The day Momma lost her $&^!

I am writing this post as a letter to me, as a reminder of the day I lost my $&^! and went all Momma Bear on a couple of Jb's teachers. Teachers each have a website and are supposed to list all of the assignments, and due dates, etc. A few of them don't bother to do this, and yesterday two in particular decided that 2 days before the end of the term would be a good time to finally fill out their web pages. This resulted in more than a few missing assignments for JB, virtually no time left in the term to do them, and me writing a fairly scathing email to them explaining my severe anger and absolute displeasure. This post is a reminder to NOT write emails in anger. While I do not regret my words, I do regret the way I presented them. I let a moment of anger control me instead of  presenting my case  calmly and out of thankfulness for all the wonderful things those teachers actually do for my kid. Let today be a lesson to me to think more clearly and act more kindly.

Creepy Christmas

So, last night we decorated our Christmas tree, and JB wanted to put her raven skeleton from Halloween, on as the tree topper. We did, and we had a great laugh and that made us start thinking of creepy stuff that happens at Christmas time, ...which lead us to think of this:









Do you have a creepy Christmas moment?

Mysteries of life and death

Today (December 1, 2014) I went to a "friend"s" Facebook site to wish her a happy birthday. The word "friend's" is in quotes because I have actually never met this person. She is the wife of a high school pal, and when I found him via Facebook, I also found her. Through him, I learned that she loves the geek world as much as he does, and they are raising two beautiful little geeklets with a life full of fun, and LOTR, and Harry Potter, and Loki, and all things weird. I also learned how much he absolutely adores her, and they make my heart so incredibly happy to witness their on going devotion to each other.  So, today she turned 44, and I am sad to learn, today she also began a new life with God. I don't know the circumstances of her passing, just that she passed away this morning. Even though I never met her face to face,  I understand how much he loves her and how lonely he will be without her, and that makes my heart so incredibly sad. God's speed, my friend. Happy heavenly birthday. Until we meet...

Create Your Own Visited States Map

OneRepublic - Counting Stars feat. Disney Villains

Pumpkin Heads 2001

It's almost Halloween, so I thought you could use a fun Halloween treat. Thanks to Aunt Ashes for helping, and to Wendell Minor for giving us one of our most favorite Halloween stories, ever. 

Enjoy!

Girl Scout National Convention

See you there?

Our Great Japanese Adventure

Should you be interested, the photo album for our trip to Japan is now on my flickr site.

You may see all 188 pages by clicking here

Is this Kansas?

School is a difficult thing for JB. Being dyslexic is more than just reading letters and numbers backwards. It also makes it difficult for her to focus on and remember instructions, and home work takes a ridiculously long time. Each and every single year she has been in school, we have followed the same methodology. It goes like this: 

The term starts. 

I meet the teachers.

 I explain JB's learning style to them. I give them a book about dyslexia. They don't read it.

 They inform me they are the experts and this is the way they've done it for (insert amount here) years, and they are sure she will be fine in their class.

Homework loads increase and increase until JB is doing 6+ hours per night.

She gives up dance class, and most extra curricular activities in order to do homework.

I go back to talk to teachers some more.

They inform me they are the experts and this is the way they've done it for (insert amount here) years, and JB just needs to get more organized.We re-work her organizational system to fit the newest trends in binder technologies. It doesn't help.

We have a 504 meeting. They give her extra time on assignments, which is great, but if she actually uses it, she falls farther and farther behind and is always playing catch-up.

JB tries, but hours and hours of homework begin to effect her health and sleeping patterns. I start "helping" with her homework by completing the crossword puzzles, coloring the maps, reading the assigned novels and telling her what happened, completing the final editing on English reports so they can go in on time, etc.

I go back to talk to teachers. 

They inform me they are the experts and this is the way they've done it for (insert amount here) years, and JB just needs to focus more, try harder, and not worry so much about her grades. At one school in the past we were even told "She can still go to college. She most likely won't get a scholarship with these kind of grades, but there are lots of state schools that will let her in, you're just going to have to pay for it." 

