I'm having lunch with Bear today! She's in the area for the next few days, and today is the day that I get to see her.
I'm a little disappointed in myself, though - I left both her birthday card and 40th crown in my bedroom, so I can't make her wear it during our meal. Bummer.
On Sunday I went and saw Cuz for her birthday, today it's Bear for her birthday, and then on Friday it is S's birthday. We are just full of birthdays right now!!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Calmer
I can not believe how quickly my little chicks are growing! This weekend we introduced a slightly-raised roost for them, and quite a few of them have taken to that. I told Hubby last night that I thought we should add a second one in there, and perhaps raise them a bit more.
We are hoping to move the chicks out to the coop next weekend so that I have some time to get the area cleaned up before the pheasants arrive.
I think the weather is nice enough for them even if they haven't completely feathered out yet.
After work last night, I stayed in town to await the A-man's team. He got back to the school shortly after 7pm and was quite pleased that their team had won. His right forearm was a little sore from a tackle-take-down he had completed, but for the most part he was in good spirts.
I'd been down in the dumps for the entire day because of how the morning had gone, but, he seemed more than willing to forgive and forget, so that was nice.
The half hour drive home was spent talking about our respective days, a little bit about his "plan of attack" for completing his English homework, and just general conversation.
I really like that he and I are able to have conversations now. It's not adult to child conversations; more adult to young adult. It's nice to see the changes in him.
S was in a great mood when we got home and was all full of hugs and kisses for me. It was really nice to hear him laughing at something on the show he was watching when we came in. He told me his day had gone well, and he didn't have any homework.
Hubby and I had a chance to sit and talk last night, and then we all went off to bed. This morning was a much smoother, calmer morning, thankfully.
We are hoping to move the chicks out to the coop next weekend so that I have some time to get the area cleaned up before the pheasants arrive.
I think the weather is nice enough for them even if they haven't completely feathered out yet.
After work last night, I stayed in town to await the A-man's team. He got back to the school shortly after 7pm and was quite pleased that their team had won. His right forearm was a little sore from a tackle-take-down he had completed, but for the most part he was in good spirts.
I'd been down in the dumps for the entire day because of how the morning had gone, but, he seemed more than willing to forgive and forget, so that was nice.
The half hour drive home was spent talking about our respective days, a little bit about his "plan of attack" for completing his English homework, and just general conversation.
I really like that he and I are able to have conversations now. It's not adult to child conversations; more adult to young adult. It's nice to see the changes in him.
S was in a great mood when we got home and was all full of hugs and kisses for me. It was really nice to hear him laughing at something on the show he was watching when we came in. He told me his day had gone well, and he didn't have any homework.
Hubby and I had a chance to sit and talk last night, and then we all went off to bed. This morning was a much smoother, calmer morning, thankfully.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wanting a "Do Over"
Do you remember as a little kid playing a game with a friend? You would make a mistake on your turn, flub it, and your friend would take pity on you and grant you a “Do Over.” Today I wish there was a way to reverse time and have a “Do Over” of my morning.
My alarm went off just before 7am as it always does. At 7, I turned the radio on so that I could hear the news. I guess at this point I drifted back to sleep, because the next thing I remember was the A-man standing outside my bedroom asking if I could please drive him to school this morning. (His school isn’t on my way to work.) I told him that I didn’t really want to do that, and the next thing I know, he’s stomping around the house complaining the he wasn’t going to have time to make the bus. It was 7:30 and his bus gets to our house around 7:45.
For the record, as he was making this request he was finished his breakfast and completely dressed for school. I wasn’t even sure why he was asking. I got up and alerted S that he needed to get up and get ready for school. The A-man continued to stomp around the house while I was feeding the cats and getting my water hot for cup of morning tea. Suddenly the A-man announces that he has an “Away” game today for Rugby. I asked where the game was and what time he would be back from the game. At this query I get my ultimate favourite answer – “I don’t know.”
