Friday, September 30, 2011

A lesson that needs telling again......

I originally posted this in July of 2009.  I liked it enough to post it again.

The lesson in the van tonight-

It is not what you buy that makes you "cool"

You can not buy yourself into a personality.....

It is who you are

As a person

That matters.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

A black eye

I got a black eye tonight.  I got a floor hockey stick on the face.  I laughed even though it hurt. 

I was the only parent at Family Fun Night for the 6th graders who didn't stand on the side lines but rather played.  It was so worth the tiredness, leaky bladder (thank you four pregnancies), loss of breath, sweat, and yes even the black eye.  It was a blast and my son (and his best friend who was with us) said they weren't at all embarrassed because of how well I played *heart swell*

This after watching my 6th grader play his first football game.  Watching him play QB was a good mom moment.  He got an interception, several tackles, and a touchdown. 

A good night


and now I can look all tough girl tomorrow

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I have a stat counter, and I use it

Hellllllo Virginia Beach, Virginia 
You are sure interested in me.  Out of the 100 visits my site meter shows you represented 21 of those visits, that is almost 1/4 of all of my visits!

A big Howdy going out to Mountain View, California  you've been by 10 times out of the 100 showing - an even 1/10th of my visits are from you.  I feel like I should be offering you a beverage and snacks when you come in  ;)

People come to my blog using Google Image search quite often, but they most come for this pic:

Keywords that have been searched:
happy birthday best friend










dance in rain










funny perception










just jules










creatures of habit










dancing in the rain










funny happy birthday best friend pictures










we are the best










best friend birthday










funny racism
The most popular referring URLs are:
29









17










***Now I have visited those links and can not see how they are getting to my blog from there but find it interesting.Apparently I am hip with the alternative crowd???   *wink*
My most popular post are:  
Sep 21, 2009, 9 comments
   956 Pageviews 









Nov 28, 2009, 5 comments
   798 Pageviews









Apr 10, 2010, 5 comments
   430 Pageviews









Jun 18, 2009, 23 comments
   381 Pageviews









Apr 29, 2010, 7 comments
   368 Pageviews









Mar 4, 2009, 11 comments  
360 Pageviews









Mar 22, 2010, 20 comments
   306 Pageviews









Feb 4, 2010, 9 comments
   287 Pageviews









Aug 4, 2009, 12 comments
   180 Pageviews









Jun 8, 2010, 13 comments










Ahhhh yes, the fun of a stat counter, (and the fact that I just used it to fill a post)

Entering Middle School= Checking Brain at Door

Middle School
What a cesspool  of human emotion.

I guess when a child; one who up to this point has been relatively grounded, incredibly smart, had good social skills and confidence, when this child enters Middle School it must be required to check your brain at the door.  Honestly, there must be a (overpaid) person from Admin standing at the door with a big bag....or is it a vacuum? Vacuum makes way more sense......  anyway, they are standing at the door waiting to suck every ounce of common sense and critical thinking skills out of these children.

Last night my son (6th grade wonder that he is) found himself in the middle of a girl and his friend, this girl likes my son's friend. Now it is not the first time this has happened in the 3 short weeks school has been going on. (I guess girls still do the "Ask John if he thinks I am cute" routine) Thanks to modern technology this has become a lot easier - ahhh the joys of texting, a girl doesn't even have to use her vocal cords anymore to express how she "feels" about a boy. I wasn't taking it too seriously but did instruct my son to NOT become that friend in the middle - do NOT become the middle man- because it is always the messenger who gets shot. 

As we are working through these things last night I start to realize that he is really being effected by these things. He is already starting to get sucked into the cesspool of idiocy.  It is hard to be the wing man even if you are 12 I guess.  A ways into the discussion he became emotional and started talking about how hard Middle School is (OHHHH how I know son- one of the worse times of my life!)

::I asked him what the purpose of "dating" someone in 6th grade was.
::What does one do when they have a girlfriend in 6th grade? (it's not like you can go pick her up and take her to the movie)
::How long did he think any of these "relationships" would last? 
::Other than to be like everyone else why did he think he needed a girlfriend? 
::I then went onto explain that unless there was a girl that really "tripped his trigger" one that he couldn't stop thinking about, one that he found incredibly good looking, funny, smart, interesting and so forth then he should not be so worried because he was only signing himself up for trouble. 
::I told him to watch how a few of these "dating" things turned out- to time them and see how long they lasted, to listen to the "drama" that comes of them, to witness with open eyes how very little it means to have a g'friend this long (I mean what do you say? "Can I pick you up at your locker and walk you to Science" ) 

Sigh..... I don't know

What I do know though is you have to deal with the crap that comes from a relationship for the rest of your life why start so damn young??????