This year has started out pretty much the same. Finally, Monday night, I reached a breaking point. When JB gets stressed, her temperature spikes, she turns white, and she doesn't sleep. The homework load for the night was ridiculous, mainly because it's tough anyway, but she had a lot of catch-up work to do. She worked for about 6 hours and I realized she had at least another 4 hrs to go, when at 10:30 p.m.  I told her I wouldn't allow her to do anymore. We would go in to talk to the counselor in the morning, and insist on dropping one of her classes, and she will have to take summer school or on line school or something else, because this is ridiculous. 

So, I sent her to bed, and spent the rest of the night formulating my arguments. Planning the things I needed to say to get the point across that we need to drop a class, and that this cannot continue. I mentally armored myself.  I didn't sleep. I had to be prepared to shoot down their newest hipster plan of the hour to change JB's behavior so she could fit into their mold of the year.

Bring it on.

Tuesday morning we went to school together. I asked the school counselor for a minute of her time. I started my arguments by saying, "We've hit a wall..." 

That's as far as I got. 

The counselor politely ignored me, turned to JB and asked "What can I do for you?" JB explained she was having a hard time keeping up with the homework. The counselor pulled up her grade reports for a few classes. She was missing a lot of science lab book assignments, so they discussed which items were missing, and why they were missing. The counselor hurried and pulled the science teacher into the meeting. They made a plan for JB to come in after school for a  brief tutoring session where the science teacher would instruct her on some short cuts to use in order to complete the lab books faster, and ways to make the lab documentation process simpler. They even discussed going to an on-line lab book so JB didn't have to write so much...she could type it all in instead. 

They looked at the courses she would need for graduation. They discussed ways to tweak her schedule next term to better fit her needs. She will probably drop at least one class, and add a mid-day tutorial class which is a class set aside for kids to do homework with peer tutors while at school. If dropping a class is a problem, she could earn missing graduation requirements over the summer by attending courses on line or at Bridgerland Applied Technology Center. They discussed changing her PE class from regular PE to Yoga, to help with anxiety and stress reduction, while still earning a PE credit. There are only 11 days left in this term, so dropping a class right now is not a great idea. So, instead they recommended prioritizing the given assignments and if needed, just not doing some of them. For example, she is doing better in English right now, so if the choices are completing an English paper for 100 pts, or completing a science paper for 100 pts, focus on the science and don't bother with the English. If you have a passing grade, skip that homework to focus on raising points in the classes without passing grades. 

SKIP THE HOMEWORK?!?! 

They told her to do what is most important. Don't do it all. Prioritize. Relax. Take a break if needed. JB (Not Mom) will talk to the teachers when/if she needs extra time.

They will work on a plan to fit JB. 

They will work with JB on making her own plans. 

I didn't say a word. I didn't need to. 

Warhol

Jb is taking a Photoshop class in school. Her assignment this weekend is to take a photo of herself, and use Photoshop to replicate her photo into a "painting" by a famous artist. She was assigned Andy Warhol.  I decided I wanted to play, too, so had her walk me through the various steps. It turns out this was a bit of a project as EACH layer must be mapped and recolored for each image. It took us pretty much ALL day! But I am super pleased with our results, and I had the greatest time having her teach me some new Photoshop techniques.

The original photograph

Andy Warhol's painting I was trying to copy.

This is the first image map I made. By image map, I mean there is an individual layer for the skin, hair, eyes, lips, shadows and background colors.

From here, I had to recolor each layer, multiple times. Here is my finished product. 

What ya think?

Clarke Taylor Memorial

Losing a loved one is always hard. I didn't know my Uncle Clarke very well, In fact, there were a lot of things written in his obituary that I didn't know about him. I didn't know that his knick-name was Corkie. I did know that he loved Moab and his family, and that he a sense of humor as dry as the Moab sand, a Taylor family trait. I know that my Mom and Dad did a great job under sad circumstances in helping to find the venue and helping Mia and Jason to plan his memorial, and I am proud of them and their efforts.  I enjoyed seeing some of my Aunts/Uncles/Cousins again, and for those that were not able to attend, I shot a few pictures. A special thanks to Aunt Peggy for "holding my hand" as we took pictures of the casket together. Clarke would have laughed at us, and we were glad he didn't sit up and holler "boo," though we wouldn't have been all that surprised if he had.
God Bless you Corkie, See ya on the flip-side.
For more photos, click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tlcbull/sets/72157647464415729/

Salt Lake City Comicon 2014

For more photos, click here

Then/Now

Then:




Now:

Where's the rest?

