Back in theSwing of Things

I suppose it is time to get back in the swing of things.  School is over and so is our vacation.  First things first, Archer did great!  He pulled his grades all up!!!  He ended the year with an A and the rest B's.  That was a lot of work, but hopefully it sunk in.  He and I went to the Alamo Drafthouse for dinner and Star Trek as a reward.  I really loved the movie (2nd time I saw it) and spending an evening with my boy was even better.  Truly hoping we don't have the same issues in the fall.  The rest the kids all did really well in school also.  Picasso struggles a bit with reading out loud, but his comprehension is in the advanced level so I'm not too worried.  We have Angel's 504 plan started and ready for the fall.  Phew!  I will definitely feel better having it in place before she gets to junior high. 

Picasso turned 9 last week!  Happy birthday bubba man!!!  He is such a great kid.  We went to a Colorado Rapids game with some of his friends for his birthday party.  The kids just laughed and smiled through the whole thing.  We probably drove the people around us a bit nuts, but it was a party!  Picasso has cub scout camp this week and is really enjoying that.

Princess turns 7 tomorrow!  I cannot believe that my baby is that old.  Where has the time gone?  I caved and she is getting a Build-a-Bear party with her friends.  What was I thinking?  Oh yeah, that Picasso just got a big party, even though we used Season Ticket Holder points for the party so it was essentially free, so it would only be fair to let her have the big party she has been begging for.  Sigh.  I am sure she will have a fantastic time with her friends and at the end of the day that is what matters.

Archer has been busy with pet sitting, 2 jobs already and 2 more next week.  He loves animals and enjoys making money taking care of them.  I enjoy him having spending money of his own.  We are working on getting some private soccer sessions set up with a Colorado Rapids player.  He is SO stoked! 

Princess is just having a good time being along for the ride.  She is definitely in pre-teen mode.  Holy smokes Batman!  Boys are so much easier in this regard!  I am just waiting for that girl to growth spurt like crazy one of these days.  Until then she is enjoying reading all the books on her kindle.  So glad we were able to get her one as she truly loves it.

My sweet husband is working hard at his new job and I am just trying to keep up with the kids.  All in all, we are doing great!  I will have to tell you all about Disneyland, but not now.  It is late and I am tired. 

End of the School Year

We're coming to the end of the school year and things are getting hectic.  Archer is still struggling with getting things turned in on time.  We have been staying on him about it pretty hard and I am sure he just wishes we would back off.  He has to learn that it is not acceptable to fall behind.  He could easily be a straight A student if he would just turn things in on time.  Over the summer I am planning on sitting down with him and coming up with consequences for grades.  Bad grades he will owe us money.  Good grades, not sure yet.  Maybe dinner and a movie out with mom or dad, maybe going out to an activity of his choice with a friend.  Not sure yet, but we'll come up with something.  I just do not want him to feel like he is only being punished.  We all work better with something good to work for, why not try it with his grades.  Many of his teachers have been emailing me thanks for supporting them and him in his studies.  I cannot imagine not!  He will get there, I know he will.  He is a great kid, this has just been a tough learning curve for him.


Angel just started an endangered animal project.  Of course it is due the Tuesday after we go out of town.  Another email to a teacher asking if my child can do a project early.  I did tell her today that I wanted her to try and have it done over the weekend so she has plenty of time to prepare.  She is doing her project on sand cats.  The kittens are SO cute!  I finally got the approval from the school to put her on a 504 plan next year.  Finally!  It took a couple years to get the approval, but I am looking forward to getting it in place so that she can get all the support she needs in the years to come.


Picasso is about 1/3 of the way done with his report on Scotland.  Through the spouses group with my sweet husbands work I was able to get a few recipes to choose from to make a treat for his project.  He is getting really excited and has learned a lot about the country.  He had his first baseball practice yesterday.  He has been anxiously awaiting it for months.  This is his first year playing and the teams first year with kids pitching.  Turns out he was in the top three kids for pitching!  I was surprised as we haven't really worked with him.  I am sure he will do great!  He will miss two practices while we are gone and then have his first game the week we get back.  I am looking forward to cheering him on!

