Mommy has lost some of the spark for writing this blog for the two of you, so Daddy suggested not putting so much pressure on myself to write so much, or changing the pace and/or format somewhat. So, Mommy is taking Daddy's advise :) Don't worry Great Papaw Grills, The Mellow Brick Road will continue on for a long time to come, I'm stubborn that way :)
So, here's the start of changing it up... in an attempt to "de-structure" these entries, Mommy inevitably came up with a way to yet structure them even more hee/hee, it's the Virgo in me, and Jude you will suffer from this as well. From here on out, or until I feel the need to change things up again... Tuesdays, will be "Fat Tuesdays" the day your Mommy or Daddy expose a childhood experience, trauma, or just plain funny/embarrassing moment, and of course, end with highlighting the events of your day.
Mommy Entry Number One:
It's no secret that your Momma had such a difficult time learning to read and just plain struggled through school. However, your Momma learned to read with the help of a special teacher that worked with me everyday after school until it finally clicked. She was Mommy's third grade teacher, Mrs. Turner. So, Bodhi, that's why when you bring Mommy a book, Mommy reads it to you. Mommy sure hopes that the two of you don't struggle as I did (Daddy never struggled with school or reading). I thought I should appropriately expose this for our first "Fat Tuesday," because Daddy gave Mommy an article entitled "Reading to Rover," which explains that children who read to their pet "may be able to improve their ability to read aloud and become more relaxed and confident in their reading abilities." Further, the article explains that reading to your family pet may instill confidence and fluency with reading and overall improved reading skills (according to the article's cited research). Mommy can remember sitting in her classes, praying that she didn't get called on to read aloud. I was always horrified, and this continued even into my college career. Mommy wants the two of you to be confident and comfortable in school. Schooling is so important! Mommy was always told over and over, education is important, but I didn't truly understand why until I entered my mid-twenties.
Mommy's lack of self-esteem can partly be attributed to an experience that occurred in the 2nd grade, and well Mommy's undiagnosed learning disability, can be attributed to genetics (THANK YOU Grandmoo and Great Papaw!). Mommy remembers sitting in her second grade class with Mrs. Yarrington, and her showing the word "island," on a flash card and asking the class, "can someone tell me this word?" Mommy was shocked when no one raised their hand, and Mommy was so excited because she thought she knew the word!! So, Mommy raised her hand and when called on... Mommy announced very proudly, "Is" "land," to which the teacher responded, first by not responding, but then I'm certain she heard your Momma gasp waiting for her response, to which she quickly stated "that's a good try Amanda, but no." Mommy had sounded the word out just as Grandmoo had taught her to do. Mommy's classmates smirked, your Mommy, always struggling, played it off as if she was a dunce. Your Great Great Uncle Dan had a similar experience with the word "cupboard" when he was in school. So, from that point forward, Mommy never wanted to read aloud or be called on in school again. Through the rest of Mommy's schooling career, I would read the entire next passage to make certain there weren't any words I didn't know how to pronounce in case called upon, all the while my classmate read the current passage aloud. Therefore, Mommy always missed the meaning or never fully comprehended the reading because I was too busy scanning for words I may not know in case I was the next to be called on to read aloud. 2nd grade, needless to say, was a traumatic year for Mommy when it came to her schooling. 2nd grade was when it became apparent to Mommy, by way or use of "reading groups," I wasn't as smart as my classmates. Mommy wasn't in the lowest reading group, but probably would have done much better in a lower group, having been given the opportunity to succeed and feel good about myself, but I was in the middle group and struggled to keep up. Mommy can still to this day recall and identify which of her classmates were in each of the reading groups, and reflecting back, the groups differentiated the reading levels, but also displayed a difference in ethnicity and socioeconomic background. You think I'm bullshitting, but I'm not... this was the first time Mommy can remember noticing differences in those around her and thus the conception of Mommy's lack of self-esteem with her schooling began. There are several other "learning" experiences from 2nd grade that Mommy will share with you both on another day.
