Blog Nonsense - Blame Julie

Your Dominant Intelligence is Logical-Mathematical Intelligence

You are great at finding patterns and relationships between things.Always curious about how things work, you love to set up experiments.You need for the world to make sense - and are good at making sense of it.You have a head for numbers and math ... and you can solve almost any logic puzzle. You would make a great scientist, engineer, computer programmer, researcher, accountant, or mathematician.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Sunday Ramblings

I've just spent the last hour catching up on other people's blogs, so I figured I'd better leave something for my readers, just in case!

We had a picnic at the church playground on Saturday with our friend Lisa & her kids -- her hubby Bob is working insane hours lately so they have time on their hands. The kids have really enjoyed the nice weather over the past few days and are actually ASKING to spend time outside. Dexter of course is outside from before dawn til after dark and loving it, coming in only to eat and drink during the day. Last night Charles had to pet both Dexter and Turbo outside before Dexter would come in.

Didn't do a whole lot today -- Charles took Connor to the park for a few hours (Duncan didn't want to go) and then I went to a scout parent meeting tonite -- Duncan has the opportunity to go to resident scout camp for 4 days this summer, and this was the preliminary meeting. I'm looking forward to it, mostly. I will be going too, since Beth needs one adult for every 5 kids. I'll have to get Duncan's clothes & gear pulled together over the course of the spring, but he should have a good time.

We leave on vacation next Saturday -- I have done NOTHING to start packing yet, but I am soo ready to go. No computers (mostly a good thing), and just time to relax and play. I promise I will post again before we leave!

Tuesday

I love my new van!!!  I love my new van!!  I think my husband is unhappy that I've claimed it for my drive-to-work car, but I love my new van!   Even the kids were unhappy about being shuttled to the bus stop in the old car.  Ah well.....  we've been a one car family for 6+ years, so I am really enjoying my independence again.

Did I mention Dexter has been a bad boy and lost his collar last week?   He hasn't brought me any more furry presents lately either.  We did get a laugh though -- he plays alot with the neighbor's cat Turbo when he's outside (Turbo cries to go out when Dexter comes in his yard)... well Sunday Turbo must not have been able to find Dexter outside because Turbo came and sat in OUR window.  The kids got quite the kick out of that.

We went to Charlotte this past weekend to show Dot the new van.   While we were there we got to go see not one but TWO movies -- "300" and "Ghost Rider".   I liked them both, but Ghost Rider was more fun.   Charles liked them both and is out shopping for the soundtracks to the movies.   "300" is pretty graphic in it's fighting scenes, but I'd see both again!

We have been working with Connor on some behavior issues since January, and had made alot of progress.   Well in the last week or so we've had a relapse.  The psychologist warned us this would happen, and told us simply to go back to what worked to fix it in the first place -- but I'm so frustrated!!    His teacher says he is making slow improvement on the ADHD issues at school as well.

I know today is the first day of spring, but we are so busy in spring I feel like summer is around the corner...  we have three weekends with no plans before Memorial Day -- EEK!    There are two scout camping trips (one me & Duncan, one family), vacation, a card-making class for me, scout end-of-year picnic... it boggles the mind.

Friday!!

What a week!   Connor had a his first day of spring soccer on Wednesday -- he's got a new coach this time and I like her.  He was determined to be the goalie (they don't have goalies in his age group) but he had a great time.  I got my "snack mom" duties out of the way, and it was a very pleasant evening.  His weekly OT appointment is on Wednesdays as well, so I think he will be sleeping well on Wednesday nights!  

Did I mention he had several cavities when he was at the dentist a couple of weeks ago?  They wanted to refer us to a pediatric dentist here in town.  They called Wednesday and had a cancellation so we went yesterday.  OMG - he needs serious dental work... I'm talking well into four figures!!!  And they need the entire fee UP FRONT to even schedule it.   So... I'm busy studying our finances figuring out where to squeeze that out.

