If You Don't Use It, You Don't (Necessarily) Lose It

Can you name all these?

This week has been a little crazy. I feel like I've been all over the place and back again. My housework is suffering some, but I know, in the long run, it's definitely worth it.

The midterm for my anatomy class is due by Monday 03/08 and it's over 7 chapters, which is a lot, especially if you're like me and have problems getting anything to do with Chemistry to sink in. Chapter 2 in the textbook deals with basic chemistry, molecules, mixtures, compounds, reactions, and bonds along with biochemistry such as ionic compounds and organic compounds. Chapter 3 is about the cells: structure, function, growth, and developmental aspects. These two chapters are amazingly difficult for me to 'get' and it's so frustrating. The other chapters have quite a bit of memorization (what type of tissue is where in the body, anatomy, type, structure, and development of bones, and all of the bones - head and body) and I'm stressed and worried.

I actually took this class last semester and didn't get a grade that I feel is high enough to get into the Nursing Program, so I'm retaking it. Last semester, I did great until the midterm and I totally whiffed it. I was so disappointed in myself, mainly because I'm so used to doing well in anything academic related that I didn't apply myself as much as I should have. In all honesty, I didn't study much because I don't really know how to study. I've never had to, so not doing well in this class was a wake up call (I passed, but not with an A and I don't like it!)

So, I've been studying my butt off since the weekend, trying to get this stuff into my head. Some of it is sinking in and some of it I'm still having trouble with. It seems like my day is a never-ending cycle of wake up, take kids to school, change and feed the baby, put the baby down for a nap, study, clean, pick the kids up, feed them, clean, and study some more once they are in bed. I did take a day off this week, but I now wish that I hadn't because I have absolutely got to get this stuff down!

Also, I recently took the TEAS test (Test of Essential Academic Skills) and I didn't do as well as I thought that I should have. Can you tell that I'm a bit of a Type A personality at times? This test plays an important role in whether I make it into the Nursing program or not. The school bases entrance on points and these points are reflected by your grades (A = 30 pts, B = 20 pts, C = 10 pts, anything below a C and you're not getting in) and by the score that you receive on the TEAS test. So, to be competitive, I need to make all A's and make at least an 85% adjusted score on the TEAS; however, I'm going for a score more in the 90% range. Since I don't live in the county, I won't get the extra 3 points that others will get and I need to make up for that somehow. See, no stress for me at all, right?

On a good note, I found out that I'm on the Dean's List, which is awesome! I also received a letter inviting me to join the honor society, Phi Theta Kappa due to outstanding academic achievement. This made me very emotional and it felt really good. I've been out of school for years, so it was nice to know that if you 'don't use it, you don't lose it' instead of the other way around. Also, it was nice to show my children that I'm doing well. I'm doing things backwards when it comes to life. I had my children first and now I'm going to college. It's wonderful to be able to show them (the kids) that you can accomplish your dreams, no matter what age you are!

Sorry for the big long post, but I need to let off steam somewhere. I hope all of you have an amazing, wonderful, blessed day!

Tasty Treat Tuesday: Baked Egg Cups and a mild tangent.

I'm running out of personal recipes to give to you guys (I'm not very creative in the kitchen), so I found a low carb recipe on Sparkpeople that I wanted to try and I decided to share it with you. I think that I might make them this weekend since I have eggs on the menu anyway. You can find the recipe for Baked Egg Cups here. They look yummy.

Things have been pretty wild this week and it's only Tuesday! I realized yesterday that my final in A & P must be taken by the 8th of March and I'm freaking out! So, I've been studying my rear off. While doing that, I'm also taking care of an 18 month old and running after a bunch of crazy girls. Seriously, it sounds like a war zone in our house sometimes. Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm also trying to quit Diet Mountain Dew and I've been exercising with Jillian Michaels?

I have to admit, I'm kind of addicted to exercise videos. There is nothing better than sitting on the couch in my sweats with my feet propped on the ottoman, eating a ham biscuit, and watching these slim, muscular people work out. Watching them (the workout people) makes me tired and listening to them makes me feel that I've accomplished something. However, this whole addiction to exercise videos (I really do try them, I promise!) has gotten me in trouble a bit with the hubby, at times. I have half a row on the bookcase devoted to those types of dvd's. I've got Carmen Electra's Striptease (let me tell you, I did that a couple times until Nate wanted to watch, then swinging my head like a bull getting ready to charge just wasn't as funny anymore, but that's another story), New York Ballet videos, belly dancing videos, yoga, and pilates videos; pretty much any type that you could think of. I've tried all of them, sure, but I haven't stuck with any of them. I'm hoping that Jillian, with her attitude can keep me in line. If she can't, I'm going back to Sweatin' to the Oldies where at least I can listen to decent music.

Annnnddd....end rant. I don't know where that came from, but it probably stems from the fact that I'm hiding out. From the laundry. I'm not joking; it's almost spilling out of the laundry room in search of me. I'm so behind....

