This post is to update my loyal readers. In the post "It doesn't add up", I wrote about my oldest son and the horrendous year of math!
(you need to scroll down and read that post if you missed it)

Jack finished his final.

WAIT!! Let me tell you about this final! I took it myself to make sure the problems were not quirky and the answers were right.

THEN I gave it to my son. About half way through the test he shows me a problem and says "I don't know how to do this. I didn't learn this." I looked at the answers in the back of the book. The answers refer you to the chapter of the book that taught the problem. Several of the answers had 10.2, 11.6, 12.5....and so on.
I flipped through the book so I could show him which chapter introduced the concept.
THE BOOK TEACHES CHAPTERS 1-9...................

I circled the problems that covered what was ACTUALLY in the book and let him finish. I was so frustrated!!

I gave him a placement test the next day. I have picked a curriculum that I wasn't thrilled with because it is so repetitive....it is not fun to teach.

YES! It is always about me! Never mind the fact that it is good to be repetitive in math.....

As Jack took the placement test (100 questions), I started grading as he went.
1-20.....got all 20....whew! passed 6th grade level!
21-40....got all 20....whew! passed 7th grade level!
41-60...missed one because he had not learned the concept (you can miss up to 4)....whew! passed 8th grade level!

Jack is currently in the 7th grade and prior to taking this placement test, he worried that he would place in 6th grade math. I am sure his anxiety came from the trauma of struggling for a year. He felt that he did not know math and he felt that math was a failing subject for him.

We both became very excited. High-fives, giggling, jumping and clapping began (Jack was happy too...)

61-80.......missed 2 because he had not learned the concept......WHAT?? passed pre-algebra???
81-100......at the end of the test, Jack had been placed in Algebra 1.

I looked up a local private school that I respect and found that 8th graders take Algebra 1.

Jack was happier than I had seen him in a long time!
I was relieved that the year of struggling through "crazy math" had not set us back 2 years!!!

I immediately ordered Algebra 1 and it arrived this afternoon, UPS....

Orange and Blue!! HELLO.....sign from God that it is the perfect curriculum!!! 

I thumbed through the first few lessons to make sure we ordered the right level........

I started feeling a strange high.....it is an actual textbook that schools use. hard back. place in front to issue it to the students. the smell. the feel. the teaching.

I LOVE IT!!!

Jack........not so excited.......just relieved that he is in Algebra 1......and I think he found Math Esteem (the feeling and knowledge that you are not an idiot, you can do math)

With the way we do school.....it is possible he will start the fall, 8th grade, in Geometry!

There is a reason I stay home.....

Setting:
*at church around 11am
*3 bags of books (boys doing school work)
*crazy hair (as usual) because of rainy day
*in a hurry, frazzled, weighed down with heavy bags, short (not able to see anything in front of me)
*unknowingly chomping gum (because that is what I do when I am.....well have gum in my mouth)

Classic MAZ:
The boys and I were leaving the church. All Members of the  Memphis Leadership Luncheon were arriving. The boys and I were quite small compared to all the tall men in their navy suits.
All the Memphis Leadership people were crowded in the hall and we could not cut through them to get to the door to our parking lot.

Me:
Viewing the sea of tall, well dressed men, I made a quick decision that I was not about to walk around the church in the pouring rain. I tried to politely move through the crowd but they did not seem to hear or see me. The heat of being bundled up for the outside, the weight of the books and the frustration of not being able to move forward.......I involuntarily yelled out in a sassy voice "EEEXCUSE ME!"

The tall man stepped out of the way and cut his eyes at me. I am sure I had an "annoyed" face as I looked at him. As I passed, in those seconds, I realized I had just yelled at my preacher, Sandy Willson.

Embarrassed by this, I pushed on through the crowd......trying to flee EVEN QUICKER!!

more tall men.....more ignoring......frustration mounting...

I got to the door, struggled to open it....I was staring face to face at several men....

Not learning a lesson from the few seconds before, I said.....sarcastically....."come on in" and I held the door open wide (trying not to drop my heavy bags of books).

I looked right into the eyes of Mark Luttrell, the mayor of Shelby County. His entourage looked slightly amused. They waited for Mr. Luttrell to pass through the door that I was holding and then they took the door and said "after you" and let me leave the building.

I got in my car, looked at the jackass in the mirrior and caught myself chomping my gum!!
OH NO! This is what the Leaders Of Memphis saw as they were about to eat a special luncheon at my church:

I might as well be the POSTER for what they were about to discuss and pray for!!!