My alarm went off just before 7am as it always does. At 7, I turned the radio on so that I could hear the news. I guess at this point I drifted back to sleep, because the next thing I remember was the A-man standing outside my bedroom asking if I could please drive him to school this morning. (His school isn’t on my way to work.) I told him that I didn’t really want to do that, and the next thing I know, he’s stomping around the house complaining the he wasn’t going to have time to make the bus. It was 7:30 and his bus gets to our house around 7:45.
For the record, as he was making this request he was finished his breakfast and completely dressed for school. I wasn’t even sure why he was asking. I got up and alerted S that he needed to get up and get ready for school. The A-man continued to stomp around the house while I was feeding the cats and getting my water hot for cup of morning tea. Suddenly the A-man announces that he has an “Away” game today for Rugby. I asked where the game was and what time he would be back from the game. At this query I get my ultimate favourite answer – “I don’t know.”
How on Earth can you have a Rugby game and not be aware of:
- A) WHERE THE GAME IS?
- B) WHEN YOU ARE LEAVING THE SCHOOL TO TRAVEL TO THIS GAME? OR
- C) WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO BE BACK FROM SAID ‘AWAY’ GAME
The other question I had was, “Why, at 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive, is this the first I’ve heard of this game??” Best response of the day, given in a very nasty tone – “I don’t know.”
By this point, S is sitting at the kitchen table eating his breakfast. I’m standing looking at the A-man asking him more questions about this game, and realize that he’s not had his morning shower. I know for a fact that he did not have a shower over the weekend, which means that he is now working on day 3 without cleansing the stench that is teenage hormones. Add in the fact that I am being spoken to in a very snide, rude way, and yup – I lost my temper.
I told the A-man that I would be taking him to school. There was no way that I was going to let him go to school unclean, and I still needed more details about the game – such as when he would be back and what time I needed to plan to be at the school to pick him up. (We live half an hour from the school, but I work 5 minutes from the school. I’m sure you can see why I was curious about timing issues.) Just after the A-man storms off to have his shower, I realize that S’s van is in the driveway.
I had pretty much finished putting his lunch together and called him to hurry. He comes out of his bedroom wearing a pair of shorts, and a t-shirt with no sleeves. He has been told time and again that sleeveless shirts are not permitted at school. At this point, I can hear the van driver honking the horn, but I know he will be in trouble if he wears that shirt. I told him to go back and put on a different shirt because he knew that shirt wasn’t permitted. Next thing I know, he’s yelling at me telling me that he wants to wear it, he likes that shirt, and why can’t I just let him wear what he likes?!?! He stomped into his room and changed, but he was crying and very upset. He stomped out of his bedroom, muttering about how mean and unfair I was, how I couldn’t just let him do what he wants, etc., etc., etc.
Yeah, I’d been awake less than half an hour at this point.
S gets away and I finally get a cup of tea made. The A-man comes out of the shower and sits down and starts bemoaning how he’s not been sleeping because he is “so stressed about the amount of English homework he has.” Not the best thing to say to me at this point.
Since the beginning of February, the A-man has claimed to have no homework. Since this same time frame, he has had in excess of 13 assignments for English that he has not done, and now I have put my foot down and been riding him to make sure these assignments get done in a timely manner while making sure none of the other current assignments fall behind. It is the start of a new week; he’s just come off a two day weekend, and the only English work he did was minimal. The next thing I knew, I was in a tirade. It was not a good scene.
On the way to school, my tirade continued, and the A-man continued to become more and more belligerent. (Yes, I know I am the adult and I should have distanced myself from this situation and not allowed it to escalate, but it’s very difficult for me to do this at times.) I did calm myself before we began the drive, and I wasn’t heated when the conversation continued, but his answers/responses didn’t do much to allow my calm to continue. Eventually the A-man began to cry tears of frustration – I felt like joining him – and physically turned away from me. I completely stopped talking.
