The Beeping.

We ended summer with our big camping trip.  We had a huge group spend anywhere from 3-4 nights at our river property.

And here is something I learned.

Our outhouse was NOT meant to handle that many people.

HD:  Mom.  Something is wrong with someone.  I think someone is having digestive issues.

*Delightful*

Let us keep whomever had to come clean our outhouse out in our thoughts and prayers.

My mother has fallen in love with my dogs.  And this is something we cannot blame her for.  They are all that is precious in this world.

“Taylor.  I have bones for the dogs.  Now take their pictures with them.”

“Taylor.  I bought special balls for the dogs to play with at the river.  They can be from Grams.”

“Taylor.  When can the dogs come out of their kennels?”

Our dogs have a happy existence when they come to the river.  Here is a little video of them enjoying some summer sun.

I would like to title this video:
THE SAME THINGS HAPPENS EVERYTIME.

We have three dogs, but Alex’s dog, Oakley is also in this video.

Norman always waits in the water.  He feels this is the best strategy to fetch the floaty toy.

Niko always waits at the bank.  At the very last moment, he does a little leaping move and it puts him at an advantage.

Charlie is too slow and will just bark from the beach.

Niko gets the floaty toy 90% of the time.

Let’s move on.

School has started.  I came in on cloud nine and with high hopes and I feel a bit disappointed.  I was not as full of joy as I thought I would be.

Mostly I am tired and hot.  And it is hard to be patient when one is so dang hot.

There are just so many of them!  And they are as a collective whole, a more trying group than last year.  I had to break out the extra firm teaching voice on day one, and that usually doesn’t happen.  Usually we get a bit of a honeymoon with these little folks.

 

This is what I sound like all day:

Who is beeping?

Turn around and look at me.

Why are you facing that way?  I am right here.  Look at me.

Do not talk while I am talking.

Stop beeping.

Sit up.  We are not laying down.

Look at me.

Where are your eyes?

Keep your hands to yourself.

Stop beeping.

Eyes on me!

Look at me now, young man.  This isn’t KINDERGARTEN.  If I tell you to stop beeping you need to stop beeping.

Anyways.  No joy for me.  Yet.  Although I strongly suspect Beeping Boy is having a lot of fun.

Let’s talk about Buddy.

I sort of had Buddy pegged wrong for the first day.  I thought he was just kind of all over the place, but he seemed like he knew the lay of the land and could get around the building.

I was grossly mistaken, Reader.

Buddy rides the bus.  Two other girls who are new to us also ride his bus.

Me:  Buddy.  You remember how to get on the bus from last year, right?

Buddy:  Yup!

Me:  Great.  Take these two with you and get on your bus and I will see you tomorrow.

Buddy:  Ok!

And off they went.  And where they went, I am not sure, but they certainly didn’t get on a bus.  They ended up somewhere in the building and all three of them missed the bus.

Now that I know Buddy a bit more, I have decided that he is not on planet Earth.  Which is a bummer, because that is where the rest of us are.

Every day with the lunch ordering!  Oh my goodness, Lord grant me patience.

Me:  Buddy.  Do you need to order lunch?

Buddy:  Yup! I will have chicken nuggets.

Me:  Ok.

*1 hour later*

Buddy:  Wait!  I have a lunch!  My grandma packed it for me!

Me:  Alright.

*At snack time*

Me:  Buddy, why are you eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Buddy:  It is my snack!

Me:  Are you sure?  That’s usually a lunch.

Buddy:  I am sure!

*At lunch time*

Buddy:  I don’t have a lunch!

I look in his lunch box.

Me:  I see a drink, string cheese, grapes, and chips.  I think this was your lunch with your sandwich.

Buddy:  Are you sure?

No.  No, I am not sure, Buddy.  I am not sure about anything.

I am quite proud of myself and how I am handling the start of the year.  I made dinner all but one night.  And that is something to commend me for.  The night I didn’t make dinner was the night I felt the least joy.  That is because one firstie was slapping my hand and I called for admin and then he bit the administrator.  And then I came home and pigs were out-

So I got them in and gave myself the night off from making dinner.

So.  That was the first week of school.

The boys also started school.  HD is in 10th and LD is in 9th.

*Best Back to School Photo Ever*

LD was nervous to start school.  He felt like one of his teachers was very serious and was sure he was going to get detention all the time.

Me:  Hows it going with that teacher?

LD:  Mom.  She is like a different person.  She is like . . . smiling!

Me:  Well that’s good.

LD:  Yeah.  Maybe she is just still happy because its only the first week of school.

I took the boys to The Beauty Operator and LD has somehow finagled her into helping him start a mullet.  May the Lord Bless Me and Keep Me.

HD got new glasses from Bob.  HD now towers over Bob.  We are still fans of Bob.

Happy Saturday!