Post by mustardseed2007 on Jul 29, 2019 7:33:10 GMT -5
It was a nice weekend overall.
We stayed in on Friday and it was glorious. We had to cut game night short, though, because the kids kept fighting. At the stage where H was screaming at them to knock it off I put the game away. The bickering is getting OLD.
Saturday we didn't do much. We did go to a hardware store and looked at doors and locks because I'm still wanting to replace what we have. We didn't buy anything b/c we can't make a decision. I did work on fundraiser stuff for next year (thank you guys). H played cards and I stayed with the kids and watched an old disney movie - headless horseman and wind in the willows.
Sunday I had my triathlon. I felt good about it but then made the mistake of looking at how I did two years ago in the same race. Why did I do that? Then I took DD to a birthday party of one of her favorite classmates. In informed a bunch of people that next week was her last week at the montessori school and I seriously almost cried with some people. Damn I'm going to miss the families - not the school but the families.
Post by covergirl82 on Jul 29, 2019 7:52:20 GMT -5
Pretty good weekend overall. DH left around noon on Friday to take the kids camping. I was WFH on Friday, so I ended up working until around 5:30 because the house the quiet and I was getting things done. Saturday I read in bed for a little while after I woke up and then painted the railings on our front porch. It took around 1.5 hours for each section because there were so. many. spindles. After I was all done with painting, I got a pizza and binge-watched Outlander. Sunday morning I went to church and DH and the kids were home by the time I got home. I still had to clean the bathrooms in the afternoon, so that took a while.
Half my department is gone for all-day planning sessions for our new enterprise resource system, so it's pretty quiet. I should be able to get quite a bit done without many distractions (due to being in an open-office setting).
Great weekend!! The outdoor concert was amazing. The weather was great and the band was awesome. All may 80s and 90s hits. Saturday, DH actually did barbeque so we have enough chicken ribs and burgers to last the next few days. That is great since we wont get in from volleyball until 7:30 or 8.
Sunday we dropped DS for his trip to DC. He landed safely in DC this morning, so he made it to the correct city. Now as long as he doesn't get distracted and wander around, he should be fine. DD went to youth group. DH and I went to a friends pool all day. That was a mistake. We had a great time, but I didn't get anything done and DH drank several beers, so he snored THE ENTIRE NIGHT. I was plotting his demise around 2:30 AM.
Despite the late start, my date on Friday went really well. Hung out at the lake having a picnic for a couple hours, then when the bugs started taking over we left and stopped for pizza and beer on the way home. Ended the night at his place, where he made a point to say he would leave the unopened wine I brought in his fridge for the next time I came over. So that's a good sign!
Then birthday sleepover with my girlfriends was a ton of fun. We had a crazy amount of snack food, drank a bunch of wine, and just sat up in my living room talking for hours. This group of women totally rallied around me in the past year and it was just so nice to spend time with them for a positive reason, instead of me losing my mind because of XH while one of them takes care of me.
This weekend was busy. Each kid had a birthday party on Saturday. DD did really well skating! DS did too but I think he’s still a little too little to enjoy it. Then Sunday we ran errands and swam. It was fun to just have some “us” time.
After work today I’m having dinner w my BFF and another BFF who lives in England. I’m looking forward to that. We had a swim day but you can’t really talk with all the kids around.
ETA: Two observations from this weekend: 1) DD is getting really obnoxiously sassy. We need to put the kibosh on that. 2) I’m losing my patience with everyone redshirting their kids and my kids suffering for it. We went to a birthday party for a girl in DS’s class. She turned 6 last month. DS turned 5 on the last day of April. Of course she and all the kids WHO SHOULD BE IN FIRST GRADE are more mature than my kid WHO IS THE CORRECT AGE FOR KINDERGARTEN. Honestly, like half their classes are made up of kids a year or more older than they are. For DD I kind of get it. She has a summer birthday. But DS has a birthday during the school year.
