Lots of random

It is early Sunday morning and I am up for no good reason. I have some random thoughts running around.

Thanksgiving is this week. I love this holiday. It is one of my most favorite meals of the year. There is no pressure of gift giving and money stresses. Love it.

Christmas music is playing on the radio and we just started to enjoy that. Maybe I will be inspired to get those decorations out soon.

I only have to work 2 days next week, so I will have some time. Time is precious these days.

If anybody has a pile of money that they don't know what to do with, I can have some ideas. I would like a Mac laptop, a Kindle, and to see Wicked again.

Christmas is stressing me out. Buying gifts for everybody I would like to is not going to happen. As much as I want to enjoy it, I really am finding it hard so far. I know I will in the end though.

I have some beautiful dresses for the girls to wear over the holidays. I cannot wait to get some photos taken!

I am so relieved to have heat blowing in my van. If you recall, the AC didn't work in the summer. Now the heat was not working. (OH, add functioning vehicle to my wish list above). Let me just share that in this area, it is uncomfortable to not have cool air blowing on you in the heat. It is different not to have heat blowing in the cold. Sure I can bundle us up and drive, but the windows don't cooperate so nicely. Defrosted windows are sort of a necessity my friends.

We are 1/3 of the way through the school year. Becca loves and is thriving in her Kindergarten class. Bridget is content and surviving in her second grade class.

I am thankful for my job, but I still have not resolved my guilt. The guilt of missing things and just not being the mom I had in my mind. I do enjoy working with Mrs. Trask. We have plenty of laughs and get along well.

Schaun is happy and succeeding at his new job. I am glad that the stress on him (and his car) of driving all over creation is gone. Some change is good.

My washing machine that was dying has been replaced with a bigger, better functioning version. A HUGE thank you to Dan and Cody for that! I know you worked really hard to get that here and I very much appreciate that.

A Dunkin Donuts has opened very close to our home. We have watched and anticipated their opening since the coming soon sign went up. The craziness that has occurred around this building has been very entertaining. People standing in long, long lines. People standing in the parking lot......in pouring rain. The cars wrapped around the building and down into the side street has all just been funny to me and the girls. We have had the chance to eat a few and they were yummy!

I think I have cleared out most of the randomness now. I hope the next post is pretty girls in pretty dresses pictures.

It's been a year

Dear Gramma,
I miss you everyday. I wish I could call you and ask how to do the things I didn't learn from you in time. I talk to my girls about you so they won't forget you as they grow up.

And even though I don't think "you" are where you wanted to be, I hope you are resting in peace.

Love and miss you,
Kerry

Black Cat Bridget Halloween 2009

Golden Princess Becca Halloween 2009

Fun Fall Fotos of Becca

Fun Fall Fotos of Bridget

BVHS Cheer

Last night the girls cheered (with many others) at the Blue Valley High School football game with the HS cheerleaders. It was so cute and they had a blast! Most of the cheers they did, Bridget had learned from previous cheerleading. Since Becca had watched most of Bridget's previous cheering, she knew a lot of these too. It was fairly chilly last night, but I didn't here any complaining. I made them wear about 5 shirts because I knew they wouldn't want to wear coats. Bridget enjoyed this alot because many of her 2nd grade friends were there. Becca was just loving it because she is naturally a clown and just silly. It was hard to watch them both because they were at opposite ends of the cheering line, so no pics of them together.

Sometimes it just takes one word

Becca is home sick today. Running a fever. Acting perfectly normal after she slept for 16 hours the night before, but the fever is sticking around. So she had to miss dance tonight (again) , but we were taking Bridget to her class and having a chat about who Bridget sits by at school.

They don't have regular desks, they have round tables that seat 6 kids. Bridget was telling who she sits by and that she might move soon. She tells us that this boy and girl got moved by the teacher because they were too chatty. Becca said "you mean they would not focus". Something about my 5 year old talking about being focused made me laugh.

Bridget was just telling me about how they are studying safety and today was all about fire safety. It went something like this:

In old Kansas they didn't have fire trucks like now. They had bucket lines and one line carried buckets of water and the other line brought back the empty buckets to fight the fires.

Is that how it was when you were a kid mommy?

Made me laugh because she was so serious.

Even though Becca is sick, it was nice to stay home today.

It's my blog and I'll complain if I want to

So I just feel generally negative and stressed. Nothing specific, just everything in general. If you don't want to read about my whines and complaints, then skip this. I would if I were you. You have been warned.

I do not like working all day.
I do not like how second grade is going for Bridget.

These are the top two stress causes.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have the job I have, but I do not like that sometimes I am racing Bridget's bus home. I do not like that, to be at any event at her school, I feel guilt about work. I do not like that I feel guilt when I miss the events. I HATE when I hear Bridget tell me how sad she is that I am not at things.

