first week down

Holy mother of god, this has been one long arsed  first week of school but we made it.

Rosie is fine, loving it. She realises that middle school offers some independence and the opportunity to make some of your own decisions. It also allows for a tiny bit of freedom before classes start and also at dismissal. She, so far, likes her classes and her teachers so is giving everything an A+ rating. I'm proud of her and how she has taken it all on the chin, once it got started. I also am not surprised as she truly has come so far.

Lily has taken the return to school on the chin but the changes for her have been harder. For almost 2 years she worked at home, worked at her speed ( which was always on track and most often accelerated) and did things when she wanted to too. For example, Mum, where are you going? I'm going to work and then to run errands and I'll be home. Oh, can I come, of course. And she would and sometimes school work would happen en route to these things and sometimes it would happen when she got home. I always kept her on a strictish schedule but always allowed her some freedom.

Well now she has HAS to be on the bus  by 8.10, in this class and that meeting, at particular times she doesn't have an entire curriculum to work through at her speed she has the teachers curriculum and homework schedule in their time. It took a few days for the perfectionist to find her groove and she still is a little  way to go but all in all it's coming together.

Some first week hiccups:
* no school bus at all for Lily on the first day.
* AP BC Calculus was giving her a fit but she spoke to someone and sorted it all out
* the little arsehole that has taken to calling Rosie, Chink.
* my work schedule was pure insanity and I wasn't around for them as much as normal.

Some first week highs:
* Both are loving the independence
* Both are making friends....even Lily!!!
* Both are extremely happy
* they are happy so I am elated.

Ok we are ready lets do this

I'm ready Mumma

cool as a cucumber...externally

And so part of my heart was ready to take on the 2018-2019 school year.

5th grade

School started again and robbed us of our laid back, spontaneous days. It does this every single year and by now one would think it would get easier but it doesn't. I simply love being a mum and enjoy all the time I can get with them.

Rosie is still in the same school and will remain there through 8th grade. Why rock the boat when she is in such a fantastic academy and gets treated to so much one on one. Not just her of course, that's just the way it is.

happy as a clam to be heading into 5th grade.

pointing to her very bright sneaks!

yikes!

this child with her love of all things orange.

Lily is homeschooling once again. She is taking all AP and honors course and has a very full load. She is now in 10th grade. Due to her no longer being a Miami Dade County student she will have to take an entrance exam for SAS ( school for advanced studies ) as she cannot apply through the magnet program.

 This was her first day of school.

Nice, said no one ever. 

Laughing at her cool choice of uniforms. We call it her Hobbit outfit

Lily gets a photo with  her classmate!

even the classmate appears horrified by her outfit

her favouritist classmate ever.

10th and 5th

7.30 am and look at those smiles

Both kiddoes are happy with school again this year. phewwwww.

my little athlete

Rosie had field day at school and was super excited about it. She was in quite a few events due to her athletic prowess. We parents were sent a note requesting the kids on her team wear black and camo. With a house of girls the camo request was noticabley absent from her wardrobe. I did a quick Google search and found a pair of shorts for her.

A gnarly looking bunch

Look at the leg muscles on the kid all the way to the right.

It's blurred.

bless. ya need to grow a little

She bought home quite a few ribbons and thoroughly enjoyed herself.

You'll need a dress

Last Friday I received an email from Rosies teacher that said:

Just want to give you a head up since Rosie isn't in school, she will be receiving an academic achievement award next week. I don't have all the details as the invitation was sent in a sealed envelope but I do know it is next Wednesday evening.

(Rosie wasn't in school because she had pink eye and a high fever of unknown causes possibly related to the conjunctivitis but highly doubtful (read 104.3). and she is all better now thank you)

On Monday when she bought home the invitation I read it allowed, proclamation style and she was so proud and excited and then I ruined her moment but saying, right, you'll need a dress for this. Her big cheesy smile slipped from her face and she looked at me at and said, WHATTTT ?

I said trousers and a pretty top would be fine and all was once again right in her world. It was pretty darned funny though.

On Wednesday evening we headed south to one of the massive high schools in the area and  Rosie received an award for her academic achievements from one of our school board members. There were quite a few students receiving awards including a girl with down syndrome whose smile could have lit up the night sky! She received a standing ovation which only made her smile bigger. Sweetest thing ever!

Rosie was called to the principals office shortly before dismissal on Wednesday and Dr. P asked her if she was going and when she said yes, she said I'll see you there. I thought that was really nice of her.

I took a photo of my girls but when I uploaded it these to enormous grown weeds showed up. Who are they?

I love this photo of my weeds 

Well at least one of them was happy to get the award. 

This crazy lady saw me zooming in on the child from a way  away and photo bombed. The crazy lady is Dr Pelletier, the principal. fabulous lady.

proud and rightly so.

the lady was the WORST public speaker I have ever heard. 

I just have to say that that smile would not have been so big and confident if I had forced it into a dress and frankly I thnk she looks lovely. If it was the queen we might, might have had to reconsider but nubby navarro...no. Grandpa we do dresses for.

So there you have it, the child is shining her own light and proving to the world who SHE is and showing that she walks in NO ones shadow.

yay to the pickle

Rosie's favourite subject wasn't school this year. In fact as much as I have sung the praises of the establishment in the past this year I have become thoroughly disenchanted with the place. The girl has a very very strong mathematical mind and she is grades, yes grades, above her age level but reading...well it's been a struggle. I have approached the teacher since the 3rd week of the school yr and asked for advice and finally when that proved useless I moved up the chain of command. I was told many things but the one that infuriated me the most was, you are comparing her to her sister. No, no I am not. YOU, are not listening to her read out loud. You are doing your exercises with her and she is doing fine but please I beg of you, LISTEN to her read.

Arghh, I just wrote a long paragraph on how disgusted I am with the school and admin but I deleted it.  My girl has worked so hard this year and to say I am proud of her is an understatement.

Two weeks ago she bought home a fancy envelope inviting me to an award ceremony. I asked what it was for, she said she was one of the top 3 in her class.  Get out of here, you little rock star. So on Monday, I attended her ceremony and watched, as she smiled bright enough to over take the sun, her get that award. And I did as she asked, I wore a new dress. Girl doesn't like dresses so that one came as a surprise so I had to oblige.

She has done really well lately as she bought home the only gold fitness certificate awarded to a girl in her class and my favourite, a golden coconut award given to her by her retiring art teacher Mr. Terry, whom we all adore and will miss so very much.

my little athlete

don't look at her hair,  just the award, not sure what happened to her hair. 

that face

that, is a proud face

I have no words to say just how proud I am of you. NONE. You worked for it and you got it. Thank you for trying so very very hard.

flip your hair up missy, I cropped you out all the other fricking photos.

I love her face.

Her and Hamly, always stnad together . I hope they are together next year.

Normally now I would do a whole, thank you to the teacher speech so here goes:

 the end!