SCORE!

And the Peppards' score yet another amazing teacher!  Neil has two teachers for his core subjects and they are phenomenal.  How we are lucky enough to hit the frigging jackpot again is beyond me but we did.  The Garcia/Schermer team is unreal.  They will put our school on the map.  They want to do some crazy thing with rockets and science and math and college investigations.  They make the kids learn classical poetry.  They make the kids write.  And then they make the kids write more.  And then they make the kids do book reports.  And country reports.  Sigh.   I really wish that Gene had had these guys teach him.  

Oh yay! Oh yay! Oh yay!

Gene just said "Mom?  I think that Republicans are kinda stupid...  I mean they think that when the upper class are rich then the economy does better, well... that doesn't really make sense".  Then he went on to argue his point... something to do with World War II, but frankly I was too busy trying not to jump up and down clapping....  It must be said that up until now, this boy's political direction was unclear.  (THE  WAY  IT  SHOULD  BE  FOR  ANY  FIRST  TIME  VOTER  WHO  IS  ENCOURAGED  TO  THINK  FOR  THEMSELVES  AND  EXAMINE  THE  NEWS  CAREFULLY.)  It should be mentioned that there is a new Current World Problems teacher at our school who has these kids thinking politically, globally and critically like never before. 

No Angry Pencil Here

Bay getting her "homework" done.

Made it to Day 2

Gus said the word "annoying" three times within 20 minutes of getting home today.  Apparently the bus is "annoying"; the bus DRIVER is "annoying"; and I am "annoying".  No real vocabulary surprise here, I'm just glad that he hasn't complained about his teacher yet.  She is lovely and he SHOULD like her.

School

It's so redundant to say that I can't believe Bay has started school, but it's true.  She looks so tiny getting on the bus.  She was keyed up and raring to go yesterday, but once it was time to go wait for the bus she decided that she needed to hold Neil's hand.  She held it from the time we stepped outside until the bus came (quite unlike her).  She wore absolutely nothing new.  She wore her favorite t-shirt and her favorite cardigan.  Everything was clean and new-ish, but this is a girl whose clothes have to "feel right" or the day is going to nosedive.  When the bus dropped her home I went out to meet it  (I think that kindergartners have to be met, the drivers won't let them off unless a parent is waiting) there was a delay.  I could see Gus inside moving around and I assumed that he was gathering his stuff, which is not okay - he knows that he needs to be ready to hustle as far as the bus is concerned.  The lights are flashing, cars are backing up on our road (no doubt wondering the the HELL is the hold up) when finally Gus and Bay descend the steps.  She was asleep, he called to me....  I had to wake her up!  It's maybe a 20 minute ride.  "Yup", she confirmed: "I did.  I fell asleep on the bus!"

nix on the picnics

Strawberry picking is not my children's favorite pastime.  I conned them into it with promises of a picnic and fun for all.  The other two families who joined us also had picnic plans.  When my kids were "done" they headed to the car to where I told them I'd meet them in a few minutes "for the picnic".  I trudged up there with my bucket 'o strawberries and discovered them all IN the car, air conditioning blasting, radio blaring,  having already eaten the picnic (including my special chicken and cream cheese sandwich, which Gus informed me was "FINE but I really wanted peanut butter and jelly".  I ate HIS peanut butter and jelly.  (Thanks.)  The other children in attendance sat and waited while their moms doled out the picnic which they ate, sitting in the sunshine on the grass (picnic-style).  I found myself quite annoyed, wondering why my kids didn't understand the concept of the "picnic" (hardly a complicated concept.  Puhlease.)  Then (and in no way am I knocking the other kids for sitting and enjoying their lunch in the way it was intended) I had a small epiphany.  As much as it is worth celebrating the traditional memory-making-picnic, it is also worth celebrating my kids ability to just take care of themselves.  They were hungry (damnit) and the food was there and they doled it out in the comfort of the cool car, with the radio on.

Is it still a blog if you don't ummmm actually blog?

Life is moving on.  Gene is established at his new school.  Half the reason for my lack of "blog" is that I don't feel at all free to blog about Gene....  Therefore if he is the one we are most focused on then the blog goes flat.  The little turkey (see??  I can't even TRY to blog about him without sounding fake....) made Honor Roll for the quarter he attended Crescent.  Now THAT was nice.

