8 posts tagged “school”

Wow, could my life be any busier? I went from a lazy summer to a crazy fall. Ok, I know it's not fall yet technically, but the kids starting school makes me feel like it is. Driving them back and forth to school really eats up a lot of my day (along with a lot of gas). Then there is the never ending laundry and other household chores. Victoria and Alex also have sports practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I just hang out on the school playground with the 3 younger kids while they are practicing. I am also back to working for my dad. With all the grandkids back to school, it's just my mom and me doing door hangers for his business. That not only takes some time, but it zaps my energy running up and down the sidewalks. Let's just say, my legs aren't very happy with me right now. I'm surprised they haven't just given out. (Yes, I admit it, I am in that bad of shape.) I certainly can't say I'm bored that's for sure.

Seriously, this is like the first time today I've had a chance to really read blogs. I've come in here once or twice, and clicked on some stuff only to be completely distracted by something else I have to do. Although, I haven't even really read blogs yet, and as soon as I finish typing this, I'm going back out to the dining room to oversee the completing of the homework. Trust me, homework tends to be a big ordeal in our house. If not monitored on a regular basis, the time would be used for twirling hair or staring off into space.

So yes, I'm done with my boring update to let you all know I'm alive and capable of more than just posting pictures. I hear squabbling coming from the direction of the dining room!

So tired, busy day, still helping with homework, can't stop eating.....real update later.

I had to take a break. This book weighs very heavy on me. I know it's fiction, but still it weighs heavy on my heart. I've found myself crying many times in the last 24 hours. I have to step away from it every so often. I need time to think and breathe. I think I'll grab one of Sophie's Judy Blume books for some light reading after this.

During my break time, I decided to catch Alex and Victoria up on their parts of speech. Nothing like a lesson in simple subject and simple predicates with a little diagramming thrown in. I'm amazed at how fast it is all coming back to me now. I really do love this stuff. I find that I am a good teacher, but I get frustrated when they don't get it right away. I've always just gotten it, and I don't understand when they don't get it right away and start to just give up on me. Luckily, the lightbulbs came on quickly and we finished 2 lessons. I think they'll be good for school by time I'm done with them.

I went back to the thrift store today and bought more books. I think I'll be making a habit of stopping by every week or so. Today's haul included a favorite childhood book of mine, Nobody's Cat. I remember taking it out of our school library many times. At $.25, I couldn't pass up buying it and sharing one of my childhood memories with the kids. Although, I only remember that the poor cat was a stray. I don't remember a happy ending. He could've been hit by a car or something. Guess I'll find out when I read it to the younger kids tonight. I don't think the 12 year olds will want to sit and listen to this one.

Or at least time to snuggle up with my honey and watch an episode or two of Scrubs? Seriously, this has been one long day.

First, we get up early again, as Alex has soccer practice today. Steve dropped him off on his way to work. I gathered up all my paperwork and the remaining kids and headed out to the kids' schools to withdrawal them and get their records. I was happy to find out that they mail them to their new school, so I don't have to go back, pick them up and deliver them to the school as I originally thought.

After that, we headed down toward the school. I figured we would walk around the Farmer's Market a bit since we had some time before I had to pick up Alex. It was ridiculously hot. So the kids and I picked out some yummy fruits, fawned over the adorable ducklings for a minute or two and decided we would rather sit in the parking lot of the school in our air conditioned van than walk around in what felt to be 100 temps.

I picked up Alex and Victoria noticed two of her new volleyball teammates. They had been practicing even though there wasn't a scheduled practice today. Victoria went off to talk to them, exchanging phone numbers so next time she won't miss out. I tracked down the principal, since the secretary was nowhere to be found, and gave him the kids' registration papers and the registration fees.

Then I came back here and started scouring the internet for online worksheets to help the kids get up to where they need to be. They are a little behind in some areas. Our public schools don't teach roman numerals (which Steve is a whiz at) or parts of speech and how to diagram sentences (which I love to do!). So the principal just asked us to catch them up on that.

I had my first session about the parts of speech with the 3 youngest kids. I figured even though Ashley is the one that needs it, it wouldn't hurt Sophia to review or Josiah to start learning. We actually had a good time and Ashley can't wait to learn about verbs tomorrow. It almost makes me think I should've homeschooled, but then I realize when the novelty of being homeschooled had worn off, it could have been a disaster.

Now dinner is almost done and it's only a little after 4. It feels like it should be 10 o'clock with all that we have jammed into one day. Steve isn't even home from work yet. Crazy.

Well, we went yesterday and met with the principal of the small private school where the kids are going to go this fall. It went really well. I think the kids will really get the one on one attention they need (considering there are 10 kids or less to a class). I hadn't even had a chance to run down the registration fees or given them all the transfer records, but they still wanted Victoria and Alex at volleyball and soccer practice today. So I was up at the crack of dawn and ran the kids down to their practices despite being kept up late last night by some crazy lady who needed tech support.  

