Blogging

Ok, So I haven't been the best at keeping you all updated in a while.  I just haven't been in the blogging mood again.

School is a nightmare for me this year.  We moved into the old high school building because we are now a K-8 school.  My classroom is the old auto shop remodeled.  It is huge and beautiful with lots of storage, but it echos just as a gym would.  Imagine trying to teach kindergartners letters/sounds in a room the echos like the grand canyon.  It makes for a daily headache.  Literally.

The girls love school.  They are doing so well.  Juliet just finished a huge school business project where they had to become entrepenuers, and present their business at the school business fair.  It was a huge deal, and she and her friend did a great job on it.  She brings home 100% on nearly ALL tests.  Math, spelling, comprehension, social studies, science, writing.  She loves writing letters and using her imagination to create stories.  She still likes to play with Polly Pockets and has no interest in maturing out of all the little kid things.  She is definitely a challenge right now, behavior wise.  I think it's all hormonal, which makes sense, but doesn't help in the moments of frustration.  She is bossy, head strong, determined, arguementative, and all that comes with the sassiness many girls have.  We are trying our best to pray over her and model good choices while disciplining where needed.  Sometimes disciplining seems like all we do.  It's a tough job, that's for sure.  But, I was at a Women of Faith conference last weekend, and God reminded me that HE has a relationship with Jules and I don't need to be the mediator of it.  I need to remember to let God speak to her and not speak for Him.  It is a daily challenge, and a daily act of giving her back to Him.  My prayers for her are for discernment, and wisdom in making good choices of following God's leading all day long.  Tough stuff, I tell ya!

Mia is reading so well now.  She definitely comes into her own at her own pace.  She hasn't had much interest in the academics of school.  She just likes it for the social aspect, but she is learning what it feels like to be proud of accomplishing academic milestones and she is striving towards goals.  She loves girly things.  She has an awesome sense of fashion and loves to put together every single one of her outfits.  She loves to help.  She loves to clean, and she loves to make people happy.  She had the kindest heart of anyone I know.  She is sincere and genuine in each act of kindness that comes out of her little body.  I love her to pieces!

Calvin is all boy.  He is still a complete crack up.  He can make you laugh within moments of greeting him.  He loves to wink now, and tell "Why did the _____ cross the road?  To get to the ____ at the other side!" jokes.  He will add whatever he is thinking of into the blanks and tell it with gusto.  They sometimes make sense, but we all laugh because he has the best delivery!  He loves to play with Legos, cars, and rocketships.  He is an animal on MarioKart.  He has unlocked nearly every game and character.  But he's having to do it again, because after playing one afternoon, he deleted his character!  He was crushed.  He kept telling Mike all day what he had done and would just sit on the couch and mope.  It was comical, actually!  He can also take down Uncle Greg with some serious KO's in Wii Boxing!

We got to spend Thanksgiving with Uncle Greg, Aunt Lissa, and Roman.  Roman is the cutest little 6 month old ever.  (Ok, so I'm biased!) He is the happiest baby.  He loves everyone (well me the most, of course!) smiles at everything, has the kissiest cheeks, is very tickelish, makes the greatest faces, sleeps well, eats well, and rarely cries.  I love that little guy.  I just wish it wasn't so darn expensive to fly.  I really want to take the kids out to Texas to visit with them.  Buying 5 tickets, even on Southwest, just adds up too much.  I hate that.  But I'm going to wait on God's timing to go.  I have a feeling when I get out there again, I won't want to come back to CA. ;)

Christmas this year is going to be fun.  Although Juliet knows that Santa isn't real, Mia and Calvin still believe.  I enjoy that part.  We don't over emphasize Santa because our focus is on the real reason for Christmas.  We like to make a big birthday party out of the day.  Birthday cake and all!  The kids are overly excited whenever they see lights on people's houses.  They were thrilled to help Mike put ours up outside and can't wait until we get our tree up tomorrow.  I am excited because I am out of school at noon on Thursday with no school Friday, which means I can go to the girls' class parties on Friday!  YAY!

Well, that turned out to be a long update!  But I guess it was overdue.  So there you go.  I will add some new pics here soon too.  Until then, enjoy your loved ones this Christmas season.  Remember to laugh a true belly laugh at least once every day!