Change of Plans

We cancelled our camping trip this weekend. We were supposed to go out with the Yeloushan bunch, but with the forecast calling for rain on and off all weekend, we opted not to go. Eric also did not like the idea of hanging out in the camper with their four kids for the next two days.

Instead of camping, we will probably go out shopping for bikes for Rob and me, put away the mounds of laundry taking over the bedrooms, look for potential garage sale items, file the stack of bills, EOBs, and receipts, eat ice cream, and rest. Plus, Lily still has a runny nose and a fat lip (Lily's face, meet the floor. Floor, meet Lily's face.), so I am betting that regular naps in her crib would help her more than anything.

Lost Finale Part 2

Oh boy! What an awesome episode! Some posts were upset, saying that the producers are taking the easy way out with the person in the coffin, but I was totally not expecting that. I can't stop my mind from theorizing. My mind is reeling. Good luck to me going to sleep tonight. Maybe I can pass out from exhaustion. Let's just hope...

Lost Finale

I'm so excited about the Lost finale. I don't typically enjoy any dramatic series, but I am hooked on this show. I haven't seen the first 2 seasons or even half of the third, but I have spent countless hours on lostpedia.com reading up on characters, events, and making connections between them. I may not be able to identify Ana Lucia by sight, but I can tell you every event she has been involved in.

I have been careful to only read the typical spoilerish stuff I normally read, since the finale has been leaked scene by scene. I really enjoy a couple of sites in particular, and both those sites have taken precautions against the leak. I know some details, but only enough to intrigue me even more.

Only 15 minutes until the reshowing of last week's finale Part 1. I am going to watch this, even though I watched it last week, because they are including a few different scenes. Then Part 2 will start. 3 solid hours of Lost. Yea!

This show gets me thinking like no other show has ever done. I have learned a lot, and have even made connections to science fiction and the Bible. It's so very entertaining. Only 11 more minutes!

Memorial Weekend Movies

In between the Piston's games this weekend Dan and I partook in just a couple of movies. In order from worst to best here are the movies we saw and a quick review.

No Country for Old Men (DVD) - Holy crap! What in the world were the voters for the Oscars thinking. This movie was horrible! The plot went absolutely nowhere. How does something like this get made let alone win an award? Don't waste your time.

What Happens in Vegas (In Theaters) - This is the type of movie you see when you have 4 hours to kill before the Pistons game and you're already walking around Great Lakes Crossing. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great. It was exactly what you think it would be. It was funny at times but the plot was so forced. Especially the conflict at the end. Wait for it to end up on TBS or TNT.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (In Theaters) - I think this movie could have been much better than it was. I felt the whole thing was very stereotyped, the evil soviet communists, the overbearing FBI agents (What was there part in the movie anyways), and the slacker "greaser kid". It was also very predictable and slow at times. The overuse, and bad use, of CGI and horrible sound effect placement was also distracting. Like Brad said earlier, if you enjoyed the first three you'd probably enjoy this one too. Wait for DVD or don't blame me.

The Great Debaters (DVD) - Great movie about a debate team from a black college in Texas who went on the compete against Harvard. Great movie on the racial problems of the 1930s without being to preachy. Great character development and a great job by Denzel Washington. See it!

The Chronicles or Narnia: Prince Caspian (In Theaters) - This was a very fun, enjoyable movie. It was quite a bit better than the first. The effects were well done and the scenery was beautiful. Character development was a little sparse at times but this movie flowed from one thing to another and at the end I was ready for the next chapter to begin. Enjoy it how it was meant to be seen, at the theaters.

Top Ten Tips for Watching Pistons Playoff Basketball with Rob

10. Don't use your witty sense of humor to ease the tension in a close game. Bad idea.

9. Limit your demands for quiet viewing only to when you jump from a spontaneous clap.

8. Close the kids' bedroom doors.

7. Occupy yourself with something else. Anything else. Checking your email, organizing hair accessories, washing dishes, cleaning the bathroom, reading, Sudoku, etc.