Victoria really enjoys volleyball and her coach thinks she's picking it up quickly. She thinks Victoria will be a great spiker. The funny thing about her coach is that she happens to be the girl Steve took to homecoming one year. These kind of things happen when you put your kids in the small school your husband graduated from. After the dating stories he told me last night, I had a hard time keeping a straight face when she introduced herself and said, "Oh, I went to school with your husband, Steve." She didn't mention ever dating him for some reason. Luckily, I was able to refrain from laughing til after I got back into the minivan. Anyway, she is really nice and more importantly, Victoria really likes her. I think she's also going to be Victoria and Alex's English teacher. Victoria also had a chance to meet some of her classmates and now she sees that they are not nerdy weirdos as she originally feared. She was bummed that she didn't have practice again like originally scheduled.

Alex had a great time at soccer. He can't wait to go back to practice. His only complaint was that it was HOT! They have already assigned him a position, but he can't remember which one. He said they were happy with his soccer skills. The principal works with the soccer team. The kids all really like him too. So far, so good.

Josiah, Ashley and Sophia had a chance to play with some of their future classmates on the playground while we were waiting for Victoria's practice to be done. It's taken alot of the fear of the unknown out of them. They are all actually looking forward to being in their new school. And the lunch menu is big news too. They have nachos and cheese, hot dogs, pizza, hot pockets, hot pretzels and much more EVERYDAY. Seriously, I think I'll start eating lunch there every day.

Jen was nice enough to keep me company via cell phone during her morning break while I was waiting for all the practices to be over. They ran from 9am-1pm. The school is a bit away from home, so I found things to do around the area like go to the park and buy some goodies at the Amish Farmer's Market. There's another bigger Amish Market tomorrow in the area, so I'll think I'll have to drop by and see what they have. I really wanted some hot pepper jelly, but no one was selling any today.

So yeah, I think this school is going to be a really good fit for us. I'm really excited to be a part of it and hope they will even let me volunteer. If they have any doubts as to whether I am a good helper, I can have them call my references, Marlen and Chastity, as I have helped them many years with their school teaching duties.

The crazy thing is that in this school, high school is 7th through 8th grade, so I have instantly become a parent to 2 high schoolers. Of course, Alex and Victoria don't mind being called high schoolers. Me, I'm feeling a little old.

Wow, I'm just way too old to stay up til 2am attempting to print out projects on this dinosaur of a computer. It seems Frick and Frack saved every single page, so I had to open up over 20 separate Word documents. Not a problem on a newer computer, but this one that Steve bought at an auction for old computers at work, just a little slow. Let me put it this way, whenever I go to a new web address, I usually walk out of the room to do something else and come back in about 5 minutes so the page is loaded. It's that slow.

Then this morning while Frick and Frack are putting their projects in the nice expensive binders that they had to have for this project, Frick says, "Where are my chapter dividers?". Huh, what? Wasn't that your responsibility? I say, "I don't know, didn't you type them up?". "No, I thought you had them." Oh for crying out loud why in the world would I know Frick even needed them????? Frack had just made some on the computer. (Frick and Frack had a complete detailed sheet of what was to be included in this project. I mistakingly assumed they would just follow it.) I ask if I was told about these special dividers that I was supposed to just magically know about (I had been told about the binders by Frack. I guess Frick assumed that Frack would just tell me everything they needed. One of the downfalls of having 2 seventh graders with the same teacher. Frick assumes that Frack will know what to do and what to have). "No, I just thought you would have them." Add to this, that there is 10 minutes til they have to be out the door to catch the bus. So Mom to the rescue, I come in here and type up the chapter dividers as fast as I can.

I'm thinking today as much as I abhor taking naps, I might just have to take one. I don't want to be a grumpy momma when they get home. I was planning on going to the store and getting them those cute mini Ben & Jerry's* as an afterschool treat and enjoying some pool time with them. I'd like to not fall asleep on a raft instead.

*This is only fair that we get a special treat, as Steve is in Seattle enjoying good food without me! I might have to treat myself to some sushi too.

The kids' school projects are printed and waiting for them on the dining room table. So much for my ice cream review, weekend update and slightly offensive picture. I'm off to bed. When did I get so old that my back started hurting like this? Seriously.

Oh, and Steve is in Seattle on business. So all of this last minute project run around was done while I was playing single mom. Ugh. Although, it was really only one child that waited til the last minute, but I won't name any names. Let's just say, I hear he is just like his father was at this age.

I thinking that since she came home and has practically cleaned the whole house, and that the end of the quarter is tomorrow, that she is failing a class. Just a little hunch I have. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong. I pray I'm wrong.