Same Song

We're singing the same song this week. On Thursday I got a call from Cam's new school that he'd spit on someone so I FLEW up there and sat in on his class for a hour and a half. I LOVE the school, and still believe that Cam is in the perfect place, but he's still getting into the same type of trouble. Friday he threw a snowball at the teacher (among other things) and was suspended again. I tried to get an emergency appointment with the therapist, but it's a no go. Unless someone cancels we'll have to wait until Thursday.

We've been watching Cameron and taking mental notes about his behavior. It's obvious that he has NO impulse control. He knows all the rules but doesn't stop long enough to follow them. We're going to continue with the child study process at this new school so that he can get classified. Bottom line - he needs a parapro with him during work times so that he gets his assignments done and stop getting put out of school. We're going to try to have his psychologist fax over the paper work verifying that he has oppositional defiant disorder. That way it'll be in his file and then maybe at 504 plan can be put into place.

His new teacher says that he's in the middle to high range in his class of kinder and first graders, but she can't get him to focus long enough to really do anything. When I was there and made him sit with the small group and do the vowel assignment he finished in about 1.5 minutes with no help from anyone. That's pretty amazing considering how much school he's missed due to trips to the office and out of school suspensions.

We've been talking to him about making friends and bucket filling, and he's finally starting to open up about his feelings. He's been great this weekend about filling up our buckets by saying kind things and following directions, but who knows how this will translate when Monday rolls around.

As far as THE LIST is concerned I'm beginning to cross things off! I still think we've found the perfect school for Cam and in the event that we move after this school year he'll be in another public Montessori school wherever we end up. So, right now #29 is complete as is #31- Pics of the kids. Yesterday I reserved our session with a local custom family photographer. We'll be taking family pics next week and I can't wait! I've been wanting something done like this for a long time, but could never afford it. Now I can. These are not sit down, posey pictures...these are pics that will capture the kids' personalities in an environment they're comfortable in-HOME. Check out the photographer's work here.

The shelf is also coming into view. Things are really beginning to shape up nicely, and while I have a few different irons in the fire, my number one choice seems to be shaping up nicely. Here's another pic of our new possible city.

Lastly, just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who have been sending kind words, encouragement and prayers for Cameron. It's greatly appreciated and keep them coming! :)

These past two weeks...

I think these past two weeks have been our most difficult as parents. Cameron has been suspended until Wednesday (AGAIN), and we're pretty much over it. After talking to Cameron about his behavior, we learned that students are picking with him, calling him "weirdo", and just making his first year of school a living hell.

So, I can tentatively cross number #29- Find the Perfect School for Cameron, off THE LIST! We've decided to pull him out of school and this Friday we found what we think may be the perfect place. On Monday he begins at a Montessori school. Montessori believes in freedom with limits and that's exactly what he needs. He's not the type of kid to do well in environments where he's forced to do things, so he kept getting in trouble for not working in a group or sitting on the carpet with his class, even though he already knew all the concepts they were going over.

At the new school, Cam can walk around, get out of his seat and sit on the floor ALONE, and they have a peace room where kids who have extra energy can use a sit and spin, or jump on a trampoline before going back to class! He can even wear house shoes all day long and EVERYTHING is hands on. After touring the school he immediately said he wanted to go there...this from the kid who tells us everyday that he hates school.

The same day he was suspended we ironically went to our first therapist appointment. This one was just for the parents where we talked about our concerns and what we want to see for him. Before we could even mention looking at other schools for Cam, the therapist suggested it, because his issues may be environmental. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Here's a video of a Montessori classroom.

I also added #31 to the list- invest in timeless family photos of the children.

Busy, busy

So...I broke my promise. I know I said that I would blog more, but I've just been too busy with school, work, and dealing with all things Cameron.

We've been to a Piston's game, the orthodontist (Dj's getting expanders), the doctor to discuss Cameron's behavior issues again (after he got suspended), and gymnastics (which DJ started, just as we consider taking Cameron out because he WILL NOT behave).

On the job front I'm still awaiting word on the southern jump off. They're having a hard time finding a principal, so things are kind of at a halt. Damon and I are exploring our options though, and none of them are in our home state.

Next week Damon and I will be seeing a family therapist in preparation for Cam's psychiatrist visit. This situation has been a MAJOR point of stress for us, and we're really at loss. Child Study stuff has started and they have put new interventions in place to see if they can help him. So far, they've been working at school, but...The doctor also suggested we give him benadryl before bed to help him sleep. We see a difference, so I guess that's progress.

I also learned to make a new dish. It doesn't have a fancy name, but it's cabbage with bacon...sooooo good.

Here are some pics of what we've been up to.

THE SHELF

The Shelf is a little inside joke I have with my work crew. It's a symbol of success. Have you ever been into someones office and they have a shelf with all their accomplishments and accolades mounted to the wall? Well, that's what I want, my own shelf in my own office. In an effort to cross out numbers 4 and 5 from by 35 before 35 list. I'm reading this:

Mindset

The New Psychology of Success

This book was recommended to me by my principal because the president of our company loves it. It's all about understanding the mindsets of yourself and others so you can move up and accomplish your goals and fulfill your potential.



