Sorry for the delay, I've been blog-jacked

Yes, I have been MIA as my blog was blogjacked and I could not gain access to it. Funny becuase whoever took the time to steal it never did anything with it or at least what I can see. Who knows, I may have been selling heaven knows what in Russia. Anyway, I am back and the count down of the last days of summer are upon us. School starts on Monday and for the first time since school started, I am the one who is not ready for summmer to be over.

They're In!!!

I got the call today while scouring T-Town for cheap fabric for the girls sewing projects. I could hardly contain my joy. Set B has been accepted to the new school! 2 in and 2 to go.
It looks like this year will start out similar to last years schedule with two separate drop off and pick up times. The set B will start at 8am and set A will start at 9pm. Thank God the school are only about 3 miles of traffic free streets apart.
I'm so excited for MeiMei and HooHaa. I only wish Canoley and Tobbers could have the same experience. Oh well, with time they too will move over. They are a little sad about being left behind, but they understand that it is a numbers game and eventually they will move over as well. Canoley understands that she will be the last yahoo to move over. And like a typical tomato kid, there were first to point out that this means double of everything---two fall festivals---two holiday parties---two of every school event.
The new school goes through to 8th grade. So it looks like we can plan on being there for a while. I cannot wait to say goodbye to the old "hood" school. But I will contain my joy and keep my negative thoughts to myself. Just because I do not like it there, I know there are those that drink the Koolaid and think it is just swell. For those that want a refresher of my first opinion of our soon to be departed "hood" school can read blog post from 2008 - Spetember 3rd. ( I tried to post the link but either I am too stupid to figure it out or my computer is not coorperating...I like to hink it is the latter.
Please let me put this chapter of my kids life behind us...or at least half of it.

First week of school and kindergarten

We or more like I survived the first week back to school and the first week of Kindergarten. Like others it is with mixed emotions that I send the yahoos off to school each year. One it seems like just yesterday the Noley and Tobbers were crawling around getting into everything in sight and just yesterday that MeiMei was home flushing everything in sight down the toilet.

We got the teachers we expected to get so no big surprises on that front. It appears that this year is off to a better start. I am clearly getting desensitized to the 20 percent hoochy and ghetto and am noticing the 80 normal at the school.

MeiMei is thrilled to be a "big girl" in kindergarten. No tears for her in fact she would perfer to stay longer and begs to go to "5thR" as she calls it---everyone else on the planet calls it 4thR.

Praise be to KUMON!

Last year we switched from private school to public school. In my attempt to fill in the public school gaps, I decided invest in Kumon math and reading enrichment program for the yahoos. I knew they would benefit but the degree to which was yet to be determined. That is until last week when we received the results of the kids state test scores. The tests is broken into two main areas read and math with sub categories in each.
I about fell out of my chair when I learned that Tobbers (the guy who last summer at 7 yrs old, still could not remember what 2+3 equalled) scored in the 80% in the state (top 20% percent in the state) and scored a perfect 100% score in language arts vocabulary and analysis.
Kumon works. It really really works. I am shocked. I know he is a smart guy, but he likes to check out if it is not interesting to him. Math was a dark void in his brain. He moved from being in the 20th percentile to the 80%. He was always good with words but to get a perfect score is simply amazing.
Noley also kicked butt with the tests. She tested over 90% in all categories which earned her entrance into the GATE program. She is on the wait list for the 3rd grade class--we are in for sure for 4th grade when they bump class size to 30 kids. We will be keeping our fingers crossed in hopes that there is room in the 3rd grade class for her. We will find out September 5th what teachers the kids get for the upcoming year. When I asked the kids what they attributed their success to they both answered quickly...KUMON. "Kumon made it easier for me"
Thank you Kumon. I thank you and my yahoos thank you. If you have ever considered a math or reading enrichment program, I highly recommend www.kumon.com