So, my 13 year old boy is what you would call a Technical Wizard. He has blown the minds of every staff member at his school. He is in 8th grade, but knows more than most adults about technology, and maneuvering through it. He has come up with a way to disconnect from the go guardian they have in place, for internet safety purposes, to be able to play video games during class. Teachers cannot see his screen, therefore, they are thinking he is diligently working.. that is, until it’s time to turn in the assignment, and nothing is turned in by this guy. He’s also figured out how to connect to other computers on the network from his very own chromebook. He tells me all of this, and teachers have also confirmed it, during parent / teacher conferences, earlier this week.

The principal actually called him into her office yesterday for a meeting. He had already been warned 3 separate times, between last school year and this school year. He has had the consequence of removing the privilege of using the chromebook, and having to do all work on paper with a pencil. They finally decided to offer him an internship. They said he’s just so smart, they cannot figure out how he’s doing what he’s doing. They can’t stop him. They even brought in an IT expert, and he’s blowing their minds. So.. he will partner with them and be the IT guy for the school. With the help of the staff, he will be paid in “experience.” He’s not too excited about it, when he was telling me, but I started laughing b/c I am so impressed and in awe of this situation.

He told the principal that he will be going to the technical high school next year, and she told him that this school just doesn’t have the advanced tech classes he needs.

So, while it might be a “bad” thing that he is doing something against the rules, he’s really proving to everyone that he needs to be challenged, guided in a positive way with his knowledge, and mature while doing it.

Let’s see what the rest of the school year brings…

Fingers crossed there is not anymore trouble..

We are approaching the final days of summer break.. school starts back up on the 14th for 2 of my kids, and the other starts on the 19th.

We are making a quick family trip to Branson this weekend, to see what fun and mischief we can come up with, to bring this summer break to a close.

I’m sure we are going to ride the huge Ferris Wheel, that was brought in from Chicago a few years back.

I have a small hike planned for us, and yummy food, coffee, and relaxation.

There is a pool, and we might even check out some new places that hopefully won’t be overrun with crowds of people.

The IMAX is on my list of things too.

Looking forward to our weekend full of fun ahead.

Cheers!

It’s 2024, and my boys have not ever been to the Oshkosh Air Show (EAA). This is the largest air show across America, with over 700,000 attendees each year.

We made our arrangements with the rental car, Airbnb, and just needed to have the airplane up and running. It had been in maintenance for 8+ months. Engines had to be over-hauled, so it took that long. It just happened to have its test flight the day before we were expecting to take off. Timing is everything! The boys had no idea what to expect, and they weren’t exactly overjoyed to be leaving their house and video games. haha

We loaded up around 5pm, and headed out. I always like sitting in the front co-pilot seat, and the boys enjoy riding in the back, relaxing. That’s just fine!

We had the most interesting flight out there, since the transponder wasn’t working properly at first. We were all over the sky, while trying to get that activated. Austin told Christy that he was nervous as it was going up and down and all over. But, after about 5 minutes, we were able to figure things out, and away we went. Whew!

We landed around 7:30pm, then found a place to eat, and finally went to the Airbnb to crash. We had a big day ahead, afterall. 🙂

We got up, went to breakfast, got my free birthday beverage at Starbucks, and made our way to the airport for the fun-filled day.

There was a helicopter that went upside down, which I have never seen before in my life!

The planes flying in formation are always fascinating to watch and hear. We enjoyed all of the entertainment of the day show. They had commentators that even interacted with the pilots IN THE AIR, LIVE. It was just so cool. I think the boys were ready to go back to the house before 5pm, but come on.. the best was yet to come, I told them.

It was a hot day, with little breeze. We had to keep buying waters to stay hydrated.

It was crowded, and we walked over 20,000 steps that day.

Once it became dark, the real action began. It was just so cool Airplanes with fireworks and flashing LED’s, AND smoke all at once. All to music, and it was just so spectacular and graceful to watch.

Fireworks, pyro, bombs, drones, music, it was all there!!!!!!

