Report Cards, Marches and Other News

The Captain lost another tooth (not pictured). That's three for him. It was pretty funny because Sunshine was spending the night at a friend's and he really wanted her to come home and pull it for him; it was interfering with his apple eating.  I told him he could wait, or do it himself. He went to the bathroom and came back with it in his hand! My kind of boy.

He's having a great week. He came home with a report card stating he is on grade level in every subject. This is a true blessing but also a testament to his doggedness. No matter how hard the task, he does not give up. We are so proud of him!

Tinker's school is having an MLK March on Thursday. Dad and the kids will go because I will be working. They are really looking forward to it because after the holiday program, we have a whole new idea of what is possible with creative leadership and kids. That program was hysterical. It is truly the best use of my time in years. They let the kids be kids so, for instance, if the group wanted to dance, they let them -- free style. It was adorable. We can't wait to see what they come up with for this march. By the way, it was news to Tink that she is also part African American. Pretty sure she still doesn't believe me.

The Blitz had a good report card too; he's behind in fine motor skills, which we knew. I have some concerns about his skills and his general health so guess a visit to the pediatrician is in order. He's such a nut it's easy to overlook his lack of prowess in physical tasks. In addition we are in trouble with his school because he has already had 12 absences. I only keep him home in the event of actual fever, so I do not know how we are going to overcome this. More to talk with the ped about.

Pepper's report card hasn't arrived but we are pretty sure she has straight A's again. Sunshine is also on top of things with homeschool and really anxious to get back to ball playing. They are in training mode now which she likes, but the games are the fun part.

That's all the news from here. It's cold, I'm cold, cold, cold, cold. In spite of it all we're taking the Littles camping this weekend while the Bigs are at DCYC. Fun in the forecast for everyone!

Sweet Things and a Few Photos

The Blitz is finally getting the idea of a dream versus a story. The other morning, sleepy eyed, he said, "I had a sweet dream, Mama. I was climbing a tree and I climbed way out and then I slipped and I fell. I was floating and didn't get hurt." I loved that he called it a "sweet" (pronounced "thweet") dream.

Tonight at the table, he said "I'm going to tell a story.  Begin . . . " and when he got done, he said, "End."  So funny.

This is the look. It means everything you think it does. I wish that this picture showed his "lobster jams." He loves lobsters for some reason. The first night he wore, them, Tinker accidentally called the lobster a "crab," and he yelled, "It's not crabby!" then threw himself on the floor and had a fit. Nut.

The Littles were jealous when Ms. Colleen brought Sunshine a birthday balloon so I took them out on Friday and bought them each one.  Tinker picked "La La Loopsie" of whom I'd never heard. Later, I asked her how she knew the name of the character.  "Oh, Mom," she said, "You have to remember a cute name like that!"

The Captain gets allowance now that he's six. He puts 25% in his piggy bank and 10% in the offering plate and the rest he gets to spend. I have been carrying "the rest" in my purse for weeks. He wants to spend it but can't quite part with it. It's adorable. Oh and he is just the best big brother ever. He told The Blitz, "It's okay if you're short, brother, I am looking out for you." And he is! Tinker's future suitors better look out.  (I don't remember why the Captain's shirt is so wet. It's hot here. They play in the water a lot.)

Pepper just got home from teaming Cross Training. She loves it so much. I'm grateful that she has a job that allows her to take time off to serve.  She really loves her "recruits" and I am praying she gets to be Sergeant Major next year because it's the only way you get to be on team after you graduate.

Sunshine had a ball on her mission trip to Denver. She came home both sick and tired, though, and is still recovering from the cold. She recently said, "Mom those little kids we served taught me a lot about being charitable."  Awww!

Bless my Bigs and their big hearts!

The Captain was bike riding and the other two were playing a hysterical game in which they tried to do a "cartwheel" --aka somersault -- at the exact moment he passed by on the bike. They were having so much fun. It was crazy.

Love

Because life has been so full, full, full lately, I have been thinking a lot about blogging but not doing a lot of blogging. So I am "putting a toe in" and for your reading pleasure, I present a short list of things I adore:

I love the rain.  Love it.  I  LOVE IT!  We got "sheet rain" today in Seguin.  I let the Littles splash in -- then sit in -- then roll in the puddles.  They had a ball.

I love how little kids laugh.  It is truly the sweetest thing.

I love the crack of the bat and the sound of the crowd. I love the smell of the dirt and the heat and the sound of the ball hitting the mitt.  I even love it when someone bobbles the ball and all the parents say, "Ohhhhhh" in the saddest way.  I love keeping score and I love analyzing the stats even more.

I love our new kitten and our old dog and that they both love me. Pets are so awesome. I love the way Bubby "sings" when we do and is so jealous and how kitty purrs so loud when I first see her in the morning.

I love watching Pepper drive and I love riding with her and I love it that she takes me to work instead of the other way round.

I love my nieces and nephews on both sides though I don't see much of any of them.  I love FACEBOOK because it is the tie that binds.

I love Dr. Sanchez. He's my Puerto Rican superhero.  And he's super sweet. And he probably is helping me save my own life.  Here's his picture but he's cuter in his glasses. (Don't worry, Dear Hubby loves him too.  He's humble and loveable.)

I love watching Tinker's face light up when she rhymes something or sounds out a word. She'll be reading wonderfully by August -- her revelations light up the room. Oh my gosh it is the greatest.  

