It takes 21 days to form a new habit. I have been trying to have MAC get into the habit of doing homework as soon as she gets home. It has been a little hard to enforce because she would get to the house and no one would be available to make sure it was done before the TV went on.
As of today Hubby starts on the day shift and actually gets to meet MAC at the bus stop. He was able to make sure that the homework was done. 21 days. I look forward to the end of the month when this has become a habit. Hopefully she will be able to take notes and get her binder in order next!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Starting Over
After last week all of us are looking forward to a new week. Hubby starts on day shift tomorrow morning, I start in a new office and MAC has a clean slate to start the week with.
Hubby is looking forward to being able to see us and have a more "regular" family life. He has been trying to get back on to day shift for several months and is looking forward to it. I hope he gets his desk when he starts on days. It was specially brought in for him, it is adjustable so he can get that 6"1' frame under it.
MAC has a very relaxing weekend. We have been discussing her birthday party and have had several short outings to church and the mall. She will be starting the week with her own lunch box and I get mine back.
I will start the week in a new office with my old lunch box and am very happy. Yeah, Monday!
Hubby is looking forward to being able to see us and have a more "regular" family life. He has been trying to get back on to day shift for several months and is looking forward to it. I hope he gets his desk when he starts on days. It was specially brought in for him, it is adjustable so he can get that 6"1' frame under it.
MAC has a very relaxing weekend. We have been discussing her birthday party and have had several short outings to church and the mall. She will be starting the week with her own lunch box and I get mine back.
I will start the week in a new office with my old lunch box and am very happy. Yeah, Monday!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Fuzzy Pink Peep Bunny
Let me preface this post with: just last week she told me that pink is not a color she would EVER be seen in or with.
Today was a family day of sorts. We slept in which to me was 6am, Hubby about 8 am, and MAC 10. We got up to go visit the Peeps store at National Harbor Mall. Did you know that there was a Peeps Store? It is the only one in the whole world and it's within driving distance of my house! How lucky am I? I love purple Peeps bunnies and can't wait to take the chocolate bunnies camping where I roast them over the camp fire. MAC has found that she enjoys watching them puff up and has tried to make S'Mores with only two Peeps bunnies and not graham crackers.
Half the fun of the Peeps store is to see what new items Just Born has come up with. Last time I found a water bottle. Today MAC walked in and saw a Fuzzy Pink Peep Bunny at the register and decided that it had to go home with us. I have some new Peep hair elastics.
On the way out the door she did say with a big smile on her face, "Don't judge me, I fully understand the irony of the whole pink thing". Ok, so this isn't me judging, just having a deep belly laugh about a shaggy pink Peep.
Today was a family day of sorts. We slept in which to me was 6am, Hubby about 8 am, and MAC 10. We got up to go visit the Peeps store at National Harbor Mall. Did you know that there was a Peeps Store? It is the only one in the whole world and it's within driving distance of my house! How lucky am I? I love purple Peeps bunnies and can't wait to take the chocolate bunnies camping where I roast them over the camp fire. MAC has found that she enjoys watching them puff up and has tried to make S'Mores with only two Peeps bunnies and not graham crackers.
Half the fun of the Peeps store is to see what new items Just Born has come up with. Last time I found a water bottle. Today MAC walked in and saw a Fuzzy Pink Peep Bunny at the register and decided that it had to go home with us. I have some new Peep hair elastics.
On the way out the door she did say with a big smile on her face, "Don't judge me, I fully understand the irony of the whole pink thing". Ok, so this isn't me judging, just having a deep belly laugh about a shaggy pink Peep.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Girls Group
Tonight was MACs first girls group this month. She was excited to go when she woke up this morning. She was excited about it when she got out of the car today. She was even excited about it when her father picked her up from the bus stop this afternoon. She came home from the appointment with a big smile on her face and even laughed a few times.
We have been having 60 mile an hour winds today and the power has been lost in several locations. Unfortunately one of those places was the doctor's office. It seemed like an adventure to her having the group in the dark.
I am glad to hear that things went well in group. She has had a bit of a rough week at school and this was a great way to end the week.
We have been having 60 mile an hour winds today and the power has been lost in several locations. Unfortunately one of those places was the doctor's office. It seemed like an adventure to her having the group in the dark.
