Why it's Important to Take a Deep Breath and Wait 24 Hours

Monday was report card day for Mason.  I knew that grades weren't going to be at their best - traveling as much as we did and (all of us) not being on top of school work (or work work) during November and December...but imagine my surprise when my honor roll student came home with his grade card and had a big fat "F" in English!  I was shocked and royally PO'd!

I asked Mason how this happened...he wasn't sure...maybe missing an assignment? (he had turned in an assignment over Christmas break...maybe that was late?).  I took his phone, grounded him for the next 9 weeks...no working out at the gym with his friends, no driving temps anytime soon, no life basically. I lectured him, I may have even called him something along the lines of a "thug-head lazy butt" - I was not a happy camper.

I emailed his teacher the next morning.  I asked for all his grades for the 9 weeks and for a weekly update going forward on all his grades, how he's doing with homework, tests, etc. 

This is the email that I got back:

I don’t know what happened, Christa!?!?  Mason was excused from a few assignments due to the funeral and given extensions on others, but he did NOT fail –he received an 85% B for the 9 weeks. 

I have already contacted Guidance to correct this problem.  Mason is right where he should be on the research paper.  

To which my reply to his teacher was..."phew, that is great!  ...thank God I didn't kill him before getting your email!!"

Mason's response:  "am I still grounded??"

I have to admit, it was frightening to think that somehow something was going wrong or downhill fast with my teenager and I was apparently clueless.  Ella and Si are still at easier ages to discipline. It becomes much more difficult with a teenager. Sure, take the cell phone, take the fun stuff...but what really teaches the consequences of actions and decisions made at this age?  An "F" would have meant repeating the class, summer school, even not getting into a college that he might decide to go to down the road. How do Justin and I teach the importance of making good decisions at this age - because there are SOOO many times in young adulthood that a bad decision can have lifelong consequences. 
Luckily, this time it was a mistake - but hopefully a good lesson for both of us!!

 

Bribery Works

Snow Day!

Mason flushed ice down the toilet yesterday after school...apparently that is the voodoo that middle schoolers do when they want a snow day - and it worked. We got overnight snow and we're supposed to get much more today and freezing rain.

February is flying by - things have been very crazy here and this week is Justin's b-day and Valentine's day. Both of which I am unprepared for. Here is Ella's February calendar picture:


Last week seemed like a week from HECK. I knew it was going to be busy, and it was. Monday Ella had her school pictures taken plus it was her snack day/line leader day. Tuesday she had kindergarten registration (seems hard to believe that she will be starting school in August!!). Wednesday was ballet night for little Miss, Thursday my dad had surgery (he's doing great) and Mason had an orthodontic consult (expensive braces are in his future), Friday I had to do an all day workshop for work, Saturday Ella and Mason both had birthday parties to go to and we had to get our taxes done (and it was REALLY painful)...Sunday was errands, cleaning and several conversations with the tax guy.
In the midst of all that, on Tuesday night I came home from kindergarten registration to find my desk looking like the leaning tower of Pisa

When I was putting Ella to bed we heard a loud crash...whoosh...bang. I knew it was my desk. Ella and I went down to take a look and the desk was on it's side and everything, including my laptop, was on the floor in a nice huge avalanche of papers and junk. Where is now sits in a big fat pile on the floor. It's really hard to get organized and focused when you work from home and don't have a desk or place to work...I've been at the kitchen table for a week.

I found a desk cabinet thing at World Market that would have been great but they are all sold out and have discontinued it - of course they have because that is the ONE out of 200 that I've looked at and liked and was willing to pay for. Struck out at Pier One, Staples, Office Max, Target, several furniture stores and then finally at Value City Furniture found one online that is cute, smallish and affordable. The desk part actually swings around and closes up over the drawers which is perfect for our front room. They didn't have any in stock at the store but had 200+ at the warehouse so I am just waiting (impatiently) for it to come in so we can pick it up and pick all my *(&^* up off of the floor.
Mason brought home his interim report this week and somehow has an "F" right now in Shop class. How well do you think Justin took that news? Being the handy-guy that he is, NOT WELL. Justin is in the process of building wall shelves for Ella's room and now he has a helper for the project.
I need to go to my happy place for awhile...

A lazy Friday night

Not even 9pm on Friday night and we're jammied-up and watching movies. The choices were Barbie, Barney, Planet Earth and Harry Potter - can you guess who wanted to watch what!? We started with Planet Earth (AMAZING if you haven't seen it!!!).

Mason appears to be sick again - his temp is 100.2 and he feels crappy. He is about ready for bed. He got his report card today too (see below) - a very good report card all-in-all (though the consensus between his parents is that he could be putting forth more effort when it comes to his homework). Click below if you are interested in seeing his grades (current grades are under MP2):

Silas had his 2 year check up today - Dr. M was asking me how Si does eating and I mentioned he does a better job in the morning with breakfast- Si chimed in telling the doc "I eat oatmeal breakfast, I eat oatmeal breakfast". Justin and I laugh because he sounds a lot like Rainman when he talks. Si weighs 27 pounds and is 34 inches - about the 50 percentile for both. He had to have his finger pricked for the lead and anemia test (standard at the 2 year checkup) and also had to have a vaccine which required a stab in the leg. He's got a bit of a limp this evening. He took at 2-hour nap from 4-6pm so he may be up all night tonight!

I had a 2 hour dentist appt today, just for a check up and it gave me a huge headache. Can't imagine what it will be like when I have to go back to get "real" work done, and there will be lots of that this year :(

Justin was excited about the beer he got this evening - deviating from the usual Natty Light, he got Miller High Life and it came in orange cans for the hunting season - how's that for some marketing. We think it should also be sold at Halloween too.

Notice the hunting accessory in the background? Who can tell me what it is? Take a guess and I'll post the answer in the comments - you'll probably never get it...unless you are Dad J who bought it, or an avid hunter. Here's another picture to give you a better view.