Speaking Chinese

I have now finished parent-teacher conference.  Jorja's was yesterday. Student led conferences that I think are a waste of time.  Preston's was today.  Jorja had to fill out a paper with three goals, how she will accomplish them and what her parents could do to help.  One of the goals was to work on her Chinese speaking.  She can accomplish that by helping Preston learn to speak Chinese.  The way I could help was to, "stay out of the room or I won't talk at all."  Yep.  Sounds about right. Preston's Chinese teacher says she wants Preston to get 100% every time on his Chinese tests.  She said that math comes easy to him and he doesn't have to work hard at that or any other aspect at school.  There is no reason he can't work to get 100% every time on the Chinese tests. These Chinese tests are hard!  She told me she expects more of Preston because she knows he is capable of more.  I agree.  It is nice to have a teacher realize that he has greater potential.  Even though he has already reached his second grade benchmarks, she wants him to keep working.  That's awesome.  Mrs. Chung also told me she wants Preston to learn three knew Chinese words a day.  He doesn't need to learn how to write or recognize these words, but she wants him to get a bigger vocabulary.  Especially since they are now no longer to speak any English at all in the classroom.  Mrs. Chung wants Preston and Jorja to speak 5 minutes every day to each other.  I think this will be great!

Mike had a big day at work today.  There were people flying in to meet with Mike and the team he is on at work.  The only problem was, Mike started to show signs of a migraine this morning.  Mike always got really bad migraine when he was growing up.  Then he went years without them.  They have started coming back.  The last time he had one he couldn't even think or talk right.  It was so scary and I was worried he was having a stroke.  Not good timing to have the same thing happen today.  Mike said he prayed and prayed that he would be able to think straight.  Luckily he didn't lose his ability to speak or think today.  I hurried down and gave him some medicine, he said that helped a lot.

I have been really hard to try and have a different snack when the kids come home from school.  Today I decided to make something my mom made quite often while we were growing up.  Homemade Reece's.  They were as delicious as I remember.  Jorja loved them.  The other kids tolerated eating one and that was enough for them.  They are extremely rich, but so delicious.

I picked Mike up at work today because we weren't sure if he could drive home.  Jorja came with me.  We went to the pet store and picked out a present for Maysen.  We got her a water dragon.  I think she will love it.  Mike talked me into it.  I am very anti-pets.  He told me it would be good for Maysen to have something to take care of.  We also could have Maysen drive to the pet store with Jorja to get crickets.  He thought the girls could bond doing that.  He also said, "For a girl who has no friends, what better gift could we give her?"  He is right.  She needs this.

I can't believe all of the paraphernalia that comes with the water dragon!  The cage, the water bowl, the lights, the dirt, the plants, the rock, the food......wow!  Luckily there was a large cage on sale for $40. It was normally $115 I think.  Jorja absolutely loved helping pick everything out.  Mike and Jorja got everything set up in the closet behind Mike's workshop.  No one goes down there.  I can't wait to see how surprised Maysen is.  She will never suspect this!