I think the boys had a blast, even if they don’t verbalize it like I do. 🙂

I had decided that when my oldest child graduated high school, that I would take them on a special trip, just the 2 of us. They graduated in 2023, however, anxiety was at its all time high for them, and I knew it just wasn’t going to be in the cards for us that summer. So.. this summer things were looking up, the right dose of medication has been steadily working, they were successfully working part time, no issues, and the timing seemed to be right for us.

So, I did some research, found the perfect downtown hotel for us to stay in. It was a boutique hotel, (Hotel Lucia) with valet parking, walking distance to everything we could want to do, and the price was right. Got a rental car for us to do further exploring, and it was perfect for everything. It was a Mitsubishi SUV, and it had a camera for backing up assistance. It came in handy a few times, when I had to squeeze out of small parking lots. We did so much in the 3 full days we had in Oregon.

First night: Arrived to the hotel, no issues. We asked the hotel what they recommended for a good pizza place, and they suggested Sizzle Pie. I asked if it was safe to walk to, and they said of course. Made me feel very comfortable right away about Portland and downtown. We made the walk to the restaurant, it was about a 10 minute walk from the hotel. It was a small place, you could order pizza by the slice, they had grunge heavy rock music playing. All kinds of people would come in and out. Allie loved it! I thought it was a little wild for me, but glad Allie was comfortable and smiling. They also really liked their root beer. We finished dinner, and made our way back to the hotel to rest up for our adventuring the next day.

First full day: Always visited a coffee shop first. (Java Man Coffee). It was ok. I wasn’t overly impressed. The bagel I ordered was Jalapeno, but I got a Cheese bagel.. it’s ok though. it was still good. We then made our way to the Tillamook Creamery, Cannon Beach, drove the coast, went through a rock tunnel, experienced a 20 degree temperature change between the city and the coast.. It went from 80’s to 60’s.. even saw upper 50’s in some portions of our drive. We went to Multanomah Falls and a hike, which was just spectacular. Allie found an Italian restaurant in the town of Troutdale for us to try. It was not too busy and very good. Allie ate a caesar salad for the first time, and liked it.. without the dressing.. cool, right?!!

Second Day: Coffee was at Stumptown Roasters. Best vanilla latte ever!!! We had to get VooDoo Donuts afterwards too, of course! They had security guards at both places, mainly for the homeless. (I was truly surprised that the town was cleaned up mostly, you could see where a few businesses were no longer there, and some windows were boarded up, but overall, the city was great! I didn’t feel unsafe at all, not once!) We then went to the Arboretum, which is the forest of trees. There was a guy who planted over 2,300 trees, years ago.. all different kinds, and there is an absolutely amazing hike that goes through it all, with just the most breathtaking and overwhelmingly amazing views. I took so many pictures along the way. Then, we tried to go to the Japanese Gardens, but the crowd and parking was impossible. Allie wanted to just go find a place for lunch and then go back to the hotel to rest. So, we did.. We came across Elephant’s Deli. It was a cafeteria style, and pretty good. Allie was already in a high state of anxiety, and super quiet. So, after lunch, we just went to the hotel to rest until dinner. We then found a nice restaurant called Mother’s Bistro & Bar. It was lovely. I loved the decor so much. Food was good too.

Third Full and Final Day: Coffee was at Caffe Umbria. I ordered a vanilla latte, but forgot to order with Oat Milk, so I could compare it to Stumptown, but it was still good, just not the best. I will dream about Stumptown’s for life.. lol Allie wanted to try a Honey Oat Latte, but discovered that they don’t care much for coffee at all. no worries. I ended up with 2 coffees that morning. Find by me 🙂 We then just walked around a bit, got the car, drove around downtown, and explored. Allie found an Urban Creperie that they wanted to try for lunch, so we did that. Then, we went to the Powell’s Book Store (the flagship location) and they loaded up on SEVERAL books. We then made our way back to the hotel, and just rested until dinner time. We then drove across the Burnside Bridge into the Belmont District to find Ken’s Artisan Pizza, since my step-brother recommended it. Well, parking was impossible on the side streets, or anywhere close.. and they were extremely busy.. so Allie searched for another pizza place nearby, and found one, so I was looking for parking and ended up on a main road, and parked on the side, no issues. We walked about 5 blocks back to find Bull Run Pizza. It was great!! We ate the whole entire pizza… wowza! Then, we made our way back to the hotel to rest until it was time to head to the airport for our midnight flight.

