Because when you are married to the military, you get alot of practice practicing being patient.
We still don't have written orders. And we are not moving to Cuba. Well, most likely not, but until things are in writing, stuff can change and things are REALLLLLLLLYYYYYY SLOOOOWWWWWW in getting to the writing part of the program this year.
But we have been informed that we should be moving to the DC area. Larry is supposed to be up there in June. JUNE. Do you know what tomorrow is? You betcha- June.
Taking deep breaths and trying really hard not to hyper ventilate.
Because the way moving within the military works is once you get your written orders in hand you can start the rest of the ball rolling such as scheduling movers, finding tenants for your current home, etc, etc. However, the closer to said date you get, the more likely you are going to hear "well, our next avail appointment is Sept 2nd" and that just doesn't work when your dear hubby has to be working 6 hours away starting in July.
But since I refuse to be held hostage, I signed the boys up for summer golf league and Sonia has her jaw surgery scheduled for next week and has to have 6 weeks of follow up here (do the math, I'm committed to being here until at least mid July right now)
Plus housing wait list for on base housing is at least a year long.
{inhale, exhale}
Ok, the details will fall into place. I will be praying and trusting and not sure how those without some sort of faith do this sort of thing. Actually I think I know- they prescribe the sort of help you can use to get through this insanity.
Helloo, apt line? I'd like to schedule an appointment. Next available is end of August? never mind.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Monday, February 29, 2016
Sometimes you hit a few walls
Figurative and literal walls.
Our more recent adventures involve twice weekly gym time. Because all the money and those years I sat pool side with swimming lessons have to pay off sometime and after they can all pass the "you won't likely drown" swim test, they get a swim card which allows them to swim without me in the pool. BUT what I learned about a month ago is that if allows me to NOT EVEN HAVE TO STAY IN THE ROOM with the pool. This is fabulous, I can go play on the other gym equipment, they can exhaust themselves and get exercise. I call this a win.
Of course they have started complaining that it's "boring" but less so once they get there and I have recruited a friend with a 12 year old boy to join us and anytime there is new blood around they generally get less "bored"
However, last week, I have no idea exactly how it happened (not being in the room and all) but according to the child and the 4 other witnesses, he swam into the pool bottom, apparently at a pretty hard clip judging by the road rash on his face.
Life lessons- look before you leap or something like that. That particular child has been not particularly quick at learning that lesson...
Our more recent adventures involve twice weekly gym time. Because all the money and those years I sat pool side with swimming lessons have to pay off sometime and after they can all pass the "you won't likely drown" swim test, they get a swim card which allows them to swim without me in the pool. BUT what I learned about a month ago is that if allows me to NOT EVEN HAVE TO STAY IN THE ROOM with the pool. This is fabulous, I can go play on the other gym equipment, they can exhaust themselves and get exercise. I call this a win.
Of course they have started complaining that it's "boring" but less so once they get there and I have recruited a friend with a 12 year old boy to join us and anytime there is new blood around they generally get less "bored"
However, last week, I have no idea exactly how it happened (not being in the room and all) but according to the child and the 4 other witnesses, he swam into the pool bottom, apparently at a pretty hard clip judging by the road rash on his face.
Life lessons- look before you leap or something like that. That particular child has been not particularly quick at learning that lesson...
Sunday, February 21, 2016
In the( likely? unlikely? who knows how likely?) event of a move to Cuba
I have a running list of things that need to get done but a growing list of things that I have questions about.
Such as:
1. Internet. It's such a common thing here in the US, but everyone I've talked to who's been there says it's miserable at best AND that you should bring satellite dish with you to accomplish this. So, after online chatting with people who tell me that it is impossible to take a dish with you outside of the continental US and from forums which say you need a bigger than average size dish, wouldn't you know- the #6 thing on my google results list is that "prisoners get satellite TV and soduku and happy meals" in GTMO. So riddle me this, joker- how is it that the PRISONERS there get satellite tv yet the families stationed there cannot? There has got to be a way, I just haven't fount it yet. I can get dial up. yeah. However, since we haven't had TV service in forever, we are used to streaming entertainment regularly. This will be a problem. Also a problem-if you use satellite internet you are limited to a certain about of data a month. If you've seen my kids binge play online games, I'm pretty sure it will be a problem here when we hit that limit in about 6 hours.
