Books Kids & Photos

Someday I am going to get good at this blogging thing and post more often. Maybe.

I just finished reading the book Rain of Gold by Victor Villasenor. A group of us have created a book club and this was our first book. It was one of the most beautiful, heart wrenching and heart warming stories I've read in a long time. It is a nonfiction story of the author's parents. Their stories and how the two became one. Veronica Maria I don't know if you've read this book- but if you have not you MUST MUST read it. You will love the stories of their childhoods in rural Mexico. You will love the strong Catholic faith of the Mama's. You will laugh out loud at the discussions Dona Margarita has with the Virgin Mary... Being the avid reader that you are, I'll guess you have read this but I just had to recommend it if not. It is a story tellers story and as someone who has married into a family of Mexican heritage, I found it just so incredibly fascinating and fun!

Other bits and bites of our life

Emma started ballet last week. She is absolutely beside herself with excitement over the whole thing. Last Wednesday she put on her tights and leotard promptly after eating- a full 6hours before her class was to begin. I had her change back into regular clothes but oh it was so so cute!

Owen is preparing for his yellow belt test that will be on September 17th. He has been taking Tae Kwon Do for nearly 10 months now and this will be his first formal testing. He seems to be well prepared for it, he knows his philosophy, his forms and he is very attentive and focused in class. When I was having a really really tough week last week with the kids (review my tweets on Twitter) I did tell him that this test was on the line for him. behavior at home is as important as in the studio and the instructors really try to impress that upon the kids. He would have to wait until December to test if I do not allow him this time. He has made vast improvements (as have the rest of my crowd of kids) so it is looking like he will test as planned.

My princess Olivia has a smoker's pack-a-day voice. It showed up in the first days of July and has not left. We saw an ENT a few weeks ago just to make sure all was ok. It is. She just talks too much. *sigh* as if I needed a diagnosis to tell me that!

The kids gymnastic teacher talked to me again about Evan. When he first started there a year ago she was floored by some of his barely 3 year old abilities. She really wants me to consider switching him to the Boys Academy so he can start learning more. The age range there starts at 5.5 years (he is not quite 4.5) but she says he can do every thing that any of the kids there can do, along with a few other skills. She really wants the "Accelerated Team" coach to see him. That group usually starts at 6. He is very naturally athletic. He seems to be one of those people that can just do sports. He throws very well, runs very naturally and fast, and has the hips of his Latin father! But he is just 4. For now we are going to continue in our low key, lots of fun, all kids together gymnastics class. Come January, as he is on the closer side to 5 I will reassess our schedule and see about putting the boys on the boys team, Emma on the girls and figure out what to do with Olivia.

I had a breakdown of sorts last week. The kids seemed out of control, I felt more anger than happiness and I was just plain frustrated. At the peak of it all I went into the kids rooms and cleared them out. Everything but books went into bins and bags and into the attic. Downstairs I left only the blocks, Lego's and other building materials. I also took away all screen time. Today is the day they are supposed to get screen time back. We'll see. I have really loved the difference in them the last few days. Or maybe it is the difference in me?

here are a few pictures of our recent adventures:

Evan using the camera