First Day of School

Both girls were ready for school to start. Amanda managed to lose a tooth that morning before she left - which was good since it was bothering her. Amanda said she was bored the first day - too much going over the rules. She started 6th grade at the middle school. Now there is switching classrooms for each class; lockers with combination locks, gym uniforms, new teachers and more kids. Our middle school combines 4 elementary schools from the area. She knows other kids from other schools through church, softball and girl scouts which makes it easier. She is loving her Enriched Literature and Math teacher who is so motivating and excited about learning.

Madeline said it was like she never left. She has a tough semester to start her Junior year with AP Chemistry, Honors American Liturature, FST (Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry), Citizenship and personal finance and Band. She had homework the first night and ever since. She says her FST teacher scares her. I have since met her and she just isn't the outgoing type - serious and to the point. It doesn't mean she isn't a good teacher.

I am amazed at the expectations for high schoolers - critical thinking skills, high level analysis, responsibility. I know adults that could learn a lot by going back to high school. I guess that's what makes our schools good. It is still a lot of pressure when you add extra curricular activities and community service and a job. I'm hoping for a successful year for her with minimal frustrations.

Summer 2010

I don't know where the summer went-

There was girl scout camp with Maddie as a counselor and Amanda as a camper.
Then Maddie left for Spain and had a wonderful time and was very fortunate to have a good host family for the 3 days. She was all over Spain - Madrid, Seville, Salamanca, Granada and Barcelona.
From there, the family headed west to Yellowstone National Park with stops at the Corn Palace, Wall Drug, Devil's Tower, Cody Rodeo, Potato Museum, Grand Tetons and Mount Rushmore. We saw moose, bison, elk, coyotes, bears, birds, waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, mountains, lakes and canyons. It was a great vacation.
Amanda enjoyed summer school, dance and softball. Madeline was running, dancing and cutting the lawn and then there was band camp. Tom went to a Nascar race in Bristol, TN. I was doing planning, scheduling, chauffeuring and working in between. I did some reading and biking and walking.

Somehow the summers go by faster as the girls get older. We didn't spend much time outside since the mosquitoes made us prisoners in our home. The flowers did well but the garden not so well except for the pumpkins - we have 3. I can't believe school is starting.

September/October

Amanda was home today with a fever so I was able to catch up on few things. I made chicken soup and apple pie for supper.

After, 7 meets and 5 competitions, Cross Country and Marching Band Seasons are officially over. Madeline didn’t have the CC season she was hoping for but she seems more committed to keep up the running during the off season. Between those events and the home football games, we were busy every weekend attending something. Amanda was a real trooper and came along to most of them but brought a friend some times. The band did better this year. They finished 4^th at the state competition in the quad A division and 8^th overall. They also scored higher than 80 for the first time.

In September, we also had a Friday afternoon wedding for Tom’s niece in Sheboygan Falls. It was an outdoor ceremony and the rain stayed away until later. That was our very busy weekend with a CC meet Saturday morning, and band competitions Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Despite the rainy October, it did not rain during the cross country meets or band competitions - it was cold though.

Amanda has been going to her friend’s house after school almost every day during cross country season. We were able to work out a carpool schedule this year with 2 neighbors which helped a lot. I still have to be home to get them to dance. – Madeline is taking ballet and jazz. Amanda is taking ballet and tap. The recital has been moved to May – Mother’s Day weekend.

October was homecoming. Madeline went with Michael and a group of friends to Uno’s for dinner and after the dance went for pancakes at friend’s house. I ended up making her dress. So far the boyfriend thing has been going ok. They haven’t gone on a “date” yet. They have been hanging out together during the band competitions and football games and he came over last week to carve pumpkins and stayed around and played a game with Amanda. We will see how it continues. She is still hanging out with her friends and went to a haunted house last week with a group. She also has joined the Spanish club and the German club. She has selected her roommates for Spain.

Amanda has joined the drama club for the Christmas concert and will be the narrator for the 1^st grade concert at school and will be playing the chimes at her concert. She will be an individual girl scout this year since the meetings are on a dance night. She attended her last Harvest Dance at school. She went trick or treating as a candy corn. She has been busy planning a trip to Chicago.

We made applesauce one Sunday.

We had the kitchen (finally had the ceiling fixed) and the basement painted. It is quite bright. We are working on plans for next year’s vacation to Yellowstone.

That’s what’s been happening here at the Oskeys.