Bodhi's and Jude's Day:
Today, you both were crankers. Mommy was on edge all day... even Mr. Murff was in on the cranking. You all wanted to be held at the same time, fed before the other one, played with, etc... Bodhi, you could not be reasoned with what-so-ever! Mommy then said, if we don't get out of this house, Mommy is going to have a melt down herself. So, we packed up (such a major chore) took the hounds to the field, walked over and around the windmills across from Syndicate Sales (where the steal mill use to be...then it was abandoned, fenced-in, and overgrown), and then we walked to Foster Park and played. Mommy was amazed at the windmill area. Mommy had never seen it before, there's a big hill blocking the view from the road, and prior to it being cleared, it was all fenced-in and overgrown. It is unbelievably huge. In all of Mommy's 30 years in this town, Mommy had never paid the area much attention, and could have never imagined it being so spacious.
Today, we were outside for 3-3 1/2 hours! Jude, you slept through the visit to the field, thank God! You usually want to be carried when we take the boys to the field, and Bodhi, you were actually content in the stroller as the boys played, thank God again! Bodhi, Mommy took you down the slide at Foster several times. Jude, you were so happy because Mommy took you a bottle. You just sat in the stroller drinking your bottle watching your Momma and Bodhi slide down the slide over and over again. When we arrived home, Sister Kelly was waiting on us. She visited with you both for a few minutes and then headed home. Mommy made you both dinner (well, Mommy just had to warm your baby food Jude). Jude, you were going to try a new food tonight, but Mommy discoverd she had an extra baby food container of food you have already tested, so we finsihed that off a long with some pears. Bodhi, you had a grilled cheese sandwhich, peas, and fruit. You both are fast asleep at last!!! Woot Woot! :)- Bodhi, you woke up at 2:30 a.m. last night, and Daddy tried until 4:00 a.m. to get you back to sleep while Mommy was nursing Jude. What do you say we don't have a repeat tonight? Love you both with all my heart, and days like today, I need to keep telling myself "you both are just babies!"
Mommy Entry Number One:
It's no secret that your Momma had such a difficult time learning to read and just plain struggled through school. However, your Momma learned to read with the help of a special teacher that worked with me everyday after school until it finally clicked. She was Mommy's third grade teacher, Mrs. Turner. So, Bodhi, that's why when you bring Mommy a book, Mommy reads it to you. Mommy sure hopes that the two of you don't struggle as I did (Daddy never struggled with school or reading). I thought I should appropriately expose this for our first "Fat Tuesday," because Daddy gave Mommy an article entitled "Reading to Rover," which explains that children who read to their pet "may be able to improve their ability to read aloud and become more relaxed and confident in their reading abilities." Further, the article explains that reading to your family pet may instill confidence and fluency with reading and overall improved reading skills (according to the article's cited research). Mommy can remember sitting in her classes, praying that she didn't get called on to read aloud. I was always horrified, and this continued even into my college career. Mommy wants the two of you to be confident and comfortable in school. Schooling is so important! Mommy was always told over and over, education is important, but I didn't truly understand why until I entered my mid-twenties.
