A Missed Memory

Or shall I say, I Different Memory.

There are many things that each child gets to do throughout various years at CCS.  For example, I have had the privilege of attending a Mother's Day Spa with each of my kindergarteners.

One thing for my 1st graders, and I am not sure why it is such a big deal, is to decorate a Gingerbread Man.  I think the fun and excitement comes not from a craft, we do a lot of crafts, but comes from a one-on-one craft with a child.  Something that does not happen a lot in a house with five kids.

This morning at breakfast, Mac told me he had to decorate his Gingerbread Man tonight.  We have had some fairly fancy guys "walk" out of this house.  Glitter pants, button eyes, plaid shirts, etc.  It is fun to think up things.

Today was a little crazy.  Jason was home (his third week home b/c of rain) and we rain a few errands together before picking up the kids.  We got home, the kids got a snack and I got everyone going on their homework.  Tavis had band practice and someone had to head right back to school to get him.  Jason is so good at homework help, that I opted to go back for Tavis and have Jase stay and help.  This is one trait I treasure of my husband.  He is so patient and so good at explaining hard concepts to the kids.  I on the other hand, was not born a teacher.

When I got home with Tavis, Jason and Mac were proud to show me the Gingerbread Man that they created together.  *sniff*

I really am happy for their memory of doing this project together. *sniff*sniff*  Heck, I can't have all the memories.  :)  They did a great job.

Although, I think this guy looks a lot like Daddy....

Ha!

Omar and my Office Window

When Omar hears a noise outside, he runs to my office window and uses the chair to look out.  He stands/sits perched here often.  (I am taking the picture while sitting at my desk).

Yes, notice the many broken blinds in the bottom right corner.

My Tavis, a humorous note

To go along with the stress that I mentioned in my last post, God gave us a little bit of a laugh.  A weird, comic-relief story to add to our situation.

We get an e-mail every time a child gets a zero posted in their grade book.  While we were stressing over Tavis' homework, and right before I sent the emotional e-mail to his teachers, I got an e-mail about two zeros Tavis got in PE.

"Son, WHY did you get two days of zeros in PE?"

"I didn't have my uniform."

(Keep in mind this was the second uniform we purchased since he lost his first one the first week of school).

"Where do you think your uniform is, so we can look for it?"

"Mom, I know where it is, I just can't get to it."

Whaaat??

"Tavis, that makes no sense.  EXPLAIN!"

"Well..........I was swinging my gym bag in the gym before class on Monday.  And............well........... I tossed it too hard and it got stuck in the rafters in the gym."

"Your kidding, right?"

"No"

"What did Coach Loyal say about that?"

"He just said 'too bad' and then I couldn't dress out for PE"


Yep, this is what I'm dealing with people!!!!

My Tavis

I love this boy.  With all my heart.  And that is why his struggles are so painful to this Momma.

He is an extremely smart boy, but organization is not his thing.  I feel fairly certain it isn't in his vocabulary.

6th grade has been very rough on him.  Very high stress.  He struggles with math and he is going to have to work very hard at that.  Besides math, his biggest struggle is getting his homework from our evening of working on it, to turning it into the teacher.  I think we would all be shocked if I actually went back and re-calculated his grades by removing all the "late offenses".  They don't mess around in 6th grade and late points taken off.  Sometimes he has 20 or even 30 points off.  Argh!!!

Last night, he had to re-write a paper.  It was the third time he was asked to re-write it.  He could accept the 40 he received as a grade, or try again.  Jason and I have been on the verge of losing our minds for weeks.  And this particular re-write and other homework issues pushed us beyond the edge.

Sometimes, I fault at being the opposite of a "helicopter parent".  I think it is so important for a child to live, fail and learn.

Unfortunately, Tavis has not been learning.  He has just been failing and producing more and more self-doubt.  And being more and more frustrated with himself.  And hating school.  And feeling like a failure.  All very painful for a Mom to watch.

Jason and I have had some different ideas of how to handle this situation. Honestly, I get too emotionally frustrated for Tavis, and it has been best to let Jason to handle homework.  And he does an incredible job.  But last night, I lost it.  Tavis was trying to write his paper and he was crying, so I was crying and Jason was obviously stressed.

I won't go into all the details, but after this melt down, I sent a very emotion filled e-mail to the head teachers of 6th grade. Writing is the best way for me to express my stress, and get it all laid out before tears take over my words.  I wrote the e-mail, and re-wrote it and chose my words properly and re-wrote it again.  I immediately got an e-mail back from one of the teachers (at 10:30 PM).  He said he could feel the emotion in my e-mail (not sure if that was good or bad?) but he would meet with the other teachers and they would get back to us.

This morning, I told Tavis that I sent the e-mail and we were going to come up with a plan.  All of us - TOGETHER!!!

When Tavis got home today, he was like a different person.  Jason even noticed it and asked me why Tavis was in such a good mood.

I honestly think he was relieved that there was "help on the way" and that we would all be working to help him.  We aren't against him.  We want him to get and to be successful, but up until this point he has felt overwhelmed and alone in this fight.

So, I ask, if you think of us and this situation.  We have a long road ahead of us.  I do not know what will work for Tavis or how to help him.  I pray that the teachers can help us with some things that will help Tavis now and for his next six years of school.  I don't want a band-aid, I want to help him learn tactics that he will use the rest of his life.

Trimming the Tree

I love watching the kids put their ornaments on the tree and remember funny stories about different ones.  Such a sweet time!

Tavis was going the lazy route and decorating sitting down.

Mollee gets very into the decorating - and she sticks with until the end.

Going thru the box of house decorations too!

Ending the tree triming with icicles and candy canes.

Daddy watching for the side lines.

Last year, I was excited to go buy this tree at Pier One (80% off) - it holds most of Mollee's angel ornaments.

And I got this Moose last year.

It was a wonderful evening.  I love decorating for Christmas, and I love having the tree up.  I love finding the kids reading their books by the light of tree - just to be near it.

Too bad, this year, our living room is still barracaded off so Omar will not get in it and eat all my pillows.  He was not happy about missing out on the Christmas decorating.

Christmas morning will be interesting....

Games...Games....And More Games!

We love to play games.  I love that the kids are old enough to play and it be a challenge.  Thanksgiving Break didn't disappoint in the game department.

Daegan kicked my butt in Battleship

 The boys played Monopoly - a game I refuse to play with them.

 Family game of Phase 10 - all phases, took FOREVER!!!

 Yes, Tavis lives shirtless.  And Jason is usually wearing a tobogan.

 Don't we look happy.  :)

 And Capps beat us all!!!!

 And, of course, there was Media Time.  Maybe too much?

I used to bake all the time.  In the past year, as work has gotten busier, I have found that I don't bake nearly as much.  During these few days off (I was able to turn my phone off and ignore it and not check e-mail), I baked muffins three different times, plus I made a double batch of my Chex Mix.  I also made a batch of fudge and a few other treats.

YUM!  And so fun!  Now, back to work tomorrow.

Mrs. Laura's Village

Mrs. Laura, the 2-year old Sunday School teacher for each of my children, asked me to take her Christmas Village pieces.  I think it was 2006 and she was moving and downsizing and she wanted it to go to someone that would enjoy it.  

I set it up one or two years, but as Mac became a toddler, I didn't set it out, for fear many pieces would be broken.

This year, we set it up again.

 I have a picture just like this from about five years ago - I need to find it to add to this post, but I am going to hit the "Publish" button, just in case I never find that picture.

We love Mrs. Laura!!!  And her village!