Last week was a bit rough. On Halloween I got a 'Juror Questionnaire' in the mail. Apparently, my name has been pulled. I cannot even list all the ways that this is not good. I take care of three kids alone every week. Who would get them to and from school? Dinner? Homework? Not to mention, the courthouse is in Grand Rapids. That is at least 25 minutes from here. Not counting traffic. I have no idea how to get there or where to even park once I did.

I must admit to being in a bit of a panic over this. My kids are 8, 10, & 12. Too young to fend for themselves. Plus, I drive Irene and Gavin to school. UGH!!!!

So, possible jury duty not enough? Well then, on Sunday Mark was driving Henry and Irene home from Grandma's. A suburban pulled out of the lumber company, crossed two lanes of traffic and slammed into the driver-side slider door of the van. Apparently, the guy driving wanted to be in the same lane, same spot as our mini van. Thankfully, Gavin was home with me because that door is where he sits. Henry and Irene were frightened, but fine. Mark was livid.

A young man gave a witness statement to police, so they have down that Mark was absolutely not at fault. The van is a mess and we are trying to get a quote on repairs. 

Just to add to the fun...This week Gavin came down with a hellish cough and cold. Tuesday he had almost no voice and a temp of 102. He spent the majority of the day covered up, watching Ben 10. It was really weird because he is usually all go! go! go! He stayed home Wednesday, but went to school today.

Unfortunately, Irene, Henry, and I all have the beginnings of the cough/cold. Even Mark, who called me today, has it. I'd like to put my pajamas on and cuddle with LuLu, but needs must. Dinner, homework, and that never-ending laundry.

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I have an Ornaments Wishlist...if that's your kind of thing.

Halloween Happiness

 Pumpkins made with melted crayons

 A dolphin, Godzilla, and Master Chief

Liar, Liar. Pants on Fire.

I once said that if lightning was to strike the school, I would not help in any way. I would not be in the bucket brigade, I would not clear away debris. I would not buy goodies from fundraising bake sales. I would not donate funds. I would not help with the rebuild. I certainly would not help celebrate its re-opening.

Late last night Gavin's teacher finally emailed me. She said that she would not be at school Friday but that Irene could get the homework packet from the substitute. This morning I get an email from the principal saying that Gavin's teacher will not have homework packets ready. She will be coming in during the weekend to get them ready. Not that it should matter because the homework packets always go home on Mondays. What?! For one thing, the homework packets include multiple subjects of homework, including the reading log which starts on Friday! There is also math pages and spelling pages that require at least 5 different online spelling activities be completed.

Why is there a need to lie? If you're not going to have them done then don't tell me to send my daughter to the sub to get it. And don't try to pass me off to the principal as not knowing what I'm talking about. Every week these packets have come home on Friday and are due the next Friday. What is this bullshit accomplishing????

Liar, liar. Your lying liar pants are on fire.

And They blew My House Away

Well. I feel like the school did an end run around me. Ten minutes to the end of school and I get a call. Gavin had an issue on the playground. He refused to talk about what happened, but he hit someone in reaction to whatever happened. The school's response is that I keep him home tomorrow. Well, at least they're happy.

Of course, Gavin is happy, too. He is being rewarded with another day off school. He doesn't have to do the work, doesn't have to make an effort. Gee, this seems like such a great idea. Plus, the school did not send home his homework packet or his reading book which puts us three days behind on homework.

I am doing all I can do. Gavin is seeing someone about his anxiety. I've told all the various people at the school about it. However, I get no input from the school. Just calls. And suspensions. Worse, they don't tell him that they're doing it. Gavin had no idea that he wouldn't be going to school tomorrow. He was speaking about how his day was going to go. According to the principal, she had made this suspension arrangement with Gavin. Yeah, he didn't remember it a bit.

I'm feeling jaded. I greatly dislike this school. I greatly dislike this school system. I feel like we have reached an impasse.

I'll Huff and I'll Puff!

Wednesday started off fairly decently...until it was time to get dressed for school. Then Gavin dug his heels in and that was that. There was no getting dressed, I hate school, my tummy hurts, stomp-stomp. Monday and Tuesday had been good days for him. He did well, was in a good mood, but Wednesday was just not happening.

I kept Gavin home. Unhappily. However, I just couldn't justify manhandling him into clothes and shoes, and then just dropping him at the curb at school. His bad day would start before he even walked through the door. We did managed to do spelling work and read, so at least a little bit of learning happened. Today he was much more willing to go to school since the second grade was going on a field trip at an apple orchard. I'm hopeful that the day continues to go well.

Tomorrow his teacher will not be at school. Gavin does not always do well with substitutes since they don't do things exactly like the teacher. However, his teacher has angered me a bit by asking me, twice, if I wanted to keep him home tomorrow. I adamantly do not want to keep him home. These absences do count against him. Pretty soon the school system will be sending me a letter about the number of absences the student is allowed to have...blah blah blah. The only I way I will keep him home at the behest of the school is if they clear his absences, otherwise this child is going. And let's not forget that he is there to actually learn things. It's not just a playdate.

And so we go on...a lot of hot air to be had by all.

Birthday with Godzilla

 Gavin's birthday was on Friday. This year he wanted Godzilla cake for his party and Godzilla cookies to take to school.

The Godzilla cake topper, and cookie cutter, I found on etsy. Grandma Pat made the cake. It turned out better than what I would have been able to do. And her frosting was terrific. She also made the cookies. She, and her sister, spent four hours making 30 cookies. The cookie dough did not want to come out of the tail and arm sections of the cutter. I was amazed that they stuck to it. As pictured above, we got the leftover (some arm-less, some tail-less) cookies while the picture perfect ones went to school.

And school. Ugh. Gavin is at school at the moment. I am still looking into homeschooling. I don't really want to homeschool. I feel like I don't have the wherewithal to do it well. Still, I can't keep sending my child to a place that is making him physically ill. The search is ongoing.

Sometimes I feel like there is no right answer.

FRUSTRATION!!!!

Anyone in Michigan that homeschools? I am in need of help, tips, pointers, etc. Today is pretty much the limit of shit I can take from this school. They are actively making my child sick and blaming him. It is one step forward and twelve steps back. I cannot keep sending my child to a place that is making him so miserable.

Done. So flippin' done.