Remember my struggle back in February trying to get the monthly maintenance meds down my canine girls??? What a pain!! I was still perplexed with the entire ordeal and it was time to do the ugly deed again. So I decided to put together all of the advice given to me by those "who should know!"
So......tonight I went about tricking these heathens into taking their monthly meds and never knowing what I had done.
One of the most frustrating thoughts was that the Comfortis tablets were supposed to be "doggie flavored." But not for these little ones of mine ....they were not having that flavoring, thank you. Therefore, this evening I broke the tabs into small parts, rolled them in nice fresh creamy peanut butter and then in nice flavorful shredded cheese!! And guess what.....they loved it to the extent of eating the whole thing!!! Success!!! I am so happy but at the same time wondering how long I can fool them. But for now.....I am riding the success train and am one happy girl!!
Isn't it funny how the little things in life can derail your whole attitude about a task???
Maybe part of the reason was knowing that 6 tablets of Comfortis costs just over $100.00 and these Babes were refusing to take it.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
TAXES...we got taxes!!! Tons & tons of taxes!!!
Taxes, taxes, taxes!! How I hate this part of the year....or maybe that is not stated correctly. I do not like having to spoil my enjoyment of Spring with the worry and disgust of doing my taxes. That would be Taxation Without(_______).....don't know what goes in that blank just yet. Anyhow....this year my taxes are quite complicated -- for me, anyway!! I stopped using the CPA I used for some while when Ken was sick and there after. She charged me what I thought was an unrealistic amount for one hour of conversation----thus I dropped her services. Now, on to find someone to help with "my task" --- my taxes. Don't know which way to turn in finding someone to trust with this task!!!
So... I stuck my handy Turbo Tax disc in this computer and have already done my regular annual income tax. That part I have finished on my own.... no problem there.....Turbo is good. But the sale of property, some of which was inheritance is a great big pain in the posterior!!
More later when I finish this tax----hopefully!!!
So... I stuck my handy Turbo Tax disc in this computer and have already done my regular annual income tax. That part I have finished on my own.... no problem there.....Turbo is good. But the sale of property, some of which was inheritance is a great big pain in the posterior!!
More later when I finish this tax----hopefully!!!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
"Ode" to Oreos
Do you love, love, love Oreos? Do you like to dunk them in milk and savor their sweety goodness?
I must be the only person in the whole-wide world who can't stand Oreos. Nowadays -- or is it now days --- they come in many different seasonal varieties having different kinds of fillings in them. One variety exists that is thin and has a mint filling, or peanut butter, or chocolate, I think. Don't like those either!
Why don't I like Oreos? I don't know the exact reason except the cookie part is made of that dark yucky chocolate. Then they have that filling that you can scrape off and if you get it in the right place between your teeth (or your fingers, for that matter) you can feel the "grainy-ness" of the sugar as in confectioner's sugar. Yucky, yuck!!! I just can't stand them --- as in can't tolerate them!! The world can have every one that has ever or will ever be made --- for my part!!!!!
My nephew has a 4 year old who loves cookies! Most likely because his mother will not let him eat them at home. When he comes to my sister's to visit he heads straight for the cookies that she keeps stored for him like any good Mimi does. His real love is Oreos, of course. How he chooses to eat them is another story. You break them apart and eat the filling out. Leaves the cookies part for someone else to throw away! I would just throw it all away.
Yucky 'ole Oreos!
I must be the only person in the whole-wide world who can't stand Oreos. Nowadays -- or is it now days --- they come in many different seasonal varieties having different kinds of fillings in them. One variety exists that is thin and has a mint filling, or peanut butter, or chocolate, I think. Don't like those either!
Why don't I like Oreos? I don't know the exact reason except the cookie part is made of that dark yucky chocolate. Then they have that filling that you can scrape off and if you get it in the right place between your teeth (or your fingers, for that matter) you can feel the "grainy-ness" of the sugar as in confectioner's sugar. Yucky, yuck!!! I just can't stand them --- as in can't tolerate them!! The world can have every one that has ever or will ever be made --- for my part!!!!!
My nephew has a 4 year old who loves cookies! Most likely because his mother will not let him eat them at home. When he comes to my sister's to visit he heads straight for the cookies that she keeps stored for him like any good Mimi does. His real love is Oreos, of course. How he chooses to eat them is another story. You break them apart and eat the filling out. Leaves the cookies part for someone else to throw away! I would just throw it all away.
Yucky 'ole Oreos!
