Tam and Her Kids Visit

Winter Jam

The girls and I went to Winter Jam. We went with our friends, who are friends with one of the guys in one of the bands. So we HAD close seats. We put our coats down in our seats, and went to eat dinner. When we returned, some very nice (not) people had moved all of our stuff and taken our seats. Nice. At a Christian concert. Nice people. Because we were "guests" of the band, we did not have tickets. Because we did not have tickets, we could not "claim" our seats. Needless to say, we ended up on the VERY TIPPY TOP......which we were mad about at first, but then when we realized that we had more space than anyone else in the building, we were OK and hoped the "lady in the blue shirt" enjoyed our seats at the concert.

Baseball - Winter Wrap Up

Gymnastics Proof

It is a big deal. It is weird to me. But it is a big deal to Grace. Getting these "rips" on your hands from working the bars in gymnastics, means you are doing something right. Grace came home the night she got this and said, smiling, "Look what I finally got Mom! RIPS!!" It looks terribly painful in the picture but was mostly healed within 2 days. Good thing too, because the gym DOES NOT wait. Ask her. She will tell you.

Basketball for Grant

This was Grant's first year in basketball. First, he played in a HAYAA league that was mostly instruction. Then, he played for CBC on a team coached by Uncle Dan (and Coach Jon). That was fun! Grant played so hard.....he was definitely trying to follow in his brother's footsteps. And he is still doing a great job. Jacob better watch out! Grant is fast on his heels.

Ginormous Snow Fort

We had a great amount of snow this winter. And ti all kind of came at once. So Jacob and his buddy started building a snow fort. Then Grace, Jadyn and Grant started helping and the snow for was the biggest in the whole neighborhood. The pictures don't do it justice because in the pictures where you just see their heads, that is because it is THAT tall. You can barely see them! It was a crazy huge, wickedly cool fort!!

I'm So Mad!

I can't take it anymore! I have been working in the schools for a few years now - 5, to be specific. And, today I am at my breaking point. Yesterday, as I sat and attempted to mind my own business and eat my lunch, I listened to 3 teachers complain, up one side and down the other, about their students and how terrible they are. How they don't even know simple subtraction in 5th grade. And I started getting mad. I thought to myself.....then teach them and stop complaining. Then I thought some more. It really isn't them. It is the freaking parents. I am sick and tired of parents not being parents. Kids have plenty of friends - what they need is parents to STOP BEING THEIR FRIENDS, and start setting boundaries, stop making excuses and start giving and enforcing consequences. It is not the schools job to raise your kid. It is yours!!! The school will educate them, but you have to raise them. Teach them how to be responsible. Teach them to take pride in their work. Require them to clean up after themselves. This is so simple it is stupid. If you can't be a parent, then don't procreate. All you are doing is making yet another mess for someone else to clean up.