But I'm not! Hubby is out of town (again) this weekend, so just me and the kiddies. We had our usual Saturday Buckeye ritual, all decked out in our Buckeye gear and shouting at the TV. I love it when toddler gets involved, and especially when he shouts obscenities in Greek at the TV (he learned this from hubby). It's very funny when the timing is right. If you missed it, they won; GO BUCKS!

Today was also my daughter's birthday. She went to spend the night with a friend and I haven't seen much of her but she had a good day nonetheless. I wish I could still look forward to birthdays. Mine is coming up in a little over a month, and I just wish I could skip it!

Trying to get everyone ready for the Halloween party, which is only a few weeks away! I bought toddler a Power Ranger costume as he and my six year old LOVE power rangers. He won't wear it. Because he doesn't have Power Ranger shoes he says. This from a 2 year old (3 in December). I mean, really, who thinks of Power Ranger shoes? I can't even get him to try the thing on without Power Ranger Shoes. Anyone know where I can find a pair of those?
Daughter is going as a Dr, and will borrow some of my gear for her costume. Teenager is going as a freak from one of his favorite bands, not much different from every day except he gets to paint his face. And my 6 year old has no idea what he wants to be just yet.

My 6 year old also started playing flag football through the school. Now this is entertainment, folks! If you've never seen a bunch of 5 and 6-year-olds running around a muddy field (it's been raining a LOT here in case you missed the Buckeyes game today) trying to play football... well, you should if you ever have the opportunity. He had a great time, and his team won 21-7 (how I don't know, sheer dumb luck?). And we, the family, were entertained for very cheap!

Time to get toddler to bed and work on some studying, Monday will be here before I know it.

I survived my first test, and even made it out with an A. Barely, but I'll take it. Have another one coming up next Monday (different class) so I guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend. I'm enjoying labs and clinicals, and some of the lectures... some not so much and I'm struggling to stay awake. Guess you'll have that.

Been feeling really kind of blah this week, don't know if I'm coming down with something or it's just the 3rd trimester hitting me (along with the getting up and going to class all day!) I kind of hope I'm coming down with something, I don't want to feel this way for the next 10 weeks! I'm feeling incredibly lazy. The weather is not helping, it's cool outside and makes for a nice day of laying on the couch cuddled up in a quilt with some kiddies.

Had a nice visit with my midwife last night, just love her to pieces! She's me, only older and with a few more kiddies. Seriously, our philosophies are the same on so many levels - it's nice to not fight my way through pregnancy. Baby's heartbeat was great, my belly measurements were right on (even though I look like a beached whale!) and all is good in babyland.

Off to entertain the toddler and study, not much exciting here for now (and I like it that way!)

I have my first test Monday, so tonight I'm (or I was) spending some time trying to study... for regurgitation and all. Except hubby is in the next room with Star Wars blasting on surround sound, toddler is on the other computer with the volume full blast (because he turns it up since he can't hear his game over the Star Wars in the next room); some Nickjr game going on over there... And I'm expecting the other 3 home anytime so who knows what zoo is going to break out then.

I envy people who have a nice, quiet place to study! Anyone got some earplugs they could send me? As it is, I'll have to wait until they all go to bed to get started, and by that time I'm usually falling asleep myself. Ah well, what fun would school be without a little challenge thrown in? I haven't pulled an all-nighter for a while.

First off, Woohoooo Buckeyes for Saturday's victory! Ex-h wound up bringing the kiddies home Saturday because he had a Game party, not kid-friendly to go to Sat. night. We had fun, and they didn't learn any new curse words. None of them made it to the end of the game, but that's okay. They all fell asleep on the couch in front of the TV, kind of sweet all cuddled up together.

Okay, so I started back to class myself today and I have some serious adjusting to do! I've spent probably the majority of my adult life in college, so it's not the "going back to school" that's getting to me... rather it's that I'm once again an undergraduate, a peon, who needs to convince herself that the teacher actually knows more than the student.