I have received a few comments lately about not posting a ton of Japanese photos on Facebook, or here, or otherwise. Where's the rest of the photos? I was asked this yet again on Saturday, and decided I'd better explain why I have not posted more images.... and why I'm not going to post anymore here, or there, or anywhere.
JB and I came home from Japan, and after staying two weeks with our Japanese Hosts, it was our turn to show them around Utah and surrounding areas for two weeks. We went to Yellowstone, and Jackson, and Park City, and Salt Lake. We had a marvelous time, made a lot of memories and of course I took a ton of photos. We dropped our Japanese guests off at the airport on August 14, came home to a fairly neglected house, garden, and dog. Fatdog's nails hadn't been trimmed for quite some time, so the morning of the 15th I took her to Petsmart for her pedicure. She has had her nails trimmed there since she was a pup, and usually by the same lady (we will call her DM) who trimmed Rosie's nails, and any way we have known this woman for going on 6 years. So I asked DM how her summer was going, and she proceeded to tell me how her 15 year old daughter who had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder a few years ago had decided it's OK to stop her medication, had attempted suicide, had been in and out of treatment for the last 5 weeks, had racked up over $40K in hospital/mental health facility bills in the last 2 weeks, and she has no idea how she's going to pay it because she is the primary worker in her family and her main source of income is working part time as a groomer at Petsmart. She also told me her daughter began attacking family members and she had to call the police to have her daughter arrested, and so forth. After about 20 minutes of  listening to a heart felt, emotion filled scouring of her soul, she tearfully asked if I did anything fun over the summer. I didn't know how to answer. I stammered something about hanging out with a few friends, and quickly changed the subject. It just seemed like bragging to say "Ummm, yeah, my 14 year old, beautiful, healthy daughter and I took off traveling the world and eating great food and just had the trip of a lifetime for the last month, and it was OK because my husband has a really great job so the process of saving money for a year to afford the cost wasn't that big of a deal, and now my awesome, brilliant, kid is starting school at one of the most prestigious high schools in the state..."
Anyway, the experience completely sucked the wind from my sails, and I have no desire to post anymore pictures of my travels. I do however still back them up to Flickr. So, if you really want to see them, you can find them here:
Photos of Japanese Adventure: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tlcbull/sets/72157646112037901/
Photos of American Adventure: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tlcbull/sets/72157646477359110/

And if you have any prayers available, DM and her family could certainly use them.

About the "facilities"

One thing we quickly learned in Japan, was that the restrooms are very different from those in America. For starters, the toilet is seldom in the same room as where you bathe. The toilet room is called the "toilet" and the "bathroom" is where you take a bath. Very logical. The toilets themselves, however, were a bit of a mystery to us. In Nobu's home, the toilet looked like this....

Fairly straight forward, right? But to flush it, you used the electric switch mounted on the wall.

You would push one of the top buttons for light use, and the other top button for heavier use. Then you could choose multiple washing cycles, which would spray some water onto your backside in different locations, and you could adjust the temperature and intensity of the spray. The reddish button turned the spray of choice off when you were finished.

A small hand sink for washing up, but not to be used for brushing your teeth, because tooth washing was reserved for the larger sink downstairs in the bathroom, where you wash.

Sometimes in public restrooms, the controls for flushing the toilet were on an arm rest of the toilet. Many of the facilities in the public bathrooms would create an electronic flushing noise when you entered the stall. My guess was this is used to prevent anyone from hearing you go about your business. On one occasion we found a toilet where you could choose from 3 different songs to play while you were doing your thing.

