I'm at my whit's (sp?) end!!!

I have a 6th grader, who doesn't do homework , or even care about whether he's done it or not. I ask, do you have homework?? "nope" is what I get... then I find out in 4 of his 6 classes, he has an "I" they grade A,B,C,I Funny how you can never have homework, and you're almost a straight "I" student. He doesn't even hang out with kids that get I's he hangs out with A & B students, they go to reward events and dances, he doesn't , I don't get it, I do whatever it seems like I can, but obviously it's not enough, I realize they are trying to teach "responsibility" but with him, it's not working... I need advice I can take away every privilege and he'd be happy to just sit in a corner and stare at a piece of dust.... I email a teacher... no response... I really hate middle school.... I really hope he doesn't. HELP!!!

Guess what..... it's snowing!

I know hard to believe it could be snowing.... And Influenza has hit our area hard.... as it has over the entire country. Bradley and I are passing a virus back and fourth, I can NOT wait until summer!!! Anyway, better subjects..

We had a GREAT time at the hockey game!! Ryan even stayed interested in it the whole time, there were a few fights and lots of players slamming up against the glass, the Griffins won!! We did learn, we really need aisle seats, Ryan had to get up to use the restroom twice. but it was all good, we sent Bradley with him the second time, they are smaller and the people on the end didn't move so you could get through. The kids want to go again sometime! The cub scout pack will be going to the Thunder Nationals ( Monster trucks) I was a bad mom and opted out of that one. Doug will take the camera, and both boys are going with him. Bradley is a Den Chief for Ryan's cub den. The boys did miss Scouts on Sunday, the leader moved it to 7pm.... well at 7pm on a Sunday night Ryan has already had dinner and his bath and is winding down reading his books until bed at 8pm.. it's usually at 4:30. Thursday night the Boy Scouts had a pool party at the AmericInn in Douglas that was fun, the kids had a great time! And then Saturday was Bradley's last basketball game for the season. They lost 26-24 but they played great!! Bradley did go skidding across the floor and slammed into the wall, he said the pads that hang on the wall are soft, now we know why they're there Thank goodness!!! He was pretty sore the next day, it was a rough game. Overall they were 3-3 a couple games were cancelled due to weather early on.

For my friends on the West Coast..

Since I've seen a picture of a daffodil today, I thought I'd share a little bit of our February.. You really aren't jealous are you?

We haven't' had a full week of school since sometime in January, it's been over a month. The kids, think it's great. I'm really not going to complain I enjoy sleeping in when a delay or snow day falls on my day off.

I went shopping yesterday, the boys grew and were in desperate need of jeans, so I got them each a few pair thanks to some good sales. On my way home , on my radio station they said the 18th caller would receive free tickets to a Griffins hockey game tomorrow night, so I thought, I have nothing better to do ( besides drive, but I wasn't eating or drinking anything at the same time) so I called and called, took me about 5 tries but I got through and I actually won!!!! can you believe it? So I called Doug, I was SO excited, and he says, how do we get 2 more tickets? So I had to go to WGRD today to pick up the tickets and they are just across the street from VanAndel Arena, so after I got the tickets I went to VanAndel to check on buying 2 more tickets near our seats, so the wonderful clerk said she couldn't get 2 more seats by those, but she could move us to the next section with 4 seats, so I traded tickets and then I noticed, we've got closer seats than the other 2 tickets!!! So we've got a family night out at a hockey game tomorrow night, the boys are SO excited!! Me too!

Greetings from Germ Central

Wow, there are nasty bugs in our town/schools. Bradley has been out all week, with Influenza, and to think he got the shot, but I guess the shot missed the main virus this year. He's a little more perky tonight, but they have an early dismisal day tomorrow and no school on Friday so I am still going to keep him home, why rush it. He's got all his homework for the week so he'll have all weeekend to get it done. The boy scouts are going winter camping this weekend, but I am NOT letting Bradley go, maybe overprotective?? I think not. Seems like we had all these germs in our house 6 years ago... The year my mom died. It was just 6 years ago on Saturday. Hard to believe.
We've still only had one car it's been going surprisingly well. Tony that Doug has been riding with a couple times a week has refused to take money for the rides, but he did say he'd take choc chip cookies, so I am making those right now, so Doug can give them to him when he picks him up in the morning. It's the least I can do.
Ryan has his Valentines party tomorrow, he's so excited. We made cards on the computer they are nicer than the ones you can buy in the store and custom made ;-) Ryan LOVES them, they have kitties on them. then we taped pencils with hearts to them. I have the car so I can get to his party.
Happy Valentines day to everyone!!

