Why am I not surprised?

Hyrum loves history and loves to read so I asked Braeden for a suggestion of a good history book.  Braeden emailed that the best history book he's ever read is the AP U.S. History textbook.

I haven't seen Emma with an AP U.S. History textbook.  (Braeden always left his lying around.)  Emma and her friend Hayley were talking about history.  I said, "Do you have a textbook?"

They both looked at each other.

"I think?" Emma said.

"Maybe?" Hayley said.

"It might be in my room somewhere," Emma said.

Emma gets A's because she knows how to get A's.  That may or may not include reading the textbook (or knowing where it is).  Braeden didn't care about his grades but he inhaled the book like it was a cheeseburger and he was a hungry teenager.

Everyone has to find their own way.

*****

I cut Mark (way, way) back on screen time because it had to be done.  Coincidentally, he walked home from school because his rehearsal was cancelled and Emma and I were shopping.  It took 40 minutes for him to walk home (it is a serious hill) and then he spent the entire afternoon jumping on the trampoline.  Then he rode his bike to and from scouts. 

That boy has always had an incredible amount of energy.  Minecraft has caused a slight dormancy, but it's still there.

*****

I took Emma shopping with me and prompted by a conversation with Marianne, about the Easter dresses she bought her girls, I asked Emma if she wanted to look for a new skirt. (I was aiming low--I didn't think she'd go for a dress.  Too much commitment.)

Emma said, "A skirt?  I don't really think I need a skirt."

How do you explain to someone that girls are supposed to want new clothes whether they need them or not?

She has very few wants.  Except her few big ones, like trips to Disneyland and France.

*****

For her birthday someone gave Emma a gift card to Swig, which is a flavored soda and ice cream place.  She has been carrying it around rather than spending it (again with Emma having few wants).  Yesterday her friend Vanessa mentioned she needed to get a Swig gift card.

"I have one you can have," Emma said.

Vanessa was grateful.  And here's why:  she could get extra credit in math if she gave her teacher a Swig gift card.

I think we need Martin Luther to come and perform a high school reformation.  Would he approve of  indulgences for extra credit?

*****

This morning I reminded Mark it was St. Patrick's day.  I said, "You should wear green."

He went up to his room and came back down again and told me he didn't have a green shirt.  I had a hard time believing that because besides his robust collection of Star Wars t shirts, everything he wears is a hand me down from Braeden and Braeden's favorite color is green.

I went upstairs and pulled four shirts out of his closet that are green.

Then I remembered Mark is color blind.  

"They look gray to me," Mark said.