(Very) Brief Update

Here is a brief update for all of you who may be wondering what the heck is going on down here:

• Switched to Time Warner Cable for phone/internet/cable, and now have wireless internet in the home. Woo hoo! I can be in my room, locked away from the temptation of TV (well, not really, because I have a TV in my bedroom. But still, I can elect to not have the TV on and there's nothing anybody else can say about it), and still get homework done!
• Jamie has had soccer "bootcamp" all this week. They placed him with boys two years older than he is, based on level of play. Don't know if this means anything in the long run, but it made me proud of my little soccer superstar!
• Jamie has also brought his reading benchmark score up 23 points, from a 60 to an 83. Go Jamie! Whoop! Whoop!
• School is spanking my butt, but it isn't anything I can't handle. (Remind me of this statement later on this semester!)
• Work is going well. I stay busy, that's for sure!

Well, that's all I have time to report for now. Y'all take care!

My Apologies

I've been remiss in my duty to post. Just chalk it up to the start of school and three very difficult, labor intensive classes this semester:

• Criminological Theory
• Constitutional Law
• Texas Politics

The only reason why I'm taking the last one is it's a required course for all undergrads. Bleuch!

To bring you all up to date, Jamie had a fantastic birthday, complete with 18 little guests all running around the bounce house place like little maniacs. Also, Jamie and Destiny absolutely LOVE Animaniacs, and at any moment will bust out with "Good night, everybody!" and once even (from Destiny) "Hellooooooooooooo, Nurse!". It was great! They constantly barrage me with demands to watch 'Maniacs (as Destiny calls it), a request which I am very happy to oblige. Jamie told me the other day that I act a lot like Slappy Squirrel. I take that as a compliment!

Much love to all. The main thing that will get me through this semester, I suspect, is the knowledge that - come December 13, 2008 - I will be a college graduate. That is - if all this doesn't kill me first!

Big hugs and lots of love to everyone who wanders here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STINKBUMPS!

Ten years ago today, Jamie was born. I can't believe how fast time has flown! Seems like just yesterday he was snuggled in my arms, keeping me up all night, making impossible demands on my time and attention... Oh, wait, he still does that! Tee hee. Anyway, it's hard for me to believe it's been 10 years. Happy birthday, baby boy!

More on Reading (and Writing)

So, here's my latest comments on the previous entry, which was partially about Jamie's lack of reading skills:

What makes this all most difficult for me is that I am what I would call an intuitive learner. I don't have to study all that much to absorb what I read and be able to regurgitate it on command for a test, assignment, etc. Jamie, however, takes after his biological father, apparently. He wasn't the most educated of persons, and had a host of learning disabilities and barely made it out of high school, from what I remember about him (regardless of the fact that I'm trying oh so hard to forget him). So for Jamie, I just don't know how to tell him how to better his reading, or improve his reading comprehension. I've never had trouble with reading. My brother and sister taught me how to read very early (3 or 4 years old), so as far back as I can remember I've been able to read. I don't know how to break it down for him to better understand the process. That's why I am seeking out Sylvan, or whomever's help in getting this child re-taught the basics. I appreciate everyone's suggestions and feedback (please, just don't make it sound like a commercial!)

Rather than make a comment that was a gazillion lines long, I thought I would make a new post about it, adding my comments on something odd I noticed the other day. Jamie is a pack rat like me. I'm in the process of organizing and rearranging his bedroom, which meant I had to pull all the assorted stuffed papers off his bookshelf. As I was going through the stuff, many items were graded assignments from 2nd and 3rd grade. But I noticed something puzzling - not only were the grades much better, but his handwriting and sentence structure were much better than they are now. Excuse me? Isn't this stuff supposed to get BETTER as he gets older, not worse? What on earth would make his handwriting and reading skills deteriorate instead of improve as he reaches higher grades? Tooz, I'm especially counting on you for advice on this based on your years of teaching experience. I also would appreciate feedback from Lydia and Ann (of course, as they both teach) and really anyone else who has either professional or personal experience with this strange phenomenon.

The Great Wakkarotti

Reading Becca's post on gas, and her son's reaction to the Animaniacs: Vol. 1-3 set has prompted me to do a little extra educational spending. So today, while ordering my school text books on Amazon.com, I added aforementioned DVD set to my cart. Everything should arrive on Friday, just in time for me and Jamie to have an Animaniacs marathon in celebration of his birthday (coming on Sunday), and as a last blow-out for me before school starts back up on Monday. (Jamie went back to school today. Poor thing!)

Another part of our weekend o'fun is a planned surprise trip for me and Stinkbumps to see "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" at the movie theatre. Jamie and I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this movie for over a year now. We may even buy the soundtrack to it. I'm going to see if Rachel will let me take Destiny, too (or even if she wants to go see it, too).

Sunday is Jamie's birthday bash at Inflatable Wonderland. I have a feeling I'm going to need a really BIIIIIG dose of Excedrin when it's all said and done. What's important though is that Jamie have fun, and the birthday party is NOT in my home where I have to worry about who's breaking what, how loud the dog is barking, etc. etc. etc. I'm very happy to pay for a party elsewhere if it prevents me from having the worries associated with in-home parties. Jamie is going to freak when he sees what Momma got him this year - however, I won't say what it is here lest he sneak to my blog to see what all I'm writing about him. He's gotten pretty savvy to the fact that Momma talks about him on her blog, and sometimes he isn't too happy about (welcome to the wonderful world of being embarrassed by your momma, kid).

Finally, Jamie's hopes for a Nintendo DS have been dashed by a 66 in reading on his report card. He's been told he'll get one when that sucker comes up to a B or higher. An appointment with Sylvan Learning Center is upcoming. Also, Rachel's aunt Merrilou, who works at the church's school with kids who have learning difficulties, has volunteered to work with Jamie for 20 minutes every week before AWANA. Hopefully, all this helps.

"Okay, I love you. Bye-Bye!"

New Year's Funk

Having been nagged... excuse me, encouraged... to blog a new post, I figured I would give you a brief run down of what's going on here in South Texas.

• Even with all my recent time off, it still isn't enough. I would gladly take another week of work off at this point (too bad it won't be happening anywhere other than in my dreams);
• Jamie went back to the specialist in Corpus Christi yesterday about his stomach. They've prescribed an acid reducer, and want x-rays of his upper GI area. If he's not better when we go back next month (Feb. 6), they're going to do an endoscopy down into his stomach;
• Jamie turns 10 next weekend (Jan. 13). How the heck did he get to be so big already? His party is going to be at a place called Inflatable Wonderland (note - please remove all minds from any potential gutters. However, I must admit this sounds like a really good title for for an adult movie featuring latex blow-up dolls... Or as an alternate title for the movie "Lars and the Real Girl"). IW is this place in the mall that has giant inflatable bounce houses and obstacle course type stuff. Seeing as how Jamie has plans to invite 20 of his closest "friends" to this party, donations of extra-strength headache relievers for me and Rachel will be gladly accepted;
• Jamie goes back to school Jan. 7, and I go back on Jan. 14. I hate to think how tired I'm going to be when the semester is in full swing. Seeing as how I'm so tired, maybe my New Year's Resolution should be to be in bed every night no later than 10:30 p.m. I have a feeling I won't be able to keep that, but I think I'll try. I'm tired of always being tired.

For those of you wondering, Christmas was good for my mixed clan here in Texas. Many thanks and appreciation to all those who sent us various and sundry stuff for the holidays, good wishes, warm thoughts, etc. Our love to you all.