6. Replace items within reach that can be thrown onto the floor with soft, fluffy pillows.

5. Make sure that your DirecTV receiver is fully functional and not prone to freezing.

4. Conversation is bad. Never talk to just talk.

3. Don't call with four minutes left in the fourth quarter when the Pistons are only up by four points.

2. Let Rob have the couch. More room to flail.

1. Leave the house. Listen to the game on the radio in your car instead.

Being a Spectator is Hard Work

Grace and Robby both started swim classes again this week, and boy, was it hard. Let me explain. Grace has been taking swim lessons on and off for the last 18 months or so. She has gone through preschool, level 1, level 2, and level 3. In every one of those classes, Grace was clearly the best or one of the best (in these non-biased father's eyes). She was always around the same age or size as the kids in her class. Grace was able to do everything that was asked of her very well and excelled at all of it. This time around it has been much different.

Grace and Robby both waited for their classes to start and as they made their way to their groups I realized something that I had never seen before. The Spencer children were the smallest. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought my kids would be the smallest at anything. In Robby's case, it didn't matter much because they are just working on the basics and becoming more comfortable in the water. In Grace's class it made a big difference.

In Grace's class they are working specifically on the different strokes (free style, back, breast, butterfly, etc.) and are practicing these strokes by swimming lengths. It doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but Grace is at least 2 years younger and 4 inches shorter than all of the other kids. Being that much smaller than all of the other kids means only one thing. She is also the slowest. In comparison to most of the other kids she is painfully slow. None of this is her fault. She's able to do all the strokes as well as the other kids and is just as fearless as all of them, but when you can't completely touch the bottom without covering you mouth in water and the kick board is longer than your torso it can really affect your speed. Now I know that she is in the correct class. If she was moved back down a level she would not be learning a thing, but she would be the best. So what is better? Being the big fish in a little pond or being a smaller fish in a bigger pond. I know that she is in the right spot, but it is very hard to watch your child be on the lower end of the group.

None of this really affects Grace at all, which is all that really matters, but it does make me quite anxious. Do other parents look at her and think, "Is she in the right class?" "My child is not getting enough instructional time because we have to wait for that slow girl to finish" "Why would her parents put her in this situation?"

I know that these thoughts are irrational, but I also think dealing with the irrational thoughts is one of the biggest challenges of being a parent. I don't expect my kids to be the best at everything they do, but it would be nice. It would definitely make it easier to watch. Please pray for me when they actually start competing in things. Maybe we should just put the athletic equipment away and get out an instrument.

I love lists.

One of my favorite times of year has begun - packing the camper. I have an extensive list of supplies that we not only keep in the camper from trip to trip, but that we load in before each trip. Each year, I modify the list as needed, spend an evening in the camper crossing off what we already have in there or don't need to replace, and then spend a couple evenings restocking for upcoming trips. The goal is to only have to throw food and clothes in for a weekend. That way, we only have to unpack clothes and food when we get home. It makes the thought of preparing for a weekend away camping much less intimidating.

Wii Have a Winner or Wii Have a Problem

So as I told you at the end of my PBA blog, Sarah and I were now on a Wii hunt. How hard could it be for us to find one? The Wii has been out for almost two years, and there was no holiday rush to get one. So anytime Wii have been out and about, Wii check the area stores for a Wii. First Target, nope; Meijer, nope: Game Stop, nope. What are Wii to do? Wii really didn't want it to turn into another hunting expedition like it has been for Cars. Wii asked at both Target and Meijer when they usually get more in. Both big box stores told us that that when they are in their circular, they will be in stock that Sunday morning. Wii were in luck! As Wii looked at Meijer's ad on Sunday, there they were. Sarah rushed out to Meijer around 12:00 and found out that they had 24 Wiis, but they were already gone. Wii were crushed. Wii also talked to the guy at Game Stop and asked him when they get their Wii shipments in. Wii were informed that they get Wiis during the week but that they weren't sure exactly what day they would come in. He did let us know that Wii should check around 11:00 every morning to see if they had any. Well today I had an extended lunch break and stopped by Game Stop about 11:30 expecting just to peek my head in and ask if they had any Wiis. Low and behold they had one left. Wii are now the new owners of a Wii system and a son who will probably throw out a shoulder bowling. Wii will keep you updated on any new games or accesories Wii buy.

