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It’s time for another Thursday Thoughts! If you want to participate, but have no idea what a link-up is, you can check out my explanation of it here.
~March Madness is back tonight! I am super excited for the games tonight and ready to make an even bigger mess of my brackets than they already are. Also, I am still looking for “Skylarmarz” who won my first random drawing from the bracket challenge! If you don’t reply within 24 hours I am picking a new winner!
~Anyone watch this weeks Teen Mom? I almost teared up during Kailyn and Javi’s wedding. So sweet when little Issac walked her down the aisle! Now I did not tear up when Jenelle went to jail. Again. And then cried about how much she missed Nathan for those two days. She had me at the beginning of the season, but now I just don’t know. The big fight they were having and Jenelle calmly stops fighting to slowing apply her EOS lip balm? I was dying. But the real story was Leah and Jeremy. I don’t think they will be making it. She’s mad he’s leaving for 5 weeks to make $40,000? Really? Oh Leah, come on. And her and Corey still make me scratch my head.
~I am not sure what other subscription boxes I have coming this week. I have a few reviews coming today (GLOSSYBOX, my Men’s Mystery Fancy Box and Wantable Intimates), but I am not 100% sure what else is coming this week. I think I have a Wantable Makeup Box coming and maybe some goodies from Ellie? Hopefully some surprises will pop up too.
~Detroit has a lot of cool things (no really, we do), but we do not have a cupcake ATM. And I want one. So does L. He’s totally into vending machines and I think he’d feel the same way about this. And I am the same way. Something about it being in a vending machine makes it more attractive. Those Benefit vending machines might be my favorite. Just for fun, here are a few more cool ones.
~My clean eating / Challenge is going fairly well, with the exception of that chinese food I ate the other day. I have for sure been drinking more water though and I feel good about that. I can already tell my skin is happier with me. I haven’t had any Starbucks since I started the challenge but I am not missing that too much anymore.
~I do not care what the weather is like this weekend or how muddy it is out, but we are going to the park. Or even just the outdoor mall. LOL. These boys need to run outside! Oh and so totally in the opposite direction, but have you ever done summer school for your kids? L’s teacher recommends it for all kindergartners and I am seriously thinking about it. It’s a few hours a day for 4 weeks. She said that generally kindergartners only remember what they have learned up to this point in the year when they start first grade and that is kind of scary!
~I am sure you all have heard by now that Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have “consciously uncoupled“. So fancy! For whatever reason I felt like it was necessary that I actually read what conscious uncoupling is on Goop (don’t get me started on Goop). Basically it’s that we are now living too long to just stay married to one person for our entire life and that the idea of staying married for your entire life is just too much pressure to handle. Interesting, but I am not sure I believe that.
~It’s sneaking up on me faster than I’d like, but B’s birthday is next month following the next day by WB’s birthday! I would love some ideas on something fun we could do to celebrate both of their birthdays! What kind of things interest both a two year old and a 31 year-old?? I don’t know if I want to go somewhere for a night or do a day thing or what. Ideas??
What’s going on for your Thursday? Any weekend plans?
My aunt and my cousins birthdays are 2 days apart. It’s just the two of them. They always celebrate by doing a fun mother/daughter activity followed by dinner and dessert at a favorite restaurant. Perhaps you all can do one of B’s and WB’s favorite activities (e.g. a car museum, or the zoo). Make it a day of taking part in something they love, and celebrating why you all love them.
That’s so cool! I should have had him like 6 hours earlier and they could have shared a birthday! I like the zoo idea! I keep forgetting that is a chance it might actually be warm(er) by then!
II think my new favorite on teen mom is Chelsea just cause she seems to have her life so together. Although kailyn is great too just so much yelling and drama. I think jenelles outburst had to do with her bipolar disorder and maybe she couldn’t take her meds in jail? It’s just crazy they went from screaming at each other to looking all lovey dovey now that she’s having a baby. Clearly I have no one to talk teen mom with so I rambled about it to you lol.
She seems to really be getting it together! Now that stupid what’s his face and her aren’t hooking up still, she’s not annoying at all!
Oh, that makes sense about Jenelle!
Maybe you and B could have a romantic birthday dinner with just the two of you, then do family stuff on WB’s birthday? I like the zoo idea, as I’ve always loved the zoo! Hopefully it’s warmer by then.