Ok Ok so there is one example.

Then this morning he turns on his phone (that he received for his birthday to communicate with us after school, and I have to say it has come in handy before school too) as he turned it on it vibrated in his pocket.  He stopped in the middle of the kitchen and spaced out for a second and said "ohhhhhhh"  he then proceeded to hit the vibrate setting and vibrate it up his torso to his face and I stopped him somewhere around his ear as he continued to (in a girly voice) say "ohhhh, ahhhhh, mmmm, vibrating"  *shaking head* what the heck ?

Other recent examples:

Today he walked out the door with a pair of shorts, short socks, a t shirt, and an unzipped sweatshirt.  It was 40 degrees this morning.


He forgot his backpack- when he came back he didn't put his homework in it.


This child that has worried about his clothes his whole life now hasn't brought home his gym clothes since the start of school 3 weeks ago.


He forgets his homework assignments (when normally he would panic over forgetting something when he hadn't) 


I don't think he has opened a book for pleasure since the middle of summer 
(no biggy for most kids but this boy would whip through HUGE chapter books- 1 a week - since 3rd grade)


He doesn't seem to understand the simplest of concepts he used to understand many grades ago

He literally is going brain dead I swear!!!! 
Now, I read a study awhile back that spoke of this.  It said how (especially) boys are effected by hormones and brain development. It is to the point where the frontal lobe of their brain is underdeveloped enough that they display the same kind of behaviors one does when they are drunk (poor judgement abilities, risk taking, slower thought process, fuzzy thinking, etc) Maybe that is his problem.  Maybe he is in a way brain dead- or at least suffering from an under developed, hormonally impaired brain........

Monday, September 26, 2011

I am back - wow! that was fast

back from Vegas
what a crazy fast trip.

I am getting old!  My hips are sore from dancing
yes- sore hips *shaking head...

Fun was had and I think my friend enjoyed her birthday weekend!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

What happens in Vegas.....(is better therapy than 20 hrs on the couch)

Mama needs a break
I'm outta here
A quick trip to Vegas
2 nights and very little sleep
Dancing, laughing, some poolside
Where being me is permitted.

Pictures from Vegas always strike me because of my smile
It is a real, genuine smile.
It is not the forced, tight lipped, tense jaw smiles of most of my pics.
I am off to Vegas to smile

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Life: It goes on

I am incredibly organized, task related, multi-tasking, efficient, and capable. 
(yesterday the world worked against me on these things, 
but today I woke with another chance to get things done) 
I am resilient, stubborn, and determined- today, you are mine!
 
 

Monday, September 19, 2011

Oh just stop it- calm down and try to stay real!

(people are getting on my nerves lately)

I understand teaching morals and values and having a sense of who you are and passing that on to your children.....but I am wondering if some people are getting a bit too carried away.

(insert cute cartoon of guy w/ ripped pants- blogger is getting on my nerves too it appears!)

Case in point (I have several, but will stick with this one) I had to run a new pair of jeans into my teacher husband this morning because the back side of the pair he had on ripped (about two inches.   from the side of the pocket and down) nothing showed- he tucked his shirt in further to cover anything and called me. I was there by the end of class.  He was changed and fine before the next class period.

He is certain he will get a phone call from the principle on the issue.

Why?
Because some student will go home and blow this up to their parents.  Instead of the parent saying- wow! that must have been embarrassing for Mr. S. they will call the school and file a complaint. 
Seriously.

I mean come on people!  Haven't we got a bit crazy?  His brand new pants tear after he leaves for his school day.  It is an honest mishap, and that is all (one that was resolved quickly)  He was not trying to cause undo harm to any students.  Calm down and let's stay real here!

As I said- I am wondering if some people are getting a bit too carried away.
What do you think??? 

Comment Anon if you want, but I'd like to hear your opinion

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Dreams (mine are odd)

My husband woke me up right in the middle of kissing John Travolta this morning. John was laying next to Michelle M. a girl I graduated with and had just seen at the class reunion.  John Travolta looked like his Pulp Fiction days (of course!). 

Prior to that I had been walking down the hall and met Gina who up to a few years ago was Greg (I think all of her surgeries are complete now) Gina was walking down the hall with her former male self Greg- we were in a school and headed different ways. 

Before I saw either of them I had accidentally walked into a boys bathroom where I told one of the boys to make it in the urinal before leaving to find the girl's bathroom I had been in search of in the first place. On my way out the door the boys got into a peeing fight in which I got spray- ack!



