I get what you're saying, Geo. When you find that perfect fit, it sooo sucks to have to start back at square one looking for its substitute. But I do hope you can find something excellent for her this summer. And of course, along that same lines, I hope all the testing and new insights translate into finding her educational sweet spot, too. Also, on another note, I accidentally bought sunflower oil (meaning to buy canola) at the grocery, and the label says something about omega-6. Not that you'd be slathering anything in oil, but apparently, there's another source.
Gaye, the photos look fun and the report sounds like pure relaxation. I cannot wait for some girlfriend time when my friend comes next month--and then over summer, too!
So, two days with no running. In fact, no outdoors. The haze is lifting today, the temps are dropping, but it's still iffy, and I am wheezy and my eyes are pasty. Gross. Depending on how things look later in the AM, I might try the beach, but no plans to be out there inland. Still too dusty.
More discussion with dh on school and future. Now it's to the point where he understands my points, he shares my same POV on the negatives...he just has no faith in a new-fangled system, and whether he admits it or not, he doubts my ability. Meantime, I've begun working with dd on French, and will increase exercises with both kids in Arabic. Just vocab. I don't care if they can't speak yet (they can recite Quran, they can read better than I can, but still no grammar; I am the opposite), I want them to increase vocab enough to understand, say, a newscast, a menu, a sitcom. And dh has at least seen my ability to keep ds on task, completing his projects on schedule and following logical processes. Sigh. I wonder whether we're heading toward resolution, and it's just going to be a kicking-and-screaming process for dh to accept a new concept in education.
In other news, dh's boss had a heart attack last week. That was followed by a (previously scheduled) visit from US execs. And dh likely leaves today or tomorrow for a biz trip. He's begun selling stuff anticipating a move to a flat. All this, and he can't seriously approach the school discussion with me. I wish I understood his fear so I could extinguish it.
Is there a gym you could go to? Are you averse to that idea (I could imagine something along the lines as the rest of the community you describe, and not wanting to spend time there). I hope the school thing gets progressively clearer for dh and easier for you 
...and having a wonderful visit
Another one to put on the wall when I start teaching again. What's new there? Did you work out a solution with DH about the exercise timing and the kitchen and spending time together?
Congrats again
Phew. I hope you find a camp that works nearly as well. As for the pelt; cool present, but should I be sad? And you dont want O-6's, dont listen to Jo (sorry Jo, you get it right 99.9% of the time 
It's like magic.
and 
). We'd decided that for the money, the villa's not worth it. The "gardens" are basically giant litterboxes for the 15 stray neighborhood cats. The neighborhoods we're considering are about a 10-minute drive for dh, where now his drive is about 30min and through a toll gate. I'd be within 2km of a metro station. That would open possibilities for me to take the kids on outings. And beach would be a little farther than right across the street, but not more than a 10-15 minute walk. Dh was originally looking at total shoebox hole apartments in bachelor-housing corners of the city and I told him if that was where he planned to move, then indeed we would not be joining him. He changed his search criteria pretty fast. Now, how to do the same with the school conversation? 
And for more I-suck-as-a-parent stories, most of the reason I didn't get out running until 5 was because there was the hour-long violin practice/battle (which, to be fair, improved after the first 20 minutes of actual practicing), and then there was a lengthy discussion about R's science fair project (the project has been awesome, but assembling the poster? She'd very happily throw some sloppy work onto it and be done), after which I ran to the store to pick up paint samples for the dining room and foam letters for the science fair poster. I can't figure out if the fact that the children suck every ounce of energy from us during the weekend is because they're intense or I have no boundaries. Pretty sure the former. Then again, I'm not sure what to make of this situation: I'm accompanying on some of R's choir pieces, so on occasion I like to practice piano before the kids are in bed. Without fail, J is yelling to play piano instead. I'll let her play until she loses interest. Then I sit down to play. Then she yells to play again. Lather, rinse, repeat. Eventually I give up because the other option is to play with her screaming and pulling at me, and well, that doesn't work so well either. Is part of having a (nearly) 2yo? I think I've blanked out R's toddler years.
I have no luck with piano while kids are awake, either. My youngest sees a lap to climb on and an opportunity to bash the keys. When I asked her recently why she got so angry whenever I tried to play, she said "because sometimes you play piano when Neela plays fiddle and it makes me feel mad". Total toddler jealousy. We occasionally have luck with giving her assorted percussion toys to play with, but it's pretty time limited. You have intense kids, and its hard to deal with them even when you're not sleep deprived.
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