I survived the first day of school!

Not a typo...yesterday was the first day of school. Summer school. A place that I actively spent 10+ years trying to stay out of. I am in the unenviable position of having to send one of my children there. I don't need to name names, but you can judge from the photo who is involved. Also, one of my children just studied very hard for 3 days and tested out of Algebra 1.

It was not this child.

A Little backstory: This kid is incredibly smart. Tests very well, had always been recommended for advanced classes. For whatever reason, he stopped trying to do well. What started out the year as A's & B+'s had dropped down to C's and 2 D's. It's not that he can't do the work...in many cases he did the work and just didn't turn it in. It's all laziness and lack of caring. Summer school is our way of preparing him to be a better student in 7th grade, and to show him we mean business. D's are not acceptable. He is taking a math course. It won't change his grade, but hopefully will help him start the year off with an advantage.

Needless to say, the very idea of summer school is cruel and unusual punishment, which I have been reminded of every day for the last month or so, when it became apparent that summer school was a necessary evil.

Last Monday, at the ungodly hour of 7 am, I attempted to wake the student and was met with much resistance. There were many threats tossed about, and eventually the student dragged itself out of bed, promising to hate me for the rest of it's natural life. There is no reasoning with a kid about summer school. There just isn't.

We went to school, where we found out that it didn't start until the following week, so that my family could tease me mercilessly for the next 6 days. Isn't being an adult fun?

You would also think that the student had time to prepare, seeing as he had an extra week. But come Monday, the same ugliness began the day. The same "I won't learn anything" and "This is the stupidest thing you've ever done". I bit back many comments about how the student has no one to blame but himself. It's as much punishment for me as it is for him. I don't do 7am.

When I picked up the student at 10:30, he exited the building with a smile and hopped into the car.

"It wasn't that bad, and it was actually kind of fun. We get a recess! I knew most of the kids there. The teacher was nice. Yes, I understood everything she was saying. Tomorrow we get folders and a textbook. No, there won't be homework. Now that I know what to expect, I won't give you any more trouble. The time goes by pretty fast."

And that was that.

Only 19 more sessions to go.

class of 2015

There I was, minding my own business, when I find that I suddenly have a high schooler.

weekend review

Every year come June, we are so busy that I can't think straight. And then I put it aside and forget about it until the next June, when I'm dumbstruck by all the stuff going on. How does it sneak up on me?

This weekend was a busy one: 5 soccer games and a graduation party.

Friday: Evan had a 7pm game in Fenton, which is an hour drive. Traffic was heinous. We left at 5:15 and almost didn't get there in time. The fields were terrible, it was cold and damp, and they lost 1-0. We got home after 9:00 and after a quick shower jumped back in the car to go to the graduation party of Sydney, the daughter of one of my BFF's and my kids' lifelong friend. I can't believe she is graduating from high school. Impossible. We didn't stay very long, since we got there so late and because we had games the next day.

terrible photo. Next time I will bring my camera!

The kids' games were early and at the same time, so Bart went with Evan & I went with Emma. His team lost, her team won. Evan came home from the game with a fever and slept the entire rest of the day. Very odd...this has only happened less than a handful of times. He was well enough to play his final game on Sunday, which they won. Thanks to Coach Eric for all the good advice and instruction over the past 18 months.

Emma's final game of the season was Sunday night. During the game she began to feel sick as well, so decided to play goalie. She may have though she was going to get a break, but the opposing team did not take it easy on her. She stopped between 20-25 shots and only let in 2. This is the same kid who a few years ago hid underneath my chair bawling her eyes out when her coach asked her to play in goal. She was a rockstar! Thanks to Coach Tim (who is the best and most entertaining part of any soccer game) for helping Emma to improve so dramatically this year.

The rest of this week brings 2 Celebrations of Success, 4 open trainings, soccer tryouts, and the last day of school. Here's to next week!

band kids

Last night was the last band concert of the year, and the last of Emma's career. Next year she is going to choir route, and it's really hard to do both. That, and she doesn't want to be in marching band. Evan is going to continue on in seventh grade, and is considering making a switch to tuba (!)

