#10

I feel like we're living the 12 days of Christmas, only with lizards. For about the past month, Hayden has generously been showering us with gifts - from the yard. Now at first, we praised him, because after all, he is proudly bringing back his prey. Now it's getting out of control. #10 was under the vacuum cleaner downstairs. Thought it was dead until I scooped it in the newspaper and it turned it's head at me. Talk about going into mild cardiac arrest. I'm really getting nervous to "move" things around for fear of finding yet another gift.

Some tidbits of the last few days ...

Bryan proudly shared his newest found website farts.com with the family this weekend, and apparently one statistic stuck with Cameron. (Most people fart an average of 14 times per day. Share THAT one at the dinner table.) So the other night Cam asks us if "average" is the same as normal, and if above average means better than normal. Confirmed this with him, and then he proudly announces that he is above average. He farted 22 times yesterday. He counted. Nice. Gotta be proud.

Cameron wondered how anyone could not know how to use the internet. He explained that he heard "that one guy running for President" doesn't know how to use it. And "how does someone not know how many houses he has?" Wow. Seems he actually does read some of the headlines on the Yahoo! page. His remark? "Come on! I've been using the internet since I was 5." Hmm. Makes you think.

One of Cameron's requirements for this quarter is to read 200 pages in a book of his choice. He can either read 200 pages in one book, or a couple, so long as the minimum page number of the books are 75. He also has to write a book report for each one - a long report, and then a half page short report if there is more than one book read. So he picked to read Henry and the Clubhouse - good 'ol Beverly Cleary. The book has 208 pages and he informed us that he is NOT going to read the last 8 pages because it goes over the requirement. :)

About a week or so ago, a monsoon storm was brewing. The entire sky was covered in dark black clouds, except for one small opening. The picture doesn't do it justice, but at one point it was the perfect heart shape showing the colors of the sunset. Cameron said it looked like an angel hovering above us. :)

Wednesday Funnies

AND THEN THE FIGHT STARTED . . .

When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her someplace expensive ... so, I took her to a gas station. And then the fight started ...

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After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's license to verify my age. I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later.

The woman said, "Unbutton your shirt." So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair. She said, "That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me," and she processed my Social Security application.

When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office. She said, "You should have dropped your pants. You might have gotten disability, too."

And then the fight started ...

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My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.

My wife asked, "Do you know her?"

"Yes," I sighed. "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago. I hear she hasn't been sober since."

"My Goodness!" says my wife. "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"

And then the fight started ...

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I rear-ended a car this morning. So, there we were alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car.

You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem funny?

Yeah, well I couldn't believe it ... he was a DWARF!!!

He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted, "I AM NOT HAPPY!!!"

So, I looked down at him and said, "Well, then which one are you?"

And then the fight started ...

Weekly recap

Not a whole lot going on here - but that's a good thing! Cam is doing absolutely fantastic in school. He is loving every minute of it. We have really noticed a difference in his entire attitude and outlook on things. Especially during his skateboarding - he is enjoying it more, and not as frustrated when he can't get the first or second time. He laughs things off, whereas before, he would become angry. He talks about his day, what he did, gives us details of things they did in class, etc., all of which we could not pry out of him before. Even though he is in 3rd grade, he is doing 4th grade work. The school works an entire year ahead. Really, he was at this level in his old school, but the format is so different than what he was used to. It took a couple of days, but he's doing great. He's challenged, but still knows how to do the work. Parent involvement is definitely a requirement - we're signing off acknowledgements of due dates for book reports, homework assignments each night, folders once a week with previous weeks' work, etc. But it is worth it. So far so good! I'm glad we made the decision to move him. It was tough, and I second guessed our decision to do so on several occasions. However, I am now confident that he is where he needs to be. He's made several friends at school and even one that knows how to kick-flip! (It's a skateboard move ... I know, isn't that the GREATEST?!)

We decided to enjoy our Friday night and hit the movie theatre. We saw The Longshots last night, and it was great. We all really liked it - highly recommended!

Poop - Interesting topic for today's blog entry, don't you think? Poop is human nature. Everyone does it. So what makes it is so dang fascinating - to some? Not sure. Maybe it's a guy thing. Maybe it's just my family. But Cameron came out of the bathroom the other day and told me I had to take a look at what was in the toilet. I politely refrained, and then he warned me not to flush. He wanted to "keep it there until Dad could come home and see it." Now some of you may know the inside joke regarding the snakelight. If you don't, consider yourself blessed. If you do, then this incident would be right up there with it. Many times a "witness" has been called in to verify the size, similar to that of a fishing contest. Whatever. Hope you're not eating.

