The AC Menagerie Bulletin

Welcome to the September 9th addition of

 The AC Menagerie Bulletin

The AC Menagerie Bulletin is a weekly digital newspaper highlighting brief accounts of the week's happenings around the Zoo (our home) and on blogs by myself (Nita Davis). Sit back, relax and enjoy while you catch up with the Davis family.

Life News 

Our week got off to a great start with a visit from my daughter Skippy's friend who is also one of my photography clients. She came all the way across the state for a weekend visit and to have me take her sweet boy's 1st year portraits.

Life News 

So I have the greatest friend. She helps me out a lot picking kids up from school when their mom is at work and I am unable to drive. She moved into a new place in April and I told her I would help her decorate her new apartment. Here it is already September and although I have helped her a little we still hadn't gotten and actual decorating done. She has been so very patient, I decided fatigue or not I was going to at least get a good start on her living room. So yesterday I went over and we rearranged the living room and got it how she wanted. 
She said she wanted to display some special items of her late parents and grandparents along with some other special family photos and keepsakes, all in one area. I replied "Awesome, we'll make a heritage wall."  We are both in love with the name of her new wall and how it turned out. She even had the perfect vinyl lettering for the wall. Although the lettering is a bit crooked and one set of hearts is too far over she says it is perfect. I am a bit more of a perfectionist so the crooked letters and offset hearts are driving me nuts. I can't do anything about the lettering now, but I will be going over soon to move the hearts. lol

Automotive News

It has not been as good a week for out vehicle, though. First the headlights brunt out. Then their was no power to the radio. Lexi, took it to the car parts place and told them what was going on and they tested first the battery then the alternator. Outcome, the battery is bad and the alternator may also be bad. :(

  

Educational News

We made it through the first week of school without anyone forgetting anything or missing the bus. Oh ya, the kids don't ride the bus. Well, not yet anyway. Sissy has said she wants to ride the bus, so she will start riding it next week. 

Source

Fashion News
Yes, I am a fashion freak. A fashion freak on a tight budget. So you won't see me wearing high end designer clothes, but I still like to keep it stylish. Here's what my favorite outfit this week looked like. The entire outfit, boots and jewelry included cost about $70.00. I seldom purchase entire outfits and this one is no exception. Each piece was purchased at different times, and while on sale.

 

Comics 
Today's dose of laughter comes compliments of the pet clinic near my home.

The Blog Review

On Artistic Composition this week:

- SIMC:Hot on the Trail: This week on Sunday in my City we take a photo trip along Sioux Falls bike trail.

- Wonders N Wishes: Have you ever wished you could do something really special to help others but had no idea what to do? Well if you have check out what this weeks Wonder Award recipient did, it is amazing and really not all that difficult a thing to do.

 On Nita's Photography this week:

- South Dakota Sunday: Roadside Chapel: Photo post of a quaint roadside chapel in rural South Dakota.

- Sneak Peek: CC & T: A sneak peek into a sweet young man's 1st Birthday portrait session.

- WW: Five Nights at Freddy's: A somewhat spooky wordless Wednesday photo.

- The Challenge: High Angle Low Angle: Photography challenges five and six of a 30 challenge series. 

- Two for One: A reflection photo of a beautiful afternoon sky

Thank you for stopping by to catch up on the Menagerie. 

Drop me a line in the comments and I will come visit you.

Have a Terrific Weekend!
Linking up with Willy Nilly Friday 
 

Here We Come

May was a wild month for our family. 

Traveling through a wet cold snowstorm we arrived in South Dakota on May 1st.

Traveling along I29 my oldest son and I counted 18 vehicles in the ditch due to bad weather. Fortunately it didn't look like there had been any accidents with injuries.

We spent the night of the 1st at my sisters home in Sioux Falls. The morning of May 2nd we continued on to our new home in Rapid City.

We quickly unpacked the moving truck with a little help from the Rapid City US Navy Recruiters. After three long days of driving you would think we were done and would not get back in the car for any lengthy drives, however it wasn't over yet.  The Morning of the 3rd we all piled into my daughter SUV and headed back to a small town just outside of Sioux Falls where we spent the night with a friend, so that we could be up and ready early on the 4th to attend my youngest son's graduation from The University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD.

It was a wonderful experience watching as my son went through the time honored tradition of receiving his degree. I only wish his father could have lived to enjoy it with us.