I am glad to hear that things went well in group. She has had a bit of a rough week at school and this was a great way to end the week.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Week 4
No contests tonight. The first thing we got was a word search. It was hard for all three of us to do the 2 puzzles, mostly because I kept finding them and wanting to circle them before they did. We each had our own writing utensiles and there was a combination of blue pen (me), pencil (MAC), and black pen (hubby). I promise I let them do some but it was hard keeping myself in check!
Dinner was Boston Market sandwhiches and chicken noodle soup. I have never had their soup and have decided the next time I go to Boston Market I'll try another type. Tonight's was really yummy! MAC didn't have any soup but had a full roast beef sandwhich, the whole time I know she was wondering where the chips were. The really sad part of it all is that even though I had soup and chicken salad I was the one who was hungry when we got home at 8:30pm.
Tonight's family session was coming together as a family and deciding how we would spend an extra $100 if we were given it. Hubby thought that we could go bowling and to a movie, MAC thought that we should go camping, I was thinking saving but I know that is rather boring. We decided that we would go camping with our non-existant $100. (Knobles was really fun and we would be able to buy some ride tickets as well the camp-site.) For the most part the other families talked about splitting the money evenly among the family and then going to best-buy, game stop, and toys r us.
Dinner was Boston Market sandwhiches and chicken noodle soup. I have never had their soup and have decided the next time I go to Boston Market I'll try another type. Tonight's was really yummy! MAC didn't have any soup but had a full roast beef sandwhich, the whole time I know she was wondering where the chips were. The really sad part of it all is that even though I had soup and chicken salad I was the one who was hungry when we got home at 8:30pm.
Tonight's family session was coming together as a family and deciding how we would spend an extra $100 if we were given it. Hubby thought that we could go bowling and to a movie, MAC thought that we should go camping, I was thinking saving but I know that is rather boring. We decided that we would go camping with our non-existant $100. (Knobles was really fun and we would be able to buy some ride tickets as well the camp-site.) For the most part the other families talked about splitting the money evenly among the family and then going to best-buy, game stop, and toys r us.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Bad Alcohol!
Let me start with, we got about 4 inches of snow last night. Anne Arundel County Public Schools called me at 5:30am to tell me that school was cancelled. 4 inches of snow...it's embarrassing when I talk to my Canadian friends.
MAC stayed home and had a wonderful day of watching TV and staying in her Pajamas. We had a wonderful meal cooked by Hubby and then sat down to watch Glee when it came on at 8pm. Tonight's episode talked about alcohol.
It was definitely a teachable hour of TV. We discussed how bad it makes you smell, how it makes you feel sick, how it can make you throw up, and how it can make you act totally different than you usually do. MAC said that she would never want to drink anything after seeing some of the girls vomit something purple.
None of the songs really made our hit list but the fact that the 5th album comes out next week has made us very excited! Tomorrow is week 4 of Supporting Families, yeah!!
MAC stayed home and had a wonderful day of watching TV and staying in her Pajamas. We had a wonderful meal cooked by Hubby and then sat down to watch Glee when it came on at 8pm. Tonight's episode talked about alcohol.
It was definitely a teachable hour of TV. We discussed how bad it makes you smell, how it makes you feel sick, how it can make you throw up, and how it can make you act totally different than you usually do. MAC said that she would never want to drink anything after seeing some of the girls vomit something purple.
None of the songs really made our hit list but the fact that the 5th album comes out next week has made us very excited! Tomorrow is week 4 of Supporting Families, yeah!!
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Crying Is The Worst
There is nothing worse for a mother than to see her child bawling. Yesterday was not a fun day for the two of us at the Girl Scout Thinking Day Event in Baltimore. By the end of the day I was bribing her with what the fact that we were going to a Dr appointment and she could tell Dr. P how mean and horrible she thought I was.
We got to the appointment and when we got in to the appointment she decided that she wasn't going to speak because "Mom always makes her into the bad guy" and "everyone always takes Moms side". Both Dr. P and I asked her several times to give her side of the story and finally the Dr said to just start and give my side.
MAC had hugged a pillow to her as soon as we got in the office and then started bawling as I told the story. Dr. P asked her if she had used any of her feeling words. She said no. Dr. P gave her a form of feeling words and told her to keep it handy. Dr. P suggested that I should try to look for the emotions under her moods (because yesterday could have been avoided if she had told me that she was still not feeling good and then if she had said that the 800+ people made her anxious and that she did not feel comfortable standing in the line).