Sometimes the flushing was done with a button on the wall, sometimes it was a light that you held your hand over, and on one rare occasion, it took me about 5 minutes of searching through the stall to discover an actual handle on the side of the toilet tank that flushed just like one in the U.S. 

As for this....

Nope. Didn't even try. A person's gotta know their limits.

It's good luck or it'snot.

Another moment of triumph. ..To understand this fully you need to know I have a terrible fear of tight spaces. Today Nobu took us to see one of the world's largest Buddha shrines. Inside there is a large pillar with a hole carved into representing the nose hole of the Buddha. To climb through the hole is good luck.  I decided I would give it a try but was beginning to freak out as I watched people wriggling through. I about decided not to even try.  But in the spirit of "No regrets" I was able to force away the fear, took a deep breath and dove in. My fear must have been apparent because once I got through,  everyone waiting in line applauded my efforts.  Rei (Nobu's eldest daughter) was even approached by a random stranger who asked her if I was married. HA!

JB exits the nose hole

The golden temple

Bill always likes to put a bit of gold in my Christmas stocking....Maybe this is next year's request.  Hee hee.

Osaka's view and festival

So so tired but had a great day. I have been waking way to early and have a hard time getting back to sleep.  Today was very busy though so maybe I can make it through the night.  This morning we went to the floating sky room in Osaka. We took the train to get there. Had lunch at a noodle restaurant and finished with a school festival for Mei. Home now and very tired but very happy. 

Noodles

Today we went to the cup of noodles museum. We decorated our own cup of noodles and chose from a variety of ingredients what we wanted to put in it. Then it was sealed and packaged for shipping. After the museum we rode the bus back to the house.  Great time! 

Deep breath before the plunge

A few months ago, I saw this video:






It resonated with me. A LOT. There are many things I have been afraid to do, but not any more. JB and I are going to Japan tomorrow morning, without Bill. I am experiencing high anxiety, as I don't like the feeling of being un prepared and uncertain of what my responsibilities are. I am nervous, but it won't stop me. Fear has no place in my life anymore (except when it comes to riding those sketchy carnival rides, but that's not fear telling me to stay away from those things, it's just common sense.) Life is too short to live it while being afraid. Go forth, peeps. The world awaits. :-)

Cherry good day

Today has been a cherry good day. Let me explain. This morning I began working in the garden around 8:00 a.m. I watered the plants in various flower beds and then went to water the rosebushes. There in the center of the rose bed were 2 cherry pits. I thought it was odd to find 2 pits, perfectly cleaned, resting there together in the center of my rose bed. I just shrugged my shoulders, went on watering, and left them there.

Then I came into the house, and logged onto the computer, where I read Ashes' blog about Lady's cherry pie. http://lilblueashes.blogspot.com/2014/07/all-american-pies.html and the Sheffer family blog about Grandpa T taking out their cherry bushes. http://shefferfam.blogspot.com/2014/07/week-twentyfive-june-15-to-june-21.html

Then I was walking Fatdog around Logantown, and the little corner Mexican food market had cherries on sale. I received a text from my cabin housekeeper who's name is ChaRee (it's pronounced Sha Ree, but still at this point I was starting to take notice), and at Petsmart when we were having Miss Lily's pedicure, I noticed a sign on the window saying you can CHALK your pet, and one of the colors was cherry red.






Too too weird. It's almost like someone was trying to tell me something but I'm not clever enough to grasp what it is. So I came home, found the two little cherry pits in the center of the rose garden and shoved them into the dirt. Maybe they are supposed to grow. Who knows? It would be a cherry good ending to a cherry good day.

A visit from the Magical Willow Park Zoo

This is Care of Magical Creatures week at Harry Potter Camp, so they had a visit from Jeannie the human and some animals from Willow Park Zoo. 

We met a Skink named...well he didn't have a name so they just called him Skink, but we think  he should be called Harry...

A 13 year old screech owl named Houdini because she likes to break free of her leg strings and fly away from her handlers,

A California King Snake named Pig. Wonder how he got that name? Apparently he tends to eat a lot.

