Calling Safety, shelves, and haircuts

"Come on, move your feet out of the way so I can sit beside you."
Gluten was homeschooling on the sofa and had stretched out to take up as much of it as he could. He pulled his feet back giving me just enough room to sit between his feet and the pillow. He tossed me his history book.
"I've got mine. You might need yours". I spun the book back through the air quick enough to land it on his bare belly.
It was review time of chapter three. Gluten does better if history and science are verbally reviewed daily. We started through the questions with only names of people getting him twisted. He'd flip through the pages checking bold face words and then give me the name. I'd ask if he was sure, causing him to actually read the passage to me to prove that he had the right one.
"What was the New England Confederation? Why was it formed?" I asked.
He thought for a moment, " uhmmm....safety!" 
"Yeah, defense, as in a military defense." I started to explain a bit more so it would stick with him. BUT, He was laughing.
"What?"
"I said, SAFETY, because I farted. I didn't want you to slug me. I didn't know I'd get a history question right with it." He was grabbing his stomach he was laughing so hard.
I just hung my head.

******
Pinterest is where I go to relax for a few minutes to an hour in the evening. Black shelves over the toilet in a small bathroom interested me. A trip to H.D. just happened to land into the errand schedule the other day for shelves and black supports.
Our master bedroom toilet is in a room by itself. A small room - actually 35 1/8 inches wide.

I thought I chose things to put on the shelves due to the memories, but I can't remember where two of the things came from. Geezuh! My dad made the wishing well out of walnut shells, the glass piggy bank beside it is from childhood, Commander likes marbles, and Spooners. The pictures on top were on the table at our wedding, the frame on the left is from a friend at church given to me during chemo, the green glass basket is from an aunt, and the picture of the boys was when we first moved to Kansas in 2000. We were stuck in Hoge Barracks for 1 month.

*****
Herogian asked for a haircut the other day since it has been so hot. He agreed to let me do it with the dog shears. Yeah - save that money! As the hair was falling, Hawk came around the corner to see what we were doing out on the patio. "Oh stop right there!" I was working across the top of Herogian's head. "Dad would freak if you left that part," said Hawk. Herogian felt the strip of long bangs and agreed. We left it. I wasn't going to be home when Commander came in, thank goodness. I did show Herogian where the clippers would be incase he decided to lose the bangs before Dad came home. I guess he didn't. This is his "School is driving me insane look" and it is what he greeted Dad with at the door.

The hair disappeared that night into a nice buzz cut.

Have a great Labor Day weekend. Thank the Lord for the blessing of rain. Pray for the relief for those suffering from too much of it at once.

Altrazerodrop shoes - Awesome

In '08-09 when Commander was deployed my feet started giving me pain while working in the back yard. Wearing muck boots without my orthotics in them - I thought was the problem. But fixing that issue didn't help.

It just kept getting worse to the point that I quit running in our neighborhood. It was embarrassing to run to the church 1/4 a mile down the road  and then have to walk back home because my feet were burning.

Later it was kneeling down on bent toes digging, or building the walkway would cause both feet to burn. The picture's date is July 2011, I just finished

this path to the back patio 2 weeks ago.

THen you probably remember in May - foot surgery on both feet to cut out nerves from between the 3rd and 4th toes that were the size of pencils stuck inbetween the tendons and doubling back on themselves. Oh and the allergic reaction. Oh Bother.

Well, we have made it to the end of August only after a wait of 4 1/2 weeks for these to arrive. They were on backorder.

Altra zero drop running shoes. As you can see from the side edge there isn't a big build up(inches) of cushion under the heels. That's why they are called zero drop. You actually run in a barefoot style of gait. Does it ever feel good! THe toe box is also larger so your toezies have room to spread out. This is super for Morton's toes and neuroma's - give 'em some room! My long old toes can now wiggle dance.

