Tonight I went to parent-teacher conferences for Charlotte Claire and Camille Anaya, solo, since Paul is in Germany. I walked out of that school with my feetsies barely touching the ground. Yay, I am doing something right! I mean, basically, being a mom is a thankless job, and every once in a while, that pat on the back is very welcome:) Char's teacher said that Char is sweet and helpful and very smart, and just a lovely girl. She is improving her reading skills (she has moved up two levels since the beginning of second grade). She always has her homework in on time, and is very responsible and self-sufficient. When I told her teacher I don't know how she got that way, she laughed, ha, thought I was kidding. Miss Camille's teacher also loves her. She told me she is thankful that Camille knows how to tie shoes, she is the Shoe Tie-er for the whole class, but she always pays attention, even when she is tying a shoe. She is quick and smart and friendly and enthusiastic, and writes neatly with correct capitalization and punctuation. She said I was, "doing something right". So there, teenagers!
I sort of kid about my teenagers. They are good kids. I don't put my foot down and hush them up, but let them speak their minds, mostly. It is their home too, and we are all in a learning process here, learning how to get along, learning how to get things done. I don't have all the answers, neither do they. I find that if I treat them with respect, and apologize when I say something too harshly or without thinking, it goes a long way in melting their hearts, and they do the same with me. I would rather they respect me because it is genuine than be forced to toe the line Because I Said So.
We mostly have too much fun around here, truth be told. Emily came over for a bit tonight, and we had a nice visit. Aaron was here this morning, he stopped to see the puppies and talk for a bit. This afternoon, I took Kathryn 15 and Evelyn 14 and Suzanne 12 and Sonja 11 and Camille 6, to the library....
(Evelyn and Suze and Sonja and Kap, with Camille in front. I don't know why Sonja had her eyes closed, or what Kathryn was doing....)After the library we went to TJMaxx, they found some nice skirts, and I got Char and Camille the cutest hat/mitten things for Christmas. We stopped at McD's, which I could do without, but they begged. I had just a coffee, and ONE of Kathryn's fries. They had various things from the dollar menu, which added up to eleven something. Oh, I was tempted. Fast food is junk, it is, but it smells good! And that french fry, oooh, it was yum. I wanted a cone, I wanted a McChicken, I wanted a sweet cold yummy drink with a million calories and whipped cream on top. But I just drank my coffee.
Well, I guess I am tired enough to go to bed. I started the day early enough to go to the pool with the three youngest, I didn't exactly get a work-out, but it was fun! Jon likes to splash and throw balls and rabblerouse, the girls like to jump in and float on noodles and play mermaid. I like to just swim, but have to content myself with treading water and doing other dorky exercises as I stay near them while they play.
I did try to sleep in this morning, since only the two high school kids had school...but Sam missed the first trip bus, and was going to take the second trip one until he realized that it was not coming, since there was no school for the K-8th graders. So he came in and woke me up to tell me that....I did NOT want to get up to drive him, so, since Daddy is in Germany and his truck is in the driveway, Sam got to drive to school. And I got up and went to the pool.
So I am tired, but very very happy....Paul will be home in two days!
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