It doesn't add up!

My oldest has been struggling through the first level of a particular Math curriculum (middle school level). My math abilities, without Teacher's Edition, stops about 6th grade so I was excited to have this book with a professor on DVD.

This son hates math and I thought that was the trouble.

THEN I started noticing that the book had mistakes! I thought....everyone is human....even the authors of this book...........and pressed on (well, made HIM press on!)

THEN the dvd that contains the professor....broke......YIKES!
 I was forced to pay MORE attention to the content of this book so that I could TEACH what the book was leaving out......

I noticed MORE areas that were "just not good" for students.... ESPECIALLY non-math students.

THEN my husband (graphic designer) was helping one night and exclaimed "this book is crap!".....or something like that...
He showed me how the graphs and other "models"or "graphics" were confusing and poorly done!!
Unfortunately, my son is now at the very end of this book/level.....too late.....a horrible torture he had to endure for this level of math!!

He was able to learn but it took long, horrendous days, anxiety,tears, struggles.... JUST PLAIN OLD ridiculous stress that should not have been........this is very bad for learning math!!

I am still making him take the Final Exam for this book. In order to make sure that there aren't any mistakes.....

I TOOK THE FINAL!!!

My son asked if his brother was going to have to do this book. I told him "no". I was finding a new curriculum.
My oldest gave me a look that I thought meant "why doesn't my little brother have to go through a year of torture?"
When I responded to this, my oldest said "no! I was wondering if I could have this book to do whatever I want to it..."
YES, YES!!! Get all that built up stress, anxiety and frustration out!!!
I am allowing him to destroy this book however he wants!!!
I will have the EMT, police and fire dept. on standby.....and I will take pictures to share with my readers!!

Will he use the shop tools?

Will he blow it up?

Will he use it for target practice?

p.s.
this is just our experience and my opinions.....others have had success with this math curriculum......

An adventure ends..........

 I recently posted about sitting with Jeff's grandmother while she was in the hospital......

We got a call while Max was in surgery this Wednesday. Mama Jean would not be with us much longer. She passed away before Max's surgery was over. We had just seen her at Christmas time and she did not even recognize us. She wasn't able to speak to us or even keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds. This surprisingly upset me. Mama Jean was like a grandmother to me! I was surprised at my reaction to seeing this strong, outspoken woman in this weak state. I had to leave the room. I cried uncontrollably. 

I have known Mama Jean for about 19 years. She had her moments. I was always on pins and needles when out in public with her. She had loud opinions about strangers and she would blurt it out for everyone to hear. BUT she would be talking to me as if I agreed!! 

Mama Jean played basketball for her school, she played tennis well into her 60s, she loved Tiger basketball, college football, pro basketball, she did not like silly movies but loved action movies!! She taught Jeff how to cuss....always denied it but always brought up the "cuss word story". 

She had a crazy sense of humor!

 I had some fun times with her!! She was sarcastic and stubborn...........hmmmmmm......a lot like me!! She would pick on me and I would pick right back! I was not afraid to tell her what I thought about her opinions!! I confronted her on several things she would blurt out. That was met with "ignoring" but later an evil grin!! I knew she liked me because she would tell me! AND I am POSITIVE that she would have told me if she did NOT like me. Everyone in hearing distance knew what or who she liked and didn't like!! She adored my two boys and they were very close to her.

I have "walked" with her at many family adventures because she "acted" like she could not keep up.....but turn your back..... and she could quickly be somewhere she should not be!!

Early in our dating years (Jeff and I), I roomed with MJ at some family adventures.......I got the scoop on the family!

I did not like her dog and she used to torture me by telling me she was going to give me the dog when she died. That dog passed years ago.........WHEW!!!

When Jeff's youngest brother got married, Mama Jean and I showed up to the wedding with the same skirt!!! We giggled, talked with our eyes and mouthed words during the ceremony, like little kids. We did that on many family adventures.

After seeing her at Christmas, I began to pray that the Lord would take her soon. She was a strong, fighting woman and was miserable with her latest medical issues. She even said she was "done". She was ready to go!

Our family times will definitely be different with her gone.

She did things that would irritate me and even make me mad but I can honestly say.....I enjoyed her, I loved her......I will miss her!

