in non-ANTM news...

Since there'll be a new Top Model tonight--MAKEOVERS!!--I thought I'd better get in a family related post to keep the relatives interested.  Can't lose my core audience.

Cheese night was a big success.  I made each kid a card, lettered A-M for each of our 13 cheeses.  Each cheese had a letter on a little flag stuck into it.  Then they rated each cheese with a 1 (ew.), 2 (meh), or 3 (woo-HAH).  I was surprised to find that they loved almost all of the cheeses, even the bleu.  The aged Provolone had no fans in the younger set (but the adults dug it).  They also did not care for the vauguely foot-y Grayson.  We liked it well enough in the tasting, but later, with red wine, it was REALLY good.  Ben gave everything a 2 or 3 except the local seasonal chevre (which wasn't very good, to be honest).  He gave the aged provolone and the Grayson a 2, but everything else got a 3.  He dug the cheese.  The best part was that it showed them that they could take a bite of something they'd never had and even if it didn't taste good, it wouldn't cause them to keel over on the spot.  I think I'll try a New Foods night one night and see what happens...

Here's me, my wattle, and Lily:


Julianna and Ben:


They're looking forward to another cheese night and other kids have asked to join in.  Cheese party!

I had the kids conferences this week.    Ben's teacher told me he is one of her favorites, which warmed my heart.  He can be...difficult and is the sort of kid you are either charmed or annoyed by (and sometimes both).  It helps that she has a son much like Ben, so she has some tools for dealing with his moods and sensitivities.  He's doing fine, but "doesn't challenge himself."  I told her that we Greenbergs are a coasting lot, prone to do only as much as is necessary.  Poke him.

Julianna's teacher is also awesome.  I was waiting out in the hall for my turn, listening to her squealing about some new material she'd gotten to teach square root.  She was totally geeking out to this other woman, "I can get the square root of ANY number!!  Isn't this so cool!"  Any woman who can gush about square roots can teach my kids.  If I can keep them from shutting down the moment numbers are mentioned?  yay.  I can barely pay attention to a phone number b/c my brain is trying so hard to scurry away to someplace safe and number free.  She told me that she's so glad to have Julianna because she cannot wait to watch her blossom into a leader.  How sweet is that?  They aren't even working for tips.  So anyway, Julianna is doing fine and can't spell to save her life.  Her teacher suggested that she just hopes to help Julianna accept that she can't spell naturally so that she will know to look for help.

Lily's teacher is my least favorite of the lot, but I think it's just that she's not someone I'd choose to hang out with, unlike the other two.  I think she's a perfectly good teacher and she seems to enjoy Lily.  So I'll get past the fact that her eyebrows are drawn on.  She's younger than me.  Why does she have no eyebrows?  Watch, it was something like chemo and I'll feel like a heel for being catty.  For like a minute.  I'll recover okay.  I'm like that.  I was most concerned with seeing if I can get Lily to enter the K program next year instead of the 4 year old program.  Her birthday is Sept. 15, so she just misses the official cut-off.  The teacher said it shouldn't be a problem for her academically or socially.  Just that she "still has some trouble getting past disagreements without crying."  Yeah.  not my problem.  So I'll make an appt with the principal and really play up the whole, " I think she's ready and all of her friends are in that group."  and then move into "It is more healing to our Mother Earth if I only drive in twice a day.  Risk the wrath of Gaia should you needlessly cause me another year's worth of mid-day journeys down the mountain!"  and I'll like shake a rain stick or something.  Freak her out a little.

School was canceled today on account of snow flakey things coming from the sky.  They've canceled over less, but they've also sent them in with buckets falling from the sky and imminent death forecast.  Who knows the ways of the school cancellation person?  And who knew that canceled only has one L and cancellation has two?  Not I until the helpful red underline pointed it out to me.  Guess Julianna comes by that spelling thing naturally (Uncle Brent).

Hopefully, the snow will continue to not matter as I am going to hear Alfie Kohn speak this afternoon.  I could use a parenting booster shot about now, so it's good timing.  He'll also be talking about The Homework Myth, so I'll take notes.

Here's another cute pic.  Even though they'll both likely give up strings after this year, they look so sweet.  Until you realize that they were playing two different songs. badly.


Okay, now go set your TiVos (or VCRs for you cave dwellers) to tape Top Model.  tonight at 8 on the CW.