March Madness

Caden absolutely LOVES to plant flowers; and since I've been promising we'd "get to it" for several weeks now, I figured today was the day...
He was SOOOOO excited...

and I am too, because it means I get beautiful pots like these.

But all of a sudden-- we had this beautiful rainbow in the sky:

because it started to POUR, right in the middle of our planting frenzy...

But one of the MANY things I love about my better half...

he doesn't let anything get in the way of "his plans". And a "little rain" didn't slow him down a bit. (I'm hoping it doesn't kill my newly planted flowers either, seeings how the poor things are more like drowning...)

While I ran inside to get in my warm bath that he ran for me because I was FREEZING, he stayed in his shorts... in the rain... cleaning up so we could get ready to go out for the night.

And I have to say... I hope my boys turn out JUST like their daddy, because I sure love him!

and my babies too!

4 Corners

Every once in a while... I get to enjoy of monumental mommy moment that will forever be impressed on my forgetful heart.

Today I cried --- and I NEVER cry!

let me back up...

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine myself as a homeschooling mama.

For many reasons-- not the least of which is that I'm a public school teacher!

I've questioned our decision to do it this year... more times than I can count. Some days I just feel like they didn't "get enough"... and I should have been more patient... Yada, Yada.

Yesterday the 3 oldest boys had their end of the year testing. And when my "most challenging" son came out of test within about 25 minutes... I cringed. When my "Genius" child came out, half drugged because of his allergies and said, "I had to just guess on a few mom, I can't even breathe. I just wanted to be DONE." I rolled my eyes and thought, "That's just great - Some teacher I've turned out to be!".

BUT the kicker was having to wait an extra 2 hours, wondering "WHAT IN THE world??? A test that was "supposed to take all of an hour, ended up being more than 3 hours, and when the poor guy came out, he said: Mom... IT WAS SOOOO HARD--


I was worried. BIG TIME!

Worried that I hadn't done enough.

That we hadn't made the right choice in home schooling these boys.

But as it turns out...

I cried today...

Not because my "genius" child made "tremendous growth" ... He's always done that.

Not because my "smart" and "challenging" wonderboy increased his percentile scores more than he's ever done before. He's the kid that learns "inspite of," not "because of" how good his teacher is. He's lucky.

I cried today because my baby boy who has struggle EVERY day of his life in school... and has always been YEARS behind in school (which was why this journey even began)... Not only did he improve from being in the bottom 5 percentile in EVERY category on the STAR test for the last 3 years, even after being retained...

BUT because he scored IN THE 90 - 97 Percentile in EVERY subject--- which means he's ABOVE grade level... and in some areas... more than 2 years ahead!!!

SO YEAH...

I cried today for the first time in... FOREVER... because,

maybe, just maybe...

NO HOMEWORK + NO PARENT PROJECTS = ACADEMIC success after all!

Thanks MOM!!!

BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU>>> It wouldn't have been possible!

I love you!

Spring

I love SPRING...

It means that SUMMER-IS-A-COMING>>

it also means BASEBALL... Baseball... baseball...
And with 7 teams (plus Daddy's Sunday night games= 8)... that's a LOT for me to try and handle.

BUT, I love it... because the boys are sooooo happy to be on a field... any field...

either playing the game, watching the game, or practicing for the game--- they don't care which.

Now---

if only I can get the right kid, to the right field, at the right time, on the right day, in the right uniform (preferably clean....ha)...

It should be great seasons for everyone!!!

AND>>> if I could actually get a little school work in on the side, that would be a good bonus!

(but I have to say... I'm really looking forward to being "in control" over our school schedule and homework etc for the season! What a stress relief for us... not worrying about homework, and getting the little ones in bed after late games... and my personal favorite... NO OPEN HOUSE projects! YIPPEE) --