The first week of school

Ru and I are have come through the first week of school with exhausted smiles.  Here are the details.
On Tuesday September 4 I went to school.  At Judson the 6th graders come for the first day, then the 7th and 8th graders come Wednesday.  So I was expecting my three new 6th graders.  I also found out I was getting a very difficult kid, with a terrible history, and I wouldn't get any help for him.  I was terrified this would upset the peace and harmony of my lovely class with its lovely kids.  When I got off work dragged my exhausted self to Liberty Elementary School for parent night.  I knew very little about Ru's school, I didn't even know what class he would be in.  The kids in the neighborhood told me there were two teachers, one yelled a lot, one was cool and played guitar.  You can guess which one I was hoping for. 

The first day of school (for the 6th graders)

The Class List for 4th Grade

 The classlist for 4th grade.  Ruben got the teacher who played guitar!  I watched him talk with other parents for a while, and I waited for Jeff to bring Ruben.  Jeff and Ru had spent the day in Newport at the aquarium.  Ruben and Jeff showed up, Jeff met Ru's teacher then we had cookies and went home.  I was glad that Ru had lots of kids in his class to be friends with, but 31... that's pretty big. We went home, and I gave Ru dinner, a bath, read him a book, and then cried myself to sleep with worry.

At morning latchkey, first day of school for Ru

 Right on time the next morning I dropped Ruben off at latchkey.  Its in the same building as his classroom which is nice.  He could eat breakfast at school, but he eats at home because he likes my cooking better. I don't know why my cereal is better than school cereal... but oh well.  I worried myself off to school, and me and my assistant teachers anxiously awaited the students.  A few of my kids from last year trickled in, and with the first hugs and smiles my anxiety evaporated.  Then the busses arrived, and the rest of the class came in with more hugs, smiles, and chit chat about how summer was.  The thing about my class is, well its just great.  The kids are all well below grade level, and so so sweet.  The student I was so worried about I met at the door and said to him "Welcome to the best class at Judson.  You are going to do great here" and for the next few days he told me every day how happy he was to be in my class.  (He's still doing great)

Mr. Finicle one of the classroom Educational Assistants leading a discussion

 We had a fun day, played a lot of games, and started with our assessments. Everything went as smoothly as it could.  Thursday and Friday also passed pleasantly. but back to Wednesday...

Sporting the teacher clothes

Ruben has two after school programs, one is latchkey where he goes in the morning, I signed him up there for Monday and Friday afternoons.  The other is called Community Corner and its at a church about 3 blocks from his elementary school.  Its for latchkey kids to go for free after school.  I like free, I wasn't sure I'd like the program.  Lots of Ruben's friends from the apartment complex we live in go there after school though, and I wanted him to be with kids he knows.  So I went there to pick him up and amidst the chaos was Ruben playing dodgeball and having a great time.  He was exhausted when I picked him up, and he said that he did a math test that was so hard it made him shake.  He also told me that it was hard. That he had to remember 34 rules at least.

Thursday when I picked him up he told me how much fun he had with the kids at recess, that they played on the tire swing and it was as fun as a roller coaster.  He also told me that he made two friends in his classroom..  What a contrast from last year when he still didn't have buddies at Christmas.  He liked the after school program at the corner church just fine.

Friday when I picked up Ru at latchkey he was tired, and so was I.  We came home to drop off stuff, then went out to our favorite sushi restaurant.  While we were eating Ruben reminded me that I had promised his friend Brett could come over for the afternoon so I suggested we invite him over to spend the night.  We called and Brett was available.  We picked him up as soon as we were finished with dinner and after an entertaining trip to the grocery store, (Brett was wearing a rainbow mohawk light up wig, and Ru was propelling the cart with fart noises) we went home for some relaxing by staring at screens.  Brett decided not to spend the night with Ru, and went home, and Ru and I snuggled to a deep deep sleep.

At our favorite restaurant about to go get Brett

Brett hanging out

Shopping helpers?  More like shopping entertainment.

 So Saturday we ate a lovely breakfast of blueberry pancakes and then made our way to an empty lot where we picked lots and lots of blackberries.  Well I picked, Ru explored. When we got home we weighed them and I had enough to start a batch of wine (20 lbs). 

Picking Ru

Picking Em

Wine to be

The neighbor kids came over to play Saturday aftenoon and were fascinated by the big bucket of blackberry slurry. I let them taste it after I had added the sugar and it was truly delicious.  It was like blackberry syrup.  Sunday morning when it cooled I pitched the yeast.  It will be ready for drinking late next spring.

We went to our new church where Ruben had an interesting time with the youth group.  They are doing a Harry Potter type lesson and it was pretty cool how they had decorated the youth center to look like Hogwarts.  Ru said it wasn't as cool as last time we went, so we may be looking for a church still.  I liked this church, the music was good, the people were friendly and it was small.  That's pretty much my list of qualifications for a church. 

Kitty getting loves.  She never looks happy, but her purr betrays her.

 Monday was another busy day at school, I started reading groups and training my new assistant.  We are working hard to get down our new class routines.  Ru was happy about school, he joined a club called the secret six, and they spy on other kids on the playground.  Sometimes its only the secret four, but I don't care as long as he's having fun and playing with other kids.  He says he's making friends and that some girl wants to come over and play but she always says her phone number too fast for him to write down. 
After school Grace (our neighbor girl) came over to see how the wine was doing, and declared it stinky.  I am helping her with her reading. I diagnosed her problems with reading as needing more practice, and to follow with her finger.  Its cool to work with kids without disabilities sometimes.

Tuesday went by in a flash. After school Ru had a headache, so he had a medicine and when he felt better we played a game of chutes and ladders. Ru took a bubble bath and I started a new book. Early to bed...
So today (Wednesday) a week since Ru started school, and really all is well.  We had a little party at school today for the two kids and one teacher (ME) with September birthdays.  One parent brought huge delicious costco carrot cake muffins.  Mmmmmm.  What a treat.  After school Ru and I went to a barbecue at the church down the street.  They had games like a dunk tank and water balloon toss.  We had a good time.  We were all cozy in bed till Ru realized he forgot to do his homework. 

Oh well.  Its just nice that we are on the up side of life's ups and downs for now.

Ru playing water balloon bungee at the church barbecue. His babysitter Kelsey is holding the bungee on one end.