Live from Tormville!

21

And just like that, the oldest turned 21 this week. 

He came home for a few days, having stayed in Big Rapids for work this summer. They don't stick around long at this age. He usually makes it to the barber on his trips home, but didn't this time, so it should be interesting to see how long his hair is by the time Thanksgiving comes around. 

He was wishy washy all week about how long he'd stay, and in the end just gave us a 90 minute warning. I had a hunch, so I'd picked up a cake earlier in the day. I wasn't going to put any effort into baking if he wasn't going to commit to staying.

We saved a piece for grandma and dad. Auntie Sherry had hoped to see him, but you gotta be quick. She didn't even get cake.  

I put candles on the shopping list. Our collection has gotten pretty pathetic. 

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Today is busy. I've been lacking motivation this week - so I need to get to it. I'm running out of days. 

be good

 

guess who

I have a hunch that the kid has caught on to the fact that I don't just photograph his art. What do you think? 

Seventeen

• The oldest is 17 today. How did that happen?
• Senior Year
• He came home from work yesterday, had a quick bite to eat for dinner - hopped in the shower, packed his bag and allowed me all of 7 seconds to quick take this photo. It was almost too dark.
• And then he so nicely posed
• I won't even see him today. 
• He's planning to hit all the coasters at Cedar Point to celebrate. 
• We're still car shopping for him. The dry weather directly impacted his money making - lot of mowing cancellations - but his hours have picked up nicely now in August. His boss wasn't super excited about him going to Cedar Point. 
• He still draws - not as much in the summer as during the school year. 
• He's fun to have around. 
• Not real sure what he's going to do after graduation. Tossing around a few options. We'll see. 
• He shares a birthday with his cousin Elizabeth and his Aunt Nicki. 
• And he's 17. 
• Time flies. 

I'm starting to think that maybe...

...our oldest should look into being one of those courtroom sketchers. 

The kid can draw

for the family that likes to be updated on Al's art. He has an album on facebook - but not all of our family is on book.  All these were drawn within the last couple months

and he can nag. 
mom .... did you take pictures of my artwork yet?
mom..... did you take pictures of my artwork yet?
mom .... did you take pictures of my artwork yet?  

Hey Al! I took pictures of your artwork! 

His drawings are getting noticeably better. There's a big difference between what he did at 15 and what he's doing now at 16. This is probably because he's rarely without a pen/pencil and piece of paper. He draws constantly. 

Now if we could just get him to apply the same sort of dedication to algebra. or physics. 
Right, Al?  

He's only had a couple art classes in school, and recently one four session cartooning class at the library - and has no interest in going to school for art. He doesn't want to be told how to draw or to have it change how he relays what's in his head.  I've told him that he could use the techniques he learns to apply to his own art, but he's not convinced. 

Ever since his upper elementary years, his teachers at conferences - every single one of them - would comment that Allan draws. A lot. 

I'd tell them - trust me, you'd rather that he draw than what he'll do if you take his pencil away - because if you take his pencil away, he'll resort to toe tapping, or lip sucking, or shuffling is feet, or chewing on his shirt. These are all things that he did before he grabbed the pencil. He needs to be doing something. 

And he hears everything while he's drawing. He can relay a story word for word. 

As for his algebra and physics, disorganization is his main problem.  It amazes me that my most OCD kid can be so disorganized with his schoolwork, but he is, and no amount of punishment, follow up, daily journals or repercussions has been able to change that. 

In the end, it's up to the kid - and he knows very well that he will either reap the rewards or suffer the consequences. 

He never loses his artwork though. 

And they pile up quicker than I can photograph them. 

I do enjoy them. I can't even draw a stick figure - so it amazes me that he pulls these out so effortlessly. 

The Cactus Guy Series

 

 

Midterms and Valentines

Midterms!  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

I'm here. 
I'm having to readjust my day schedule and plans because the key ingredient (my debit card) is in my husband's wallet.

And he's at work, and for a minute I was tempted to go to his work get it, but then I listened to the traffic report, and seems this snow we're finally getting is wreaking havoc on 96. 

And we could get 3-6 inches tomorrow. 

*Insert happy dance here*

But it leaves me wondering how much effort to put into Mark's birthday snack for the class tomorrow. What if it's a snow day?

I think if we make banana muffins, we can't go wrong, because we'll eat them happily here at home if need be. 

