A Week of Surprises!

School started for my kids on August 19, which in my opinion is waaaay too early.  Anyway, for the first time since preschool, my twins were placed in the same 4th grade class.  I was very excited because I love the teacher they received and selfishly looked forward to a year where I would only need to attend one holiday party, one art docent lesson, one clay project, one field trip, etc.  Having to split your time between twins can really be difficult.  


This lasted for all of two days.  Unfortunately, our school districts poor staff planning lead to numerous families being turned away from our school and these families (rightly so) demanded entry.  So nearly a week into the start of the year, a 3rd/4th combo class was formed.  And I was asked if I might be interested in moving one of my boys to this class.

My initial response was no.  But then the lure of one of my sons being in a class with only 20 kids (nine 4th graders and eleven 3rd graders), instead of the current class which has 34 kids seemed appealing.  The fact that he would be in a group of only nine 4th graders receiving small group instruction became to good to pass up and we decided to move him.

The only tough part was having to tell him that he would have to move from his current class (which was full of all his friends) to a class where he would be one of four boys and 5 girls (making up the 9 fourth graders).    But like the champ he is, he took it all in stride--which really wasn't a surprise.  And so far (two days in to this combo class) so good.

Another surprise I had this week, which is of the gross variety, is when I reached my hand into my 8th grader son's old backpack from last year, trying to find a magic rub eraser, and I found 4 moldy peanut butter sandwiches.  This was not your basic green mold, I'm talking 3 month old, starting to turn orange mold.  ICK!!

Not only was he growing penicillin in there but he also had enough wrappers to fill a trash bag.  For some reason, his backpack remained untouched since last June and I'm surprised it didn't just get up and walk away.

After receiving a quick lecture, I made him clean out the contents of his backpack (even he was disgusted) and promise to eat his sandwiches.  We've gone down this road, I wrote about  how  I found 7 sandwiches in his bag last year.  I'm hoping that the threat of having to eat what I find is enough to make him clean out his bag!

Anyway, enough surprises for me.