I have a tv recommendation for you: Undercover Boss at CBS.com. It’s a reality show about the head of a major corporation doing entry-level work for a week. The episode I saw about Waste Management almost made me cry. It’s shmaltzy and uplifting in the best way. I also saw the Hooters episode. It was fine, but I suggest watching the Waste Management episode instead. Run, don’t walk, to watch this show!
Author: jclawver
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Perceptions collide!
Kevin just tweeted that this “wasn’t the most romantic V Day ever…” Huh. And here I was thinking it was nice. He got me presents that I liked, the kids got presents they liked, Kevin got presents (at least one of which he liked, heh). The kids had fun playing with their new Star Wars Lego set and spending extra time with Daddy. Brian and I had extra reading time. We had yummy steak for dinner. What could be better?\
I guess this is what happens when you’re nice to your spouse everyday. Since there isn’t any bad behavior from which to refrain, Val Day seems a lot like every other day!\
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Report cards came today!
Brian is doing well in school. The kindergartners don’t get a regular letter grade. Instead, they are evaluated on 100+ skills and knowledge. He’s right where he should be for most things, with a few he excels at and a few he’s still working on. The one “area of concern” is when the routine is changed. I guess he doesn’t handle that well. The last couple of weeks, Brian has been reading to us, which has been a thrill!\
Max received all A’s in the Core Subjects (Math, English, etc), yay! Better yet, all of his grades improved, except for the subjects he got a 99 in last quarter. His actual scores were: Language Arts- 99; Reading- 99; Social Studies- 99; Health- 98; Science- 97; and Math- 95. Max was like, “No 100s?” Kevin said, “That is just to give you something to work for this quarter.” Ha! His grades for the Specials (Art, PE, Music, Spanish) were all “Exceeds Expectations.”\
I should treat my kids for a job well done. What should it be? -
Brian is cute, and he knows it!
Brian’s school is asking the kids to earn a dollar at home doing chores and then donate the money to the school’s Help Haiti fund, which will be given to the American Red Cross. Brian and I discussed what chore he could do for his dollar. It has to be something he doesn’t normally do, but something he can do. (Duh.) We settled on wet-swiffering the bathroom. Later he piped up, “Maybe I could get an extra dollar for being so cute?”
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No mo’ babies!
Last week Max said he wanted another baby in our family. I don’t want to disappoint my kids, but seriously? Not happening. At least not if I get to be in charge. I love that my kids are no longer babies. I no longer have to worry about:
- SIDS
- Whether to get the 18 month vaccinations/Autism
- Car seats being installed incorrectly\
The lack of worry about baby-related deaths and illness has been such a relief. It’s like going on vacation, all of the time, in my brain!\
My kids can use the bathroom and dress, feed, and entertain themselves. We can go out and have fun as a family and go on vacations together. Right this very minute, Brian is reading a book to Kevin. BRIAN IS READING. \0/\
So yea. Just had to share.\
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Spelling bee!
The bad news: Shawn and Gus didn’t show up. The good news: no one died.\
Max won his class spelling bee, so he got to participate in the school bee. The winner will be sent to the regional bee to compete in the 4th-8th grade group. I went to the school bee today and cheered Max on. It lasted an hour. The coordinator said this was one of the longest bee’s they’ve had. Kids kept getting the answers right! The bee started out with 14 students. Half of the kids were eliminated in the second and third rounds. Max, and everyone else except the winner and the alternate, were eliminated in the 5th round. He misspelled “enormous.” He told me he was glad he didn’t win. The PTA provided donuts for afterward, so at least the kids got to sugar-up for their effort. -
The best of the ’00s
These are the top things from the ’00s that I couldn’t have lived without, in no particular order.
- Tivo
- Brian
- Digital Cameras
- Dove Caramel Squares
- I visited Hawaii and Paris. Lucky, lucky me!!! (ok, I could have lived without this, I just wanted to include it on my ‘top of ’00’ list.)
- Bought a house and have a lot in equity- wheee
- In-laws moved across the country to be close to us. Well, actually Max 🙂
- iTunes
- Internet fan groups and gossip sites
- Queer as Folk, Veronica Mars, Supernatural, The Office, and How I Met Your Mother
- Mashups
- Wegman’s
- Ballet flats
- Harry Potter\
Did I forget anything?\
We went from living in a two-bedroom apartment with a colicky newborn and my FIL (heee) to a four-bedroom rental house near the ocean, where everyone can feed, dress, entertain, and go to the bathroom by themselves. This decade, for all of its hardships and horrors, has been great for us. We left behind the ‘just started out in the world so I am damn broke’ club and joined the ‘got a mortgage and kids to send to college so I am damn broke’ club. Kevin rose to be the cream of the crop in his profession. He traveled to India, China, and Europe many times and all across the US. He is successful and continues to be challenged and invested at work and lovable and supportive at home. What more could I have asked for?\
Happy New Year!!
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The Internet is Awesome
In need of a funny pick-me-up? Read all three questions and answers: Advice Column.\
Kevin’s younger sister entertained Brian with the famous bunny story while tying his shoes over our Thanksgiving visit, but Brian wants a new story now. What is a mom to do? Google it! Here is a list of several that I had never heard of before: Shoelace Stories.\
Raise your hand if you know more than five kids with Autism? An interesting and hopeful article: Doctors are now advised to actively screen for Autism, Early Intervention is Key.\
A simple way to help save a life: Stoves needed in Darfur. This is an old article, but still relevant.\
My favorite version of a Kelly Clarkson song: My Life Would Suck Without You. -
Max!
Some people have asked why Max isn’t saying The Pledge of Allegiance in school, so here is my answer: Because he is a smart, independent, awesome kid.\
Here is the pledge: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.\
He feels that the government is being hypocritical by denying liberty and justice to some of its citizens and doesn’t want to recite hollow words.\
Max came to this decision on his own and only told us about it after. We didn’t start this, but we do support him. To this end, Do not give him grief over this, capiche? Or I’ll have Tiny and Fat Tony visit you while you are sleeping…\
Max has such a defined sense of right and wrong and is so sensitive to the plight of others. During free time he makes banners opposing surgeries for intersex children and rants about big business strong-arming governments into less ecologically-friendly policies.\
So, that is my kid. Well, a part of him. I want to keep him as hopeful, loving, and blessedly naive for as I long as I can.\
