When you get an email from the kid's school... it can go one way, or the other.
I got an email from the Deputy Principal yesterday afternoon... and this is it:
Dear Mrs Christina Harvey
Re : Griffin Harvey
This letter is to inform you that Griffin has been awarded a Cambridge Office Products Dean's Award through our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) Merit Certificate system.
Our PB4L Merit Certificate system is a reward scheme where students are acknowledged for showing significant or sustained respect, responsibility and/or achievement in and around the classroom. Acknowledgement can be given by any teacher through Faculty Merit Certificates and when a student has received five of these, they are presented with a Dean's Award for consistently displaying our school's expectations.
Along with this letter acknowledging Griffin's achievement, he will also be presented with a certificate. This certificate has been kindly provided by one of our sponsors, Cambridge Office Products, and as such we ask you to support them in return.
The school wishes to take this opportunity to once again thank Griffin for his positive contribution to Cambridge High School and we encourage him to aim for the next level of achievement in this rewards scheme.
Yours sincerely,
Mr M Kuijpers
Assistant Principal
Another proud parent moment.
It was fun calling Griffin into the lounge last night and telling him we had an email from the school... and asking him 'What have you been getting up to at school?"... in a very serious voice. (hee hee)
Poor kid's face was like " Oh fuck, WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
Priceless. It was neat then getting him to read the email himself... and his relief was clear to see.
I am just a little bit evil.
I won't be going on a walk today, I feel like I need a rest.
It's been a busy week one way or another.
There's probably a load of washing to do today, some light housework... maybe a smelly mouse or 6 to make too.
I bought some Pure Essential Oil while I was in Auckland, so I have the 'right' stuff to drip into the mice for Sunday's market.
When I was at Bex's the other day, I saw she had a baby change table set up in her lounge. On it she had all her craft stuff... and I thought it was a brilliant idea.
I could use one in my sewing room, so I started looking on Trade Me and found and bought one yesterday!
Stew is going to pick it up for me tonight:
ABOVE: It's in very good condition, and is going to be really good for storing stuff on. I love that the middle shelf rolls out... damn handy that is! It's on wheels too, so I can move it around easily too.
I have a 'thing' for furniture on wheels. *smiles*
Right... I'm off to get me day started.
ONWARD...
So I've done NOTHING so far today! I've been stressing about my upcoming 60th Birthday. (October)
When you have a 'fractured' family, it's rather difficult to decide how to go about having a special birthday and not offend anyone.
Bearing in mind, it is MY BIG BIRTHDAY, and it should make ME HAPPY?
What a joke.
I feel like I'm walking through a mine field.
Half my kids won't talk to the other half, this one won't have anything to do with that one, or that one... and so on!
Some come with an agenda... or a huge chip on their shoulder, ready to make an issue out of the slightest thing.
I've already had one birthday utterly RUINED by family members getting into a huge fight... and I have vowed that will NEVER happen again. (6 years ago now, but still fresh in my mind!)
I really feel like no matter what I do I will upset someone.
So what to do? I really don't know right now. Opinions welcome.
Well, some things are becoming a bit clearer.
I have to start doing what is right for ME and STEW. Put US first, and not try pleasing everyone else.
More on this... tomorrow, after I've thought about it some more.
I've been working in my sewing room... WISHING I had the guts to move into the lounge so I had more room... but the lounge is such a gorgeous room! I don't want to spoil it.
So, I've been trying to juggle things around a bit, tidy up a bit... going around in circles really cos I do not have enough room.
I've now got my sewing/craft stuff split between three bedrooms! That does my head in.
But I have no choice right now. It is what it is.
ALREADY REGRETTING SOMETHING. Again... more on that tomorrow.
For now... sewing, then watch Coronation Street, then more sewing before bed.
So I've done NOTHING so far today! I've been stressing about my upcoming 60th Birthday. (October)
When you have a 'fractured' family, it's rather difficult to decide how to go about having a special birthday and not offend anyone.
Bearing in mind, it is MY BIG BIRTHDAY, and it should make ME HAPPY?
What a joke.
I feel like I'm walking through a mine field.
Half my kids won't talk to the other half, this one won't have anything to do with that one, or that one... and so on!
Some come with an agenda... or a huge chip on their shoulder, ready to make an issue out of the slightest thing.
I've already had one birthday utterly RUINED by family members getting into a huge fight... and I have vowed that will NEVER happen again. (6 years ago now, but still fresh in my mind!)
I really feel like no matter what I do I will upset someone.
So what to do? I really don't know right now. Opinions welcome.
Well, some things are becoming a bit clearer.
I have to start doing what is right for ME and STEW. Put US first, and not try pleasing everyone else.
More on this... tomorrow, after I've thought about it some more.
I've been working in my sewing room... WISHING I had the guts to move into the lounge so I had more room... but the lounge is such a gorgeous room! I don't want to spoil it.
So, I've been trying to juggle things around a bit, tidy up a bit... going around in circles really cos I do not have enough room.
I've now got my sewing/craft stuff split between three bedrooms! That does my head in.
But I have no choice right now. It is what it is.
ALREADY REGRETTING SOMETHING. Again... more on that tomorrow.
For now... sewing, then watch Coronation Street, then more sewing before bed.