When I began my teaching career I never wanted THE SHELF. I never wanted to be anything more than a teacher, but when I was let go from my first full time teaching job something in me changed. In the first few month after that tragic event I thought that I was the WORLD's worst teacher and destined for failure. Then, as the new school year progressed, and I found my niche teaching reading, I realized that I wasn't the world's worst teacher, I had just been teaching at the world's worst school under the world's WORST principal! According to Carol Dweck, the author of Mindset, my mindset changed from fixed to growth.



As I began to have success in my position, I began to work harder, smarter, and better because THE SHELF came into view.



I'm nowhere close to being finished with the book (I think I have adult onset ADHD...either that or I'm completely addicted to TV), but I can see the benefit of understanding all the mindsets and how they affect your progress in life.



I'm also well on my way to crossing off list numbers 4 and 5. As I revealed a few blog posts back, I recently applied for a Dean Position at a school my company is opening in the south for the 2010-2011 school year. Deans are like mini assistant principals who observe teachers, evaluate them, and conduct weekly meetings. Being a Dean is what I REALLY want to do. Things are moving along slowly, but I did get a call about the job (this is progress because last year I applied for a Dean position at the new school we built just a couple of miles a way and NO ONE called)



By February I should know something, at least that's my hope, and maybe then I can make a trip to IKEA and cross #4 off THE LIST- get THE SHELF!

SIDEBAR- I've also updated the list with #30- Learn to let go

35 before 35

In six shorts months I'll be 30 years old....30

And I'm not really sure how I feel about it. Initially I was excited because to me, turning thirity meant that I'd finally be a grown-up, but now I'm not conviced. There are so many things I wanted to do before I turned the big 3-0, but with only six months left I know they're not going to happen.

That's where the list comes in.

As I ring in twenty-ten I realize that I'm not getting any younger, and while I have SOOOOO many things to be thankful for there are still soooo many things I want to do in my life. I started making a 40 before 40 list, but that was just too depressing so instead I'm concentrating on 35. I'm still not done with the list, because 35 things that are feasible and realistic is not an easy undertaking, but I hope to finish it soon.

35 before 35

1. own my own home (again)

2. spend my wedding anniversary on a beach

3. finish my masters degree

4. get THE SHELF

5. put THE SHELF in an office of my own

5. relocate to the South

6. decorate my living room

7. have a real dinner party

8. learn to French braid

9. make Thanksgiving dinner

10. finish that third novel

11. take my kids to Disney World

12. go out on New Years Eve

13. celebrate homecoming at TSU

14. “Would Ya Like it” in the rain

15. Have date night once a week

16. Visit Washington DC

17. have a picnic with wine and cheese

18. wear red lipstick

19. go Up North

20. grow a plant

21. make a cake for a loved one’s birthday

22. restore a piece of furniture

23. attend a Broadway play (does not have to be in NY, although that’s a bonus)

24. get rid of all unnecessary debt

25. eat healthier

26. answer the question, “What’s wrong?” honestly, the first time.

27. institute a new family tradition

28. take a cooking class

29. Find the perfect school for Cameron

30. Learn to let go

31. Invest in great pics of the kids

32.

33.

34.

35.

Fantasy House Hunting

So, if you know me at all, you know that I HATE the house we're currently renting. While it does have its positives, the negatives totally outweigh them. Here's a list:

1) TEENY-TINY BEDROOMS- we have absolutely no space to put all the crap in our room. We can't upgrade our bedroom furniture because the room is the size of a freakin' closet!


2) USELESS SPACE-in other parts of the house. We don't need a dining room or a formal living room so why do we have one? We're laid back, eat at the island, chill in the family room type people. It would be REALLY nice if the extra square footage had been added on to the bedrooms.


3) HIDEOUS circa 1985 BURGUNDY CARPET- I know you've seen it either in person or in pics from the blog and you agree with me. Why someone would actually pay for this color carpet is beyond me. And it makes the rooms look that much smaller! Did I mention we have micro bedrooms?


4) SORBET PEACH WALLS-in the kitchen, dining room, hall way and on the CEILING!!! Stop complaining and paint them you say? No! I will not paint them, I refuse to do anything to this house because I HATE IT HERE!

This is why I am fantasy house hunting.





Here's my new house in my new city where I'm going to get my new job with my new office. Notice the lack of burgundy flooring! There are 4 bedrooms (the boys cannot go another year sharing a room, because I will have to kill one of them), a HUGE yard for the playhouse I am going to force Damon to build. Check out the super porch! Perfect for late southern summer nights drinking sweet tea and laughing at all the people back in Michigan wearing jackets.

I really miss blogging!

So I'm going to TRY to update more. We've just been so busy lately with work, school, grad school, gymnastics, and all the hours I spend watching General Hospital, One Life to Live, and the Young and the Restless (LOL) there's just not enough time in the day!

Anywho...I will be using this winter break to improve my culinary skills, with my first undertaking being collard greens. I'm posting my second batch, because while the first batch was good, this new batch that's going to Damon's fam's house for Christmas dinner is FIYA! They would probably taste even better with smoked turkey leg and I would have used one too, if I hadn't waited till 5 minutes before Kroger locked its doors on Christmas Eve to look for one. Beef Bacon was used instead.



I would post pics of the mac and cheese I made, but I REALLY screwed it up, so it's just not worth it. My next undertaking is candied yams. I'll post pics when I'm done.

And for cute factor here are some recent pics of my tribe.

GQ smooth and NOwhere to go
Running his mouth as usual!
YES, she's still on the bottle...