Wii Want List

Mario Party 8
MarioKart
High School Musical
Disney Princesses
Dance Dance Revolution
Summer Sports

My Computer Rocks (a haiku)

Dad fixed the hard drive
Computer much faster now
Can blog sans anger

More Dinner Conversation

During dinner...

Robby: Guess who I want to marry? It's somebody in my family.

Rob: You can't marry anybody in your family.

Grace: Why?

Rob: Because you can't.

Grace: Why?

Rob: Because it's against the law.

Grace: Why?

Rob (looking for help): Because it is.

Grace: Why?

Sarah: Grace, did you want to open your presents after dinner tomorrow?

Grace: Really?!?

What is Homesick?

During dinner...

Grace: One time at my school, Drew came in after lunch.

Mom: Why was he late? Did he have something important to do in the morning?

Grace: No, I don't think so. He was just homesick, I think.

Robby: What is homesick?

Grace: It's when you get sick and have to stay home and can't go anywhere.

School Story #2 (Hee hee)

Rob just shared a story with me that left me with my mouth open and speechless.

Three years ago, a teacher in Rob's school continued denying a student a hall pass for the bathroom. The student indicated that it was not an emergency, and that he could wait.

Later in the class, something smelled weird. I must remind you that I have no additional details, only what Rob is able to remember at the moment. After investigating, the teacher found that the student had pooped in the sink in the classroom.

Disappointingly, Rob cannot remember what happened next in the classroom, why no one saw this happen, what punishment was doled out, or if this teacher has changed his bathroom policy.

School Story

I thought I would reward my patient readers with some adventures from my professional life. Few have experienced this excitement (Amy, you remember the plethora of nose-pickers.), and only a few live it each and every day. If anyone would ever like to experience some of this joy with me one day, just let me know. I can't guarantee anything truly exciting will happen, but events, dialogue, and observations of the tween in his or her natural habitat are sure to entertain and enlighten.

Alicia (I may or may not be using real names here.) would complain most days about a headache or stomachache and call her mom or dad to come pick her up. One normal day, Alicia complained in the morning to me about a stomachache. Now, spring conferences were just under my belt. Her parents and I discussed her need to leave school, and her mom, an RN, told me that unless she was running a fever and near death, keep her in school. Well, Alicia was not running a fever and was still talking just as much as usual (a lot), so back to her seat she went.

Alicia persisted. After lunch, she went to the office again to have her temperature taken. Normal. She called home anyway, and her mom told her that she could stick it out for the rest of the day. I reitterated that with an hour left to go of school, suggesting she put her head down on her desktop in the back of the room if she needed to.

In the midst of one of my fascinating science lessons, I heard a pop can open. So help me, there better not be a kid poppin' a top in my classroom! I looked around for the parched culprit, but instead found a gagging cluster of students. After telling them to back off, I saw Alicia, pale and hunched over a small puddle of lunch. Oops. My bad.

As it turns out, Alicia had appendicitis, which her mom caught later that evening when Alicia was moaning and twisting while trying to soak in the bathtub. Alicia recovered quickly from her surgery, and was back to school in a week. Her science book, however, was not so lucky.

PBA?

How bad is it that my 4-year-old son continuously beat me and his grandpa in bowling this weekend? He was so on top of his game that he could tell you how many spares and strikes he had going in each game. Lucky for all involved, we were playing on the Wii. If we had been playing with a real bowling ball, I'm pretty sure Robby would have killed himself or someone else with his very unorthodox throwing style. I'm now off to find a Wii to practice so I can beat my 4-year-old. Wish me luck!

My Computer Sucks (a haiku)

Uploading pictures
Dangerously low disk space
Halt System Restore

Memory Monday Update

Grace came home today with her Memory Monday.

"I MAD BLUE BAREE MUFINS"

It seems the babysitter beat out all family. Good to know.

Memory Monday

Every Monday, Grace's kindergarten class has their Memory Monday writing workshop. Grace loves Memory Monday and puts a lot of thought in throughout the week as to what she will write about.