Wow, it's been awhile since I've been here. Two weekends ago, DH and I were enjoying the trails at Letchworth. It was so hot, but so beautiful to hike to the waterfalls. DH's friend joined us for an afternoon for hiking and dinner. We didn't get to go on a hot air balloon ride because of the weather. I was bummed because it was for DH's 40th birthday. But he said that just getting away with me was all that he needed.
This past weekend was pretty low key. We went to the gym in the morning and then school supply shopping in the afternoon. DD and DS1 start school 4 weeks from today. Where did the summer go? On Sunday, I went to the gym again and then spent time reorganizing some kitchen closets and DD's room. Then I booked a mini family vacation to Columbus OH in 3 weeks. We'll visit the zoo, COSI, and Legoland. I think the kids will enjoy it.
I just signed up for a 10 mile race in early November. I needed something to get my butt back in gear and to lose the last 10 lbs of baby weight. Training starts today and of course DS2 was up for 3 hours last night. Needless to say, my butt is dragging this morning. I'll have to run 2 miles while DD is at swim lessons at the Y.
We had a good & (too) busy weekend. I was home on Friday because I had a migraine At least I got some chill time on the couch plus got some dusting done.
Saturday I took DD to a skating party (4 hrs long!), and took DS to lunch. After we picked her up, the kids begged to go to the pool with the neighbors so we all did that.
Sunday we spent a good part of the day driving from our town to another town 40 mins away (2x!); DD and I went to church with my brother & family in the morning, then we had to go home & pick up DH and DS to go to a friend's pool party. It was all fun but I am tired today!
We had a wedding Saturday and we didn't take the kids. They had a blast with my parents and slept overnight with them. DH and I had a much needed kid free night and reconnected.
We slept in and then started getting ready for the couples shower. Everything went off without a hitch. The bride and groom had a lovely day - they loved the shoe game, we played a game of kickball and there was a water balloon fight. So fun! My MIL made way too much food again but whatever. I asked DH to make their gift so I could use it to hang pictures of them. I love that he is so handy when it comes to that stuff and he is always game for it. His cousin said it was awesome and my MIL was raving about it so now that might be the Christmas gift this year. We didn't get home until 6:30pm after all the clean up at the park. Then, it was carrying everything into the house and unloading, taking baths, etc. I'm exhausted today.
The next wedding drama is that the groom and his sister asked me to plan her bachelorette party because the MOH isn't doing anything. She didn't end up coming to the shower. I'm going to text her later to see if she is planning anything and let her know that she should start because I don't really have the energy for it.
DD3 is sick again so we can't go get her labs tested again this week like we had planned.
Weekend was good! Friday DD1 had a friend over to swim after camp, and DD2 was a total pill, so we removed her.
Then Saturday we opened up the camper to start packing it up for the big trip next weekend, and a mouse has eaten through the canvas and screen and made a nest. So we evicted her and the babies. I was able to sew a patch over the screen and DH ordered a canvas patch kit. We found where they got in - a gasket pulled away from the roof a little. Then DD2 went to the beach with friends.
Sunday my parents came to visit for swimming and dinner. It was nice to see them. DH and my dad talked about work all afternoon since they work in the same field and know all the same people. This weekend was the anniversary of FIL’s passing, so I think it was nice for DH to spend a little time with a dad-like figure.
This morning the kids went to camp together. I was very nervous about it because they haven’t been getting along at all, but they were amazing together this morning. Fingers crossed that it lasts.
We had a good weekend. I had happy hour with a friend on Friday, and a girls day on Saturday.. by Sunday, I felt so refreshed.
Our kids crack me up.. 100 degrees and they decided they needed to put up an OJ stand. One of the girls wanted all proceeds to go to cancer research, and no one said otherwise so most of the kids were disappointed they didn’t get to keep any money. (If their sign hasn’t said ALL money goes to cancer research, I would have done a mix. But truth in advertising is important!)
And in sad news, our local area had a mass shooting yesterday. I am baffled that ANYONE can say that the gun climate in this country do need SOME level of overhaul. At what point is it considered “bad enough” to warrant looking at?
