Lidia finally passed her permit test on the fifth try yesterday. Now she and Aiden can learn to drive. We are supposed to get them out driving a lot before they start driving in their class next month. It hasn't happened yet. We have been busy with homework and jobs. I'll be glad when Aiden's job is over so we don't have to run him all over and he will have more time for homework. He is so slow. Lidia's grades were hurting too so we made her quit her job. She needs to graduate more than anything else right now. I also think she is going to start attending mission prep Tuesday nights and it will be nice if she can volunteer at the wildlife rehab on Friday nights instead of every weekend. She can get a job again once school is out. She would rather work someplace else anyway where she can interact with more people or do something interesting. Vacuuming a ton was not exactly fun and carrying it on her back was a bit exhausting for someone as small as she is. If she finds she has time maybe she could handle a weekend job at some point. We'll see but they need to be able to drive themselves. I hate driving a ton. She says she is excited to drive and that her teacher told her that driving is freedom. I of course quickly responded that to have that freedom costs a lot of money. lol
I hope they catch on to driving quickly and are safe. It really scares me. They are good cautious kids but I can just envision them freaking out if they end up in a situation where they don't know what to do.
Cory was away with work one week last month and away another week to surprise his dad for his 70th birthday along with his other siblings. They had a great time. I'm very happy for them. Now I'm glad to have him back. Those two weeks he was away were crazy around here running Lidia and Aiden everywhere they needed to be and my mouth was very sore from my new braces and then I got a bad cold on top of that. We survived but I didn't cook much. The kids can make basic things for themselves.
Tristan is starting to make an effort in school. He had a lot of missing assignments so he was banned from tv, video games, going to friends houses etc until they were completed. He fought it for a while but seems to believe I mean it now. Lidia had a lot missing too and is trying to get caught up. Aiden has been pretty good about getting things turned in but has not been studying a bit and he and Lidia both have bombed some history exams. I guess we need to spend our weekends reading and watching videos about American history. All four kids are studying US history this year. Some teachers are nice and will let you retake a test others will not. They both seem to enjoy their seminary class. Lidia is proud in English right now because they are studying Macbeth and she did that in England and can tell them all about it. Finally she feels like she knows more about something than the other kids! lol Avery really has a hard time with some things in school. He just doesn't think they way they test. However he is happy and enjoys school and is a ray of sunshine for his teacher and class. He was sick over the weekend. He got strep. I didn't know what was causing the fever and refusal to eat until we went to the doctor Monday. His ears were both completely blocked with wax too. Two nurses spent half an hour irrigating his ears. He can hear better now and is not trying to pop his hears anymore. I've never had that issue with any of the kids before. Avery thought it looked like bees were stuck in his ears when he saw the stuff coming out.
We went to general conference for the first time all together Sunday afternoon. Before we moved to England Avery wasn't old enough to go and when our ward announced they had some tickets I jumped at the chance. Of course then Avery got sick and I thought I would have to stay home with him and let Cory take the other kids but when I saw President Monson Sunday morning I thought, what if this is his last conference? So I decided to give Avery lots of Motrin and we all went. He was fine and enjoyed the experience and if he had not been ill he may have had a lot harder time sitting still that long. Tristan had to get up and go to the toilet half way through. He has a real hard time sitting still and listening. He wants to be up and doing. Avery went back to school yesterday. Monday and Tuesday he was starting to feel better but his appetite is not 100% yet and you have to be on antibiotics for 24 hrs before you can go back to school. They offer a penicillin shot now that's a one time deal instead of ten days of twice a day medicine but Avery didn't want the shot and I have heard it's painful. So we are doing the ten days and already this morning I forgot to give it to him but remembered as soon as I dropped him off at school so I went home and got it and went to the school and gave it to him.
Aiden is really enjoying his job at Lagoon. He will probably want to work there this summer. Lately he has been the clown on stilts and he likes it. Apparently he can walk on stilts and stay on them for hours. I think the kid that had been doing it quit. Aiden works in the fun house of fear and is some sort of clown each time. He didn't like working in the hall of mirrors. He is working in the vortex room one day this weekend. Hope he doesn't get dizzy. lol
Max was neutered Monday and is doing fine. He was really groggy that day but came back to life Tuesday.
Cory got contacts. He doesn't wear them always but is trying it out to see if he likes it or not. I think he's so used to seeing himself with glasses that he feels odd looking without them. Lidia should try them but I don't see her being able to put things in her eyes. I have to use reading glasses but can get away without needing to wear my bifocals much. The boys' vision is fine for now.
Cory and I saw the Martian the other day. It was pretty good and not trashy like so many movies. We took the kids to see Hotel Transylvania 2 and they really liked it.