I do not like that I have to make Bridget do so much extra work at home. I think the reading requirement is enough for every night. Then, we have silly little time consuming, not educating worksheets that must be turned in the next day. If you are going to assign stupid homework, does it need to involve crayons? Seriously. We have other things that we want to do and sometimes homework gets dragged along and done on the road. Can't it just be writing work? Why must it all be colored? I do not see work coming home from school all colored on.

I have pin-pointed a problem with her school. They are confusing her, but now that I have figured out how they confused her, I can try and fix it. They give the kids all these silly ways to figure out the answers. Ways to get answers that they probably really know. I'm talking math here. So you tell them two or three ways to figure out the answer. Then you give them timed tests. This says to me that you just want them to know the answer, not to figure it out. Bridget will sit and figure out answers to things she knows just because they told her how to and that must be how she is suppose to do it. UGH!

So now that I know this. I have told her that she needs to just know the answers. Math facts are just that--facts. You memorize them and spit out the answers when asked. You know them like your name and address. Her test scores have sky-rocketed since having this spelled out for her. This also is the extra work part. We sit and recite and re-write said math facts all the freaking time now.

Other stress. I had a little Girl Scout deal that was just not necessary, so I let that one just go away. Cut the ties to that very quick. Poor Becca, will not get to join Girls Scouts until next year because of it, but we have talked about it and she is okay with the decision. Still residual guilt/stress.

The girls are taking (between them) five hours of dance a week. That is fine. I'm good with this. They love it and are improving so much. The stress with this though is the time away from home.

The house is a mess. People keep telling me to just learn to ignore it, and I used to be really good at that. Very, very good I tell you. Now it drives me nuts. I'm gone more and when I come home it would be so much more relaxing for it to be clean. This is new stress. The kind that didn't cause stress before everything changed.

Dinner. "Hi, my name is Kerry, and I despise cooking". I have been trying to plan weekly meals. Shop for them on the weekend and cook them during the week. It is hard being gone every Tuesday and Wed. evenings though. It is hard, I'm tired while doing it, and did I mention I hate doing it?

Did I mention the pets in my house. To visit us nowadays will cost you. I have to charge folks to come visit our zoo. I know, I know. I have brought in many of these animals. A recent addition that I very much did not want has caused me extra worries.

Tonight, I was also told about some changes in the future that I am not digging. Some change is good. Most change though, I find myself fighting against these past few months.

I'm tired of hearing about how we will all die from the Swine Flu.
I'm tired of being told what to inject into my kids.
I'm tired of bills.
My washing machine is dying....any day now and it will be a goner.

I have a book that I have waited at least three years for and I cannot find time to read it.

Now that I have spewed out all that negative, I am off to bed.

I told you not to read this.

A Fairy Celebration

A few weeks ago, my neighbor's daughter had a birthday. For her celebration we all went to the Renaissance Festival. The girls were all dressed in fairy tulle tutus, had wings, and halos. Lynne spend weeks making and collecting these. They were adorable walking around together! It was a fun day and we had a special Tea with the Queen. Becca poted a lot thru the day, so there are less pics of her.

I have been meaning to edit these pics, therefore the delay in posting them. Since I don't have time for things like that anymore, here they are unedited.

Helium Balloon

How much do 4 helium balloons cost?
a. 50 cents
b. 5 dollars
c. 50 dollars

Answer C. is not correct, but it is what Bridget answered.

It is these sort of questions that basically make me mad. This question does not involve any learned math skill. It would be a math question if it was presented with a fact like "How much are 4 balloons when each balloon costs $1.25? "

Bridget got this wrong on a real graded quiz because 1) she doesn't know how much a balloon costs as she has never purchased balloons and 2) because she was confused and stuck on wondering what helium is.

Super. I am so excited for the rest of this year.

Weekly randomness

Bridget is suffering from some allergies, or maybe a cold. Not sure. Either way, she has an annoying cough. A small little tickle in your throat sort of cough. She is coughing during the movie and Becca says and shows her how to cough in your elbow. Bridget sasy "I know that Becca". Becca says "Then DO it".

Made me laugh

Bridget got off the bus today all upset and started crying the minute she saw me. Some silliness happened and a boy bothered her and got her wet with the water in her water bottle. In her tears she says "He even has weird hair. It's like mohawk". So I gently reminded her that some people might think that having pink stripes in your hair might seem weird. "No mom! That is just cool!"

Okkkkkkkkkay. Just saying.

Becca is studying the Earth. As we were all just sitting around doing our own things she randomly says "Hey, did you know the Milky Way is made of stars and gases and NOT milk?" She doesn't even look up from whatever she was doing. Just sharing random facts.

