Millie's Parent teacher conference

The one thing great this year is that all the children's schools did parent/teacher conference on different nights. This hasn't happened for me in several years and it felt good to not feel rushed. Millie's teacher says she is "practically perfect in every way. Always quiet when she needs to be and a good example to her class. Great writer." She needs to "work on speaking up and sharing ideas." Feels wonderful to have such great kids!

Matthais's Parent teacher Conference

Over the years going to Parent/teacher Conferences always felt like such a waste of time. They always went like this...

Teacher: Matthais is great. Everything is turned in, He's already testing where he should be, His work is always done.
Mom/Dad: Is there anything he needs to work on?
Teacher: Nope
Mom/Dad: Really? Nothing.
Teacher: Nope
Mom/Dad: Surely there is something
Teacher: Well, maybe his handwriting.

Year after year, this is how they went. I was pretty excited to go to them this year. Jr. High is such a different experience and I was interested to see the teachers take on Matthais. We heard things like "gifted" "smart" "creative" "responsible". One teacher even told us he'd be surprised if he didn't become a neurosurgeon. Every one of his teachers was impressed by him and thought he was a really great kid. As a parent, you know you're kids are great but it's so nice to hear that others think the same thing,. What a joy it is to know that you can send your child off to school and know that he is being kind and respectable and using his brain! We've always know Matthais was a bright child but it's nice to have that confirmed. And he's not smart in a nerdy way. He's confident with his knowledge but he's not one of those kids that know it all and have to prove it! He truly is a great kid and people tell us that all the time.I feel very blessed to be his mother!

Happenings at Millie's school

For the past two years my kids attended a school other than our neighborhood school. In fact, it was in another city. The school was a great school and had lots of great programs (the autistic unit, the A.L.L classroom) but it never really felt like our school. This year with Matthais moving on to Jr. High and Ian being moved to a different school I thought Millie would be better off at our neighborhood school. I am so happy I moved her! It just feels so much more comfortable, so much more like home. Last week they celebrated safety week with lots of fun activities.

The Jazz Bear came and was the crossing guard one morning.

They did a Bike rodeo. Here is Millie waiting her turn.
And they ended the week with our one, yes ONE fundraiser; a fun run. I can't tell you how excited I am to not be selling cookie dough or wrapping paper. I was more than happy to pay $15 to do a fun run. It was a mini-marathon; 2.62 miles instead of 26.2 miles and it was a lot of fun. The PTA did a great job organizing this and I am happy to report that they made more than enough money!

Me and my girl, ready to get our run on

Millie and her best friend

The girls would run for about 5 secs and the walk. They did this over and over.
I think they need to develop some endurance!

It was so nice to participate and be surrounded by so many familiar faces. It's nice to be home.

Ian's Parent Teacher conference

First off I have to tell you the craziest thing that happened at his P/T conference. I arrived at my scheduled time 4:20. The teacher was busy with another parent inside so I sat down on the chair outside the door. 5 or so minutes a lady came up and started talking to me. She asked my if my son was in this class etc. She pointed out her son and we talked a minute or two and then she started walking away down the hall. The teacher came out and looked right at me and said "thanks for waiting" unto which I replied "no problem." I had Kaili with me and she took off and ran down the hall and that other lady turned around, walked back to the classroom and  TOTALLY BUTTED! She went right in and sat down with the teacher. REALLY? I had a fidgety one-year-old and I was clearly there before her but I guess her time was so much more important than mine. Some people! Anyway, This conference was so nice. For once all I heard was positive about Ian. In fact the teacher gave me list of things and there were 8 positives compared to 2 negatives. Here is some of the things Ian's teacher has to say about him.

*Behaviors are often good. He is a delight to be around normally. He is pretty social with his peer tutors like him and want to be with him usually.. He also sometimes says to me on the playground "come on let's go slide" He wants to play and have friends. He also shows other signs of wanting friends. ( this actually broke my heart a little. I know he desperately wants friends)

*He plays well with animals and is able to name them often and will sometimes have a great imagination about what the animals do. He sounds just like a regular fifth grader at times (Yippee!)