2. Pets. So we can bring our pet(s) no problem, The problems is that when we arrive, unless there is a house waiting for us, the pet have no where to go since there is no boarding facility and you cannot bring them into the hotel.
3. Passports. Why can adults renew by mail but kids must be done in person with BOTH parents present. Also. Why does there have to be 2 different passports? Can't we use the passport with the most clout? Or, neve rmind, I remember the class I had to sit through on being a terror target and it probably goes back to being a low priority target.. And if so- why don't they re-reimburse for those?
4. Vaccines. Don't get me started. But we are not almost vaccinated enough to live in the US....
Such as:
1. Internet. It's such a common thing here in the US, but everyone I've talked to who's been there says it's miserable at best AND that you should bring satellite dish with you to accomplish this. So, after online chatting with people who tell me that it is impossible to take a dish with you outside of the continental US and from forums which say you need a bigger than average size dish, wouldn't you know- the #6 thing on my google results list is that "prisoners get satellite TV and soduku and happy meals" in GTMO. So riddle me this, joker- how is it that the PRISONERS there get satellite tv yet the families stationed there cannot? There has got to be a way, I just haven't fount it yet. I can get dial up. yeah. However, since we haven't had TV service in forever, we are used to streaming entertainment regularly. This will be a problem. Also a problem-if you use satellite internet you are limited to a certain about of data a month. If you've seen my kids binge play online games, I'm pretty sure it will be a problem here when we hit that limit in about 6 hours.
2. Pets. So we can bring our pet(s) no problem, The problems is that when we arrive, unless there is a house waiting for us, the pet have no where to go since there is no boarding facility and you cannot bring them into the hotel.
3. Passports. Why can adults renew by mail but kids must be done in person with BOTH parents present. Also. Why does there have to be 2 different passports? Can't we use the passport with the most clout? Or, neve rmind, I remember the class I had to sit through on being a terror target and it probably goes back to being a low priority target.. And if so- why don't they re-reimburse for those?
4. Vaccines. Don't get me started. But we are not almost vaccinated enough to live in the US....
Thursday, February 4, 2016
So where are you from?
I have a lot of pet peeves. Sometimes I think I should read a few more self-help books to work through them, but at the very top of the list is that phrase "where are you from?"
I know to most it's just an innocuous phrase used in 'get-to-know-you' conversation but it's just such a loaded question when you ask that to my kids and it really brings out the protective (or overly guilt wrought?) mama bear in me.
My oldest 2 have lived in 5 homes - not including our 3 month stint in the camper or the 1 month stint in Florida. We've seen the entire country, more than I had ever seen growing up, our lives have been rich with diverse friends and acquaintances yet every time someone asks that question, I cringe.
Living in a military town it's still not as uncommon a question - largely because it's a very very young military town and this is the first place they've lived outside of their mama's house. And they like it here because they have never lived elsewhere. But even then, it's often asked as a way to figure out accents or personalities or 'WHY on earth you'd request THAT duty station?'
It gets weirder now that officially this week neither my parents or inlaws live in the state DH was born and raised in and I spent most of my childhood in. While I have nostalgic memories, there is less there that has me needing to go back (sorry, Greg, we will still try to visit sometimes) unless we actually can convince you to leave, too. I promise you winter it totally overrated.
So in my effort to completely immerse my kids in everything possible so we'd have things we miss here I have them in sign language classes. And this past week one of the vocabulary phrases we covered was "where are you from?" to which the kids look at me with confusion (or guilt inducing glare) and I say, well, you've lived in California the longest time, so go with that. Or make something up. Apparently "military brat" was not a covered ASL sign, but when all else fails you can finger spell it, it just takes far longer than a simple state abbreviation.
