Monday Moments

[OKay]

“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” Albert Einstein

As I teach LO the extreme basics of life, I am rediscovering the joy of learning.

I know we are deep into the holiday season and focusing on preparation, but there is always a moment to learn something new. I challenge you to be on the look out for something you didn't know. If you are able, share with us so we can learn from your intellectual growth.

[OKay]

One of my intellectual goals for this month is to learn about nouns. I picked this grammar part because I thought it would be soooo simple during a busy month. After all - a noun is just the subject of a sentence. Simple! HA!! The joke is on me! I am learning there are so many kinds of nouns. There are proper, common, noncount, count nouns, collective, concrete and abstract nouns.... just to name a few. I am actually enjoying the challenge of learning about and sorting through the various kind of nouns. It started out being total mumbo jumbo to me, but now it has worked its way up to only being confusing. Progress!!

[lucylee]

Well -- I gave up on learning ANYTHING about technology this month. Told dh to forget about ANYTHING electronic. No phone, no laptop, no e-reader. I cannot deal with the idea of being dissatisfied w/an expensive purchase at this moment.

However, nouns are on the exam I am giving today. Mostly just correct usage (spelling) w/plurals & possessive. They also have pronouns & capitalization on the exam. I feel like I have not covered half of what I should for the first semester, but we have spent a lot of time on the novels they've read, and every Friday is decreed "Blitz Day" for reading skills related to the exit exams. So basically that has taken away 18 days from the semester.

I'm just feeling really uneasy b/c dh is so exhausted and yet feels he HAS TO do Christmas shopping. He and ds will make a day of it and go to a basketball game tonight. I hope dh feels better when he gets together w/ds.
Also uneasy b/c I am THINKING about offering to go to doctor w/ddad Wed. & let dmom have some time "off." But afraid I'll make the offer and then instantly regret it.

I must go. Duty calls. (School, I mean. I can think about ddad & doctor later.)

[DeeClutter]

I'm prepped for the day and on my way to conquer the 'jungle' (otherwise known as the "kitchen" ) Still not feeling too well, but there's a lot to do, so...............

DH and DD have gone to the store to purchase items needed to put dgd13's new bed together. My focus will be the kitchen this morning. Know it will be an uphill battle with dgd bouncing around. Her Dmom can channel her when she gets home.

Been looking for our cold medicine and it's obviously taken a trip into hiding! Started sneezing,etc at 4am and almost got up then but didn't want to wake the rest of the household.

I'm off. bbl

[Twins' Mom]

I am home safely and ready for the new day! I got home about 8:45 last night - actually an hour early because the flight from Washington to ATL came in a little early and I made an earlier shuttle connection. I came home to houseguests ( after being away since very early Wednesday a.m.!) We had vdfriends whom we haven't seen in several years stop off here last night on their way to Florida; they left around 7 this morning to continue their trip.

I slept well last night - quite tired from late night on Saturday and very early start yesterday and long day of excitement and travel. Both house guests and I went to bed early - they had driven 10 hours yesterday.

So today dh and I are meeting with builder and may sign contract for building a new house. We've thought it through independently and are still ready to move ahead - there are things I love about this house (the trees and very large lot) but we will be closer in to our jobs and in a house with a better floor plan for us. And as I've said, we probably need a reason to reevaluate our clutter every few years and start afresh.

Today I also need to go to temple to sign some checks, and to get real about Hanukkah and Christmas.

Dcleaning lady will be here anytime - eeeeeeekkkk! What a mess the house is!

[Twins' Mom]

I also should add that I have had so much intellectual stimulation in the last five days that my brain feels almost like it would explode! I need to take some time to go through all the materials I brought home and jot things down before the enthusiasm subsides and I get swept up in everyday life.

[bittersweet]

From what I understood, nouns aren't necessarily the subject of a sentence, OK. They're just words that name people, places, or things. And that's my bit of wisdom for the day...LOL

I've been up since 5am. Rather irritating, since I really wanted to sleep in today! However..I'm consoling myself with the fact that I can take a nap this afternoon if I want to. There's quite enough to get accomplished today, and it feels good to NOT have to go in to work. I think I'm going to make up a 6X6 for today, and see how much of it I can get done.

- pick up cat food and litter
- return bottles to depot
- wrap DGS's gifts
- finish first batch of kittycat pads
- laundry (done to put away!!)
- clean entry area to put up new boot rack

Aside from that, there's the usual housework and critter care, of course I'm going to finish my coffee, answer a couple of emails, and then get started on round one:

- put away clean dishes
- downstairs critter care
- figure out how to put boot rack together
- sew the rest of the first batch of kittycat pads (then they'll all need trimming, turning right side out, and finishing)
- pay bills online

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm up.

I had so much social stimulation over the weekend, I just couldn't get out of bed this morning. I'm a bit frustrated with dh since I got to bed at midnight but he still started the day at 6 a.m. as if we had enough sleep. I hadn't and am feeling really upset and overwhelmed right now. Even though I lay in bed for another 3 hours, I didn't sleep so am out of bed exhausted and with a headache.

I'm having my tea and some chocolate truffles from the cookie exchange. I have to keep a knife handy because I can't bite them (I have to cut my chocolate each morning too so this isn't unusual, just a warning to me not to take truffles at a party.)

I'm taking until 10 a.m. 'off' and then I'll reboot my day. In that time I will do my light therapy if my headache can stand it and eat breakfast.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Lucylee I understand your hesitation about technology but a k indle would have been a great choice for you. First, you have a lot of hospital waiting times ahead of you and possibly quick 'out the door' experiences if emergencies crop up. To be able to grab a loaded k indle would be good to pass the time. Secondly, they have internet access so that solves the main reason you wanted a smart phone. Thirdly, they are a single cost purchase (except for the books and you can get tons for free) because the internet access is included for free so that overcomes your wise objection to a smart phone. Finally, a k indle really doesn't cost much at all (in Canada it is less than 2 sets of premium towels, for instance) so, even if you didn't like it, the cost was minimal compared to a smart phone or laptop.

I'm blessed with a family that understands the no presents situation. Dh and I came to that realization years ago, and the kids are now both there as of this year, probably having learned from my telling them not to buy me presents for birthday or Mother's Day.

Luckily, no-one equates material goods with love in our family. This year, ds realized all he wants are memories so he now understands what we want for Christmas too. I know he's bought me something and we've bought him something small (or I will if I ever find it!), but we both know what is important is the memories, not the things.

My extended family all agree and my friends just think I'm weird but know not to expect something from me (but I'll drop everything and meet them for coffee or take them shopping when they can't drive.) My best gift to my best friend was 18 years ago when I picked up her 2 year old son and went Christmas shopping on December 23rd, buying all the things she still needed to get because she was pregnant and had the flu and was too sick to get out of bed and all upset because Christmas was going to be ruined.

[OKay]

LucyLee - The more I hear about school, the more I wonder how teachers have time to teach anything. Each year there seems to be more rules, regulations, test and outside activities that seem to overwhelm the learning. I would love to be one of your students because I know you have the heart of a teacher. Priceless!

Dee - YGG on conquering that kitchen!

Twins - Welcome Home! it's good to have you back.

BSweet - Oh dear! I didn't know that about nouns! Now I'm back to square one. LOL! I will eventually sort it all out. I can do this.....I can do this....

(((Kathryn)))) hope your day reboots easily and gets off to a better start.

CI = 46 cards completed