Andrew and Caleb are definitely brothers who are best friends. It just amazes me watching the dynamics of their relationship to not only each other but with their sister as well.
Andrew is working really hard at school. Being in the 3rd grade at a new school, in a new state and city, with new friends to make and to learn to trust 3 new main teachers amongst a new Speech therapist is allot to take in for someone who's reading comprehension needs help with. His 1st quarter grades were disastrous he had 2 F's, 2 C's, and 1 D. His conduct was a B+ all his extra classes they have to take like PE, Art, and Music were all B+'s but the move and a new school and rotating like they are in high school is hard on him. We are now into the 3rd quarter and got the 2ND quarters grades and he has improved some but he is still really struggling. He got 3 C's, 1 B, and 1 F. Now the F is in a teacher who I'm not crazy about and she has made no effort to make Andrew comfortable. He had another F in the 1st semester and the teacher sat him down and had a talk with him and now that grade is a C. He is a sensitive child whose feelings get hurt easily. We are working on expanding his IEP and getting him re-evaluated to get the services he needs and even Virginia recognized he needed them but didn't want to give them to him. So now I'm really hoping he can get the services. He is already in an inclusion class. His social skills are improving with the help of going to the Youth Center after he comes home and does his homework and Cub Scouts. I just really hope he can get the help he needs in place this year.
In his cub scout uniform
At the Zoo
Caleb academically is the complete opposite of Andrew. His 1st quarter he received 2 B+'s and 1 A . He was considered to be on the A/B honor roll, he got awards for grades and conduct. He is an avid reader and a social butterfly along with being deemed by the class Mom a "ladies" man LoL. He also complimentary even at home and to our friends he is always so sweet and charming. He loves going to the youth center after school as well and Cub Scouts is definately very fun for him. His 2nd quarter he moved one of his B+'s to an A so now he has 2 A's and 1 B. We got the letter of invitation for his award ceremony which I will blog about next week when it happends lol. We claim him as the lucky child. Not for ways people automatically think of but because he is our middle child. Most middle children are deemed the "trouble" child or the "forgotten" child....You know the middle child syndrom lol. But not ours. He has best of BOTH worlds he not only Andrew's best friend he is Elora's best friend too and they both seek him out to play and be their confidants. Here are some pictures of our Caleb:
1.swam in the pacific and atlantic ocean
2.gone to Korea twice
3.learned to speak Korean on my own
4. lived on my own
5.endured abusive relationship
6.endured abusive step father
7.married someone I was and still am in love with
8.had a medicated birth
9. had a non medicated birth
10. had a c-section
11. loved someone so much it hurt
12. feared for my life
13.gone across country literally from one side to the next
14. been to at least 21 different states
15.played tennis
16. played soccer
17.been surfing
18.been to 2 of the 3 open sea worlds
19. Been to Disneyland, California adventure, & Disney World
20.Lived in California
21.Lived in Virginia
22.Living in Florida
23.Been Married 10 yrs this august to the SAME man.
