Last May, my then-second-grader took his first STAR test. And then this autumn he took the OLSAT. He's also taken some other assessment tests here and there, and one recent exam prompted the teacher to say she didn't believe the results because so many of her otherwise high-achieving students seemed to have scored low. She then mentioned that the computer teacher who gave the tests provided heavy incentive to finish quickly. Rushing through an exam does nobody favors.

I remember the whole standardized test ritual fondly. Sure, we parents moan about how it isn't really an accurate assessment of our kids, and wonder how schools can be given funding based on a number. We worry about cultural differences and how sometimes a very intelligent student might get an answer incorrect because he or she recognizes nuances in the question that the very people who created the exam may not have. Most of all, we worry about "teaching to the test;" the fact that an education based on multiple choice has little to do with the real world.

But I thought it was fun.

Continue reading "Standardized Tests" »

The start of last week was tough. It was really tough. Lots of work to do, lots of "extracurricular" hassle, and in general just a tiring time. (Plus it was raining - great for our drought, not great for the rapidly growing weeds in our too-fertile soil or for very energetic boys who appreciate the outdoors.)

On Thursday the weather cleared a bit, so I went for a quick run. I joked to a friend that if I hadn't signed up for a 10K on Saturday, I wouldn't have allowed myself that break. After all, it seemed like an indulgence to actually take time for myself in the midst of a week where everyone else wanted a piece of me.

The next morning - Friday - I awakened to a couple surprises. First there was a good surprise: the previously disastrous kitchen was clean! Husband had made donuts the night before, and I feared the worst. But he had done the dishes!

I praised him ("good puppy, do that trick again!") but he gave me a little half smile, "I'm glad you like that I cleaned the kitchen, but I'm going to tell you something that is going to ruin your day."

Continue reading "Mold and Mud." »

It has been rainy out. So rainy that if I didn't have a 10k on Saturday, I'd probably not consider running in the wet weather. If I hadn't already signed up for the race, I'd probably not. But I figured this would happen, so planned ahead.

Presenting - Project 2010k.

This year I plan to run at least a 10K per month. That's right, for 2010, I'm running at least 12 races 10K or longer. I include the "and longer" because I am currently signed up for two half-marathons (and thinking about a third and a fourth for later in the year; but I'd like to see what happens with the first two before I go chuck my bucks.) I'm not sure whether I'll be able to manage both a 10K and a half-marathon during the same month (both time-wise and body-wise.)

January's race is this Saturday (yup, squeezing it in right at the end!) I've already done one race this year, but it was a New Year's 5K, so it doesn't count towards my Project 2010k.

So there you have it -- a public declaration of my intentions. Hope it keeps me accountable!

You know whose dress this is, don't you?

Thursday afternoon the Cat asked me, "Are those chips okay?" and I had no idea what he meant. "You know, I figured the cheese wouldn't be okay, but I ate the crackers that came with them." he continued.

It wasn't until I emptied the boys' backpacks that I saw what happened: I had swapped the Cat's and Splig's lunches. Yes, the crackers the Cat ate technically weren't "approved" but I was glad he didn't eat the neon yellow cheese. (Yes, I sometimes feed Splig the artificial stuff to which the Cat is sensitive.)

The next morning I was extra-careful. Or so I thought.

Splig complained that his backpack was really heavy. I dismissed it as being the ranting of a melodramatic kindergartner who wanted the school week to be over.

But when the kids got home from school, the Cat told me he was starving. And why didn't I give him a lunch?

Yup, you guessed it -- somehow I put one lunch in Splig's front backpack pocket, and one lunch in Splig's back backpack pocket. And no lunches in the Cat's backpack.

This morning, Splig stayed home (still feverish) so I certainly hope that I put a lunch in the Cat's backpack. I admit I nearly put it into Splig's, though.

For those of you who are forced to watch SpongeBob, remember that song "It's a Per-FECT Daa-aay!"** ? Well, Splig was pretty much singing that tune on Friday.

(** Turns out SpongeBob is "It's the Best Day Eeeee-ver!" while the "It's a Per-FECT Daa-aay!" is like Hannah Montana or something else in that genre. Yikes!)

All week he had been eagerly anticipating a box of Star Wars figures, a late-arriving Christmas present. Each day, his head hung with disappointment. On Friday morning, the package arrived while Splig was at school. I opened it up, and put the contents in a box by his seat in the van.

When I picked the boys up from school, Splig spoke a mile a minute about how PERFECT his day had been. He won BINGO at Spanish! He made a snowman at school! His hot lunch was the! best! ever! He made a cool art project at after-care! He won at Hot Lava Monster! He was so excited, and told me he didn't get into any trouble, "not even tiny trouble!" As we approached the van, I knew he'd explode with happiness over the box of Star Wars dudes.

Continue reading "How Quickly They Fall - and Rebound" »

Oh, I could talk about something "profound" like how this has been a week of "firsts:" the first time Splig has been busted for negative behavior (boo!) or the first time that the Cat has actually wanted to invite people to his birthday party since he was a toddler (yay!) - but I just got a phone call that made me simultaneously laugh and shake my head.

I must admit that I thought the call would be my mom. After all, it typically is. But more so, I had this bizarre desire to hum an old music-box song this afternoon. It was a tune from one of my grandma's treasures. At that moment, I wondered if she had passed away. No, she hasn't, and it isn't like I am wishing her to pass on, just that it was one of those strange moments where I wondered why I could have dug deep into my head to pull out that particular song. (And let's face it. She's 98. And she's been murmuring things to me that are strangely prophetic and accurate. So I wouldn't put it past her to send me a music-box tune for a reason.)

Yeah, so it wasn't my mom. Which was good, since I didn't really want to hear that my grandma had died, or something like that.

Instead, it was a telemarketer. We get 'em quite a bit, despite the supposed "do-not-call" list. Some years ago, I remember being really angry at how those "policemen's ball" type solicitations make it seem as though you are in danger if you don't donate. ("This call is being monitored for your protection, ma'am!") But now instead of anger, it is laughter.

This one was so fraudulent. So jumbled. It essentially was: "Hi Ma'am, I'm calling about the annual Policemen's Ball. You know that Firefighters are really important to our community, so it is really important to honor our Fallen Heroes. This year - like last year - we're holding a circus to benefit the under-privileged. After all, in this economy, many people are homeless. Could I count on your support to keep our families safe and support handicapped kids?"

Um, no.

Almost as good as the dude who thought he was going to burglarize our house, but since I opened the door decided he was a seafood salesman. Seafood. What, you have a freezer in your pants?

Last night I was thinking about all that has happened the past year. I'm sure I wasn't the only one doing this. After all, 'tis the season to be reflective.

Overall 2009 was rather difficult, but of course there were shining moments tucked in there as well. I certainly wouldn't have expected that I'd meet Tim Gunn, then later meet the majority of the Project Runway designers. I wouldn't have thought I'd run a mile, much less some 5Ks (BlogHer 5K, Disney 5K, a local benefit 5K, a 5K Turkey Trot) and two 10Ks (not muddy 10K and very muddy 10K) - and the concept of running a half-marathon would have had my belly aching from laughter. 2010 will bring at least two half-marathons, assuming I don't die during the first. What else 2010 has in store for me, I don't know. Just in January, I'll find out some answers to a couple questions that will impact the year in both minor and major ways.

But what really got me was the whole "#10yearsago" discussion on Twitter. Suddenly it occurred to me how simultaneously short and long a decade is.

Continue reading "New Year, New Decade" »