Seattle trip was amazing. Other than it taking 90 minutes to get through Portland on Thursday we had an easy drive. Very long days and DH kept saying we needed to set an alarm so we got up earlier. Friday we left the motel at 9am and didn't get back until 9pm and walked 27K steps. This was after getting in after 10 Thursday night. I wanted to sleep not be up and leaving before 7 Saturday was DH's idea. We ended up not leaving until after 10 Saturday morning. We let DD sleep. Also drove to the park and ride and took the monorail to the needle from the link train station. Didn't realize they had a parade on Saturday so ended up walking a lot because by the time we wanted to head to China town for dinner all the shuttles/transports were blocked. After dinner DH wanted to go back to do the needle again and I told him no us girls were done and ready for bed. Sunday DD was a pill but we went back to Pikes Market for crepes and a some shopping before taking the train back to the car and heading home. Got home around 7 and got the dog who is giving us the cold shoulder.
DD and I are very tired today. I wish I would have taken today off so we could have stayed home and had a chill day. I may do that tomorrow as I'm going to the Back Street Boys concert with my sister tomorrow night in Portland.
Post by covergirl82 on Jul 29, 2019 10:42:38 GMT -5
mommyatty, I understand your frustration. At least in our district, it's not entirely the parents' fault. When DS was screened for K, they screened all kids no matter their birthdate, and recommended that DS do young 5's due to his July birthday and he didn't score as well on some of the social items (although I kind of question that assessment, as I could see how some kids are nervous being in a new environment with kids they don't know and therefore may not "score" well). Two years later, when we signed DD up for screening, they had changed it to saying that any kids born before March (which is DD) would go to K unless the parent wanted them screened, March - May birthday kids would be screened, and June or after birthday kids would automatically go to young 5's, unless the parent wanted them screened.
Post by supertrooper1 on Jul 29, 2019 11:38:50 GMT -5
I had a pretty low key weekend. Date night Friday was just dinner since we were both tired. Saturday we went on a wild goose chase trying to find a motorcycle part for him and then out to lunch. He felt bad that we didn't do anything more fun, but I just enjoy spending time with him. Sunday was just a low key day at home. I paid off my car and now am completely debt free! So I treated myself to a Traeger grill that is supposed to arrive today. I've been wanting one for a couple years and I'm so excited that I finally bought one.
covergirl82, mommyatty, I agree with the whole red shirt deal. There is a boy in DD's grade with her same b-day early June but he is a whole year older than her. Most of the kids in her grade seem to have fall b-days so they are always a whole year older than her which bugs her a lot. They tried to talk me into red shirting DD and I was like no she was ready to go to school as a young 4. Do you see my then 4 year old chatting it up and doing XYZ over there with the teacher. I wish you had to do a test to be able to red shirt to prove that you are not ready for K instead of a K readiness test to see if you are ready. Most kids who have done preschool are more than ready for K at least out here where K is a repeat of any decent preschool.
Happy Monday to DD. She has been babysitting for a total of 16 minutes. I get a text that states: "these kids are insane and I am pretty sure I just stepped in dog pee." Gonna be a long week.
Edit: now she is claiming she can't get to the dryer to dry her sock and sending pictures of the house. She may be too anal retentive to babysit. I am pretty sure elementary teacher or nanny has just be struck from her potential job lists.
One of our clients left a voicemail on late Sunday night saying if we didn't return their phone call by 10am the would be having their attorneys call as we were ignoring them. We've had 5 prank can't understand them voicemails last week all late evening calls. This lady was each call. We did call her this morning and told her we would have called back last week but we couldn't understand the messages and thought they were crank calls which pissed her off. Her taxes are mess and she doesn't understand why they are taking so long but she switched investments companies and then new investment company sold her entire portfolio 10 days after acquiring and reinvested in different stuff. They posted it on the 1099B as Long Term box E with no basis so we have been piecing together the basis history for weeks. Some of these funds go back to the 80s.
