Category Archives: sports

The Middle School Challenge: Honors Classes?

It’s finally spring and this year, for us, that means lacrosse, soccer, soccer, and yes, one more time, soccer.  I realize that I have only 3 children, and that 4 sports means I am going against a long-held personal belief that children should play one sport per season.  But that conversation is long and convoluted and we can discuss it another time.

In addition to the sports frenzy, this is also the time of year when kids heading to middle school take tests for next year’s “challenge” classes, our district’s designation for honors classes during the middle school years.  Conveniently, this testing coincides with the time of year when the sun hangs low in the sky well beyond bedtime, tricking children into believing that the school year is already over. 

Last spring, SusieJ wrote a convincing post about not taking honors classes.  Her son, as I recall, was nominated for honors math but took a look at the additional homework requirements and thought the better of it.  And what are my thoughts on the whole thing?  Head on over to Midwest Parents, to check out my post–and my thoughts–there.

Simply Joy Sunday: 3 Things I’m Thankful For

I’m feeling thankful today, so I thought I’d join Heather’s Simply Joy Sunday.  Obviously, I’m thankful for my family and all things related—good health, good choices (mostlyJ!), and good relationships.  So what are some of the other things in life that bring me joy?  Here are today’s top three:

  1. I’m thankful for friends.  For someone who’s lived up and down both coasts, and in a couple of states in the middle, friends rank high on the list of things that bring me joy.  Holly (Wisconsin), Kathy (Washington), Missy (California), Debbie (Massachusetts), and Samantha (Pennsylvania) could all be long lost strangers by now.  Instead, they continue to fill my life with joy year after year.  They rock.  Not to mention the friends closer to home, whose names I don’t dare put on the Internet—you know who you are. You rock, too.

  1. I’m thankful for Facebook (see number 1)  Yes, you read that right!  Although Facebook can be a huge time drain, it has allowed me to reconnect with friends I haven’t seen in FOREVER.  Kara—from high school!—just friended me last night.  Jen—who I haven’t seen since 1989—was one of the first people to find me.  How cool is that?  I loved these girls and life just took us in different directions.  At least now I can peek in on them and see how they’re doing.  It always makes me smile. 

  1. I’m thankful we have plenty of snacks for the Super Bowl.  At first glance, this seems to have nothing to do with friends, right?  Think again.  I’m thankful both that we have the resources to be cooking up chili, and cornbread, and hot wings today, but also that we’re sharing them with our friends & our kids’ friends.  Go Steelers!

That’s my Simply Joy Sunday folks.  Hope you’re finding joy in life’s little things, too.