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Last week both boys finished school. Luke had an awards ceremony on Friday morning and we're all unsurprised to learn he has been promoted to 3rd grade. He also received (earned?):
- Excellence in Spanish
- Excellence in Reading Comprehension
- Excellence in Math
- Excellence in History
- Excellence in French
- Progress in Writing
All good. This awards ceremony was for Pre k - 4th grade and, in the fashion predictable by this school, was not geared toward that age group at all. We sang hymns. HYMNS. It was like we were at church...and not the Youth Mass with guitars and drums and contemporary music praising God and singing about God's love for us. Nope. Hymns. Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all. Nothing bad about that, but could we get these kids a bit more enthusiastic by gearing something FOR them TOWARD them? This was our last year at this school. We gave it a try - Luke had fun and made some friends he really likes, but we're out. Unfortunately, we overheard one too many conversations between teachers who were not talking nicely about the kids...and we heard the teachers not talking nicely TO the kids many time as well. The environment just isn't kind. There are other reasons too, but why waste any time on the first day of summer thinking about the past?!
Paul's class had a swimming party that started right after Luke's awards ceremony ended - what luck! The kids all swam and swam and swam. Paul seems oblivious to the bittersweet feeling we adults are feeling about his being finished with Kindergarten and finished his school. In stark contrast to Luke's school, Paul's school is an oasis of amazingness. What a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful school with thoughtful and loving teachers and caring parents. If we had not found this school, there would be a hole in our lives (and we wouldn't even know it).
Yesterday, Luke and I took a walk and plotted out our plans for this week. He helped me decide on the menus and the daily routine. He agreed that spending a little time each day might help us keep the house clean...or, in his words, "get it back to how it was when we first bought it"?! We decided that Summer Home School activities need to be in the early afternoon because various people have various morning activities during various weeks. We also thought we could have a weekly project. For example, this week, we are going through the boys' art work from this year to decide which pieces we want to frame (and hang in our (M and R) bedroom. We also need to go buy some photo books (with the sleeves you can stick stuff in from the top) so that I can keep a book with important things for each boy (report cards, First Communion certificates, class schedule for the year, etc.).
Now, off to the grocery store before the Memorial Day crowd wakes up.
Luke's Little League team is the Yankees. Richard is a co-manager. I made this be so because I told Richard that we could not send our son, who has never played a competitive sport and who has not been playing catch with anyone, to a Little League team without someone who loves him. Richard appeased me and made me be the "Team Mom". I have come to discover "Team Mom" = Little League Middle (Wo)Man. I get e-mails that tell me to sell t-shirts, hats, decals, pictures, etc. to the parents on my team. I have to collect the money and deliver it up the chain. Someone tells me and I tell the parents on my team things like "raffle tickets are due Friday"...I leave out some parts of the messages that I get. The messages that *I* get also tend to tell me that Little League runs on volunteers and, if you don't do your part, you are one sorry moocher of a parent. Those sentiments don't endear me to do my part, so I suspect they wouldn't work with the other parents either.
Cast all of the "Little League Leadership" craziness aside - the Yankees is a fun group of parents. Most of them pitch in and help out when needed. One mom keeps the score book - which is good because none of the rest of us know how. I do think that it looks interesting and one day, when the kids don't need my constant supervision, I think I'll try to keep a book at a game I attend. Another mom takes lots of pictures and seems like she is going to share them with us. One dad will pitch in and be the 3rd base coach if one of our coaches can't attend. Another dad helps the catcher get his catcher gear on and off. We have a good time.
The Yankees started off losing a game to each of the other teams...we play everyone 3x. Richard and the other manager say they could field a line-up that is more likely to win, but they are adamant that this is Jr. Minors and they will rotate the kids so they can learn to play various positions. They aren't going to sit the same kids on the bench or stick the same kids in the outfield. Of the first 5 loses, 3 could have gone either way, but the other 2 were wallopings. Well, with good coaching and hard-working kids, the Yankees have been staging a comeback. It started with beating the Pirates the 2nd time around. Then, the Yankees cranked on the Rangers (the team that everyone says, "oh, you beat the Rangers - wow!" about) - I mean BEAT 15-1. The only reason it was that close is that there is a 5 run per inning rule. After that, the Yankees beat the Red Sox and then the Cardinals. The Astros got rained out and that game is rescheduled for next week. We started the 3rd round of games yesterday. After 2 Yankees batters (Luke was one) got on base, there was lightening and the game was delayed 10 minutes...over and over again...until the coaches agreed to reschedule the game. This morning, we played the Cardinals...and tied 9-9. Luke had a cold bat today - after being so dependable for a hit in the previous games. So, we have finished the match-ups with them...1 Loss, 1 Win, 1 Tie. These next two weeks will be full of games and we hope to come back around and clean up!
