We needed to go shopping for Thanksgiving dinner.

Younger Boy and I were inside and Middle Boy was outside with playing with Max.

I asked Younger Boy to go tell Middle Boy to bring Max in, because we were leaving to go to the store.

Middle Boy didn't come in.  I got in the car to leave and Middle Boy came to ask what I was doing.  Apparently Younger Boy had told him Sophie wanted Max to come in.  Nothing about leaving for the store. 

He swears he told him.  I'm sure he didn't, because this is the kind of thing he does these days.

It looks like deceit.  Every single part of it.

Middle Boy asked if he could run to Walmart to get something for school.  Sure.  Finally a responsible action.

Not only that, but he decided to buy himself a pocket knife.  I asked about it and he said, "well you only have to be 16 to buy them".  That isn't the point.

I do not want him to have a pocket knife.  I would not have purchased a pocket knife.  I'm angry he was able to purchase one.

I believe the trip to Walmart had nothing to do with school and everything to do with a pocket knife.

So...now I have a confiscated pocket knife that I have to give away.

I find I don't write when things are hard and things have been hard lately....really hard.

It seems as though our lows are really low these days.  We have a high every now and then, but it never seems to stick around much.

Younger Boy continues to need 24/7 supervision for the most part.  Just when he gets some trust earned back he does something which ends up getting him more supervision.

He gets angry when he can't go to friends houses and when he can't spend the night with friends and do all the normal teenage stuff, but he can't be trusted. 

As best I can tell the stealing is once again confined to our home.  It is rampant at home though.  It is silly things.  Things he could have if he asked, but he doesn't. 

He did make the honor roll.  I am struggling with it though, because his school district doesn't take points off for late work.  If they followed the ACTUAL deadlines he would be a C student at best.  I read an article lately about a mom requesting her child be removed from the honor roll and honestly it could have been written by me. 

Since he found out he was on honor roll he has gone back to his "forgetfulness".

He is back to REFUSING to shower.  REFUSING.  In the last ten days he has showered exactly twice.  Luckily my nine year old niece will be here this weekend and I think I can count on her to tell him he stinks without prompting!!

Middle Boy has a tutor now.  Paid for by probation.  He thinks it is stupid.  He can "get his grades up" himself.  He isn't though.

He is well on his way to truancy again this year.  In our state you get 20 excused absences before you are truant.  We aren't even to the end of the first semester and he has 18.  It seems as if he can vomit on cue.  Which will get you sent home.

Middle Boy's attitude is marginal.  He is VERY HARSH to me and it is getting incredibly old.

He and his girlfriend broke up.  That is a relief.

I need to blog more often.  When things are hard it gives me perspective...I always forget that.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you if I don't blog again before then.