The entire hour was spent with her crying, bawling, sniffing, bawling harder, and then sniffing. It almost brought me to tears just seeing her so miserable and than hearing her say that no one ever takes her side and that no one cares how she feels. By the end of the session I think we both felt better and hopefully we now have some tools that will help us the next time we have a situation.
We got to the appointment and when we got in to the appointment she decided that she wasn't going to speak because "Mom always makes her into the bad guy" and "everyone always takes Moms side". Both Dr. P and I asked her several times to give her side of the story and finally the Dr said to just start and give my side.
MAC had hugged a pillow to her as soon as we got in the office and then started bawling as I told the story. Dr. P asked her if she had used any of her feeling words. She said no. Dr. P gave her a form of feeling words and told her to keep it handy. Dr. P suggested that I should try to look for the emotions under her moods (because yesterday could have been avoided if she had told me that she was still not feeling good and then if she had said that the 800+ people made her anxious and that she did not feel comfortable standing in the line).
The entire hour was spent with her crying, bawling, sniffing, bawling harder, and then sniffing. It almost brought me to tears just seeing her so miserable and than hearing her say that no one ever takes her side and that no one cares how she feels. By the end of the session I think we both felt better and hopefully we now have some tools that will help us the next time we have a situation.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Channel my Inner Dancer
When I was 13 I took a few ballet classes. We put MAC in ballet classes when she was 5 and 6 and although she had a knack for it she never really seemed to love it so after a few years we took her out and allowed her to try basketball.
Tonight I went Contra-dancing. It seems to be a cross between square dancing (yes, like you did in middle school) and hand dancing. It was a whole lot of fun but had me using muscles I haven't used in a very long time. When I left the dance hall I realized that I was limping mostly due to sore hips.
The music was wonderful, hammered dulcimer, lute and bodhran. The contra dance happens every 3rd Saturday of the month. I hope that maybe one of these Saturday's MAC and Hubby might want to come and try it out.
Tonight I went Contra-dancing. It seems to be a cross between square dancing (yes, like you did in middle school) and hand dancing. It was a whole lot of fun but had me using muscles I haven't used in a very long time. When I left the dance hall I realized that I was limping mostly due to sore hips.
The music was wonderful, hammered dulcimer, lute and bodhran. The contra dance happens every 3rd Saturday of the month. I hope that maybe one of these Saturday's MAC and Hubby might want to come and try it out.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Feed Me!
Little Shop of Horrors was everything I remember it being. It was amazing to look at my daughter sitting in the seat next to me and watching her eyes fixed on the stage and never wavering. We got to the box office and were able to walk up to the window. The lady was not able to make the $5 change that we needed so we had to wait until someone else came and bought one ticket with exact change. MAC kept asking if we were going to be able to see the play or not.
I had told her a little about the musical and she was very disappointed that there wouldn't be any blood spurting all over the stage but thought that it sounded like it might be good anyway. We were able to sit in the seats halfway up from the stage. We were able to see the whole stage and there was enough leg room for Hubby to be comfortable.
MAC enjoyed the music even though she couldn't always understand the lyrics. Hubby and I have discussed going and buying the Rick Moranis movie so she could hear the actual lyrics. MAC started out being hard on the actors until we reminded her that they were only 3 or 4 years older than she was. Hubby said that he hopes one day to be sitting in the audience waiting for MAC to come out and perform, so do I.
I had told her a little about the musical and she was very disappointed that there wouldn't be any blood spurting all over the stage but thought that it sounded like it might be good anyway. We were able to sit in the seats halfway up from the stage. We were able to see the whole stage and there was enough leg room for Hubby to be comfortable.
MAC enjoyed the music even though she couldn't always understand the lyrics. Hubby and I have discussed going and buying the Rick Moranis movie so she could hear the actual lyrics. MAC started out being hard on the actors until we reminded her that they were only 3 or 4 years older than she was. Hubby said that he hopes one day to be sitting in the audience waiting for MAC to come out and perform, so do I.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
I hear music in the air
After over 20 years I am still pulling out my flute and having a wonderful time playing it. I have been very lucky and have been playing at my different churches since I started playing in 5th grade. I have been trying to get MAC to sing with PoP Music but she doesn't want to go to practice and is embarrassed to stand in front of the church.
