The Snow Shoveling Adventure

So yesterday we received an unexpected 6" of snow. Luke's been doing really good with his snow shoveling business, so he decided to take me with him so I could make some money too.
Unfortunately, Luke was running way behind, and we didn't leave until after noon: Meaning most people had already shoveled.
We managed to find one very small job: They guy just needed his steps and sidewalk done, but it looked like someone had already done the sidewalk and it just had a light dusting of snow, so Luke charged the man $5. The man was pretty funny: he told Luke that with wages like that he (the man, not Luke) was out of food money for the month, and he was stuck with wormy oatmeal and green wieners.
So, that was the only job we found. Then Luke decided what should go to Matt's Dog House for lunch. He ordered some chicken strips and french fries for us to split. It cost exactly $5. He turned to me and said "You couldn't have done anything with $2.50 anyway."
So, we made nothing! Luke said "At least we had a fancy lunch!"
Yes, so fancy. It was served in cardboard containers, we used napkins for plates, and didn't even have anything to drink!
But it was fun. And I had been wanting to take a walk, so I did get that accomplished! And it was quite the walk! We had to have walked well over a mile, and through hip deep snow a couple of times! And then we went up an incredibly steep hill to go to one of Luke's regular customer's, but she wasn't home.

February

Here it is February 1st. The year is already 1/12 finished.

It makes being impatient about anything seem rather silly, because time seems to pass very quickly!

February looks like a rather full month, fuller than January, so I'm sure it will pass even quicker. Although that'd be true no matter what since February just has less days than January (even if it was a leap year).

I'm really looking forward to spring. I'm tired of winter. The snow saddens me. Sure, it's pretty, but it really makes me miss doing things outside! I really want to go for a long walk or go to the park or something, but no. The snow won't allow me to.

Although I might help Luke with his snow shoveling business tomorrow. He was a bit under the weather, and though he's feeling better our mom would prefer he not spend too much time outside just yet. He still has a bit of a cough.

He has made enough for his Xbox 360, which he purchased Sunday. Now he wants to save up for more games.

So, Luke is saving up for an Xbox. He decided that the best method to earn money would to be go out and search for snow shoveling jobs. A pretty good idea with all the snow we've had lately. And he's doing really well, he's averaging a little over $10/hour. Yesterday he really overbooked himself, so he hired me to help him with a job. Even with my help he ended up not being able to do a job. But on the way home a neighbor saw us carrying our snowshovels and ice chipper and asked if we were looking for jobs, so we found another one that probably only took about 15 minutes, and the guy gave Luke some snow shoveling tips.
Luke shared some of the profit with me, and he is so close to being able to afford his Xbox. One more good snow and he'll have it.
He's hoping to grow his snow shoveling into a lawn care service too, for the summer. He's mentioned it to a few of his customers, who are interested.
He's been doing some work for a Dave Smiskey, who calls Luke to schedule his snow shoveling services. He even taught Luke how to use his snow blower.
Luke is quite proud of himself, and he should be! He's doing a great job.

Playing with Luke

I just had a bunch of fun with Luke (although my Mom didn't think it was fun because it was too noisy....).
We were chasing each other around trying to lock each other outside. I managed to get him outside and lock the door, and I ran to the basement door to block it (there's a door that leads into the basement from outside, then a second door that leads back into the house), but Luke decided to cheat and knock on the kitchen door (the one I originally locked him out of) which made all the dogs start barking, so I had to let Luke in. Otherwise the dogs would have annoyed everyone else.
Luke never managed to get me outside, although he tried really hard and was almost successful. At one point I had to go get something out of the car and I made him go with me so that he couldn't lock me out, but I forgot the gate has a lock and he almost locked me out of the yard! Luckily he failed.
It was fun, and I won! Yay!

Chicken Smuggling

Tonight, during dinner, Jeremy and Luke decided to discuss if I would ever break a law or not, and if so, what would it be?
They decided there were two possibilities, unfortunately I can't remember the second one, but the other one was funnier anyway.

Apparently, if I ever broke a law, it would be because I would be smuggling chickens into a city apartment.
Luke says I would put them in a box when I move in, and if they started squawking I would tell the landlord that it was really my dog barking.

Yum?

          I just watched Luke make himself a very interesting dinner. I think it looks disgusting, but he's quite proud of it.
He took a cereal bowl and crumbled  a few slices of white and wheat bread into it, he then drizzled honey all over his  bread crumbs. After that he spooned globs of strawberry and grape jelly onto the bread, added some peanut butter, squirted in a few drops of lemon juice, and stirred it all up.
He claims that there's another ingredient that I don't know about. He says he'll never tell me what it is because he doesn't want me to tell other people.

A Page Off My Mom's Blog...

My Mom shared this very funny post with me (it's a few years old), and I thought it was funny enough to post here:

Sometimes you meet a homeschooler that is absolutely convinced that their very average child is an absolute genius.
I met one the other day and just wanted to slap the woman into reality. I have met their average 8 year old child several times.
She's normal, a bit spastic, fun, and pretty much right on target for her age group.
Mom brags "she can READ!". Umm yeah. I hope so. "She can say her multiplication tables up to TEN!" well, good for her.
Then she goes on to explain the child's imagination. She can entertain herself for HOURS with a box of Legos.
This woman is convinced she is homeschooling because her child's genius cannot be trusted to anyone else. ::eyeroll:: Don't get me wrong, the girl is doing very well being home educated. But she's NOT an advanced student. She's a cute kid that mom could brag on WITHOUT trying to make her seem special. In my eyes that makes it look like she's not confident and trying to convince us that she's doing a great job.. and it has the opposite effect. In other words.. since she brags about her times tables, I'm guessing the kid struggled with them. I dunno.

Now that I mention this.. I am so embarrassed to admit this to all of you moms with uber children, but Luke IS struggling with the fine motor skills required in the advance neurosurgery class he is taking.
But after all, we could only get him into advanced molecular nuclear astrophysics last year, so it is no wonder his human genome theory phd is at risk.

I cringe that he is so sub standard!
We avoid any co-op right now so as to not have him faced with his own poor self esteem... perhaps we will show our faces again after he finishes that water powered automobile engine he has been building with Tinkertoys and Legos.
It was a childish whim, but we allowed it.


Comments:
Tiredmama wrote:

Apr. 29th, 2008 11:43 am (local)

You are so brave to admit this here. I'm really shocked that you allowed Luke to lower himself to working with legos and tinkertoys for the water powered automobile. If he continues to struggle, we have found that Kinex work a bit better than the tinker toys. I will weep with and for you that he's unable to keep up with advanced neurosurgery. Maybe he can be held back and relearn the basics this year. Again, I'm so sorry you have to deal with this blow to his self esteem and to your ability as a teacher. I'll pray for you. It sounds like you really need it.

Laurajg wrote:

Apr. 29th, 2008 02:19 pm (local)

Oh goodness.. he would be soo upset if he had to start all the way back at String Theory and I don't know that Steven Hawkings is still teaching it...