I can’t say just how many posts I start and then never finish.  One day, I’m finishing them all.  Despite the fact that some of them are over a year old.  For my memories, or the kids.  All I can say is the money I spent for this site this year has been wasted.  Do I bother renewing next year at the rate I’m writing?

So what’s new?

I got a new phone!  Finally!  A phone that doesn’t speed up while I’m listening to music while running, that isn’t the slowest thing ever.  It’s so sleek.  I feel so special until Lance tells me he is getting a new one too.  I mean, really?  I can’t have the new phone first for a while?

This second I’m attempting to study for the spelling bee with Alec.  The bee is Friday.  He’s known that he qualified for almost a month.  Has he studied?  Not one bit.  I am trying to remember that his refusal to study isn’t a reflection on me.  Or really him.  There are some pretty random words on the list.  I’m having to have the computer pronounce words for me because I’ve got no clue what they mean or how to say them.

*** I started this on a Monday night.  Friday was the spelling bee.  He got third place.  Third freaking place.  At TH Rogers.  If you don’t know what this means, well, I’m not saying.  Just know, he fucking rocked it.  And had he bothered to ask for the definition, he would have stayed in even longer.  Possibly won.  Regardless, I’m proud.  And while, the definition may have assisted him on the word that knocked him out, I’m happy he wasn’t one of those kids asking for a definition for each word.  One girl, the winner in fact, asked for the definition, the word origin and to use in a sentence every. single. time.  Really???  Give me a fucking break.  Except she did win.

Can I say how much I hate fifth grade so far?  Not the teachers,  just the work.  Projects nonstop.  With no educational benefit.  Only thing that happens is I get pissed.  I yell.  I apologize and Goose finishes his project.  The science teacher had the nerve to tell me that “science fair was driving her crazy.”  I asked how her she thought the parents felt.  She had no answer.

Things have gotten so bad that Alec is spending part of his break completing an AR project.  IF he chooses not to complete it  by Sunday, he loses basketball for 2015.  All of it.  He’s pretty good, so I can only hope he gets it together.  Why?  Let’s just say the last two projects have had him up until almost midnight the before the due dates.  While I think the projects themselves are dumb and without value, his grades depend on them and they aren’t difficult.

***Yet another post, I can’t finish.

Let’s see- Christmas vacation was wonderful.  Too short.  But we had a blast.  Doing nothing, just hanging together.  That makes me happy.

Best present ever- stay at the Houstonian with my husband.  We watched three movies and had a wonderful dinner at Caracol.  Fabulous drink and food to die for.  AND…I even woke up super early and ran 20 miles one of the mornings.  I literally left my sleeping husband at the Houstonian to run 20 miles.  Who does that???  Someone training for the marathon.  Not what I wanted, but needed to get one last long run before the marathon.

That gift was the absolute best present.  I am always telling my husband and parents that memories or events are the best gifts.  Maybe not at the time, especially to kids who like to unwrap gifts over and over.  But in the end, what they remember is the event.  The day after Christmas I took the kids to see the Rockettes.  Another gift for me because it’s super pricey to take five people to Hobby Center, especially if you like sitting in the Orchestra section.  The kids loved it.  I loved it.  And since it was a present for me, I have to say it was totally worth every penny and I am glad I had that over something else.

Next year Snax wants to hit NYC for winter break.  He says he understands that a trip like that in December would mean no Christmas gifts, but I’m not sure.  His reason for going?  He wants to see the tree at Rockefeller Center.  We read a new book this year titled, The Carpenter’s Gift and it was about the Rockefeller tree.  One morning, Snax saw the tree on the Today show and is now obsessed.  I love that kid.

Speaking of Snax, man, has he moved up in the power rankings.  Last year we noticed he started having an interest in sports.  My dad has season tickets to the Rockets so we took him to some games, and he always paid attention unlike some of his older brothers.  It was the same way at the Longhorn game we went to this Fall.  And now it’s morphed into the NFL.  God, I love this kid.  For many, many reasons, but listening to him while watching the games is so much fun.  He knows a lot for his age and cares.  Tells brothers to move out of the way so he can watch.  AND..the best part, he wakes up asking for scores.  Can you say top of the list?

Ok, our power rankings change all the time, hourly, by the minute, BUT, let’s just say he’s had a strong year.  While others haven’t.  (No names.)