Monday, August 31, 2009

Jase's Summer Wrap-Up

Gosh, summer is about over here in Alaska. The leaves on the trees are yellowing (they don't turn red or orange here). There are some bushes turning red now - I was just told they do that because of frost. I really thought it was just the natural progression of a leaf's life, I didn't think it had anything to do with Jack Frost.

Our summer was a whirl-wind. I spent a lot of time with my Dad and the kids spent a lot of time together. Jason was the main babysitter this summer. His reward was getting two kid free days a week to be with friends. He also gave up his cell phone for the summer. His reward - getting a new phone when school began. He is back into hockey season and insisting he doesn't need new skates or pads or a stick, even though he's grown and his feet are at least 1 size bigger than they were last year and he's skating on "back-up" skates as it is . . . totally not fitted to him or in good shape at all. He is certainly no saint though. He's difficult to deal with and he spends way too much time on his stupid XBox and talking to his buddies at all hours of the night over those dorky head phones that plug into the game system. SO FRUSTRATING! But, he's not sneaking over to girls houses, he's not dippin' into the liquor cabinet, not sneaking beer from the tap, and there are no body modification talk going on. No vandalism, sneaking out, or stealing. He is on the Hoodlum Avoidance Program brought to us by youth sports. Thank you athletics!
However, we will not partake in another summer of soccer. He had the most wonderful coach to teach him the game and then he was moved down to his own age bracket. What a painful mistake. How disorganized and what mayhem. And this was a "comp" team. The only competition going on was who could race to the ball first. It was like watching Ice-Puppy Hockey or Tee-Ball! He only played with them a couple weeks then went to state with them. What a HUGE waste of money. Next year we welcome baseball back into our lives.
Now it is back to school. 7th grade. He was separated from his buddies and is on the "Mid-Knight Sun" team. He is having to make new friends and it is really testing his tolerance. He isn't fond of all of his teachers . . . but that is a good lesson for him. He never has homework other than a bit of math here and there. He does have a leaf identification project to do - but it seems as dumb as it does interesting. Sure, as an adult I'd like to know what a tree is, but I did the same project when I went to North Pole Middle School and all I know is Spruce trees have needles and Birch are pretty with leaves. So do I see a point to this project? Nope! And who wants to go out in this chilly rain and collect leaf samples?!

2 comments:

Kate said...

Nice summer wrap-up post. A leaf identification project? I hate tasks which seem pointless!

Patty said...

On to Hockey now!

How did the leaf project turn out? Im telling you save it!! Carly and Caden will have to do it as well. It gives them a good starting base.