Tomorrow we will be going to see a High School Musical. While that brings to mind a few Disney Movies I am very excited that it is going to be Little Shop of Horrors. This was the first musical that my parents took my sister and I to when we were young. It has held a special place in my heart and memories ever since.
While I am sad to say that I have never played in the orchestra for Little Shop of Horrors there have been many others. MAC and I have been discussing trying out for a musical at the Bowie Playhouse. She has to get her grades up before we try out and she will have to get used to singing and dancing infront of people. Who knows, maybe one day we'll both be in a playbill together!
Tomorrow we will be going to see a High School Musical. While that brings to mind a few Disney Movies I am very excited that it is going to be Little Shop of Horrors. This was the first musical that my parents took my sister and I to when we were young. It has held a special place in my heart and memories ever since.
While I am sad to say that I have never played in the orchestra for Little Shop of Horrors there have been many others. MAC and I have been discussing trying out for a musical at the Bowie Playhouse. She has to get her grades up before we try out and she will have to get used to singing and dancing infront of people. Who knows, maybe one day we'll both be in a playbill together!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Week 3
Amazingly our winning streak continues! We won a deck of cards for getting all the answers right on our Family brain teaser last week. We were really excited to be getting our first set of incentives and then the family project tonight was to build something out of model magic. There would be a first, a second and third place winner and there would be prizes. The kids were supposed to make item and the parents were just supposed to talk and ask questions. MAC decided to make a candle holder. It was really neat looking, she put a "candle" in it and got some yellow clay to make a flame. She won 1st place!
It was week 3 and we got our incentives. Both Hubby and I thought that it would be a Giant card for the family and a Best Buy card for MAC. It turned out that we both got a Giant Card since we both attened the group, and MAC won an extra Best Buy card for coming in first place for her candle holder.
Hubby said to me that he originally hadn't held a lot of hope for the program when we started (although he would have continued to come because MAC and I wanted to do it) but that he has really found that he likes it. We have even discussed after the program is over continuing Wednesday evenings as "Family Evening". I hope we can continue to have as much fun together after the program as we are in the program.
It was week 3 and we got our incentives. Both Hubby and I thought that it would be a Giant card for the family and a Best Buy card for MAC. It turned out that we both got a Giant Card since we both attened the group, and MAC won an extra Best Buy card for coming in first place for her candle holder.
Hubby said to me that he originally hadn't held a lot of hope for the program when we started (although he would have continued to come because MAC and I wanted to do it) but that he has really found that he likes it. We have even discussed after the program is over continuing Wednesday evenings as "Family Evening". I hope we can continue to have as much fun together after the program as we are in the program.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Happy Valentines Day
It has been a weekend of doing nothing. None of us are feeling very well and I picked MAC up early from school on Friday. She got ready to go to school and was on her way downstairs this morning when I took a good look at her, she was pale, her eyes weren't focused well and she still didn't have much of a voice. I made her go right back to bed.
Do you remember getting the little boxes of Russel Stover chocolates from your parents? I do. They're still out there, with the types of choclate in the lid but this year Hallmark has come out with a really cute little "love bug". I said to Hubby last night that I wasn't sure if MAC would like it or if she was "too grown up". When I saw it I just couldn't pass it up. I got some dark chocolate kisses and put them in the love bug and gave it to her with her card when I got home. She said she loved it!
I am glad to know that even though I sometimes wonder about this whole teenage thing, she still has moments like today when she stayed in her fuzzy bathrobe all day with a stuffed animal cuddled in her arms.
Do you remember getting the little boxes of Russel Stover chocolates from your parents? I do. They're still out there, with the types of choclate in the lid but this year Hallmark has come out with a really cute little "love bug". I said to Hubby last night that I wasn't sure if MAC would like it or if she was "too grown up". When I saw it I just couldn't pass it up. I got some dark chocolate kisses and put them in the love bug and gave it to her with her card when I got home. She said she loved it!
I am glad to know that even though I sometimes wonder about this whole teenage thing, she still has moments like today when she stayed in her fuzzy bathrobe all day with a stuffed animal cuddled in her arms.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Gottcha' day
Today 35 years ago my parents went to the orphanage to pick up the little infant girl that they had adopted. Throughout the years they have told me stories about the day they went to get me and how they had to go back several times because the foster family had taken a trip to visit family in another province.