Even if we walked away from the military and went into a real life, I think the damage is done. We are citizens of the United States and have little bits of many places and locations tattooed onto our souls. I'm ok with that, just don't expect a simple answer to your simple question "where are you from?" better to stick with "hey, how are you?" because you're more likely to get a one word answer "good/fine" or, in the words of the Marines at the gate checking ID's:
Living the dream
try not to be jealous.
I know to most it's just an innocuous phrase used in 'get-to-know-you' conversation but it's just such a loaded question when you ask that to my kids and it really brings out the protective (or overly guilt wrought?) mama bear in me.
My oldest 2 have lived in 5 homes - not including our 3 month stint in the camper or the 1 month stint in Florida. We've seen the entire country, more than I had ever seen growing up, our lives have been rich with diverse friends and acquaintances yet every time someone asks that question, I cringe.
Living in a military town it's still not as uncommon a question - largely because it's a very very young military town and this is the first place they've lived outside of their mama's house. And they like it here because they have never lived elsewhere. But even then, it's often asked as a way to figure out accents or personalities or 'WHY on earth you'd request THAT duty station?'
It gets weirder now that officially this week neither my parents or inlaws live in the state DH was born and raised in and I spent most of my childhood in. While I have nostalgic memories, there is less there that has me needing to go back (sorry, Greg, we will still try to visit sometimes) unless we actually can convince you to leave, too. I promise you winter it totally overrated.
So in my effort to completely immerse my kids in everything possible so we'd have things we miss here I have them in sign language classes. And this past week one of the vocabulary phrases we covered was "where are you from?" to which the kids look at me with confusion (or guilt inducing glare) and I say, well, you've lived in California the longest time, so go with that. Or make something up. Apparently "military brat" was not a covered ASL sign, but when all else fails you can finger spell it, it just takes far longer than a simple state abbreviation.
Even if we walked away from the military and went into a real life, I think the damage is done. We are citizens of the United States and have little bits of many places and locations tattooed onto our souls. I'm ok with that, just don't expect a simple answer to your simple question "where are you from?" better to stick with "hey, how are you?" because you're more likely to get a one word answer "good/fine" or, in the words of the Marines at the gate checking ID's:
Living the dream
try not to be jealous.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Anxiously awaiting the final word
Preferably in writing. For where we will be living next.
Although just when I think I'm good with a move to a tropical island hubby throws out there his doubts of remaining in or starts discussing civilian jobs. So, I'm just going to take it one day at a time. Just like the song or the theme from AA. Well, I think that's an AA theme based on this TV drama I was watching- but can't say for certain. It has pretty much every medical detail wrong so it could possibly have that wrong, too.
So I debate if I should actually weigh the tonnage of stuff I have disposed of or have piled in the guest room for either a theoretical yard sale or big donation to a tax write off sort of place. Either way we are moving and it is highly unlikely we will EVER live in a place as big as this one. Plus hubby was out on a government sponsored camping trip and on a pilgrimage to get his parents to Florida this week so I have plenty of time to sort through closets of stuff uninhibited by the opinion of the other adult in the house. Now the kids... Joey went with his dad, so his room is on the chopping block this week and JM was playing on the computer so completely oblivious to the trash bags leaving his room last week. The girls are hard. I'm threatening to send to stay with their grandparents so I can go through their room unrestricted by all the precious treasures they refuse to depart with. And by precious treasure I mean every bit of scrap paper, broken toy bits, destroyed jewlery and enough stuffed animals to completely fill a VW bug. And this was what escaped the last purge when they were in school prior to the last move. Although with my work schedule I didn't cull through it *quite* as thoroughly as I would now. The letting them log onto Minecraft doesn't work like it does with JM, one of the duo has hawk ears and the very second she hears that someone is having a cookie, donut or the sound of trash being removed from her room brings her running.
