Must Read..Can't Live Without It

Tuesday has become library day since it's the day the videos are due back. So, we made our weekly trip to the tiny Greensboro branch of the library ( when it first opened my dad said I had more books than they did). The boys tend to get more movies and maybe a couple of books, but everyone who knows me should know I get BOOKS!!!!! I am like an addict, I can't go very long without reading. When it's really slow at the store, I read all the newspapers, the guide, the express, the Caroline Review and whatever else is handy.

Jarrett woke up this morning full of ideas for a new movie so we'll be working on that soon. It's going to be a mystery/whodunnit kind of thing. We also got his Teacher's Pet DVD the other day and he was so happy to have his own copy. Right now the boys are watching Looney Tunes and Max is singing at the top of his lungs.

Mom is at the dentist since she broke part of her tooth Saturday night eating steak. Not on the ice cream cake, she broke it eating steak and potatoes. Our family is talented I tell you.

We are now allowing Max to venture out to play on his own, now that he's older and understands the boundaries of where he is allowed to be. He is mistrustful of this new arrangement and keeps coming back in to check if he's really allowed to ride his bike in the yard alone. Honestly, when it's hot the only person who wants to go out is Max to ride his bike. Jarrett only wants to go out every now and then, he's definitely an indoor kind of guy.

I have been trying my hand at selling Max's clothes on e-bay and am getting ready to send out my first sales!! I also have some outgrown clothes of Jarrett's that I may try to sell next and who knows what else.

It's already time to be thinking about what Jarrett needs for vacation with Dad (which doesn't involve much on my end) and camp. The hard part about camp is making sure he has enough of everything for a week away from home. He's been going to Camp Fairlee for 4 or 5 years now and he loves it, especially when he and Lauren go the same week. I think it helps to know someone there. I think art class is a no go this year since for half of it he'll be away with Dad. But we have plenty to keep us busy.

Birthday Observations

Yesterday was Mikey's birthday. Max came in to our room when he woke up just like always and presented his daddy with birthdays cards. "Here Daddy, I got you a spongebob card! Happy Birthday!" Max is not the child you tell secrets to. Mikey's card from his mom has a motorcycle on the front and inside she wrote something like happy birthday and hope you have many more, which probably means Max has ratted on Daddy and told Grandma about Daddy's motorcycle. We cooked on the grill last night for his birthday and had some peanut butter cup ice cream cake from DQ as he had requested.

And from the will we never learn category....The boys and I went to my work Friday to get my check and run errands. As we are leaving Jarrett notices a man with one leg and shouts "Hey, look at that guys leg!" When I told him that wasn't a nice thing to do "I wasn't going to tease him about it." He has mild autism but we are trying to teach him that you can't just blurt out whatever pops into your head. He did say sorry to the man and "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." and the guy was very nice about it. As we walk to the truck, Jarrett was full of questions like how did he lose his leg and where do you get a robot leg like that anyway. my life is never dull, I swear.
It does bring to mind the time Tyler was building the garage and two of his amish helpers were with him and they came in to the house to put some walls up for the boy's room. Jarrett looks at one of them and says"Hey dude, what's with the beard?" That time we did learn that it means he's a married man.

Babies

Well, it's official. I will have a niece in November. My brother Matt and his girlfriend Kimmy are having a girl. We are all excitedly looking at little girly clothes and such since right now all we have are my boys.
In other news, my sister had a miscarriage the day after her first doctors appointment and while it does simplify things for her ( she didn't know if she could finish school for her teaching degree which she is almost done with, work and fit a baby in too, her dogs are enough to handle with what little free time she has) it still is a very sad thing for her and us too. I think she pictured her baby and Matt's growing up and playing together like we did with our cousins.

We are currently spending our summer going to the library once a week. Hopefully, Jarrett's dvd of Teacher's Pet will arrive soon so we can stop checking it out of the library every week. Max rides his bike every chance he gets since it rains so much right now. He needs something to use up the boundless energy he has or he drives everyone crazy!! When it rains and his daddy can't work, Max uses that time to wrestle and fight with daddy.

Father's day Max was happy to give Daddy the monster truck he made at Aunt Shell's house when they had a sleepover Thursday. He was so excited about the presents that they made. Jarrett made his dad a red car and they both made Grandpa Mark a bank. I had to work that afternoon. Max and Mikey went to his mom's to see Grandpa Kawaguchi for father's day. I spent the afternoon at work listening to cds and thinking about Dad. He died 7 years ago this year.

School Bound!!

We got a letter yesterday informing us that Max got in to Pre-k for next school year. While I find it silly that you have to register and then wait to see if you get in to a public school program, I am very happy that Max gets to go. He has been dying to go to school ever since he turned 4. I am also glad it's a half-day thing, getting him to sit and listen for that long will be a challenge. Such a good year!! Jarrett goes to middle school next year, crossing my fingers for a good year!!

Presidential Plante

Last night was fifth grade awards night. It was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but due to severe storms it was rescheduled for last night. Jarrett received a Presidential Award For Academic Excellence, a letter from the President and a pin.
We are all so proud of him for all his hard work. He has greatly improved through the years, since kindergarten and since we moved to my hometown. He attends the same elementary school that I did and even has some of the same teachers I did!! The first picture is Jarrett getting his award from Mrs. Macfarland, one of his teachers. Mrs. Macfarland's kids went to school with my brother and sister and she is really good with Jarrett.

Today is the last day of school. He went off to school armed with his yearbook, his class shirt he got yesterday (Class of 2016 Oh My God!!), a marker so his friends can sign everything and gifts for teachers and his bus driver. I always get everyone something because everyone works so hard with him and we so appreciate it. All this success would not be possible without understanding teachers ( Thanks Mrs. Mac!!) special education teachers( We love you Mrs. Springer!!) and assistants ( You're a jewel Mrs. Talley!!). His bus driver was our neighbor when I was growing up and Mrs. Barb is very good and has been very helpful to Jarrett over the last 3 years. Let's hope Max doesn't try her patience too much next year, if he gets in to Pre-K.

SUMMER TIME IS HERE!!

Band Concert

Last night was Jarrett's final performance as a trumpet player. At the beginning of school this year he wanted to play the trumpet so we bargained: If he got a trumpet he must finish the year out with band. No quitting. And we kept that bargain even though it was hard. Practicing, driving to school early for band rehearsals and general misery ensued. But he stuck it out and I am proud of him. It was a very spiffy affair and required dress clothes since it was held at the high school auditorium. I filmed it with the camera and cringe to think of how many times I had to tell Max to sit down or be quiet and so on.



Last week we went to school to the drama club play(I didn't know the elementary school had a drama club!!) and had a blast. With Jarrett's love of performing I had to ask why join the band and not drama? Next year's plan is join the drama club and ditch band since he doesn't like it. I think he would have done very well. The play was the Wizard of Oz and since they stuck to the movie script I know he would have aced it. I guess with doing his movies at home it never ocurred to him that he could do both.



A mildly interesting development is that Max evidently has an imaginary friend named KISS which probably looks like Gene Simmons. Ever since he saw Wishology and KISS sang Rock and Roll All Nite, he's been obsessed. He loves that song and demands to hear it whenever we go somewhere in the truck. Now I guess he's going to want a Gene Simmons doll.



My children are exceptionally special( Mikey says thats code for weird but I say it's his fault they're weird!!)