A purple headed, green blooded, Slytherin beastie. This creature is amazing, and is by far my most favorite. 

And a great horned owl named Ashley. Ashley has an amputated wing. She was found severely injured,  probably from flying into a power line, and they had to amputate the wing to save her life. She now gets to entertain school children.

Do you have any magical creatures at your house?

If you would like to see the rest of the photos, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tlcbull/sets/72157645058607880/

Summer camp transforms Cache Valley into a wizarding world of magic and muggles - CacheValleyDaily.com : Local News

Summer camp transforms Cache Valley into a wizarding world of magic and muggles - CacheValleyDaily.com : Local News

Hanging at Hogwarts

Today was potions class at Hogwarts. JB was thrilled to be helping out, but not so excited for me to take her picture. Hee Hee. Professor Snape  (A.K.A. Dr. Harris from U.S.U.'s chemistry department) taught the class all about magic potions. First, though, he taught about being safe in the lab, and ditched his black robe for a white lab coat.

He started the show of with a bang. A hydrogen bang, that is.

He then did some experiments with marshmallows, 

and changing liquid from pink to clear with both chemicals and dry ice.

He discussed how chemistry is used to indeed stopper death by use of medicines and told the kids about how his real job is to help develop medicines to fight the common cold. Then he finished with another bang. POOF!

 Hogwarts 2014

For more images click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tlcbull/sets/72157645371692834/

Throw Back Thursday

April 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Funny Friends

Last May, a robin built her nest under our deck, and three little eggs were hatched.

One seriously concerned bulldog would sniff through the cracks of the deck multiple times per day, and pawed and barked and fussed at them so much that I finally had to cover the area above them with plywood until they moved out. One of the baby birds, a cute little female, took a curious liking to the silly bulldog, and all last summer they would "play" together. The bird would fly to one end of the yard, land upon the fence, and sit in wait for Lily to chase her. The bulldog would charge, then the robin would fly to the other end of the yard, land upon the fence, and wait some more. I tried to get photos of them playing together, but it was so difficult to get them both in the same frame, so I gave up. This game continued for 5 to 10 minutes, multiple times per day, until fall came and the snows fell, and the bulldog and I kind of forgot all about the little robin.

 Fast forward to May 2014. It had been very cold outside, and I didn't really bother to go out much, but on the first warm day of May, I noticed a bird nest on a drain pipe near the upper part of our deck. I also noticed that the momma bird didn't fly away when I let Lily outside on her own, even though Lily would often sit right under the nest. Lily also has never barked at the nest, which is much different than the reaction to birds she had last year. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was the same female bird that was born here last spring! She has some interesting grey/whitish spots on her underbelly and tail feathers so she is fairly easy to identify. Sometimes I hear a screech and look outside, and they are playing their chase game just like last year. We (the humans) have learned that if we go outside quietly, and move slowly, she will also allow us to get fairly close to the nest. She will sit contentedly in her little home while we barbecue and is not bothered when we eat at the outside table. Her nest is up fairly high so I can't see directly into it, so have no idea how many eggs are there, but am thinking I need to get  a stool and take a peak.

I think it's pretty amazing how friends can come in all shapes and sizes. 

Throw Back Thursday

It's been 20 years. I can't believe it. May 14, 1994 one of the best friends I have ever had on this earth was born.  She came into my heart when I had learned that I had a seriously LOW chance of ever conceiving a child of my own. I was severely depressed and to help fill the void, Bill bought me an English bulldog puppy for my birthday. Tigra was named for a comic book cat, because she had those lovely brindle stripes and a cat like personality. She was a special dog who was very sensitive to emotions, and was exactly what I needed at an emotionally fragile time.  She was a dog, but she was so much more, and fortunately JB was born before Tigra passed away. Even then, I didn't know if I would survive her loss, and I think of her often. She will sometimes visit me in my dreams, and we play chase and she runs around crazy with a bucket on her head before she turns into an orange striped butterfly and flutters off. Happy Birthday, Tie-Tie, I miss you.

Jazz Mass 2014

Beautiful Finish

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HAPPY EASTER!