We've finally gotten involved with friends and activities so now the kids have changed their tune from "we hate it here' to 'well, it's ok if we don't have to move.' And as much as I 've felt relieved that we're finally connecting with others, I can't say I feel like this location has been the best fit for us. It rains entirely too much, the number of very very very young families and couples is overwhelming and makes me feel very very old and at the risk of sounding like a snob, the apparent education level of the bulk of the population is somewhere around 7th grade with 3rd grade grammar. But I'm really not a snob, I promise. But being raised a yankee in a education-as- priority family and state probably doesn't help. At least I've been able to find a few homeschool moms who have similar values.
Started fencing and sign language classes and writing classes and a co-op where I'm teaching the science portion. I'm actually enjoying the teaching part. I didn't think I really would, but past the kinder-2nd grade level it's not terrible. I'm teaching the 3-5th writing class and it's actually been enjoyable. The science class is 6-9th and the best part is that the co-op owns/bought the microscopes and dissection kits and preserved frogs and all sorts of other stuff that I'd been too cheap to buy. I haven't found chemistry burners yet, but I found test tubes and pipettes. It's only 15 weeks long so I think chemistry might be too much to cover anyway, we're doing basic science and biology concepts.
But if we do move to a tropical island and the kids go to school I'll look back into being a real nurse or school nurse or take the classes online to teach. As I figure it, Larry has changed careers since we've been married, time for me to consider a career change. Well, assuming that I want a career, which is not always certain.
Although just when I think I'm good with a move to a tropical island hubby throws out there his doubts of remaining in or starts discussing civilian jobs. So, I'm just going to take it one day at a time. Just like the song or the theme from AA. Well, I think that's an AA theme based on this TV drama I was watching- but can't say for certain. It has pretty much every medical detail wrong so it could possibly have that wrong, too.
So I debate if I should actually weigh the tonnage of stuff I have disposed of or have piled in the guest room for either a theoretical yard sale or big donation to a tax write off sort of place. Either way we are moving and it is highly unlikely we will EVER live in a place as big as this one. Plus hubby was out on a government sponsored camping trip and on a pilgrimage to get his parents to Florida this week so I have plenty of time to sort through closets of stuff uninhibited by the opinion of the other adult in the house. Now the kids... Joey went with his dad, so his room is on the chopping block this week and JM was playing on the computer so completely oblivious to the trash bags leaving his room last week. The girls are hard. I'm threatening to send to stay with their grandparents so I can go through their room unrestricted by all the precious treasures they refuse to depart with. And by precious treasure I mean every bit of scrap paper, broken toy bits, destroyed jewlery and enough stuffed animals to completely fill a VW bug. And this was what escaped the last purge when they were in school prior to the last move. Although with my work schedule I didn't cull through it *quite* as thoroughly as I would now. The letting them log onto Minecraft doesn't work like it does with JM, one of the duo has hawk ears and the very second she hears that someone is having a cookie, donut or the sound of trash being removed from her room brings her running.
We've finally gotten involved with friends and activities so now the kids have changed their tune from "we hate it here' to 'well, it's ok if we don't have to move.' And as much as I 've felt relieved that we're finally connecting with others, I can't say I feel like this location has been the best fit for us. It rains entirely too much, the number of very very very young families and couples is overwhelming and makes me feel very very old and at the risk of sounding like a snob, the apparent education level of the bulk of the population is somewhere around 7th grade with 3rd grade grammar. But I'm really not a snob, I promise. But being raised a yankee in a education-as- priority family and state probably doesn't help. At least I've been able to find a few homeschool moms who have similar values.