I started running again at the end of July and joined my friend Shannon on some of her runs. I wanted to stay up with her. My ego really didn't want to accept being at square one again with training, and tried to jump ahead. Well, I paid for that leap in the workouts. THe hills in her neighborhood are killers for knees and beginners at that. Then with the hard packed soccer field with clumps of grass sporadically growing - running strides down the middle of the field didn't help with tweaking the knee. IT Band tenderness, bursitis swelling, and pain sent me to the doctor. I took a week off, started back slow with a knee brace, walking most the time, and saving the jogging for races that I had already paid to enter. Tonight, my lookout on running has a smile again. It is because of these shoes. Just walking to the port -a- pot from the car convinced me to take off the knee brace. Walking a mile felt like I was holding the horses back. Picking up the pace on the straight aways at the track felt good -even though I was slow as molasses the foot strike was straight, balanced, no pronation to fight against, the knee felt great for the next mile. There was no clicking, catching, collapsy feeling from the knee for the first time in three weeks. I don't want to take the shoes off. My favorite workout is repeat 200's. They don't feel like a thing of the past, they are now in the future waiting for me.

Want to come run?

It still fits and other things

A dress on Pinterest caught my eye. I really liked it. a Titanic Vintage cream and green tea dress. While looking through my boards, I spied it again, then checked out the link with it. $173.00 for a dress - I don't think so, I know so, so, how am I going to get that dress made. MOMMM. Well that's how it usually would happen. It reminded me of my wedding dress - also a tea dress that my wonderful Mom made.
For the wedding I wore a cream satin slip under the lace, For a Christmas Party shortly after our wedding ( to meet Commanders side of the family) I slipped a red slip under it, and then for an Army banquet of some sort I wore an Infantry blue slip. Of course my mother made all the slips for me. Talent for sewing leaks out of her pores. She amazes me.
It has been twenty years since I found the pattern and asked Mom to make the dress, becuase I was sure I'd found the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. She was sure I'd found the only person to put up with me. She's right.
Here is the front of the dress. The lace in front had to be dyed in tea to get it off white to match the rest of the lace. I noticed with the picture that there are a couple of yellow spots on it now. Below is full length.

Here is a full length shot with the red slip under it. It need a little pressing since it just came out of the tissue paper and box, but I was pleased that it still fit. Thank you Gluten for cutting my head off (I asked him to) Can't wear this kind of dress without makeup.

A long with the dress, my mom crocheted a large doily to be formed into a hat, and also a smaller doily for the flower bouquet. Talent runs deep in the family. My sister-in-law did all the flowers for the hat, bouquet, and wedding. I still have both in the house. I'm happy to be coming up on 20 years with Commander. He makes my life exciting, full of laughter, and God centered. I'm also glad that I could still get into the dress.   But on that note, what would you do to a child that started gagging, saying "what do you have on? why are you wearing that? OH don't tell me, groce!"

I just didn't know what to say to their comments. Oh well, something will come to me when I least expect it and they won't expect it at all either.

Homeschooling year 10

This is our tenth year of homeschooling and the first year that I haven't been gung-ho and excited about it.I'm just glad God is in charge and knows the plans he has for us.
 I don't know if the extra hot, dry summer prevented me from doing the projects that I had planned to feel accomplished. Or, it might be that I was studying from April until July for the Level 2 coaching exams, and it doesn't feel like there has been a break. I don't know, but I feel irritable. I'm trying to keep it in check, but I know it is coming out. It is also from the knee pain I am dealing with and having to lay off running. I was enjoying running with Shannon.  This week I have been in a brace and taking anti-inflammatories. UGH. Next Saturday is a 6.4K that I already paid for. I hope to be jogging again by then. I can feel the frustration.

I kept myself outside today to hopefully burn some of it off. It was good to finally finish the walkway from the back gate to the patio. I think it has been three years in the making. I'll post pictures later, it started raining as I finished. Rain is such a blessing. I watched from the Dayroom window as the stepping stones were washed clean.

Hawk and Gluten came home with me from Pair Day early-(Pair Day - a gathering of businesses and anyone else, who wants to meet and greet the new soldiers coming to live  in the area for the year long school, set up booths for the soldiers and their families to walk by and gather information and goodies). Since they didn't want to stay and do community service, they 'were allowed'. ahemm, to mow, use the weed eater, set up two pallets at the trash can area as walls, paint them, pull weeds from the driveway, and use the blower to dislodge the dry leaves from the walkways around the house. I had to nix that job when Gluten decided to see how bare the ground really was - dust storm.

