While both my children seem to be natural born performers, Wiseguy showed that he has a knack for the spoken word. He proved this more than ever on Father's Day. We were visiting my dad and stepmother (AKA Opop and Omom) and remembered that SmartyPants had her recorder in the van. Since Omom and Opop had never heard her play in person she wanted to perform a few songs for them and did so quite well, as per usual. Of course, WiseGuy wasn't going to be left out of the spotlight and stood beside her providing percussion throughout her performance. While it was funny to watch him try to muscle in on her performance I was also surprised that his percussion accompaniment was on beat and fit perfectly with her playing. When SmartyPants had completed her songs WiseGuy decided to sing for us. At least that's what he said. Instead he took on the role of MC and explained many things to us about what was going on 'up there on stage.' He gave out 'prizes' to us all. I was the lucky winner of a pink car and ONE HUNDRED MILLION THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!! We each received our share of the world's money and our own cars. After much talking and introduction he decided to introduce his sister again and this time she would sing. It took about 10 minutes to get him off 'the stage' at which time he informed us all that he would be going to 'the other stage' while she performed her songs. As she started singing we all suddenly heard, from the other side of the room, 'Well hello everybody!' There was WiseGuy doing his shtick on on the other stage. SmartyPants finished the 'It's Saturday!' review (the musical she had a role in at school this past year) and WiseGuy returned to do some standup, telling jokes that just WEREN'T jokes, but you HAVE to laugh for him, anyway. My dad said it was Andy Kaufman-esque and would probably entertain a number of people if we really did put him on stage. He had us almost in tears for about 45 minutes. It was priceless, to say the least.
Now, what I wonder is, would he do this in front of a GROUP of people? Or did he only do it because he was in front of family? I suppose only time will tell. All I know is that I am glad he does it for me.
Showing posts with label the kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the kids. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Sharing the Past
Ok, so it turns out that the scale I weighed myself on was a little off....and NOT in my favor. But, on the upside of that, I actually HAVE lost the nine pounds I claimed to have lost a week ago. It just happened in TWO weeks instead of one. That sounds a little more like it to me, anyway ;)
I have yet to find a job, people. More because I have no one to watch the kids than anything else, though. I've put out apps and resumes and such, so I just need to get one of these high school girls to watch the rugrats and I'll be home free...I hope. Since I've been home all this time I decided to take the kids to few places I went as a kid that were COMPLETELY unlike the Florida they were used to. We ventured up to the Pagoda and WiseGuy loved every hairpin turn on the way. SmartPants couldn't get over how high up we were and the gorgeous view. Today we went for a hike around Antietam Lake. They were both unsure of going 'into the forest' but once there, they had a blast. We took the dog, as well, who was thoroughly enjoying the unfamiliar terrain. They played by the creek, skipped stones on the water, saw worms in the dirt and crayfish under rocks. They even BOTH slipped on the rocks and got the shoes all soaking wet. All in all THEY LOVED IT! As did I. Right now everyone is resting up after the hike....including the dog who is snoring at my feet as I type this.
It's very satisfying for me to share these things with my children. I almost feel like they are babies again....but this time they can walk and talk, WOOHOO!
Maybe next we will head out to Gring's Mill and the Gruber Wagon Works....a favorite spot of my Girl Scout troop, right T?? ;)
I have yet to find a job, people. More because I have no one to watch the kids than anything else, though. I've put out apps and resumes and such, so I just need to get one of these high school girls to watch the rugrats and I'll be home free...I hope. Since I've been home all this time I decided to take the kids to few places I went as a kid that were COMPLETELY unlike the Florida they were used to. We ventured up to the Pagoda and WiseGuy loved every hairpin turn on the way. SmartPants couldn't get over how high up we were and the gorgeous view. Today we went for a hike around Antietam Lake. They were both unsure of going 'into the forest' but once there, they had a blast. We took the dog, as well, who was thoroughly enjoying the unfamiliar terrain. They played by the creek, skipped stones on the water, saw worms in the dirt and crayfish under rocks. They even BOTH slipped on the rocks and got the shoes all soaking wet. All in all THEY LOVED IT! As did I. Right now everyone is resting up after the hike....including the dog who is snoring at my feet as I type this.
