Hockey, Science Fairs and Basketball

The days have been getting longer, Praise God! Over the weekend I saw surfers in the bay! I wish I had my camara with me (For a photo of a surfer in Kachemak Bay, go to the Greear Family Blog). We have been so busy with 4 hockeys games every weekend the last two weekends. I always have great plans for what I am going to accomplish between games. But when I get home and the sun is pouring into my living room, heating the house up to 80 degrees, I just want to curl up in the big easy chair and take a nap. Fortunately, I have a good book to curl up with. It would have been funny had Matt caught me napping with my book: "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". I don't think napping is one of the habits Steven Covey was writing about, but I wouldn't know, I haven't been able to get past the second chapter. I get exhausted just thinking about what it would be like to be highly effective.

No, these are not all the things I'm giving up for Lent. They were the chemicals Riley subjected his father to for the sake of science. He wanted to see which chemicals would make Matt's blood pressure go up. His teacher was disappointed that we could not get Matt's blood pressure elevated after one of these beverages. I told her I thought it was dose dependent. Apparently, ONE cup of coffee or ONE glass of wine does not increase Matt's blood pressure. Besides, you cannot draw conclusions from a science experiment where there is only ONE subject. It would have been interesting to document the effects of STRESS on Matt's blood pressure. Here's Matt's blood pressure when he first gets home from work. Here's Matt's blood pressure when he opens the VISA bill. Here's Matt's blood pressure after Mom tells him she's going to play women's hockey next winter and go to a women's surf camp for her 45th birthday.

Riley learning how to check a blood pressure on Matt.

In addition to his science project, he had a book report due yesterday. I tried to encourage him to work on it a little everyday instead of putting it off until the last night. It didn't help. He still morphed from a sweet little boy into a whining, crying, tantrum throwing emotional wreck. "I don't know what to write!" I swore I would not let myself get sucked into the melodrama this time. I gave him lots of room to do what he needed to do. This is his third book report this year. He should know what to do by now. He doesn't seem to be able to get down to business without the meltdown first. Then I have to sit down and ask him leading questions. What happended first? Then what? How does it end? Tell me about the characters. What did you like about the book? It's like pulling teeth, everytime.

We've been trying to find a niche for Chris all year. Well, yes he does already have a niche with his love of cutting down trees, chopping wood and building fires. I mean an age-appropriate niche that would help him get along in society, not just survive in the Alaskan wilderness. He is actually quite popular with his peers. He has no trouble making friends at school. He is smart, funny, and charming. But he never seems to want a play date. He gets left out when his brother has a friend over. He gets dragged to hockey games and never wants to be involved in an activity of his own. We really don't care if he doesn't want to play organized sports. We just want him to be happy doing his own thing, hopefully something that doesn't involve sharp tools and pyromania.

He finally has his own best friend: Cole. He loves Cole. They get along so well. He also expressed an interest in playing basketball. So we signed him up with a basketball program called Upward. It's a Christian based program that teaches skills and gets kids involved in a team sport without all the pressure of competition. He went to his first practice last night and seemed to have fun. My mom took him while we were at work. He also wants to take an art class. So I'm on the lookout for kids art classes being offered in the community.

Maya has no problem finding a niche. She has niches all over town. People are always telling me, "I saw Maya at the post office with your mom" She goes to Boys and Girls' Club with my mom for playgroup on Mondays and Fridays when I work. She has her own friends there that I have never met. Friday she came home wearing hot pink boots that Mimi gave her. Mimi's mom made her a little hula hoop of her very own. This Friday, I'm sending my camara with my mom so they can document their day. Next blog topic: "The secret life of Maya and Grandma."