It has been absolutely ages since I have updated my blog here. Life has just gotten away from me. As the school year winds down, I have time to come in and fill in some of the gaps. I'm not even sure where I left off last time!

First off, Andrew:

He has turned a corner recently. He went through a terrible depression around the holidays that really had us worried. He also was doing a lot of ranting and raving and occasionally swearing. It was very hard for me to be understanding and sometimes I admit that I absolutely lost it with him. He pushed every button that I have. He got focused on playing baseball in the Sping and wouldn't let it go. I was able to find private baseball lessons for him from January-April until the season started at this incredible indoor baseball arena in the middle of nowhere, MN. He started out trying to hit a ball from a T-ball T and would miss the ball and hit the T. He also could not catch. It was not encouraging. I was afraid that this goal he had made of joining the baseball team was not to be and that he would be more discouraged and depressed in the process.

Fast forward to May. He is on the JV boys team, recently hit a double (and hits more balls than he misses now), and catches the ball with a flair and a flip of the wrist.

Rock ON Andrew. WOOHOOOOO!!!!

He scored in the 92nd percentile on the national test of german and was one of 8 MN students honored at a banquet recently with an award. He was also one of 5 students invited from his school to take the national physics test. His teacher has hinted to me that he might be up for the freshman science award.

AND...the best news?

He is back to being...ok...I'm afraid to say this....He is back to being himself. He is kind, helps with the little ones, asks if he can help me and says I love you every day to me. He just texted me from school today to say "I love you".

No. Really.

I'm not going to hold my breath that it will last though...he IS a teenager!



Amanda, is still the social butterfly. She has been taking dance all year and just recently had a dance recital...and has one more coming up! BUT ... she is currently....please sit down for this...failing 3 classes. THREE, as in the number.

Sigh. It is all missing and late assignments. Her middle school has apolicy that if an assignment is late, you get an F. If you don't turn it in though, you have to go to summer school. I'm not sure I'm completely on board with that. She feels "what's the point of doing it. "

I just spoke with the vice principal today so that we can come up with a plan for her.

In different news, Andrew's private school said that they would accept her for next year and would give her special attention. They are a college prep program but they said that they have "a few siblings of other students" with similar issues. They would work with her.

We told her she is going there.

She isn't speaking to me anymore except to text message me. It's so funny. If she's in the kitchen and I speak to her, she says "I hate you, I'm not talking to me. You are the worst parental unit ever!" Yes. Parental Unit! LOL Then she goes into her room and texts me "I need help with my math homework and I lost my science worksheet. What should I do?" LOL Crack me UP.




Alex is having a great year. He has straight A's in academic subjects, but an F in band. He "hates" playing the trumped. I told him that he can't get out of it and now since he failed he has to play until he graduates from high school. He's soooo not happy about that. He wants to start violin lessons next year, so I told him he can do BOTH! I'm evil, I know!
Sword Fighting with sticks...ahhhh, boys!


Aidan is getting ready to start first grade in the fall. I absolutely can't believe it. He is still the littlest child in his class and wears the same size as Zoe. They look almost like twins. I continue to worry that his small size will hold him back. He is reading really well now (currently he's into the super diaper baby comics though) and loves numbers and adding and subracting. I think he's ready to head into elementary school, but I'm nervous too.



Zoe turned 4 a few weeks ago (I never really updated about that here because I was kind of in a funk!). I can't believe that she is 4. She is sooo busy and very ... egocentric right now. She wants what she wants, when she wants it, and is the only one to have needs! LOL Recently, we were talking about the cats and I asked her "Is Lupey a boy or a girl?" "boy" "Is Fluffy a boy or a girl" "girl" "Is Zoe a boy or a girl" "I'm a princess".

So, apparently Princess is a new gender....LOL



As for me, I finished up Physics and am probably going to take the summer off...though I'm contemplating an online graduate virology course....I can't decide what I want to do! I might just take the time to scrapbook and hang with the kids.

I am planning trips to Glacier National Park, Montana, Edmonton Alberta and possibly...possibly Yellowknife, NWT (only if I deem it to be safe and reasonable when I see the roads).


Mother's day...me looking tired after a night in the ER

The whole family! Doesn't Amanda look happy? Happy Mother's day to me! LOL



Well, that's all from here.

Kris