A few minutes away from school, the A-man suddenly ‘remembered’ that he was going to be leaving the school at 2pm for the game and would be returning to the school “sometime between 6 and 7.” I asked him to try and get more details as soon as he could and to send me a text at lunch time. I also informed him of a new rule. The A-man isn’t allowed to use the phrase “I don’t know” anymore. He can tell me that he isn’t sure and will find out, he can tell me that he has to try and remember what he was told, he can even say “I’m not sure so I will find out” but I will no longer allow the use of the “don’t know” phrase.
We arrived at the school a few minutes late, but I dropped him right at his portable and I don’t believe the teacher made him go for a late slip. I picked up a coffee and some breakfast after dropping him off and arrived to work, exhausted and utterly worn out, about 10 minutes late. Not even 9:15 in the morning, and I needed a “Do over.”
Thursday, April 23, 2009
And onward
The 3-week old chicks have arrived. They are quite a bit bigger than I was expecting them to be, to tell the truth.
They have lost most of their “chick fuzz” and are mostly feathers. They still have the underlying fuzz around their necks and under their wings. You can even see a big of the combs starting to form on their heads now. We have a couple of heat lamps in the brooding pen, but I don’t think it will be too long before we are able to put them out in the coop.
All are very skittish, and I now understand where the term “You are such a chicken” comes from. If you make any type of sudden move around their pen, they will all go running the other way. They can be quite comical at times, actually.
S was very excited about the arrival of the birds. He sat outside and watched them for the better part of an hour. After supper I went out to watch them with him, and was quite surprised to hear his analogy on the “pecking order” of the chicks.
“Look at those ones there, Mom. See how the two of them are alone in the corner over there? Those two are the geeks. They are like me and J. They have a good time just themselves, just pecking away in the corner and having fun together. Now watch what happens. She how she is going to head over to the main group and try to fit in? Yeah – watch that big one; I call her ‘Bertha the Bully’. Watch what she does. See?! She just pecked her and then jumped on her! They are so mean to the geeks, but the geeks would let them come in to the corner and peck with them. They wouldn’t mind at all.”
In his mind, S has divided the chicks into three separate and distinct groups – the ‘populars’, the ‘regulars’, and the ‘geeks’. I honestly don’t think he can tell any two chickens apart, but he swears he knows which one is Bertha. “She’s the fastest one; the biggest one. She knows she’s bigger than all the others.”
The first thing he did this morning – even before getting dressed – was to go out to the garage and check on the chicks. I’m sure he is going to do all that he can to try and make these chickens his friends. Not sure that he will be successful in that venture, but you never know. (And yes, he is very clear about the fate of these birds and realizes he won't get to keep any as 'pets')
I will confess though – it absolutely broke my heart to hear him talking the way he did. I remember being in Grade 8 and how hard it was to not be one of the popular ones. The chosen ones. Everyone wanted to be like “them” but it was impossible to get in, no matter how hard you tried, no matter what you did. When I mentioned S’s conversation this morning, my assistant commented that it sounded like S had accepted the divisions. I said that I felt he was more resigned to it rather than accepting of it. She’d never thought of it that way.
The A-man stayed home from school today. He told me that he was sick, but I am pretty sure he was just over tired. He’s been working pretty hard the past three days trying to get caught up on his English assignments that he didn’t get done. He will be getting a failing grade on his mid-term because he had so many assignments that simply were not handed in. When I spoke with the teacher, he assured me that he would mark the assignments and apply them to the A-man’s final grade. He told me that he realizes the A-man is more than able to complete the work and this has been proven by the assignments and tests that he has completed in class. I was glad to hear that, but I think I am going to have to address the organizational portion of the A-man’s IEP.
At this point, I'm starting to thing that it's simply not clear enough for the teachers. They just don’t get that he lacks the ability to start something if he isn’t given absolutely clear and set directions to do so. This teacher provided them with one sheet with a number of dates in which assignments would be due. Yeah - that doesn't work for him.