Is B planning on running 31 marathons for his 31st year?
I wonder if B has class on his birthday. I should find that out?.
It is true that children fall behind. It is especially important to practice math facts and keep up with reading over the summer. I have never sent my children to summer school. Our summer school here isn’t the same as yours is, probably. Here, it is just crafts, games, field trips and other fun stuff. Parents use the 6 week summer school here, from 9-4, as cheap childcare. If I worked, I would send my kids there too. In fact, I might be working next summer, so I probably will. I am hoping to spend one more summer home with my kids though (they will be 8 and 10 this summer). Last year I paid for private tutoring every week through the entire summer for my youngest daughter, who needed help with reading. Usually we do 1 or 2 summer camps like Art, zoo, music, gymnastics…etc. We also do swimming lessons, free summer movies, park dates with friends, farmer’s market…etc. I can’t wait! In my opinion, kids learn a lot through summer activities. I guess it just depends on if the kids will be sitting at home watching cartoons (trust me, my kids will still do plenty of that) or will they be learning something different? Depending on our finances and availability, I may do zoo camp for my girls this year. Our trip to Bar Harbor is going to eat up most of our summer budget, though.
Its 4 weeks here and it’s just a few hours in the morning. It’s just for kindergartners, so it’s separate from whatever summer programs they offer. But we won’t be home for a week of it already due to vacations! It’s reading and writing I want him to work on most. Well that and listening in class. LOL!!!
We do some summer school, but we homeschool so it is a bit different. We normally participate in the library reading program which keeps them going with that, and then I either make up a packet of things I want them to work on each week (and they can finish it at their own leisure – 1 activity a day or they could finish it all in 1 day if they want to not do any school the rest of the week) or I buy one of those big workbooks they sell at Target for the next grade level and have them work on that. We keep it pretty minimal though. Oh, and another thing that is really fun is Time 4 Learning – it’s an online learning site, and they actually have complete curriculum, and you can just have them log in and do say 1 reading and 1 math activity a day or whatever. The only thing I wouldn’t like about summer school would be if it interfered with summer activities or vacations you had going on.
And that is totally the problem! We will already be gone for a week of it and I don’t really want him not to be able to go up-north or whatever because he has school. I need to check into the summer programs our library has!
You should! I know here they are always really fun with prizes and other incentives. My kids all love it every year. And yeah, if it is going to interfere with vacation, I’d try something like Time 4 Learning or a big workbook at home instead!
What happened to getting to be a kid? The idea of putting a kindergartner in summer school makes me feel ill. Let him play and have fun, unwind and recharge. If you really feel he needs some structure how about a day camp a week or two out of the summer. Somewhere he can have fun but that isn’t every day for 4 weeks? Or just spending a few hours a week with him, doing flash cards, fun science or art projects? I have worked with children my whole life and the only one I know who did summer school was my friends son who she “needed a break from”. In my opinion he would be better off just being a kid and enjoying his summer. Good luck on making your choice!
It’s just a few hours a day – in the morning – for 4 weeks. But we won’t be home for a week of it so that’s kind of a waste. I need to see if the library has some programs that are a bit less structured that we could just drop in on.
I am so over Jenelle and Leah. She complains about being a “single mom”, but has TONS of family who is always over to help. And I agree with Jeremy, she knew this when she got married. Ugh. I’m so over them. I thought Jenelle was trying to straighten up and get Jace back, and on the next episode I think she announces she’s pregnant. And Nathan was so relaxed she was smoking weed. This show gets me all riled up. lol. And I actually cried during their wedding. It was so sweet.
Oh Leah. She just doesn’t get it. How on earth does she expect to live? And pay bills? It’s not like he’s moving to China for 2 years. Geez.
I just saw a commercial this morning for the Toledo Zoo, looks pretty nice. Not too far away. You could make it an over night trip and stay at a nice hotel with a pool. All the boys would like that.
Ohh, that’s a fun idea! I wonder if B has school that Friday?.
I think he has the 16th, 17th, and 18th off.
I’m going to the Sprinkles cupcake ATM next week! So pumped! It’s like an avenue and a few blocks away from my job and I had no idea until the articles came out earlier this week.
Take pictures!!!!!!
