Good Friends

I have the greatest friends at work. Today was a rough day for one of us and it was nice to be able to talk openly about things and be supportive. Sometimes I feel like the needy one. As tough as it was to see her upset, I was glad I could be there for her.


Jack cleaned his room today and set aside a stack of Curious George books for her son. Some one should be enjoying them! The kids and I stopped by her house tonight on a bike/walk with the books and they all had fun playing in her back yard. As I chatted with her and her husband, we talked about bike riding and one thing led to another and I left the owner of her old bike!!! Now I just need to get Jack one, then a rack for the car and we are good to go on the bike trail this summer. Everyone says how great it is and flat! Also, it would be nice to take our bikes to LI when I visit my mom and dad.

I felt terrible taking the bike and she wouldn't take any money. I found a set of musical instruments (tamborine, cymbals, maracas, triangle, bells) that I had from Creative Playthings and gave it to her husband for their boys when he dropped off the bike.

Hey, not only should someone be enjoying them, but let's face it. I am never going to open up that Pre-school/Day Care.

Looking forward to Soccer Saturday and bike buying on Sunday.

Soccer Season

Cold weather. cloudy skies. muddy, rutted field...it is soccer season in Berlin. The coach didn't show and the assistant knows nothing about soccer. An 8th grade girl took over, assigned positions and I have to say, they played quite well for only having one practice that most kids didn't go to because it was raining.

Jack really hustled. I was very proud of him. He learned a lot in Junior High Soccer about playing his position and teamwork. All the kids played well, though they lost 2-1. It is nice to see them maturing and playing as a team and respecting each other on the field.

Saturday I have to get him to Casselman, which I don't even know where it is. Kate has a game at the same time in Berlin, so it starts...Getting rides, trying to be two places at once, crazy but fun.

Pray for no rain.

The Great Things About J and K

Kate:

1) Cleaned the deck this weekend without being asked.
2) Apologized and hugged me when she said something mean, without being asked.
3)loves riding her bike
4) gave me a foot massage
5) let me give her a facial
6) watches chick flicks with me
7)has great friends, who have great parents
8) is sweet and beautiful
9)smart and hardworking
10) she is responsible

Jack:

1) vacuumed without complaining after I asked
2) remembers how to ride his bike
3) hates math but does it anyway
4) loves every other subject
5) always comes up with good comebacks- a real smart a**. (kids made comments at his recent camping trip..as the only Catholic in his troop kids made remarks about the long mass - protestant service was 10 minutes- Jack responded with "I just love God more" and "Well, we get dinner and a movie)
6)Has great friends with great parents
7) still tells me everything, like he did at age 4
8) patient with his sister
9) loves that toad (Skippy McHopster) and turtle (Van Gogh:the 5th ninja turtle Jan 09- March 09) and Van Gogh Doppleganger (May 09-?) I hope I am taking care of them when he is in college.
10) still is sticking with scouts-has the finest character of any 7th grader I know.

Friendship and Good Decisions

It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.

~Roy Disney

Jack got to spend the evening with some friends. It's nice because most of the boys there he has been friends with since Kindergarten. They are from good families and I know their parents and I am friends with them too. It's nice to see boys go to a boys party, roast hot dogs, make smores and enjoy football, trampoline and other boy stuff. (Some kids in Jack's grade are already going to boy/girl parties and movie nights) What are these parents thinking?? It's going to happen soon enough on its own, why invite it into your house????

I wish our school had an after-prom. Many schools do it with a lockdown in a gym and games all night long. We have many teachers at our school that care enough for the kids, that I think we could get chaperones. We talk about it but no one seems to what to carry the ball. No instead, we have parents hosting co-ed camping at their homes. Too much temptation and parents are foolishly trusting.

On the other hand I have some great examples of smart parenting and good decision making:

Trista has to be the best mom ever! She does not give into society's pressures and her kids appreciate the decisions she makes as a parent. Her daughter has a curfew for prom and is able to openly talk to her about things going on with her classmates. I am working to be that kind of mom to my soon to be teenagers.