Paul is playing tee ball and that is much less stressful! Everyone bats every inning, no one is ever out, and everyone scores. Next year, he'll be too old for tee ball and he'll be in Jr. Minors. YIKES! Luke will be too old for Jr. Minors and he'll be in Sr. Minors - with real boys pitching instead of the ever-predictable and consistent pitching machine. YIKES!
School Updates:
This is the last week of school for the boys. Luke has a half-day on Thursday and an awards ceremony on Friday morning (with release when it is over). Paul has a pool-party on Friday, so his last day "on campus" is Thursday. Both boys will be at the same school come August (the 19th, to be exact). Ruth is going to go to "school" on MWF from 8:30 - 11:30 come August (the 26th, to be exact). This is a recent development - she won't be 3 until 2 weeks after the cut-off date, but the school has an opening and they agreed to give it a go. This is somewhat helpful on a few fronts. First, Ruth asks to go to school...she has been taking a brother there since she was born and she plays there all the time. Second, the is no gap in our attendance at the school, so our family isn't facing the emotional impact of not going to this school at all next year. Third, this allows us to not have a babysitter next year. I can do my office hours while she is at school and R can be home while I teach class. I think it will be much fun.
Music:
Both Paul and Ruth enrolled in Kindermusik this Spring. Paul was in a class where we dropped him off. He learned to play the glockenspiel - I think he learned 4 notes. He really enjoyed it - he loves music - and will be going again next year. Ruth was in a class that she and I attended together. There was singing, dancing and instrument exploration. She LOVED it - she would sing right along and really like participating, so...we are doing that again next year. I think Luke felt a little left out - he is too old for the classes there. He and Paul have both asked me if they can take piano lessons. We'd love to have them do it, but I'm hesitant about trying to fit another thing in. Which leads to...
Cub Scouts:
Luke is about to earn his Wolf badge after which he will be a Bear. He enjoys Cub Scouts and I think he really enjoys earning things. His den leader this year did a really good job and we appreciate all that he planned and did with the Scouts. This summer, Luke is going to Day Camp (Richard is going to be a Walking Leader a couple of the days) and then Richard and Luke are going to overnight camp in July. Last year he had a lot of fun, so I'd imagine this year will be no different. Paul is looking forward to being a Tiger in the Fall and going to camp next summer. He'd like to go this summer!
Baseball:
Paul is playing Tee Ball - his team is the Pirates. Luke is playing Junior Minors - his team is the Yankees. Richard is a co-manager for Luke's team and an assistant coach for Paul's. So far, most of their games have been at the same time...so, we have had to split. When Richard is with Paul's team, I've been with Luke's - and when I'm with Luke's, I've usually helped in the dugout (keeping these boys organized was a challenge - until we got the 5 gallon paint buckets!) and sometimes making a feeble attempt to keep the score book...all while watching after Ruth. When Richard is with Luke's team, I can just watch Paul's game...in between Ruth's requests for a sno cone. It has been fun, but it keeps us busy. The League is not organized as well as it could be, but it is all volunteer, so I try not to complain too much. Luke's team started out closely losing (they could have gone either way) the first 3 games...except 1 which they lost by a lot. Then, they turned it on and have won 3 games in a row...including a 15-1 trouncing of the previously undefeated team that beat the Yankees so badly the first time. Things are accelerating now and the Yankees have 7 games in 2 weeks. The schedule got rearranged and accelerated to make room for the All Star teams to practice more. I have the impression that this whole season of play is just a "necessary thing to get out of the way" so that they can get to the All-Star teams stuff.
This Summer:
Paul has 1 week of Summer Fun (mornings only) at his Kindergarten school and 1 week of Science Camp (mornings only). He also has 1 week of baseball camp at the high school. Then there is Vacation Bible School. In August he has 2 weeks of swimming lessons.
Luke has 1 week of baseball camp, 1 week of Cub Scout Day Camp, Vacation Bible School, Cub Scout overnight camp and then 2 weeks of swimming lessons.
Ruth - is going to go with me to take them everywhere!
Ruth's Potty Training:
Richard potty trained Ruth yesterday morning. He used the same method that he used with the boys. She seems to take herself to the potty more times than I could ever remind her (sometimes she goes, sometimes she doesn't), so I'm not doing too much reminding. She took a nap in underwear and woke up dry! She had one accident yesterday afternoon...it was evening actually - we were playing outside and when we came in, she grabbed herself and said, "I need to go pee pee" - so we told her to go and hurry. She had pee peed a bit in her underwear, but did quite a bit on the potty once she was there. So, I don't consider that a full-on accident. Richard got her up to got potty at 11:30 pm - as he was going to bed. She called to us that she needed to go potty at 2:30 (she did and she went back to sleep) and then at 6:30, she woke up and called to us that she needed to go potty - and she did. So, she went the entire night with NO wet pants. She was in those quilted cotton training pants with a Goodnights mat on her bed. TERRIFIC! We'll see how today goes. I have that anxious and vigilant feeling. We do have to leave the house today, so that adds to the mix.
