Are You Smarter Than A 6th Grader?

Haven't written here in a few days, but I was really struck by what I did not "remember", this morning. 

My girls were studying their Language for a test this morning.  They were talking about imperative sentences, implied you, excalamatory sentences, etc.  What?  Is this another language, what are you talking about?  I realized I could not help them one bit, if they passed the test it was all them.  How did this happen?  Did they not teach it when I was in school?  That had to be the case.....along with the whole walking up hill both ways in waste deep snow thing!

Then it crossed my mind how much I "enjoyed" english when I was in school.  It was just one more burden I had to bear at that time.  Could it be that I just wasn't paying attention?  Surely not, I was attentive in school (mostly, I think).  I still remember some of the history I was taught....I think.  I still remember William Jennings Bryan ran for president a long time ago.  Hmmm....seems I remember that name because of an episode of trying to look through my eye lids (teacher accused me of sleeping...the nerve of him).  I remember some of the math....what I still use today.  Wait, I couldn't help Faith with math last week.  Something about adding fractions....

After all of these ruminations, it appears I was not a very good student.  I did just enough to stay out of trouble at home.  Which leads to this thought.  If you don't have a college education, you're probably not going to get a very good job.  So we are going to push our kids to have really good grades and try for every scholarship that might be available.

Wait...I know something I can help them with in school, no...nevermind.  Even the ag classes have changed.

Time Flys When You Are Having Fun

Turned 43 today.  How did I end up this old?  There are some milestones I remember.....

When I was 10, couldn't wait to turn 16.  That seemed like the best age, you were old enough to ge a drivers license.  When I was 18, couldn't wait to turn 21.  Well, you should know that reason.  When I was 26, had a huge problem with being almost 30.  I will say, this was probably one of my best years (other than the problem with 30).  It was the year I came to know my savior, Jesus Christ!  When I was 31, my girls were born.  Now I'm 43.  When did this happen? 

I still see myself as being young, still don't see myself as an older gentleman.  But there are signs, I have noticed all of the 3rd-5th grade kids that I taught in sunday school, are now starting to get married.  My neice (she was our first kid) is now 21 and going to college, seems like yesterday she was one and up to her elbows in a cooler full of ice at our wedding.  Yesterday, or so it seems in my mind, I carried my girls out of the delivery room and they fit from my hand to my elbow.  Now Faith is as tall as her mother and Alicia is not far behind.  Felicia and I recently celebrated our 20th anniversary, I still feel like a newlywed (I prefer to think she does too).  I guess if you were paying attention, there were some years that passed.

All this to say....Time flys when your having fun!

BB gun wars and paintball....

It has come to my mind lately (as I get older) how much my body and level of pain tolerance has changed.  I seem to get sick more often and falling off of a horse causes more pain than it is worth sometimes.  I think back to my childhood...way back, well not soo far back....

When we lived in Higbee, Colorado there were some friends of Cully and I's that we used to run all over those canyons with.  There wasn't much we didn't do from rock wars to BB gun wars (try that nowadays and child protective services would be at your door asking what kind of parent you are...letting your kids throw rocks!).  I don't ever remember getting hurt or even anyone getting an eye put out.  We had one TV channel on good days, so we spent all of our time outside.  You learned things about yourself and your friends, like how far they could throw.  Seemed like we couldn't be hurt!

Moth Balls Are Terrible Breath Mints....

Back when my kids were just starting to walk, my wife had job function that required her to be out of town every other week for about 3 months.  So my kids (twin girls) had a lot of Daddy time.  My first reaction was one of a little bit of fear.....alone, by myself....with 2 year olds!?!?!  How could she...but I got over that pretty fast (I do like being a Dad).  So, on with the moth ball story...

One night we had just finished supper and Faith, the oldest, came to me and said "I no like candy".  Well the first thing I noticed was the bad breath, I'm talking dead dragon, 15 feet is way to close breath!   Then I thought where did she get candy?  Then noticed the white thing in her mouth and had her spit out out into my hand.  When it hit my hand, it dawned on me what it was....panic!  Is she poisoned, do I need to get to the hospital now.....what to do first?  I called my sister-in-law, who is a pharmacy tech and is our all knowing when it comes to meds, and she called poison control.  Never thought of that....note to self: write that number down.  She immediately called me back and said not to panic.....ha, to late!  Turns out, while not good for you and can make you sick, moth balls will not kill you!  But where did she get it.....duh, I had put them under the house (we had a mouse problem and they don't like the smell either).  I must have dropped one or Faith crawled under the house, either way she had it in her mouth!  Thank God, she was ok! 

I guess there are two lessons to be learned here:

1.  Always pay attention to what your kids put in their mouths.
2.  Moth balls are terrible breath mints.

I thought I married for money......

Why would anyone write a blog?  Being slightly computer illiterate, one would wonder why me, what would I have to offer? 

I started the first one as way to communicate to my customers on the progress of their horses.  After doing this a couple of times, I started wanting to expound (big word there) on what I was writing.  Not just the details of the ride, but my personal veiws on life and some stories I lived in my past.  Then I thought "who would read it?"  Then my ego kicked in and said "does it matter?"  So ego won out and I decided that I would start another blog.  So if your reading this, be prepared for just about anything (PG rated, usually) that crosses my mind.  Its possible I will write about my life now or sometimes something that has happened in the past (once the statute of limitations has run out).  I will continue my other blog, Cory Johnson Horsemanship, since it is the tool for communicating to some of my customers.