Thursday, June 25, 2009

Extra! Extra! Update Time...

WOW! A lot of time has passed since my last (tipsy) post. Things have been busy, but that isn’t the reason for my silence. I just haven’t felt much like blogging since my Kimi left… It has been a couple years since she moved away from me, and I have gotten used to only seeing her periodically, but this time I just really miss her. Bear and I are planning to go visit her (and her family of course!) sometime this summer as it is way past our turn to make the drive and we want to see her husband once more before he is deployed in the fall…but I miss her NOW!

Anyway…time for a random update:

1) School is out for the summer, and I couldn’t be happier! The kids are enrolled in a great day camp program for the whole summer. They will swim four days a week, go on some really cool field trips, and spend their days getting as filthy as they possibly can! Who could ask for more?

2) Bubbles made honor roll in the 4th quarter! We are so proud! She has been trying to make honor roll for the last 2 years, and most quarters only missed it by a grade or two. She had pretty much given up hope, but now that she has tasted success, we are hopeful that she will have a renewed drive next year.

3) Animal finished out the year as was expected. He got wonderful grades in all academic areas and not so wonderful grades in all behavior areas. The boy just doesn’t know how to sit still and be quiet (no idea where he gets that…). Animal had an awesome teacher this year! She quiet obviously adored him, but also didn’t let him get away with anything. At the end of the year, she made a point of contacting me to discuss the best placement for him next year. She wanted to make sure that he was put in a class that would help him continue to make progress, but also be understanding of his overactive ways. I am really going to miss her!

4) Right after school ended, I got a call from the county that Bubbles was accepted into the GT (gifted and talented) program for next year! She actually tested for this last summer, but she had a rough start to her 4th grade year and a less than stellar teacher, so they put her case on hold. After she made honor roll and rocked her SOL’s, they decided to put her in the program. She is SO excited!

5) We had already decided that we couldn’t take a big family vacation this year because the house requires some major work (Note to Bear: Please get the number for the neighbor’s landlord so we can get started!), but we had vowed to do some fun close to home (CHEAP!) things like going to the zoo, going to some museums, etc. Well…with my mother’s help and encouragement, we are now scheduled to take a mini vacation (long weekend) in July to one of The Great Wolf Lodge locations. They have an indoor water park, nightly story time, buffet style meals, plus all kinds of other ways to entertain a family of four. We could probably stay there a week and never leave the lodge…but 3 days will be awesome too!

6) Bubbles just completed another year of slow pitch softball. She really improved her skills this year, and the team did great, finishing in 2nd place. She has a new trophy (to go with her bowling ones) and bragging rights for a year. We aren’t sure she will play again next year…she is making noise about trying something else…but we are happy that she got some exercise and a big boost to her self esteem.

7) Animal is participating in a Boy Scout day camp this week, and loving every minute of it! According to Bear, the program is really disorganized this year (they are under new management), but Animal hasn’t noticed. So far he has gotten to do Archery, BB gun shooting, Fishing, Leather work, and all kinds of other male bonding activities. He gives the whole thing an A+.

8) Bear and I celebrated 12 years of marriage last weekend. Our anniversary fell on Father’s Day this year, so it was put on the back burner (by me). I felt that it was far more important to spend that day honoring a great father. Besides…the kids leave Friday on a 4 day trip with their grandparents to visit my sister and her husband. We decided that it would be much more productive to celebrate our anniversary over a kid free weekend. So far, we have decided that we will go out to dinner and to see the new Transformers movie. Those are our only solid plans at this point, but I am sure we can find SOME way to fill all those hours of us time!

I think that is everything of note that has happened over the last few months. Actually, I am certain that I have forgotten something, but it is all I can think of right now. Now…back to work!