flying the jet

flying the jet
Originally uploaded by mathesonmd

The jet was with us for a brief few months, but in its wake it left a flurry of emotions. It is now gone forever and we can share our experience. One cold day just before Christmas, we found the jet at Toys R' Us in Pittsburgh. Its shiny packaging beckoned us to purchase and we took it home. It was wrapped and tagged for Becket on Christmas day. Once opened, it became a fixture. Becket talked about "my jet" like it was a family pet. He couldn't wait to fly it. The snow and rain and freeze didn't abate. The jet needed ideal conditions for flight: an open, dry, flat place, a mild breeze. Days turned into months as the weather was unrelenting. Becket never lost hope, never missed a day to say, "when we fly my jet..." The day finally came. The jet did not disappoint, she flew like a champ. Becket squealed with delight as she swooped and soared. It was magical.

A few days later, we thought we'd try it again. The day was a little more windy, but we thought she could handle it. Becket got her up and had one brief flight. She was on top of her game. Dad took the next turn, hoping to get the jet up high and pass over the controls. Well, the jet had other ideas. It caught a wind current and just kept climbing. Dad quickly realized the jet wasn't coming back. It climbed and climbed, unresponsive to remote control. Several large vultures were riding the same currents and it joined it, soon soaring out over the Monongahela out of site. Becket began to sob, "My jet, my jet, ,myyy jetttttt." We now only have our memories of that silver and black foam beauty, but we'll cherish them fondly.

Styles

We definitely have our way with style around here! Check it out:

There's the Jem and the Hologram look. Micah insists on wearing her makeup this way!:



Then there's the Queen for the Day look, worn to the post office, grocery shopping, to the park, until it broke and has still yet to be hot glued.



Here's Becket out the door on his way to school. That's the school for capturing the Holy Grail taught by professor Indiana Jones. I barely caught this one with a minute to spare before the bus came.



He then wanted to accessorize his hat with bunny ears. What would Docta Jones think? I quickly tossed the idea and sent him out the door.



I don't know what this is,but I don't know whether to laugh or to run away.

Test Computer Glitch

Mat was an hour into his test today and the computer seized up. Isn't that about the worst thing to happen when you're taking a serious exam? They worked together to get it up and running and nothing happened. After waiting an hour, the program director was able to walk the facilitator through it. Mat said it was so disruptive to the other test takers. I asked him if his answers were saved when he go t back on and he believes they were because the screen still showed them. Let's hope his results reflect the same. Breathe.

Resuming an UN- Rountine on Wednesday

Mat's test is tomorrow. The biggie, the boards. It's hard to imagine that spending this last decade of your life comes down to passing this one test. A tidbit of information about this wonderful little thorn of a test, they only pass the top 2/3rds weeding out the bottom 1/3rd, so let's say you get a score of 90% but you fall in the bottom 1/3, you don't pass. You should be confident in your ophthalmologists, because you are getting the cream of the crop.

That being said, the Harris household is very nervous and excited to have this test done with. I know he'll do well. He's honestly has done everything in his physical power to prepare.

1. Running in the mornings he's listened to prerecorded readings, narrated by himself from his study books the night before.
2.Studies any spare second at work and stays later to put in a little more
3. Studies when he gets home
4. Studies all day Saturday-putting in a regular work day, even when the weather is 70 degrees.

So, it will be nice that Mat will have a little freedom again. Routine will not resume on Wednesday. I here by declare no routine at all!

Good luck tomorrow Mat and may we all say a little prayer that you have the stamina to complete your thorn of a test.

Green vs Not So Green

Becket is just sick about having to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. I had to snap a picture. He was even to the brink of tears two days ago about the whole pinch thing and then he went on about how green is a dumb color! Crying, "Why do I have to wear green!?"

Gretchen on the other hand is ecstatic. Springy as a leprechaun she be! From the top of the stairs I hear, "Mom, I don't have green pants! Can you buy me some?" She is covered in green. Green IS her favorite color and has been for years, so obviously it rubs salt in Becket's open sores that there is a green day and on that day you must wear that dreaded green.

We did catch the leprechaun trying to escape so we taped him up in an old UPS parcel and poked holes for ventilation. Tiger uniform, all be it the norm around my house, became useful because it scared that leprechaun right into the box.



To our awe, he got out and did all sorts of crazy mischief.



I did not take an interview from dude studying the books. He thinks I'm crazy as fools gold, so I passed on his commentary.



Happy Saint Patrick's Day, especially to the Irish!