Princess had a popsicle party today at school for her reading group.  It was their last time meeting for the year, so they had a fun hour.  She says it is okay, as she still gets to see that teacher for math.  She has loved being in both of her classes this year.  She and I will be attending her classes field trip next week.  I love being able to attend field trips with the kids! 

I am also finishing up preparations for the elementary school's yearbook signing party.  The kids always have an amazing time and I am glad I get to be a part of it.  I do love the school my younger kids attend.  The teachers and staff are all just amazing!  The middle school I am still up in the air about.  Archer is learning and advancing, for the most part the teachers seem great, it is just the ones that do not seem to know how to communicate that are driving me crazy.  At the end of the day it is my job as the parent to make sure the kids get done what they need to.  The teachers will do what they can, but the buck stops here.

After all that we will climb in the car and head out for our family vacation!  I am looking forward to that more than I can say.  It should be a fabulous trip.  I am looking forward to being able to spend all that time together.  So thankful to have family close enough by to have a built in house/pet sitter thanks to my awesome brother in law. 

Now to find the motivation to take care of everything that needs to be done.  I know it is hiding in their somewhere.

Joy in Learning

At my children's elementary school they do a Famous American's project in 2nd grade.  I do not have a 2nd grader this year, but I do help out in a 2nd grade classroom.  Today during my volunteer time we were working on revising and editing their writing about their famous American's.  I have to say, it was a lot of fun!  Helping out at the school is always fun and I find it to be very rewarding.  Today thoughh was extra fun.  I asked each child who their famous American was and their faces just lit up when they would tell me.  Mary Lou Retton, Paul Revere, Neil Armstrong, Squanto, Abraham Lincoln, Maria Tallchief they told me.  Paul Revere rode his horse to let people know the British were coming during the Revolutionary War!  Mary Lou Retton won 5 Olympic medals!  Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon!  Squanto helped the pilgrims!  Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves!  Maria Tallchief was the first prima ballerina at the Paris Opera ballet!  Their eyes sparkled as they told me all the things they had learned about their famous American.  I learned something today too, as I had never heard of Maria Tallchief.  I love watching kids excitement as they learn.  Whether it be learning about a famous person from history or learning how to ride a bike.  If only we as adults still found such joy in learning!

Back To School

With back to school in full swing life has started to get crazy again.  The kids are all doing really well in school and the younger kids just love their teachers a lot.  Archer, being in middle school, does not love his teachers.  However he does enjoy his classes and gets along well with his teachers.  We are in the process of figuring out science fair projects, which is always fun.  My sweet husband does not find it so fun.  He tends to find it to be something of a hassle.  The kids on the other hand think it is a ton of fun!  We are already to fall break, which just seems crazy.  Picasso got in the car on Thursday with a resounding "Nnnnnoooooooooooo!", to which I replied "You okay?".  He was bummed that he could not go to school for a whole week and that he was going to miss his teacher.  It was great!  I am so grateful that my children are able to attend such a fantastic school and have such amazing teachers.  I am going to spend the next week enjoying my time with the crazy kids.  After that it is back to school and the volunteering madness will begin.  Love it!

School Fundraisers

The bane of many parents existance would be school fundraisers.  The kids come home all amped up and excited about the prizes they can win.  The parents cringe at having to help their kids sell, or worse buying it all themselves, whatever is in the catalog.  Then there are the parents who just toss it in the trash. 

I'll be honest, funraising catalogs aren't my favorite thing in the world.  However, I understand and know why they do it.  Our fundraiser will bring approximately $50,000 in for our school.  That is a LOT of money!  Our PTO funds a lot of stuff at my childrens school.  Stuff that I want kept at the school.  Things like keeping a complete specials rotation of p.e., music, art, technology AND science (when many schools are cutting these).  Things like EA's (Educational Assistants), grants to the teachers, teacher training, most of the technology in the classrooms.  Those are things that help MY kids have a better education.  So when that pesky fundraising catalog comes home, like it did today, I might cringe a little; at the end of the day though it's about helping provide the best education possible for my kids.