Smiley got into MHSA!

Smiley is now enrolled at Milwaukee H.S. of the Arts as a visual art major. Proud he's attending his first choice school, and my alma mater. - Lisa

The First Day of the School Year (for the high school) and an end of summer celebration

Yesterday was the last day of summer here, with the two oldest returning to school today. The younger three and Madita spent the afternoon at the pool and the lake and then we treated everyone to Organ Piper Pizza before a last hour trip to Walmart.

Homecoming

I was very proud to see Lulu attend her school Homecoming Dance Friday night (technically, the Fall Ball, as they don't have a football team). I haven't had a chance to ask her about it yet, but she texted me these pictures and said she had fun!

Swim

@ Riverside High Swim meet for YaYa

Feeling Proud

Lulu, a freshman, is in Level 3 dance at school, which is typically a junior level. Tuesday she had a rough day and came home in tears. Wednesday she spoke to the teacher and told her she was new to the school and came from a non-competitive dance studio, but was committed to the class. She even told the instructor to "yell at me" if she got anything wrong. Wow. What an unscripted declaration of grit and dedication. It is honestly one of the proudest moments of my parenting career. Well done OJ!

The first day of the new School Year (for the highschoolers)

Today my two oldest started school!

YaYa and Grandma J are seeing this tonight at the high school

Apparently, in my junior year of high school I took a Business Law class and earned an A and 5 credit hours (whatever that was). I assure you, I don't have even the flimsiest memory of any such event. I also took Oceanography and notched a B. Long story short: apparently a doppleganger took a bunch of classes for me at Pius.

Congrats!

 Congratulations to to my sister LuLu for getting into Milwaukee High School of the Arts! - YaYa

A Second YaYa?

I picked up YaYa early from school for an appointment. As per procedure, I called the school, spelled our name, verified my first name and gave my complete address to the woman. Ten minutes later a girl knocked on my car window. It was YaYa - just not MY YaYa. They sent out the wrong kid. When I went in to get it straightened out I wasn't angry (they aren't kindergartners after all) but I did get peeved when they excused it by saying Polish names all look the same. "Is that what you'd tell a Rodriguez when you send out a Gonzalez?" I said.

Some weird coincidences with the other YaYa tho: her Dad's name is Dan, she too goes by Gracie, and she lives on Arthur Ave, the same street I grew up on. "Maybe you ARE my Dad," she said.

Monsters

I just dropped off all three of my girls to see [YaYa's beau] Sam T perform in "Monsters" at MHSA.  Meanwhile Smiley is helping his Mom make fruit skewers for our Halloween party.

The MHSA Health Fair

This morning was the health fair at MHSA. YaYa, as you know, helped run the testicular cancer booth. She gave away purple ribbons for awareness, and she and Junie (!) constructed testicles from balloons, corn starch, and a hard pea. Fairgoers then tried to identify the pea by touch as if they were diagnosing a cancerous lump. A HUGE turnout, and we won a tomato and a kohlrabi plant at a anti-GMO booth. Good job Gracie!

A Busy, Busy Day

I spent the afternoon in back to back speech IEP's for Smiley and Junie Got a little contentious during one of them, but we're sick of their progress being sugarcoated. I think the plan that resulted will help. (don't ask for details, if I was going to share I would have  put it here).

 Now grade school conferences, followed by YaYa's high school conferences, dance class, Marquette, work . . . at least I didn't have to shovel though LOL 

update: 

Elementary conference results: Junie "never has a bad day" and is always cheerful, and tests at near a sixth grade level in reading. Smiley is a strong writer who tests above the 90th percentile in math. LuLu, practicing to be a teenager, refused to answer my questions about how she did, and I'll have to get the answers from Lisa later. But she did well enough for Lisa to reward her with a hardcover at the Book Fair afterwards, so she must have done very well indeed

High school conference results: with four weeks left in the term, YaYa is riding five A's and a B, the latter being in her major (theater), which the instructor wrote off as being because she is bored with the introductory curriculum. Three classes - physics, English, and History - want her in AP next year. The history teacher assigns her extra work "to keep her interested" and the English teacher grades her papers "to a higher standard" and says she's already grooming GC for senior level coursework. Four of the six reported she is a joy to have in their class. As YaYanormally refuses to so much as breathe a word of what she does at school (welcome to life with a teenager), I was floored. Great job!

RE: the conference results. I've been telling you for twenty years, I bred for looks and brains. Gotta have 'em both. LOL

Tutoring

 My Dad tutoring YaYa at Zablocki library for her algebra final. He must be doing something right, as a stranger just came up and asked him for advice.

Swim Letter

While the rest of #TeamSlap was at the party, YaYa attended her swim team

banquet. Plus, she got her letter in swim!

A Swim Meet

At Riverside High School, cheering on YaYa at her swim meet!

School Fees of Old

On September 23, 1991 I paid $2.00 in student fees at Pulaski High School. I then  chose to hold onto the receipt for the last twenty-four years. I don't think I'm a hoarder, but I am symptomatic.

Bam! Great Job!

Today YaYa got a letter announcing her acceptance into Rufus King, Riverside, and *drumroll* her Mom's alma mater Milwaukee High School of the Arts, as an acting major! Congratulations baby, we're so proud of you!

Congrats!

I got accepted into Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Rufus King, and Riverside.. the only schools I applied to - YaYa