It's very satisfying for me to share these things with my children. I almost feel like they are babies again....but this time they can walk and talk, WOOHOO!
Maybe next we will head out to Gring's Mill and the Gruber Wagon Works....a favorite spot of my Girl Scout troop, right T?? ;)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Sibling Rivalry
Only two days into summer vacation and already the kids are at each other. WiseGuy walks by SmartyPants and smacks her in the back of the head, SmartyPants retaliates by grabbing his foot and tripping him and he responds by attempting to bite her all the while emitting an awful piercing shriek. That boy can call dogs from two miles away and communicate with dolphins, I swear it!
I've told them to go ahead and hurt each other because eventually they'll knock each other unconscious and I won't have to listen to them anymore. SmartyPants looked at me as if I had lost my marbles and WiseGuy had a twinkle in his eye. Of course, I retracted that statement and told them that if they kept it up I would tie the two of them together so they couldn't get away from one another.
They quickly dispersed.
I've told them to go ahead and hurt each other because eventually they'll knock each other unconscious and I won't have to listen to them anymore. SmartyPants looked at me as if I had lost my marbles and WiseGuy had a twinkle in his eye. Of course, I retracted that statement and told them that if they kept it up I would tie the two of them together so they couldn't get away from one another.
They quickly dispersed.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Toys, Back Pain and Report Cards
Can I just tell you that my house looks as though a hurricane has blown through it? I speak from experience people! I've got half full boxes littering each room of the house, packed and taped boxes stack against a wall in what used to be our dining room and TOYS TOYS TOYS still scattered amongst it all. Today that all changes.
Yesterday was my last day of work and the kids' last day of school. Today I have to buckle down and fill as many boxes as possible and get them stacked in the dining room. This will include a majority of the toys, much to WiseGuy's chagrin. I'll be leaving some choice cars and trains out for him but the rest have GOT TO GO! This weekend we have to vacate our storage facility and we need somewhere to put all the stuff that we couldn't fit into our house (yeah, they were in storage for a REASON) and so that is my task for the next few days....to turn our itty bitty apartment into a storage facility....NO, I mean, to make room for all of our lovely things . Why must we vacate this weekend rather than just load everything directly into our moving van like normal people? Well, maybe because we aren't normal, HELLO! No, actually, because the billing cycle starts on the 26th of each month, so if we stay past the 26th we will have to pay for an entire month that we just won't be using and that's a waste of a valuable resource (AKA money!) Yes, I realize that I am sitting at the computer versus doing all of these things that I am typing about, but I am giving myself some time each morning to wake up and let my back stretch itself out. For those who don't know, I've had some major back issues as of late but that is slowly getting resolved with the help of a Cortisone shot to the rear, some anti-inflammatories and some real good pain meds. So, I'm giving myself until 9am to sit, check out some blogs, some email and some of my regular websites, let my pain meds kick in and psyche myself up for THE BIG PACK UP!
Send those good vibes and many prayers, my friends! The good Lord knows I'll need them!
_________________________________________________________________
I wanted to add a little to this post and let everyone know how SUPER PROUD I am of my wee ones and their report cards!
I never worry about SmartyPants. The girl is gifted and amazes me all the time. Even before she was diagnosed with ADD she was getting A's and B's. Now that we know what was going on with her in school and have the right tools to deal with her ADD she gets straight A's every time. This entire year her report card has been loaded with A's....not a B on the paper! There have been several areas in the other subjects where she has been sort of lacking....you now the subject I mean...the ones where you get E for excellent, G for good, S for satisfactory and N for need improvement. She used to get N or S for her handwriting. Yesh folks, it was that bad. This year she spent the first three grading periods with a G and was VERY happy with that because it showed me she was trying. Well, for the very first time my girl got an E in handwriting! It shows me she is developing the discipline to slow down and take the time to write her answers neatly! She used to breeze through tests thinking that it meant she was smarter and better because she was done first. I've always told her that it doesn't matter if your answers are correct if no one can READ them. Seems she has taken this to heart and is taking her time to make her papers presentable and I am very proud of her for that! And of course she was promoted to the Fifth grade!