Thanks Becca.

School so far

So far we have had 10 days of school. It seemed to be going to fine until yesterday. Becca is loving Kindergarten. Bridget has not been crying every evening like she did last year. When we talk about her school day she seems happy and upbeat. My days are longer, but this new class is so much easier.

Then yesterday, I go thru Bridget's bag to see what has come home, as usual. There is an envelope addressed to the parent of Bridget. Hmmmm. I open and read it. It was vague, but gave just enough information to anger me. Here is the first sentence:

An assessment of Bridget's math skills indicates that she is eligible for out district's math intervention program. This is a program that provides additional support in math using research-based interventions. Math instruction will be provided in small groups utilizing our district approved curriculum. We will be implementing a program called Number Works.

It goes on and says the she will be working with a "Math Instructional Support Para-Educator". Her progress will be reported to me on a consistent basis. They hope this program will help her meet the skills she needs for the expectations of her grade level.

Here is my favorite ( read that as most infuriating) line: This is to inform you that your child will receive these math services.

Excuse me! Hello! Last time I checked I was the parent of this child. I am a bit concerned that the school did not bother to say something along the lines of "Bridget did not score well on her math assessment test. Here is her work. Here are some options. What do you think?" No, they just decided that this was the best plan of action.

The first thing I did this year was inform her teacher that Bridget seems to have some sort of school induced lack of confidence issues. Her teacher responded positively to this information. She said she would work with me to help this issue.

I have so many issues with this "intervention" program that it makes my head spin. First, the objectives that they say she cannot do are ridiculous. I asked more than once last year for more difficult math and was told "we do not individualize in math, ever". When we went over these objectives last night, she could easily do them all.

So they plan to pull her out of class to go work with a para. That alone sends red flags up. Then there is the whole issue of pulling her from her class. This is an issue in it's own.

I have to get ready for the day now. I did just get an email from her teacher that she is calling me this morning because she doesn't want me to worry. If nothing else, she is a responsive teacher.

Back to School 2009 edition

I blinked and summer days ended. Now we are all back to school (well, except Schaun). Bridget is a big second grader and Becca is already in Kindergarten. Since Becca is a full day student now, I am a full day worker. The schedule at the Montessori school changed a bit this year, and my day is a lot less stressful, so the extra hours should fly by easily.

It was not a good morning for the first day of school. There was a ton of rain, thunder, and lightening. Bad pictures, no recess, and uncomfortable bus stop waits. Speaking of the bus, we almost missed it. We have a new driver this year and he showed up early! Go figure. I still had time for some photos and held up the bus for that bus shot I needed.

Summer Recap

As much as I think about blogging, I just don't sit down and do it. We did not do any thrilling thing this summer, but it was a nice summer. The weather has been fabulous! Since the a/c in my van causes problems I have been grateful for the cooler days. This week I start back to work at the Montessori school, where Becca will be a Kindergartner this year. I have a few obligations during the week, but I don't work all week. Next Monday is the day--back to full-time work for me and the first day of school for both girls. Bridget is going into second grade!!! Unbelievable. I know many parents are ready for summer to end and get the kids back to school, but I could do this all year.

The girls have been asking for a while if they can get some pink in their hair. It was suggested to them at some time ago (by my hair stylist) and they have not forgotten. I didn't have a good reason to say no, so I let them. I think it looks cute on them. The best part of the whole thing is seeing how other people give me their polite, disapproving opinion.

This weekend, Schaun and I celebrated our 13th anniversary. Thirteen years! We made a change from our annual trip to the Melting Pot and went to J. Gilberts. It was a great choice. The food was delicious! For dessert, I had the BEST chocolate cake ever! Today is our real anniversary and we are celebrating by taking the girls to a movie :-)

We recently added a new friend to our pocket pet collection. We brought home a hedgehog. I have wanted one for a while, so taa-daa! He has not been handled much and doesn't seem to appreciate the dogs staring and panting over him. He comes across a little cranky as he hisses and growls at us, but I will win him over one day.

The photos are showing off the pink, the hedgehog, and one from the 4th of July (just cuz)

Oh my my

Tonight I went to the store with Bridget. It was raining. People were acting stupid in the parking lot. Bridget said something about not parking in the potty spot. I was trying to not hit people and all that responsible driving stuff when I tuned into her words. My response was "Huh?" She pointed to the blue sign and said "that potty sign, that is for people who need to run in and use the bathroom" .

We had a chat about what the sign means.

Deanna Rose over and over

That is what we have done a lot this summer. Since it's free, it's close and the girls don't seem to tire of it, we just keep going. Here are just random pics from our trips this year.