Monopolizer

Over Christmas we played Monopoly at the lakehouse. Jake won the first two games, and though he tetered on bankruptcy a couple of times, he outdid the rest of the family.

His advice: buy as many hotels as you can.

Okay, Donald Trump.

Math Class

Jake is in a hurry when he completes any classwork. I am not sure if this stems from his desire to "not look slow" or if he just goes a mile a minute to complete teh task so that he can move on to something else. It has taken a lot of time this semester, graciously given by Justin, to make Jake slow down and recheck his homework. Even with all of our efforts, papers mysteriously disappear, homework is done, but doesn't make it back to school, things get muddled. And he is not passing 6th grade math - at all. We have made some adjustments to his schedule so that he will be in Resource ( a fancy politically correct name for Special Ed). Yesterday, he took his math test - the final one for this class. He studied all weekend, and he was actually EXCITED about taking the test - and he passed. Isn't that great, he whizzed through the final - meaning that the adjustments we made may finally be working.

How you know if you're rich

This morning as I struggled to wake up, Jake comes hopping into my room - red shirt blazing the retinas of my eyes. He asks if he can have some money today for school, I make the fatal error of asking why. He tells me that he would like to buy ice cream at lunch today - that all the rich kids get to buy ice cream at school. I remind him of the Breyers he had just before bed last night- and he says "well, we have more ice cream here than they do at school, I guess we are richer than I thought"

Yep, buddy, we sure are.

Changing again

We are again on the quest for a medication that will work. Over the past three months, I have watched him struggle as we keep readjusting - and now trying a new medication.

Three days ago, when he was totally all over the board, we were trying to find something to burn off energy. I opted to move some logs out of the woods - Jake wanted to do it only if he could use the hatchet. Hmmm, lets see, alone in the woods with a child who is having trouble with impulse control - and is swinging a hatchet.

We opted to move the wood with the promise of another excursion with the hatchet!

What I want to be when I grow up

(disclaimer, the normally beautiful ADHD medicine stops working by 5:30 each evening)
We were in the car last night on the way to take Jerra to school, at 5:45. Jake was talking about how they are learning about crack and that stuff you inject (heroin I think) and stuff you smoke in a pipe (pot I think) and how those drugs can hurt you. I am happy that at least he got THAT part right. Although it is funny to hear his very innocent and sketchy descriptions of the evils of drug use (including having his parts fall off according to Jake), it always makes me sad that we have to teach 11 year old kids about drugs because they might actually be exposed to them. Very sad. Anyway, the conversation lulled as we stopped at a light.

Jake says: "When I grow up I want to become a priestess and bless crap. Then I will have holy crap."



Uh, I guess we don't have to worry about him growing up to fast now do we.

Inherit the Wind

We were discussing what would happen to the lake house in Indiana should something happen to my parents.
We decided that the lake could not be left ot Jacob as inheritance bvecause he would sell it to buy an H-1 HUMMER.

Further pubescent drama

On the way to the lake house this weekend, the kids were in bathing suits preparing for a day at the pool. About half way to North Carolina, Jacob gasps in horror. I turn around only to find him gazing in amazement - well more like disbelief that his body could betray him like this - talking to his armpit he said: "There is a hair in my armpit.....and it's dark!!!!"

He was just aghast - though we have talked openly about the changes that would happen, it was still a shocker.

The next ten minutes were spent by every one in th family trying to reassure him that it woudl be okay. Then Jerra pipes in- "you know when your pits get hairy, it is pretty much a big sign"

Yummy

Jake has been asking me to get him some beef jerky over the past couple of days. Things are tight financially right now, so I have only been buying necessities - and beef jerky wasn't one of those.

Yesterday afternoon the boys were in the front room watching cartoons, when Josh looked at his brother in horror. He had a dark strip and was just munching away. Josh said - what is that
Jake responded- Mom got me some beef jerky
Josh looked closer only to find that Jake was munching happily on "Beggin Strips" -- bacon flavored strips that I bought for the puppy training class - they were in the canister with the other dog biscuits.

They were good, os he finished the one he had started and put the others back - the child is unrepentant, though I think he'll stay out of the puppy treats for a while.