Now....as for WiseGuy....well...folks, I'm proud of his academic abilities, but his behavior leaves a lot to be desired. Here's the thing....he was actually 4 years old when he started school this year. He turned 5 a week after. He did meet the cut off date and had been in Pre K so we thought he was generally ready for school. But oh my goodness! Notes home from the teacher constantly were a reminder that he ws younger and let mature than his classmates. I will type out his report card below for all four grading periods and you'll see what I mean
Performance scale: S- Satisfactory N-Needs Improvement (that's all they get in Kindergarten)
Grading Period -----------1 2 3 4
Language Arts -----------S S S S
Mathematics -------------S S S S
Social Studies
----Participates by listening and following directions ---S S S S
Science/Health
----Participates by listening and following directions --N N N N
Phys Ed
----Listens and follows directions ----------------------S S N N
----Demonstrates Knowledge--------------------------S S S S
Music
----Listens and follows directions ---------------------S N N N
----Demonstrates Knowledge-------------------------S S S S
Art
----Listens and follows directions-------------------- N N N N
----Demonstrates Knowledge -----------------------S S S S
(Ok, so far can you see what I mean? He has the knowledge but he DOESN'T LISTEN!)
SCHOOL BEHAVIOR/PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Takes pride in work ---------N N S- S-
Makes wise use of time------N N S- S
Listens attentively ----------N N S- S-
Follows directions -----------S S S S
Respects rights and property of others----S S S S
Works and plays cooperatively ------N S- S- N
Works Independantly
Respects Authority
Completes Class Assignments
Returns books, forms, etc. on time --All of the above S S S S
The rest of the report card just shows what skills he has and he has them all, which is great. But I worry. He really is a smart kid but he is ALL OVER THE PLACE. We are hoping he gains some maturity over the summer and maybe calms down a bit. I certainly wouldn't change my little man for anything, but I just want to be sure he gets the best education possible....and how can you soak up the knowledge when you are busy jumping off of chairs and making animal noises (both things he has been routinely guilty of throughout the year)
Regardless, I am very proud of both of my children. The both received several awards. SmartyPants got straight A honor roll, perfect attendance and the Math Drill award. WiseGuy received S honor roll and a Math Drill award.
YAY FOR MY BABIES!!!
Yesterday was my last day of work and the kids' last day of school. Today I have to buckle down and fill as many boxes as possible and get them stacked in the dining room. This will include a majority of the toys, much to WiseGuy's chagrin. I'll be leaving some choice cars and trains out for him but the rest have GOT TO GO! This weekend we have to vacate our storage facility and we need somewhere to put all the stuff that we couldn't fit into our house (yeah, they were in storage for a REASON) and so that is my task for the next few days....to turn our itty bitty apartment into a storage facility....NO, I mean, to make room for all of our lovely things . Why must we vacate this weekend rather than just load everything directly into our moving van like normal people? Well, maybe because we aren't normal, HELLO! No, actually, because the billing cycle starts on the 26th of each month, so if we stay past the 26th we will have to pay for an entire month that we just won't be using and that's a waste of a valuable resource (AKA money!) Yes, I realize that I am sitting at the computer versus doing all of these things that I am typing about, but I am giving myself some time each morning to wake up and let my back stretch itself out. For those who don't know, I've had some major back issues as of late but that is slowly getting resolved with the help of a Cortisone shot to the rear, some anti-inflammatories and some real good pain meds. So, I'm giving myself until 9am to sit, check out some blogs, some email and some of my regular websites, let my pain meds kick in and psyche myself up for THE BIG PACK UP!
Send those good vibes and many prayers, my friends! The good Lord knows I'll need them!
_________________________________________________________________
I wanted to add a little to this post and let everyone know how SUPER PROUD I am of my wee ones and their report cards!
