Being Right, Goals, Bum Trigger Finger

I took on the role of "that mom that makes healthy lunches" all too ambitiously, as I am discovering bento was not all it's cracked up to be. I am still sending cold lunch 2-3 times per week, but I am mixing it up by sending some regular, dull sack lunches too. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be sending bento style lunches every day but it is a drain on my time and effort to get the kids to eat healthy ha ha. It's frustrating to hear of untouched and/or discarded veggies. It takes a lot of time and creativity to stay positive through this process. Fortunately, I have those. Unfortunately, those skills when translated into food service aren't always appreciated by the little men. Just getting this out will probably be enough to motivate me for another week or two. Or I could just browse some bento porn to get me in the mood: http://www.flickr.com/groups/396900@N24/

Tyler has come home from school a few days this week upset to the point of tears. I really couldn't put my finger on what was wrong until Jason and I sat down to have a talk with him. He's in the gifted and talented ed class (I'll call it GATE from here on out) composed of other really talented and gifted students and quite frankly, he's not the top dog anymore. He's getting frustrated when he doesn't understand and upset when he's wrong. The kid does not like to be wrong. Gee, I wonder where he got THAT from? I see this class as a tremendous opportunity for him but he's such an emotional guy that I will carefully have to monitor the benefits the class gives him vs. the stress and emotion he feels on a day-to-day basis. Something as simple as being told the way he did a graph before was no longer going to be used put the kid into silent tears in the middle of class.

I can't remember if I've mentioned that I will be going back to school myself. The funding has come through for me (go Mom!) and that was the last push I needed to finish up. The longer I am away from books and studying and lectures, the harder it gets to go back. I've been caring for another 3 yr. old for about a week and this just solidifies that I want to run home daycare or work in a daycare or something of the sort. It was a long time coming, but I am finally getting this solid picture of what I want to do next. Once I finish schooling to get my early childhood education degree and get certified to do in-home daycare, I want to move into a place set up specifically with caring for children in mind. A bigger house for all of us but also cozy with plenty of room to be creative and run in circles and be well, kids.

A fall goal of mine was to pass on the torch of team captain for soccer. I am still completely devoted to playing soccer but am free of the work of team captain. I also want to score a goal this season, sort of hard to do playing defender but possible, entirely possible. I need to get back my aggressiveness. I had a minor injury that was a direct result of being aggressive and I noticed I've eased off my level of play since. I've even looked into roller derby!

Entering yet another poker tourney this weekend. My wildly unattainable dream would be to win the lotto and play poker professionally! I placed third in 2/3 of the last tournaments entered. Now that's not bringing home the big bucks but I am getting enough money back to continue playing without feeling terrible guilt.

If you can spare get well vibes, my Dad is fighting what the docs think is staph infection in his hand where he injured his finger. It was smashed at work but didn't break or cut the skin. A day or two after splinting it, he passed out at work while in a truck (thankfully not driving) and had to be taken by ambulance. He learned his finger was infected. He's got nearly a month off of work but that's killing him because it's hunting season and it's his trigger finger that's injured. How's that for irony? He's not responding to antibiotics quite like they would like to see. He should get results from the staph test back Friday.

I think that's about it. I'm happy to report that all is good in the marriage department! What seemed to be the bulk of my problems when I started this blog is without a doubt a thing of the past. Even with hunting season approaching, my love holds steadfast.