About a Boy

It was the usual bumpy start to the school year with open houses, meetings, cross country practices and meets, and homework and just getting into the new routine and then out of the blue there is a boy. I first heard about him during band camp and then he had the same lunch period. Then two weekends ago she went to the corn maze with him on a Sunday afternoon with some other friends. He picked her up and that was the strangest thing - watching her drive away without an adult driving the car. Did I mention he is a junior and just turned 17? We can't get any information on him from our teacher friends but that's probably a good thing. He seems to be a nice boy - he's on the soccer team; in the band; takes AP classes; both his parents are doctors. He even carries her books to class for her sometime.


So tonight I took Madeline to watch him play soccer and after the game he gave her a bouquet of roses and asked her to the homecoming dance. I'm not ready for this. I don't know if she is ready for this. I'm excited for her and nervous at the same time.

We are back

Without going into too much detail I will try to bring you up to date on the last 6 months.

March/April - Maddie was on the track team in the spring which really put a wrench in my work schedule for the last 5 weeks of tax season. I was working all hours of the day and night to get things done and still managing the transportation for most of the girls activities which is why I got out of the habit of keeping this up to date. Maddie joined the high school band on the bus trip to Orlando over spring break. Tom, Amanda and I also made a short trip to Orlando leaving on April 15. I don't think I will ever do that again. I had no time to decompress from the tax season and it took a while to relax. We had a good time and saw the band perform. Amanda had a hard time adjusting to being without her sister but by the end of the trip was enjoying all the attention.


In May, there were track meets for Madeline and softball practice for Amanda; Madeline had 6 teeth pulled before getting braces and Amanda had her braces taken off; a trip to Madison for Maddie to play piano in a state competition - she was overwhelmed by the music building and talent of the others but did ok; and Amanda's 10th birthday and party. She did a joint party with her best friend Ellie whose birthday is two days before hers. The theme of the party was "The Amazing Race". The girls tye-dyed t shirts for the 4 teams and did a race around the neighborhood finding the various clues to get to the spot and performing tasks at each spot. It was a lot of planning but a lot of fun too.


June was the end of school - finals were rough for Maddie but she did ok; dance recitals - always a rush to get ready and some late nights; a camping trip with the Feyereisen family - Amanda invited Ellie along for her first camping experience and we celebrated Maddie's 15th birthday; and girl scout camp - which ended up being the hottest week of the entire summer. Maddie was also awarded the Silver Award for girl scouts - her troop had an Easter party for families that frequent the local food pantry.




July was summer school for Amanda - she took tennis, recycled art and hyper studio; softball games for Amanda; drivers ed classes for Maddie - just the classroom part; Maddie did a job shadow at a vet clinic in town and our vacation to Williamsburg, VA. We also saw Jon perform with the silent drill team in Washington DC and made a trip to Virginia Beach. It was a lot of fun and we learned a lot about colonial times and the Revolutionary War. Coincidently, Amanda's friend Ellie and her family were vacationing there the same week so we met up with them at night for some activities and spent the day at the beach with them. If you want more details see the travel journal at:

http://www.mytripjournal.com/Williamsburg09

August was filled with camps for Amanda - Camp Invention; an art camp and a Y-camp. Maddie did a Y camp also which included trips to Lambeau Field, Devils Lake and the Ozaukee County Fair. She did another job shadow at the vet clinic in Cedar Grove. It was a much difference experience than the one in July. She is still set on being a Vet. It was also school registration and the start of high school activities - Band camp and Cross Country for Maddie and she had her first cross country meet in Watertown and did ok. The team went to the Kalahari after the meet. It was cold and windy for August. There was also Luxembourg fest and Tom's company picnic. Summer is winding down and time for school to start. Amanda is going into 5th grade - her last year in elementary school. Maddie is a sophomore. The time seems to go faster as they get older.

That was the last 6 months in a nutshell. Looking back I don't know how I fit it all in.

February Update

Yes, we are still here as I see it has been a month since we have posted. I also have pictures. Where has the time gone - it's either been spent working, driving kids around or attending activities.

Amanda - Update on the tubing. It turned out fine. They did come back earlier than planned after I suggested it might be a long day for them. I was comfortable with the chaperones so it worked out. She said she had fun. She earned a toymaker badge over the weekend at a workshop. She is really into girl scouts. We picked up the Girl Scout cookies last month and are still in the process of getting them all delivered.

Here is a hat that she knitted for her friend.

Here is a purse she knitted for a girl in her class who was moving to Oklahoma. In a span of 2 weeks, she had 3 kids from her class move. She did get a solo part in her school concert which is next week. I might have to try and post a video of it. It's only 2 lines but it's on the big stage at the Fine Arts Center.
Here is snow fort she built by herself on a Saturday when we got more snow than expected. She is quite the creative girl. Last week was favorite book character week and she chose - Amelia Bedelia. So I scrambled last week to put together this costume. It was a couple of late nights but she was happy with it. Monday, she was on a field trip to the Schlitz Audobon Center for a demonstration on making Maple Syrup. Wednesday night we made a quick trip to the library to see her art work that was chosen to be displayed for "Art Month".


