Math!

Okay, I admit as a kid I did say I didn't like math... probably because all the other girls said they hated math. But honestly, I liked it. No one could mark an answer wrong if it was right... very black and white.

Goober likes math too. For homework each night we are supposed to do reading for 15 minutes and "math facts" for 5 minutes. I bought him a workbook because I'm bad at remembering to HAVE him do math, let alone think up things for him to do. I should have probably just bought him flashcards, but he really seems to enjoy his workbook.

This is the page he did today:

yes, it is counting by twos, but it's really BIG numbers (for him) and Jer and I were able to help the logic click for him as far as when to change the bigger numbers.

 999
 +_1
1000

with all of the "carry the one over here... and add it to here...."s

Now, I have to admit, I don't know where the rest of the worlds 7 year olds are at... but I was pleased he was able to figure it on his own after a bit! You should have seen him beaming! :)

I'm glad he likes math! I would hate to have to fight him not only on reading but math too...

Recalls Ugh

Has everyone else noticed the insane number of recalled toys lately?

Really, it's an insane amount of toys and kid products. The screwy thing is, many of these toys AREN'T DANGEROUS. No kidding.

Turbo's trike is on recall.

I'm sure you all have seen little trikes like his. The reason for the recall? The "key" is "dangerous".

The "key" mind you is a small yellow piece that is permanently attached to the front of the trike right below the handlebars. It doesn't poke out very much, in fact it's shaped like a cresent, so in effect it feels more like a little smooth bump when you run your hand from the body of the bike over the key to the handlebars.

The only way that key is "dangerous" is if the kid is jumping into the bike with all he's got, or if the child is standing on the trike and falls onto it (the bike itself is dangerous to fall on!). In both cases, it's a matter of the kid doing things that they should know are going to hurt them. If you know your kid is likely to do something like that... maybe you should keep a good eye on your kid? NOT sue the company for you or your kids stupidity.

Now, honestly, I don't think parents are suing companies over things like that. I think LAWYWERS are suing companies on behalf of the parents. ie class action lawsuits. And who is benefitting? Lawyers. Because with class action lawsuits the people hurt don't actually get much. But at least companies are held responsible when they do something wrong... especially when there is no way for an individual to have enough to funds to even get the companies attention... right?

Yeah, so what happens when the lawyers get greedy and start throwing leagal threats around like it's a free meal ticket?

Ya, the companies start recalling everything simply to try to keep their names clean... dangerous or no. Parents start ignoring many of the recalls because many of them are only there because people are blatantly using the product WRONG! Companies start refusing to make toys for certain age groups and the hardship of finding toys for a 2 year old becomes that much HARDER.

And what happens when a recall is actually done because the product really is dangerous? How much of a red flag is that recall going to elicit?

Grrrr.

Roomie Reunion

Okay, so about a week ago I went to my college Roomie Reunion.

We try to get together every 4 years or so, last time was in Park City and we rented a condo, it was a bit of a challenge because everyone was at such different stages in life.

This time was definitely easier, because while we all have very different lives, we all have grown up and matured to the point that we can have discussions about just about anything. Not feel left out if someone decides to have a one on one conversation with someone else, and even gotten to the point that all of us made sure we each got a chance to talk one on one with each other... therefore catching up on each others lives a lot better and a lot more intimately. And not only that, we all tried to be conscious of how each other might feel and tried our best not to make each other uncomfortable... though I'm sure that still happened a couple of times.

We stayed at an aunts vacation house in Heber... it was beautiful and was such a blessing. It helped to keep cost down so that 5 out of the 6 roommates could attend (we definitely missed the 6th... but living in the east definitely makes it harder to come out west... especially on short-ish notice). The house was immaculate and we tried our best to leave it spotless and tidy when we left for our own homes once again.

We stayed up late talking and playing games, and at one point freaking out because of a random "bump" in the night (and accidentally setting off the house alarm! But we got it shut off quickly enough).

 (And yes, we actually used the headlamp and the ski poles(?) to go downstairs and check the unfinished basement for shady creepy stalker type people...)

We each took care for providing a meal and only ate out once (though the little cafe had wonderful food!) and we went to a very quaint coffee shop that used to be a full service gas station back in the days... they even had the old 1950's gas pumps out front!  We sat and talked outside until I got a sunburn... IN OCTOBER!! It was fabulous! I regret having ever doubted I would have fun...

(me and my absent roomie... and yes I'm aware that I don't pout very attractively... and yes, the absentee roomie is rather short so my arm is intentionally kinda low... MISSED YOU!!!)

Next time I really hope that our missing roomie can make it. We missed her.

(There, that's a better picture of me!)

Goober

Is growing and changing. In fact in the last month alone I have noticed a marked difference in how he approaches life. He thinks more... he considers.

Just the other day after I came home from my "Roomie Reunion" (which was great fun, by the way) my husband informed me that when Goober received some snacks to take home and enjoy, from Grandma and Grandpa J, he saved them for the next morning... and even then, only ate one and saved the rest for later in the weekend.

As he slowly went through the weekend his treats slowly disappeared, while his siblings ate theirs all with relish after only one night of sleep.

Just yesterday, after being outside mowing the lawn, I came inside to grab a grocery sack to gather some of the carrots that I have planted in the garden. They are, after all, getting quite big...

as I trudged up the stairs and into the kitchen, Goober popped out from the bottom of the stairs and exclaimed: "Mom! Your going to be so happy! I'm cleaning out the 'Little Room'!" Which is where we have been keeping all of our toys recently... under the stairs. In fact I've been thinking I really do need to go through it all because if I'm not careful we are going to end up with a load of spiders and their little families in there.

After he had finished and showed me his work (insisting that I "close my eyes" until I was right were I could see it all) I was really, really pleasantly surprised! He did a fabulous job! Before the cleaning has commenced, I (being an adult who didn't want to step on any toys) couldn't even get into the little room, and now the kids could play in their again if they wanted!

Goober was so proud! And so, of course, was I!

I Don't

When I tell you how I feel,
When I say what I think,
or how I see things...
I'm not forcing my opinion.

I don't need you to agree with me.
It would be nice, but honestly...
are the best conversations when everyone agrees?
Nosomuch.

Really, all I want is for you to
understand,
for you to put yourself in my shoes.
That's it, nothing more.

Missy Minus Training Wheels

 

 So Missy had me take off her training wheels last week... what's funny is that she is usually more of a risk taker than Goober, but for whatever reason she didn't want to try riding her bike sans training wheels for very long and soon asked me to put them back on. I was a mean mom and refused to reattach them (she could totally ride without training wheels she just lacked the confidence!)

After she got a bit of a grip about that she soon found that, sure enough, mom might have a clue what she is talking about! lol And she is once again following her big brother all over the neighborhood looking for friends who are home to play with!

On an unrelated note, Jer and I finally got the playhouse stained! Yes, it took all summer for us to get to it, and no we did not intend to wait until October to do it! But alas it is done before the snow flies! Yippy!

 

 (it's not done well, mind you, but it is protected from the weather, which is what we were worried about!)