End of the School Year

We're coming to the end of the school year and things are getting hectic.  Archer is still struggling with getting things turned in on time.  We have been staying on him about it pretty hard and I am sure he just wishes we would back off.  He has to learn that it is not acceptable to fall behind.  He could easily be a straight A student if he would just turn things in on time.  Over the summer I am planning on sitting down with him and coming up with consequences for grades.  Bad grades he will owe us money.  Good grades, not sure yet.  Maybe dinner and a movie out with mom or dad, maybe going out to an activity of his choice with a friend.  Not sure yet, but we'll come up with something.  I just do not want him to feel like he is only being punished.  We all work better with something good to work for, why not try it with his grades.  Many of his teachers have been emailing me thanks for supporting them and him in his studies.  I cannot imagine not!  He will get there, I know he will.  He is a great kid, this has just been a tough learning curve for him.


Angel just started an endangered animal project.  Of course it is due the Tuesday after we go out of town.  Another email to a teacher asking if my child can do a project early.  I did tell her today that I wanted her to try and have it done over the weekend so she has plenty of time to prepare.  She is doing her project on sand cats.  The kittens are SO cute!  I finally got the approval from the school to put her on a 504 plan next year.  Finally!  It took a couple years to get the approval, but I am looking forward to getting it in place so that she can get all the support she needs in the years to come.


Picasso is about 1/3 of the way done with his report on Scotland.  Through the spouses group with my sweet husbands work I was able to get a few recipes to choose from to make a treat for his project.  He is getting really excited and has learned a lot about the country.  He had his first baseball practice yesterday.  He has been anxiously awaiting it for months.  This is his first year playing and the teams first year with kids pitching.  Turns out he was in the top three kids for pitching!  I was surprised as we haven't really worked with him.  I am sure he will do great!  He will miss two practices while we are gone and then have his first game the week we get back.  I am looking forward to cheering him on!

Princess had a popsicle party today at school for her reading group.  It was their last time meeting for the year, so they had a fun hour.  She says it is okay, as she still gets to see that teacher for math.  She has loved being in both of her classes this year.  She and I will be attending her classes field trip next week.  I love being able to attend field trips with the kids! 

I am also finishing up preparations for the elementary school's yearbook signing party.  The kids always have an amazing time and I am glad I get to be a part of it.  I do love the school my younger kids attend.  The teachers and staff are all just amazing!  The middle school I am still up in the air about.  Archer is learning and advancing, for the most part the teachers seem great, it is just the ones that do not seem to know how to communicate that are driving me crazy.  At the end of the day it is my job as the parent to make sure the kids get done what they need to.  The teachers will do what they can, but the buck stops here.

After all that we will climb in the car and head out for our family vacation!  I am looking forward to that more than I can say.  It should be a fabulous trip.  I am looking forward to being able to spend all that time together.  So thankful to have family close enough by to have a built in house/pet sitter thanks to my awesome brother in law. 

Now to find the motivation to take care of everything that needs to be done.  I know it is hiding in their somewhere.

Shhhh....it's a secret!

Keeping a secret from my kids is HARD!  It is doubly hard when you want so badly to let them in on the secret.  My niece is graduating from high school in a couple weeks, yay her!  My kids all know that I am going out to the graduation.  What they do not know is that the whole family is going to California for the graduation and Disneyland!!!  Seriously is killing me not to tell them.  Especially when Picasso is begging me to take him with me as he will miss me too much.  When they are getting excited about end of the year school stuff, which they are going to miss.  When I'm trying to arrange finals for Archer without him knowing why he has to take some of his tests early. 

One more week and then I can tell them!  Only one more week of biting my tongue.  One more week of trying to not lie to them about stuff, but not being able to quite tell them the truth either.  They will be finding out through a gift with Disney shirts, Mickey and Minnie cake pops, and the tickets to Disneyland.  I am expecting a fairly epic freak out!  That should be pretty freaking fantastic.  It should be worth it all. 

Until then I will keep organizing our trip.  Getting house sitting/cat watching set up.  Arranging things with teachers so the kids will be good to miss the last week or so of school.  I am trying not to stress about my foot and the pain that it is still in.  Hopefully it will hold up well enough.  If not, what do you do.  I may make an appointment to go in to see the doc next week, but really there is nothing he can do at this point.  A little pain is worth the memories we will make on our first ever big family vacation.  I cannot wait!

Klutzy Me

I swear I am such a klutz sometimes!  I seriously wonder how I can walk without hurting myself.  Oh wait, I can't!  Really, most of the time I am fine and I can walk like a "normal person".  What is "normal" though?  In the past week I have popped my big toe out of joint, bruised the arch of my left foot (you know the one recovering from surgery?  yeah, that one), fell down the icy front stairs, and banged my big toe (same one as before) into the stairs while walking up them.  Let's just say I am currently covered in bruises all up my left side and extremely stiff.  Thankfully I did not seriously injure myself in all this "accident prone" behavior.  Who does that though?  I can see one instance, but all of them?  Thankfully those around me love me enough to help with the little things while I was so sore I could barely move.  Most of the crazy pain is gone. 

Next question would be, do you ever outgrow this behavior?  I am in my mid-30's and still fall down the stairs on a semi-regular basis.  *sigh*  Goal for this week?  No new bruises or injuries.  Wish me luck!  I'm going to need it.  Such a klutz!