weed science. She always snickers at weed science. No, I don't know how to grow cannabis, so quit bugging me, I know how to control pests ya know.
2. I cannot eat pasta, cook pasta or wash dishes where pasta may have end up floating around in the water.
   
3. While pasta gives me the heebie jeebies, I have raised insect colonies no problem. Didn't even make me get the creepie crawlies.
4. I was born in Roswell, New Mexico. My husband claims this is proof I am an alien. Further proof? When we watched Lilo and Stitch the other day, the Man in Black at the end claimed to be in Roswell in 1973, the year I was born. He thinks that completely clinches it, as though that movie is based on some sort of fact.

Hey Look at Me I am a Big KId Too!

Did you know I have two boys? I kid, sometimes I feel bad, Z does get the lions share of the attention lately. He's in school and sports, sometimes little brother feels a bit left out. For the last few weeks he has been desperately wanting to be big and go to kindergarten with brother.

In fact he informed that he was five now and old enough to go. When I asked, You are? He told me that he had a few extra birthdays I didn't know about. After relating that story to a womens group at church I found out a few senior saints have apparently been trying to give their extra birthdays away to the toddlers. Sneaky, aren't they? I knew those white hairs couldn't be trusted.

In reality he will probably be attending Headstart this fall, so he will get to go to school. I don't have his letter yet, but a recent speech difficulty diagnosis most likely will ensure him a spot. I didn't take the diagnosis too hard though because he is as smart as a whip. He was very communicative with the diagnostician, and knew every question she asked, I guess it was the way he said his words, I am just used to deciphering for him.

Right now I am enjoying my extra time with him, it has been fun the last few days. The little chatter box keeps the day lively with his running commentary. Today we looked at butterflies, tarantula hawks and caterpillars. One man, whom we saw in a parking lot after Max had captured a long green larvae dared called it a worm, under his breath Max said, it's not a worm, it's a caterpillar. I think the duh was implied. (That is my little entomologist in training!)

While he had said infamous things like telling my mom what is under my pants, he can be quite profound at times for a three year old. Take Sunday at lunch, as we cracked fortune cookies, I asked him to read mine. Although he cannot actually read, his acting was dead on when he looked at the paper and* stated this, If you do the right things and then do it, you will be happy.

Sounds to me like he has it down, I don't even think the little genius needs school.


*I changed my original wording here, because I unintentionally made it sound like he can read, which he cannot. He is smart but not that smart, he is only three.

Magnetic Monday - First Day of School

Patience is a Virtue that I don't have.

I am so excited, and I can't hardly hide it....

Aren't you glad this isn't a video blog? Then you would have probably been subject to my bad singing with incorrect lyrics.

Today we finally will find out who Zach's kindergarten teacher is, and everything associated with my bug starting school. Maybe it is just that we had to wait an extra year since his birthday falls just after the deadline, or just the newness of it all.

Yeah, my son has been to preschool for the last couple of years and really this isn't as big of a deal to him. I am not worried that he won't behave or about the big kids picking on him. In fact he will be the big kid since our town has all the kindergarten kids at the same school.

Then there was the teacher selection. It was a lot of pressure as I talked with other moms around the ball field about the upcoming school year. Who are you going to pick for his teacher, they asked. I don't know, we get to pick? was my reply. So I started asking around from the kindergarten veteran moms. They all had suggestions two names topped the list. Oddly enough one that mentioned the most had equal votes hating her and loving her. They all warned me that I needed to be in the registration line early to get in those two classes, because the first ten names for each teacher get into the class they pick and then after that they fit people in.

It felt like a big deal, this is a small town and part of me wonders if I get him into these two popular teachers classes, if that will set the tone for the rest of his school life. Like any town, but especially a small town the pecking order starts early. One day I cornered one gal, who was wildly popular in school and married to one of the hunkiest guys in school, is so very down to earth and helpful. She is a teacher and could give me the lowdown about teaching styles. After talking to her my husband and I narrowed the list down the to the three teachers we would request on our registration. The two most popular teachers weren't even on my list.

One I picked because her name came up often as a great teacher and her husband is a rancher and she tends to have a cowboy theme in class and even takes the kids on a trip to the ranch. Right up Zach's alley. Another is the protege of my kindergarten teacher whom I loved, and think would be a great fit for Zach. The last is a lady from my church, whom whenever we working the nursery or anything together, always impresses me with her skills with little kids.

Unluckily I was in Nashville that day. So I sent hubby in my stead. I called him to see how it was going and wouldn't you know he had forgot but he got down there right away. Whew, disaster avoided. He could have ruined our child's whole school career right there.

A couple of weeks later we got to go on a tour of the building. Each class is a certain kind of animal. Kangaroo, skunk, bears, bees, etc. Zach wants to be a turtle, because blue and green are his favorite colors. The turtle teacher wasn't on our list, I told him I didn't know if he would get in that class or not. MOM! my teacher (at preschool) told me you get to pick, I want to be a turtle!

That was way back in April. Since then this is the mommy talk I hear everywhere we go, So who's class is he in? I don't know, do you know who your kid has, I would frantically reply, wondering how they know. What did I miss?!? No they would admit, they didn't know they were wondering too. At a birthday party this summer I cornered a kindergarten teacher, and grilled her for info, when do we find out what is going on???? She told me we would know the Friday before school starts we would have an orientation. No letters in the mail, I have been impatient for this day to come ever since. Four long months, but today is the day. While Zach is excited, I think I am the one who cannot wait until 1:00.

