Pet peeve of the week

Kids who whine and complain when you try to do something nice for them.

The kids are keeping busy

Paige is working on her first science fair project and is doing a great job. Her project is on mazes and how many people you need to find someone lost in a maze. She is also still in a swim class and is doing really well. Brett had a field trip to "Safety Town" this week. He got a new bike helmet and got to climb out the window in a "smoke" filled room. His favorite part was riding bikes around "town". Bryce has been on a reading frenzy. I have had to take books out of his hands several times so that he could get some sleep. Ty had his first chair test in band recently and made first chair alto sax! The boys also had a court of honor this week and both received rank advancements.

Brett quote of the day

"Are salt and pepper seasonings?"
"Yes, why?"
"I was thinking they were because they are the shape of seasonings."
"Oh, okay."

Her first word

Most of you know at least a little bit about my daughter, Paige. Paige is cute and sweet and very smart, but Paige does not talk at school. Paige has a social anxiety disorder called Selective Mutism. This means that she doesn't talk in situations where speaking is expected, like at school. This is a genetic disorder that many member of my family have experienced, but none quite as severely as Paige. We always new Paige was shy, but it wasn't until a discussion with her preschool teacher that we learned the extent of it and did some research and had her diagnosed. When Paige started Kindergarten, I requested that she be put in a class with her friend who lived across the street. For awhile, Claire, was the only one that she talked to at school. But, Paige made 2 other very good friends that year. She never said a word to her teacher. In first grade, Paige was in class with one of her new friends and by the end of the year was talking to a handful of girls in her class. She never said a word to her teacher. In second grade she was with still another friend and by the end of this year she was speaking to all of the girls in her class. She never said a word to her teacher. By third grade Paige had several friends in her class and by the end of the year was speaking to most of her classmates. She was also put in a gifted program one day a week. She never said a word to her teachers. Now she is in fourth grade and has four teachers. She talks to all of her classmates. Paige loves all of her teachers, past and present. Yesterday, as Paige was leaving her gifted class she whispered to her teacher, "bye".

You can learn alot about your kids by reading their homework

Yesterday, Paige had to write a practice essay for the LEAP test. Her subject was If she had three wishes what would she wish for. Her wishes are so sweet and simple, isn't it sad that while she lives at home, she is unlikely to have her wishes fulfulled. Poor girl! Here is her essay:

One day I was walking home from school. I saw a lamp that looked sort of like a teapot. I grabbed it and ran home. I got home and ran upstairs to my room. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It was shiny and smooth. I rubbed the lamp and a genie came out. He said that I could have three wishes. I was thinking about what wishes to make for a long time.
I finally had an idea of what to wish for. I wished for a bigger room. The room I have now is puny. There is no room to play with my friends. I don’t have any room to put my things. My bed is squeaky and too tiny. I got a bigger room and thought about my next wish.
My next wish was a dog. I wanted it to be cream white with chestnut brown spots. I’ve wanted one ever since I was five. I never got one. Dogs are my favorite animal too. I love to play with them. I named him Speckles. After I got the dog, I thought about my next wish.
The last wish was to have a sister. I want a sister because I have three brothers. I’m the only girl. There is never anyone to play with. All my brothers do is play video games. I got my wish. I have no more wishes and I’m happy with the ones I had.
I told the genie thank you and he got sucked into the lamp. I went to my huge room to play with my sister and Speckles. I loved my wishes. My friend came over the next day. She was so surprised, she couldn’t talk. We played all day. I’m happy with my big room, my sister and my dog.

Pet peeve of the week

You know that place on the side of the macaroni and cheese box that says, "To open push here"? Why does that never work for me? I end up tearing the top of the box to pieces every time!

A New Year

Ty and Andrew having a "wing eating contest".

Brett ringing in the new year.

We enjoyed our holiday time together, but it was a relief when they went back to school yesterday. We went to a movie, Bedtime stories. We rarely take the whole family to the movies, especially since we no longer have a "dollar" theater. We got there at the last minute and some of us had to sit on the front row, yuck! But the movie was cute. We spent some time with friends on New Years Eve, which the kids loved! It was a little more fun than just a few fireworks in the driveway, like we usually do. Thanks for having us Erin! For Family Home Evening last night we had our annual first of the year goal session. The kids groaned and Brett did not cooperate at all, but basically we all got a few things on paper that we want to do, or do better this year. Some are silly and some are serious, but I think that is the way it should be. Here is a sample:

Dave: Complete 1 major and 12 minor projects, learn a hymn on the piano, get 100 on guitar hero.

Lisa: Plan and prepare healthier meals, be a better visiting teacher, play more games as a family

Bryce: Get banner roll (straight A's), Complete Star Scout, Eat more stuff!

Ty: Read more, beat Bryce on guitar hero, complete 1st Class scout.

Paige: Do a science fair project, eat more veggies, pass off things in "Faith in God" book.

Brett: Only play wii, only eat (like I said he was not interested and didn't like any of my ideas!)