Better things on the Horizon

It has been a tough start to 2010 for my eldest son. Sometimes I forgot how really hard it can be to be 12. He has been acting up at school - nothing serious: not finishing his homework, goofing around in the class. Things like that.

Last week, he and 15 of his closest friends decided it would be funny to laugh at a teacher as she walked away from them. Nothing was said. It was simply laughter. It was enough to trigger her sending the pack of boys to the office and the principal handing them an 'in school suspension'. I had never heard of the concept but, essentially, it means that you sit in the principal's office for the day and do your work.

We had no choice but to react. Hard. He was prevented from travelling to his hockey tournament and had to hear from me (as the manager) about how the team was doing. He lost all home privileges as well.

This week, you have turned things around and I am really proud of him. He has been getting excellent feedback from the teachers. Homework has been getting done. He has been respectful and kind - even to his brothers and that is sometimes hard for the eldest of three.

I am completely confident that we can turn this around with some TLC.

Maybe it is true what they say: sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can climb your way back up to the top.

Getting Back at It

With three children life has gotten busy on me. The days are sometimes long and yet the weeks whip past. It was only yesterday that I can remember the excitement - and fear - of my first pregnancy. I have allowed the little things in life to slip, things like photos and jotting down memories and chosen to live the experience rather than scribing it.

Now, as I see my youngest off in grade one and asking questions about the past I realise that scribing and photos - those are not the little things. Cleaning my house and walking the dog - those are the little things.

I will try, starting this week, to log the experiences of life a little better. Tools like a blog make it so darn easy. That way, when my grade one student asks me to tell him about the day of his birth I will remember more than running across the park with two two year olds on my hips and asking my neighbour to help out because I was going to be a bit busy for the next few hours. Sorry Keegan, that is all I have for now but I will log your life from this point on.

We Belong Together

My husband calls me a flake. I frequently do not know where my bank card is. I rarely lock the door on my vehicle and I am constantly purchasing additional pairs of mittens or scarves as I have misplaced the ones that I had been using.

The trouble is not that I am not intelligent. It is that these things are simply not important to me.

I am usually balancing my own three children and a flurry of their friends. These are the things that are important to me. Do I have all the children I am meant to have? Are they happy and safe?

You could ask me a question like that at any given time during the day and I will be able to answer you.

I met a mom in my area walking the kids home from school one day last week. She is a wonderful person and I never feel judged by her. She wanted to let me know that she noticed the cat outside that morning and that my husband had not closed the garage door behind him so, she hopes it is alright, but she opened the door to the house (which was not locked), let the car in then manually closed the garage door. At least that way it was a visual block for a would-be robber.

It was an anomoly my husband told me.... as I snickered in the background. I understand. He is trying to get three kids out the door WITH their school bags and lunches and mittens and hats. I totally get that.

This morning he stooped lower than me though. He called an eight year old who lives across the street as he was driving to work. He asked him to look outside his window to see if Todd had remembered to close the garage door this morning. And DON'T TELL YOUR MOM.

That's flaky.

He's in!

Aiden was "accepted" into the Beaver Colony in our neighbourhood. He starts tonight!

Check this out:

Where Beavers live
Beavers have a special place where they meet each week. It's a mystical place called the "Pond," where you live in a "Colony," and join a small group called a "Lodge," with other Beavers just like you!

Beaver Tails and Symbols
When you join the "Lodge," you get your very own symbol, to attach to the pocket of your vest. Every fall you get to make a new tail to wear on your hat. The tail changes colours as you get older. Just before you swim up to Cubs, you wear the "White Tail" with the "Magic Light" symbol.

Eager Beavers
When you learn your Law and Promise, you can become an Eager Beaver, during a special ceremony with all your leaders and friends.

Beaver Promise
I promise to love God and help take care of the world.

Beaver Law
A Beaver has fun, works hard and helps family and friends.

Beaver Motto
Sharing, Sharing, Sharing

Beaver Salute
A Beaver salute is a special sign of greeting. To make it, just bend your two front fingers, to look like the two front teeth of a real beaver.

Tail Slap
A "tail slap" opens every meeting. Your leader will help you start each meeting this way.

A Beaver Colony

We went to a meeting last night for the possible creation of a Beaver Colony in the boys' school. Actually, it was Liam (in the 8 - 10 Scouts age group) that was the most interested in the program however, when Aiden realized there was overnight trips he agreed to try things as well.

The inclusion of girls in the program was something that I remember reading about in the media but was not concerned as it had no direct impact on me.

We listened to the regular schtick about why scouting is a good way of life for kids. We were marketed to about how we should step up and get involved in the kids' activities (namely as a leader). However, it was most interesting to hear the group leaders talking afterwards.

It appears that there were 16 potential scouts that came. Four of which were girls. It has been since 1999 that the Scouting movement allowed girls to join. The men were all leaders and they were overwhelmingly supportive of the girls efforts to join in.

In fact, since there are only 13 spaces, three of the kids will not be able to participate (assuming that all kids decide to join). The men agreed that none of the four girls will be declined the opportunity. Interesting that we have moved to a reverse discrimination. But good for the girls.

Be Prepared.

Any idea how to get bar-b-que sauce out of Irish linen?

Next time I am going to buy a plastic table cloth from the Dollar Store.

Issuing an Apology

Grandmaman, I am sorry that I ever doubted you.

You see, I am committed to my all natural, non-chemical solutions to most things in life. At the same time, I fully recognize that they simply do not work.

I have kept my Irish linen table cloth since February when it received a massive red wine stain. It was a heck of a party but no amount of natural cleansers could get that stain out. I even gave in and bought and used bleach. Repeatedly. This table cloth was a wedding present from Ireland. It is special to me. And, with the days of consulting behind me, money no longer grows on trees.

I am having another party tonight. There will be lots more red wine. I could not come to terms with buying another tablecloth, knowing full well that we will all have a little too much to drink. And the tablecloth will not survive. So, I gave in and tried the OxyClean that grandmaman had given me in a little baggy.

The tablecloth and the little baggy had been sitting on my dryer since last February.

OMG - it worked. I doubted that it would work and I doubted the premise that it is a more natural cleanser than bleach. I figured you were wrong on both counts. I have my tablecloth back now though. It is not perfect but you would have to look really closely to see the stain. Something we will not be able to do after a few glasses of the stainer!

Thank you!