March 2009 Update

 Duston, our straight A student had a down semester receiving a B and B+ last quarter. I have such a hard time backing up Kate as she scolds and reprimands his performance. I was such a horrible student. What a hypocrite I am! He gave us the song and dance about how math was hard for him and how he really tried hard in social studies but the teacher was mean etc. etc. etc. I totally bought it. Kate, though, read right through him. Against he recommendation, I told Duston I would get him a new dirt bike if he could ace the rest of the year. He gave me those puppy dog eyes and promised to try his best. Last week grades were out and he miraculously aced the quarter. This has further fueled Kate’s fire that my judgment as a parent is often not the best.

Jerett….oh sweet Jerett…..is slowly coming around. Last semester her received a healthy helping of M- (meets standards - ) in the areas of pays attention, is courteous to others, listens in class, follows instructions, etc.  This semester he had raised the bar to M and M+! we are ecstatic. Duston is screaming foul.

Mikelle just found out that we are taking them to Disneyland. She has begun to make a list of all the princesses she must meet. She tells me daily, “Oh daddy, it is a dream come true”. She has learned to lecture and sounds exactly like Kate. Sometimes she follows Kate around the house shaking her finger and following up on mom’s remarks.

Jesse James is mobile, and I am starting to think that the name might have been a bad omen! This kid is the happiest, most devious child I have ever met. Like a whirlwind he works the room dismantling anything he can reach. It is going to be a long 18 years.

Kate is training hard for the Salt Lake half marathon next month. I don’t know how she finds the time.

Me, well I am still me. Not a lot of training going on. I can be found with a Pepsi and Twinkie almost daily. I find myself saying things my dad used to say, which is quite scary. I have my first few gray hairs and am not coping too well with that!