I used to love Leah now I am slowly fast forwarding. I think she needs to grow the hell up unless she wants to be on assistance just to have Jeremy home. She doesnt work but has three mouths to feed. 5 weeks to make 40K thats how much some people make in a year. She would never make it as a military wife plus she new everything prior to getting married its not new. Her mom makes me scratch my head when in the preview says its not your fault. Umm…. Yea it is stop complaining about everything. The drop off with Cory was like is this underlying flirting by him asking whats wrong insinuating more. Kaylin I love but she is a bit of something cant put my finger on it and Chelsea oh how I love her. I am so glad she left Adam alone and is doing for herself. I just talked about kids OMG my life lol
I know. I used to really like Leah too. But she’s constantly complaining whenever he goes to work. Work do you want him to do Leah. Geez! Kaylin seems to have a wall up. I think it’s because she has no family really?? And chelsea, SO glad Adam and her are done. Big Randy is likely thrilled too.
I am a third grade teacher who has previously taught both Kindergarten and first grade.
Honestly, if he has been on track in class and his teacher feels that he is ready for first grade than no I wouldn’t recommend summer school. However, I also didn’t even recommend summer school for my ESE students when I taught exceptional ed.
As long as you are reading with him, taking him out to experience things, and talking with him I am sure that he will be fine. I think that summer break is so important for kids especially with all of the extra demands that are put on kids younger and younger in school these days.
If you have an iPad there are apps (Handwriting Without Tears is a great one) you can download that he can use at home for handwriting. Just remember that handwriting is very developmental and tends to take longer for boys than girls as well. If he is holding is pencil correctly and forming letters correctly the rest will come with maturity.
Some of my 3rd graders this year though, especially boys, have awful handwriting still though (can be an indicator of ADHD too).
Oh that is good to hear! I wonder if the district just pushes summer school?? We have Handwriting Without Tears and I really like it! We do Razz-Kids and Lexia too!
Ugh, Gwyneth Paltrow – just ugh.
I’m a teacher, too, and I always recommend two things: continue to read every day (log it on a chart for kids who need extra motivation) and keep a summer journal. Kindergarteners just need enough exposure to reading and writing throughout the summer that they don’t forget all the letter formation and phonics they worked so hard to learn all year.
Conscious uncoupling – I can’t even…
I cannot! She is always right though. Just ask her. She’ll tell you!
Wait, what? Did Gwenny really say because we are living longer we are not supposed to be married as long? Um, so what about all our grandparents who were married 50-60-70 years? She was only married ten years. Dogs live longer than that. She is so full of crap trying to put a spin on the fact that her marriage tanked.
I don’t know if it was her or some physiologist or something she believes. She’s full of it!
I feel the same way about Jenelle and Leah! At first I was like, wow 5 weeks that totally sucks and then he said $40,000 and I was like HOLD THE PHONE. That is almost half of what my husband makes in a year! The “single mom” stuff bugs the crap out of me. Having your husband gone does NOT make you a single mom.
I know! I would be like later honey. Have a nice time in New Mexico!!!!!
oh teen mom!! i actually did cry while watching javi and kailyn’s wedding. so sweet! jenelle. oh jenelle. and that poor jace. such foreshadowing of the kid he’s going to be and it aint looking good. and what the heck is wrong with nathan? what does he want with her?! something about that whole situation just aint right.
YOu are right, something isn’t right. What is up with Nathan? Is there something we don’t know about him??
I *finally* watched TM2 this morning … oh man! I had to laugh every time Kail and Javi kept saying “Oh, I’m so nervous!” FOR WHAT? You are already married!!!!! I’m not sure how I feel about Jenelle and Nathan — I wonder why he puts up with her! Ha Leah is being a brat, though! She knew what Jeremy did for work when she met him. Heck, its not fun or easy, but if my husband came to me TODAY and said “Hey … I have a job offer on the other side of the country for 40K … and I turned down something local to take that one!” I would push him out the door and say GO! It isn’t always about the money … but she needs to remember how much she struggled when she didn’t have a many to support her and her kids!
Exactly. I could help my husband pack and drive him to the airport. And send cookies or something to keep him happy while he is there. She has no idea. I do not understand what is up with Nathan. He must have know she was smoking weed. How could he not?