Family Cruise

Our family is going on their first-ever cruise in a few weeks. Being responsible for four people's packing, I have already started thinking about what we have and what we might need for the trip. I wanted to make sure the girls' swimsuits fit and asked Eden to go try her Speedo on to make sure it fit.

Eden: "Why do I have to see if it fits? It fit me this summer."
Me: "Well, it's been a few months and you've grown. I just need to make sure it fits."
Eden: "Mom! My legs grow longer but my body stays the same."

She could be correct in her observation but I still need to know for packing purposes!

Lilli came home excited last week because she would be representing her class in the school Spelling Bee. Yesterday, she came home in tears realizing the Spelling Bee was on a day we would be on the cruise. When I told her there was nothing we could do, she kept crying about it. When I offered that she could stay home with Oma so she wouldn't miss the Spelling Bee, she decided she could try again next year.

Good choice.

Asher made the honor roll his first nine weeks of middle school. This was wonderful news to me. He was given full responsibility and he didn't disappoint in his performance. He made 6 B's and 2 A's. One B was in Creative Writing. Therefore, I accepted his grade as subjective and told him "good job." His other B was in Pre-AP English. At the mid-point of the nine weeks, he had almost a perfect grade. His B was the result of slacking on his reading goal and not completely meeting it.
As a result of his missing his goal, I let him know right away he must meet his reading goal for this nine weeks. No exceptions. And, the final date for testing on his 6th book falls on a cruise date. So, he has to have all six books read before leaving for the cruise. No exceptions.
Asher is a problem-solver. And, quite clever. He finished two books in the first three weeks through diligence. In the middle of the fourth week, he came home and marked three more books off of his list. I was curious.
I asked him how he had finished three books so quickly. He looked at me sheepishly and didn't want to divulge his secret. I made him.

Asher: "I tested on three Captain Underpants books."
Me: "Those were on the reading list? ....... Well, you get 100% for ingenuity and 20% for academics. You're a stinker."

I guess there's more than one way...