Welcome to Mom School.

Today is the first day of summer break and at 8:19AM, my daughter has already (on her own) done a few pages of math, was introduced to her summer learning notebook and is currently busy journaling while listening to a Junie B. Jones audiobook. On Monday, we'll start with spelling tests of high frequency words. (Journaling and HFW testing at the request of her teacher to keep her on track and to slow down her end-of-the-year laziness with spelling.) We have summer bridge math work that the school always sends home to prepare the kids for the next year. I made two copies of it and I have timed math sheets.

"BUT SHE'S ON SUMMER BREAK!" I can hear people cry. Yes, I agree. I'm trying to avoid my child's summer brain. If I don't keep her on track, there is a lot of loss over the summer. She is a child who thrives on a schedule and things that are a bit more regimented. She is happily, without argument, working hard on her journal entry.

It should be noted that I promised that my part of Mom School will take no more than one hour.

In regard to T.V. viewing, our summer plan is "You watch what you read." Since they have a summer reading log for school (by 15 minute incriments for a total goal of 25 hours) this is bridge work anyhow. So, if K reads for 15 minutes, she has earned 15 minutes of viewing time. She can bank time for movies. K, a child who takes at least a book everywhere she goes, will not have a problem with this. My challenge to her is to reign her in a hair and to have her read 2 chapter books in full each week. She'll read 6 or more books at a time and occasionally finish one, but I'd like to reign in her ADD style of reading. We are going to participate in library group, too and that requires the children to write book reports (small and just a sentence or two) to win prizes. She won two prizes last year, so she knows how nice that was!

We've just reviewed her "My Last Day" journal entry. She did well, trying hard on spelling and had most excellent handwriting. We reviewed any misspellings (computer, watch, tornado and practice) so that she can reference back, if needed.

Here's to hoping that the rest of Mom School goes as swimmingly.

I couldn't leave this post without giving K an atagirl. She stayed on honor roll all year. I sat last night with report cards, certificates, ribbons, some papers and whatnot and made her second grade memory book. She loves to look at her past year and we do, too!

Aunt Patti to the rescue!

You might remember my story of crying in the produce section of our local grocery after my aunt passed away because she was K's cherry informer. She would call to say when cherries were ready and where they were on sale. I was thrilled to find an e-mail from Aunt Patti today (mom of Janeen at Our Story) to let me know that not only are cherries out and good, but where to score them for reasonable cheapness. Hooray! Thanks, Aunt Patti!

The birthday that I couldn't celebrate.

My brother Billy has somewhat removed himself from family. I admit that I was still in favor with him until I found that I absolutely would not take his screaming treatment of my mother as okay any longer, so I sent a text telling him what I felt.
I was invited not to contact him.
I sent him a birthday card, but it wasn't the same.
I drove my niece home from my mom's house last night. I her that I was no longer coddling her father. I still wanted to make sure that she remembered his birthday yesterday and was able to phone him. "Aunt Amy, I'm not allowed to have my dad's phone number." She did send a card, though.
Grand.
My birthday wish for my brother? I'd love him to remember how important family and his children are.
My birthday wish for my mom? That my brother takes his head out of his butt (I'm being nice, considering) and starts giving her the respect that she deserves. I mean, I know that it isn't a big deal to him that she and my dad have been busy raising his son, pulling him through school and teaching him to read since October (my nephew is 9), but he might want to consider that perhaps not so many parents out there would do the same. They've fed, housed, helped to clothe and miscellaneous things all with no offer to offset those costs. It is a great thing what my parents have done and the lack of respect and true appreciation astounds me. Frankly, it breaks my mom's heart the way my brother has chosen to treat her and speak to her in tones and words that I would never consider using around people that I greatly dislike.
I hope that my brother can see what matters most and that whatever life he choses to lead allows him to sleep at night. If he finds that it doesn't, that he might consider adjusting likewise and to make life improvements. Until then, I pray for him to consider reconciling with his family- the very same people he has called on and has bailed him out on numerous occasions.