Spelling

Gus is a natural speller.  I'm not sure how this happened because he has only become a proficient reader in the last year.  But when given a "spelling test" where words are read out and he must write them, he is pretty amazing.  However, as soon as he actually writes anything for any other purpose his spelling goes in the toilet.  It is only Night Nine and we have already had Angry Pencil Night.  (Jesus......)

Meet the-Blogalots

 I think we all know that GUS has a blog....  Neil now has one at school and (da ta da da!) so does Gene!  I got a quick look at it last night at his Open House and it's cool.  Funnily, in a recent post he emphasized a point by using ALL  CAPS.  I asked his teacher is she approved that and she said it was appropriate given the context.  (She is pretty amazing and if Gene tunes in just a little he will leave that class smarter, funnier, more broadminded, savvier, wittier, with a better vocabulary and maybe even better looking.)  (Yes, she really IS  THAT  good.)

Skipping School

Tomorrow was to be "Back To Workout Day"... but Neil went to bed complaining of "not feeling good" and so I think I may be home with him.  (Of course, given that I've skipped working out for two weeks in a row I am glad of a "real" excuse to not go.  Two weeks skipped?  It's easy-peasy to skip two months.)  Neil  LOVES school and never misses any.  Last week I let Gus stay home (he was up until after 11pm with his cousins and would have been a NIGHTMARE to wake up and probably a nightmare in school, so I kept him hom (he slept until almost 11a.m.)  Neil was up and out the same morning with nary a backward glance...  He has a great teacher whom he loves, loves, loves.  The nice thing for me is that I never have to question his motives : if he says he "doesn't feel good" then he doesn't feel good. 

Gus is very, very, very, very, very sad because his teacher is moving away.  I knew he'd be sad, but the day that she told the class the news he got off the bus, asked me if I knew about Mrs. Curtin moving away and then walked away from me trying to hide his tears.  He pretty much cried all day.  It was heartbreaking.  This is NOT a kid given to tears or drama.  He is still horribly sad about it but is comforted by being able to blame Mrs. Curtin's husband for accepting a job offer in Virginia.  The new line now is "I'm so mad at Stu"... there are far less tears now that he has moved on to annoyance.