This week was no exception. Several out-of-the-ordinary events took place, including Papa being here all week, Addy's adoption (which included a visit to the ever-popular, toy-filled basement), a visit from Aunt Lorrie, Grandma, Aunt Erin and Chloe, Kristina coming to visit/babysit (which included cooking and crafts), and Uncle Dan's recital. This evening, while still at the restaurant after Uncle Dan's recital, I asked Grace what she might write about tomorrow.

Her response? When Uncle Dan and Jeff (his friend from Martin) taught her how to do "hard math". 9000 + 9000 = 18,000

North Sashabaw Elementary's 7th Annual Talent Show

Rob and I work with tweens, as much as we hate that word, all day. (Look for more on that in a future post). So we were hoping to avoid the talent show at Grace's school. However, due to some manipulative mentionings of fame and glory by Grace's teacher, Grace had her heart set on attending and performing with the kindergarten class.

I don't know how to put the talent show into words. It's something you can really only experience. Part of me was so proud I could burst. Part of me couldn't believe I was sitting for two hours in the auditorium watching bad lip synching and unrehearsed choreography. Part of me used the time to check over these kids Grace would be attending school with for the next 12 years. Part of me wondered what I could have done with the $5 spent on admission (mmmmmm...Tim Horton's).

Grace was so proud of being in the talent show. I do have to admit, she was the most talented kindergartener up there, singing "When the Rain Comes Down" and signing like Marlee Matlin. She knew what to do and when to do it. She didn't even get distracted when Jennifer (her best friend) turned to her to say something in the middle of the song. She kept right on signing and singing.

Some other acts (besides the one my talented daughter was in) were pretty good. Two fifth grade boys did a well-timed "Who's on First?" skit. Grace's friend and classmate, Will, sang "Oh My Darlin' Clementine" alone. Grace's classmate Drew and his family and friends danced the evolution of dance.

Some acts were just hilarious. A first grader played an "original" song on his synthesizer, then grabbed his keyboard and ran offstage when done. Two second grade classes performed a reader's theater, which would have been fine if not for the three students getting into an argument about who got to speak into the microphone more (which is all you heard). A second grader played "Are You Sleeping?" on the piano, which was fine, but her dad jumped up at the end and clapped his heart out. Two tiny fifth grade boys with unnaturally spikey hair rocked out to Guitar Hero.

Unfortunately, the verdict is still out on poor, sick Cam and his human pretzel skit. One can only imagine.

I guess the talent show wasn't that bad. I would do it again. Chances are that I will, since I will have a child at North Sashabaw Elementary for the next 10 years, and Grace now loves all aspects of talent shows.

Oh, How I Love Snow Days

Contrary to popular belief, I did not become a teacher because of the possibility of snow days. It is a nice perk, though.

In my years of trying to hide the glee of a potential snow day from my students, I have learned of many snow day rituals, told to me by my students. Some are as offbeat as preparing everything for the next day - backpack loaded, lunch packed, clothes laid out, alarm set, etc. Others are as ridiculous as standing in front of an open refrigerator with your pajamas on backwards and inside out, singing Frosty the Snowman. Hey, whatever works.

I have had two snow days already this week, and tomorrow is up in the air, although Chuck Gaidica now says that the heaviest snowfall is not supposed to come until morning rush hour, which is not nearly early enough.

In my early morning meteorology/prayer sessions, I have learned that several factors can contribute to a snow day. First, lots of snow is not mandatory. Sometimes ice is enough. Second, rain on top of snow is a guaranteed snow day because it makes the dirt roads horrendous. Third, high winds have the possibility of knocking out power to all of Ortonville, rendering our district helpless. Finally, and this has only happened once, if something happens to the entire fleet of Northern Oakland County's snow plows and salt trucks the night before a major snow storm, the roads cannot be cleared. :)

Snow days are the best things about winter. No other time could I get a 20-second phone call at 5am, go back to sleep with a smile on my face, and wake up to absolutely no obligations. The way I look at it, I should have been at school the whole day. Therefore, the laundry, dishes, and vacuum won't be expecting anything during the day. Snow days beg for me to stay in my pajamas and watch TV. Speaking of which, everybody sing along! "Frosty the Snowman was a jolly, happy soul. With a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal..."

Too Good for the Quote List

Robby: Mommy, I think I really need to lay down.

Sarah: Why?

Robby: Because my moose hurts.