rolling around in my brain

My kids are running around playing tickle monster. Which apparently is a game? Or I think maybe they just made it up. My oldest told everyone that they had to pretend to be sleeping (she was the tickle monster) because if people were awake when the tickle monster showed up the parents would probably kill it . . OR put it in the zoo.

I chuckled at that.

Lately, after dinner, I have taken that time to run through math facts with my 3rd and 1st grader. Since it is in addition to homework, I try not to do it right after they get their homework done. I try to give them a few hours of a break. It's been working fabulously--they haven't complained once. But right now they are PLAYING the kind of playing that they will reminisce about as Adults.

But they need to work on math facts. The 1st grader is getting a C in math. BOOO. And I see why on her homework. It's not that she doesn't get the concept. It's that she gets distracted. She'll write a 6 when the answer is 16, because she didn't complete it. On occasion she'll add instead of subtract. She usually gets the answers right if she actually finishes the problem. As she has been randomly saying lately---oi.

I made it to the gym today. Which was good since I took a little break due to runny nosed children that are not welcome in their daycare. It felt good at first. Then I came home and cleaned a few rooms. Really cleaned them. It looked nice. Then I took a bath at 2:00, that was nice too since me muscle be hurting. But then I crashed. I called my friend to pick up the girls at the bus stop, and I crashed on the couch. But not a good nap, the kind that gets interrupted every two seconds with someone trying to sit on me, or asking for a snack, then later a drink of water. So then when I gave up and got up--I was grumpy. And I snapped, multiple times. In fact I told Josie that if she didn't like what I made for dinner she could eat dirt. And I wasn't joking. She didn't really eat it, but she didn't complain. They can see the crazy in my eyes when it shows up.

I looked for more schools today. Still didn't find anything. I really need to just resign myself to staying where we are. I think the problem is more with me. I want to be the mom that loves the creativity that some schools offer. But really I'm the one that puts achievement scores as first on my list of criteria. My friends told me I'm crazy. And they are right. But I don't know how to not be crazy.

Beck started sucking his thumb. He's 2. That is when Josie started, when she saw her new baby sister sucking her thumb and a light bulb went off. Ugh. So now I bought some nasty nail polish to nip that in the bud (is it butt or bud?--please advise). We shall see how that goes.

Oh--update on Hyrum's work. Apparently when I posted that we had a little miscommunication. The first time I talked to him he said that his supervisor said, "I need to talk to you later" but then later when I followed up with him he corrected me and told me that he said, "talk to you later" as in--later dude. Ugh. Anyhow, he ACTUALLY talked to him today and he said that there is a chance he'll be hired, but he has to interview because there are others up for the position. I think he'll get it, because he's good at what he does. But now we just have to hold out for him to pass the boards in 2 weeks.

WAiting, always waiting. That seems like my life. And his--since they are connected.

Alrighty--kids are done with tickle monster, and are finishing their adventure of boating (apparently my freshly made bed makes for a great boat).

Since I"m on the subject--does anyone know of any online places that makes Math fun? or any things like speak and math (that's what i had when I was young and I loved it)