(sigh) Just when I feel like things are on the upswing, we always have a few bumps in the road! Not sure if I will be able to have it addessed this year, but I will be SURE to make an appointment to meet with ALL of his teacher's next year to address these issues. Will also be making an appointment with the Special Ed teacher to ensure the IEP is even more clear than it currently is.
They have lost most of their “chick fuzz” and are mostly feathers. They still have the underlying fuzz around their necks and under their wings. You can even see a big of the combs starting to form on their heads now. We have a couple of heat lamps in the brooding pen, but I don’t think it will be too long before we are able to put them out in the coop.
All are very skittish, and I now understand where the term “You are such a chicken” comes from. If you make any type of sudden move around their pen, they will all go running the other way. They can be quite comical at times, actually.
S was very excited about the arrival of the birds. He sat outside and watched them for the better part of an hour. After supper I went out to watch them with him, and was quite surprised to hear his analogy on the “pecking order” of the chicks.
“Look at those ones there, Mom. See how the two of them are alone in the corner over there? Those two are the geeks. They are like me and J. They have a good time just themselves, just pecking away in the corner and having fun together. Now watch what happens. She how she is going to head over to the main group and try to fit in? Yeah – watch that big one; I call her ‘Bertha the Bully’. Watch what she does. See?! She just pecked her and then jumped on her! They are so mean to the geeks, but the geeks would let them come in to the corner and peck with them. They wouldn’t mind at all.”
In his mind, S has divided the chicks into three separate and distinct groups – the ‘populars’, the ‘regulars’, and the ‘geeks’. I honestly don’t think he can tell any two chickens apart, but he swears he knows which one is Bertha. “She’s the fastest one; the biggest one. She knows she’s bigger than all the others.”
The first thing he did this morning – even before getting dressed – was to go out to the garage and check on the chicks. I’m sure he is going to do all that he can to try and make these chickens his friends. Not sure that he will be successful in that venture, but you never know. (And yes, he is very clear about the fate of these birds and realizes he won't get to keep any as 'pets')
I will confess though – it absolutely broke my heart to hear him talking the way he did. I remember being in Grade 8 and how hard it was to not be one of the popular ones. The chosen ones. Everyone wanted to be like “them” but it was impossible to get in, no matter how hard you tried, no matter what you did. When I mentioned S’s conversation this morning, my assistant commented that it sounded like S had accepted the divisions. I said that I felt he was more resigned to it rather than accepting of it. She’d never thought of it that way.
The A-man stayed home from school today. He told me that he was sick, but I am pretty sure he was just over tired. He’s been working pretty hard the past three days trying to get caught up on his English assignments that he didn’t get done. He will be getting a failing grade on his mid-term because he had so many assignments that simply were not handed in. When I spoke with the teacher, he assured me that he would mark the assignments and apply them to the A-man’s final grade. He told me that he realizes the A-man is more than able to complete the work and this has been proven by the assignments and tests that he has completed in class. I was glad to hear that, but I think I am going to have to address the organizational portion of the A-man’s IEP.
At this point, I'm starting to thing that it's simply not clear enough for the teachers. They just don’t get that he lacks the ability to start something if he isn’t given absolutely clear and set directions to do so. This teacher provided them with one sheet with a number of dates in which assignments would be due. Yeah - that doesn't work for him.
(sigh) Just when I feel like things are on the upswing, we always have a few bumps in the road! Not sure if I will be able to have it addessed this year, but I will be SURE to make an appointment to meet with ALL of his teacher's next year to address these issues. Will also be making an appointment with the Special Ed teacher to ensure the IEP is even more clear than it currently is.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Reading - sometime not good!
Just reading this article makes me very grateful for my sons. It does scare me, however, for the state mind my nieces will have to endure. I've been witness to some extremes in the name of "self esteem." My ex-sister in law once paid over $1,500 for hair extentions for my niece. They lasted 3 weeks. I wouldn't spend that on myself, even if I did have the kind of cash to blow!