No delays in our flights at all, coming or going. Delta was amazing and our hotel was outstanding, and the rental car process was easy breezy.

Highly recommend a mother/child trip if you can ever do it!

Take the trip, make the memories, eat the donuts!! lol

So, with everyone I know taking vacations recently, it only seems fair that I take my kids on some sort of adventure before they go back to school NEXT month!! I cannot believe this summer is flying by already. Each weekend is booked with something, and the kids are involved with only a fraction of it.

So.. I booked a trip to Branson the week before school starts.. We will stay at a condo on the Lake, and enjoy a pool, relax together in a cozy space away from home for the weekend. I hope that it will be enjoyable, as I anticipate. Either way, it’s a get away together, and that’s what will make it special.

I also booked a trip to Orange Beach next spring, when the kids are on their spring / intercession break. We have a nice condo on the beach, and there is a lazy river, private pools, both inside and out, and a hot tub. There is also a restaurant / lounge right there, so that should be nice for us to enjoy. Nothing fancy, other than we will stay in a lovely place, with a lovely view, and spend little to no $$ while we are there. It’s all about the views, the pool, and the beach. Kids will love it because we can also spend a lot of time in the condo, relaxing, watching movies, and playing games. The big thing, is that we are away from home, and together. Making memories is important to me, as well as having experiences outside of Arkansas..

Life is short.. Take the trips… Make the memories.. cherish the time…

The summer break is well under way, and can I say it’s feeling like someone turned on the heat. The kids are doing everything they can, to stay indoors. I have projects that involve them going outside, picking up sticks on the office property, but we will see if we get any relief from the heat. I will make them do it at some point soon. hahaha

The boys were supposed to attend Boys & Girls Club this summer, but after speaking with their director, I changed my mind. The boys had told me that they are doing what they can do at home, which is just play on video games all day. There is nothing else to do. They don’t make the kids do anything else, unless there is a field trip. I can save $$ if that is the case, but I wanted to verify that is the way it really is with the staff.. they did confirm that to be true. Wow.. I was disappointed to hear that. Then, I asked about age cutoff for the Rogers Activity Center, which is more expensive, but very active and engaging. Adam is old enough, but Austin is too old.. well, that’s not going to work either.. so, they will just stay home, and I will be able to run up there during lunch, and it’s not like I’m far away anyway. I work right around the corner, so it’s a win for me. I will have things for them to do besides playing games all day. 🙂 They just don’t know it yet..

Autumn had her driving skills test earlier today, and I was so hoping she would pass. She’s just not quite ready. There are few things to work on, but overall, it was good, and we received great feedback. She was a little bummed, but it’s all good. She’s not even 16 yet, so we still have time to get better, and go back and test. There were a few other moms in the waiting area with me, who were nervous and excited just like me. My palms were sweaty, and I was a nervous wreck, more so than Autumn even was.

Cheers to ice cream and flip flops!

Oh, these children of mine… how much different can they be from me?

I like music. Two out of four could care less about music.

I like concerts and live events. None of them like or appreciate these things. My oldest will attend live theater performances, but that’s about the extent of it. They don’t like crowds.

I like roller coaster rides, and all the things at theme parks. All of my kids would rather not go on any rides, or waste their energy at a theme park. say WHAT?!!!

I like mini-golf. Only one of my kids would even consider going with me sometime.. boo!

I like traveling and exploring new things. My kids are mixed on this, and it totally depends on the day and their mood.

I enjoy lake life and boating, and swimming. None of mine care for this particular adventure either… and only one would consider going on a boat, because he has his boating license.. hahaha

I like things organized and neat. They could care less if they do laundry for 3 weeks, or even shower for that matter… ewww stinky (holding nose).

I like playing physical games, such as pickle ball, basketball, tennis, working out, dancing, hiking, swimming, etc. They don’t enjoy any physical activity, and it’s hard to get them out of the house.

