Kade's graduation

Kade had his 5th grade graduation this last Friday.  It's not that big of a deal but it's still nice to watch the whole grade together, singing and sharing some things.  There are a lot of great kids that I have gotten to know a little bit over the years since Kade was with a different group of kids every year and it is fun to watch them grow.

It is a bit sad to see them get older and move onto the Middle school though.  Kade is somewhat excited because he is friends with a few boys that are a year older and he'll get to see them.  I think he's also a bit worried about the mean kids because just recently his 2 friends at the Middle school got beaten up.  That stuff worries me too but then when I was talking to a friend who recently moved here from a big city and works at the Middle school she told me what we think are rough kids is nothing in comparison to some big schools out there.

It is very obvious to us we have a tween in our house, too. :)  All of a sudden, Kade's life is all about his friends.  If he has to be home with just us one afternoon he thinks he's being punished and there's not a Saturday or Sunday that he's not asking for a friend to come over or to go to someone's house.  I know it's part of growing up but it makes me sad that he's so ready to leave us.  We are really trying to work on his behavior towards Kason now because he can be very mean to him.  It is so hard to know what is the right thing to do.  Poor Kason loves Kade and wants to be just like him (other than the sports :)) but Kade pushes him away.  So we've been trying to work on them spending time together.  Some days are better than others. :) And then there's the teenage attitude and constant negotiation.  Just a few years back Kade was the most obedient compliant little boy and it's hard to see when he gives me attitude or tries to get out of everything I tell him to do.  But I know it's part of growing up.  He's learning too about breaking the rules and just now he's being grounded from all electronics for a month and going to anyone's house which was a great lesson for him.  It is a lot about finding the right currency and for him the most important thing are his friends right now.

We are also starting to think more and more about homeschooling just during the Middle school years.  There's just so much crap going on at the school and the good students suffer a lot because of the kids that don't care about school.  My main thing would be to get better education for Kade because there's a lot of slacking at the Middle school.  One of his best friends that is a year older is home schooled and it's great to see how much more ahead he gets at home.  What Kade really likes is that his day would be over by lunch time.  So even he's been talking about it some.  I told him I'd like him to try it for a year and then he can choose.  From being at the Highschool a lot this year, I really like what I've seen there.  It is a lot like college the way the classes and instructions are and they have so many college level classes you can take for free that it's really great.  But Middle school I am not as impressed with.  I see them dealing with a lot of behavioral issues and then the other students suffer.  So it's been on my mind a lot and I pray that God will show us if it's the right thing for us to do.

    
 

trying to catch up...

Well, it's been a long time since I posted something. Life has been pretty hectic to say the least and it's been pretty great too.  I will post pictures since Easter even though most of you have seen them on my facebook page too but I like to post the favorites on here too so I can go back and see them.

Ever since I got back from Liberia I have been subbing every day and right now I am just hanging in there because I can see the end of the tunnel. :)  I really like it but at the same time I am really tempted to say I can't teach at least one day a week so I could catch up on house chores, laundry and stuff.  But I really hate to complain about it since so many moms out there, even with babies, have full time jobs and don't come home until 5:30 every night.  So really, I have it really easy and I feel guilty for even feeling sorry for myself. :)

At the same time, we're in the home stretch now and I'm ok with the busy subbing because I am beyond excited for the school to be done!  The last few years I had to brace myself for what was coming after the school was done because it meant having my own kids plus 5 or so extra kids at our house all day every day and no freedom to go anywhere because I didn't have a large enough vehicle.  But this year it is just me and my kids and I am thrilled.  I think the first week or two we're not going to do anything at all, we will sleep in, eat whatever, play outside, go to the parks or whatever we want to. The kids are signed up for some sports activities and it will be just enough to keep us plenty busy so they're not bored.  Kade might play on 2 soccer teams because the older group that is up to 14 years old is struggling for players and would love to add some of the younger ones.  So I hope that won't take over our summer but we can say no to some of the games if we have to.   

It was Kason's birthday last week and we had a great time celebrating him.  Ehren's parents were going to the cabin for the weekend of Kason's friends birthday party and Kade and Ani really wanted to go with them so Ehren and I were able to spend time with just Kason alone, have fun with his 8 friends and it was great.  We don't get to do stuff one on one with the kids when it's both Ehren and I so it was pretty special.  He's growing up way too fast and I keep being amazed at how smart he is.  I really try not to push him ahead of the kids but somehow, he still learns stuff and right now he would do just fine in 2nd grade.  He just picks up everything so fast, he hears something once and knows it.  At the same time, he has a hard time sitting still at school and talks when he's not supposed to but I'm thinking it's mostly because he's so bored and the stuff they do is so repetitive to him.  I know for a fact that they do a lot of Math and reading, way more than they used to in Kindergarten, but it is still not enough for him.  He loves watching what Anika is learning in Math and even that is so easy for him.  So I'm not sure what the best thing to do is for him.  I know that if I homeschooled him he would be at least 2 or 3 grades ahead of his age but is that what he needs?  For next year I asked for a teacher for him that I know is really good at noticing which kids need more challenge so I'm hoping it will be good for him.  She also stays on top of her kids pretty well without yelling and that's exactly what Kason needs because he can get pretty wild.  He loves life, loves to make people laugh and has just the softest heart.  It is very hard to believe my baby is 6.  I really am at peace with having just 3 kids but once in a while I feel a bit sad and not because I would want a baby but because Kason would tell me how much he'd love to have a baby brother.  And I know he'd be the best older brother too so that makes me sad.  I try telling him how in August he's going to have a baby boy cousin and even though he's looking forward to it, he's quick to say that he would still want his own brother. :)

I'm going to post a video of Kason below of his latest Bible verses he had to memorize for Awana at church.  He's done so well this year I could hardly believe it.  At first I was really thinking the leaders are just letting him pass all the verses without really knowing them but then when I would test him on my own I realized he really does know them, even 2 or 3 weeks later. :) It really feels like it's not fair that for some people it comes so easily while some of us have to really work for it. :)

 

ENJOYING OUR NEW DECK ADDITION - IT IS LOVELY!