It was nice to have all four of my kids around me.

Of course this proud mom had to get a photo the graduate and his sweet girlfriend, who by the way I really like! The month of important events wasn't over yet we still had one more graduation to attend. This one took place here at our new home in Rapid City. It was the Kindergarten graduation of my youngest grandchild Bubba. Yep he is a big boy now and headed on to new adventures in education. 

His parents Mr. & Mrs. G and I were completely shocked at how amazing the kids new school here in Rapid City made this important ceremony.

The pint sized graduates entered the auditorium wearing their crisp blue cap and gowns, orderly walking by two's up the isle to the song 'Let them be little" by Lonestar.  Watching them file down the isle and into a section of seats to await the receipt of their certificates was so cute and reminded me of the USD graduation we had attended just a few weeks before.

After receiving their certificates each child was asked to tell the audience what they wanted to be when they grew up, before they then joined the other graduates on the platform. To a crowd of applause and smiles Bubba announced that he wants to be a NASCAR Driver when he grows up.

Once all the children had received their certificates and found their spot on the platform we were treated to a number of musical performances. The songs were very cute, one telling us all the things they had learned over the year and another declaring that the 1st Grade teachers better be ready because they were on their way!

 At the end of the ceremony the Principal introduced us to the High School Graduating Class of 2025 and invited everyone to enjoy some punch and cake.

Awe, Mrs. G's baby is growing up, doesn't she look sad?

To see what will be happening at Artistic Composition in the coming week check out this post.

Today I am linking up with:

Homework Hour

Artistix Network's very own co-founder Val has many talents, writing however is not high on that list. Recently she was given an assignment for an English class she is taking to write an essay that included narration and conversation. After some deliberation she chose to write about her family's battle with homework. Her and her husband have graciously given me permission to share her essay with our readers. 

Homework Hour

by Val

Once upon a time the typical view of an American family was a married couple with two wonderful children. A smart and strong willed third grader, and a very curious and shy kindergartener. After dinner every night they sit around the dining room table for homework. Homework for such young grades never exceed more than a half hour long. The father works with the son, and the mother works with the daughter. There are no fights, disagreements, and very little confusion it’s a smooth half hour.  This example, this view of the American family, that’s not my family. Homework hour is the most challenging part of the day.

My husband and I, we are a young couple with two great children. Sissy she’s eight, and in third grade. When Sissy started school things were pretty easy. Homework was a simple task, she caught on quickly and there was really no problems learning the information she needed to learn. It was done within a timely manner as well. As she gets older she has embraced more attitude and sass. What eight year old girl doesn’t?

Bubba he’s six, he just started kindergarten this year which was new territory all together.  Bubba has speech and language disabilities, he doesn’t catch on as quickly. Understanding his homework is very difficult almost all the time. We are constantly trying to come up with new ways to help him understand and help him retain the information he needs to know. My husband and I both have our own set of issues. My husband has a bit of OCD. Things have to be perfect; if letters aren’t shaped right, or the spacing isn’t exact he gets antsy. He’s always trying to correct our eight and six year old. How can you expect an eight and six year old to write perfectly? Me, I’m no cupcake either. I’m dyslexic, trying to explain things to young kids; reading things out loud for longer than a five minute period is difficult and extremely frustrating.

The dining room is off the kitchen almost connected but separated by a bar counter with a walk way into the dining room from the kitchen. Above the bar counter there are cabinets for the kitchen that come down half way. The back sides of those are flat, they are meant for the kitchen cupboards. Our table and chairs take up a good amount of the dining room. There are two windows in the dining room one along the back wall that almost runs its length. Then a smaller window on the side wall that also has the back door. The blinds are always open, it lights up the room nicely and the kids love it. We have one of those big oval solid wood tables, the ones with the leaf in the center to make them bigger. This is where we do our homework every night. With Paul helping Bubba while I sit close by to help Sissy if she needs help, most of the time she does her homework on her own.

Calmly I say "Let's get homework done" while at the same time getting all their books and papers. Paul heads to the table calling the kids "Come on guys, your mom said get to the table!" Paul's job is to help Bubba with his homework. Right away the challenge begins. "Do we have to right now? I'm busy." whines Sissy flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I don't want to do homework." pouts Bubba. This of course sets Paul off as he raises his voice “Sit down right now so we can get this done, I said right now and I am serious!"  This is when the real chaos beings, when our personalities, and learning challenges collide in to an hour of mess.