Madeline - She was busy with pit orchestra for the school play "Once Upon a Mattress". She survived the late night practices and the 4 performances. Amanda and I attended twice - once with 4 of her friends and once with Linda. Not that I had all that free time but it was an enjoyable play. She signed up for classes next year. She is taking band again and 2 math classes to catch up. She went to the "Turnabout" dance at school with a group of girls. One of the girls invited them all to dinner at her house before the dance. She did ask a boy to dance. Here she is in her dress. We ordered it over the internet because we didn't have time to shop at the mall. They dress up a bit more than we did for these dances.


She is working on her silver award for girls scouts. Her troop is sponsoring a Easter Bunny party at the Food Pantry in April. She went to a couple of movies with friends which is always hard to monitor. Some movies can be so trashy - even if they are rated PG-13. I am amazed at what some parents allow their kids to watch - 10, and 11 yrs olds going to PG-13 movies. There is a reason for the ratings. She is getting excited about the band trip to Florida although she is the only Freshman girl going. Her "friend" had to backout because she got into trouble. I need to get more information on this. Track practice officially starts on Monday. Don't know how I'm going to swing that schedule yet. One week at at time.




We celebrated Tom's birthday. Amanda made and decorated the cakes all by herself. It was a little kit I had bought for her that included the tier cake pans and the decorating tubes. Tom went to a Badger Hockey game with some guys from work. The girls and I spent the night watching High School Musical 3.

I got way stressed out about booking our flights to Orlando but it's done. However, it put me in a weak position and I lost my voice for almost a week. It turned out to be a sinus infection. I almost have my voice back. It's five and half weeks until April 15. It seems to be going by fast but I have so much work to get done yet. I think people get less patient every year - but I guess this year it is understandable. Banks want to know how the company did for the year; people want their refunds. We do have some companies who did well for the year - not a record breaking year but good. Some are suffering and laying off people. All these laws they are jamming through makes my head spin. It's hard to keep up with all the changes and answer peoples' questions and work on last year's stuff. It's the long stretch at the end and I'll be working every spare moment I can to keep my clients happy. It's about this time that the house gets a little messy and we do take out a little more often. Somehow we all survive.

Ugh

After one "normal" week of scheduled events it's turning into a week of chaos. There just seems to be a number of things this week that all you can say is Ugh.

Madeline found out on Monday that she has pit practice for the school play this week every day after school until 9 pm. The original notice said 3pm to TBA. I didn't expect the TBA to be announced on the same day. I don't expect the director to accomodate everyone's schedules but I do expect some advanced notification. I was expecting 3 hour practices but not 6 hours until next week. So here we are juggling practice around dance and piano classes and homework. They are at least providing them with meals which is more than I can say for previous productions she has been in.

The weekend did not go well (some how things don't get done while I'm at work on Saturday) and the normal chores did not get done which means they drag in to the week. One thing I didn't get done was my laundry so I'm stuck with that 2nd tier of clothes that are ok but on a bad week sets you outside your comfort zone. Fortunately, I don't have any client meetings this week.

The decision for the week - Can Amanda go snow tubing with her girl scout troop next week Friday the 13th? My concerns: they leave at 4:45 and don't return home until 10 pm. After a day at school, it can be a long day for a 9 year old. The departure time is too early and they arrive home too late. They are also stopping at McDonald's for supper first. Not my idea of a healthy meal. The permission slip will get turned in but I'll talk to the leader and some other parents about some different times. I also need to know who is chaperoning - I need that comfort factor that a person I trust will be there. With the high school play also that night and having to work on Saturday, I can't chaperone myself. Am I making this too difficult?

I missed booking our air fare for Orlando last week and now the flights cost $500 more - that is a double ugh! I'll keep checking to see if they go down. Hotel and Disney park tickets are booked.

Madeline came home with her course selection for next year - more decisions.

What's with the weather? I could take 6 more weeks of winter if it's like the weather on Groundhog day - sunny and 25 instead of this below zero stuff. At least the constant snowing has stopped.

So what keeps me from going over the edge - the hugs; Mmm supper smells so good; the thank you very much Mom and any humor I can find. Someone emailed me this link which did make me laugh because it is so true.

http://www.stuffaccountantslike.com/

Tomorrow Amanda is auditioning for a solo part for the Spring concert. I hope she does her best.