HI GUYS!!!!!

Okay finally have a little bit of time to write until the courier gets here with our morning mail....GEESH! Have we been busy!

I've just had a lot going on lately...I've checked out other blogs but I have had writer's block when it came to my own...Oh well...I got over my slump...The slump I was in slowly got worse and last week I found myself wanting to cry all the time...I think everything in the book was setting me off and everything was getting to me...I blamed hormones for the most part as it also happened to be Mother Nature time...I told Mike I was just tired of the way things were going...(Not between he and I-just things in General) Something needed to change...Mike and I talked about how I was feeling and we came up with some solutions to fix the problems....I hope they work....

The first one was dealing with Glen's homework....I am at work from 7:45 until 5pm, come home, eat and then precede to spend the next 2-3 hours working with Glen every night to get him to get his work done...I am not kidding here...Glen is hyper and figets a lot...We have talked to his teacher and she has changed things in the classroom to make work more easier for Glen...it's when he gets home that the problems really start...Mike and I both agreed that I was the better of the two to handle his homework as it is heavy on English and that was my best subject...They are doing expository writing in class and he has to write something everyweek...When Glen and I sit to get his homework done....His focus is gone, and he constantly moves his body so most of the time I am trying to get him to sit still....Hence what should take 45 minutes to complete takes 2-3 hours...This was EVERY night...I just got tired....I love Glen but this was going way beyond ridiculous...Plus there were issues about how much I should help him with...Glen wanted me to hand him all the answers and I was not going to do that...He needed to learn how to think for himself and to do his homework by himself...This had been going on for several months...There was no way to get anything else done during the week and the rest of the stuff was suffering...Mike never realized how much I actually did until I couldn't do it...I was frustrated cause I wanted to but by the time I got done...All I really wanted to do was hit the bed....But like I said I hope we've solved the problem....We'll see...If not we may come up with something else....


So this is what we have done...They have homework help that Glen has been instructed to go to in aftercare...He bucked the system on this as it took away playtime in aftercare...We put our foot down and basically told him that his homework was his responsiblilty, he was to get it done before playtime...(That's what my kids did!) I would check it over when I got home for corrections...As far as the writing is concerned, he was to do that as well but on a separate sheet of paper for me to look over for mistakes...Then when I got home, he would re-write it...much neater of course...His teacher counts penmanship! YEAH!

We also went over responsibilty in doing his homework by himself....This was done for two reasons...first to make sure he knows he needs to get it done...If he doesn't do it in aftercare after this week... "I forgot" is not accepted, and there is a consequence for it as well...secondly to see if he is paying attention in class as far as knowing what to do...(For which I suspect is also a problem) If his work is done wrong then I will wonder if his mind is wandering and not focusing on class...That's a possibility where Glen is concerned...I have raised 2 ADHD children so I pretty much know what I am dealing with...We will keep in contact with the Teacher...For the most part Glen is on track in Math, science and social studies but reading and writing are his problems...I am also trying to get him to read more...I had a slight issue with his teacher as the reading homework he has during the week instucts the parents to read to the kids...I disagreed saying that Glen would hear the story but not pay any attention to the written words, He needed to read the story himself...She finally realized that it really made more sense to do it my way...Lastly we are trying to deal with his constant fidgeting when he is trying to do his homework...He needs to learn focus and control...This is essential for Hyper kids....and it starts at home...This is where Mike let me take the reins here as I have dealt with this before and he gave me his blessing...So now everytime that Glen fidgets....I deduct 1 minute from his bedtime and he goes to be 1 minute earlier and so on.......He can quickly loose a half an hour let me tell you! LOL....This is actually working and I do see him trying to keep still...

Glen is not happy about any of this but he has to deal with it...I told Mike to expect it to get worse before it gets better....that's usually how it goes...Last night was the first time that homework was finished and I could get other much needed things done around the house....

And speaking of that....(Femminists everywhere will send me burning bras for sure) This was another thing that Mike has been trying to change me on...And I have been bucking the system...So to speak...My Dad never taught me how a woman was to think...I developed that on my own...I may talk about Men helping out with the housework...laundry and all that...but when it comes right down to it...I actually feel guilty....there I have said it...Whew..wasn't that tough...I hardly let Mike do anything around the house...He works all week as well but he comes home and cooks dinner and that's about it...I really don't let him do anything else...If he trys to help fold clothes...I tell him to go and relax...I got it covered...I do all the other housework minus the bathrooms (The kids actually do those-and the dishes as well) I really never voiced how I felt about this primarily because I know that I shouldn't think this way??? That may not make a whole heck of a lot of sense but as I said...This is me...and this is how I think...So needless to say Mike has been trying to get me to realize that he can help out too....that I already do way too much and I should let him chip in...Guys...This has actually been really really tough for me...When girls talk about how men are...yadda yadda yadda...I chip right on in but the reality is I feel that Mike should not have to take care of the house....I should have to do that...Smack me if you want...but I am trying to change that...

I think that's why I was feeling so overwhelmed last week and near to tears...how I think was in conflict with what was happening and I really felt like I was failing him somehow..Well I had 4+ loads of laundry to fold last night and I let him help me get those done...for which I got a finger in my face cause I folded 3 loads and he folded one (SORRY...I just fold faster!!!!!) I'm trying but I gotta tell you...It's really hard to change your mentality.....

There's more to write about all this but that covers the main points....in the midst of all this with family...I was also dealing with my sister...Remember how I said on here that she needed your prayers???? Well..things have gotten steadily worse...I will go into that in another blog...there's a lot there....But please keep her and her family in your prayers guys....she really needs them right about now...

I think the only bright spot is that I now have a month left until I finally meet my granddaughter!!!! I have so been looking forward to this...you cannot imagine...Manisa has been feeling wonderful all throughout this pregnancy...she and I have pretty much gone over just about everything....I was also quite frank with her about post partum depression and I talked to Patrick about it too...I had it with both my kids...not bad of course but I wanted make sure she knew what to watch out for....I stressed to Patrick that he was going to have to find a way to make sure Manisa gets time for herself...to regroup and all that....I am glad that we can all talk so very openly with me about all this....

I think the only other thing worth mentioning is that my daughter Hayley finally told her father something that shocked and amazed me....For those that have known me for a while know that I am none to fond of the woman he married...Patrick at one point called her a "Psycho Bitch" and that's sorta stuck thru the years...Ah but this is what my ex left me for...At any rate...Her Father and this.....um....person....fight...and they fight alot....Last weekend I guess they had a whopper of one and Doug ended up walking home from a park...Hayley trotting right along beside him...She finally said "Dad....if you guys get a divorce...I wouldn't care at all"....(Steph...I really hope you weren't drinking anything! hahaha) I guess she then vented to him....and then to me....She's none to fond of this person either whom Hayley finds very controling and not at all like me...(as if she could be hahahaha!!!!) Now please keep in mind that while I have my own colorful opinions of Doug's wife...they have never been voiced to Hayley...this is all on her own...Love that child I do!!!!! After she vented we had a long talk.....it was really good.....

Well...I think that should do for now....I have way to much drama in my life...UGH!......


You all take care now.....And Stacy....if there's a way.....you can send me all the snow you want!!!!!