Gus is on the second week of restriction for bad behaviour.  He spends a lot of energy talking about how "stupid and dumb his life/restriction/house/family is".  This ironically leads to an extension of his restriction because once he starts this diatribe his mood darkens and he ends up dragging everyone down with him.  Hopefully, he'll never have to understand the concept of parole.

Mom and Dad are here!!  They are at Dearbhla's right now.  We should see them by the weekend!!

The basement smells like chick poo.  The newest babies are living in my carefully lined, unplumbed sink down there.  They need to be moved outside.  Ginny loves them.  Oh  HOW Ginny loves them!

Fro Ups

Tomorrow is October first and my committment to this blog has been saaaaaad.  So far, the boys still like school.  Because I have to drive  Gene to school just as their bus arrives they have to be ready earlier than ever and it's turned out to be a good thing.  They are now up, dressed, shoed, fed, brushed, cleaned and toileted 15 minutes before the bus is even due.  Gus has even been compliant.... happy even.  I still baby him the most; help with his clothes, offer him MANY different food choices etc.  But it's working.  AND I'm not yelling!

We contracted the stomach flu AND a nasty cold already.  (We may in fact have been the host family for the cold).  Everyone is struggling with illnesses this year.  I'll be getting my flu shots this year for sure, as will everyone else in the Peppard house.  Bay has only vomited one other time in her life and she was so sad and pathetic.  At one point she could feel that she was going to throw up again and she whimpered "Oh no.  Not again", in the saddest little voice.  Gus never got the flu.  Why ask why when it comes to Gus... viruses are weird like that, but still... we all had it and he lived here with us... and either the virus knows when it's met it's match or he is just too fast to allow a virus lodge itself on him.  It's certainly not due to any kind of personal cleanliness, of THAT I am SURE!

I am tired of the remodel.  I have been pretty good for a year and a half but this month Trent and I both felt jaded by it.  It's all coming together pretty quickly, but the last 6 or 7 things are staggering themselves around contractors schedules and it's enough to drive you crazy.  Trent looks for a tape measure six or eight times a week.  It's become a joke for me... but he really actually does lose them ALL  the TIME.  We now own about five of them but no one knows where any of them are.  Obviously I've made a variety of witty suggestions as to where he can look for one.

The hens have not laid and the rooster is a total wanker.  He struts around (I know.... like a rooster....), pushes the hens around, crows from about 4:30 a.m., monopolizes the food and is generally a pain in the ass.  I don't know why the hens put up with him.

September

September's looking good!  It's been great for us to have some structure.  It has been especially great for me... whose structure now consists of whatever I damn well want it to be!  (Had to slip there and use an expletive...)  From 6a.m. to 7a.m. is fraught with potential speedbumps:

Make Trent's coffee... make lunches... feed dogs (all three of whom are around my feet in the small kitchen space until fed...), check time, start calling boys to get up, figure out breakfast choices, check time, figure out wording of choices for breakfast choices for Gus, check that no one eats before shoes are ON and TIED, witness lunches going INTO backpacks, check time,  get dogs IN, get Bay UP and wrapped in blanket and put in car, check time, witness teethbrushing, place boys backpacks outside door, leave with Gene, gather thoughts, do mental checklist, check time....

It's a well-oiled machine (when it works).  Mostly it's been a little chaotic but I haven't had to yell yet!  I haven't been working out, but I really need to start that again this week.  As long as I keep my gym bag in my car I should be able to pull it off.

Bay does not seem to have missed her brothers.  We have had her little friend Aidan this week and that's been a huge distraction for her and has helped us keep the TV off and actually do things.  He'll only be here a few more days.  He and Bay have played on the trampoline, played with the chickens, fed the horse, played games indoors etc etc  They've been busy all day and tired soon after dinner.

Neil is liking school.  He has an amazing teacher, who is fun and inspiring and savvy.  Gus is loving life with Mrs Curtin.  He has a little buddy which is something he is thrilled about.  It's one of the first graders and I think that Mrs Curtin has paired up the first graders with the second graders putting the second graders in the role of mentors and helpers.  I don't think that any of the second graders feel anything but special about being kept with their first grade teacher.  There don't seem to be any misgivings!  Gus certainly feels important because he has a "little buddy".

