I've come to love this word again! Being a stay-at-home mom all these years made the days, weeks and months blur all into one. Now, I'm beginning to learn what hard work is really about, becaue my brain is really " f-r-i-e-d" on this particular "d-a-y". Do you think think that is where the word came from? From the body/brain being FRI(ed). I'd look up the origin of the word, but it's my day off ...right?
I'm also beginning to learn that "weekend" may not necessarily include doing what I want from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. At this point in my life, it means I can take Friday evening off and do something other than study... and maybe an hour or two off on Saturday or Sunday. Albeit a break, it is definately it not a 55 hour pass to goof around!
Whitley is probably the happiest that it is Friday. She has been a patient soul this week...bored out of her mind is probably a better descriptive, now that all her friends and her mother of all people, are back in school. She is ready to do soemthing "fun" tonight and is actually wanting to go back to school! Her official school start is on Tuesday.
There is another person in our house whom which Friday has a particularly contrasting meaning to. You guessed it, that would be John. You see, Wednesday and Thursdays are his days off. His "Friday" actually is on a "Tuesday". This means his "Monday" really starts on "Friday"! Confused?????
Aggghhh...don't worry about it...
it's Friday, take the weekend off and have some fun!!!!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
I'm thinking of a HOMOPHONE that begins with the letter "F"
Hmmmm.....is it four/for?
Nope.
Is it fare/fair?
Nadda.
Ummm...is it flour/flower?
Nilch!
Give up?????
The Homophone for the day is FLEW/FLU. Can you guess which one is applicable to our house?
You got it....F-L-U......THE FLU!!!!! It started with Whitley and tonight I am starting to feel that little lump swelling in my throat coupled with an upset tummy and the ache in my neck. We are dosing ourselves with EMERGEN-C and Airborne and are keeping the symptoms in a minor key, but they exist, unfortunately.
There is a silver lining to all this. Atleast Whitley is going through this the week before her school starts and atleast I am done with class for the week and have the long Labor Day weekend to get through the worst part.
As for John...., let's just pray that he is unscathed as his work weeks starts on Friday, he has a big project starting on the 4th of Sept. and he has next to no vacation time remaining for the year.
Nope.
Is it fare/fair?
Nadda.
Ummm...is it flour/flower?
Nilch!
Give up?????
The Homophone for the day is FLEW/FLU. Can you guess which one is applicable to our house?
You got it....F-L-U......THE FLU!!!!! It started with Whitley and tonight I am starting to feel that little lump swelling in my throat coupled with an upset tummy and the ache in my neck. We are dosing ourselves with EMERGEN-C and Airborne and are keeping the symptoms in a minor key, but they exist, unfortunately.
There is a silver lining to all this. Atleast Whitley is going through this the week before her school starts and atleast I am done with class for the week and have the long Labor Day weekend to get through the worst part.
As for John...., let's just pray that he is unscathed as his work weeks starts on Friday, he has a big project starting on the 4th of Sept. and he has next to no vacation time remaining for the year.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
So how did the first week of school go?
Glad you asked! It was about as crazy as the weather most you have been experiencing! It went kinda like this:
9 am - I arrive at school and head to the bookstore to purchase a lab manual that they have been out of for three weeks.
9:15- arrive in front of Bio classroom door for 9:30 class
9:35-ask a "prof" walking by if I had the wrong class or if there has been a change of schedule as the door is still locked and no other students have arrived. Was advised to go to admissions and "see what the problem is"
9:45-stand in a line, at the Admissions Office, that is from here to Kansas with other confused newbies, like me!
10:05-a nice lady, with not so nice painted on eyebrows says, "May I help you?"
I tell her my problem. She tells me the class met at 7:30 am and the lab was at 9:30. I tell her if that was the case, why wasn't anyone in the lab room?
9:35-she does some more looking on the computer and says, "Oh, the class has been dropped." I state that I need this class and she says we can try another class but at a different time, but she thinks the class is full.
9:45-Amen! One opening left which is now taken by me. There is one catch though....,it's Honors Biology. Agghhh...am I smart enough for that? Looks like I'm going to have to be!
9:50-I fill out the required paperwork and make the schedule change.
9:55- I call my neighbor to see if Whitley can cross the yard to her house (she was at home) as I am now going to be a the school for a total of 5 hrs., instead of what should have been 55 minutes. (Thank you Carole!!!)
10:00-I go get a Starbucks; it's going to be a looonnggg day! I decide to start reading through the new lab manual.
11:00-Go to new class, meet Dr. Kaye, who goes through the syllabus for 2 hrs and lectures on the class objectives and requirements.
1:00pm-Walk one door over to the lab, listen to lab rules, sign a piece of paper saying we will not drop the microscopes or shake test tubes with volatile chemicals that will have isothermic reactions in our lab partner's face.
1:30-SURPRISE! A 20 questions essay test just to see "where we're at with our bio-knowledge"..... Hmmmm..this is like going through an old trunk in the attic....my knowledge is 22 years old, lying dormant somewhere in my longterm memory, if at all, collecting dust and moth holes!
