Hectic times

OK, so it has been a week since I last posted. Wow, time is flying by. I let 2 days get sucked into a graduation gift for Claire. I made a movie/slide show out of old pictures. It's titled Claire's Life in 15 minutes. And it is rather good if I say so myself. Though it was SO hard to keep it short. What pictures to include etc. In the end I decided to focus mainly on Claire, her friends and her family. I tried not to favor one side of the extended family over the other -- but ten to one someone will not be happy. But, the important thing was that Claire was happy. And now she has something to look at should she ever get homesick. And yes, I did include all those goofy, ugly group pictures -- it just isn't fun until you can laugh at the family's "akward stages".

But, speaking of such, this is not an "akward stage"...
I have to say, I know that times are different now, but Claire went to prom last night. There were 5 couples and 4 single girls in her group. They had a blast. If it had been me, and I didn't have a date to prom, couldn't twist someone's arm to come up with some cousin or next door neighbor, then I would have sat home with a hot fudge sundae. I think it is so cool that they can decide that they want to go, and GO!

What else have I done this week? Well, we had Honor's Night at the high school. Claire was one of 6 to get a PTSA scholarship and she got the Distinguished Literary Scholar Award -- which is awarded to one senior every year--that looks at all 4 years of high school English. That last one was a surprise, and we are very proud of her. It also helped me rationalize that while Tech is an environment that would challenge her, and the right price, it is not really the place for her...

Let's see...Ryan had his last elementary orchestra concert the same night and started football...







Sean came home from Tampa and the SE Regionals with a 3rd place medal for Men's Novice 8! Amazing! If they had been a varsity boat they would have qualified for Nationals.

We also had Field Day Olympics. Daniel's class signed the opening song (his class has the hearing impared kids pushed in and they all are learning sign). They also signed a song about reading at the last "Blue Team Meeting" (1/2 the school mini pep rally)And we had a class wedding shower for Ryan's teacher -- who happens to be marrying the son of our church Music Director! The kids were very excited and it was her first shower to boot! Now, there are only 5 days left (and counting). Ryan will "graduate" from elementary school and he is "moving on up to Haynes Bridge", Claire will be done, Sean will have finished his 1st year of high school and soon Daniel will no longer be anyone's little brother at school as he will be the only one left at Northwood.

And mom just wants to take a nap!

You know , I know this post reads something like a bad Christmas letter. And I really hate those. But I have decided that I need to let my kids know that I am proud of them and not afraid to show it. Their knowledge that I am going to shout to the world that I love them and am proud of them no matter what should over shadow my fear that I sound like a braggart -- or that people won't like me because I brag about my kids. And, I am the first one to complain when things don't go as planned, I am the first one to suggest taking them to the mommy store to buy a new mommy because they can't stand the one they have (usually muttered in the Target toy isle).