Haste

In my quickness to point out what has not gone right in my world, I have neglected to point out all the good things that have happened.
Starting in the morning, we are on day 2 of 4 of 5 waking up dry. Trent has been getting her up when he gets up and taking her potty, and thankfully, she wants to go back to bed. It also helps that we have had late nights putting in the garden. It's odd, but if she goes to bed after 9, she is dry in the morning, before 8:30, she's soaked. That whole week in Moab, dry, bed time was always near 10. She has also mastered the potty. She doesn't even tell us when she has to go anymore. Although since I have to know what she is doing at all times, I know when she goes, so I can help finish up. I'd still rather she not wipe herself. And she doesn't use the stool anymore, which has aided in her no longer needing aid.

Next I get the kids up, they get themselves fed, then feed the appropriate designated animal. On days like today, I drive the carpool, drop them off then come home and tell 4 of 5 she needs shoes, which she does herself, after asking me, "this foot?" and gets her back pack. Then I put her on the bus, and 5 of 5 gets "ready "too. She will go and get a jacket and some clothes out of the closet and lay down. She has also defeated the toilet seat. It is no longer sufficient to just put the seat down, we now have to keep the door closed. Luckily 4 of 5 out grew that, although if you don't keep the toothbrushes hidden, she will attempt to clean the toilet with one. You have to be really careful when it comes to what you can let 4 of 5 see you do. And, if you come home and your toothbrush is missing, or on the floor, just throw it away. Be on the safe side, err on the side of caution.....

Dollar store is out favorite place, we have a stock pile of toothbrushes from there in the basement.

I will usually get some tedious chores done, straighten up from the rush out the door, post a blog, because this is the time when 5 of 5 is content. She will go play with some toys, or pull Tupperware out. Then she gets a bit whiny, and I put her in bed for 30 minutes for quiet time. She really likes her time away, and will just lay in bed for a bit, then yell to get out when she's done. This ritual starts earlier when 4 of 5 doesn't go to school. She needs to 'get away' quicker on these morning. The whining and crying is pretty immediate on those mornings. Part of it is because she knows to scream if she doesn't want any part of 4 of 5.

3 of 5 comes home at 11:30, and immediately let's me know he is SSSTTAARRVVIINNGG. I wish I could say he then does his homework, but I choose to fight him later in the day. He eats, then plays. He spent the last 2 evening helping his dad put in the garden. He was the only one of the kids who was excited, AND helpful. So on Monday night, the when the kids were supposed to be out helping and they came in, I told them to go get ready for bed, they said what about 3 of 5? and I told them, he gets to stay up because he is helping his dad. "well I want to go help too" they sure didn't want to 10 minutes ago. So, they went down, he stayed up.

As we are winding the school year, I have made a few big decisions. Next year, I am putting 1 of 5 on a different track. She's on D, which is the track for kids a bit ahead. She is really having a hard time, keeping up. I am now having to fight with her to get caught up, and the constantly fighting about "I can't do it". I'm done fighting. I can't force her, I've tried bribing her, I've tried taking things away. I'm not fighting next year. This has been a major chunk of my stress these past few weeks. I got a packet of 'make-up' work for her, to get her grades up before the end of the year. It has been a battle. We told her she could go with 2 of 5 and dad to Lagoon this summer if all of her grades come up one level. He earned his trip by reading 4 books while off track. I am trying to help her so she can go too. GMA has agreed to tutor her this summer to get her caught up, but if it doesn't happen, the boys will be the only one on D track. Hopefully that will cut down on the tear filled, contentious, homework sessions, that seem to get everyone down. I don't really know what else to do. I have done all I know how. This decision in it self has made me feel better. Kids and school is stressful. You worry about their grades, the other kids they are hanging out with, if they're safe walking home from school.... Then they get home, and they start homework, just in time to start dinner, and Trent coming home on top of that, it's chaos.

And last.... Out last patch of grass is coming up. With a few surprises. We ended up with lots of sunflowers, and a few of some kind of squash......