1:35- 90% of the class turns in their papers completely blank and is gone in 5 minutes. I attempt to answer every problem so the "prof" can at least be entertained by someone's answers! I left one problem blank that said, "Decipher this gentic strand: UCG UGG CU GUU UG". My mind went blank....UGG...what is that??? Should I amuse him and tell him that UGGs are pricey, but comfortable suede and wool lined boots?!?!? I opted to pass on the humor and leave the answer blank. Good news is, no penalty for wrong answers and extra credit for the right answers; PHEW!!!
2:05-head home and hit the books!
The next day at school I drive down for my PSYCH 235 class. I get ther on time and find my class. A girl walks in and says, "I have good news and bad news. The bad news I am not the teacher for this class; she is absent due to a sudden death in the family. The good news is, here is your syllabus and your first assignment; you're dismissed for the day!"
So, my 3 hr. class was three minutes today. I quickly called John at work as he was due to leave for the day to head home and stay with Whitley. I caught him in time and he decided to stay at work so he wouldn't have to burn half a vacation day.
Well, that's what it's been like so far, but I think I'll be on track, full throttle..., next week!
9 am - I arrive at school and head to the bookstore to purchase a lab manual that they have been out of for three weeks.
9:15- arrive in front of Bio classroom door for 9:30 class
9:35-ask a "prof" walking by if I had the wrong class or if there has been a change of schedule as the door is still locked and no other students have arrived. Was advised to go to admissions and "see what the problem is"
9:45-stand in a line, at the Admissions Office, that is from here to Kansas with other confused newbies, like me!
10:05-a nice lady, with not so nice painted on eyebrows says, "May I help you?"
I tell her my problem. She tells me the class met at 7:30 am and the lab was at 9:30. I tell her if that was the case, why wasn't anyone in the lab room?
9:35-she does some more looking on the computer and says, "Oh, the class has been dropped." I state that I need this class and she says we can try another class but at a different time, but she thinks the class is full.
9:45-Amen! One opening left which is now taken by me. There is one catch though....,it's Honors Biology. Agghhh...am I smart enough for that? Looks like I'm going to have to be!
9:50-I fill out the required paperwork and make the schedule change.
9:55- I call my neighbor to see if Whitley can cross the yard to her house (she was at home) as I am now going to be a the school for a total of 5 hrs., instead of what should have been 55 minutes. (Thank you Carole!!!)
10:00-I go get a Starbucks; it's going to be a looonnggg day! I decide to start reading through the new lab manual.
11:00-Go to new class, meet Dr. Kaye, who goes through the syllabus for 2 hrs and lectures on the class objectives and requirements.
1:00pm-Walk one door over to the lab, listen to lab rules, sign a piece of paper saying we will not drop the microscopes or shake test tubes with volatile chemicals that will have isothermic reactions in our lab partner's face.
1:30-SURPRISE! A 20 questions essay test just to see "where we're at with our bio-knowledge"..... Hmmmm..this is like going through an old trunk in the attic....my knowledge is 22 years old, lying dormant somewhere in my longterm memory, if at all, collecting dust and moth holes!
1:35- 90% of the class turns in their papers completely blank and is gone in 5 minutes. I attempt to answer every problem so the "prof" can at least be entertained by someone's answers! I left one problem blank that said, "Decipher this gentic strand: UCG UGG CU GUU UG". My mind went blank....UGG...what is that??? Should I amuse him and tell him that UGGs are pricey, but comfortable suede and wool lined boots?!?!? I opted to pass on the humor and leave the answer blank. Good news is, no penalty for wrong answers and extra credit for the right answers; PHEW!!!
2:05-head home and hit the books!
The next day at school I drive down for my PSYCH 235 class. I get ther on time and find my class. A girl walks in and says, "I have good news and bad news. The bad news I am not the teacher for this class; she is absent due to a sudden death in the family. The good news is, here is your syllabus and your first assignment; you're dismissed for the day!"
So, my 3 hr. class was three minutes today. I quickly called John at work as he was due to leave for the day to head home and stay with Whitley. I caught him in time and he decided to stay at work so he wouldn't have to burn half a vacation day.
Well, that's what it's been like so far, but I think I'll be on track, full throttle..., next week!
Monday, August 27, 2007
1st Day of School...,
...for Jamie, that is! Whitley said, "After all these years, it's my turn to take pictures of you on your first day of school!" And so it is, her photographic talents for all to see!!!!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Twas the Night Before School......,
just off of Lookout Mtn. Road,
the Samuels were preparing for a new college load....
that the Mother of the house would soon be carrying,
right along with her duties of Motherhood and marrying.
Her books were packed in her bag with care,
along with pens, highlighters and two pencils to spare.
Biology, Pharmacology and a good dose of Math,
create a bit of excitement as she rises to the task.
Why in the world should all this fuss be?
Because that is what's required to study anesthesiology!
A career that is demanding and pay that is fair,
for a job that is three hours boredom and five minutes of sheer terror!
