more nail pics

I am still working out the kinks, but I am starting to get the hang of the simple ones.

I love my new nail set

I am going to have a fun time in Mexico doing nails.

The 'Green' Group

Balthezar had a bit of a meltdown today. We got into an argument about some of his homework. He is worried that he won't get a good enough grade on his animal report and so he won't be able to go to the zoo. I said that of course he will a good enough grade on his report. He said that he wouldn't that he is stupid. I asked him why he said that. Balthezar is in the 'green' group. Apparently, the 'green' group is the 'stupid' group for the kids who are 'stupid' Only 3 other kids are in his group and the rest of the class is in the blue and the red groups.

My heart wants to break. I was always in the top group. I never really paid attention to what group other kids were in - except that I wanted to be the best in the group that I was in.

It is days like this that I wish my kids were homeschooled! He is so amazing at other things, but they aren't things that you take tests on.

Nails

I am excited about a new venture. Last fall I bought a nail art set at the Puyallup Fair. It is just a really basic set that you put nail polish on a metal plate with designs on it, and then are able to transfer the design onto your nail. I bought it because I knew Edith thought it was awesome, and I thought it would be a fun mommy and me time thing.

Well, last week we were doing nails together and it occured to me how well this would go over in Mexico -and even here. I am going to be raising money for my graduation ceremony and will probably use it as a fundraiser at school. I am always looking for ways to help out my in-laws in Mexico. Not necessarily Moises's parents, but his sisters. They all have husbands who work on and off, depending on where they can find work, but the guys are usually stingy with their money. Besides my perception that they are being stingy, truthfully they only make about 100 dollars a week, and so it is barely enough to get by - and that is only if you eat beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

The sets are expensive though. The simple one that I bought was the only purchase I made at the fair, and it was $45. The have larger professional sets. I thought to myself, I can ask for a discout - the worst they can say is no. I emailed the company - it is run by a lady in Orting. I told her what I was going to do with the set. I was so thrilled when she wrote back and said that she would give me a very large discount. She even told me that she has a huge family, and would like to give me some clothing donations as well!

Well, I am pretty excited about the whole thing. I have been watching nail art tutorials on youtube and have been trying new designs on my nails. It has been fun. If you want a really cool nail art kit - go to nanasnailart.com - I will be sending all the business I can her way.

If anybody has any nail polish around that they never use, let me know. I am trying to round up base colors. The set comes with polish, but it is a thick polish that is used for the stamp part only.

The Soloist

Luth got tickets to see the premier for The Soloist with Jamie Foxx and Robert Downing Jr.. It was pretty good. It reminded me of how much I loved going to the symphony with Uncle John when I was a kid. The move was filled with music. I don't really know how to describe the movie, except that it was interesting. I would definately say to go see it in the theater if you can.

You all know me, so of course I cried. I really felt a sense of kinship (not sure if that is the right word) with the main character Nathaniel. There is a part in the movie when he says he doesn't know why the other guy would want to be friends with a person like him.

I know that is how I feel a lot of the time. It has only been changing in the last few years in college that I feel like people know who I am and still want to be friends with me. There is a part of myself that is always afraid that people are going to see the 'real' me and change their mind. Well, I am the real me all of the time. so they obviously like part of me - probably even most of me.

Financial aid and scholarships

Okay, to start off, HOW FREAKING CUTE ARE MY KIDS!!!!

I didn't get pictures taken at the begining of the year, because I figured that since we already had soccer fotos that I wouldn't get more. Well, I ordered class photos and you could get 'personalitly' photos with it, so I thought, what the heck. I love that they both have Moises's eyebrows -exactly the same.

In other news.........

So the past week has been full of paperwork related to money! The priority deadline for financial aid applications was on the 15th. I also decided to apply for a bunch of scholarships that the 'BCC Foundation' offer (rich ex-students who donate money I think) I am not quite sure how the scholarship thing will work out, because it isn't just money given to me, it is specifically given for tuition and books. I already have financial aid that covers that - but it might end sometime next year because of the number of credits I have taken (with this quarter I have more credits at BCC then my AA degree at GRCC!!). So I talked to my grant counselor and she said that I could apply for it and see what happens. I have a hard time talking to her because half the time what she tells me ends up not working out. (like this quarter signing up for an extra class to get my full financial aid amount, only to find out that because the extra class isn't part of the nursing program, they have me as part time, gave me only 75% of the award and charged me for the extra class out of the award amount!!!)

I just want to scream sometimes when it comes to all the paperwork that is involved in getting help! My friend Luth says they make it as hard as possible so you can only get help if you REALLY REALLY want and need it. ARGh!

Well, anyway. We will see what happens with the scholarships. I had to write a few essays, get some letters of recommendation, transcripts, proof of an account with BECU (for the BECU scholarship) and I had to have one of the nursing instructors fill out an extra form for one of the scholarships saying that I am in the program, maintain a gpa over 3.0 and on a scale of 1-10, what does she rate my chances of successfully completing the nursing program (she gave me an 8 - she said, 'you never know if you will fall and brake a bone or something') My instructor who filled out the extra form also told me that I was the only first year student who asked for the scholarship, so I will probably get it! I guess it is true about money being out there and people just needing to apply!

I will know about how my financial aid award with scholarships will turn out by mid June. I expect a good outcome!

Anatomy at Grandma's house

One thing that people who aren't related to me might not know, is that in another life I was probably a hippy who lived on a nudest ranch or something. I don't mind being naked. It isn't a big deal for me, even at this size *gasp* My kids aren't very conservative either, given that they spend their time with me.

Well, most of you have heard the story about Ediths, 'clitornuts' Just the other day, she was taking a shower and she mentioned cleaning her clitornuts. Well, I made the mistake of correcting her and calling it a clitoris, and she got pretty upset at me. How dare I!!

In other news, this morning while we were getting ready to leave for school, Balthezar announces, "Warning! Naked Granpa alert!" Balthezar was sitting in a chair facing the hallway and apparently Dick came out of his bedroom and went to his office in his birthday suit. It was really cute the way that Balthezar said that. He just kind of laughed again when Dick came back from the office to his room, with a silly smirk say warning! again.

I know that I tend to be very northern european in my views about the body. It is just a body. Seeing a naked one isn't that exciting. Of course, I am not quite as free if I am at the gym around 20 year old hardbodies. Then I feel much more self conscious.