Beauty care and treatment to be 'beautiful' has taken on a new extreme - and a new target market. But really, who is to blame? The parents. It's pretty obvious that a large portion of the 20-somethings generation have a hyper-extended view of themselves, and this article sums it all up pretty nicely.
Oh, what have we done??
Beauty care and treatment to be 'beautiful' has taken on a new extreme - and a new target market. But really, who is to blame? The parents. It's pretty obvious that a large portion of the 20-somethings generation have a hyper-extended view of themselves, and this article sums it all up pretty nicely.
Oh, what have we done??
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Passing Time
Lately I've noticed that days - and weeks - have been flying by at an incredible speed.
Now, in reality, I know that the days are 24 hours long - and that doesn't change - but sometimes as I'm writing the date for something, I actually have to stop and check if that's right, because, well, "It just CAN'T be nearing the end of April already, can it?"
I'm not sure what has caused this increased time thing, but I sure wish it would stop! The crows feet wish it, too.
I had a meeting at the school last week regarding S and his transition into high school. To tell the truth, it was a bit of a time waster. I knew we had to do the IPRC review. It's more or less a formality that is mandated by the Board. S has Aspergers - that isn't going to change, nor is his need for an IEP going to change. But, we have this meeting, say "Yup, it's status quo" and then move onward.
I was really ticked when I realized that the Spec Ed teacher from the high school wasn't going to be at the meeting. That was the whole intention, I had thought. Instead, I get to hear all about how S hasn't been doing his homework, how S did "this" about a month ago... and onward.
Regarding the homework issue, I explained to the teachers that I could only enforce the homework completion that I knew about. If it's not written in his agenda, I don't know about it. Period. The Principal pointed out that this problem would be worse once he moves schools because the involvement is even less.
High school does, however, have a program called "Student Success." Held every day at lunch time, the teacher's advise the Student Success (SS) teacher of homework/assignments assigned for student x, y and z, and then the SS teacher will actually follow up with the student to ensure he has completed their work.
What an amazing concept - it's like a homework room! Gee - years ago I suggested having something like this at our school and was told it wouldn't work because of a, b and c. Guess the truth of the matter was that none of the teachers were willing to give some of their lunch time to ensure it worked. As parents we could only do so much and according to Board rules a teacher has to be involved in any "school programs."
Be that as it may, it would appear that S will have an opportunity to become involved in this SS program and may actually be able to complete a large portion of his work at school, with a teacher there to assist, and then the entire homework issue won't be a bone of contention at home. Love that idea, especially after the Math tirade I lived through last night.
The A-man will be bringing home his mid-terms on Friday. Sounds like the majority of his marks are going to be good with the exception of English. See, he's got great marks in the assignments that he's actually completed, but the ones that he hasn't done have pulled his marks way down. Why, you ask, hasn't he turned in all of his assignments?
Well, the teacher gave a sheet to the students at the beginning of the year with various dates/deadlines on it, and the A-man didn't make notations of said due dates.
It all comes down to the whole "lack of organizational skills" again. The teacher does seem to recognize that the A-man is a good student and has told A-man to work on getting everything done as soon as he can and it will be accepted.
On Sunday night we were going through all of the work, and I was making notes on the laptop to assist the A-man, and he was making notations in his palm pilot to help with future reminders. He started getting really stressed out about all that he had to do. Fortunately we didn't get into a full-blown rage outburst, for which I was very grateful given the sheer size of the boy now. (That was terrible enough when he was 8, couldn't imagine it when he's 6'2" and weighing in at 185.)
I was able to calm him down by pointing out that the notations I'd made, and the ones he had made were going to assist him in getting it all done and to just do one thing at a time. Looking at it "all" at once wasn't going to work. "Just think of one task at a time, and slowly you will get it done," I explained.
I'm hoping this scare will be enough to get him on the right track for getting better organized. Guess this is something else I will have to monitor (without appearing to monitor, that is.)
