Well, things are hectic - more so than usual if you can imagine that. It took me 2 weeks to make a lovely turquoise messenger tote bag (fits my binder to hold all receipts, scheduling, etc., my wallet, sunglasses, cell phone, pocket first aid kit, and that's it...NO ROOM for the kids nonsense!!!)!! I also tried to teach DN how to sew...she isn't interested and doesn't understand why I would even want to sew when i could just buy what I need for myself and the family . Ok, failed in that attempt, but DS still wants to learn. However, since DN is sleeping in the sewing room, I think I'll wait until she goes back home before I start trying to teach DS.
Busch Gardens was not as much fun as we had hoped - we got sideswiped by MOther and her glorious plans as soon as we walked in the door of the timeshare - off to Jamestown after 3 hours in the car, THEN to Busch Gardens...argh. But, we survived and had the rest of the weekend at home with DH.
Last week was VBS (vacation Bible school) at my church. DS and DD had their own classes, DN and I were assigned to help out with the crafts. The first few days were touch and go because DD kept having meltdowns and DN kept really close to me and acting like she was scared. By Wed. she had relaxed enough that she was jopking with the other 2 teen helpers, and on Thurs and Fri, I wasn't even in there because they were having such a good time. I ended up helping out in the kitchen getting the snacks ready for all of the kiddos (nice that they eat in shifts). Friday afternoon DN asked if she could go swimming with the other girls...I had to remind her that she didn't have an appropriate swimsuit, but she begged me to help her find one..so off we went and got her a suit, facemask (she can't have water up her nose) and a new towel and I dropped her back off at church....I had the entire afternoon to spend with DS and DD and boy did they soak it up!! DN was dropped off just in time for dinner, and she was SO jazzed and relaxed!!
SHe and I also went shopping on Wed. night - 2+ hours....but...we found out the correct size clothing for her - girls 14 pants and 12/14 tops as well as 10/12 underpants....NOT the 10/12 pants or the 7/8 tops or the 6 underpants that her mother told me . I told her we would combine her sense of style and color with age appropriate, modest clothing in the CORRECT sizes!! We had a blast. In the end, we were laughing so hard (the store had less than 5 minutes until closing as I careened around corners to get ot the register) that we could barely walk straight. SHe likes the clothing we got for her and has worn nearly all of it already!! SHe is definitely favoring the new clothing over the stuff she brought, and I think it's because she can actually move and breathe now!
She got a letter from her mother yesterday, and she told me that in it, Mom told her that when she gets home, they would all work towards being a better family unit. SHe was also told that, once she finishes her homework, the afternoon is hers until time for baths and bed. SHe is overjoyed at this because, according to her, after she does her homework, she has had to finish up chores and take care of her little brother.
So, it looks like things are going fairly well all around. SHe is trying really hard to finish up her summer school work because she chose a day without chores as her incentive :-D We have used google to help her with the questions involving maps, etc. and I have helped her with the concepts that she never grasped in her ENglish lessons. Hopefully she will be able to remember them when she goes back and starts back at a new school.
So, that's what's been going on around here. Right now I have to go book a hotel room for the Saturday *after* 4th of July so that we can all trek up to DC for the day....have to think this through and see if DH wants to stay overnight or if he wants to just do a day trip.....then i have to find out if we need to make reservations for horseback riding in July when we go to WV....argh...but the bills are updated and everything is working out ok...oh...I have never seen a family go through so much milk in 2 weeks...we are up to something like 10 gallons already!!
Larisa, tired and in need of a nice hot soak and some sewing time