Started fencing and sign language classes and writing classes and a co-op where I'm teaching the science portion. I'm actually enjoying the teaching part. I didn't think I really would, but past the kinder-2nd grade level it's not terrible. I'm teaching the 3-5th writing class and it's actually been enjoyable. The science class is 6-9th and the best part is that the co-op owns/bought the microscopes and dissection kits and preserved frogs and all sorts of other stuff that I'd been too cheap to buy. I haven't found chemistry burners yet, but I found test tubes and pipettes. It's only 15 weeks long so I think chemistry might be too much to cover anyway, we're doing basic science and biology concepts.
But if we do move to a tropical island and the kids go to school I'll look back into being a real nurse or school nurse or take the classes online to teach. As I figure it, Larry has changed careers since we've been married, time for me to consider a career change. Well, assuming that I want a career, which is not always certain.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Can you feel cold from looking at a picture?
Because Joey's off skiing with his scout troop and I swear I feel my face stinging just looking at the pictures.
Other than one text telling me that they arrived over 1 hour later than they were planing. Which, honestly, *I* could have told you was going to happen - because if GPS tells you it takes 5.5 hours to get somewhere AND you're planning on stopping for dinner, it is not going to take you 5.5 hours from when you leave to arrive. Uh- duh. PLUS, I don't know who was planning this, but I can tell you that the time for each stop increases incrementally with the number of bodies you have traveling together. Our family of 6 take double what a family of 3 would take, assuming similar efficiency and no disabilities. But at least this was a pack of boys, take a bus full of girls and suddenly the line at the bathroom is 35 minutes long. Although, I can say in traveling with only 2 boys, sometimes the men's bathroom is not always open for speedy use, either. For this reason, we developed a partiality for large truck stops - for big capacity bathrooms (plus plenty of room for a novice RV dragging a car driver like me to park without having to back up)
But I think I digressed.. the troop has a mom who vocally proclaims her OCD tendencies who made a facebook page and updated it with picture. It was kinda funny since we had a delay to winter here and I couldn't even remember the color of the brand new winter coat I had bought Joey. Apparently it was black or navy blue with royal blue trim. Good thing there was a sitting without the ski goggles and helmet picture or I wouldn't have know what same-as-everyone-else color coat I should be scanning for in the pictures.
But skiing was one of those few things that made winter fun. But now that my bones and muscles don't bounce back quite like they used to, I think winter is still over-rated. Although in hearing from the inlaws, it appears their shipment of winter has also been delayed- this time last year I think the schools had already had 3 weeks of snow days added to their spring schedule.
But mommy guilt has me feeling bad that the remaining kids have no "fun" stuff this weekend, so we're running off to the movies. Larry has introduced them to Star Wars and now that they have caught up on the rest of the 2 trilogies (what does that make that a septilogy?) we will go watch the latest. I will lament that I am now old and Han Solo/Luke/Leia are also old. But at least I'm younger than they are.
So until next time or until the force (or computer) awakens...
Other than one text telling me that they arrived over 1 hour later than they were planing. Which, honestly, *I* could have told you was going to happen - because if GPS tells you it takes 5.5 hours to get somewhere AND you're planning on stopping for dinner, it is not going to take you 5.5 hours from when you leave to arrive. Uh- duh. PLUS, I don't know who was planning this, but I can tell you that the time for each stop increases incrementally with the number of bodies you have traveling together. Our family of 6 take double what a family of 3 would take, assuming similar efficiency and no disabilities. But at least this was a pack of boys, take a bus full of girls and suddenly the line at the bathroom is 35 minutes long. Although, I can say in traveling with only 2 boys, sometimes the men's bathroom is not always open for speedy use, either. For this reason, we developed a partiality for large truck stops - for big capacity bathrooms (plus plenty of room for a novice RV dragging a car driver like me to park without having to back up)
But I think I digressed.. the troop has a mom who vocally proclaims her OCD tendencies who made a facebook page and updated it with picture. It was kinda funny since we had a delay to winter here and I couldn't even remember the color of the brand new winter coat I had bought Joey. Apparently it was black or navy blue with royal blue trim. Good thing there was a sitting without the ski goggles and helmet picture or I wouldn't have know what same-as-everyone-else color coat I should be scanning for in the pictures.