As much as I loved hearing those stories MAC also loves to hear stories about when she was young. She asks Hubby for stories of when he was young and there is always time during our family camping trips in the morning when he tells her stories of when he went camping as a child.
There are some stories she always wants to hear and she has found her baby book which has several stories in it, just as I have always loved hearing my gottcha day story. I know that I am very lucky to have not only a birthday but a gottcha day as well. I got parents that love me and have had a life that orphan girls in Korea can only dream of.
As much as I loved hearing those stories MAC also loves to hear stories about when she was young. She asks Hubby for stories of when he was young and there is always time during our family camping trips in the morning when he tells her stories of when he went camping as a child.
There are some stories she always wants to hear and she has found her baby book which has several stories in it, just as I have always loved hearing my gottcha day story. I know that I am very lucky to have not only a birthday but a gottcha day as well. I got parents that love me and have had a life that orphan girls in Korea can only dream of.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sleep
MAC has been begging us to let her stay up longer at night. Mostly because she wants to watch whatever is on Disney channel. I have been holding pretty tight to the 7:30 bedtime. It used to be that she only stayed up a little extra on Tuesdays due to girl scouts and Glee but the Wednesday evening group is keeping us up later too. Tonight she headed to bed around 8:45.
I am looking forward to how well she gets up in the morning. I have been reading about how much sleep a child and a teen needs. For the most part they need at least 10 hours of sleep. She tends to be lucky if she can get 8. She has recently begun to take melatonin but tries very hard every day to get out of taking it. I finally asked her doctor to prescribe it so that we wouldn't have the fight anymore. It didn't help .
I hope she makes it through school tomorrow!
I am looking forward to how well she gets up in the morning. I have been reading about how much sleep a child and a teen needs. For the most part they need at least 10 hours of sleep. She tends to be lucky if she can get 8. She has recently begun to take melatonin but tries very hard every day to get out of taking it. I finally asked her doctor to prescribe it so that we wouldn't have the fight anymore. It didn't help .
I hope she makes it through school tomorrow!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Week 2
After week two we are still having a fun time at the group. The family project tonight was several word problems such as: /R/E/A/D/I/N/G/ =Reading between the lines. Of all the problems there was only one that we could not figure out: ii ii
O O if you know what this is pleeeeaaase let me know. It is driving me crazy!
We were able to come up with 196 words last week. We won, we had the most words! We received a $25 gift card to Wal-mart which MAC tried to take control over as soon as it was in my hand. I figure that we will go on Saturday after her school trip. I know that she thinks she'll get to spend it all but Hubby and I think since we won it as a family we will get something fun that the whole family can use.
Next week we get the first incentive. MAC has decided that she wants the Best Buy gift card. I can't wait to sign for that one.
O O if you know what this is pleeeeaaase let me know. It is driving me crazy!
We were able to come up with 196 words last week. We won, we had the most words! We received a $25 gift card to Wal-mart which MAC tried to take control over as soon as it was in my hand. I figure that we will go on Saturday after her school trip. I know that she thinks she'll get to spend it all but Hubby and I think since we won it as a family we will get something fun that the whole family can use.
Next week we get the first incentive. MAC has decided that she wants the Best Buy gift card. I can't wait to sign for that one.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Gleeful!
We had our usual 2nd Tuesday of the month tonight: PVA performance plus, dinner, Girl Scout meeting, and Glee. The best part tonight was that she got to run the first part of the Girl Scout meeting and for the most part it went well. The girls are very chatty and although MAC had a month to prepare for the meeting she seemed to have forgotten what she was going to teach.
She and I discussed the family group tomorrow. She is excited to go and is counting down the days until she gets her first Toys'R'Us gift card. I am looking forward to turning in my "homework" and seeing who got the most words out of the words "Supporting Families" we were able to come up with almost a hundred, the current record is 210.
She and I discussed the family group tomorrow. She is excited to go and is counting down the days until she gets her first Toys'R'Us gift card. I am looking forward to turning in my "homework" and seeing who got the most words out of the words "Supporting Families" we were able to come up with almost a hundred, the current record is 210.
Monday, February 7, 2011
An Unfortunate Word
Who would have ever thought that the word "bookstore" would cause such a problem. Ok, so I know two of you out there for whom "bookstore" is a bad word. MES and I used to read anything and everything we could get our hands on from the school and the base library. SG continues to lend me multiple books out of her extensive library.