*Does a great job of telling us about pictures when reading stories.

*He is a good kid (yes, he really is! Thank you for noticing and reinforcing the positive!)

Some of the things he needs to work on are the tantrums and screaming and taking turns but this is all stuff we are aware of and working on. I'm really happy with this school and with this teacher. She has said over and over what a delight he is. It feels good to know he is in a place where he is wanted!

Is it Friday yet???

Last night as I lay in bed exhausted I went over the past week in my head. It was definitely one of *those* weeks. Since I don't want to be known as the one who always complains, I did find things that were good too. So here is my week in review, the good, the bad and the ugly!

Sunday-

*Good- It's Sunday! Nice, relaxing, spiritually uplifting. I shared an experience where I exercised faith and I had several people tell me they were touched. I even had one person tell me they were going to pass on my name and number to someone who was experiencing a similar experience. Had a great nap!

*Bad- I ended up with a migraine.

*Ugly- When we went to leave for church our Tahoe wouldn't start...The starter was dead.

Monday-

*Good- We went to a neighborhood BBQ. The turnout wasn't fabulous but it was fun to sit and chat with our neighbors.

*Bad- I had to go solo so Adam could take apart the Tahoe and fix it. He was leaving to go out of town the next day so it had to be done that night so I had a car.

*Ugly- Ian was in his usual hyper mode and was calling everyone with gray hair "grandpa". He desperately wanted attention and was acting out to get it. He spilled his drink. He spilled others drinks. One little girl looked and me and said "there is something WRONG with Ian's brain". I left a little heartbroken. (and frustrated)

Tuesday-

*Good- I gathered enough courage to take the kids to the park. Not just any park but discovery park. I never take the kids there because it gives me too much anxiety but the kids love it and beg to go.

*Bad- Our Relief Society was having our Visiting Teaching conferences that night. I had signed up to go at 8:10 before I realized that Adam was going to be out of town and Matthais was going to be at scouts. I ended up staying at the church when I dropped Matthais off and left the kids outside. I left Ian in the van and of course he dumped my diet coke all over my front seat. (What is it with that kid and dumping things?) I drove home with a wet behind.

*Ugly- Discovery park was extremely crowded. They were having football games and every parking space was taken. There was a line of cars heading into the parking lot and a line heading out. If you've ever been there you know what I mean. There were parked cars on one side of me, cars in front and behind me trying to find a parking spot, cars on the other side of me trying to leave and of course parked cars on the other side of them. Not a good situation for me to be in. I felt trapped. I started having an anxiety attack. My kids were in the car and I was trying really hard not to freak out in front of them but I was. I finally rolled down my window and stuck my head out of it until I could find a place to turn around and escaped. I ended up parking on the busy road cause I was not heading back into the parking lot.

Wednesday-

*Good- Had a yummy breakfast with one of my Besties Suzanne. It was so good to just sit and chat with her. It was a great girls morning in.

* Bad- Last week one of our neighbors was broken into. Because of that, I didn't sleep at all Tuesday night because Adam was gone and I was scared. I don't function well on 8 hours of sleep let alone 4.

* Ugly- I got caught in a HUGE downpour on the freeway. I was very scared and hardly able to see. There were several wrecks and I pretty much sat parked on the freeway for 30 mins. I was about 15 mins late to Ian's appointment and the Dr. was pretty annoyed but I was just glad to have made it. I rushed home after to get Millie to dance (she was late!) and then headed home to get ready for book club but never made it there because it was 7:30 and the kids hadn't eaten and I hadn't been home. I had just told the psychologist that I was taking time for myself and even going to book club that night. Turns out, sometimes it's just too stressful to take time for myself.

