This is what happens when you go the extra mile

Nick asked me to make him a list of what I wanted for Mother’s Day. He knew it would include cleaning because the reality is a clean house put s me in a good mood. Doing the cleaning myself does not put me in a good mood. Getting it cleaned and then having everyone else undo the work puts me in a bad mood. So keeping with the saying “if momma ain’t happy nobody’s happy and if daddy ain’t happy nobody cares” he took my list.

Well Nick and the boys did most everything on my list on Saturday. Ahh it felt great to wake up to a cleaner less cluttered home! Then Sam had to stay home from church as he threw up again early Sunday morning (oh that part of waking up wasn’t so nice). Nick stayed home with him. Upon returning home with Dan we found Nick had cooked up a nice lunch (but more like dinner as it was a big meal). But he strayed from the list and tried to go the extra mile. He decided to turn on the self cleaning oven while we were gone so the oven would also be clean. As I’m looking at the good food he has cooking on the stove I notice my cute Tastefully Simple collection of various spice mixes that sit across the top of the stove ledge. They looked like they had fallen down and not been put back carefully. But on closer inspection they were melting! OK I know it’s just spices but they look so good lining it and honestly there aren’t any other good places to keep them all. The bottles don’t stand up right and some can’t stand up at all.

I was a little sad and trying to resolve what felt like unnecessary sulking about spice bottles -kind of like don’t cry over spilled milk. I didn’t cry but knew I couldn’t replace all of them as some of the spices are no longer available. Then purely by accident I ran across a solution online. I found this cool set of glass spice jars and they were on a great sale. Even though I really didn’t feel a need for a mother’s day present where money was spent I still ended up with a little gift. I can’t wait for it to arrive so I can transfer my spices and come up with some way to label them.

So sometimes when you go the extra mile things don’t quite turn out as planned. We never had a problem with the bottles melting in previous uses of the self cleaning…or when was the last time we did it? But it all worked out. I’m now getting an extra present.

Once in a Blue Moon...

There are common words or phrases we hear this time of year such as “resolutions”, “this year I will…”, “it’s going to be different” and many more you might be thinking of right now. These things happen regularly or at least annually on a regular basis. Other things only happen once in a blue moon. That would be what we will get on New Years Eve this year, a blue moon. I like to be different so I’m torn. Over the years I have come to dislike the all too dead common resolutions ritual. With all the hype one can easily feel pressured into being a bit overzealous in their resolution selection. The resolution is soon tied to guilt and shame for unfulfilled expectations in being able to carry out the unrealistic. This just leads back to status quo. So a few years ago I resolved to not make new years resolutions but find other ways to set goals for my life. It works better for me. However, this year is my chance to say I only make them once in a blue moon. Now I will need to come up with a really good resolution worthy of only being made once in a blue moon!

On a different note I am just curious. What does this year’s blue moon (2^nd in the month and 13^th for the year) falling on the last day of the year mean to you?

1) I’m superstitious so 2010 holds a bleak outlook.

2) I’m optimistic so things must be aligned for a great new year.

3) I could care less about the moon so what is the big deal.

4) I thought a blue moon was something Smurfs do.

5) I’m really lost, what are you talking about?

Weigh in with your response. I would love to hear it.

BTW I read an interesting definition of superstitious that I have never heard before. It says “A person who is superstitious is a person who doesn’t require evidence to believe in something.” Hmmm

Could somebody validate me?

WOW, two LONG blogs from me in less than 24 hrs. I'm on a roll.

I'm hoping someone can validate my feelings towards ridiculously written questionnaires, instructions etc. Here are bits an pieces of the full page of instructions for one of the several questionnaire booklets I need to complete for Sam's ASD evaluation. My commentary is in square brackets []. This booklet is 29 pages and averages 20 questions per page. If you find yourself actually reading through this and drifting off - I can't blame you.