I must admit, I have been looking forward to one new item this school year. We get to kidsit a four year old bundle of fun. The boys will each get to spend about an hour out of the morning working and playing with Noah. He also has a preschool workbook that he starts the day off with us at the table. We won't get him everyday, so it will be special when he is here.

Have a great week. Thank you for stopping by our little place.

Run for the Fallen

This morning I was honored to be part of a 3 mile run at Ft. Leavenworth, honoring those that have given their all for our nation. "Run for the Fallen". For August it was a beautiful morning with 59 degrees at 6:30 am. I had the wonderful opportunity to accompany friends in this run with no pressure on time. That was good. Hillary, Shannon, Katie, and I  joined the crowd  for a dedication ceremony to a local family who had lost their son.
The "Honor and Remember Flag"

has a red field over a broad white strip representing the blood and purity. In the middle, there is an offset blue star with a gold star inside representing the sacrifice, withing the gold star is a red eternal flame with one blue flame representing the soldiers life joining the many flames that make up the eternal flame. The flame is growing out of a small  triangular folded American flag representing the one from his/her coffin. Below this in the white the name and date of the soldier's death is given. 

 It was a heart wrencher.

Patriot Riders lined the front part of the race with their motocycles, and beside the starting line under a large oak tree were the flags.  I believe they said 179 were stacked to represent the lives lost that had ties with Ft. Leavenworth. As you can see there at the corner was the gun and boots of a fallen soldier.The American Anthem was played with everyone standing at attention, then a prayer was offered for our soldiers, their families and for our nation. Perfect.

Never Forget.

Just saying.....life can be interesting

Question:    "Gluten.....How long has the water been left on in the chicken coop?"
Answer:   Long enough to start a river.

Gluten told the scout master's secretary that she could put his cell phone number down as a second number to call.
She asked him, "But what if it is you that is hurt? Your phone would ring and we would tell you, Gluten is hurt."
He looked her straight in the eye and said, "I'd answer with, I know, it hurts bad."

QUestion: "Gluten.... what are your clothes still doing on the floor?"
Answer:  "They haven't woke up yet."

Asked Gluten the other night to bring in the Swirly ice cream from the deep freeze for his poor ole' mom who had her knee wrapped in ice. Oh whoa is me.
He looked at me and told me I was closer to the garage. Then immediately dropped his shoulders and scooted out the kitchen to go get the ice cream. But the bugger, he set it down right inside the living room door. "I brought it in for you. That's all you asked, just bring it in." He gave me one of those " I know I'm in trouble grins" then ran downstairs to see what Commander was hollering about - Olympics were on. Gluten had a hard time finding his ice cream when he came back up stairs.  I was sitting on the couch with my knee still wrapped and propped up with a  nice bowl of ice cream balanced on my stomach his bowl of chocolate looked so inviting. Hmmm. So, you really think your going to get dessert? He is so much fun to tease with, he knows how to dish it out and take it. Usually.

Punched in voicemail yesterday. "BURRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPpp, oh sorry, Mom, I didn't hear the beep. ( I wonder why) Now, why did I call you?"  that was Hawk.

I've got the evening to myself. Fundraiser to work on, plus, a 600 + page book to read. Think I'll disappear into the book. Later.

Summer is almost over when school is around the corner

Next week we start school. Two teacher prep days - desperately needed to get my head wrapped around starting all ready! Then we hit the books on Wednesday. Oh, won't the boys be thrilled.

Herogian is still at Cub Creek Science Camp until Saturday. Commander will pick him up and drive 5 hours back to the boy scout camp out in the boonies. He will get Sunday to TUesday night to enjoy the last of his break. I expect him not to want so many camps on his summer schedule next year when he realized how little time his has before school to relax.
It has been a good learning experience for him. He doesn't appreciate the fact that as an ASIT they have to do more work (his words) than the hired staff - by having to clean all the animal cages. Well Duh! What do you think you are there for???

Gluten is back on the traveling soccer team, this year concentrating on goalie. He's a bit short, but fast and he is learning to sacrifice the body to stop the ball. THree days a week of practice, one night a week for Boy Scouts. He doesn't know it yet, but his video playing days are about over. He will need every free moment to get his studies done.

Hawk, is skinner than a weed and getting tall. His thing right now is airsoft. All three boys enjoy joining friends on an empty lot where that can play for hours.  The land is owned by a friend who takes them out and supervises, cooks hotdogs for them and taxis them back home all sweaty and smelly.