Katrina: Her daughter held a non-drinking party after graduation last year. Only about a 1/2 dozen kids went. Trista's son was one of them. Way to go!!!

Roni Sue: her daughter was the only other girl at that non-drinking party.

There are probably more of us out there. I keep hoping and praying I stay on the right track with my kids and that they make good decisions like these kids have.

GETTYSBURG

Devil's Den

Four score and seven years ago..

Abe Lincoln

I had the opportunity to go to Gettysburg for the 3rd time in my life. For the most part the kids were respectful and listened. The guides were great. He had the students re-enact scenes of rebels attacking the north. Did not get nearly enough time to search the book store or the museum. Too busy disciplining 7th graders who act worse than pre-schoolers.

How many times have you said to a group of kids, "you break it, you pay." Well someone had to pay for a broken shot glass. I kicked everyone out of the gift shop then. This was AFTER I told them "this isn't walmart, its a museum and gift shop" as they played with "civil war rifles" made in China. And touched every stupid little trinket in the place. Then, I had to write up two others for running in the museum.

I did witness some random acts of kindness and quiet leadership. I don't always watch for kids doing wrong. I like to see them doing right and I saw that. So, Don't get me wrong, overall it was a wonderful day. I wish I could have spent it with Jack, but you can't have everything. There were a few girls that actually tried to learn and read the plaques. They interacted with the travel guide and were respectful.

We need to go back, just the three of us and really enjoy the place.

Knowing how many people sacrificed their lives there....is overwhelming. How they fought and the walking, marching they did to get to a battle. More than you can comprehend. The horrors they witnessed. Most of the deaths in the civil war were the result of disease.

Here are some pictures from the day. Enjoy. Also posting them on facebook.

Little Round Top and Big Round Top





View the 20th Maine had from Little Round Top



View the Rebels had. The 20th Maine was behind those Rocks.

WEEKEND BLUES

Jack is camping this weekend and Kate was so adament about NOT going to our school's fun night....she wound up going over one of her best friend's homes and slept over night. I knew she was when she left me. She had a great time. It's only 7am and she isn't home yet.

Fun night was OK. The energy of my co-workers is catching. They were happy to be there so I put on my happy face and wound up enjoying the evening. I ran board games in the library. We played apples to apples, catch phrase, UNO. It was a good time. I feel I am a magnet for misfits some times. I had three border line asperger-like kids playing UNO which was a riot. Catch Phrase with someone without good vocab skills is interesting to say the least. "It's the thing you use when you want to ...you know do the thing" It was crazy. That was better than the kid who can't make a decision and just clicked through every word or the poor girl who couldn't say more than "when you are sad" for tears. I guess the good thing is they got to play the games in a place where no one made fun of that and enjoyed themselves. (They are making BBQ chicken at the VFW right now and it smells so good!!) I saw a group of mixed boys and girls playing apples to apples on their own and they were getting along, which was nice to see. They were 6th graders and that group traditionally doesn't always get along. I hate to label kids but that is Kate's class and I have seen them since Kindergarten, so I am not being mean, just honest.

I am feeling that pit in my stomach where I miss my kids. I think I am going back to sleep...ENJOY your day. The weather is to be beautiful.

Thoughts and pics and video

New York Times: Where all pretentious writers go.

Jack is camping this weekend with the scouts and Kate doesn't want to go to fun night. I am volunteering there so she is going. I don't think her friends are, so she wants to stay home and play the Wii. I am going to miss Jack so much it hurts. At least the weather will be nice. I hope the cell phone gets a signal up at Seph Mack.

Here is a video of birds hanging out on the air conditioner. Yes, I never took it out of the window!!



If you can get through the first part, its not too bad. Kate took it!
Also, some pictures from NY and daffodils in our yard!

Matt and the kids on the subway
Full size Spiderman at MidTown Comics





Naked Cowboy in Times Square