Also for Markie's class - Valentines. I love January - it's my project month. If you want to see more about how I streamline making multiple cards at once, check my post on the Technique Tuesday blog. 

Other stuffs:

• Wendy is ready to get her braces off. She's struggling to adjust. It's the cutting up of the inside of the mouth that bothers her the most. She's using the wax, but it's still getting to her. She'll get there...
• It's midterms this week
• Last night I got into a fight with our printer, and it got so ugly that my husband had to step in to referee. The culprit ended up being an eraser jammed into the feed. Not sure I would have found that. 
• I biked this morning and Tuesday morning before waking the kids, and it was good. Yesterday I did yoga at 2 in the afternoon. I have what should be a simple goal of exercising 30 minutes per day, but some days it's awfully hard to find that 30 minutes. 
• speaking of projects, yesterday I completed my 2011 Christmas card album which I'll share soon - and I'm still working on Brian's quilt. My goal for his quilt is before the end of the month. I figure a heavy quilt is better finished when it's needed. 
• Mark wants new shoes for his birthday. Cool ones like Brians. 
• Time to dig under the couches to find the books to bring back to the library

Be good! 

 

bag lunch

The teenager hasn't forgotten his bag lunch too often over his school career, probably averaging twice a year which isn't too bad, considering.  (Considering he seems to take after his father who carries a higher average) 

But he forgot it this morning, just two minutes after I mentioned it to him. Just 7 days from the last time he forgot. 

But I caught him in time. 

I opened the side door and yelled into the darkness of the early morning.   "ALLAN!!!!!"   "what???" came the already distant reply.   "GO LONG!!!!!!"   And I raised my arm as if to toss the brown sack. 

"mooooommmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMM! DONNNNN'T!" came the quickly coming closer response, accented by the clod of his size ten boots. 

It's gonna be a good day. 

 

October Goal Met: Kid 4/4

*pumps fist* 

With a full day to spare. Go me! 

blue skies and sunshine

click photo to see it larger

• Today we have blue skies and sunshine. It's been a long time.
• Today we have a sick kid. I was in denial forgot that October brings sick kids to this house. Wendy has a bad tummy ache - started yesterday when she was out selling candy bars for fifth grade camp. She could barely walk home.
• She sold 52 candy bars in just under 24 hours. It was a bit territorial with four fifth graders in our one block sub, but Wendy got lucky and hit a house with a teenage girl sleepover party - sold 15 right then and there.
• Allan ended up having the day off work yesterday, so he went to the first of a three part class on cartooning. I love his cartoons. I'm amazed that he can make stick people so animated. I can't do that. 
• I spent this morning filling out Mark's preschool paperwork. He has to fill in a poster with pictures/drawing of his family, himself, what he likes, what he doesn't like....  He said he doesn't like roaring lions. I think I'll see if the stickman artist can tackle that one.
• Brian's first soccer game was yesterday. It was cold. It was very very cold. He was nervous, but he did well. At this age they call it magnet ball. 
• The first Sunday of the month is pizza day at our house.
• I am 29 miles into my goal of biking 50 miles this weekend. And I can still do the stairs. *pumps fist*
• I shuttled kids so much yesterday that I was never able to find time to irk out even one card. How sad is that? And on World Card Making Day too.  *sigh* 
• I've already written next week's schedule on the weekly wipe off board. I might be anxious for Monday.
• This song is playing right now, and Wendy just said - hey, that guy whistles like you! 
• happy Sunday!

 

Tuesday: Birthday

• The oldest turned 16
• I was making his cake at about 1am on his birthday. I might have said something along the lines of, "I brought you into this world, why do I have to make you cake too?"
• It took him a bit of time to blow out all those candles
• My youngest brother and wife came for cake, but not for the lathe
• His birthday dinner request was Marco's Pizza. The whole family was happy.
• He seems happy with the tether we gifted him with for his birthday, although he wasn't too amused with the numbers we preprogrammed into it for him.  He edited the last two letters off of both mommy and daddy. Buzz kill.
• His mother also thought it was funny that his back to school packet came on his birthday. Again, he didn't appreciate the humor.
• No drivers license yet. We agreed that it kind of makes sense to get a job first so he can afford to pay the insurance and put the gas in the tank. He's turning in a few more applications today. It's not as easy to get a job at 16 as it was ten years ago. 
• I can't believe we have a 16 year old.
• Crazy