Hayden brought us our 7th present of the month ... a lizard. They're not big, probably no more than a couple of inches. But come on, as Cameron told him "couldn't you surprise us with some money or something?" They have been left in various rooms of the houses, only 3 have been alive. My office, the living room, the game room, and a couple in Cam's room. Hayden brought in two lizards, two nights in a row and we determined these were specifically for Cameron. Hayden had slept with Cam both of the nights and both mornings, there was a little surprise! It could be worse ...

Let's see ... that's really about it! Have been busy this past week with homework, skate practices, birthday parties (Cam's third one since last Friday is today) and just livin' the life!

*NOTE - I showed the below pictures of dad's "roast" to Cameron ... and here was his reaction to the 2nd pic ...

"I thought these were all of Papa? Who's that?"
"That is Papa."
"Is he wearing a wig?"
"No."
"It's a perm, isn't it?"
"No honey - that was just how his hair was - this picture is from a long time ago."
"Weird."

55 years old today ...

and no signs of slowing down.





HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Just wanted to post some birthday wishes. We hope you are having a fantastic birthday - it is definitely well-deserved! Know that I will be tipping one (?) back for you in celebration!


Okay ... now for the fun part ... enjoy your online roast! :) Love you Dad!

First Day of School ... Again!

Yes, that's right! Cam had his first day of school... again. :) If you scroll down to the original "First Day of School" post, I mentioned that we had been thinking about a new school for Cameron. After a week of an extreme disinterest in school (it literally plummeted) we decided to take his request for "looking" at a new school seriously. He had no interest in homework, and completely shut down when it came time to talk about what they were working on in the classroom. We decided that there needed to be some sort of a balance. The lack of social interaction with other kids his age was essentially starting to affect his attitude and interest in the classroom. By the time the second week of school rolled around, there were three 3rd grade boys - this included Cameron - and 6 girls. It was becoming difficult for us to send him to school in the morning knowing that balance wasn't there - he had nothing to look forward to during the day - and we didn't want to chance his grades or interest falling any more. So, I called one of the charter schools nearby that I had been researching and found out they were full, which was not a surprise to me, and that there was a waiting list for the 3rd grade. We decided to check it out anyway, and honestly hadn't expected to get in anywhere, for that matter, but figured we were just doing our homework for next school year if needed. We visited the school the next morning and found out that the 3rd grade waiting list was down to one. They learned the previous afternoon that the little girl next on the list had already started going to another school, so there was an open spot. This was definitely a lucky break. Bryan and I checked out the school, observed one of the 3rd grade classes, and then met another one of the three 3rd grade teachers. Her class was at music so we got the chance to talk to her for about 20 minutes or so and then found out she was actually the teacher with the "open spot." Another lucky break, because she was great! Very helpful in explaining her curriculum, where the kids were at academically, and how Cameron could possibly adjust to that type of classroom. There are 30 kids in the class, so this is obviously a huge adjustment. We decided to bring him back later that afternoon to find out his opinion. He met Mrs. Rodriguez, liked her right away, and after a little family discussion and comparing the two schools, he decided he wanted to make the switch. Well this was Wednesday afternoon, and he started Thursday morning at Benjamin Franklin Charter School. No wasting time here! If we wanted to enroll him, he had to start immediately, otherwise they would open the spot back up again. To make a REALLY long three days short, he had a pretty good first day. Loved the school, his teacher, class, made several friends, enjoyed eating a "hot lunch" in the cafeteria, and having a different teacher for P.E. and music. He felt a bit overwhelmed with the math format - they have their own math books - and this was frustrating fr him. After working on his homework and the realization that he actually could do the work, he was good to go. (This school actually teaches the kids a full grade ahead - so his class is working on 4th grade material, which is fairly comparable to where he was at with his old school.) At any rate, Friday was a fantastic day and he absolutely loved it. Could not wait for Monday. We went back to his old school, said goodbye to his class and teachers, (which was a bit emotional for all of us, actually) and called it a day. I struggled with our decision on Thursday night because he did have some tears, and he did go back and forth with the "well I'm going to miss this, and I'm going to miss that" but "I really like my new teacher and the stuff we're doing in class and I've already met some kids." I knew deep down that we did the right thing by pulling him out, more so because of some of the comments that we received from his old school somewhat bolstered our decision, but it was difficult to maintain that sureness when he was still emotional. It was no doubt an overwhelming day for him. The differences in environments are from one extreme to the other - he went from a 2nd/3rd split class with 10 3rd graders, to being one of 30, and two other 3rd grade classes. But he was all smiles Friday afternoon when I picked him up - he was one of the last three left in a spelling game they had played, he had a cheese enchilada for lunch, he played soccer at lunch, and he wrote his best story ever. He cannot wait for Monday. How could he not? They get meatball subs for lunch tomorrow and he can have chocolate milk every day if he wants ...