~~~~
We get our chicks tomorrow. Little brooding area has been prepared - heat lamp is ready. Will pick up the chick meal when I get them, I guess. Then two weeks after that we get the pheasants. Should be interesting...
Now, in reality, I know that the days are 24 hours long - and that doesn't change - but sometimes as I'm writing the date for something, I actually have to stop and check if that's right, because, well, "It just CAN'T be nearing the end of April already, can it?"
I'm not sure what has caused this increased time thing, but I sure wish it would stop! The crows feet wish it, too.
I had a meeting at the school last week regarding S and his transition into high school. To tell the truth, it was a bit of a time waster. I knew we had to do the IPRC review. It's more or less a formality that is mandated by the Board. S has Aspergers - that isn't going to change, nor is his need for an IEP going to change. But, we have this meeting, say "Yup, it's status quo" and then move onward.
I was really ticked when I realized that the Spec Ed teacher from the high school wasn't going to be at the meeting. That was the whole intention, I had thought. Instead, I get to hear all about how S hasn't been doing his homework, how S did "this" about a month ago... and onward.
Regarding the homework issue, I explained to the teachers that I could only enforce the homework completion that I knew about. If it's not written in his agenda, I don't know about it. Period. The Principal pointed out that this problem would be worse once he moves schools because the involvement is even less.
High school does, however, have a program called "Student Success." Held every day at lunch time, the teacher's advise the Student Success (SS) teacher of homework/assignments assigned for student x, y and z, and then the SS teacher will actually follow up with the student to ensure he has completed their work.
What an amazing concept - it's like a homework room! Gee - years ago I suggested having something like this at our school and was told it wouldn't work because of a, b and c. Guess the truth of the matter was that none of the teachers were willing to give some of their lunch time to ensure it worked. As parents we could only do so much and according to Board rules a teacher has to be involved in any "school programs."
Be that as it may, it would appear that S will have an opportunity to become involved in this SS program and may actually be able to complete a large portion of his work at school, with a teacher there to assist, and then the entire homework issue won't be a bone of contention at home. Love that idea, especially after the Math tirade I lived through last night.
The A-man will be bringing home his mid-terms on Friday. Sounds like the majority of his marks are going to be good with the exception of English. See, he's got great marks in the assignments that he's actually completed, but the ones that he hasn't done have pulled his marks way down. Why, you ask, hasn't he turned in all of his assignments?
Well, the teacher gave a sheet to the students at the beginning of the year with various dates/deadlines on it, and the A-man didn't make notations of said due dates.
It all comes down to the whole "lack of organizational skills" again. The teacher does seem to recognize that the A-man is a good student and has told A-man to work on getting everything done as soon as he can and it will be accepted.
On Sunday night we were going through all of the work, and I was making notes on the laptop to assist the A-man, and he was making notations in his palm pilot to help with future reminders. He started getting really stressed out about all that he had to do. Fortunately we didn't get into a full-blown rage outburst, for which I was very grateful given the sheer size of the boy now. (That was terrible enough when he was 8, couldn't imagine it when he's 6'2" and weighing in at 185.)
I was able to calm him down by pointing out that the notations I'd made, and the ones he had made were going to assist him in getting it all done and to just do one thing at a time. Looking at it "all" at once wasn't going to work. "Just think of one task at a time, and slowly you will get it done," I explained.
I'm hoping this scare will be enough to get him on the right track for getting better organized. Guess this is something else I will have to monitor (without appearing to monitor, that is.)
~~~~
We get our chicks tomorrow. Little brooding area has been prepared - heat lamp is ready. Will pick up the chick meal when I get them, I guess. Then two weeks after that we get the pheasants. Should be interesting...
Monday, April 6, 2009
Birthday weekend
Birthday party went well. The A-man didn't realize that I'd invited all those people; he just thought he was popular. :o)
The young man got quite spoiled, I will say. He was very gracious about everything, and is planning on writing the Thank You cards tonight.