It's a BIG switch going from graduate school back to an undergraduate program, that much is for certain. In grad school, professors treated you more like a peer, an equal. Assistantships were spent teaching the undergrads (peons) the intro courses that the "real" professors were too busy to handle (what with their research interests and all). You actually participated in classes, and the professors acted as though they valued your input. Sometimes they thanked you for giving them a different perspective on an article, study, or theory, even if they disagreed with you.

Now, there is no class participation. I'm back to memorize and regurgitate. Sit and be lectured to, you don't have anything useful to contribute to this process. I know stuff, you don't, so sit back and let me tell you about it. It didn't bother me so much as an undergraduate the first time, I guess because that's how it was done in high school and therefore I didn't know any other way. But now... now it irks me. A lot. I realize that my teachers (not professors in this case because they don't hold the PhD that title requires at this university - shoot one of them only has a BSN!) undoubtedly know more about this particular subject that myself, which is why I'm starting over at the beginning, but does that mean I (and other students) are not capable of intelligent conversation on the matter? Do they not realize that debate and questioning the material leads (in my case at least, can't speak for anyone else I guess) to a better understanding and appreciation of said material? Is there really any value to the memorize and regurgitate methodology I'm being forced to endure?

Okay, there might be exceptions...anatomy, for example, simply requires memorization. But most topics are not like anatomy (thank goodness because I passed that class with a "C").

Maybe this feeling of discontent with the way things are stems from a feeling of going backward in my life? Maybe it's because I have been on the other side of the desk? It's going to be a challenge that I will have to overcome if I'm going to be successful, because right now I'm quite resentful of being treated like a peon!

Incidentally, I am teaching a course at this same university (in a completely different subject of course) this winter quarter. Maybe I'll be able to take a slightly different approach with my undergraduates now that I've been thrown back into it myself. I know I won't make them memorize and regurgitate. Yuck.

First test next week, hope my regurgitation skills are up to par!

Tomorrow is Saturday... If you've read some of my previous posts, you know by now I'm a big ole Buckeyes fan... I'm nervous! I am really hoping for tomorrow to NOT be a repeat of last year. Hubby had an out of town tourney this weekend in Cincinnati, and I refused to tag along (with toddler) because I couldn't risk missing the game tomorrow night. It's okay, he understood even though he doesn't appreciate Buckeye football (not being a native from O-H I-O and all). So, tomorrow night toddler and I will curl up on the couch with our fixin's and I hope to not teach him any new curse words (and if hubby is smart he will NOT call me during the game!) Go Bucks!

The rest of the kiddies are at their dad's house for the weekend, where I know they will be wearing their Buckeyes shirts and cheering along (or cursing along as the case may be, but I'm trying to be optimistic here!)

It should be a quiet weekend here with just me and toddler, although I still declare that it is more difficult to have just one as opposed to the usual four. I mean, who will run and tell me if toddler is eating the cat litter? Or throwing power rangers in the toilet? Not that things like that ever happen here, just speaking hypothetically .

My classes started today, to finish my RN, and now I am acutely aware of why there is such a shortage of nurses in this country. Grad school was less intimidating (or maybe I have selective memory?) than the stuff we're supposed to learn in 10 weeks' time. I had severe sticker shock when I walked into the book store to check the price on the books required for my three classes. I think the total was in the neighborhood of $550 . I didn't buy them all today, just couldn't bring myself to do it. Maybe if I spread them out over the course of a week or two it won't seem so bad? On the bright side, I will use these same books for all 6 quarters, so that does soften the blow a tiny bit. I'm glad I have all the non-nursing classes finished already, can't imagine this load PLUS anatomy, physiology, chemistry, etc. I can't remember what all was required as I'd had everything except the core nursing classes, but I know it will be tough for those trying to get through the other classes too. Not to mention the cost of books for those other classes too. Yuck!

At any rate, I feel like I'm back in my element and I wonder if there isn't some way to make a career of being a student? How many degrees can one possibly obtain before the admissions offices start to laugh you out of their university? I love the challenge and stimulation of academia, and I haven't found anything in "the real world" quite like it. Maybe I should become a professor?

One of these days I'll decide what I'm going to be when I grow up!

In the meantime, I'll have a great time learning!