24.Loved at first sight (anyone who hasn't loved at first sight hasn't given birth to a child or had a child)
25.Been stung by a bee
26.been bitten by a bumble bee (man that hurt)
27.almost died TWICE
28.lived in the hospital for more than 2 weeks
29.had the flu while pregnant
30.taught myself to scrapbook
31.been to Mount Rushmore
32.Been to Macinaw Island
33.been camping
34.slept under the stars
35.slept at the beach
36.traveled to AR in less than 24 hrs
37. been on several plane trips
38.raised kittens
39.raised birds
40.read in a rocking chair over looking the back yard
41.raced my kids up a hill
42.played in snow
43. picked korean furns
44.learned to cook Korean food
45.learned to cross stitch
46.sung Karaoke
47.been to Mexico
48.seen sting rays in their natural enviroment
49.swam with dolphins
50.talk to whales :)
51.hugged a killer whale
52.been deep sea fishing
53.Been to a temple
54.seen a budda statue in korea
55.taught myself to ride a bike
56.fell in a rice patty
57.caught a frog
58.rode in an ambulance
59.been on a fire truck
60.gotten out of a ticket
61.known movie stars
62.played in the rain
63.found shark bones in my back yard
64.swam in a pool during winter
65.lost a loved one
66.donated blood
67.saved childhood toys
68.bought a new car
69.fixed my own tire
70.been in the newspaper
71.seen a ship make port
72.seen jelly fish up close
74.won a lawsuit
75.given cpr
76.called 911
77.broken up a fight
78.visited someone in the brig
79.lost friends
80.gained friends
81.been fired from 1 job
82.thrown a surprise birthday party
83.got a surprise birthday party
84.owned cats
85.owned fish
86.painted pottery
87. Jumped in a bounce house
88.sat at a bon fire
89. been part of a block party
90. been camping at great lakes
91.toured Williamsburg
92.been to a real country pumpkin patch
93. been in a fight
94.been kissed by surprise
95.Been sung to
96.been in a light house
97.toured a haunted light house
98.been to St.Augustine
99.seen the mississippi river
100.caught a fly ball at a ball park
Today started off like any other day, got the kids up, ready for school, dropped off, did some things around the house, picked up the Princess from school, waited to see if Daddy would come home for lunch. He didn't so we decided to go to the beach and have a snack and just hang out. The day was beautiful. A nice and warm 66 degrees. It felt more like 70 and with a breeze. Elora and I walked the entire length of the beach, tide was out and the sand was smooth and the shells were beautiful. We even found a whole silver dollar in the sand which I was very excited about. It made me long for summer and the lazy days ahead. I'm so excited we are somewhere close to the beach, and I can be that Mom who took their kids to the beach daily, prop up a chair and read while the kids played in the sand and water. I remember I think it was either my freshman or sophmore year my Mom was obessed with going to the beach, we were there EVERYDAY from sunrise to sun down, We would look for shells, surf, boogie board, dig for clams, and just lay around. Those are the types of memories I want to recreate with my children. Not to mention make new ones of our own.
I do long for those Summer Days!
EEk, where does this damn cold weather come from. We're in Florida come on! It is supposed to be warm and nice all year long not this frost crap. We are yet again under another hard freeze warning which means I will wake up to more ice on my lawn...can you hear the scrubbing bubbles say EWWWWWWWWWWW lol. Tomorrow I think I am taking Andrew out on the town. I am going to take him to go shopping for his friends birthday party this weekend and then we'll go see Mall cop since it is the movie he picked...He doesn't know it yet though :) I filed taxes today so that is done and out of the way. Im glad the military posted earlier than they saidt hey would. It wasn't supposed to be out till tomorrow but they posted earlier and we should be getting it deposited on the 30th of this month :) *YAY* Go me. Scouts got cancelled today so Andrew was highly upset about that. Mark and I are going to re-arrange some things since Andrew really wants to get on the youth center bus after school. It's this bus that goes to school and picks the kids up straight after school and they do activies until 5:30...So the boys might do that starting next month! It will also help when I officially start working from the house especially this fall when Elora is 5 and can go too. That way I can end my work day at 5:15 or so and not work on the weekends at all. Should be quite interesting. We are switching Elora's ballet/tap class to the one on base. I feel a bit guilty cause I really do love miss hollie but it's just a wiser choice for us since its not even 2 min down the street from us at the youth center and 15 bucks cheaper and I would be saving on gas as well. Caleb is looking forward to signing up for tball again this spring so that will be done soon. Andrew really isn't all that interested this time around so we're not going to worry bout it. Unfortunately soccer sign ups are for ages 9+ which really bites this year. Can't believe February is just around the corner. I am hoping in Feb we make it to Busch Gardens Africa on our passes and we'll do one day at busch and one day at sea world and come home :) Chao for now!
So I've been meaning to register with FlyLady.net since we moved to Florida...well I finally got back on there and registered and I am so excited. No matter what I always feel like the house is never clean enough, so here is a system I can work with especially since my issue is CLUTTER. This was the perfect week to join since this week's mission is the dreaded Master bedroom which is the only room I avoid cleaning usually hahaha. I also have the strongest urge to wash all the towels and re-organize the linens and get rid of a bunch of ratty towels and un-used blankets. Hopefully this week the master bedroom will have survived flylady and myself and become the dream haven we need it to be. Now lets hope I don't kill Mark for cluttering my space after I have flyladied it lol.