HEADING OF INSTRUCTIONS:
"Before beginning administration, read Chapter 2 in the Survey Forms Manual carefully."
[OK first of all this sounds like instructions to the person administering the Questionnaire = Q for short from here on out, not the person filling it out. Also Chapter 2 of the Survey Forms Manual was not provided.]

"General Directions: In each adaptive behavior subdomain, begin scoring with the time designated for the individual's age."
[OK so I know about domains and subdomains from a computer stand point but what the heck is an "adaptive behavior subdomain" its not described anywhere nor is it apparent when looking at the Q. How about somehow referencing what the domain is so I know what the subdomain is? Once again it sounds like this is for the person who gets the survey after its filled out - or am I also supposed to do the scoring?]

Then there is a list of very straight forward bulleted instructions for when to circle 2,1,0,DK=don't know, etc. This is all good because it sounds like my instructions finally.
[keep this order of 2,1,0,DK] in mind.

The last bullet item in the list:
"Some subdomains do not apply to children younger than three years of age. If the child being assessed is younger than the age of the first start point, do not administer that subdomain."
[OK again don't administer - is this instruction to me the person filling it out or the person providing it - the administrator? There is no indication as to who this information is for. I can only assume I'm supposed to understand this. Also "start points" are not specified anywhere in the Q]

Final paragraph of instructions:
"Basal and Ceiling Rules: For each subdomain, establish a basal of four consecutive items scored "2" and a ceiling of four consecutive items scored "0." The basal item is defined as the highest item in the highest set of four consecutive items scored "2." The ceiling item is defined as the lowest item in the lowest set of four consecutive items scored "0." If no basal is established, treat Item 1 as the basal item. If no ceiling is established, treat the last item in the subdomain as the ceiling item."
[could someone put that in English? Is this going to be on a test. . . Is this for me or the person I'm giving it back to once I figure out how to answer everything properly?]

OH and now I'm in BIG trouble because the front page has a copyright on it saying NO part of this booklet may be photocopied or otherwise reproduced. Uh oh, I let the cat out of the bag - this Q's instructions really stink!

OK but my very favorite peeve of this Q starts on pg 23. The Q has a heading at the top of each page stating "Response Options: 2 = Usually 1 = Sometimes or Partially 0 = Never DK = Don't Know" The numbers that follow each question come in that same order 2,1,0,DK. Now lets jump to page 23. Again the page heading reads "Response Options: 2=Usually 1=Sometimes 0 = Never" BUT then the numbers that follow each question switch order and go "0 1 2" So now after 22 pages of being programmed to know that the first number is 2 it changes to 0. It maintains this same backward order for the rest of the Q. Is this a trick to make sure we are still awake and paying attention? If so I'm thinking they aren't terribly concerned with accurate data. I was a full page into the questions on this page before recognizing the switch and of course marked several incorrect #'s. Call me unobservant but really 22 pages of the same thing, it was working, why change?

I wrote this up as a note on Facebook early this morning. I was WIDE awake. I asked myself why am I up at 1:22am writing about my annoyance from yesterday? I think it made me feel better. Maybe someone will agree with me and validate my opinion that these instructions stink.

The really encouraging news is that this was the first of 4 similar looking questionnaires. I wonder if there will be more blog posts about those. I don't even dare open them yet.

When is too much candy a problem?

NOTE: This was actually written 5 days ago. It is taking me way to long to fit in some fun time for blogging or much Facebook but life is still good.

This morning was quite productive. I was focused, staying on tasks until completion rather than my regular routine of starting something only to noticed something else and then something else. . .until I finally make it back to the original task a few hours later. Well I should say I was focused until it came time to put away the dishes. I opened a cupboard that has been an eyesore for a while. As I started to pull out the bags that were shoved into various corners I was amazed at what I found. I found bags of leftover Halloween candy, Christmas candy and Valentines candy. Why was I considering purchasing some Easter candy with the coupons I clipped this morning? The existing bags of candy have obviously not been a draw for me and the kids have clearly forgotten about it, thank goodness. [ok so I forgot to move it off the kitchen table, from the photo shoot, before they got home so that is outdated - they were like "WHAT IS THIS!!!!!!!!]