All's going well.  House is coming along.  All I need now is for one of those chickens to lay an egg and life would be all kinds of perfect!

Neil's deciding....

Neil has heard from at least four sources that the fifth grade teacher is awesome and cool and rad and altogether not to be missed. He had decided that he was going to do one more year of home school but now is back on the fence... Trent is encouraging him to go and meet the teacher. I am encouraging Trent to go and meet the teacher WITH Neil. I've been given the go ahead to set up an appointment. I am 90% certain that Neil will LOVE Mr Rooney (Neil likes to like people) and 95% certain that he will sign up for fifth grade before the end of this month. I told him that I'd like him to decide before summer begins so that the school knows, the home school group knows and I know (so that I don't spend the month of August figuring out curriculum). It will seem crazy to have all three gone to school each day and just me and Bay at home. Crazy. And easy. And lazy. And fun.

Worst Homeschool EVer

Neil wants to go to "real school" (Jesus, I WISH they wouldn't call it that!!!!) He DID say "it's not that I you're not doing a good job, Mom".... (whatEVER... give up the best years of my life... yada, yada, yada....) He wants friends. (WhatEVER.)

Now on the other hand... I WOULD get a whole lot of time to do whatEVER I wanted to do each day... AND I'd get about 30% of my house back to normal use... and I'd get rid of a load of paper.... hmmmm Still, they ARE ungrateful little bastards all the same.

I'm not sure he will go through with it, but I told him he has time to make up his mind. He'd like to be able to go spend a day at school... which might be possible... however I did warn him, that if he did that it would probably be at the fourth grade level but that he'd go in to school next September at the fifth grade level to a different teacher. I don't see much point in sending him to spend a day with the fifth grade at the END of fifth grade because I'm sure he'd go into panic mode with the jump in academics. I may approach the school and see if he could go for an hour before the end of the year.  We've had our share of great teachers, imaginative teachers, dedicated teachers... I am still friends with most of them...  Gene's third grade teacher had a huge impact on me and my assumption that a good student was automatically college bound... and therefore a good parent would consider no option other than a four year college.  Gene may not be cut out for that.  Cathy opened my eyes to that possibility (and she wasn't referring to Gene specifically, but to the assumption that that was the only goal for a caring parent.)

Gus continues to do well... extremely well. His teacher is amazing. Gus LIKES her. (That in itself is amazing... he's not one for a whole lot of willy nilly "liking".) I am starting to think that he was not ready in kindergarten or first grade and I'm sure his speech issues didn't help. But these guys are doing crazy things with him and he is taking off. Like... in leaps and bounds... like if we miss a night of reading I feel awful for the window we are missing... he's progressing that fast. He has the potential to be the first of my boys to actually be a "reader". (Imagine). So, the thought of Neil going to school.... well it doesn't seem so terrible after all. And think of the reading I could do...

GusGus

Gus's teacher called yesterday to talk to us about his progress. She said that she couldn't convey her excitement in an email so she wanted to talk to us personally. Apparently GUS is the HARDEST worker she has seen. (I know... I know... me too... ) She tested his reading yesterday and was astounded at his progress. Well, actually, she predicted his actual progress but was astounded to see it in a quantifiable "test". He has jumped a full year from where he tested with her when he started with her in the middle of February to where is is now. She repeated that he works SO HARD. Also, interestingly, when he read for her yesterday, he used all the new strategies he has learned... and she knew this because when he reads, he talks himself through any difficult patches OUT LOUD. Yes, he talks to himself. So, she actually heard him use the strategies she has taught him! I was flabbergasted and HAD to tell her that we were never able to get him to "work" for us... that our word for Gus was that "he was a ball-buster". (She laughed maybe nervously when I said that.) But... there he is GUS... the WORKER. Who would've guessed. The really crazy thing for me is that I have had to admit that he "fits" in school. He seems happier (well... for Gus!) and although he is still a nightmare (NIGHTMARE) in the morning, once we get out to wait for the bus, he is happy and chatty and gets on the bus with no drama. He EVEN kisses me goodbye. (Before the bus comes in to view!)