Another day off

We had another snow day, they actually cancelled school last night, so that was nice to know ahead of time. Bradley was going to stay home anyway, he's got a yucky nose and a nasty cough and tight chest and a fever and he's really tired. I still went to work though, he said he didn't need me at home. He does a good job. Ryan did a good job keeping himself entertained too. I came home at lunch and cleaned up the cereal dishes from breakfast and then made them lunch, gave Brad some medicine and back to work for a few more hours. If Bradley really needed me he would of said so, and he called often, so that's good.

Talked to my sister yesterday and it looks like I may be going out to visit in April, Bradley may be going also depending on how expensive the tickets are... I would love to take Ryan, but he's too much for me to handle on the plane and in airports without Doug. I did tell him when he's older i'll take him, he seemed fine with that. We'll see what happens.

We have another snow advisory out for us tonight thru tomorrow... All we've seen is clouds and snow.... I know why depression is common around here.

Arctic air

The tempurature is 3 the wind chill is -19 I'd say that defines cold! And it's windy with wind gusts around 38. Our power flickered on and off a lot all night. We have a lot of firewood downstairs in case the power were to go out, we'd get hungry though, everything here is electric.

Ryan and Doug went on a cubscout outing yesterday, sledding, they rode with Ray and Nathan Schmuck. Ryan & Nathan said they were "bruvers" Then we went to Schmucks last night for game night and they continued to have fun. They were upstairs playing school with Nathans cousin Andrew, they read him books and everything, Candi was schocked because Nathan doesn't even like school. Andrew got all stars on his work. Candi asked if Ryan would spend the night sometime, she'd like to have him over in the next couple of weeks. I think it's worth a try, then we need to ship Bradley off for the night too, And Doug and I could go out to the Butler and use our gift certificate and just be alone for a change. I love my boys dearly, but once in a while and evening with no kids arguing over which cat is "thiers" or having them show up in the middle of a conversation and start asking questions and putting thier 2 cents in would just be nice and relaxing. ( We actually call Bradley 2 cents a lot)

Bradley and I went to his Basketball game, they won 49-6 2 of the boys weren't there so the other 5 played the entire game, they did great. Bradley even got 4 points. He's getting more aggresive and has ( I don't know if I can use this term in basketball, but I am ) intercepted the ball, stolen the ball and he gets in there to get the rebound. His coach says he's really doing well and really listens to what he's told to do and then does it ( I wish he was like this with academics) Brad loves his coach and says he's learned so much this year and actually understands the game better. So they are 2-2, those Holland and Hamilton teams are big.

Somehow I ended up with Pnuemonia this past week. I actually got sick enough to go to the Dr. on Tuesday, I try not to whine, I didn't realize I was so sick, the Dr. told me to go home instead of going back to work, so I did, I went home and went to bed ( the kids were home, yes another snow day) But I made it to work on Wednesday, I just rested when I got home. I layed low on Thursday and Friday, did a little around the house, but rested a lot. I am done with the antibiotic and the steriod for my breathing, the antibiotic was a 5 day thing but I guess it works for another 5 days, wierd. I also had to use Ryan's nebulizer, my asthma apperently kicked in with it, which I havent' had an issue with since I was in high school. Now I have to go for bloodwork for a bunch of other things. the Dr. decided I really need to take care of myself for a change. He's right. I need to be around for many years to come. And on that note, it's been 6 years since the passing of my Mom. I can't belive it's been that long. I really wished both my parents were here to see the boys, they'd be having so much fun together. Dad always wanted a boy, can you imagine him with both boys....

Super Bowl

Well we had 23 people here last night for a Super Bowl party. We had so much fun! We invited the Schmucks, and the Johnsons, the Schmucks found out Ray had 2 brothers a sister in law and a niece and nephew coming for the day from Wisconsin so they asked if they could come too, we said, of course! then Candi's sister Brandi her husband Jeremy and thier 4 kids came over too.. it was good, the game didn't get good until the last 3 minutes or so though, but the commercials were all pretty good. We had taco's taco dip, snacks drinks, all the good party stuff! We hung out in the basement with the fire it was cozy. I think the kids were still tired this morning, they were hoping for a 2 hour delay this morning, but no luck.. It makes you feel good when your friends want you to be a part of thier family gatherings!!

A snow day!!!

Can you belive it? Another snow day. Doug got a fire call just before 5 am and left for it, so he missed his ride to work at 5:30 so guess who had to drag her butt out of bed to take him to work.... I don't drive in this stuff.... it's really bad, I called him when I got home and said I'm not coming to get him!!!! He doens't belive me, but if he won't find a ride, I'll find one for him, I was serious, it took me 50 minutes to get home and I was freaking out!! You can't see the road, you can't see the cars, Plows, what are those, they haven't been out yet... ICK!! I wouldn't of needed the car, but I have a 10 am appointment to get our taxes done and we really need the refund so we can get his car back on the road!!! And that's only in Douglas, so that I can make, although M-89 has idiots driving on it too. Let's hope for a refund anyway!!!