A Long Week

This week has been very long and I'm very glad it's Friday!  I'll start with the less stressful weekend. 

Saturdays were always cleaning days growing up, and I've kept that going with my kids.  On our whiteboard I write down a list of all their chores and they check them off as they get them done.  They have their usual chores like cleaning rooms and making beds, and then some random chores like helping with laundry or wiping down walls.  Last Saturday I added on to Ava and Mia's list to read a book (at their reading level) and Asher took a video of Mia reading hers and you are welcome to watch Asher's amazing videographer skills here:  https://youtu.be/32irrZAFryc

This year we have church at noon (bleh).  So we have lots of time to get ready in the morning.  I was just finishing up getting ready curling my hair, doing my makeup, and I had on a pencil skirt with a loose sweater. I asked Mia how I looked.  She said "Now you just have to change your clothes."  I told her I was wearing my clothes.  She said "No, you have to get in your church clothes."  I (very emphatically and a little defensively) told her I was wearing my church clothes!  She then looked me up and down like she did not think what I was wearing was okay to step outside in.  I was very self-conscious the whole drive to church, but felt better when someone complimented me on my hair. 😁 A few weeks ago I was going to rehearsal, and before I left she looked at me and said "Why are you wearing those shoes?"  I really try not to worry too much about what other people think about what I wear, but it hits a little bit different when it's coming from your 5 year old!  I honestly was not expecting this kind of criticism until she got to middle school!

Once we hit Monday things kind of went downhill until today.  Monday morning Ava was telling me she didn't feel good.  But she had no other symptoms (cough, fever, runny nose, etc.) so I planned on sending her to school.  But I'm a little paranoid about that now because of how many times I have sent her to school and then gotten calls an hour later telling me she threw up or started running a fever or was sitting at her desk in tears.  Still, I was going to send her because I knew how much school she'd already missed this year.  But getting ready for school she kept having to go to the bathroom and even on the way to the bus she had to run home to go.  So I sent the other two and made a doctor appointment for her.  Turns out, she had a UTI and probably also strep.  They didn't do a test on her because they were worried about breaking open the wounds still healing from getting her tonsils out.  But her throat was red, lymph nodes huge, stomach ache, and headache.  So while I'm feeling sorry for her that she's so sick, I'm also feeling frustrated that we have to do this again and like I'm doing something wrong because this is her 3rd time getting strep in 2 months!  And after getting her tonsils out!  So now she's on more antibiotics and probiotics and I'm about to douse my entire house in bleach.

Tuesday was pretty normal.  Asher had Activity Days which he does not love.  They have started doing more fun and interesting things so that's helped.  And his leaders try to let him participate as much as he feels comfortable, which I think also helps.  This week they were playing dodgeball, which Asher does not love.  So they let him play basketball on his own and he said eventually he joined in their game and had a lot of fun.  I try to push Asher a lot and I tell his teachers at school to push him just to help him get out of his comfort zone and grow, but I really don't want him to hate doing church things.  And I want him to have fun with other boys his own age.  So I'm glad he has understanding leaders.  A couple months ago they did pickleball.  Afterwards one of the leaders came out to my car and I was worried he was going to tell me about some outburst Asher had had.  But he said Asher loved it and was laughing and giggling and that it was so nice to see him happy.  It makes me sad that it was such a rare thing that he had to come out and tell me about it, but I hope it will happen more and more often.  He used to have a lot of friends in the ward, but they've all moved out so I think he gets very lonely at church functions and it's hard for him to get excited to go.  So I'm glad that it's happening more that he's enjoying himself!

Wednesday was such a stressful day that my stomach was in knots all day.  I usually walk the kids to the bus stop and there are a couple other parents that do as well.  I saw a group of kids next to the house the bus stop is in front of and the next thing I knew there was a guy who came out of the house and was cussing one of the kids out for kicking his car.  Not just a "Hey kid, get away from my car", but a long stream of swearing and threats to follow this kid home after school so he could tell his parents all about it.  The kid that the guy was yelling at is Asher's age and I have known him for awhile.  He's very mischievous, but not malicious.  I don't doubt that he was doing something he shouldn't have, but I very much doubt he was trying to damage this guys car.  There was total silence as all of us just stopped and watched this guy continue to yell until a minute later when the bus came.  The other moms that were there were closer and they told him that what he was doing was inappropriate and he shouldn't be swearing and yelling at these kids, but he was so defensive.  He said they have expensive cars (not at the house at the moment) and they've had problems with that kid before and on and on.  My kids weren't near that whole situation, thankfully.  

David came home in between schools and I told him what had happened and that I was going to call and see if we could move the bus stop.  He said he knew the guy in charge of transportation and sent him an email explaining what had happened and asked if the bus stop could be moved.  I get the feeling we weren't the only ones to call because he immediately said they would look for a new place.  I have never really liked having the bus stop in front of that house.  Most of the houses in our neighborhood are quiet and nice and friendly.  But they are always getting after the kids at the stop about getting too close to their cars or that they need to stay of the grass.  There is also more than one family living there.  I would guess at least 3, and maybe 4 families live there and I have seen them all yelling at their kids, their dogs, and each other.  I have also seen police officers and parole officers stop by there on occasion.  And the kids that live there are not the nicest.  I think if they all had a more stable environment they'd be great kids, because I've seen them be very nice and play with the other kids at the stop.  I've also seen them gang up on other kids and pick on them and throw things at them in anger.  So I was not sad when the transportation guy said they were moving the stop.

The next day we got to the stop a little early.  One of the boys there was talking to me about a book he was reading.  He walks over to stand in line for the bus and the next thing I know another guy comes out of the house and is swearing up a storm saying this kid that I was just talking to was bullying his kids and saying he was going to come after him and "mess him up" if he kept it up.  Again, I was in shock!  This boy wasn't near his kids, and I suspect they told him he was bullying them just to see his reaction.  I don't know what's going on in that house, but I really don't want it near my kids.  Luckily, a lady from the transportation department was standing right there and saw the whole thing.  She came up to me after the bus came and told me she'd talked to another homeowner who said they would be fine having the stop in front of their house.  She said it really did need to be moved because if they are going to yell and swear at kids for no reason the kids shouldn't be there.  So bright side to this whole situation is the bus stop will now be basically right across the street from our house!

Friday (today) is the end of the 2nd trimester so the kids didn't have school.  I was so glad to have a regular day where we didn't have to deal with crazy neighbors or doctors and could just enjoy being home!  I'm so sick of the snow that keeps coming down, but the kids all went outside and played in it and had a blast! They did some Art Hub video tutorials from YouTube which are super cute and fun. And Asher, Mia, and I played Settler of Catan.  Playing with a 5 and 9 year old is a little different than playing with adults, but it was still fun.  I'm very glad this week is over!

Art Hub making some Pokemon.
Also, Asher has discovered the joy of staying in comfy pajamas all day!

Their favorite thing to do is cover our fence in snow.  We have so much snow that if they stand on top of some of the drifts they can see over the fence.

Enjoying the snow.  But still can't wait for Spring!