Commander is having foot surgery in two weeks. Morton Neuroma. Hmmmm .... that sounds familiar on this blog. He also has to have a big toe joint cleaned out. Arthritis making it stiff. So he will be home lounging around while we do school. He can help get the boys established into the right study habits.

Me, well I'm trying to run. Overdid it and made the knee swell. I must consent that Commander is right, I'm just a bag of injuries waiting to happen. THis Saturday is a 3 mile Run for the Fallen on post. I get to do it with 3 female friends. This is the first time I've ever ran a race with no concern about the time. Too competitive.
Track starts after Labor Day for me. I'll be with the team at least 3 days a week for workouts. I'm also working on 2-3 fund raising ideas so we have the money to send kids to nationals.

The boys are in 8th and 10th grade. Another school year is about to begin. The journey continues ....

Our Daily Schedule

I finally wrote out our daily schedule plan for the next year. The main part will be the morning. Getting it done together and not getting sidetracked with other things. The work must be checked and completely finished before moving on to another subject. For me to hold us all accountable to finish everything each day before moving to the next subject is hard with three. Hawk always wants to work fast and get it done, but not check it until later. Not good. Herogian and Gluten don't want to work fast, or at all, and never want to check their work. Definitely not good. Mom has to stay focused on school and not let track, baking, crafts, workouts, dogs, chickens, yardwork, housework, laundry, phone calls, or anything else side track her and pull her away from the table. Gluten will be 8th and the other 2 doing 10th grade work. Here we go.

General Daily Schedule for 2012-2013


7:30 Up and make beds
7:45 Breakfast with Bible Reading
8:00- 11:00 all at table done with Mom
8:15 English = grammar /writing
9:00 Literature
10:00 math  =geometry/algebra
11:00 spelling  for Gluten        accounting Herogian/Hawk

11:30 Prep for lunch if need be/ Herogian/Hawk Spelling and ACT study
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Chores

1:00 Science /History (switch books)
                                  Questions checked before switching
2:00 History/ Science

3:00 Music/Art for Gluten on M F
Leave for USM practice T-TH Gluten must go on Wed.
3:30 study time while mom at practice
4:00 study time while mom at practice
4:30 Mom returns from Practice  / snack or light dinner
5:15 Leave for Soccer MF
5:30 goalie practice       WED  rest leave for church
6:30 Tues Leave for Boy Scouts    MWF mom and Gluten at soccer

7:00 soccer or Boy Scouts
7:30 soccer  or Boy Scouts
8:00 ice cream/study  or at Boy scouts
8:30 Study or at Boy scouts
9:00 Study time  M-TH
9:30 Lights out

Rain, Rain, Glorious Rain

What a blessing it was to see this morning. Cloudy skies and rain falling. Now, if only the dog would get off the porch and take care of business.

It is August and the days are numbered for school to start on the 15th. It seems like every school around here is starting earlier this year. I don't understand why our public schools in the area would start so early. They have airconditioning in the building, but will claim "Heat Days" because it is so hot outside, and a lot of students walk to school. At least we won't have to worry about it. I just love homeschooling.

Herogian is finding out that his glorified position of ASIT at camp really means unpaid, overworked staff. They have over 100 plus animals, and he is helping clean every cage. He said the Lynx doesn't like him.  It will be interesting to see if this changes his mind about being a wild animal vet.

Kansas CIty has repaved some roads in my training partner's area. I really like the spacing of the fire Hydrants. "Okay, let's run to the 2nd one and then walk, come on, we can make it" - trudge, trudge up the hill. You can't get away from the hills in her area. The only way out of her subdivision is up. It makes for a rough start right now. We will know we are getting stronger when we can reach one of the corners and not have to stop for a drink. Yesterday's 3-5 miles ended up at six. We do walk when needed so it was a pleasant surprise that we had made it to six miles. It won't be long before we are going over the half-way point for the half marathon. Plus, with Kansas City as hilly as it is, training at Shannon's neighborhood is perfect.

Have a great week. If you are a runner, come join me for the Waddell and Reed 1/2 Marathon Oct. 20th in downtown Kansas City. We can pull each other along.