I really enjoy camping. It’s my favorite thing to do, to truly disconnect from the outside world. They all would rather stay in the comfort of the house, without the bugs, and uncomfortable sleeping conditions.. hahaha.. roughing it isn’t their “bag baby”..

I like reading and taking a time out from the electronic world. They would rather sleep than read anything on paper.. (they don’t know what they’re missing.. the imagination is a cool thing, and sometimes reading, will take you to far away lands).

This summer is proving to be a challenge, because they attended Boys and Girls Club for ONE day, and they didn’t want to go back, stating that it was just like what they can do at home, only the house is more comfy. I get it.. I would rather save the $$$, and since I work so close to the house, I can come up for lunch, they can come visit me, and we can do quality things together in the evenings..

I can also have them do some yard work around the office grounds, since there is so much that can be done. weed pulling, picking up sticks, whatever is needed that their Grandpa decides.

They can also go on adventure dates with Gramma & Papa Keith once a week too. That should be a good activity to get them out of the house, and explore the world around them. (as long as they shower, of course) 🙂

Summer 2024… hoping for some good things to come of it.

Saving $$ and having fun – that’s the motto..

If we go back to several years ago, we can review the children’s behaviors and determine that something wasn’t right… It’s a sad reality that me, as a mom, has to face on a daily basis.

Each of my children are dealing with something from the past, when they were little, and their world was changed forever.

I know that many people recover from divorce, and I am one of those, who dealt with that as a child. My parents divorced before I was 10 years old.

There are some things in my past that I have mentally forgotten, and I am sad that my children have to live with some of the after affects, even now, almost 10 years later.

My youngest suffers from stress and anxiety, but not too severely, where it is noticeable to most. It’s mostly known at home, where he should feel relaxed and able to be comfortable in his own home.

We are in counseling, and it’s helping, and we are trying to figure out the best methods to resolve this issue over the summer break.

It’s just hard when you feel helpless as a mom, not sure what it’s going to take for them to recover.

Childhood trauma… it’s a real thing…

Nothing physical or sexual here.. but, it’s just as bad.. intense emotional neglect.. that’s what I would categorize this under.

Damage is done, even though he seems fine, I know it’s deep in there.

Self-worth, some cognitive function, confidence, social interaction are the main issues here.

Immediate Solutions: Time together, professional help, building healthy habits, praising good behavior.

Here’s to hoping for better days for this little guy.. as we go into 7th grade..

When you have kids, it’s important to teach involvement with the community at an early age. I have taken the kids to volunteer a couple of times in their lives, but it’s that time where they need to be more involved than ever before. Even though we were not directly hit by the tornado, others in our town, were. So, we went to the Rogers High School over the weekend, to dedicate 2 hours of our time, to help in whatever way was needed.

I had a hard time trying to convince 3 of my kids that this is what we needed to do as a family. 1 was giving me excuses about home school work that needed to be completed THAT day. The other 2 were just lazy, and wanted to be at home on their computers. I had to almost yell at them out of frustration, because they were just being so selfish. They FINALLY got ready and we all loaded up in the car. I made sure they ate something too, because I didn’t need to hear complaining about being hungry.

We pulled in, they asked me what we would be doing exactly. I had no idea, because we were just going with willingness to do whatever was needed. They had a lot of volunteers show up, so I wasn’t even sure there would be anything to do. After a couple of minutes, they said there was a need to sort through all of the donated diapers they had placed in a large room. They were already sorted by size, but we needed to bundle them in groups of 10, and put them in large trash bags, labeled with a WM bag, what size they were. So, we got to work. Gramma and Papa Keith came too, so the 7 of us were all in the same area working. The boys would make the groups of 10, and I would rubber band them together. We worked hard for a solid 2 hours.. except Autumn & Austin got worn out and rested on the mats in the gym for a few minutes before becoming restless. We were offered a bottle of water, they brought us more bags and rubberbands, because we went through them rather quickly.

The kids only looked at the time a few times, saying “45 minutes left,” etc. but, I think they had a good time, and when we left, everyone was in a good mood. No complaining or whining.. thankfully!

This was only a small contribution to the incredible loss our community felt, but with everyone doing something, a lot can happen in a short amount of time.

Just over here trying to help my kids see beyond themselves, one day at a time.