Real Honesty
Ever wonder whether anyone is looking? I recently found myself in a grocery store situation of receiving too much money back. I simply handed the extra bills back to the clerk with a quick explanation. She thanked me and I was on my way. I never thought about modeling an honest behavior I just know what I learned about my father in my young years .... honesty was just a part of his fiber and being.
I enjoyed this message with last week's Tabernacle Choir presentation. Hope you do, as well.
Not my words but those of their spokesperson.
"The Power of Example"
A young student sat at his desk, beaming as his teacher praised his perfect score in front of the rest of the class. But when the tests were handed back, he realized he had actually made a mistake and didn’t truly deserve his perfect grade. He debated with himself whether to tell the teacher or just let it go.
His conscience won out, and after class, he told the teacher. She was so impressed with his honesty that she let him keep his A+. That evening he told his mother of the inner battle he faced once he realized the error. He was so proud of his perfect score that he was tempted to remain quiet.
But then he remembered, a few months earlier, riding with his mother as she drove back to the grocery store to return a few coins the clerk had overpaid her by mistake. Once he remembered his mother’s act of integrity, the battle was over, and his decision was made.1
The way you live your life is the strongest sermon you will ever preach. Our children tend to repeat our actions whether we like it or not, just as a mirror reflects our smallest detail. If we want to change what we see in the mirror, our efforts are best spent not on trying to change the mirror but on improving ourselves. It follows, then, that if we’d like our children to be more courteous, patient, or selfless, we must strive to make sure those qualities are clearly visible in our own lives.
Of course children make their own choices—some of which seem to have no clear origin in their heredity or their upbringing. But it’s also true that the best advantage a child could ever have is the loving example of a parent who—though imperfect—is honestly striving to model virtuous living.
Someday someone may say to your children, “You’re just like your dad” or “just like your mom.” And if you’ve done your best to set a good example, it will be high praise indeed.
1.See Azriel Winnett, “When ‘Everybody Does It!’ Comes Back to Haunt You,” http://www.hodu.com/parenting-education.shtml.
I enjoyed this message with last week's Tabernacle Choir presentation. Hope you do, as well.
Not my words but those of their spokesperson.
"The Power of Example"
A young student sat at his desk, beaming as his teacher praised his perfect score in front of the rest of the class. But when the tests were handed back, he realized he had actually made a mistake and didn’t truly deserve his perfect grade. He debated with himself whether to tell the teacher or just let it go.
His conscience won out, and after class, he told the teacher. She was so impressed with his honesty that she let him keep his A+. That evening he told his mother of the inner battle he faced once he realized the error. He was so proud of his perfect score that he was tempted to remain quiet.
But then he remembered, a few months earlier, riding with his mother as she drove back to the grocery store to return a few coins the clerk had overpaid her by mistake. Once he remembered his mother’s act of integrity, the battle was over, and his decision was made.1
The way you live your life is the strongest sermon you will ever preach. Our children tend to repeat our actions whether we like it or not, just as a mirror reflects our smallest detail. If we want to change what we see in the mirror, our efforts are best spent not on trying to change the mirror but on improving ourselves. It follows, then, that if we’d like our children to be more courteous, patient, or selfless, we must strive to make sure those qualities are clearly visible in our own lives.
Of course children make their own choices—some of which seem to have no clear origin in their heredity or their upbringing. But it’s also true that the best advantage a child could ever have is the loving example of a parent who—though imperfect—is honestly striving to model virtuous living.
Someday someone may say to your children, “You’re just like your dad” or “just like your mom.” And if you’ve done your best to set a good example, it will be high praise indeed.
1.See Azriel Winnett, “When ‘Everybody Does It!’ Comes Back to Haunt You,” http://www.hodu.com/parenting-education.shtml.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Being Irish
"Ain't" it amazing how many people are Irish today??? Or rather, isn't it amazing how many people claim to be Irish today? Being Irish must be a truly great heritage. Or is it?
How is it different from being say Italian?? Does any one know or have the answer to this?
In the meantime, for those of us who trace our genealogy back to somewhere in the Isles,
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
My Granddaddy Daugherty died when I was about five. I only remember a little about him. He is my link to St. Patrick's Day and the beautiful land that is Ireland.
How is it different from being say Italian?? Does any one know or have the answer to this?