Both boys were home today - the second snow day of the year. The A-man was out waiting for his bus when a police cruiser stopped to tell him it was a snow day. S was already getting his stuff in his bag to get ready to leave. I had no idea it was that bad out. We have no lovely grass showing anymore...
Hopefully again by the weekend.
Hubby went to the motorcycle show with my Dad yesterday. I took the day to putter around the house and clean up from the party. Stopped by Jazzy's house to return the items her Mom had brought to the party - wonderful deviled eggs, fondue in a pot and an incredible cheese plate!- and to retun the items her brother forgot - his wallet and keys. Had a brief moment to have a cup of tea, then we were off to get the boy's haircut and pick up groceries.
An AWESOME prime rib dinner was on plate last night! Too bad I was so tired from not sleeping well the night before.
Had to have quite the chat with S regarding his inappropriate behaviour toward Jazzy on Saturday. I think I may have to give his specialist a call; he's been having more and more outburts and problems lately.
(sigh) - Never ending.
And onward we go...
The young man got quite spoiled, I will say. He was very gracious about everything, and is planning on writing the Thank You cards tonight.
Both boys were home today - the second snow day of the year. The A-man was out waiting for his bus when a police cruiser stopped to tell him it was a snow day. S was already getting his stuff in his bag to get ready to leave. I had no idea it was that bad out. We have no lovely grass showing anymore...
Hopefully again by the weekend.
Hubby went to the motorcycle show with my Dad yesterday. I took the day to putter around the house and clean up from the party. Stopped by Jazzy's house to return the items her Mom had brought to the party - wonderful deviled eggs, fondue in a pot and an incredible cheese plate!- and to retun the items her brother forgot - his wallet and keys. Had a brief moment to have a cup of tea, then we were off to get the boy's haircut and pick up groceries.
An AWESOME prime rib dinner was on plate last night! Too bad I was so tired from not sleeping well the night before.
Had to have quite the chat with S regarding his inappropriate behaviour toward Jazzy on Saturday. I think I may have to give his specialist a call; he's been having more and more outburts and problems lately.
(sigh) - Never ending.
And onward we go...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
This and that
Last week I was sick. I started the week feeling that a chest cold was coming on. On Wednesday - over a week ago now - I was able to get in and get a massage to try and relax the elastic band that was around my chest, shoulders and back. The massage did help to ease the very tight muscles, but I think it also helped to bring on the cold even more.
Thursday I was bad, Friday even worse. Saturday was the worst I have felt in a very long time. Poor Hubby had come to bed around 3 or 4 and shortly thereafter went to sleep elsewhere because I was coughing so much.
I even took cold medication on Saturday to try and help ease the sinus pressure and pain. That is a big step for me - I hate taking medication.
After a while the sinus pressure began to ease and I was able to open my eyes without feeling faint. In the afternoon, I was even able to go out and watch Hubby and the A-man dismantle the tree fort in the back yard. (More about plans for that in a minute.)
I guess the worst of it was on Saturday because I started to feel better on Sunday. Now I'm just trying to clear my lungs of the icky stuff. I'm also happy to say that my engergy levels have come back to normal and I'm not spending all night, every night, laying on the couch and feeling like a log. I loathe being sick.
~~~
Saturday is the A-man's 16th birthday! Wow - legal driving age. Such a scary idea for the parent of an ADHD child. Now I will admit, the idea of S driving a car scares me far more than the idea of the A-man driving does. He has calmed quite a bit, and matured so much that I don't think his ADHD should even have a factor in to things. I'm going to look in to the cost of driving classes and talk to Hubby about giving that to the A-man for a gift.
I've invited a number of people over for dinner on Saturday night, and I've not mentioned it to the A-man. People are just going to start arriving and wishing him a Happy Birthday. I'm planning on making all of his favourites for dinner, and then the 'kids' will get the run of the downstairs while the adults chat upstairs. It should be nice. I know he will like the fuss and attention, even if he won't get the whole element of "Surprise" being yelled at him when he enters a room.
