lately

Don't know a title, but feel like blogging.

I found out that all the pictures I post here on my blog are saved on my Google+ account, so that's just one more reason to blog a lot.  (even if I don't have many readers) (or commenters)

Bradley and Andrew have been back in school for a few weeks.  I went to both of their Back to School nights.  Unfortunately, I shared with them my feelings....probably (yeah, for sure) a bad idea.  Andrew's teachers seemed to all want to talk to me.  Junior High is either going to teach him a lot or he's going to fail and have a really hard time adjusting.  Almost all his teachers told us that their main focus is teaching the students study skills and making them better people, even more than teaching them history or math, etc, so I think if they succeed and make Andrew a better student, that will help him in high school.  Andrew is a smart, bright, talented kid, I hope he does well, he has no motivation, effort, or interest.  Bradley soared in Jr High, I hope Andrew will too.  Only problem, Andrew goes to a different school than Bradley did AND, big one, Andrew is a very different person than Bradley!

Bradley is in High School now.  He will do fine, I have no worries!  He will be successful at anything he does.  He is just that way!  But, I worry that Bidwell (his junior high) gives out very easy A's and that made Bradley look like a 3 time Straight A student.  So when the Pleasant Valley (high school) counselors put together Bradley's course selections, they gave him all the advanced classes.  He is really in the hard classes.  The college prep route, but with Biology instead of Physical Science, French for his elective, the higher math section, English with the brainy kids.  He has a TOUGH load for a freshman.  PE is his only kick back class, but even for that class, he got the teacher who MAKES them do push ups and sit ups while the other classes are still waiting around.  He is going to have a LOT more work to do to get straight A's, than he had in Jr High!

Soccer season has begun.  Bradley practices on Tues/Thurs/Fridays and Andrew (of course) practices on Mon/Weds.  Both practice at the same place, across town, but on different days.  Luckily, the freeway is finally open from 3 years of construction, so I can get there easily enough....but it's just a drag to go there 6 days a week (it's the same park where Andrew's games are played). 

Andrew got the "yelling" coach.  He is never quiet.  He never stops screaming.  He yells every instruction to every player on every play.  When I coached against him, it was annoying, but if my players listened to him, they could easily predict where the pass or throw in was going.  Andrew wants to quit, but I keep telling him, "Guymons are not quitters."  I hope the game on Saturday goes well.  I hope Andrew has some good blocking out sounds skills and can ignore the coach, but that will be hard, the coach is LOUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD. 

Bradley has an excellent coach.  We'll see how the season goes, though.  There is not a ton of talent on Bradley's team.  Everyone who tried out made it and half the guys are an age group younger than they are playing in.  Hopefully they will be so well coached that they can win.  Hope this season gives Bradley enough experience to make the high school varsity team! 

I'm back to work as yard duty.  It's much easier this year.  We have 4 yard duties now....plus a roaming teacher.  Last year we had 3, sometimes less if anyone called in sick or didn't show!  My area is the field...so I have the easiest area and the area I enjoy the most (except there is no shade and it hasn't been less than 100 degrees since school started!)  It's also easier with Andrew not there because NO ONE can accuse me of favoritism for not busting my own kid....or busting his classmates and they retaliate against him.  I think I even got a raise.  My last check was for a full month, but I only worked 2 weeks....that was a nice surprise, but, think about it, on the 5 week month, I will still get the same amount.  It will all even out in the end, though! 

I've been enjoying watching William's SVU soccer games on the computer.  He has only played in the pre seasons scrimmage, but it has been fun just watching the team he plays on!  I think he really enjoys being on the team, too!