I never worry about SmartyPants. The girl is gifted and amazes me all the time. Even before she was diagnosed with ADD she was getting A's and B's. Now that we know what was going on with her in school and have the right tools to deal with her ADD she gets straight A's every time. This entire year her report card has been loaded with A's....not a B on the paper! There have been several areas in the other subjects where she has been sort of lacking....you now the subject I mean...the ones where you get E for excellent, G for good, S for satisfactory and N for need improvement. She used to get N or S for her handwriting. Yesh folks, it was that bad. This year she spent the first three grading periods with a G and was VERY happy with that because it showed me she was trying. Well, for the very first time my girl got an E in handwriting! It shows me she is developing the discipline to slow down and take the time to write her answers neatly! She used to breeze through tests thinking that it meant she was smarter and better because she was done first. I've always told her that it doesn't matter if your answers are correct if no one can READ them. Seems she has taken this to heart and is taking her time to make her papers presentable and I am very proud of her for that! And of course she was promoted to the Fifth grade!
Now....as for WiseGuy....well...folks, I'm proud of his academic abilities, but his behavior leaves a lot to be desired. Here's the thing....he was actually 4 years old when he started school this year. He turned 5 a week after. He did meet the cut off date and had been in Pre K so we thought he was generally ready for school. But oh my goodness! Notes home from the teacher constantly were a reminder that he ws younger and let mature than his classmates. I will type out his report card below for all four grading periods and you'll see what I mean
Performance scale: S- Satisfactory N-Needs Improvement (that's all they get in Kindergarten)
Grading Period -----------1 2 3 4
Language Arts -----------S S S S
Mathematics -------------S S S S
Social Studies
----Participates by listening and following directions ---S S S S
Science/Health
----Participates by listening and following directions --N N N N
Phys Ed
----Listens and follows directions ----------------------S S N N
----Demonstrates Knowledge--------------------------S S S S
Music
----Listens and follows directions ---------------------S N N N
----Demonstrates Knowledge-------------------------S S S S
Art
----Listens and follows directions-------------------- N N N N
----Demonstrates Knowledge -----------------------S S S S
(Ok, so far can you see what I mean? He has the knowledge but he DOESN'T LISTEN!)
SCHOOL BEHAVIOR/PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Takes pride in work ---------N N S- S-
Makes wise use of time------N N S- S
Listens attentively ----------N N S- S-
Follows directions -----------S S S S
Respects rights and property of others----S S S S
Works and plays cooperatively ------N S- S- N
Works Independantly
Respects Authority
Completes Class Assignments
Returns books, forms, etc. on time --All of the above S S S S
The rest of the report card just shows what skills he has and he has them all, which is great. But I worry. He really is a smart kid but he is ALL OVER THE PLACE. We are hoping he gains some maturity over the summer and maybe calms down a bit. I certainly wouldn't change my little man for anything, but I just want to be sure he gets the best education possible....and how can you soak up the knowledge when you are busy jumping off of chairs and making animal noises (both things he has been routinely guilty of throughout the year)
Regardless, I am very proud of both of my children. The both received several awards. SmartyPants got straight A honor roll, perfect attendance and the Math Drill award. WiseGuy received S honor roll and a Math Drill award.
YAY FOR MY BABIES!!!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Happy Mother's Day
As per usual, the kids made Mother's Day gifts in school to bring home for me. WiseGuy's teacher had a form that she filled in after asking the kids questions. WiseGuy's answers made me laugh and cry. I've posted it below. The phrases in pink were the answers given by WiseGuy.
I love that little man of mine!
Hope all of the mom's out there have a wonderful Mother's Day!
My mother is the most wonderful mom in the whole world!
She's as pretty as a boat. (that's a compliment from a five year old boy, to be sure!)
She weighs 33 lbs. (I WISH!)
She is 16 feet tall. (Combine that with my weight and I'm a STICK!)
Her favorite food is salad. (Not quite, but it SOUNDS great)
I think my Mom looks funny when she tells jokes. (And here I thought I only SOUNDED funny)
But I know she is really angry when she tells me to clean up. (Naturally!)