So many years to go and so much to learn,
No doubt there will be struggles on an occassional turn.
But tomorrow is the beginning; a time to start,
so please wish me well from the bottom of your hearts!
the Samuels were preparing for a new college load....
that the Mother of the house would soon be carrying,
right along with her duties of Motherhood and marrying.
Her books were packed in her bag with care,
along with pens, highlighters and two pencils to spare.
Biology, Pharmacology and a good dose of Math,
create a bit of excitement as she rises to the task.
Why in the world should all this fuss be?
Because that is what's required to study anesthesiology!
A career that is demanding and pay that is fair,
for a job that is three hours boredom and five minutes of sheer terror!
So many years to go and so much to learn,
No doubt there will be struggles on an occassional turn.
But tomorrow is the beginning; a time to start,
so please wish me well from the bottom of your hearts!
Friday, August 24, 2007
The FREE Desk....
....was better than we hoped for! It is two pieces: the desk and a vertical hutch. Everything shuts and tucks away nicely as there are two doors on thetop that close, a lid that lifts up and closes the desk portion and a drawer on the bottom. John mounted a task light under the first shelf so she could see better while she works at her desk...a nice touch!!!
(ps-I loaded the top pic twice and can't figure out how to get it off.... I could tricked you all to think you're seeing double!!!)
New Bedroom picture
Well here is Whitley's bedroom makeover and her doing what most girls like to do...talk on the phone!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
New Bedroom for our "Pre-teen" Daughter
The desk was better than we expected. It does not look like we will have to repaint it after all. We found the perfect spot for it after rearranging and deep cleaning Whitley's bedroom. We told her she could get new comforters on one condition..it matched her exisiting wall color (lime green). She did well and under budget I might add as the desk was free and the bedding was on sale and an additional 20% off coupon was allowed to be used. Her last bedding did not last long as it faded terribly with the first washing and left uneven spots all over. We also discovered, the hard way, that satin comforters do not stay on the bed at all and usually ended up sliding on to the floor in the middle of the night, leaving Whitley freezing and feeling around for her bedding, half coherent, in the wee hours of the morning. Anyway, happy kid;happy parents and vice versa!
We have a few things left to find to complete her room: a desk chair, a lamp, spray painting a mirror's frame to silver and maybe, a new rug! I am back on Craigslist scouring for a chair. I saw one that might work if the lady hasn't sold it yet for $5. Looks like another day of happy hunting for bargains after I work and help out at the school one last time for the week!
We have a few things left to find to complete her room: a desk chair, a lamp, spray painting a mirror's frame to silver and maybe, a new rug! I am back on Craigslist scouring for a chair. I saw one that might work if the lady hasn't sold it yet for $5. Looks like another day of happy hunting for bargains after I work and help out at the school one last time for the week!
Rocky Mountain Ramblings......
seemed like a good name for our blogspot. The "Rocky Mountain" part is obvious and the "Rambling" part is even more sensible...that is, if you've ever met a "Grant" before; we just come by gabbing honestly! Even taking my husband's name when I got married could not disguise this seemingly inherited genetic trait.
Well, the main reason for this site is that Jamie will be heading back to the halls of academia on Monday, and she's just not sure how/when she would be able to maintain communication the way she was used to.....hence, our new blogspot seemed to fit the bill.
This week has been really busy. We have been busy at Whitley's new school that she is enrolled in this year. As you may know, they are building a new school that sits on 16 beautiful mountian acres next to Open Space called, Elk Meadow. Unfortunatley, there has been a few snafus with permits,weather and thus the kids are forced to head back to their "old school" for the first two months of the school year. It will be crowded for a time, but well worth the wait upon completion of the new facility!
We are headed in to Denver tonight to pick up a desk and hutch in the old Capitol Hill area. We got the desk for free off of Craiglist (like an online garage sale). It needs a leg refurbished and a fresh coat of paint but handy man John is sure to make the leg good as new and Whitley will have fun sanding and painting as she still has another week and a half before she heads off to school.
We hope you enjoy our Ramblings from time to time and photos here and there after I learn how to load them on to here.
Well, the main reason for this site is that Jamie will be heading back to the halls of academia on Monday, and she's just not sure how/when she would be able to maintain communication the way she was used to.....hence, our new blogspot seemed to fit the bill.
This week has been really busy. We have been busy at Whitley's new school that she is enrolled in this year. As you may know, they are building a new school that sits on 16 beautiful mountian acres next to Open Space called, Elk Meadow. Unfortunatley, there has been a few snafus with permits,weather and thus the kids are forced to head back to their "old school" for the first two months of the school year. It will be crowded for a time, but well worth the wait upon completion of the new facility!
We are headed in to Denver tonight to pick up a desk and hutch in the old Capitol Hill area. We got the desk for free off of Craiglist (like an online garage sale). It needs a leg refurbished and a fresh coat of paint but handy man John is sure to make the leg good as new and Whitley will have fun sanding and painting as she still has another week and a half before she heads off to school.
We hope you enjoy our Ramblings from time to time and photos here and there after I learn how to load them on to here.
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