Stunned by actions.....

I was having a perfectly good day on Saturday and it is amazing how one phone call can put a knot in your stomach and get adrenaline pumping....

I can't really write about the situation that we had occur on Saturday but it is a bad thing.....police are involved.....families are upset but we are okay! It is just the fact that you have been violated and it is out of your hands, nothing you can do except rely on the system to make it right or slap hands!

So, instead of being upset about a violation against us I should be happy that we are safe and good thinking was used by certain people and they deserve solid gold stars for thinking!

So I am rather dreary and down today, kind of nervous and sick to my stomach feeling!

I feel much better with a night's sleep....

WHEW - I posted the message last night about school - it really troubles me that I make the "right" decisions for my son. I do feel better this a.m., maybe I just needed to vent and blow some steam....I had already vented earlier in the evening to my husband and a friend - it felt good but I needed to do it again...kind of like a volcano I guess!

So tomorrow is Friday and I have plans....YIPPEEE! A night out with friends and laughter - I am so looking forward to it! I am bringing Mike along....perhaps his friend Smirnoff...he is a grape guy, fun loving, lets ya loosen up and relax. Hopefully we will have SI there! Mike and Smirnoff are pretty well mannered, pretty quiet until you let them out of their bottles - that is when things start happening!

Again.....wear your waterproof mascara because I had a friend once who had some makeup failure and all I am going to say is Mike was involved! So - grab your waterproof mascara!

Big decisions.........

It has again been one of those days.....maybe it is mid week when everything builds up on my plate.....I feel like I need to vent tonight - so read on if you want and if you can't handle some bitchin' then wander on.....

As most of you know we have had Angelo in Catholic School since he started school. We are very seriously considering pulling him out this next year! We have been so frustrated with his schooling, the phone calls, the treatment. I hurt for my child to be torn away from his friends and put in public school but yet I am so tired of some of the things that have gone on the past four years! Four years of garbage that I have recently been mulling over in my brain....

Perhaps it was kindergarten when our child was ahead in class and he was placed with a child who was having trouble listening, sitting still, concentrating.....was it then that you started putting his fire out? I know most people think their children are "smart" and you should. I just want to say when he started kindergarten he could read and was above 1st grade in his reading level...ya...that was then, he could also do simple times tables....in kindergarten! Grandma and grandpa had worked with him to add money and taught him these things. I am not angry about him being placed with the child who was having a hard time...what I am angry about is not feeding his mind and being the start of putting his fire out...or what I like to say is "dumbing him up" - ya, making him an "average" student instead of challenging him....

Maybe it was 1st grade when you were frustrated with him because he was so literal, you expressed it to us in teacher conferences....ummm....an example would be is if you said something was glass and it was actually plastic - he would say "actually that is plastic?", is there something wrong with that? He was really an innocent child at the time - not trying to be a smart mouth.... Was it when you put him in the hall multiple times throughout the year because you didn't want to deal with him....where he missed out on making his Thanksgiving project and the day you watched Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and you had put him in the cafeteria and forgot about him and another employee at the school found him sleeping at the table....alone to boot? Did you dim his fire then? When I asked where his Thanksgiving project was and he said "I didn't get to make one because I was in the hall"! Uh ya, 1st grade, special project and he is in the hall - Saweeeet of you! Thanks! Ya...I am pissed!!! You betcha!!!! I hurt for my son....I wasn't treated this way in school nor were any of the other 30+ students I went to school with....
Still no challenge for him - could all these so called problems be related to no stimulation of his mind that wants so badly to learn and explore - did you dim his fire more?

I know that I shouldn't be so angry and I should forgive and forget but that is the hard part....forgetting/forgiving, this is my son, my only child.....as every parent you want the best for him, you expect the best for him.....

His 3rd grade year has actually been the best....his teachers understood him, they worked with him and challenged him and tried to re-ignite his fire. Both were awesome teachers! One of his teachers actually had worked with him in kindergarten and knew how advanced he was and expressed that to us - thanks for that confirmation! I actually shed tears this year when the year was over because "WOW" they worked with him and they worked with us and they understood and most of all "they listened to him and reached to try to gain him back" - now that is what a "Christian" school should do in my mind and heart!

And yes there is the cruelty of other kids....I know kids can say cruel and hurtful things but I guess I expect more from, yes, again, a so called "CATHOLIC" school. Maybe for teachers and employees to perhaps listen to what is going on between kids....and not tolerate unkind behavior. I am still mulling over the last day of school and the two boys telling him he couldn't play the game with him because he didn't have a family...because he was adopted! What do you do as a parent, the last day of school....like you call and say something and what is the teacher/principal going to do --- NADA, it is the "LAST" day of school!

So, I just kind of threw up all over my blog with the above - but I am just so unsure of what to do with him for next year.....do I go in to the partially unknown at Catholic school with a new 4th grade teacher and knowing what has happened for the past 4 years there! It is so hard as a parent to know what is the answer, you want the best for your child - will we damage him by changing schools in the 4th grade and putting him in public school and having him go through culture shock at that age? Will we have more problems at public school? He would be challenged I know in public school because they have programs for kids that are behind or ahead.....I don't know....Catholic school has no programs for kids that are advanced in areas or are falling behind - it is made for the "average" child.....I know parents who left the school because their child was having problem in a specific area and the teacher just left them behind in the dust and went on with the rest of the kids.....huh?, yep it really happened!

Oh and besides the fact that we are paying for this treatment too...uh ya! Cold hard cash flowing out the pocketbook.....

If the school has did anything it has caused me to grow inside and become momma bear and she is starting to come out of her den more often lately! I had a mom that stood back and for the most part years ago life was good - parents didn't HAVE to step in but not now - you got step in, dust of your cleats and warm up because you WILL be going to bat for your child!