I wish Mom would go to the movies with me every day. (I would have to get a second job to afford THAT these days)
My Mom's best friend is [SmartyPants] and me. (Of course!)
Her favorite TV show is Funniest Animals. (Who can resist funny animals?!)
She can cook noodles the best. (I'm a noodle QUEEN!)
I would like to buy her a golden star. (AWWWW!!!)
I wouldn't trade my Mom for a diamond. (THAT line made me CRY!)
I love that little man of mine!
Hope all of the mom's out there have a wonderful Mother's Day!
Monday, May 07, 2007
I'm A SLogger
It's been a little bit since I've done a blog so I figured I would make a post just to keep up with things and not feel like such a slacker blogger...or SLOGGER (I think I just invented a new word!)
Anyway! Things with the move are moving along nicely (pun totally intended.) WiseGuy and I will be flying up together on May 31st. SmartyPants and Wayne will be driving in the moving truck and towing the soccer mom van behind them. They will also be accompanied by our 75 lbs shepherd mix, Petey, and our two sweet rodent pals, Addie and Gloria. This ended up being the best alternative as we weren't quite sure where everyone would fit and I don't think WiseGuy would appreciate the two day drive up the coast.
I've given my notice at work, which went much better than I anticipated. I work in a pet shop and I love my job, most of my coworkers and, most of all, my employers. They have been wonderful to me over the past year that I have worked for them. We have been pretty short staffed as of late and I felt awful telling them I was leaving them. As it stands now the manager and I are pretty much in charge of the rest of the crew. I get to be in charge on the manager's days off. So between the two of us we work the most hours. I hate leaving them in such a situation but, thankfully, they understood. They knew the day would come that I would be returning to PA and said they were happy for me....only after telling me I wasn't allowed to leave and I had to find and train my own replacement before I could leave ;) There were even a few tears shed. When all was said and done, though, they told me that if I ever came back to Florida I would always have a job with them no matter what. See what I mean??? Aren't they awesome?!? My last day is May 22nd and it will certainly be bittersweet. I know it just a step closer to going back home, but I will be leaving some good friends and a job I truly enjoy.
So....what else is there to talk about? My if this isn't a rather random post! I've got several other things I wanted to write but I'm not sure if I should smash it all into one blog or make others to keep things a little organized. Are there blog rules?? Ah well, I should be heading to bed anyway. I've got work in the morning and the kids have their school Spring Showcase tomorrow. SmartyPants is in chorus and they are doing a short musical play in which SmartyPants has some lines and a solo!!! She is a Nervous Nellie, but I know she'll do great! The Kindergarten is also singing a song so WiseGuy is super excited, too. It should be a very full day for us all!
Ok, enough rambling! Time for bed!
Anyway! Things with the move are moving along nicely (pun totally intended.) WiseGuy and I will be flying up together on May 31st. SmartyPants and Wayne will be driving in the moving truck and towing the soccer mom van behind them. They will also be accompanied by our 75 lbs shepherd mix, Petey, and our two sweet rodent pals, Addie and Gloria. This ended up being the best alternative as we weren't quite sure where everyone would fit and I don't think WiseGuy would appreciate the two day drive up the coast.
I've given my notice at work, which went much better than I anticipated. I work in a pet shop and I love my job, most of my coworkers and, most of all, my employers. They have been wonderful to me over the past year that I have worked for them. We have been pretty short staffed as of late and I felt awful telling them I was leaving them. As it stands now the manager and I are pretty much in charge of the rest of the crew. I get to be in charge on the manager's days off. So between the two of us we work the most hours. I hate leaving them in such a situation but, thankfully, they understood. They knew the day would come that I would be returning to PA and said they were happy for me....only after telling me I wasn't allowed to leave and I had to find and train my own replacement before I could leave ;) There were even a few tears shed. When all was said and done, though, they told me that if I ever came back to Florida I would always have a job with them no matter what. See what I mean??? Aren't they awesome?!? My last day is May 22nd and it will certainly be bittersweet. I know it just a step closer to going back home, but I will be leaving some good friends and a job I truly enjoy.
