Homework and grade frustration

Today our family is dealing with homework and grade frustration.  In our school district as probably in most now days we get emails regarding grades and such, well today I got an alert from Gradespeed saying that the J-man is failing Social Studies.  Social Studies, really?  His explanation is that it is boring and he already knows this stuff.  Really? He knows all about the Constitution and the Bills of Rights, which is what he is studying right now, so I quiz him about it, and you know what, he knows nothing, no wonder.  

The Z-man loses his homework every week and needs to hunt for it everyday to work on it. Which ensues into Z getting frustrated and me in losing my patience which makes me a very ornery mother.  Why can't they put it in the same place everyday?  I mean I have tried to make a place for them to put it, I had a box, folder, even a drawer at one time.  

Teachers I commend you in your job, it is a job that I would not be able to do.  Bless You!

What do you do to help your child with homework and how do you keep your patience while doing it? 

Quandaries....

So I am in a pickle.  The Z-man wants an Easter Basket and to hunt Easter Eggs.  He seems to have forgotten that it was Mommy and Daddy who hid the eggs last year and asking us why there isn't an Easter Bunny.  I wasn't planning on doing the egg thing this year.  Yes I did get them a little something for Easter but I have bought no eggs and wasn't planning on it, but he looked at me yesterday with those puppy eyes and I almost caved.  The J-man could care less, he just wants his chocolate bunny and whatever else there is.  I guess I could just get him a (manly) basket, yes no fru, fru in this house full of manliness, yeah whatever. I guess I can take him to the neighborhood egg hunt, that way I don't need to buy eggs, fill them, hide them and then find them when they can't find them all.  UGH!!!!! I hate quandaries but really love Pickles...

Test Anxiety...

This morning my oldest Minion, J-man, woke up riddled with Test Anxiety, he has his Writing Taks test this morning, which is the Texas Statewide Assessment tests  I did my best to try and calm him, I hugged and loved on him told him everything was going to be fine and that he would do great and he still left the house unsure of himself, he was in tears most of the morning.  I was at a loss as what more I could do.  What do you do to help you or a loved one relieve anxiety?

Here are some pointers on reducing Test Anxiety 

Reducing Test Taking Anxiety

Test anxiety is when a student excessively worries about doing well on a test. This can become a major hindrance on test performance and cause extreme nervousness and memory lapses among other symptoms. The following are tips on reducing test taking anxiety.

Being well prepared for the test is the best way to reduce test taking anxiety.


Space out your studying over a few days or weeks and continually review class material. Don't try to learn everything the night before.


Try to maintain a positive attitude while preparing for the test and during the test.


Exercising for a few days before the test will help reduce stress.


Get a good night's sleep before the test.


Show up to class early so you won't have to worry about being late.


Stay relaxed, if you begin to get nervous take a few deep breaths slowly to relax yourself and then get back to work.


Read the directions slowly and carefully.


If you don't understand the directions on the test, ask the teacher to explain it to you.


Skim through the test so that you have a good idea how to pace yourself.


Write down important formulas, facts, definitions and/or keywords in the margin first so you won't worry about forgetting them.


Do the simple questions first to help build up your confidence for the harder questions.


Don't worry about how fast other people finish their test; just concentrate on your own test.


If you don't know a question skip it for the time being (come back to it later if you have time), and remember that you don't have to always get every question right to do well on the test.


Focus on the question at hand. Don't let your mind wander on other things.


If you're still experiencing extreme test anxiety after following these tips, seek help from your school counselor.

source

NaBloPoMo Day 3... Wordless Wednesday

Halloween at the Palmer Household

When It Rains It Pours...

We all know the saying right, well in the Palmer household it holds true, at least for this week.  First the air conditioner broke and that cost us $500, then the dryer failed and was going to cost as much to fix as it would to almost buy a new one, so we bought a new one and then of course the battery in my car decided to die, so that was another expense we could have lived without.  The other saying I was think about for this post was "that everything happens in Threes" but "When it rains it pours" just fit better.  

The J-man also had strep again and the Z-man's attitude has been shit this week, whining and complaining with temper tantrums thrown in, plus when J doesn't let up on teasing him, Z's bad attitude spirals out of control.  Yes Z gets that from me and you all know it is true.  My only solace this week has been reading and my floral class, both which I love.  

I hope my weekend is peaceful and easy, I will have Harry Potter and a Vampire running around on Sunday.  I did try to convince J-man to be Edward Cullen and wear this: 

but he wouldn't do it, so he is a traditional vampire with a cape and fangs, oh well I guess it is more fun for a 9 year old.  I did convince Z to be Harry Potter by the lure of a magic wand ( he is into wizards right now ).  I will be sure to take photos and probably post on my Wordless Wednesday Post next week.  

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!!!!!

It is Football day in my house today...

English and American,  I have mixed feelings on this day...I love football, I love yelling at the Television and celebrating when my Favorite team wins ( Go Horns).  I also dread this day when J-man takes the field and I pray that he doesn't get hurt, I would rather him play baseball, there is no tackling in baseball but he is insistant that football is the sport for him, I even told him Girls like guys in Baseball pants but he didn't believe me.  I even bribed him but that was a no go either.  UGH, So I guess I will grit my teeth and hide behind my eyes as my oldest get tackled on the grid iron and yell and scream when he does something good, I did persuade him to try out for punter/kicker, that is rather safe right, you can't rough the kicker.