I love hearing the boys play an elaborate game that spans the whole day and involves hats, plastic airplanes, towels and a lot of giggling.  I love that they love each other. I was so worried three years ago that Tinker and the Captain were too close for The Blitz to get a foothold but there is enough love for all.  Yay.

I love clean laundry and I do not love wrinkles.  I miss having long mornings in the laundry room.

I love hearing Sunshine sing and she is singing a lot for me lately.

I love that both Bigs are growing up.  I love that they will leave us one day and I do not love thinking overmuch about that.

I love my job and my customers. I love it.  I think it is good for all of us, though I miss my kids all day.

I love my friends.  I have the most amazing friends. I do not spend much time with them now but I love them all the same. Cocktails tomorrow night, ladies!

I love blogging and glad I remember that now.  I have been so distracted lately with all this love.

I love the idea that you now may tell me what you love.  Please do.

A few more Christmas Shots

Our niece Lily took some beautiful pictures at Christmas.  Here are few of my favorites:

School Time Rhythm

I notice that a morphing of this blog has occurred.  It began as a way to keep the family abreast of all the changes in our world when our 3 Littles joined the family; since, it has stretched to  become part photo album, part memoir, and part mommy-stays-sane by thinking aloud.

Right now as a first time "school mom" I am trying to figure our how to order our lives so everyone (including me!) gets what they need but we aren't over-reaching.  Public schooling two and homeschooling two is befuddling.  Add to that Peppers two classes twice a week at the community college, The Captains three therapy appointments and Sunshine and The Captain's sports, and my mind is spinning.  Some day (sooner than I think) I will long for these days!

I call it scheduling, but in actuality it's more a process of decoding the rhythms of our home and considering how to place things in a predictable order.  All 5 of our kids thrive on order.  Here is how I *think* our schedule will look most days:

5:00 - Mom rise and have quiet time
5:30 - Finish lunches, make breakfast                        
          (I make everyone's lunch, including for those of us at home and then  its' done for the day!)
6:30 -Wake The Captain and Tink, Breakfast, Dress
7:10 - Walk to school with Littles
9:00 - Bigs start school, The Bitz home-pre-school
10:20 - Walk to school to pick up Tink            
            Play at park on the way home
11:30 - Lunch for Littles            
            Game time with Mom
1:00 - Rest for Littles, Lunch for  Mom and Bigs            
           Mom's break time
2:15 - Walk to school to pick up The Captain
3:00 -  Snack            
            Puzzles, chores, indoor play or Swimming (at least 1x/week)
4:00 - Homework time (school kids)  room time for tots
5:00 - Dinner prep and tidy toys
6:00 -  Dinner, then outdoor play
7:00 - Jammies, stories songs
7:30  - Bedtime for Littles
           Relaxin' time with the Bigs and Dear Hubby
8:30 - Prep tomorrow's lunches, organize back packs, etc.            
           Exercise!
10:00 - Hit the hay!

Monday - The Captain therapies; pick up at school at 12:30
Monday and Wednesday -- Pepper college courses 3:00 - 5:20,
Pepper sits in evening for neighbor
Wednesday a.m - Sunshine at Mother's helper job
Thursday - The Captain, therapy; pick up at school at 2:00

It looks do-able on paper.  Meal prep work in advance will be key; I'm very committed to feeding my family whole, real, home-cooked food and that requires a time investment.  On the weekends I'll be looking ahead several days and prepping vegetables, preparing sauces and dressings and cooking some main dishes.  I also double, triple or quadruple batches for things like meatballs and spaghetti sauce in order to save time later.  Pepper pitches in to cook supper a couple of times a week which frees me up to work on taming the "stuff monster" which requires constant vigilance.

I'm interested in your school time schedules.  What does your fall rhythm look like?

Ah, the good old days of summer

Premature Christmas

Yesterday, I made the mistake of going to Target with all the kids.  As we entered, Sunshine said, "Ah, Christmas is here!"

"No it's not," I replied with a bit too much force.  "It's a whole month almost to Thanksgiving and then it will be Advent and then Christmas."

She wasn't buying it.  "It looks like Christmas!  Let's go look at the electronics," she said to Pepper, and off they went.

The Littles, however, are blissfully unaware of anything.  The decorations mean nothing to them, they barely remember hearing the name, "Santa" once.  Maybe I can have a good Advent with them.  But still, we are skipping ahead.

I love Thanksgiving.   I'm not cooking this year but when I do, it's turkey and stuffing every year.  If you are one of those snooty people who says you don't like turkey because you are tired of having it once a year, every year, you are welcome to my home but you might leave hungry.  The tradition of Thanksgiving is the food and in my family, it's turkey, stuffing,  mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls, and pumpkin pie.  Anything else we may serve is just fluff.  And if I do not have some lovely breast of turkey to eat on buttered white bread with a bit of good mayonnaise for supper, I am going to be a little sad!

Did I mention I love Thanksgiving?  I love the cooler weather and the turkey and the stuffing.  But most importantly, I love the holiday that has somehow remained virtually noncommercial and free of gift-giving.  It's a truly fantastic idea:  take the time to thank God for his magnificent benevolence with us, to thank him for providing a bounty; to give thanks that on this day I am not hungry. I can provide food for my family.  In fact, I can provide a feast.

I am grateful.  I am grateful for each hungry little mouth and for my husband who somehow, miraculously, feeds us all.  I am grateful for a roof over our heads and that each of us is alive and well.  I can truly say that on Thanksgiving, "It is well with my soul!"

Go away Christmas!  You'll get your turn!