P.S. I just went to the obituary online to see how to spell her maiden name.........it says "the family respects her wishes by not mentioning the date of her birth". This makes me laugh out loud!! She never wanted anyone to know her age. BUT I KNOW because she showed me her gun permit one day (yes! she carried a gun!) and it had her birth year! I am glad I looked at the obituary because I had to delete her birthday off my post!! HAHAHAHAHAHA.....she makes me laugh!!

Mama Jean's Obituary

Jean Thompson Cloar

born (she took it to the grave!)

died  January 12, 2011

Biggest Loser Toilet

After a 3 month REST and "loss-of-strength-palooza",  I started my Biggest Loser workout DVD again. Squats and lunges have created a problem....

I have realized that a person drops a couple of feet from standing position to sitting on a toilet. Getting back up to a standing position is near impossible!!!

So, I think Jillian (biggest loser trainer) should invent a toilet for us "big loser wannabes".
It would work like those recliners they advertise for the old people. It raises up so you can back into it and then lowers. When you are ready to get up, it raises you back to standing position!!

I KNOW! you are thinking.....get in shape and then it won't be a problem.....

Well, some of us don't have time to wait to get in shape!! I went to the bathroom at the church tonight and feared that I would have to sit there until the next morning!! I usually hover but fell into sitting all the way down. Then when I was ready to stand up........I couldn't!!! I had to brace my hands on the stall walls and use my arm strength to stand. Are you thinking "what is wrong? you got up!".......Well, it wasn't a silent struggle!! I huffed and puffed and groaned.......TO STAND.....but I fear the one other lady in the restroom might have thought I was doing something else. I heard a hurried flush, rip open door, quick wash and then fleeing the restroom.

I promise to not blog about my weight loss this time around....but I need to lose my holiday 5 and then my goal is to lose the other 15 that I did not lose this summer!! I hope I get the use of my thigh muscles back REAL soon before I get a nickname at church.........

because i FELT like it....

You may remember the post on my odd creations (you can find it under October...Is This Normal?).

Well, I have been at it again!! Why did I make these items?
because i FELT like it.....wakka wakka....you will see my pun....

I bought this bag for $3 when I was in Little Rock. It held water bottles, wallets, books and souvenirs! It was perfect for walking all over downtown Little Rock!! When I got home, I stitched these FELT letters on the bag. It is to be like the tourists maps that say "you are here".

I made this small moon pillow with FELT eyes, nose and mouth!

Max has acquired a taste for carbonated beverages. He has never liked them before now. One of his favorites is Stewart's (oh and it must be in the bottle!). He wanted to save all the bottles. One night, I was watching TV and my hands were itchin' to be stitchin'. I made HIS head for his bottle.......

I KNOW!......what in the world for???? RIGHT????....that's what I do! useless stitchin'

Well, then I did not want Jack to feel left out by not getting useless crapola.....so I stitched HIS head for his coke bottle!

OK, the next few pics are of a "phase" I went through a couple of weeks before Christmas. Stitchin FELT coasters while I watched Ghost Whisperer. I love that show! It comes on everyday from 2-5pm on ION (we don't have cable so my shows are limited)...........AND...that's right!! I don't need them......

Front of coasters

Back of the coasters: Rockin "around the Christmas tree" GET IT?? and of course the parts of the snowman blowing in the blizzard....

coaster with sides.....WHY?....I don't know!

This next FELT project was actually something I have needed every year at Christmas. I have been looking for a "mistle toe" that lasts for a lifetime....instead of those 99cent little things at the checkouts.....

I also stitched some actual USEFUL items.....I took plain canvas bags and stitched these:

Can you see the "word" hidden in my heart??......get it???....I made a bag for my Bible, notebook, pen and kleenex......(my kids seem to get their ruptured ear drums, bloody noses, sneezes and snot attacks in the middle of church)

Back of Bible bag....see how it is the perfect size for the Bible and notepad???!!!!

This is a bigger bag that holds my folders, books, spiral notebook and whatever else I need for Missions for the children's ministry.

This isn't FELT. It is fleece. AND it isn't stitched, it is tied! I made blankets for everyone when the boys were younger. Max had a Shrek blanket but due to a long story....we had to chunk it! I promised to make him another one. This was one of his Christmas presents this year. One side is Hotwheels print and the other side is charcoal grey. 

As you see I love to stitch just for the heck of it......BUT I have always wanted a small, simple sewing machine for some other projects.......This Christmas, Jeff surprised me with this..... 

SEW, all though this is not a sewing blog.....I have FELT the need to share my creations....and now you will get to see more insane creations from the sewing machine.....