Congrats to Griffin and also to you and Stew -definitely proud parent moment. Love the idea of a change table in the sewing room.
ReplyDeleteWOOT WOOT
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Griffin, awesome work :-)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Griffin, good job buddy
ReplyDeleteInvite them all, hopefully they can put their differences aside for a few hours to celebrate your birthday
ReplyDeleteWell done Griffin! As for your birthday, maybe you and Stew (plus perhaps Brylee and Griffin) should "elope" for a nice family mini-holiday/weekend away. The rest of the family can invite you to their homes for a birthday celebration if they choose to, that way you can have a nice time with each family without the stress of people not getting on with each other, bickering etc. It's your special day, so do what makes you happy - and hopefully the rest of the family will want to celebrate with you in their own ways.
ReplyDeleteGood on Griffin !! For your birthday you could have nothing and go out for dinner with Stew and friends..or you could have an "open" day where the family pop in when they want and then go out for dinner with your friends and take Brylee and Griffin ?
ReplyDeleteI love this ideas . You could just have a few snacks around for people who call in so no hours of baking. But I think I'd invite people who are really awesome friends to go to dinner too.
DeleteAwesome Griffin. Celebration time. Love the changing table idea. Lots of room for baskets of fabric etc. Might copy that.
DeleteWell done Griffin. Well deserved. As for the birthday? I wish I could help. It's so hard when families don't talk. It would be nice to think that they would put aside their grievances for YOUR day but going on past performances I can't see that happening. Maybe just invite all your readers. We love you!!
ReplyDeleteWell done to Griffin, he seems like such a nice lad! He is headed in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the party goes, I would remind everyone of the punch up that happened 6 years ago, say that no way do I want a repeat of that and then spend my 60th only with the people I want around me. You can't keep on trying to please family. They are all adults and can go off and please themselves ... and they will, believe me. You are going to be 60 years old. The question to ask ourselves is, at what point do we set down the burden and please OURSELVES for a change? Failing that, maybe you and Stew can take off for the weekend by yourselves? Go somewhere nice.
Well done Griffin.
ReplyDeleteAs for the birthday just do something with the three youngest, Steve,Griffin and Brylee, they are the ones that give you joy. If the others want to celebrate with you then they can come to you.
congratulations Griffin he is turning into a great young man-as for the family birthday thing I know how u feel...the last FAMILY XMAS WE HAD was 11 years ago and Ill never have another (spent several hours sitting on the lakes edge contemplating driving forward I had foresight enough to through the car keys in the backseat of car so I couldnt...then got stopped on way home because i had no seat belt on dont think the cop knew which way to turn when I burst into historical walling and said between burst of tears I had just spent couple hours talking myself out of driving into lake so seat belt was least of my troubles...he let me off with a warning and came around a few days later to see how i was ... but HAPPY CHRISTMAS my arse not with my family. I have since had some lovley Xmas times just not with my family so the moral of the story is do something with just you that YOU enjoy and have perhaps wanted to do but never got around to with over 40 yeas or parenting something on your bucket list (like a holiday just u and Stew)
ReplyDeleteWow, Freedom, that's some story. I'm so glad you didn't drive into the water. It must have been a dreadful day for you. Families can be the best or the worst and quite frankly, we don't have to spend time with those who do not add to our lives.
DeleteInvite us all.. we are all adults after all...and like you say it is your day...
ReplyDeleteChris, my mantra is "if you can't please anyone, then please yourself". Works every time for me
ReplyDeleteI'd just celebrate with the ones that don't cause problems and not invite the others. It's pretty apparent who wants to be in your life on a regular basis. Either that or I'd just go away for my birthday lol
ReplyDeleteHow about you and Stew fly to Oz to visit you Mum for your birthday.
ReplyDeleteWhy even put yourself through thinking about it... life is too short to try to please everyone. My family had a "breakup" a couple of years ago and since then those that do get together have a great time! I don't think I've seen my sister more happy since she stopped seeing or having anything to do with one of her kids.
ReplyDeleteI really think you should have a small friends and family gathering (you know who would get on) and then you and Stew GO AWAY for a weekend. I always go away for my birthday because a) it solves any problem about who should be there and b) I love being away on my birthday. Last week was my 62nd birthday and we had it on a cruise ship. Previous birthdays have been at the Tongariro Chateau, Cruising the Mediterranean, Queenstown, Australia etc etc. Find somewhere you'd love to go and just go away. Seriously - stop trying to please everyone.
a "drop in" afternoon at your place might work, then those who want to avoid each other can! Or come to Sydney!!!!! We can put you up!!! Christy xxx
ReplyDeleteYeah. Your birthday. Just do something you'd like, and have a quiet family dinner. Family who wish to join in can, and those who want to be stupid and be stupid somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteGoing away is a really smart idea. Because it does solve it. Go somewhere fun. We have started doing that on holidays - Going with immediate family (to avoid extended family). But it would also work to go with just your husband to avoid everyone else.
ReplyDeleteMy other suggestion is not to try to do anything as a group. Instead do things one on one over the course of several weeks. Family. Friends. Quality. Less complications.
Build yourself an art / sewing studio in your beautiful backyard! Your space exclusively. And free up space in the house! Happy Birthday!
ReplyDelete