This week has seriously been a butt kicker! For starters, we didn't have much of a weekend last weekend. We went up to Wyoming for the first ever Cowboy Feis; during the summer it seemed like an ok choice, but coming off the first week of school I had to seriously reconsider my sanity! We picked the girls up from school and hit the road for a 3 1/2 hr drive. Stayed in a hotel (I barely slept), then had a full day of dance. Lu (my younger child, but champion) was supposed to start at 8, so we got to the place right after 7 and got the girls ready. She didn't go on until close 9, and of course, my oldest was dancing across the school at the same time. Husband and I had to split up-I went with Lu because she was wearing her long hair wig for the first time and I had to be ready if there were to be a wardrobe disaster! Lu's dancing was over in about an hour, but we had no idea when the awards were going to be announced, or where for that matter, so we stuck around. I missed all of Pie's soft shoe dancing-she needed to move up in 1 of 2 dances to get to champion but did not. So she was bummed. They finally announced results for the champs and Lu placed 4th in overall for the first time ever! (She became a champ last November, but did not dance again until this June in competition) We watched the rest of the day for Pie in hard shoes, then watched the girls do their trophy special dance. (This doesn't count, it's usually for charity or something and they get a trophy). Pie tied for first-she got a rhinestone cowboy hat, a beautiful celtic belt buckle and a trophy. We had to wait until after lunch for Lu's results, and I really wasn't expecting anything great. She was in an under 14 group (she is 10!), and there were 20 something kids. She got 2nd place! We were so excited for her-so both my kids got the coveted hats (they only gave them to 1st and 2nd place), and the day ended very nicely. Only I hadn't eaten the ENTIRE day. My urine was turning orange (how's that for TMI?) We got something to eat before our drive home and I tried to rehydrate. It was a long 3 1/2 hr drive home to say the least! Sunday was not a rest day as my kids had to go to a city 45 min away for their weekly team practice. They were gone from 11:45 o almost 6.
Pie is facing some new challenges this year; she is in 7th grade taking Algebra (super nerd!), and all of her classes are pre-AP with the exception of her two electives, orchestra and german. She had homework last week like nothing we have ever experienced! 8 hrs+ one night! She was up past 10 two of those nights; I am very concerned that she is in over her head. In addition, she tried out (and made it!) into chamber orchestra, a small group that does advanced work. She was after school practicing with the teacher leading up to try-outs and really just kicked her own butt last week. AND to top it off, her school has a new policy which they claim filters down from the district, not their own policy, that if a child completes the work as was assigned, the most they can get is a 3/4. To get a 4/4 they have to go above and beyond-do more than was assigned. ?????? I am not pleased about this at all. This seems like an unrealistic goal for a 7th grader already in very advanced classes.
So it has been a rough week. Not too bad for Lu-she is learning her states and capitals, but she has a very good memory and memorization isn't too hard for her at all. She was moved up to a champ level weekly class last week that has her getting home on Tuesday nights at 8:45. That is an adjustment for sure. Luckily she doesn't have to get up until 8.
So we have no plans for the long weekend-and even better...no dance! (Short lived-the following weekend we have a competition both days) :( Hope the kids can get into the school thing soon! We are all struggling to keep up unfortunately.
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