So....what else is there to talk about? My if this isn't a rather random post! I've got several other things I wanted to write but I'm not sure if I should smash it all into one blog or make others to keep things a little organized. Are there blog rules?? Ah well, I should be heading to bed anyway. I've got work in the morning and the kids have their school Spring Showcase tomorrow. SmartyPants is in chorus and they are doing a short musical play in which SmartyPants has some lines and a solo!!! She is a Nervous Nellie, but I know she'll do great! The Kindergarten is also singing a song so WiseGuy is super excited, too. It should be a very full day for us all!
Ok, enough rambling! Time for bed!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Funny Quotes From The WiseGuy
My 5 year old son says some of the FUNNIEST things that I've ever heard come out of the mouth of a child. Below are just two of the most recent.
Last night we were out at a pizza buffet and WiseGuy didn't want to eat. He loves to drink and would choose to have a drink over eat a meal any day. Last night I tried and tried to get him to eat some pizza to which he responded,
Quite some time ago we were having some behavior problems with WiseGuy in school, getting notes from the teacher almost everyday. We were stressing to him the importance of making good choices and how they impact the people around him. One day when he came home from school we asked if he made good choices. He replied,
That boy is a real piece of work!
Last night we were out at a pizza buffet and WiseGuy didn't want to eat. He loves to drink and would choose to have a drink over eat a meal any day. Last night I tried and tried to get him to eat some pizza to which he responded,
"I'm full up with food but I'm down wit drinkin'!"I almost choked on my cheese!
Quite some time ago we were having some behavior problems with WiseGuy in school, getting notes from the teacher almost everyday. We were stressing to him the importance of making good choices and how they impact the people around him. One day when he came home from school we asked if he made good choices. He replied,
"Yeah, I made good choices.....in my head."
That boy is a real piece of work!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
I Teach Them, They Teach Me
My children have taught me that it's the little things in life that can make the biggest difference. The things we take for granted on a daily basis or that we've grown accustomed to - the things that we do as a quick fix to a problem - the things that we intend to just throw away. All of these things tend to hold the interest of children in a way that we, as adults, have forgotten. My children remind me all the time. Below are just a few examples of this.
Things we take for granted or have grown accustomed to:
Sometimes my kids make me feel OLD, but most days they remind me what it is to be a kid and experience things through their eyes. It's so nice to be a kid again.
Things we take for granted or have grown accustomed to:
- Being able to 'see your breath' when you go out on a cold morning
- The way the car defogger 'magically' clears up the window
- Seeing the underside a bug quite clearly and closely as it climbs up the window
- We were out of peanut butter and jelly (THE HORROR!!!) and my 5 year old little guy, who will be known here as WiseGuy, wanted to pack his lunch. He suggested a hot dog 'sandwich.' At first I told him that it wouldn't be hot but thought 'Silly! The kid lives to eat cold hot dogs straight from the fridge!' So I got two pieces of bread, spread some ketchup on, cut the hot dog length wise into strips, laid them on the bread, topped it with a slice of american cheese and there he had his hot dog sandwich. I wasn't very pleased with this for a lunch option but he couldn't have been more thrilled and hugged and kissed me over and over for the rest of the night.
- My 9 year old daughter, who will be known here as SmartyPants, likes bubble baths but she has very sensitive skin so we don't buy bubble bath for her. She was whining about this fact one night before her bath so I went in, took her brother's kids shampoo and poured it under her running bath water....VIOLA! Bubbles! She was tickled.
- Large cardboard boxes
- Shoe boxes
- The little pamphlet type thingie that always comes inside package of toys to advertise the stuff that you HAVE to buy to go with the toy that you just bought
- Stickers....of any kind
- Card....or any kind
- Half colored page from a coloring book
Sometimes my kids make me feel OLD, but most days they remind me what it is to be a kid and experience things through their eyes. It's so nice to be a kid again.
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