A Note from Quinn's Teacher

I thought this was super nice.  Quinn's science teacher sent a note home to us.  Hopefully you all can read sideways.

They Make Me Tired

These boys.  On top of swimming/diving, solo and ensemble preparations, pep band, semester exams,  and robotics build season, (which keeps us ALL super busy at a pace that is hardly survivable) I get an email from the director of the school play, with the cast list for the upcoming performance.  Luckily I clicked on it, because I wasn't going to.  SURELY my boys would not have tried out for the play, given their hectic lives at the moment.  SURELY they would realize that there are a mere 24 hours per day, of which school takes 8, swimming takes 3, robotics takes 3, studying takes 2, and sleep?  Family time?  Travel back and forth from school?  YOU understand the math.  They apparently don't.   That's right.  They signed up for the school play and both got parts.  When I expressed my dismay/concern/surprise/incredulity they simply said "OH!  We told Dave if he needed us we'd do it.  We didn't even try out!".  Well, apparently Dave needs them.  I said "Does he realize that you'll be gone to Hawaii for two weeks in February as well?"  Yeah.  He knows.  Reportedly.

I'm thinking they've invented a time producing machine somewhere, to churn out more hours per day.  Because I am certainly not seeing how this all is going to work!!  I mean, I'm glad they like to join things, but COME ON!

What I needed to hear

So, I'm gonna be honest here.  This week has been hard.  This past month has been hard.  Over the holidays, the busyness and go-go-go, and never feeling caught up. Making magic for everyone else is exhausting.  And then my husband in the hospital, then my father-in-law in the hospital, and the start of swimming and robotics build season, and running around my mother in law, and worry, and the house being a mess, and and and, sun up to sun down, constant rush.  Just... I've been overwhelmed and cranky and ready to just toss in the towel (is that an option?  Can I do that??).  So today, a Saturday, I got up at 5:30 am to run the boys into town to catch a bus for their swim meet, then came home, showered, ran to pick up Reagan and my mother in law to take them to the hospital (Reagan had spent the night so LaVerne wouldn't be alone), then went to work for a few hours, brought Reagan and LaVerne home, then started cleaning the kitchen, and eventually made my way to the living room, by 5:00 pm.  I was getting ready to sweep, when I found a piece of paper on the floor, which has probably been there for a good long time, given how far behind on housework I am.  I make it a rule never to throw away random pieces of paper without reading them, just in case it happens to be a missing assignment for one of my children.  This is the voice of experience.  WELL.  I reached down to glance at this assignment, and look what I found.

It was exactly what I needed to hear, exactly when I needed to hear it, and I am just so so thankful.  Maybe I won't throw in the towel just yet.

Digging Out

I have to say that to date... 15 years and 5 months into this parenting gig... I have NEVER seen my sons voluntarily pick up a snow shovel and get to work.  Thus, on this day, the 1st of December, year of our Lord Two Thousand and Nineteen, the venerable Quinn and Colby Aho did verily and actually dig out their future car, without prodding.    They really, really, REALLY want to learn to drive.

Proof

My teenaged sons are under the mistaken assumption that their mother was a "nerd" in high school.  Take, for example, this conversation that we recently had in the car... which is exemplary of many recent conversations in the car.

Colby: "Admit it.  You were a loser in high school."
Mom: "I was NOT a loser in high school.  I had lots of friends."
Quinn: "You were voted 'most likely to be teacher's pet' weren't you?"
Mom: "Completely untrue".
Colby: "Sure mom.  I'm sure you were totally cool."
Mom: "I WAS!  And AM!  I'm a totally cool mom.  And I was totally hot."
Quinn: "You were voted 'hottest mom' in highschool, weren't you?"
Mom: "Well, not the mom part...."
Colby: "MMMhmmm.  Sure."
Mom: "You know what you're driving me to, don't you?  And it's totally your own dang fault.  You're going to make me dig out my high school year book and show you just how cool I was.  And maybe even call up some of my high school friends to PROVE to you how cool I was.  It will serve you right, to be subjected to that.  Rotten children."

Just because I was a straight A student and in band does NOT mean I was a nerd.  I find this funny, given that my boys are currently straight A students in band. They take after me more than that care to admit.

I'll say it again.

Rotten children.

Manipulating the Mama

They were supposed to be cleaning their room.  When I got home, instead I found them playing video games on the couch with their friend Angus.
Mom: "Boys!  I told you to clean your room today, and here it is, 6:00, and your room is still a mess!"
Quinn: "Well, Mom, it's like this.  Life is short. And I stopped to ask myself...'in fifty years, what am I going to remember more?  Cleaning my room?  Or spending time with good friends?"

Dang kid.

Spirit Day At School

There was some "discussion" about them wearing the same thing to school, which is an identical twin ultra-verboeten no-no.  But when you each only have one Gremlin sweatshirt, and it's Orange and Black day, you just have to roll with the fact that you're gonna look alike.  Even though they didn't like it.