Is It Saturday Already?

Time is fun when you're having flies. Oh wait! That's supposed to be "Time flies when you're having fun!" DOH! Time has been flying around here but not because we're having fun. I wish.

Middle is back to his old tricks of not doing homework and lying. Mr. was so mad at him the other night he literally walked out of the house and took a drive because he was afraid he'd smack him right across his face. We're not hitters in this house and Mr. and I do a lot of "spotting" of each other when one is stressed to the max. I've received e -mail after e - mail at work this week detailing how Middle has so much work to catch up on (8 assignments in one class alone) and that he is only passing 3 of his 7 classes and only one is above a D.

We have tried "tough love", "natural consequences", and the usual grounding from privileges but nothing has swayed this child. Not one damn thing. I am thinking it's time to really pull out all of the stops and make him volunteer at a homeless shelter for teens to show him what happens to you if you don't take your education seriously. Mr. thinks we might need to put him in placement for a month or two just to send the message home that we're not playing. Middle thinks school is a "waste" of his time and energy when he could be doing "real" life things like...playing video games, reading the Twilight series, or just hanging out with his friends. We didn't want to take away the friends because he's struggled for years to make and keep friends in school. He's painfully shy and has just started making friends in the last two years. With having those friendships he's lost interest in school and wants to go to movies with them, spend the night, and have fun. Last night his friends called and wanted Middle to go to the movies to see the new James Bond flick. We told him he could not go and why. He held his hand over the phone so his friend would not hear what we were saying. He doesn't want them to know how he behaves here at home. I would feel the same way if I were him.

If you have suggestions I'm open to them.

There was a comment on my other post that had me thinking. I see my dad at least once a week, sometimes more. We play cards with them 2 to 3 times per month on the weekends. We talk on the phone daily. I don't know how to explain the turmoil in our relationship and how it has healed in just the past 3 years. The years in between were rough. We would see each other about every 2 years during that time. Baby mentioned that he would not be sad if they moved away because he doesn't really "know" my dad. This breaks my heart because my dad loves the boys dearly but spending time with them is hard because my stepmom is not fond of little kids. She's not a bitch but she can't stand it if a child is "seen and not heard". My dad loves to wrestle with them and get them riled up and she is constantly yelling at him to knock it off. If he moves away I'm so afraid that the little relationship they do have with him will become non - existant.

Yes, he's an adult. Yes, he's married. Yes, she has a right to be near her daughter too. But it upsets me. I've tried to put it in to some perspective this week but it is just not happening. I'll continue to think on it and try to understand. I want to thank you all for the comments as they were supportive and gave me food for thought. Even if I don't like that kind of food. :)

Can we talk about Survivor for a minute? Randy? I hate that man. He's a mealy - mouthed weasel of a bastard and I'd love nothing more than for him to GO! Ugh. And to think that African woman was coming on to him? Oh. My. God. I laughed and gagged at the same time. I doubt she wants some pasty, old, saggy, mean, cold - hearted white man over what she has. And if she does? She must be blind and deaf.

Jeff Probst? I am so wanting him. Everytime I see him I get goose bumps. He's just yummy and divine.

Well, I am out of here because I have a playdate with my youngest nephew today. I'll be blogging about it soon. I love this little guy. He's a cute - patootie and my heart just swells everytime I see him and my uterus aches. Not that I want another one but if I did have another one *he* would be perfect. I wonder if his parents would notice if I stuffed him in my purse?