Update Time

After a short break, I managed to grab some photos off my computer and create a smile box slide show. As usual it is primarily Aidan and Ariana. My teenagers are photo phobic.

Corbin is now in full swing at high school. He is playing freshman football and might start tonight at his first game. Not that we care one way or the other. We are just so incredibly proud of him for the effort he is putting forth. St. Thomas' Varsity is the current National Champion and ranked #1 for this season. They are REALLY REALLY good. Corbin has played football for the last 4 years, but this year he climbed in the car the first day and said, "I quit." In fact 40 kids did quit that first day, but Corbin stuck in there. I really believe that learning perseverance is a gift in itself. A great deal of self respect is born out of pushing through especially when you may never touch the field. But Corbin has also been rewarded with the gift of friendship, team spirit, and a new respect for physical fitness. You have to end the day a little more humble than you began it when you think you are a fit teenage boy and your coach demonstrates otherwise. The other day Corbin was talking about how hard holding a squat for ten minutes used to be and how it is so much easier now. I still can't get him to say anything good about an up-down though.
He is learning the lay of the land in a Catholic School. For instance, if you leave your HW in your locker it is still a zero an hour later. There isn't a lot of latitude - get it together or get out.
Corbin and Collin are both taking Catholic education classes this year. Corbin will be done this Easter where as Collin will do the traditional 2 year program. I'm still not ready to personally take any steps toward becoming a Catholic, but I am thrilled for my boys.

Collin is in the 6th grade and has officially started Middle School. We are having our first public school experience. He is taking 8th grade Pre Algebra and doing great with a 97 right now. All his other classes are Advanced Placement and he has grades from 99 to 101. Falcon Middle School has the highest cumulative test scores in the state on the FCAT. This school is the best that the state has to offer. Collin has so much to be proud of. He has become quite the book worm. I think he has read at least 10 books since school started. His new series is the James Patterson one for teens. In so many ways he is Ian's little clone- a Big heart, passion for reading and school just seems to be so simple for him. (must be nice). He refuses to talk about private schools while Falcon starts at 9:30 and gets out at 4. He is in heaven sleeping until 8:00 each morning and still having free time before the bus.

Aidan is actually spending less time at school this year. Last year Aidan was going full time- because I was working. This year he goes all day T/Th and 3 hours MWF. For the first time he is expressing curiosity about letters. I am trying to spend time each day helping him with readiness skills. God Bless all those who home school. It is so incredibly hard for me to force myself to sit and work when I can see so many chores that need to be done. I am so easily distracted. At least for now, working with him is a "break". PK/K is MY curriculum- the stuff I love to do. It is FUN. Sad to say, contractions, Florida History, the scientific method... yuck. I am glad someone else finds it all facinating.

Ariana is in speech twice a week and OT twice a week. We are also taking gymnastics together and we have joined a play group. She recently had her 1 year home well check and I can't say it went "well" by my standards. She weighed in at 20.5 lbs. The same as she weighed last year. She was stuck with a "failure to thrive" label and will be seeing some specialists...a neurologist, a gastrologist and an endocrinologist. We are waiting to hear the dates as the pediatrician is setting all the appointments up for us apparently. (Isn't that weird?) Ariana did grow this year. I haven't pulled out the memory box to see how much but I can look at her photos (below) and see how much she has grown. Maybe all of the calories are going into height and nothing is left for weight. Although I have been hemming and hawing about her weight all year- expressing concerns and having eyes rolled at me, I have to say "she LOOKS healthy". I see muscles on her. I see her move with more grace and ease than before. I see better coloring and better posture. She hasn't been a sickly kid, in fact Aidan is the one with a constant green goopy nose, not Ana. She doesn't seem extrodinarily sleepy or listless. She seems to hold her own keeping up with her peers. My guess is that we won't find anything but piece of mind after seeing all the doctors.

Ian still loves FPL, Miami and being at home so much more. He would prefer to sleep an extra hour, but he enjoys spending the mornings with Corbin and getting him to the bus.
He has been in charge of putting the little ones to sleep at night- by then I really need a little people break. Lately this means he reads to them, tucks Ariana in and then goes to lay down next to Aidan until he falls asleep... mean while, Ariana sneaks out of bed and charms her way into mine while I read or watch TV. She has learned that whining gets a quick pass right back to her bedroom while cute and adorable gets extra mommy time until daddy returns to discover my treachery.
Converting her crib into a day bead has opened a whole new world to her. Talk about sneaky and wise.... during nap time Sista will sneak out of bed, close her door, go into the playroom, shut the doors and play quietly... it didn't take her long to figure out if she came and found me I would put her back in bed, and loud noises would be her undoing too.. so she is stealth.

As far as I am concerned, I thought being home would mean I got everything done. HAH!!! I still feel like I am coming up short all the time. The house is never clean enough, there are always errands to run, appointments to make and keep, weeds to pull. The laundry never ends and no matter how much time I sit and talk or play with my kids, I always feel like it isn't enough. And, that is why my blog just isn't what it used to be. But, I'm not totally ready to give it up just yet.