PYHO: Always Obstacles

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a letter from the County School Board two weeks ago granting Little E's variance for the 2012-2013 school year. I wrote about my concerns back in May whether or not he would get to attend Miss K's school. I was stressing about the long wait I may have been facing and if he didn't get it.

I thought all my worries were over now that I had this piece of paper in my hand. I was wrong again.

I went by the school this Monday to drop off the letter for the school registrar and talked to my friend in the front office. She is like the school secretary/ school website web master. I asked her about the teacher list for the upcoming year so I could confirm which teachers I would request for Miss K and Little E. She told me she had just posted it online just a few minutes before I walked in.

Which meant if the new list was up, the teacher request form would be up also. Nope. My hopes were deflated. There's always an obstacle in my way, it seems.

She told me that the principal has decided to do away with teacher request forms due to new salary regulations on teachers being based on student performance. She is hoping to have the classes more balanced without having all the high scoring kids in the top two favorite teachers rooms.

The plus side, is that she is accepting letters of your child's needs and will take that into consideration when choosing the class for your child. She will not accept letters with a teacher request in them.

I am more worried about Miss K than Little E because it's only Kindergarten. The school handles this grade with "kid gloves" and I'm sure he will do just fine with minor adjustments from his new teacher. He aims to please.

I didn't know that I had a choice when his sister entered school and we got what teacher the school chose.  Which was an awesome teacher and one of the top picked Kindergarten teachers in the school.

Having dealt with several years of inability to focus, short attention span and limited short term memory with Miss K, she really needs a compassionate teacher. Some one who can understand that she has ADHD and won't treat is as a label. A teacher who can have open communication with me and be able to recognize when she is "slipping" and needs positive encouragement with a firm tone.

Miss K is a loveable child who has three previous teachers (not counting 1st grade-she was not a great teacher) who absolutely love and adore her. Especially last year's teacher who was the most help in accomplishing many goals we had set out for the school year.

I'm hoping that I can get this across to the principal that is is very important for Miss K academically, to be placed with a teacher like we hope for.

I'm praying this all works out for the good. I know that my prayers may be answered differently than I expect and I am prepared for that. I'm willing to deal with that but hoping for an "easy button" this time.

New Family Member

Sunday afternoon after coming home from church and having lunch, I laid down on my bed to rest and browse some social media. I got on my Facebook and a friend of mine posted for a friend of hers who was trying to find homes for some kittens. Of course, the animal lover in me had to look. This was the first photo I saw.


 A D O R A B L E!!! Now if you know anything about cats, I was amazed to see five, yes FIVE calico/ tortoise shell kittens in one litter!

I showed them to my husband. He shocked me by saying that we should get one. Since my daughter has been still missing her beloved cat Teeko. He said this would make her very happy.

We called the girl who had them, and I was shocked to find out that she still had all five. She didn't live close by, an hours drive away. In the rain from that Tropical Storm Debby.

So much for my nap.

We piled the kids in the van and headed out on an adventure. We did not tell the kids where we were going. It was pretty funny because Little E kept thinking we were going "somewhere". For him that meant to do something.

After getting to her house and meeting the kittens, it was a tough choice. We originally had chosen one that had half orange, half black face. But we wanted Miss K to choose the kitten. Or shall I say, let the kitten choose her.

Which is how it was for she and Teeko.

After at least 30 minutes or longer of playing with five kitties, we took home Mollie, formerly known as Viper. The kitten with the orange stripe down her nose. (far left in photo above)

It has taken some adjusting for her, she has cried every night in her "room".

Little E wanted a kitty of his own, and I have been feeling pretty badly. I'm a softie to animals and my son. There was one kitten that was attached to ours and has been lonely since we left.

We'll see..

Not like I need another mouth to feed. I have a human one coming in November. What is a girl to do??!

PYHO: Family Circus

Why do I have to be the bad guy? I know that I can't be the only one that it bothers?

This weekend on Sunday for Father's Day we spent the day at my father in law's house. It was my idea. I thought it would be nice to get together with my husband's father and his step mom and do dinner. Since we didn't buy him a gift, this was our way of saying happy Father's Day.

While discussing the plan for going to his dad's house, the time frame for departure was agreed upon. This is something that I have to set when going to his house. You cannot go blind, per say,  to their house. It's a horrible way of dealing with family, but after many times of bad visits, this is what it has come to. We agreed on 7pm.

What we didn't know was that his step mother decided to invite everyone else over too. My husband's brother, his wife, their son, his step brother and his girlfriend and their children. We find this out after getting there. I wasn't thrilled, for many reasons.

One, because I brought food to prepare and was not prepared to feed and extra seven people. Two, my BIL's son is a bad influence on my children and I have to watch him like a hawk around my kids. Three, his step brother is an alcoholic and drinks like a fish. He pretty much takes after his mother (the step mom).

I thought that we would be "safer" having dinner at home since last year's Father's Day was a close disaster at a restaurant.
 His step mom drank wayyyy too much something before getting there, during the 45 minute wait to be seated and during dinner. She was belligerent to the waiter, loud as hell while preparing her salads at the salad bar and made everyone very uncomfortable during the meal. I swore to my husband that that was the very last time I would ever eat in public with her again.

I was dead wrong.

His step mother had been drinking prior to our arrival and and continued through the day.

It was very uncomfortable dealing with her. For one, I had to use her kitchen to cook the dishes of food I was preparing. I wished that I was some where else. Thankfully I was able to share laughs and wth looks with my sister in law during this. She feels the same way I do about having to be there.