Daily Thought

"Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who help you."

#368 -Life's Little Instruction Book

Afternoon at Saguaro Lake

Well we got to take advantage of my telecommuting this last week, and hit the lake Tuesday afternoon! It was great. The weather was fantastic and there was NOBODY on the lake. I suppose it was worth it to start my work day at 6:30 am., so that when Cam got home from school, we were able to take off! Dad had been in town for a few days, so we all had fun taking the boat out. Bryan got to wakeboard with his new board - finally - and had some pretty darn good runs (and flips!). Age catches up to you though - he gets back in the boat and is beat. He informs us that it's harder when your older and fatter. :) Still looks good to me. Cam also gave it another shot - he's trying so hard, and almost has it. It was also the first time for Cam driving the boat - all by himself. He did awesome, and thought he was just tough you-know-what. We weren't out there too long, and the timing was just right. The dark storm clouds were moving in as we were heading off. See the pics below!

2 weeks down ...

and approximately 37 more to go. Of third grade, that is. :) Well Cam's first week of school was fantastic. He loves his teacher, loves his class, and has not once said "I don't want to go to school." the only exception was that it was too easy. Always good to hear. However, I reminded him that it was only the first week, and they hadn't gotten into the good stuff yet. Give it time. I'm sure you'll change your mind.

So apparently they ... "get candy, like, everyday, and play the funnest games like 'heads-up-7-up' and 'around the world math' and get to be at recess with the older kids and not the little kids, and now we can play ping pong, and I need more in my lunch because they don't give us a morning snack anymore! so I might need to bring something to eat on my "morning break," and did you know that the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body, and the right side of your brain controls the left?" Phew. I'm telling you. Okay, so that was the first week. And it was great. Fast forward to the second week.

Started out great, but then Tuesday rolls around and we have a very sad 7-year old on our hands. He had three great buddies at school, Chase and Brady, twin boys, and Tyler. The first two didn't come back this year, because of the cost and that they could attend the school their mom teaches at. That was hard for Cam. Well Tuesday rolls around, Bryan goes to pick him up, gets home and says that he's had a REALLY bad day. Of course, I think the worst, and ask if he got into trouble, etc. Then Cam gets out of the truck and is just bawling. Red face, and the biggest crocodile tears. Just the saddest cry ever. It seems that Tuesday was Tyler's last day because he was going to a different school also. His family lives about a half hour away, at least from the school, and mom - with two toddlers besides the three that went to Cam's school - was tired of the drive twice a day. So ... he literally lost his best friend. Broke my heart and even more so on Wednesday when he said he cried in chapel because he was sad. How do you not feel for the poor little guy? I was talking to dad on the phone earlier and he hit it on the head when he said that you live your childhood through your kids' ... I remember the days when it felt like the end of the world, and there was absolutely nothing that could make things right. He had a better day Wednesday and Thursday, but still "doesn't want to talk about it." He asked about another school, and whether we could check out the teachers and the playground.You know, the important stuff. But then again, he "loves his teacher, and it would suck to get another one that was mean." Bryan and I had thought about another school for him - and maybe this was the timing we were waiting for - but mostly because of the size of the current one. His class is 14 students or so, 5 are 2nd graders, and there are only 4 boys or so total in the 3rd grade. Doesn't give you much to choose from in regard to friendships. And they are very limited on activities offered. But we're playing this one by ear, and just gonna see how it goes. The public schools in our district are not an option, so it would have to be another private or charter school. At any rate, he's coping, and I suppose dealing with one of the first of many heartaches and tragedies he'll endure. :)