So...what's been going on with us? Well, for one, there have been lots and lots and lots of discussions with teachers at school. Can you guess which kid is the subject? It's the usual culprit...our Max. I got a "request for conference" a couple of weeks ago. More like a summons. I had to ask which child it was about. The teacher told me it was Max, followed up by the famous "Max isn't working up to his potential and I'd like to discuss it with you before it gets any worse" comment. Man...if I had a nickel for every time I've heard THAT one. So my first immediate thought was "No thank you. I don't want to conference. Thank you for asking." But I figured THAT might not go over well with the school. But I did let the teacher know via e-mail that I had had that EXACT conference more times than I could count...and that I would be happy to go in and have it with her...AGAIN. I told her all the things we've tried over the past 2 years. And she agreed that we had pretty much done everything we can as parents. And so...wonderful teacher that she is, she proposed something that I BEGGED his school in AZ to do but they refused. She bumped him down a level in not one, but TWO classes. He got bumped from his gifted english and history classes into the PAP class below it. Now, those are still advanced, honors classes. But still. It's a bump down, nonetheless. Max wasn't too happy about it and proclaims that he's now in with all the "stupid" kids. I had to remind him that he was acting very much like one of the "stupid" kids, getting F's in his classes, which is what landed him in the stupid class. Which...I repeat....is still an HONORS class. Anyway...typical Max....he's struggling with his pride and displaying his typically cocky, I'm better than you and everyone else attitude. I'm hoping this bump was enough to get his attention. If not, then I 'm sure summer school, or repeating the 8th grade will do it. He says he CHOOSES not to turn stuff in and to not do well. I guess we'll see how that strategy works out for him in the near future. I know now why animal mothers eat their young at birth. Parenting teenagers is NOT for the faint of heart.
What else? Well...Clara continues to be healthy and happy and is doing wonderful in school. She just got her report card yesterday and it was chocked full of straight A's. They get number grades here in elementary school, just like the older kids and she had nothing lower than a 96 on her report card! She's a very good student. Ben is also doing well. He broke his toe about 3 weeks ago on our family room chair. He ran into it while chasing the dog. He not only broke it, but crunched it, to the point that he made the bone bleed. He's been in a styling walking boot, shoe thing for the past three weeks. He has to wear it through Spring Break and then it can come off. Other than that...he's doing really great.
Chris is liking his job. For the most part. As with any job, it has it's share of aggravations and things that make him nuts. But overall he seems to enjoy the challenge and pace of things. We are looking forward to getting away for a couple of days next week to do some camping. The first time we've been since the beach last summer! The only problem is that it's proving rather difficult to find a place to go since the entire state of Texas goes on Spring break at the exact same time!!! Uggggh! The things you discover in a new place! Anyway...we'll figure something out! Maybe Louisiana camping?
And me? Well...I'm keeping plenty busy. This house is no small thing to keep clean. It's a LOT of house to stay on top of. Especially with my three kiddos! And I've been hitting the gym at least 4 or 5 days a week. Last week, I went back to Arizona for a sister's weekend. We all went to Donna's new house in Scottsdale and hung out. The down side of that trip is that the sunshine and warmth that I was desperately craving DID NOT HAPPEN!!! We had ONE day of sunshine and the rest was rain, rain, rain. We got to go hiking for one day and had an amazing and beautiful sunset horseback ride. But after that day...it was all a dark, gray, rainy blob. Nonetheless, the sisters had a wonderful and fun time together! Here are some pics from the one sunny day that we had there!
It was a wonderful trip. And in the end, I guess all of that rain was a good thing. It sure made it a lot easier to come back home to Texas. And the sun was shining so bright and warm and beautiful for me when I landed. I came back home with more of a sense of peace. Texas is where I live right now. And I'm good with it. I thought I might go back and visit the desert and be crazy sad about having left it to move here. But it didn't work that way. I loved being there. It was beautiful. And there is something magical about the desert that I just think is good for the soul. I will always love and adore it. But I'm good with Texas. I'm good with living here and making a new life in the Lone Star State. Maybe I'll end up back in the desert some day. Maybe in a few years I'll think there is no place on earth like Colleyville, TX. Who knows. But for today...I'm happy with my Colleyville address. I love my Colleyville house. And I am grateful for the friends that I have made here. Life is good in Texas. And I know it even more now, thanks to my trip to Arizona!
I seriously didn't realize how blond your hair was. I couldn't really tell in the FB pictures. It looks great. I love that you and your sisters get together once a year. That is such a wonderful tradition to start, especially since you guys live so far apart from each other. Glad you had a good time.
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