The things kids say

Just as Darian was drifting off to sleep he asks:
"Why can't people be born with tails?"

Getting on the Bus

Do you see him in the door of the bus?

He gets on every morning at 7:50 a.m. and goes 2/10th of a mile to school.

I miss him as soon as the door closes.

He lets me kiss him goodbye.

On the porch.

Long before the bus is in site.

He's a 7th grader now, you know.

Can't let your friends see a granny kissing you good-bye.

He's growing up.

He will leave us someday.

And I will miss him!

I'm trying.....I'm trying

The Best Place Ever to Buy School clothes

I am not made out of money.

And I certainly don't have one of those trees growing out back with money hanging on it.

When my grand daughter arrived here, she did not have anything to wear.

I went on the hunt and found that clothes for little girls are

cheaply made

expensive

not fit to wear (if bought used)

So what is a granny like me to do.

EBAY to the rescue.

The above pictures are some of the clothes that I purchased this year for Harley to start school.

And you know what she came home and said today?

"The girls at school want to know where I get my clothes cause I have the cutest things."

Way to go granny

What I am learning about ADHD

I am not a walking encyclopedia about ADHD, but I am learning....
Two of my beautiful grandchildren have this diagnosis and they are as different as day and night.
Paige is a 5th grader. She and Harley are only 3 months apart in age. They are almost like twins.
Paige was diagnosed with ADHD when she first started school. I was so opposed to her being on medication. And then she would come to stay with me........Paige on medication/Paige off medication.
I liked her best when she was on medication. She likes herself better on medication. And she can focus and do what she needs to do. And she is delightful.
Darian wasn't diagnosed until he came to live with us in December 2008. And he is not the hyperactive, bouncing off the walls, type of kid. He just can't focus. He can't keep his mind on math! He can't complete a game. Or read a book to the end. Darian is in the 7th grade now. He has been on Concerta since February 2010. And the difference it has made in his life is not to be believed. He is calm. And happy. And likes to do math. And loves to read. Of course, he loves video games too. And now he is really good at them. And he plays football and baseball. And has friends. And doesn't fight in school.
Darian sometimes has trouble sleeping at night because of the meds.
I found a web site (can't remember how I stumbled upon it) but he loves to meditate.
Try it out: marc.ucla.edu. Click on Mindful Meditations. I have downloaded them for his MP3 player.

Waiting for Life to settle down

The kids started back to school last week.

Whoever heard of going to school on August 17th?

It's still hot outside.

The swimming pool is still calling.

And Grandma is not ready to get up so early.

But never the less it is Back to school.

This is the first year that the kids will not be in the same school.

Harley is in the 5th grade.

She was pretty nervous about going without Darian.

But, with fancy new clothes and a backpack for a Princess

she climbed onto the bus at 7:13 a.m. and away she went to the 5th grade.

It was raining that morning.

She is having her classes this year in two classrooms.

She does reading, spelling, and math in one room.

And all the rest in another room.

Her rooms are in what they call 'the modulars'

Those are like trailer houses parked next to the school.

There are 320 4th, 5th, and 6th graders at her school.

She is starting into the band this year.

Playing the drums!

Have we lost our minds?

I'll let you know.

Darian is a 7th grader.

Wow, seems like only yesterday he was in pre-school.

Time flies!

He gets on the bus at 7:54 a.m.

Lot of time between Harley and him.

Time alone with Grandma.

Time to talk about 7th grade boy things.

We had to go to the school on Monday night for 'parent' night.

They gave us a copy of his schedule and we had to go from class to class when the bell rang.

Papa and I are old!

And some of his classes are far apart.

We have a new appreciation for what he does.

Doesn't he look all grown up?

He is playing football so there is practice everyday after school.

He comes home pretty stinky. And tired.

Hold on Papa and Grandma, the ride is beginning.

The Thing About Grandchildren

If I hear the comment once more that the good thing about grandchildren is that you can spoil them and send them home.....I might scream.
You see that is not always so!
I am raising two of my grandchildren.
I am not raising them because this is what I want to do!
Believe me, I had other ideas about how I was going to spend these years leading up to the GOLDEN ones.
And it was not about shopping for kids, with kids. It was not about helping with homework. And it was not
about disciplining them. It was not about tucking them into their beds at night. It was not about worrying if they are okay. I was going to travel and garden and enjoy my life with Papa. Anyway, that is what I thought I was going to do.
Until one cold December day in 2008 when the big sister of my two grand kids called up, crying, and saying that Darian and Harley were not being taken care of. Mom had checked herself into rehab and left these two with Dad who was living wherever he could find a place to sleep and cook up his meth.
And that is the day they came to live with us.
And changed our lives forever.
We don't sit in our recliners and eat supper anymore. (Well sometimes we do) We now have meals at the table so that we can teach them some manners and give them some stability.
We don't watch whatever we want on TV. Cause, have you noticed how little on TV is good for any child under the age of, oh say, 21. My goodness the things that are on prime time. I don't want to have explain that to kids yet.
We have to have a bedtime, cause it is way to hard to get up really early in the morning and send them off to school if you don't go to bed really early in the evening. I am still working on this one, cause I am a night owl so I am always tired. never enough sleep.
So I have decided that this little blog of mine is going to change. I am going to start talking about what it is like for an old woman (age 59) and an old man (age 77)  who have found themselves parenting again.