But skiing was one of those few things that made winter fun. But now that my bones and muscles don't bounce back quite like they used to, I think winter is still over-rated. Although in hearing from the inlaws, it appears their shipment of winter has also been delayed- this time last year I think the schools had already had 3 weeks of snow days added to their spring schedule.
But mommy guilt has me feeling bad that the remaining kids have no "fun" stuff this weekend, so we're running off to the movies. Larry has introduced them to Star Wars and now that they have caught up on the rest of the 2 trilogies (what does that make that a septilogy?) we will go watch the latest. I will lament that I am now old and Han Solo/Luke/Leia are also old. But at least I'm younger than they are.
So until next time or until the force (or computer) awakens...
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Impatiently waiting
It's that time again. That time were we will upheave our lives and move or transition or something. We're still in the mindset that hubby will retire from the Navy if he can manage to stay in, so we get to play the 'oohh what's available' game.
Of the 9 or 10 possible options hubby asked for, the only one that was mentioned as a possibility was the dead last one on the list. One he didn't even consult with me before putting it on the list. This of course throws my theory of 'you get the 4th or 5th choice' method out the window. That or hubby really made someone somewhere mad. It also shines a light on the practice of promising 'just take this crummy position and next time you'll get first pick' as total nonsense. Because THIS was one of those nobody-wants-to-go-there places and well, the people who make those promises know that they'll be gone and don't actually have to fulfill any of those promises.
Although as I understand it, if you want to promote and stay in, it 'looks good' to have a check box in all the life in the military inconvenience boxes. Cross country moves (X) Deployment (X) Green Side/Operational (XXXX) Overseas ( ) oh, I see. yes, that box is still vacant. Lucky for us, we need a waiver to go to many of those such places since we have more than 2.5 kids. Apparently housing regulations prohibit you from putting 4 kids in a closet. Only on submarines is this permissible and then only with grown men.
SOOOO since it is terrible form for the spouse to get involved I have to wait for hubby to get in touch with the person who makes the final decisions and he says she isn't answering the phone or replying to emails. *I* would be tempted to keep re-dialing until she finally gave up and answered the phone. But that's just me. Plus I don't have troublesome time constraints like a job to hold be back.
Although I have managed to almost over commit myself even without a job. So Monday afternoons we're in a group writing class, I'm teaching 3-5th graders. Friday morning we're in a co-op, I'm teaching 6-8th science.. Suddenly the possibilities of long weekends are shot. Or I'll just say 'hey, I need a substitute this week' and let someone else figure it out. The science class I'm actually a little excited over, the coop purchased dissection kits and frogs and had far more resources than I have at home (yet) And since a $250 microscope is pretty breakable and military movers are notorious about not breaking things I just couldn't justify it. Plus I am counting on dual enrolling for science and math and english (ok pretty much everything) for the second half of high school. Assuming we are in the US. OR there are online options but I think you just can't get the smell of science and chemistry labs without the actual classroom/lab experience.
The kids are good. Mostly. Some days I think I'd like to send a certain 8 year old to school because he just can't finish a task without getting out of his chair, but then I realize that I'd be getting those 'behavior reports' from whatever teacher he would have that would not be ok with said behavior. Also they don't usually appreciate his tendency to be the class comedian. HOWEVER if we go overseas and the DOD school is good, he is ABSOLUTELY going to school. and potentially to the pediatrician for that conversation about ritalin.
Spring sports sign ups are upon us and they don't offer soccer so it looks like baseball it is. Golf was an absolute waste of time, so I think we'll pass on that one. There's a running club that I'm mentally preparing myself to get the kids involved in. However, practices are at 7 am and we're just not morning people here. But then again, I'd like to be more morning people than we are. Larry leaves at 5:30 3 times a week, so if I can not go back to bed, it's a whole lot more morning left than if I crawl out of bed at 7:30. We will see, first practice is next monday, and since it's a holiday for hubby it'll be THAT MUCH HARDER to get out of bed. Maybe we'll catch up with them for the second practice. I think base offered track in spring, so maybe we'll get it together and sign up for that.