**Update** is in the comments

Magnetic Monday -- Art y Pico Award

Arte Y Pico Award

You like me, you really like me! Well at least Wifey does. She stunned me recently when she selected me as one of her five blogs to include in this award.

By the way if you don't already read Wifey, I highly recommend her. She doles out tips on sex, marriage and just life in general and she's a published author.

Here are the rules:


1) Choose 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award based on creativity, design, interesting material, and overall contribution to the blogger community, regardless of the language.
2) Post the name of the author and a link to his or her blog by so everyone can view it.
3) Each award-winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
4) The award-winner and the presenter should post the link of the “Arte Y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) Please post these rules.

Picking five bloggers is very hard for me, in fact I kind of hate this because I worry about leaving someone out. Rest assured if I am reading your blog I already like you.

Hummybird Elizabeth @ A Calm in the Chaos
Someone once described her as a kind of Haiko blogger, they are short but to the point, entertaining, sometimes poignant but always a good read.

Katie @ Bird on the Street
I have been reading Katie's blog for a long while, long before the birth of her son, Charlie. She's fun, determined and honest.

Sheila @ Dr. Cason. org
I think i found this blog on twitter, like who's following me? Wow am I glad though because I really enjoy her posts, whether she is talking about being a pediatrician, living on Guam, being a military wife, a mom or just what she likes to eat, she is always inspiring.

Hyper Her @ Hypberbolic Hermitage
Sometimes she shows off her knitting, sometimes what is inspiring her, her garden, a book she read or descriptions of her life in New England. I love it, and count her as friend...

Damselfly @ Growing a Life
Okay I like bugs, but that is not the only reason why I find the Damselfly so interesting. She is funny and entertaining. Oh and she has a secret blog sort of... but I'll make you find it.

Pigs, puppies and tiaras, oh my!

Last week was our county fair. Someone called me die hard because I took the boys out nearly every day. I think they were just remembering the old days. When I was the perennial runner up in the fair queen contest. Seriously, I was supposed to win that year, I was the first runner up the year before. I later learned it was because I didn't use the whole can of spray starch on my jeans, they couldn't actually stand up on their own.

Ohh Dig my rockies? I am on the left there.

4-H was a big part of my life growing up. First broken tooth, first dance, first clandestine make out session, first blue ribbon, first time having a battle of wills with a 2000 pound angry steer. The Fair is the culmination of a year of hard work and fun, we would get to run loose and eat greasy hamburgers from the food stand all week.

Then there are the important things, like signing up for the boot giveway from the local western store "Bennies: The West's most Western Store". I have only been trying to win as long as I could write my name. I also need to get my free flyswatters from the bank booth, stock up on pencils from the Sheriff's Posse booth, because I don't want to actually buy those things for my house.

Did I mention that I was a third generation 4-Her? My grandmother is quite pleased that we plan to make it four generations. My boys, while not old enough for 4-H yet, got to participate in the fair too. While I would love for them to take after me and show steers, that is the only group of animals they don't let the little kids show. Why? I don't know, so we had to settle for pigs and puppies. Luckily we have a 4-H family that is keeping their animals at our place since they live in town and they let they boys show their pigs in the "booster" aka little kid show. All the kids who showed got a blue ribbon and a dollar, you can guess which the kids were more impressed with.

Meeting of the future Eddy County Fair Board

Our friends kid, riding in the horse show, Zach wants to do this next year.

We are thinking of opening a pig wash, they really enjoyed it.

Max taking the pig into the show ring. He forgot which was his by the end.


Zach was all business, look at that showmanship.

Max showing our dog Sgt Pepper, he got fifth place in the Mixed Breed Class. I guess it is hard to get respect when you are a Cocktail Weenie. (Cocker Spaniel+ Stray Weenie Dog)

Zach showed my parents dog, Vidalia Sue a lab mix. He got first in Mixed Breeds and then third overall. Shocked us, we didn't know what we were doing we just showed up.

I'll probably be just as die hard next year, and have to take them out every day, and show more animals. Plus I have to keep trying to win those boots, and I may just lobby to raise the age on the fair queen contests too.

Magnetic Monday -- Dreaming

My sleeping dreams have been very vivid of late. My waking dreams, aspirations and goals are the ones that are fleeting and hard to grasp.

I am on the verge of a big transition. I may have both kids in school soon. We need a second income, what will I do with my time. What dream will I pursue?

Frugal Fridays Find

We all know it is not environmentally friendly to drink bottled water anymore. Besides the possible chemicals leaching out of the plastic, there is the problem of those bottles filling up landfills. Lastly there is the expense, we gripe about the cost of a gasoline, but paying $1.00 a pop out of a soda machine is at least twice as costly as gasoline.

Mary Hunt of Deabt Proof Living recently sent out an article recently urging fellow everyday cheapskates to drink tap water. I admit I am a bit addicted to the taste of my fancy water and have never been happier since we installed a Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtration system in our home. No more hauling five gallon bottles or having it delivered. The cost for as system from our local club warehouse was only about $150.00 and has easily paid for itself. We have an extra tap added to our sink, pictured here, that delivers delicious water every day. If you take a look at your favorite brand of bottled water, it is probably RO water that has been bottled.

My ice cubes are clear, not cloudy, my tea is tasty and our coffee has that extra kick.