But it didn't help with her comments and repeated questions about what I was making. Why was I making that? And that she felt so bad because she didn't make home made potato salad and bought hers. And then a few minutes after she returned from her cigarette break she would start all over again with her questions. The very same questions she had already asked me.

The drinking ensued.

When she starts bugging my kids is when I get unnerved. They were being very, very good. They were sitting on the couch playing their DS's and she interrupted them to insist that they sit next to her. Give her a hug. Hang out with her. Yada yada yada.

Now she only showed them attention because her son's children did not come. Apparently there is an issue with his girlfriends' parents and they will not allow the children to leave their house.
Because if those grand children had been at the house, my children would have been ignored.

The rest of the day went on like this until dinner. Of course we had our dinner drama when I asked if we should put an extension in the table to have more seats around it. She went cuckoo about that. I was almost at my wits end.

Finally at 8pm, an hour after the agreed upon time, we were able to start packing up to leave. I ordered the kids to get their backpacks and their gear to go. And she started her departing antics." Are you leaving? Why are you leaving? Is it already time to go? Are you just packing and staying? When can we do this again?"

I was done.

Done. Done. Done.

I was pretty mad about the circus that went on that day. I told myself, no more. I can't do this anymore. I wasn't going to say anything to my husband, but then Miss K said something about how grandma was acting. I knew that one day she would notice the abnormal behavior. I tried explaining to her about it but decided that enough was enough.

I told my husband about our conversation. Sadly, we will not be going over there anytime soon.

 I'm relieved.

There are some deep underlying problems with his step mother that I haven't even touched on here. If given the back ground on why I feel the way I do, then it might make more sense. Last year's restaurant episode was not the first time she has gotten intoxicated and acted out of line. She is medically bi polar and refuses to take her medicine, she shouldn't be consuming alcohol but she does. Was supposed to have gone to a medical facility to get help, it never happened. She says that she doesn't need a doctor, psychiatrist or "head" doctor to help her. \


As I have said to my husband before and said again. It's not about us anymore. The kids will not deal with this or witness this. They are our responsibility to protect.

Friday Fragments #201

I'm sure you've seen your fair share of these funny yourecards on Facebook or other social media sites. I was browsing on the internet and couldn't resist posting this one. I have this fetich with grammar and spelling, so it only makes sense. And since most of the cards are quite vulgar, I wouldn't post many of them anyways.

Today( Thursday) at Miss K's school, the awards ceremony for the third graders was held. This year has been an amazing school year for her, starting with her most wonderful teacher. Without this teacher, Miss K may have struggled yet another year academically. She excelled in many areas, academically and socially. In the second quarter of this school year, K received the Citizenship Award for the first time since entering elementary school. Today, she received the Citizenship of the Year award in her class. It was a proud moment for the hubs and I.

I was reading in a moms group for parents of children born in November 2012 today. The topic they were discussing was "have you bought anything yet for your upcoming new baby. I have not, am I behind?" I have actually bought a few things for baby #3 only because the items were in excellent used condition and I couldn't pass up the deal. Except for the stroller system, which was new. But it was also a great deal that may not be when we get closer. When I think back to both my other children, I don't remember being as eager to buy things so far in advance. Except for Miss K, we did buy packs of diapers every other week before she was born.

For the summer our church will not be having any enrichment classes or children's ministry on Wednesday nights. I'm sad that we won't be meeting during the summer. I am looking forward to more time with the kids, especially since Miss K does not have dance classes in the summer either. Time to catch up on reading for all of us. I'm looking forward to teaching Little E to read more than just sight words. One of the websites we'll be using is www.Starfall.com . Miss K's elementary school uses this website in the classrooms during free time.

After three days of rain, rain, rain. It has finally subsided. Even though Friday has a 70% chance of rain, it has not rained very much. I'm thankful for all this rain we have been getting but wiping the dogs' feet every time after they go outside has become a tiring task. My plants and lawn are very happy with all this excess water.

Today was the last day of school for our county! I went in to help with a party that Miss K's teacher and I planned for the last day. Unfortunately her teacher was diagnosed with the flu on Tuesday and was told by her doctor to not be at work the rest of the week. The last week of school no less. :(  thankfully by today, she was feeling a little better and made a surprise appearance in class for 30 minutes, during the party. We're going to miss not having her as Miss K's teacher. She was such a blessing. If only we had her every year!

PYHO: Little E

Bittersweet moments in my life.

Last week, my Little E graduated from preschool. He is only a few months away from entering into his formulative years in school.

In thirty nine days he will turn 5. A milestone birthday. At least in this house we consider it one.

I sat back today and reminisced over the day last August we walked into the preschool where he was going to attend and remembered the excitement in his eyes. We chose a Montessori based school, based on high recommendations from a friend.

Little E couldn't wait to pull out a play-mat and join in.

Convincing him that he would be back in just a few weeks was something he just didn't comprehend. Now thinking about it, it seems like it was just yesterday. It brings tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat when I realize that almost another year has gone by.

How much longer will my little boy run to my arms for comfort from mommy hugs? School changes a child. They become more independent. The comfort of mom is saved for home, where friends cannot see.

I am mentally preparing myself for another year that I hope will not fly by. I hope that the birth of baby #3 does not overshadow the accomplishments that my second born will do.

My soon to be middle child. How will this change and mold his personality? My sweet "double" kisses boy. So many changes ahead for this little guy. A year of many firsts ahead. Am I ready?