Our school is part of the problem with redshirting. Like one of DD’s bffs is 2 weeks shy of a year older. But his parents brought him in to be tested to see if he could go to the school, and he was offered a pre-k spot. He wasn’t ready for kindergarten. But most of the kids have SAHMs who literally told me years before they started that they were keeping them home an extra years because they “weren’t ready to lose their babies to school.” And in a couple of cases, they were flat hoping for an advantage academically or athletically.
I agree you should have to show why your kid is unable to meet the requirements of the class they are supposed to be in. With DD it’s not a big deal. She’s ahead. But DS is being penalized because at not yet 5 he wasn’t reading like the 6 year olds or almost 6 year olds in his class and he didn’t want to sit in a chair to do work.
Post by covergirl82 on Jul 29, 2019 14:05:12 GMT -5
mommyatty, I think part of the problem too is Common Core. I know a couple elementary school teachers, and one specifically said, when Common Core was implemented, that curriculum and student expectations were shifting down, so now K students are being taught what used to be taught in 1st grade, 1st grade is being taught what used to be 2nd grade, etc. I think it is just difficult for 5-6 year olds to learn what used to be expected of 6-7 year olds, etc. And there is so much more instruction time than there used to be. I went to half-day K in the late 80s, which still included a 30+ minute nap/rest time. And my mom said that most days, I would come home from school (morning K) and still take a nap! (Although I have always been someone who needs a lot of sleep.) Now kids in K go all day (most districts, in order to get full funding, at least here in MI) with barely any rest time. I don't think that kids that young should have to sit in a chair and do work as much as they do.
rere, That was me as a teenager. I refused to babysit. Not a chance in hell was I dealing with children. People are always shocked to learn that I had never changed a diaper until suddenly I "owned" two infants of my own. hahaha
Happy Monday to DD. She has been babysitting for a total of 16 minutes. I get a text that states: "these kids are insane and I am pretty sure I just stepped in dog pee." Gonna be a long week.
Edit: now she is claiming she can't get to the dryer to dry her sock and sending pictures of the house. She may be too anal retentive to babysit. I am pretty sure elementary teacher or nanny has just be struck from her potential job lists.
I’m laughing because that’s probably been my kids and my dog’s pee.
My kids were at peak annoying over the weekend but it ended on a snuggly, pleasant note. Saturday we went a pool party and Sunday we did stuff around the house and H grilled. Our friends whose party we went to teasingly try and convince us to buy the house down the road — it has 8 bedrooms! Insanity.
It’s the last week of camp for the kids and I’ve got work people from OOT to manage (meetings and more meetings) so we are all just keeping our heads down for staycation next weekend! Well, staycation for the kids and I anyway. Mom-daughter bonding.
I love the number of times "amazing" is used in reference to everyone's weekends in this thread! Ours was good - lots of pool and beach.
Re: red-shirting, my DD's birthday is August 15, and we sent her. She turned 5 two days before kindergarten started. She's now going into 2nd grade but hasn't turned 7 yet. We waffled a little bit over sending her, but ultimately realized that there was absolutely nothing about her that would have caused us to hold her. She's mature and independent as the oldest of 3 and tall for her age (so it wasn't obvious she's younger than the other kids). The only reason we would have held her is because it seems like no one else sends their kid with an August birthday (or July or June, for that matter). But that seemed like a silly reason to hold her. She's doing awesome so far, even though a lot of the kids are over a year older than her. Everyone is always surprised when they find out how young she is. But I do worry a little bit about there being a difference in maturity level, especially when we get to the junior high years. Her being young is a bit annoying for summer camps when all her friends can do a camp that starts at a certain age and she can't.
My sister's son is over a year older than my daughter and in her same grade. But he was born prematurely and should have had a September birthday, so I get them holding him. His younger brother, however, has a June birthday, and they're also holding him, because "we want him to have the same advantage his brother did."
My theory is that soon we will have 9-year-olds in kindergarten.