Family update

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Well, since I haven't managed to get the Christmas cards and letters out

yet, maybe this will get me started, LOL. I am , still married to

wonderful DH with DDs (10... oh no, we hit double digits!),

(DS, almost 8...... the count down to " Jan-ju-air-ee 16 " has

begun!), and (6, self-proclaimed tomboy with so much energy!).

We are still rebuilding/remodeling our old house (2 1/2 years now and

counting), but things are moving along, bit by bit. We are dedicated to

doing this work ourselves ('cause we can't afford to pay someone, LOL),

which means that after you've ripped up the kitchen COMPLETELY two weeks

before Thanksgiving, then you stop to take the girls to Disneyland

because you promised last year you'd take them at Christmas this year.

Slows the process a bit, taking occasional weekends off!

turned 10 in October, and is in 5th grade. She's such a typical

girl..... does dance, likes listening to music, doing her nails, hanging

out with her best friend. She's doing all the 5th grade things like

Safety Patrol (who gives 5th graders whistles, hats, and power?), band

(picked saxophone, yeah, mom's instrument!), and getting tween emotional

and sassy. She really led her Girl Scout troop when we did the

disabiltiy awareness badge this fall, which was really cool. She even

spoke up about how awful it is when kids at school use the " R " word, and

tried to rally support for everyone to speak up when they hear it used

on the playground, etc. She was so genuinely happy she almost had tears

in her eyes when had her first sleepover at a friend's house

recently. She's a really good kid, and is quickly maturing into a young

lady. School has always come easy to her, and she's not as excited to

have to buckle down a bit this year, as they prepare the kids to move to

middle school next year.

, soon to be 8, has had a fantastic year. I wasn't (and am

still not quite) sure about her teacher, but academically she's really

doing well this year. I don't know if it's the teacher, the classroom

environment, or that she was just ready to do some of the things she's

doing. In any case, we're thrilled. She's reading, doing TouchMath

double-digit addition with regrouping, spelling, and having a great time

at school. She is fully included in 2nd grade, with pullouts for math,

OT, speech and PE. She has " friends " at school, but isn't really

included in afterschool playdates with girls from her class. However,

she's usually pretty beat at the end of the school day, and seems to

like to relax witn the TV or her books before hitting homework. She's

always needed more " quiet " time than her sisters. She had her first

sleepover at her friend's (also with DS) house over Christmas break,

and they had a wonderful time. I thought that story/link just posted

about the young man, Eli, was very interesting. , although

fully included and doing very well, really connects with her friend

(same age, also with DS), who lives 30 minutes away and we don't

see too often, as compared to her school friends who are very kind and

friendly to her, yet don't really seem to want to interact out of the

school setting. Time will tell. finally got an American girl

doll...... yes, she got the new , of course. " doll "

goes everywhere with and sleeps in her box right next to

's bed. She eats with us (in her chair with plastic food), and

is already looking well loved. is very good at doing hair, so

hopefully she can help get doll's hair combed when

the time comes, LOL.

(who is now Sammy) is in 1st grade, and loving school. She is

very bright, and tends to be a bit chatty in class since she finishes

her work so quickly. However, she (thankfuly) has a strict teacher, so

Sammy doesn't get out of hand...... she's quite the fun-lovin' girl so I

can already see that she will need to be constantly challenged in

school. She came home from school a few months ago and said excitedly,

blue eyes flashing " Mom, do you know what a tomboy is? It's a girl who

likes to do boy stuff...... I " M A TOMBOY! " Like the world was finally

explained to her, living with two girly sisters. Her Christmas gifts

express her wonderful mix best...... wall climbing camo Humvee (#1

request), American girl doll (from Granny, of course), nerf dart board,

pink soccer sweatshirt, a game boy (from Santa), Bratz Bop-It and some

books. She pooled all her gift cards and cash and bought herself a new

bike (black and grey, with chartruse accents..... walked right past the

pink, purple, and blue bikes, LOL) and helmet. She has been playing

soccer, as well as doing dance, She is also 's best friend

(and occasionally her worst enemy, LOL). School was worried because she

was sitting with at snack and lunch, helping her open her

juice boxes, etc. (1st and 2nd graders are together at these times)

Sammy always has a group of friends with her, so we really wondered why

school was concerned that a sister was actually being kind to her sister

at school, and helping to provide social interactions (that school does

nothing to facilitate!) We told them to butt out, Sammy was doing it on

her own, and it was pretty cool of Sammy.

Now that everyone is in school full days, I am thinking about going back

to work, but don't know what I want to do. With a Ph.D. in molecular

biology, I am really unemployable part time, and I'd like to be home

with the girls get out of school, or at least not have to work 60+

hours/week like I did pre- in the science jobs. I'd like to go

back to school (my DH will die... in the past 17 years he's already

endured 5 years of grad school and 3 year of postdoc, then I finally got

a " real " job, only to work 60+ hours/week for 3 years, then to quit when

was born) to be a SLP, but don't really know what the training

entails. At least I'd be working district hours, with a semi-flexibile

schedule. I've also thought about teaching (which I've done a bit of)

at the community college, since they are not looking for someone to do

research and/or write grants. For now, I just serve a general

contractor on the house project., and hopefully I will not have this job

too much longer!

Hope everyone has a wonderful 2006!

, mom to (10), (7 DS), and (6)