Joey's in scouts now, and aside from all the boys being pretty much live wires, I think he enjoys it. He's skiing this weekend with them. Hopefully he will return with zero broken bones. Speaking of, I need to remember to make a copy of his health insurance information to send with him....
Of the 9 or 10 possible options hubby asked for, the only one that was mentioned as a possibility was the dead last one on the list. One he didn't even consult with me before putting it on the list. This of course throws my theory of 'you get the 4th or 5th choice' method out the window. That or hubby really made someone somewhere mad. It also shines a light on the practice of promising 'just take this crummy position and next time you'll get first pick' as total nonsense. Because THIS was one of those nobody-wants-to-go-there places and well, the people who make those promises know that they'll be gone and don't actually have to fulfill any of those promises.
Although as I understand it, if you want to promote and stay in, it 'looks good' to have a check box in all the life in the military inconvenience boxes. Cross country moves (X) Deployment (X) Green Side/Operational (XXXX) Overseas ( ) oh, I see. yes, that box is still vacant. Lucky for us, we need a waiver to go to many of those such places since we have more than 2.5 kids. Apparently housing regulations prohibit you from putting 4 kids in a closet. Only on submarines is this permissible and then only with grown men.
SOOOO since it is terrible form for the spouse to get involved I have to wait for hubby to get in touch with the person who makes the final decisions and he says she isn't answering the phone or replying to emails. *I* would be tempted to keep re-dialing until she finally gave up and answered the phone. But that's just me. Plus I don't have troublesome time constraints like a job to hold be back.
Although I have managed to almost over commit myself even without a job. So Monday afternoons we're in a group writing class, I'm teaching 3-5th graders. Friday morning we're in a co-op, I'm teaching 6-8th science.. Suddenly the possibilities of long weekends are shot. Or I'll just say 'hey, I need a substitute this week' and let someone else figure it out. The science class I'm actually a little excited over, the coop purchased dissection kits and frogs and had far more resources than I have at home (yet) And since a $250 microscope is pretty breakable and military movers are notorious about not breaking things I just couldn't justify it. Plus I am counting on dual enrolling for science and math and english (ok pretty much everything) for the second half of high school. Assuming we are in the US. OR there are online options but I think you just can't get the smell of science and chemistry labs without the actual classroom/lab experience.
The kids are good. Mostly. Some days I think I'd like to send a certain 8 year old to school because he just can't finish a task without getting out of his chair, but then I realize that I'd be getting those 'behavior reports' from whatever teacher he would have that would not be ok with said behavior. Also they don't usually appreciate his tendency to be the class comedian. HOWEVER if we go overseas and the DOD school is good, he is ABSOLUTELY going to school. and potentially to the pediatrician for that conversation about ritalin.
Spring sports sign ups are upon us and they don't offer soccer so it looks like baseball it is. Golf was an absolute waste of time, so I think we'll pass on that one. There's a running club that I'm mentally preparing myself to get the kids involved in. However, practices are at 7 am and we're just not morning people here. But then again, I'd like to be more morning people than we are. Larry leaves at 5:30 3 times a week, so if I can not go back to bed, it's a whole lot more morning left than if I crawl out of bed at 7:30. We will see, first practice is next monday, and since it's a holiday for hubby it'll be THAT MUCH HARDER to get out of bed. Maybe we'll catch up with them for the second practice. I think base offered track in spring, so maybe we'll get it together and sign up for that.
Joey's in scouts now, and aside from all the boys being pretty much live wires, I think he enjoys it. He's skiing this weekend with them. Hopefully he will return with zero broken bones. Speaking of, I need to remember to make a copy of his health insurance information to send with him....
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