It was 90+ degrees yesterday, so I was very glad to find they hadthe AC cranking in the cafeteria. My head had been pounding all day, and I don't think I could have sat there for both concerts if it had been hot. Both bands were very good-better than I expected. The songs were fun and you could tell the kids liked them.

I'm sad to see Emma's band days come to an end. She has a knack for music and it was the very first thing she did all by herself without any influence from us. Next year at this time I'll be posting about her solos in choir!

Great job, guys!

yummy and quick summer treat

The last week has been so ridiculously hot, I haven't felt like drinking any hot bevvies. But a girl needs her caffeine (as evidenced by my ever present headache of late). I remembered I made these yummy little frap knock-offs while I was in Florida. Very good, very cheap, and you can have it NOW!

All you need is :

a blender

milk

Starbux Via

flavoring or sugar

ice

For Christmas I got this wonderful Cuisinart compact blender, and we use it for everything. It's perfect for making a quick smoothie. Or whipped cream. Or pesto. Today we are making a frappachifaux.

Fill blender with as much ice as you'd like. Add one Via packet. I have the Tribute blend. Also really enjoy the caramel ones. Add in milk (I use skim) and a small splash of flavored cream, to make it sweet and smooth. Sometimes I add in a flavored syrup instead of the cream. Use what you have on hand.

Blend for 20 seconds or until ice is all crushed.

Viola! You now have a delicious, inexpensive, chilly beverage you can enjoy without too much guilt. And then I don't feel so bad when I spend nearly $5 for one at the coffee shop!

5 good things- May 2011

I can't believe a whole month has gone by since I started focusing on the good things! It's been hard; if you would have asked me a week ago I would have been hard pressed to come up with more than 2 things. The weather has been atrocious...we are on record as the third wettest spring ever. April showers brought May showers, in this case. And we've gone directly into hot hot summer. So I'd like to add air conditioning as one of my good things!

Here we go!

1. Bridesmaids movie. I went to see this with my sister-in-law last weekend (a treat in itself!) and it was over the top hilarious. We laughed a thousand times. Usually after you've seen the previews a million times, most of the jokes are used and there is nothing new to laugh at. But this movie was just so funny. I highly recommend it!

2. The start of the soccer season (finally)! We have been rained out of more games and practices this season, but the first game was good. Emma's team is playing Rec., and she not only volunteered to play goalie for the first half, she scored a goal in the second! It was awesome.
3. Spending the day with a good friend, times 2! My BFF Lisa & I try to get together once a month to catch up and just hang out. Sometimes a month has too much packed into it, and we miss each other. Not this month. We went to Barson's, one of my favorite nurseries, for the first plants of the season. And we went to Koji for sushi. We ordered way too much food but it was all so delicious. I love to spend as much time as I can with Lisa.

I also reconnected with another old friend, Julie, whom I have not seen in somewhere close to 10 years. The funny thing is that we 'chat' all the time on Facebook, so it doesn't seem like we have been apart. You know how sometimes when you haven't seen someone it's awkward and you have very little conversation to fill the space? We didn't. We had lunch and walked around downtown Northville, and chatted some more over coffee. It was a terrific afternoon, and we left promising to see each other again soon.
4. Downtown flower market in Northville. I haven't been hitting the farmer's market with the same regularity that I have in previous years...it's just been too wet. So instead, I waited until flower market weekend. Bart had the day off, and we filled the car with annuals and perennials...only a few of which I have planted. This week, it's my goal to get them all in the ground or in pots.
5. A fresh pedicure. The last one I got was in Florida, so my feet were really rough and in need of some TLC. I took Em with me. I got a french pedi, and she got blue nails with flowers, and a french manicure. Her choir concert is this week, and she's graduating 8th grade, so we splurged a little.
6. These two finally came home! I don't like it when they are gone so long. They're already talking about their next trip and I have my hands over my ears singing "Lalalalalalalala".

So goodbye, May. I hope that June is a beautiful month full of good things!

FO-Boysenberry YO socks

These socks were one of the two patterns from Cookie's sock club for April. It was a very easy to memorize lace pattern, so it took no time to whip up this pair.

The yarn is a special new yarn from Lorna's Laces not available to the public yet. Another perk of Cookie's fabulous club!

I'm very pleased with the way these socks turned out :)