Today I mentioned that I was planning on going to the bookstore and MAC took it to mean that I was going to take her to the bookstore, and buy her a new Manga. (Which we had just done on Saturday.) She was supposed to have taken notes in her 4 core classes. When I asked her she said that she had only taken notes in one class. I told her no way was I going to take her somewhere and buy her something when she hadn't done what she was supposed to do. For the rest of the afternoon which was all the way through her Doctor's appointment and then the ride home. She started crying when I took the exit to the house instead of to the bookstore.
Although I continued to tell her that I would not buy her anything she kept asking. I finally told her there was no way in the world that I would the tears kept coming. When we finally got home I was fed up. I left her downstairs and went to my room. Her father was so angry that he made her put all her manga away until further notice and told her that we would not be purchasing any more until he felt she had gotten the point that we did not purchase her something every time we went out and that the word "bookstore" did not mean that we were going there right away.
Today I mentioned that I was planning on going to the bookstore and MAC took it to mean that I was going to take her to the bookstore, and buy her a new Manga. (Which we had just done on Saturday.) She was supposed to have taken notes in her 4 core classes. When I asked her she said that she had only taken notes in one class. I told her no way was I going to take her somewhere and buy her something when she hadn't done what she was supposed to do. For the rest of the afternoon which was all the way through her Doctor's appointment and then the ride home. She started crying when I took the exit to the house instead of to the bookstore.
Although I continued to tell her that I would not buy her anything she kept asking. I finally told her there was no way in the world that I would the tears kept coming. When we finally got home I was fed up. I left her downstairs and went to my room. Her father was so angry that he made her put all her manga away until further notice and told her that we would not be purchasing any more until he felt she had gotten the point that we did not purchase her something every time we went out and that the word "bookstore" did not mean that we were going there right away.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Things I have learned from my daughter
Over the past year I have learned several things from my daughter:
1) Be careful how you say something, it's not necessarily what you say.
2) Really good friends are the only kind worth having.
3) A soft blanket is priceless.
4) Laughter can make a lot of sadness disappear.
I hope one day she can look at me and say that she has learned something too: love.
1) Be careful how you say something, it's not necessarily what you say.
2) Really good friends are the only kind worth having.
3) A soft blanket is priceless.
4) Laughter can make a lot of sadness disappear.
I hope one day she can look at me and say that she has learned something too: love.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Catch her doing something good
We got homework from our class on Wednesday. Each day for the next week we need to "catch her doing something good". It sounds as if it should be easy, right? I know she does good things every day...this week I have to write it down for each day. I know that I compliment her all the time...ok, maybe not...
It took me until almost bedtime to find something that I could compliment her on yesterday! I felt horrible that it took me that long!! She played really nicely with SG's boys while we were over there eating dinner. Today there have been a few times: she waited for a couple to be seated, while we were at the restaurant, before she pushed past. When we got home she cleaned up the back seat of the car without my having to tell her to. Of course she is getting ready for bed now and there is no more time for today.
I guess it should be easier over the weekend while we are all together for most of the day. It's hard to "catch her" when you see her for an hour in the morning and less than 2 hours at night during a school week. I guess this is why the class says it is so important to have a sit down family meal every night.
It took me until almost bedtime to find something that I could compliment her on yesterday! I felt horrible that it took me that long!! She played really nicely with SG's boys while we were over there eating dinner. Today there have been a few times: she waited for a couple to be seated, while we were at the restaurant, before she pushed past. When we got home she cleaned up the back seat of the car without my having to tell her to. Of course she is getting ready for bed now and there is no more time for today.
I guess it should be easier over the weekend while we are all together for most of the day. It's hard to "catch her" when you see her for an hour in the morning and less than 2 hours at night during a school week. I guess this is why the class says it is so important to have a sit down family meal every night.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
And Now For Something Totally Different
Today was the first day of a new family group, it is called "Families Supporting Families" and is run through the county. There are several different groups running in different places in the county and our group is at Meade Middle School. The classes start at 5:30 and a free dinner is served. There is a breakout session for the different age groups (nursery, elementary school, teens and parents) where we are supposed to learn how to communicate with each other and then we all get back together for a 1/2 hour family session. Today we had a "family scavenger hunt" where we had to find people that had certain character traits: Blue eyes, lived outside the country and wearing red were some of the items.