~~~
Okay, now on to the most exciting adventure our house has ever tried. The A-man and Hubby were dismantling the tree house because we are going to 'renovate' the shell of the tree fort and turn it in to a chicken coop!
Yup - sometime around April 22, we are going to be receiving 3 week old Black Sex Link chickens! 20 of them. :o)
At first they will look like this
but then when they are fully grown, the girls will look more like this:
At a day old the chicks will look something like this
and when they are fully grown will look more like this:
And, why, exactly are we doing this? Who knows?
It will be an interesting adventure for us, and it will be kind of fun to learn about what's involved in raising them. By September we should be starting to get eggs! Until I'd started reading about how to raise them, I didn't realize that chicken's lay eggs every 26 hours or so.
Then, in the late Fall, we will start to fill the freezer, I guess. I will not be involved in that process - that will be all Hubby's doing. (He was raised on a farm and this is something very common for him!)
I've told the boys that they will have to help with the chores involved in raising the birds, but I don't know how involved they will be. S is very excited about getting the babies, but I don't think he realizes how much care they will require.
It'll be an adventure that I'm looking forward to talking about on here!
Thursday I was bad, Friday even worse. Saturday was the worst I have felt in a very long time. Poor Hubby had come to bed around 3 or 4 and shortly thereafter went to sleep elsewhere because I was coughing so much.
I even took cold medication on Saturday to try and help ease the sinus pressure and pain. That is a big step for me - I hate taking medication.
After a while the sinus pressure began to ease and I was able to open my eyes without feeling faint. In the afternoon, I was even able to go out and watch Hubby and the A-man dismantle the tree fort in the back yard. (More about plans for that in a minute.)
I guess the worst of it was on Saturday because I started to feel better on Sunday. Now I'm just trying to clear my lungs of the icky stuff. I'm also happy to say that my engergy levels have come back to normal and I'm not spending all night, every night, laying on the couch and feeling like a log. I loathe being sick.
~~~
Saturday is the A-man's 16th birthday! Wow - legal driving age. Such a scary idea for the parent of an ADHD child. Now I will admit, the idea of S driving a car scares me far more than the idea of the A-man driving does. He has calmed quite a bit, and matured so much that I don't think his ADHD should even have a factor in to things. I'm going to look in to the cost of driving classes and talk to Hubby about giving that to the A-man for a gift.
I've invited a number of people over for dinner on Saturday night, and I've not mentioned it to the A-man. People are just going to start arriving and wishing him a Happy Birthday. I'm planning on making all of his favourites for dinner, and then the 'kids' will get the run of the downstairs while the adults chat upstairs. It should be nice. I know he will like the fuss and attention, even if he won't get the whole element of "Surprise" being yelled at him when he enters a room.
~~~
Okay, now on to the most exciting adventure our house has ever tried. The A-man and Hubby were dismantling the tree house because we are going to 'renovate' the shell of the tree fort and turn it in to a chicken coop!
Yup - sometime around April 22, we are going to be receiving 3 week old Black Sex Link chickens! 20 of them. :o)
At first they will look like this
but then when they are fully grown, the girls will look more like this:
Pretty little things, aren't they?
At a day old the chicks will look something like this
and when they are fully grown will look more like this:
And, why, exactly are we doing this? Who knows?
It will be an interesting adventure for us, and it will be kind of fun to learn about what's involved in raising them. By September we should be starting to get eggs! Until I'd started reading about how to raise them, I didn't realize that chicken's lay eggs every 26 hours or so.
Then, in the late Fall, we will start to fill the freezer, I guess. I will not be involved in that process - that will be all Hubby's doing. (He was raised on a farm and this is something very common for him!)
I've told the boys that they will have to help with the chores involved in raising the birds, but I don't know how involved they will be. S is very excited about getting the babies, but I don't think he realizes how much care they will require.
It'll be an adventure that I'm looking forward to talking about on here!
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