 Z-man also started Soccer (hence the English Football reference) this morning and I had never seen him more excited ( except maybe when there is cake around).  He was up and raring to go even though it was only a practice and meeting his new coach. He likes to play soccer for the medals he gets at the end of the season, ah to be 7 and have easy goals. 

So it is with trepidation that I say Go LCP Hawks and Be Safe my Son.

Wordless Wednesday...

First Day 2010

Sunday Ramblings...

Yes it is Sunday and I am sitting here musing about what I have done in the past week, which is really not much as I reflect. I made a cake for a friend, her favorite of course, German Chocolate, I got the recipe from the wonderful Rachel at A Southern Fairytale  and it was delish, it did however take up most of the mixing bowls in my kitchen and left it a disaster area. I know I know, clean as you go...  I have yet to clean it, I will after I finish my blog post.

Jen, I, Kim and Cat had a wonderful time at Ztejas last night with awesome food and drinks and then went back to Kim's house and watched The Runaways, the movie could have been better but the conversation is always good with great friends.

I finished Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, which of course made me cry, I will do no spoilers here.

Of course I did tons of laundry and still have tons to do.  I also decided to try, yes I said try, to eliminate red meat from my diet and eat more veggies.  

This week is busy, I need to register for my Floral Design class, I have a book signing to attend, plan the Z-man's birthday, can you believe he is going to be 7 and start planning and packing for our beach trip.  I also need to sign up the Z-man for soccer, figure out how to fit in the J-man's 3 Football practices a week in our schedule and get the kids ready for school which starts on August 23rd.  With all of this I still need to have time to study, read 2 book, blog and podcast.  I need a better organization system. UGH!!!

Wordless Wednesday...

The Hubs and I took the Boys to their 1st hockey game and they loved it and I remembered why I love hockey.  These are Blackberry Pics so they aren't very clear sorry.

Weekend Plans...

So as I sit here early on a Saturday morning, I am trying to make plans for the day, should I clean today or make time for the family and friends.

Well, I really hate to clean so I think I will make time for friends and family.  My wonderful friend Jen and I are going to the Cedar Park Farms to Market this morning and walk around and we will probably as always end up at Target.

The family and I are planning on going the Texas Stars game this evening, it will be the first hockey game for the J-man and the Z-man so I am excited for them.



What are your weekend plans?

Happy Mother's Day...

I love the hand made cards and gifts my boys gave me this morning, I got to sleep late and hugs and kisses this morning, great way to start the day.

My Mom
A halo that reflects a life of
wisdom, kindness, and caring.
Eyes that sparkle with pride
and show how much she believes in you.
Shoulders that have been slept on
and wept on and
carried a world or two.
Arms that never run out of hugs.
Hands that know
just when to hold on
and when to let go.
A mind filled with amazing things,
from fairy tales to family tails
and long-ago stories of you.
A smile that can jump right into your heart
and warm you faster than hot chocolate.
A heart of gold
that holds more love
than you can possibly imagine.
Contributed by Anna J 

Wordless Wednesday...My Boys

I know you have probably seen this a million times

but, I am putting it on here anyway. I Laughed so hard almost peed in my pants.



Update on the J-man, the green blob is still in his ear, the Doctor had an emergency surgery so J-mans got cancelled. Trying again on Tuesday

Recipe Tuesday... Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie

I love a good Pot Pie have since I was a child, the only time I had an aversion to them was when I was pregnant with the J-Man and it was a Marie Callendars Pot Pie, apparently the smell got to me.  A homemade one though is the best thing ever and so comforting. I will probably be making this tonight with a salad and rolls, yum

Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie

Maria Robledo

Serves 6

Hands-on Time: 35m

Total Time: 1hr 10m

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2  onions, chopped
• 4  carrots, diced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups 1 percent milk
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
•   kosher salt and black pepper
• 1  9-inch store-bought piecrust, thawed if frozen

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the chicken in a pot of simmering water until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes; let cool, then shred.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes (do not let them darken). Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

3. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a shallow 1½- to 2-quart baking dish.

4. Lay the crust on top, pressing to seal. Cut several vents in the crust. Place the pot pie on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Tip

Who needs butter? This pie gets its velvety richness from olive oil, wine, low-fat milk, and a double dose of vegetables.

Nutritional Information

Calories 398; Calories From Fat 36%; Protein 23g; Carbohydrate 37g; Sugar 10g; Fiber 4g; Fat 16g; Sat Fat 4g; Sodium 561mg; Cholesterol 46mg

Happy Birthday to the J-Man

Today my oldest mess maker and house destroyer is 9 years old.

Man I am getting old.

Mother and Son Day...

I spent the today with my oldest Son "the J-Man.  It has been awhile since he and I hung out and today was a good day to do so. We started our day with lunch at The Spicy Pickle and then went shopping at Target so he could show me some of the stuff on his Christmas List, which most of it I would have had no clue what it was.

Here is his Christmas List

Is this normal for a Nine Year old boy, I have no clue, to me it seems random, of course when I was nine I was all about Barbie so I guess this is what 9 year olds want.

I am posting more recipes this evening and will do an Adventure of Mini E posting probably tomorrow, Mini E had quite a good time at the New Moon Movie on Thursday night, he did pretty well with the ladies.