I thought the groups started next week but got a call today saying that our 14 weeks started today! It took me by surprise and I immediately called home to tell Hubby. MAC and I had made plans for dinner and while I still was able to help her school we did not eat Chevey's tonight.
Instead we had baked ziti, bread sticks, and salad. Apparently the teens will get a "prize" each week they attend. If we drive ourselves we will get a gas card each week otherwise the county will send a taxi for us. There are several incentives for the families to come every week and MAC is looking forward to week 3 when she will earn a Toy's'R'Us gift card just for herself.
When we left I asked how each one felt. Both said they were glad we were going. I am very excited to begin the real course next week. 14 weeks seems so long...but I know it will be worth it in the end!
I thought the groups started next week but got a call today saying that our 14 weeks started today! It took me by surprise and I immediately called home to tell Hubby. MAC and I had made plans for dinner and while I still was able to help her school we did not eat Chevey's tonight.
Instead we had baked ziti, bread sticks, and salad. Apparently the teens will get a "prize" each week they attend. If we drive ourselves we will get a gas card each week otherwise the county will send a taxi for us. There are several incentives for the families to come every week and MAC is looking forward to week 3 when she will earn a Toy's'R'Us gift card just for herself.
When we left I asked how each one felt. Both said they were glad we were going. I am very excited to begin the real course next week. 14 weeks seems so long...but I know it will be worth it in the end!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Rocky Horror Glee
We have arrived in the middle of the Glee season when they are showing reruns. MAC and I watched together tonight and it was the Halloween special, Rocky Horror Glee Show. It was fun to watch bits of a show that was a part of my teen age years and to hear MAC humming the tunes.
The next show is Sunday after the Super Bowl. We had a little discussion over how she will probably not get to see that one but that we will DVR it. I don't expect the Football game to be over before 9ish and being a school night she needs to be in bed much earlier than 10!
MAC found that she was tired and since we had already seen the episode she went to bed 10 minuets before the end! Let's do the time warp again!
The next show is Sunday after the Super Bowl. We had a little discussion over how she will probably not get to see that one but that we will DVR it. I don't expect the Football game to be over before 9ish and being a school night she needs to be in bed much earlier than 10!
MAC found that she was tired and since we had already seen the episode she went to bed 10 minuets before the end! Let's do the time warp again!
In Case of Emergency
Many of my friends and I have had several debates over whether our child(ren) should have a cell phone. It doesn't really matter about the age of the child because I've talked with parents of children under 10 and those that have a tween and we are all in the same "Do we or don't we?" situation.
We bought MAC a cell phone 2 years ago when she was walking home from elementary school and coming home to an empty house. Verizon had just come out with the parent/child locate feature and I wanted to be able to find her if I didn't get the "I got home fine and yes I'll do my homework" phone call from her. She got just a little flip phone, no camera, no texting and no web browsing. For the most part she loved taking it with her but rarely used it. Last year Hubby and I upgraded our phones and she got one of our old ones, it has a camera and a keyboard (although she still doesn't have texting). She took it to school and somewhere between the bus and her room she lost it. We decided to wait to replace it until one of us was eligible for an upgrade.
With the odd times that we have been getting snow and the ice as well as the many times that the bus has been late this year we took one of our back up phones and reprogrammed for her. Monday was her first day with a phone in about 8 months. We want to make sure she can contact us if needs arise.
We bought MAC a cell phone 2 years ago when she was walking home from elementary school and coming home to an empty house. Verizon had just come out with the parent/child locate feature and I wanted to be able to find her if I didn't get the "I got home fine and yes I'll do my homework" phone call from her. She got just a little flip phone, no camera, no texting and no web browsing. For the most part she loved taking it with her but rarely used it. Last year Hubby and I upgraded our phones and she got one of our old ones, it has a camera and a keyboard (although she still doesn't have texting). She took it to school and somewhere between the bus and her room she lost it. We decided to wait to replace it until one of us was eligible for an upgrade.
With the odd times that we have been getting snow and the ice as well as the many times that the bus has been late this year we took one of our back up phones and reprogrammed for her. Monday was her first day with a phone in about 8 months. We want to make sure she can contact us if needs arise.
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