Do your kids get too much homework?

 I have four kids- a senior, a freshmen, a 5th grader, and a 3rd grader.  YES they get too much homework!  I hate it!  Sometimes I wonder wth they are learning at school because it feels like I'm doing all the teaching at home.   Sometimes I wonder if the teachers think about the parents when they give homework.  We work too, the last thing I want to do when I get home from work is help kids w/ homework.  I had one teacher tell me, "it's quality time together.."  uh NO it's not.  Especially if the weather's nice or we have something else(sports, etc..) we have to do.  It's a fight to get them to do it, and then sometimes do it right.  SOMEtimes it's something they didn't even work on in class and they don't know how to do it, and I don't know how to do it(especially math, why do they make kids do things the LONG way when I can show them how to figure it out in seconds?), then it's one big frustration for all of us.   I'd rather go outside and play w/ my kids or play a family game or something for quality time NOT do homework.  Sometimes it takes HOURS especially for the older kids...why do they need to do hours of homework?  I ask them, did you work on this in class?  They tell me "no the teacher said it was homework, we worked on other stuff in class.."  One of my kids told me they got in trouble for working on their homework in class.  They got done w/ their class work, so got out their homework and started on it and then the teacher grabbed it, ripped it up and threw it away.  I was of course instantly livid and talked to the teach about it and got it sorted out, but WTH?

I have a group on facebook "Parents against homework" feel free to look it up and join.  

Michigan's Adventure

We went, we had fun, we got-well, I got sunburned.  It was a good time, I only wish Cole and his friend Connor would have been in more of the pictures, but they had fun running around the park by themselves and checking out "hot chicks" LOL.  Here's some pics.

The only pic of Cole and Connor, on the way out.

Some pics from the top of the Ferris wheel at night:

My Favorite pic :D

He still really doesn't look like he's smiling, doesn't mather the pic.

uh yes, I was glowing..I put sunscreen on twice, and still got burned, no one else did.

Day time Ferris wheel pics.

Brooke is up there spraying water at the new "Beach Party" attraction

We survived, it was a BEAUTIFUL day not too hot, not too cold, the water was warm.  My husband wasn't on his usual breakneck agenda, gotta ride everything...timed itinerary list of crap.   That made it much more enjoyable for me.   The only snafu was when the little kids throw a fit about riding the Ferris Wheel, not because they wanted to ride it.  They freaked out because they DID NOT want to ride it.  They were whining and crying and freaking out, "can't we just go home, I'd rather go home than ride the Ferris wheel..."  Really?!  They've ridden it before and had no problems.  Oh. My. Gosh!  So we left them down there whining and crying and went on it w/o them.  Brats!  

I don't drink.

much.

This is my Strawberry Daiquiri flavored friend.

This is my friend and her adorable sweater. 

I usually only drink one, and even that's pretty rare, I just don't want to waste money on alcohol.  You really only rent it anyway, pee it all out and ya got nothing.  I don't like to feel buzzed so I don't drink enough for that to happen, so what's the point in spending the $$ in the first place?   I don't know.  Occasionally I like a nice cold wine cooler(don't like beer), usually around a bonfire w/ friends, that's about it.  However I just loved this bottle koozie so at least it gives me a reason to use it sometimes. 

Food for thought...

Birds of a feather flock together . .
And then poop on your car.


A penny saved is a
Government oversight.


The older you get, the tougher
It is to lose weight, because by
Then your body and your fat have
Gotten to be really good friends.


The easiest way to find
Something lost around the
House is to buy a replacement ..


He who hesitates is probably right.


Did you ever notice: The Roman
Numerals for forty (40) are 'XL'.

The sole purpose of a child's
Middle name is so he can
Tell when he's really in trouble.


Did you ever notice: When you
Put the 2 words 'The' and 'IRS'
Together it spells 'Theirs....'


Aging: Eventually you will
Reach a point when you stop
Lying about your age and
Start bragging about it.


Some people try to turn back
Their odometers. Not me, I want
People to know 'why' I look this
Way. I've traveled a long way and
Some of the roads weren't paved.


When you are dissatisfied and
Would like to go back to your
Youth, think of Algebra.


You know you are getting
Old when everything either
Dries up or leaks.


One of the many things no
One tells you about aging
Is that it is such a nice change
From being young. Ah, being
Young is beautiful, but being
Old is comfortable.


Those that say, "money can't buy happiness"
make that many less people to compete against
me for the mega millions jackpot!


Lord, Keep your arm around
My shoulder and your hand
Over my mouth . . . AMEN

He's 17 already?

This is my first baby.

He turned 17 on July 20th, I love this pic :D  Yea, he's kind of a hippy w/ his long hair, but ya know what?  He's a great kid(they all are), really sweet, loves his Mom(of course that makes me grin),  loves to learn(though hates to do homework), smart as a whip, and I can't believe he's a Senior this year.  It doesn't seem like all that long ago he was just a little itty bit running around in his underwear(his favorite outfit), climbing walls(literally), making up songs w/ friends now he's almost an 'adult'.  I used to think my parents and grandparents were crazy when they told me "time flies..." or "before you know it..." now I know I was wrong of course because I can't help but think and say these things myself.  On the edge of proud tears...

Mmmm Summer!

One of my favorite things about summer:

There is nothing better than a hot steamy plate of beautiful, color of the sun, sweet corn smelling wonderful, and heading for the table.  Awaiting a nice smooth coat of real butter and a quick sprinkle of salt.  I LOVE sweet corn, when I was a kids my siblings(all four of them) and I would have sweet corn eating contests to see who could eat the most.  I remember my Dad buying it by the bushel, and my step-mom cooking up a ton of it for us to chow down on. Sweet butter and salt running down our chins and arms.  Eating it while it was too hot to hold onto for long, biting it w/ just the tippy tips of our teeth to keep from burning our mouths and lips.   I can't remember our record, but I'm sure we didn't eat much else of what was for dinner that night.  Sitting on the back porch w/ a butter soggy, paper plate, I can still see it.  Yes, that is the same old Corell pattern that  your Grandma probably has,  I keep them because of the nostalgia, AND the fact that if the kids break them by accident it's no big deal, I have tons of them.  On the edge of making sweet corn for dinner...is your mouth watering yet?