In the meantime, for those of us who trace our genealogy back to somewhere in the Isles,
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
My Granddaddy Daugherty died when I was about five. I only remember a little about him. He is my link to St. Patrick's Day and the beautiful land that is Ireland.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Middle School & Math
Seems my writing "vessel of ideas" is rather empty of late. Guess that means my head is rather empty as well! Not surprising, huh?!!
I travel a bit back and forth to the southernmost coastal area of this, the "Tarheel State." And each weekend as I return home I observe interesting things and happenings many of which I have written. I observe middle schoolers as I volunteer in the media center of a middle school while I am there. What I observe with these "kiddles" serves to remind me that with all of the modern inventions and technologies available to them today, kids haven't changed much. Can't say that I have observed any behaviors there that I did not see in my days of teaching which must have spanned at least 100 years!!! Teenagers are just teenagers!
This past week was Book Fair time. Interesting observations were how students shared their money with one another. My sister (the media specialist in this school) kept a container of change with lots of pennies on the table near the register for assisting youngsters with tax money in case they had forgotten that book purchases were taxed. I observed that students often just dropped their change into the container as they finished their purchases.
This school has lots of students who really do not have much money to spend. One female student came to book fair with $5.66 that her friend had given to her to spend. She was very frugal with her choices and was certain half of what she bought was for her friend. I observed that she was so happy to be able to shop but that she was very unkempt reflecting her need for assistance from her friend. I found it touching as I helped her figure what she could buy with her money as she made the choices.
That thought brings me to another point of concern. Many of these children do not know how to do mental math well enough to calculate their purchases. They often asked, "if I buy this and this, how much money will I have left, if I have this much money to start with?"
Some knew how far their money would stretch with the exception of the tax but were prepared for possible taxing. Perhaps it was mainly the sixth graders who were having the "$$$ figuring struggle" but having taught Math to students of this age I knew they should have previously mastered these skills. Knowing that EOG's are not far away, I mentioned this to one of the Math teachers who accompanied her students. She acknowledged that money was a difficult concept for some, although SHE tried to link all of decimal instruction back to money to enhance students' understanding.
Reflecting on this ......it seems that parents could really help with this situation by working with students at home with money. I'm certain that there are days when, "I have no homework," is heard at home. With a few resources one could come up with problems buying items with a certain amount of money and having children make change and even count it back. Or am I being too practical about this?
Wish I knew some magic that would help me understand why some mathematical concepts are so difficult for some to learn!! As a matter of fact, I would use it on myself!!
I travel a bit back and forth to the southernmost coastal area of this, the "Tarheel State." And each weekend as I return home I observe interesting things and happenings many of which I have written. I observe middle schoolers as I volunteer in the media center of a middle school while I am there. What I observe with these "kiddles" serves to remind me that with all of the modern inventions and technologies available to them today, kids haven't changed much. Can't say that I have observed any behaviors there that I did not see in my days of teaching which must have spanned at least 100 years!!! Teenagers are just teenagers!
This past week was Book Fair time. Interesting observations were how students shared their money with one another. My sister (the media specialist in this school) kept a container of change with lots of pennies on the table near the register for assisting youngsters with tax money in case they had forgotten that book purchases were taxed. I observed that students often just dropped their change into the container as they finished their purchases.
This school has lots of students who really do not have much money to spend. One female student came to book fair with $5.66 that her friend had given to her to spend. She was very frugal with her choices and was certain half of what she bought was for her friend. I observed that she was so happy to be able to shop but that she was very unkempt reflecting her need for assistance from her friend. I found it touching as I helped her figure what she could buy with her money as she made the choices.
That thought brings me to another point of concern. Many of these children do not know how to do mental math well enough to calculate their purchases. They often asked, "if I buy this and this, how much money will I have left, if I have this much money to start with?"
Some knew how far their money would stretch with the exception of the tax but were prepared for possible taxing. Perhaps it was mainly the sixth graders who were having the "$$$ figuring struggle" but having taught Math to students of this age I knew they should have previously mastered these skills. Knowing that EOG's are not far away, I mentioned this to one of the Math teachers who accompanied her students. She acknowledged that money was a difficult concept for some, although SHE tried to link all of decimal instruction back to money to enhance students' understanding.
Reflecting on this ......it seems that parents could really help with this situation by working with students at home with money. I'm certain that there are days when, "I have no homework," is heard at home. With a few resources one could come up with problems buying items with a certain amount of money and having children make change and even count it back. Or am I being too practical about this?
Wish I knew some magic that would help me understand why some mathematical concepts are so difficult for some to learn!! As a matter of fact, I would use it on myself!!
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