Heading down the hall after running into Gina/Greg the transgender person, I walked into a classroom that a concert was going on. I will spare you the (odd) details- I will just say it ended with the lady I was with getting thrown up on by the lead singer, and us having to leave so she could change her clothes. 

Which brings me back to where I was kissing John Travolta...... he must have been in the house we went to get new clothes at.

yeah..... dreams.....mine are odd.



p.s. I have not posted very many of my own photos because my laptop is in repair and I just do not want to add any more photos to the desktop (which is already an issue.....(1) that there are so many on desktop (2) I don't take the time to transfer them to the external hard drive) as soon as I get the laptop back I will be hopefully getting more of my own photos out there

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Day of Rest

This morning was a day of rest for me
I have been going steady since school started for my children
(and hubby who is a High School Teacher)
Running, doing, being, helping, getting, running..... you know
So I took some time this morning
talked with a friend
watched a bit of t.v.
ate some yummy food
napped
but I woke from my nap feeling panicked and behind.
Calm my anxious heart!



Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Canning

pic by Jules
The price of groceries have driven me to canning.
I now understand why Sunday was a day of rest
Women needed some down time after all the effort it took
to put into preserving their food and their families.
Tiring work- yes
Rewarding- I hope so

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Sunday thought stuck in my head

I'd rather believe in God and be wrong
Then not believe
Only to find out (too late) I was wrong

I have stopped attending church regularly.
It has nothing to do with my belief or lack of in God
I just find that I spend my time making 'to do' and 'grocery' lists during the service
We have a great pastor- very thought provoking, but I tend not to listen

I find my time better served with the kids and my husband that extra hour at home
But I do take my kids to Sunday School.
I guess at least there is a foundation there for them to build off from.
It can't hurt them. (after all I'm not bringing them to the Westboro Baptist Church )
pic via Vi.sualize.us

Saturday, September 10, 2011

All good things come to an end

Today was the last day
Last day visiting the river
Last day at the lake
Last day we will act like it is Summer.
pics via Vi.sualize.us

We had a great run of good weather this year (vs last year where 70 seemed rare, and sunshine less prevalent than greyness).  This year, the year we frequently swam against the current of the Mississippi, the year we walked forever (and were still only up to our belly buttons) on Cass Lake, the year we soaked up the sun, the year we had more than our fair share of swimmers itch, this was the year we built sand creations and came home sun drunk, this was a great Summer to be on the water....yes this was a great year.

But all good things must come to an end and today is that day.

That being said- I also ended my old blog last night.
I cried as well wishes flooded in.
My former blog received a quarter of a million page views in a short time
(I have had two different URLs since leaving Just Jules, the one I speak of was the second one....
the one before that had triple the traffic of the last)  
A sad ending indeed. 

Thursday, September 8, 2011

In Life.....



___________________________________________________

I am waiting for the magical "ping" sound that cans make as they seal. I have 6 quart jars full of chopped tomatoes just out of a hot water bath. 45 minutes of steaming up the house. I hope it was not in vain. Please oh please jars make that magical ping sound that means you are sealed.

___________________________________________________

In 2 weeks from tonight I will be packed and waiting to leave for Vegas the following morn. I am going a bit earlier than normal this year, but will be going for a friend's birthday. It is right in the middle of back to school, bear hunting, and dock season (we have a dock and boat lift business). Not sure how it is all going to work- but hopefully more smoothly than I am imagining!

___________________________________________________

We now have 4 beautiful brown eggs from our chickens. We got 18 chix in the middle of April. These are the first eggs they have laid. I was so excited- maybe too excited.

___________________________________________________

Ahhhhhh! some of the jars are sealing.
Ohhhh! wait- 2 more!
I can relax and go to bed now. Phew!

nn all




Wednesday, September 7, 2011

I'm back....well, I never really left

I am back to my Just Jules blog identity

I never left blogging really *gasp!
I just took on a new identity for awhile- one in which noone knew me, at least not real life people.
(no need to comment on this one my little peanut gallery of followers following me back here from there)

I needed to be where I wasn't being questioned or where I felt like I had to censor myself, which I found I was doing constantly here. Basically I was 'being someone' in this blog, when really I wanted to find out who I was/am. It was all counter-productive.

I will not be blogging as much, and I rarely have time to blog read- so if I don't comment back on your blog and that offends you, I am sorry. I just don't have much time anymore. I reply back to comments via email often though-so if your settings are such that I can send you back a reply then you may hear from me.

I don't know how this will go over here, but we will see. It is time to try to put who I was and who I am into one person and just be me, just be Jules.

(me this Summer with my blonde hair! I am back to mostly brunette again)