Thursday-

*Good- Adam came home!!! We had a delicious dinner delivered and it couldn't have come at a better time (as you'll see below). I had a nice bath that night, alone, with no one pounding on the door. Did I mention, ADAM came HOME???

*Bad- I took Millie to a dance class to make-up for when she missed classes with her pinkie incident. The class I took her to is one step up from where she is dancing now but it is the class the director asked her to move up to right after summer. She is definitely able to catch up to these girls and she is every bit as good as them. The director was subbing for the teacher who had gotten in a car wreck. She is fabulous teacher and pushes the girls to get them to do their best. My ever-so-sensitive Millie was in tears when I got there to pick her up. She said she was sick (she was not). Colleen had been a little hard on her trying to get her to do something  the correct way and it was just too much for her. She cried hysterically the whole way home.

*Ugly- Just before I was walking out the door to take Millie to dance (around 5:30) Matthais comes up and tells us his room is flooded. That's right. Flooded. Don't know why or how but the basement flooded. Enough said.

Friday-

*Good- I drank my last diet coke yesterday

*Bad- I drank my last diet coke yesterday

*Ugly- I DRANK MY LAST DIET COKE YESTERDAY!

please pray for me!!!! ;)

I must be hormonal

Yesterday I was emotional and had a major pity-party. Today I cried over a Toys for Tots public announcement posted on facebook. Now I am sitting here completely sobbing. Why you ask? We are watching Blue's Clue's. Not the newer version with Joe or whatever his name is. Nope. We are watching a classic episode with Steve. 12 or so years ago I was a new mom. Matthais was my world. Everything I did revolved around him. When he was about 2 he discovered Blue's Clue's and he was immediatly entranced. He loved it. We watched every episode several times. I started recording them so we could watch it anytime he wanted. His 2nd  birthday was a Blue's Clue's party. He even had an outfit just like Steve's and is very own thinking chair! I will never forget the day he brought me a book and pointed to the picture and said "I want to skadoo to there!" (you'd have to be a blue's clue's fan to get that one!) I didn't mind watching so much Blue's Clue's. It made Matthais happy and since I was Ian was on his way/newborn/infant/took up lots of time, it was a good "babysitter". Besides, Steve was kinda cute and I had a crush on him! I miss those days. Life was so much easier back when I only had 2 kids. Not that I would change where I am now...I just miss the simpler days. Look, I even had time to scrapbook back then!

I hate how fast my kids are growing up. I hate how quickly time goes by. I hate how much I am missing out on because life is so busy. I had to laugh the other day as I listened to a mom of two tell me how unbelievably busy she is. I wanted to tell her, try having four!! And I'm sure when I complain to my best friend Jillynn she wants to tell me, try having six! I just want things to slow down a little so I can savor the moment. After all, I blinked and my cute little Blue's Clue's lover became this...

In a few short weeks he'll be a teenager! I don't think I'm ready to have a teenager! If only he would watch Blue's Clue's forever...

Do you ever just feel weighed down?

I mean, there is nothing MAJOR going on just the normal stresses of life but they feel so heavy? I'm feeling it right now. Between laundry, housework, kids, appointments, activities, meetings, bills...I just feel so weighed down. I have an appointment with Ian's psychologist this afternoon. I know one of the things she's going to ask me is what I've done for myself. She already told me date nights don't count so I'm not sure what I'm going to tell her. What have I done for myself? Sometimes, and I tried very hard to explain this to her, taking time for myself is more stressful than not taking time for myself. Know what I mean? Besides, I am just feeling this way today...tomorrow will be better! It doesn't help that Adam is out of town which means no sleep and no help and this is an unusually busy week. That's how it is for all of us though right? There is always something. Good news: Mid terms came in the mail today and Matthais has all A's. Shouldn't be a surprise but I am proud of him. Junior High is a lot different and he's really trying hard to stay on top of things. I hope he is developing great study habits that carry on into high school and beyond. Ya Matthais!