Mommy's lack of self-esteem can partly be attributed to an experience that occurred in the 2nd grade, and well Mommy's undiagnosed learning disability, can be attributed to genetics (THANK YOU Grandmoo and Great Papaw!). Mommy remembers sitting in her second grade class with Mrs. Yarrington, and her showing the word "island," on a flash card and asking the class, "can someone tell me this word?" Mommy was shocked when no one raised their hand, and Mommy was so excited because she thought she knew the word!! So, Mommy raised her hand and when called on... Mommy announced very proudly, "Is" "land," to which the teacher responded, first by not responding, but then I'm certain she heard your Momma gasp waiting for her response, to which she quickly stated "that's a good try Amanda, but no." Mommy had sounded the word out just as Grandmoo had taught her to do. Mommy's classmates smirked, your Mommy, always struggling, played it off as if she was a dunce. Your Great Great Uncle Dan had a similar experience with the word "cupboard" when he was in school. So, from that point forward, Mommy never wanted to read aloud or be called on in school again. Through the rest of Mommy's schooling career, I would read the entire next passage to make certain there weren't any words I didn't know how to pronounce in case called upon, all the while my classmate read the current passage aloud. Therefore, Mommy always missed the meaning or never fully comprehended the reading because I was too busy scanning for words I may not know in case I was the next to be called on to read aloud. 2nd grade, needless to say, was a traumatic year for Mommy when it came to her schooling. 2nd grade was when it became apparent to Mommy, by way or use of "reading groups," I wasn't as smart as my classmates. Mommy wasn't in the lowest reading group, but probably would have done much better in a lower group, having been given the opportunity to succeed and feel good about myself, but I was in the middle group and struggled to keep up. Mommy can still to this day recall and identify which of her classmates were in each of the reading groups, and reflecting back, the groups differentiated the reading levels, but also displayed a difference in ethnicity and socioeconomic background. You think I'm bullshitting, but I'm not... this was the first time Mommy can remember noticing differences in those around her and thus the conception of Mommy's lack of self-esteem with her schooling began. There are several other "learning" experiences from 2nd grade that Mommy will share with you both on another day.
Bodhi's and Jude's Day:
Today, you both were crankers. Mommy was on edge all day... even Mr. Murff was in on the cranking. You all wanted to be held at the same time, fed before the other one, played with, etc... Bodhi, you could not be reasoned with what-so-ever! Mommy then said, if we don't get out of this house, Mommy is going to have a melt down herself. So, we packed up (such a major chore) took the hounds to the field, walked over and around the windmills across from Syndicate Sales (where the steal mill use to be...then it was abandoned, fenced-in, and overgrown), and then we walked to Foster Park and played. Mommy was amazed at the windmill area. Mommy had never seen it before, there's a big hill blocking the view from the road, and prior to it being cleared, it was all fenced-in and overgrown. It is unbelievably huge. In all of Mommy's 30 years in this town, Mommy had never paid the area much attention, and could have never imagined it being so spacious.
Today, we were outside for 3-3 1/2 hours! Jude, you slept through the visit to the field, thank God! You usually want to be carried when we take the boys to the field, and Bodhi, you were actually content in the stroller as the boys played, thank God again! Bodhi, Mommy took you down the slide at Foster several times. Jude, you were so happy because Mommy took you a bottle. You just sat in the stroller drinking your bottle watching your Momma and Bodhi slide down the slide over and over again. When we arrived home, Sister Kelly was waiting on us. She visited with you both for a few minutes and then headed home. Mommy made you both dinner (well, Mommy just had to warm your baby food Jude). Jude, you were going to try a new food tonight, but Mommy discoverd she had an extra baby food container of food you have already tested, so we finsihed that off a long with some pears. Bodhi, you had a grilled cheese sandwhich, peas, and fruit. You both are fast asleep at last!!! Woot Woot! :)- Bodhi, you woke up at 2:30 a.m. last night, and Daddy tried until 4:00 a.m. to get you back to sleep while Mommy was nursing Jude. What do you say we don't have a repeat tonight? Love you both with all my heart, and days like today, I need to keep telling myself "you both are just babies!"
Bodhi, you always cook meals behind Mommy's dinning room table in the window ledge :)
Bodhi still preparing her meal :)
Juders, so long as Mommy was close by, you were happy... one of the few times you were in good spirits today :)
The Start of a "Fussy Buddha" :/
Fussy Mr. Murff :/
"Whatcha barkin' at Mr. Murff?"
Bodhi, Daddy keeps track of your height by the panes on the door :)
Jude, really? Mommy's foot can't possibly taste good!
Mr. Arlo, reflecting back... I think you were the only non-fussy butt in the house today!
Our neighbor, Rick, brought you boys a treat over after your walk to the field
"Sleeping Buddha" ;)
"Snacking Bodhi" :0
Windmills!
"Happy Buddha" :)
"Happy Bodhi" :)
New Fuzzy in the neighborhood! So pretty!
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