Paul's warning was ignored so I issue a warning that usually works "If you don't sit down right now and do your homework you are going to bed early." Jackpot, all the kids including Paul are now at the table and ready to do homework.  "Sissy please get started with your math, then do your English homework" I ask nicely.  She starts with her attitude and sass right away flipping her mid-back length dirty blonde hair back with her hand, staring at me with her almost crystal blue eyes, as she says "I know what to do mom.” So I let her be so she can work on it. When she gets to her English homework is when our heads butt with my dyslexia. She looks almost identical to me, although I have Hazel eyes not blue, this is when blue eyes and hazel eyes stare down and lock in battle. After reading part of her short story Sissy asks “Mom, I can't figure out the answer to these questions, can you help?"  Like I said before reading for more than a few minutes aloud is difficult for me. "Really Sissy? You want me to read for you? Okay but you gotta listen." I say slightly frustrated knowing Sissy won’t pay attention so I will constantly be telling her to pay attention. "Listen Sissy." "I am listening mom!" "Sissy come on you gotta listen!" "I am but I don't understand!" This banter goes on for a good fifteen minutes until she finally understands what’s being read to her, and she is able to complete her homework. During all this Bubba is whining "I can't concentrate with Sissy talking!" While Sissy is complaining "I can't concentrate with Bubba whining!"
 

Finally Sissy gets her homework done before Bubba gets his complete. So I check over Sissy's homework, "Sissy you have a few math problems wrong please get them fixed." With her hands on her hips and a death stare she argues "They aren't wrong mom! Look I did it right!" In the middle of showing me how right she is, in a defeated voice she says "Oh I guess you're right mom." I gently tell her "I know so please fix them, and then you are done."

Bubba’s homework is pretty easy, for someone without any learning disabilities. With his Speech and Language disabilities and with Paul's perfectionism it’s a bit harder. Paul and Bubba start on his homework which is usually drawing a pattern or numbers for Math. That part goes pretty smoothly after Paul explains what shapes he needs to draw. Bubba is the master of making faces; he’s got these cute little cheeks almost chubby but not quite. With his short brown hair Bubba is the spitting image of Paul. He squints his hazel eyes and raises his eye brows trying to understand what’s being asked of him. There’s always a lot of repeating with his homework.
 

The next part of his homework is writing letters, each day he has a new letter that he has to write five times, and then draw a picture of something that starts with that letter. As he writes his first letter too big and slightly crooked, Bubba asks "Like this dad?"  "No Jr, erase it. It needs to be smaller and straight" Paul says all antsy. Bubba beings to rewrite the letter after erasing the first letter. Paul anxiously says "No Jr, you have to erase it like this" as he shows him how to completely erase the lines. Then he draws the letter on another piece of paper to show Bubba exactly how it should be done. Paul's standards of perfectionism are high, too high for a six year old. Bubba starts to whine "I don't want too, it’s hard." After I tell Paul to relax a little bit and if the letters aren’t perfect its okay he’s only in kindergarten. We finally get through that part.

The last part of Bubba’s homework is practicing sight words. This is the worst part of homework hour. As Paul picks up the stack of index cards that contain the sight words, Bubba crumples up his face and whines "No more homework". He hates sight words. "We have to finish these, then you will be done with homework" Paul says hoping Bubba will cooperate. Showing the first card to Bubba Paul begins "Come on Jr sound it out with me", "c" … "a"…"n". Paul sounds out the word as Bubba stares at him like he's lost it. This is repeated over and over, first Paul sounding it out too fast then too slow. "Just look at the card Jr!" Paul says. With both boys becoming more and more frustrated. Wiping the tears from his eyes Bubba finally says "c"…"a"…"n", "can."   After about ten minutes of this I step in "Hunny just give me the cards I'll finish this with him." I don’t sound the words out syllable by syllable. I just sound out the first letter and add the rest of the word behind it. Holding out the next sight word I ask "Okay Bubba what’s this word?" "s"…"aid." Bubba says excitedly "Said!" We spend a few minutes on each word until we've finished his sight words. "Okay Bubba we are done put your book up and go play." I say as Bubba jumps from the chair and runs out of the dining room. As I lay my head on the table closing my eyes, and breathing slowly I sigh "We've made it through another night of homework."

We hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into our family and will visit others at Unknown Mami's on this fine Sunday.