Any advice for decision making would be greatly appreciated! It really does burden my heart and makes me sad that he will change schools - there are some very positive things about the school......

So....

I posted a picture below of my latest creations, I thought they turned out rather cute! Nothing spectacular but cute and fun!



So, the weekend was kind of a calm weekend. On the 4th we ended up going to Johnson, WA for the parade which was okay....entertaining to say the least and wet - there are always tons of water guns - however, I stay back and out of range. I thought we may be getting wet from Mother Nature on the way up as it was spitting rain on us as we drove up. Afterwards we headed back to L-town and home to get our swimming supplies for the picnic at my uncle's new home. He has a spectacular view and it was fun to watch the kids swim - I thought Angelo was going to be the only child but it ended up that my cousin brought her sister's kids (yes, the sister is also my cousin but apparently she is fighting fires in California so the kids are here in this exciting town). Anyhow, so Ang had a few cousins to hang out with for part of the afternoon in the pool - lots of splashing and dunking off the air mattresses going on. Ang amazes me how well he swims and can stay underwater.

Which leads to the next photo - my uncle is a jokester and he threw this rubber snake in the pool in the midst of all the kids and the oldest girl flipped out over it, started screaming and practically walked on water getting out of the pool. Then of course Angelo grabbed the snake and put it on Grandpa's hat - what do you think? I am thinking Crocodile Hunter II. That wasn't the only joking going on - it was so hot in the afternoon that Joe and I put ice on top of my dad's hat without him knowing...we loaded that top up and then he wanted to know who was sitting behind him and told me he felt like he had water dripping down his back.....who me, do something like that? I just told him he was crazy!



This last photo is of the sunset on July 4th....I took quite a few pics as the sun was setting - nothing like a beautiful signature sunset from the maker above!



Not to much else went down this weekend....I spent a couple hours hangin' with Savan at CPS and Kristi - that is always relaxing and fun! I played around with some of my new stamp sets, washed some clothes, cleaned up the kitchen, made some cookies last night and a couple of pies for Joe's work. Put in 3 or 4 naps throughout Saturday and Sunday...oh and one trip to Joanne Fabric just to get a pattern and there you have it - my weekend in a coconut shell!

Let the FIREWORKS begin....

Okay - so I mean the good kind that go up in the air - not the bad kind that means a fight is about to start....

What are your plans for tomorrow - to celebrate our INDEPENDENCE:

I will go to the parade in Johnson and then return home to go to my uncle's home to spend the day....swimming - ya right - me in my string bikini! WAHAHA! We will watch fireworks from his home which overlooks the river. Angelo is excited for the "swimming" portion....hmmm, I shall strategically place myself next to the drink table....ya that is a great idea!



SOOOOOOO....what are your plans?

In the meantime, I am thinking about O-I, the ocean and the ICEHOLE who happens to be there right now, ya we all know who that one is....she has been awfully quiet, I hope she didn't overindulge on SI and choke herself! This weekend I shall get SI for my palate...SI and diet Pepsi, SI and something fruity, SI....ya....refreshing SI!

vacation pics....

This picture is for Mrs. D....the picture explains itself!


The fam on our drive up to Snowbird..


The beauty & snow.....




Mr. A at The Gateway in the fountain! He had a great time!

National DA Day....and I joined in!

So - I am back to blowing some steam this a.m.

I had to run an errand early this a.m. probably while the rest of you were possibly thinking about crawling outta bed I was racing through town in my minivan.

I delivered my work and was heading from Clarkston back in to the Orchards knowing I wanted to hit Mickey D's for the backseat passenger - you see he has a small addiction to McGriddles (personally the idea of syrup inside bread and then add egg/sausage to it makes me want to hurl). Normally I wouldn't take him there but it was a bribe to get him up and moving this a.m.

So anyway, I see on the way to Clarkston heading down the freakway that there is road construction on 4th Street so I am thinking ahead and trying to figure out HOW to get to the Orchards McD's quickly and painlessly. I take the exit and head up the grapevine only to get stopped in a line of cars because of chip sealing. Now, this is where I become frustrated....you see if you haven't noticed gasoline is about $4 a gallon and I am sitting in a line of traffic waiting for a dump truck to back up and when he finally gets where he is going then the 1st car in line rolls down his window to talk to the flagger. My assumption is that he is wanting to go up 4th Street to get to the physician/dentist offices or Life Care Center and since 4th Street is closed he wants to know HOW - again only an assumption - I could handle the first car doing it.....then the second vehicle stops and rolls down their window and again assumption is they want directions - by this time my BP is rising and I am thinking "HELLOOOO, how long you lived here?" After two cars pass the flagger flips the sign back to STOP - what the hell? So again, slight rise in BP, gas is $4 a gallon remember. Then the flagger starts directing people through again and by now there are only 3 cars in front of me and I kid you not, every one of them stopped to ask directions....by this time I knew that because I could see the flagger pointing this way and that way.....I had to question how these people function in society and who directs them around by hand at their jobs, how do they find their way to work each day and back home let alone to the gas station or grocery store?

I had to do something STUPID so no one would suspect that I was of higher intelligence than the rest...besides the people behind me were probably steaming tooo....

so you guessed it....I rolled my window down and stopped at the flagger.

Brenda: "Hey, I just wanted to say have a great day."

Flagger (Smiling but confused): "Do you need directions because 4th Street is closed."

Brenda: "NOPE, I know where I am going, I just wanted to say have a great day!"

Flagger: "4th Street is closed."

Brenda: "Yep, that is apparent since there is a sign that states road closed ahead and there is another one of you standing in the middle of the road on 4th Street."

I drive away laughing to myself - YEP, I can be as big of a DA as the rest of the world! Happy Tuesday you confused people who can't find their way in this GIANT CITY! YEESH!