And that's a fact!

I'm not sure I'm happy with the lessons Devon is learning this week at school.  We were sitting watching tv, Devon, Aubrey and I, this evening, when out of the blue, Devon remarked "that is the ugliest woman I have ever seen on tv".  I commented something along the lines of that wasn't a very nice thing to say, to which she replied, "well, that's my opinion."  True, and I knew that, but since when did she know that?  She followed this up by explaining that they're learning about facts and opinions at school, and that was an opinion. A fact would be a statement like "You're (Nancy is) my mommy".  I did so love that fact example.  I do so love being her mommy.  She just cracks me up, and she doesn't even mean to be funny, she just is.

Devon's first selfie?

Shortly before we went to Albany for Passover, Devon and I had the following phone conversation:

Me: You need to do your computer homework.

Devon:  I can’t, I lost computer.

Me: Oh?  What did you do that you lost computer?

Devon:  I accidentally crawled through the doggy door.

Me (trying not to laugh): How do you “accidentally” crawl through the doggy door?

Devon: I was on the back porch crawling around and decided to come in and forgot I wasn’t supposed to use that door.

I am glad it was Ron at home dealing with that because I was laughing so hard I would have had a hard time punishing her.  And, of course, my boss walked by right as I was asking her how one accidentally crawls through the dog door - and his only reaction?  To laugh, shake his head, and mutter something about only I would be having a conversation with a comment like that in it.  So true.  Do other people have similar things happen to them?  She definitely keeps things interesting.

Well, I have to say, I had an almost-lifelong dream fulfilled on Saturday when we flew back to Orlando.  If  had a bucket list, this would have been on it.  We flew on the Southwest Airlines Shamu plane.  I have seen this plane only once before and have always wanted to fly on it. The only downside to actually being on the plane is that then you can't see it flying, which is cool - a giant orca in the air.  Ron actually had to point it out to me that our plane was the Shamu plane - he knows how much I've wanted to see it, not to mention fly on it!  Aubrey was, being a tween, embarrassed by my excitement.  BONUS!  LOL  Other people heard me (I wasn't really loud, just pleased) and thought it was cool, too.  Mostly adults, I'm sorry to say.

So now we're home and getting back into our normal routine.  Which, of course, will end soon, since school ends Memorial Day.  Ridiculously short school year, to go with the ridiculously short school days the kids have....and we wonder why we can't compete in a global economy.  Do our kids spend even half as much time in school when they are young as other industrialized societies?  Is it just Florida?  I don't think so.   I did read an inspiring article today in People magazine....can you believe it?  It was about 5 kids who have done amazing things....one went on an Antarctic expedition for his winter break (part of a global warming project), one created a blood test to detect pancreatic cancer....and we're talking teens!  Kudos to their parents for encouraging them and to the organizations who helped out along the way and lastly to the organization who recognized them for their achievements.  Wow!  (Here's a link to a legitimate" article about one of the 5 kids:  Teen Prodigy

We're gearing up for summer.  I hate summer.  One, it's too blasted hot here in Orlando (don't tell Ron I said that, he HATES the summers here and would gladly move back up north).  Two, summer camp costs a fortune and it's a necessary evil.  Aubrey could probably get away with not going to camp, but I shudder at the thought of her being home, alone and unsupervised, all day every day of the summer.  Devon cannot be home alone yet, she is, after all, only 7, and there is no way the two girls could be home together and come out both surviving and Ron and I getting any work done.  Aubrey is going to have - you guessed it - a largely animal filled summer, which she is very excited about.  I have been agonizing over what to do with Devon, since she has Hated (yes with a capital H) every camp she's been to except horse camp.  Yes, she will be at horse camp this summer for every week that it's held, which, unfortunately, is not all summer.  I think I've finally got the rest of the summer taken care of....well, I hope I have it all taken care of, it's something I'd like to cross off my to-do list....not that I make lists, I don't, although my mother always recommended them. She would even put things already done on her list just for the sheer joy of crossing it off.  To each his own.

The next issue is going to be after-care for Devon next year, since there is no point to sending her to the expensive gymnastics after-care program she is at now when she decided to not to do gymnastics anymore. Too bad she hated the other after-care places we've tried....not that they were any cheaper.  And I'm not sure what we're doing with Aubrey next year - guess we need to find out if our carpool people are returning to the school for another year.  

And, of course, religious school is two days a week for both girls next year.  I have no idea how we are going to get them to the Wednesday 4 pm class each week.  Work is such a problem - it really interferes with life.  I can't quit my job, though - my having to work is my major winning point every time Aubrey declares she wants to be home-schooled.  Sorry, can't home-school, got to work.  Home-schooling would so be a bad idea for us!  And she's even got Devon saying that she wants to be home-schooled, although I think she really mostly likes school.  She gets to go on cool field trips, like the one we're going on on Friday - to the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre's presentation of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.  Don't laugh - last year we saw Frog and Toad and it was very enjoyable.  I'm glad I have Devon, a seven-year old, around to keep reminding me to enjoy the simple pleasures in life.  Aubrey, at 12, is so grown up already.  How did that happen so fast?  

Oh - here are a few pictures they took on the trip home on Saturday.  Obviously, they [1] didn't sit with Ron and me and [2] had control of my camera for longer than I thought!

  

Hmmm, maybe not quite so grown up after all!?  And maybe they both have something to teach me about enjoying :)