On a good note; I'm attempting to read Through a Glass Darkly, by Karleen Koen again. It's one of my favorite books and never fails to make me cry. I love it.

Have a good night!

What has Geometry ever done for me?

I've got my pinto's (with onions and salt pork) going in the Crockpot for dinner tonight (we made burritos last night since someone *cough* yours truly *cough* forgot to start the pintos yesterday) and Baby D is watching his video on sign language. I'm attempting to study for the TEAS test I'm taking next week, but it's not going so well. I keep getting distracted by other blogs (such as this one, which I just found) and by my daily dose of celebrity gossip, which, I freely admit, I am slightly addicted to. Mostly because it gives me an excuse to be snarky when I'm feeling a little stressed.

Anyway, back to the TEAS test. TEAS stands for Test of Essential Academic Skills and it's needed to get into the nursing program at my college. Now, I'm not normally completely slow, but you give me a book with math problems more difficult than basic algebra and I'll give you a look of confusion. The TEAS doesn't have math that's too difficult, but it does have some geometry and I have to say, I've never understood the importance of it. Why do I need to know the circumference of a circle? Why do I even care? I'm not going to be an Astrophysicist, so it shouldn't matter, right? Wrong. Someone, somewhere decided that I needed to know geometry, so, here I am, plugging along, trying to remember formulas. As you can tell, I'm seriously excited about it, too.

So, instead of staring blankly at the book while trying not to nag myself to death (see this post), I decided to write a blog post. It gives me a few moments of distraction and allows me to clear my mind, at least for a bit.

How are all of you today?

The pintos before I put them in the Crockpot.

Note: Don't forget to chew gum while chopping onions. It's the only thing that keeps the tears from flowin'.

Naggy McNagster

I don't know if I've ever told you this, but...

....I'm a nagger. A HUGE one. I nag my husband, I nag my kids, and I probably nag my friends, who are too fabulous to tell me that to my face, by the way. I even nag myself, and that's when you know things are bad. I come by it naturally. My mother is the nagger to top all naggers and my grandmother (God rest her soul ♥) was just as bad. If I had turned out to NOT be a nagger, there would have been a problem, I think.

Most of the time, I don't even notice that I'm nagging. Since I have poor memory retention, I tend to repeat things often, not even realizing that I had just said the same thing five minutes ago. Or, if someone doesn't respond to me when I first say something (such as "The garbage needs to be taken out."), I will repeat it until I get a response and it's usually not the one I was expecting. Sometimes it works, but, more often than not, I just get someone annoyed at me, which is the last thing that I want.

So, imagine my disgust when I realize that I'm staring blankly at my Chemistry textbook, attempting to nag my brain into 'getting' all of this stuff about conversions, atomic matter, and chemical equilibrium. I'm not a bad student by any means, but I find myself so frustrated over this class. Usually any attempts to study end in

1. a zone out complete with zombie fantasies where they take over the world and I never have to do homework again or

2. a complete nagfest where I constantly think, "brain get this, brain get this, brain get this! Why can't you do this already?" Both leave me a little exhausted and giddy.

And in need of a nap. My brain hurts now.

Note: Apparently it would be weird if one of Cami's friends saw me wearing a Mass Effect 2 sweatshirt. While *I* would assume it would be 'cool' (as if that's ever possible in the eyes of an 11 yr old), I got huge eye rolls when I stated this with sarcasm. A true mom's work is never done.

Guilty Verdict

This is a case that I've been interested in for awhile since it's from my hometown. It brings tears to my eyes and I feel so sick and saddened for the families of the Channon and Chris. This is what happened, to quote James H. Lilley:

"On Saturday January 6, 2007 Hugh Christopher Newsom, age 23 and Channon Gail Christian, age 21, both students at the University of Tennessee went out on a date. They were driving in Channon's Toyota 4-Runner when they were carjacked at gunpoint. Suddenly the crime turned far more savage than an armed car theft. Chris and Channon were kidnapped and driven to 2316 Chipman Street where they were forced into the home at gunpoint."

I will let you read the rest of this here, because it's very graphic and I hesitate to put it on my blog. However, I had to make mention of it because it's weighed very heavily on my heart. I often wonder why more information on this terrible slaying isn't in the national news when we hear of less terrible crimes daily. Why is that?

Needless to say, these two people were tortured, repeatedly, in ways that I could never even dream of. It brings tears to my eyes as I write about it. However, finally, after two and a half years, one of the main men has been guilty by a jury of his peers. Many people in the Knoxville community are hoping for the death penalty and I honestly can't blame them. What Letalvius Cobbins, his brother, and three of their friends did to these two innocent people is

just...scary. It really is.

For more information on the verdict, please go here.

For those of you who are Christians, please pray for the families of these two students and for those of you who aren't, please keep them in your thoughts.

Give extra hugs and love to your family and friends today. They are with you and they could be taken away so easily.