Speaking of Connor and OT... I bought him a weighted blanket to use at home (he needs the pressure)... well apparently he has been annoying our cat lately as the cat decided last night to christen it... UGH!!!   So I had to take all the weights out and wash it... I was NOT happy.  It was still damp this morning so I get to spend time tonight inserting all the weights back in the blanket.   Crazy cat -- he lost his collar yesterday.  On a bright note the kids actually went outside and searched the yard for it.  The exercise was good for them.  He (the cat) also has a new trick -- our house is a split level, so my bedroom window is about 1 1/2 stories off the ground rather than two.   Dexter has figured out how to jump up into that window.  He also left mouse #6 on the doorstep yesterday.  He's chasing birds too, but hasn't managed to catch any yet, although I saw a robin turn white yesterday when he got close LOL.

Two weeks from tomorrow we head out to Myrtle Beach for an inexpensive vacation -- just getting away and having some pool, sun, sand and ocean time.  Everyone in the family is looking forward to it.  Well, except maybe for the cat, but he'll just have to get over it.

More news later in the weekend (wink, wink) -- stay tuned!

Wednesday Waaaaaaaaaaaa

I'm in better humor about Monday -- we're just going to have to work through this.  I ordered Duncan and his buddy Comfort an item from scoutstuff.org -- a red vest to sew all their patches on so they can display how much they've done in scouts.

Duncan had his fourth grade writing test yesterday, and got an 80 on it, so we are very proud of him.  End of grade testing is such a big deal with the "No Child Left Behind" legislation.  He has a field trip coming up on 3/29 to the state capitol, so that should be interesting.

Today marks the beginning of spring soccer for Connor.  We had a chinese fire drill the past few days collecting all of his "gear" from wherever it had landed in the house since the fall.  I had to buy him new cleats as his feet had grown.  The whole family is going tonite, so this should be fun.  I have camera ready.

It's a busy scrapping week, not that I've gotten going much yet.   I'm participating in two cyber crops at the moment.  One is on my FriendsThatScrap list, a scrapping Survivor game.  Our challenge this week is to use movie, play or song titles as our layout titles.   Also going on is the Winter Blahs Crop over at Scrap Addict.  I'm hoping to get cropping in starting tomorrow night.

Our car is in the shop today having brake work done.  Ugh.  At least Charles is taking care of this one so I don't have to.

Bad Day

Why is it when you try so very hard to do the right things by your kids it seems to backfire in your face? I sent Charles to scouts the other night with Duncan -- I just wanted a break, and I knew it wasn't a terribly busy night for that.

Today I talked to our den leader. In the nicest possible way she let me know he had been WILD that night. It isn't entirely his fault -- his medications that keep him somewhat calm wear off by that time of night, and if I give him his nighttime meds sometimes he gets sleepy. Charles was overwhelmed that night so he was no help to her... and she gently hinted that she was wondering if Duncan was the reason why some of the kids in our den hadn't been showing up. It made me feel about an inch tall. I'm sitting here sobbing but I need to get this OUT. It really makes me rethink scouts... for both kids. Duncan isn't average, and he never will be, but it's so frustrating to be made to feel like you're hurting other's enjoyment of an activity (note, I'm frustrated at other parents, not the den leader). Now I'm torn -- do I just quietly fade into the background? Do I medicate him during this rough period (he's normally NO fun at all this time of the spring) to get him artificially calm so he doesn't distract from others? How do I bring a second hyperactive child into scouts?

And while I'm annoyed that Charles just doesn't step up and deal with it, in my heart of hearts I know he's not up to it. So then I'm stuck with can I handle both kids without his help???

This is like karate all over for Duncan... he wanted to be there, but it just got to the point where no one could enjoy it with him there in a class. I don't want scouts to be that way for him, I'd rather fade before his feelings get hurt (not that he has noticed so far)... I'm just so hurt, torn, frustrated...

March Already?

Wow... where has the time gone? This one is going to be really short, and I'm sorry about that. I continue to not feel 100%, we're racing around with appointments for Connor, who has croup... we changed pediatricians with alot of drama this week... and work has been busy busy BUSY.

More later, really!