I never remember having leftover candy as a kid other than the gross stuff and then you usually traded it with someone else. If I tossed it I’m sure I would have buried it and felt terribly guilty for being wasteful. So, I would LOVE to know what happens in other’s homes with holiday candy. Does it actually all get eaten up? Does it get thrown away? Donated to a class? I have tossed bags like this in previous years but I’m looking at this stash and thinking. . .I can’t toss this it’s wasteful. But I have no desire to have it around. ALL of us will be much better off not having it. There is TOO MUCH!!! What an absolute waste of money. If I had a dime for each piece of untouched candy I could pay for several individual Founding Memberships for the Mt Pleasant Discovery Museum.

So this is when candy becomes a problem, when it sits around for months untouched creating a waste. I need a candy recycler who will turn it into cash for me! Anyone?

It’s a real mystery!

Back in December when Sam got his first pair of glasses we were mostly worried about the cost of them being damaged or lost. Anyone who knows Sam knows that this worry is warranted. Aside from him biting off the nose pad the very first night he has taken care of them so well. He doesn’t put them on until his things are tucked away in his locker at school. The case is kept in a special place. He takes them off and puts them in the case when he goes to recess. They do come home very dirty every day but that’s OK, they wash up well. Never did I consider back in December that the person to most worry about would be ME!

The last 10 minutes before walking out the door in the morning is usually a huge flutter of activity and this past Monday was no different. The kids were bundling up and Nick was getting his things together. I had several things to take with me so I could run errands after dropping the brood off. I was so organized for the day that I had even washed Sam’s glasses the night before and the case was sitting on top of my stack of things to take with me. I put the glasses case in my coat pocket and contemplated giving them to Nick as he sometimes keeps them until we get Sam into the classroom but I didn’t. I should have! Before walking out the door Nick asked “do you have Sam’s glasses”. YES and he saw them. Soon we were in the car. Upon arriving at the school (a little late) I pulled into a rarely available parking space right in front of the school. I unbuckled and put my hand on the coat pocket that was now EMPTY! Sam’s glasses were no longer there. Hmmm surely they just fell out and would be in the car. NO such luck!

Over the last few days we have retraced every step I took between the last sighting of the glasses and the parking lot of the school. The door never opened between our house and the school so I must admit I have not walked our busy road to find them. I just don’t think they are there. We have searched the garage, the outside of the house between the front porch and garage. Nick has looked under and behind every piece of furniture in the house. I have picked through every piece of garbage that we had at the time. I have checked the coat pockets a million times thinking I just didn’t notice that it really was there. Every corner of the house has been probed. I am so frustrated and feel like I’m going crazy. No doubt after I write this they will show up in some obviously simple place and it will be confirmed that I truly am going crazy! But that’s OK. Right now I would rather have to admit to being crazy than have to get another pair of glasses!

It looks like the 4th of July in my kitchen!

I was going about my normal activity of working on a task only to be distracted mid-task by some other much higher priority task. This can go many levels deep until the 10^th task in eventually takes me back to the original. It kind of reminds me of the Give a Mouse a Cookie or . . .Pig a Pancake or . . .Moose a Muffin books. I was in the kitchen to find some lunch around 2pm. Kind of late but I had been distracted by too many other little tasks prior to that. Then I realized the special popcorn salt needed to be put away. But when I opened the cupboard to put it high on the top shelf I realized that shelf was disorganized. So I decided to clean it up. In the process of pulling down a container, a very LARGE bottle of red white and blue sprinkles fell upside down onto the counter-top, popped the lid off and blew the container onto the floor. I was surrounded in festive sprinkles. It sounded cool but wasn’t so funny at the time. But I’m laughing now. The bottle was nearly full when it fell. It would have taken me a lifetime to use that many sprinkles anyway. What was I thinking? Now I’m left with maybe a 15 year supply instead.