Here's Your Sign

I'm always telling the kid's to shake their bum. We put our hands on our hips and shake away singing, "Shake your bum,bum! Shake your bum,bum!" There are giggles and laughter. I decided to post it on the fridge like so:

When I came down the next morning, I found that my letters had been switched to this!:

Officer Becket thought they were potty words, so he decided to express it. No more potty words. No more shake that bum (except when it's just the girls and I)

Neighborhood Crab

I have had it up to my feet in dog poop. That's right! Me, the lady with the three young kids on the end unit. The lady with the same young kids that play in the yard. 'Member? 'Member us playing outside? 'Member?

After taking out the garbage and seeing various sizes of it sprawled across my lawn, ALL from different dogs, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands. I knew by doing this that I would receive a neighborhood negative title, "dog hater" "Micki the Monger" "The Dog-gone Her" but whatever, it's fine with me. If they give me crap (no pun intended) I will open up my can and let it spillth over. Did you think I wouldn't notice? Do I walk my kids on your lawn without a diaper? Come on! I know that these dogs are loved, loved more than kids, but where is the "Love thy neighbor?", Where's the cleanliness? Are dogs above this common sense rule? Don't mess!

So I posted my wrath hoping they would heed to my warning:


It's been up for a few weeks. I tried to write it nicely. I even put a smiley face on it as to not seem too upset. I could of gone neon bigger, but I didn't. All the dog people are staying clear from me when I'm outside. They walk the opposite direction. The guy with the yappy dogs took a short cut between two houses today because he saw me coming. Remember, it's still snowy and muddy--no one wants to take that shortcut unless you are trying to avoid crazy dog hater lady on the end unit.

I'm still nice to them. I even call their dogs by name. I still let my kids squeal "Dog!" when we walk by. I still smile and give them a pat, when inside I'm dying to run to my bathroom and wash my hands.

A New Way to Eat

Interesting, I've never chosen to eat like this:







But, at least she's eating good food, cauliflower and hummus, which is actually stranger than the way she is sitting.

The Funk

The Funk found me! How? I was hiding so well, taking my vitamin C (cheerfulness). The Funk. It was Friday afternoon when I realized I was unmotivated to do anything. Blank stares bounced off my windows. I sat at my table agitated, annoyed, and unhappy, all signs pointing to The Funk. Mat's text earlier that day: "We can go out tonight if it will make you feel better. Whatever makes you happy." Very nice of him, but then that made me defensive because now I was crazy (totally my problem, not yours-- my dearest).

I try to take all the steps to avoid this.

Step 1:

I shower first thing in the morning to avoid not showering until 3PM

I made a to do list of things I should be doing before things get busy when the weather is nice

I find one or two things to muck out so I can at least go to bed feeling like I accomplished something (cleaned under my bed and my sewing stuff)

I make my kids get dressed and turn off the tv

I work out, in fact, I ran extra because I could sense The Funk's presence.

I got outside, no matter how cold and icy my hill might be.

The Funk was unavoidable. Unmistakably, I was having self pity, snappiness, and I felt like I didn't have time to think without a constant interruption. I wanted to do things I wanted to do, if only I were alone and then I flipped-flopped and decided I didn't want to do them in the first place. The things I wanted to do were all lame.

Step 2: Self Evaluation

Was it boredom? Slightly. I had gotten all of my necessary things to do out of the way when school was cancelled for two weeks and now it was stuff I needed to do, but didn't have to do, but should do, but, bottom line, didn't want to do.

Was it the snow and the incessant cloudy days? maybe--well most likely, I'm a magnet to sun, but it seemed like blaming snowy days was the easy way out--it is winter after all, so I searched deeper.

Was it that I was tired? Yes, I'm always tired by the end of the week

Was I hungry? I'm never hungry--hunger pangs are practically death

Was it that I had short conversations with my husband only between chapters and dessert? Definitely, but there was nothing to change that except for willing that the 23 days until his boards would pass quicker, causing The Funk to settle even more.

The girl thing? I never know.

Step 3: Resolution

I decided that what I needed was to go for a walk to Kroger with my family (kroger is a 1/2 mile from my house). This walk would cure a few things: 1) a longer conversation with my husband, 2) exercise and fresh air 3) shopping for things I needed to get for the weekend which = two bird with one stone (my motto--the bird and the stone are the particles that make me) 4)my kids don't interrupt me because they are too worried about who will get to Kroger first. To make sure The Funk is dead and gone, I took a 2hr nap yesterday and put it to rest. I'm cured. Much better today and much more productive.

Hope I don't pass it on to someone else after posting this. Remember my DeFunk program and take the necessary steps to get rid of it.