Mommy of Many®

It’s been 2 weeks since JJ graduated from High School and only a few days afterward, he and his class, along with a few chaperones, got on a plane headed for Spain. Each person was outfitted with a new bike and a few essentials for the long road ahead of them. They are heading out for a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

This journey takes them through Spain and into France. I have to admit that, even though I’d heard about the trip for a whole year, I hadn’t given it much thought. Sure, I took him to the post office to get his passport and I sent money for the new bike, but I hadn’t looked into the route or researched the journey. I knew that the Senior classes before JJ’s had done this trip and that it was a wonderful experience.

Yesterday I finally sat down at the computer and typed “Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela” into my Google search box. I was fascinated with what I read and saw! An excerpt from the book,
Pilgrimage to the End of the World states-”A satellite image of the pilgrimage routes provides a little reality check to the bland abstractions of a traditional map. But even this isn’t enough to convey the toughness of the trail. The daunting mountain ranges of the Pyrenees and the Cantabrians speak clearly enough of the great challenges the pilgrim must overcome.” I’m in awe of these boys, on bikes and with little in their pockets, taking on this trek!

There’s been no word from the boys, so I’m going with the phrase, “No news is good news” and trusting that all is going well. I can’t wait for JJ’s return home so that we can hear all about this adventure, both spiritually and physically. I’m just more proud and pleased than I can convey that the boys are having this experience!

I truly hope that each of my children gets to embark on experiences like this one!

Doing the Dance of the Children and hoping to foster their dreams and nurture their souls~

I am so tired!

Right at this moment, that’s overshadowing the fact that I’m in PA for the weekend to be a part of my oldest son’s graduation.

Ok, tiredness aside…I can’t believe how quickly the last 3 years have gone! JJ left as a Sophomore and already he’s graduating! Then it’s off to Spain and France for a biking pilgrimage. He will be home for a couple of months this summer and then is off to the University of Dallas for school. College!!!!

Here’s a little of how this trip has gone so far-

I left on Thursday, after work. Kateri is home to take care of the kids and keep their routine running. I spent Wednesday evening writing out a plan to make life a little easier on her. It looked a little like this;

Of course there was a backside to Thursday’s plan and Fri, Sat, Sun and the meal plan all followed.

After making my way across the country, I arrived in Scranton, PA a little after 11pm. Clay and Mariah had taken an earlier flight and met up with my sister, Bridget, who is out from Portugal to attend the graduation and then to visit family and friends in Ca. They all picked me up and we decided to get something to eat. We found an open Waffle House.

We headed to the hotel, got some rest and then went out to the school. It was good to see JJ at school and to go to mass with all the boys.

After mass, we headed to lunch and to get a new shirt for graduation.

Now, it’s time to rest a little and then back to the school for the play that the Seniors are putting on.

Everything at home seems to be running smoothly. Thanks Kateri, Ted and Maggie!

You can bet there will be pics of the play from tonight!

Cinco De Mayo…

Today we helped the kiddos in preschool learn about Cinco De Mayo and shared a snack of taquitos, salsa and chips with them. As the teacher read a story about why we celebrate this day all I could think was that I never really knew the significance behind today. I knew there was a battle, but never  paid attention to the details. Now I’m beginning to wonder if I ever learned them at all. Is my brain fuzzy or did we learn about Cinco De Mayo when we were kids?

I’m not sure, but I think I’ll ponder it over a margarita!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

We’ve been getting the kids in the classroom ready to celebrate Earth Day. They’ve been learning about bugs and we have caterpillars in a netted home where the kids can watch them go through all their phases of metamorphosis. I put together a playlist of songs about the earth’s changes from season to season, recycling and gardens (some of my favorite children’s songs are on that playlist!) and the class has been learning about planting and growing. They’ve planted sunflowers and watched as they poked thru dirt to becoming seedlings. A few days ago we had a great visit from one of the children’s fathers, who taught the kids all about growing tomatoes. We decided to have the kids each plant tomato seeds and the seedlings will be placed in hand painted pots for Mother’s Day. I think the kids have had fun learning about recycling, growing and conserving. Today and tomorrow we’ll give them a little treat (the cookies pictured above) and listen to the noisy classroom, since it’s raining and they won’t be able to go outside.

~sigh~

It’s tough to get the kids to be excited for the rain that’s helping the flowers grow, but keeps them inside. But they sure can be funny and creative! Here’s a funny story to share that happened while I was helping one of the little guys plant his tomato seed for his mom-

Me-”See how small this seed is? Isn’t it amazing that a whole plant is going to be able to grow out of that tiny seed and real tomatoes can grow on that plant? And then you and Mommy can go pick them and eat them!”

5yr old boy-”Um, well, Mommy is on the Medifast diet and there are no tomatoes on the Medifast diet.”

Me-*holding back a laugh* “Well, they sure will be pretty to look at”.

Happy Earth Day! I hope it’s a good one~

I wanted to take a minute to address some of the comments I’ve received about the on-going issue of undone school work and my kiddo who isn’t happy with school. I’ve had several thought-provoking responses and I think they deserve to be responded to.

In my 21 years of parenting I have approached schooling in many ways. I’ve had children in public schools and in the private school system.  There was also a time when we were frequently moving because of military orders and it made sense to take schooling into my own hands at some points during those moves. There have been issues with the way a child learns or how to best help them glean the knowledge that’s within all those text books and I chose to bring a child home for a year and 1/2 to try to find the holes in their learning, plug them and get the child back into the classroom setting. We’ve worked with tutors and learning centers along the way. In my journey through parenting and schooling I’ve had to face something head on-when choosing to homeschool, both the child AND the parent have to be considered. I have had to be honest enough with myself to face the fact that I am not a parent that is well-suited to homeschooling. I have neither the time nor the space to give it the solid attention that I desire and that it deserves. It’s been a bitter pill to swallow. I have had friends and acquaintances throughout all of my years of parenting who have done a very good, successful and solid job of schooling their children. I have had to realize that it is not for everyone and just because I have a child or a situation that isn’t particularly suited to the traditional classroom setting, doesn’t automatically mean that the answer is for me to become the child’s teacher. Believe me, I have tried this, been successful (enough) at it and still had to accept that it’s not for me.

Many kudos to those that have done and are taking on this immensely, important task in their children’s lives. I TRULY wish I could join you. But we must all face our strengths and weaknesses, be honest about them and then work from there.

Many of you have suggested that my child who is having such a tough time at school and within the structure of the classroom, be home schooled. You have suggested I look at all the people, throughout history who have contributed great things to our world and how they didn’t fit, well, into the traditional settings of school. Thank you. I do see this. I will have to weigh all my options while leaving homeschooling out of the equation.

As for my meeting with the teacher…it could have gone better. I understand that she is just as frustrated as I am with what we are seeing. However, I give her credit for seeing that this isn’t an issue of work that is too difficult-it’s not the curriculum, but an issue of learning to work within the structured environment. I know that some of you are of the opinion that it isn’t particularly necessary for my child (or any child) to HAVE to learn to do this. On this point, we disagree. I feel that it’s important because in all the stages of our lives and in all we must do to be successful, functioning parts of our society require us to learn to work within the perimeters of that structure. We get to choose our outlets, whether they be sports, music or art, where we are able to find the way in which we like to use our time and let our thoughts be free-flowing, but there is always going to be the job that we must go to and the way in which that job must be functioned. If a child doesn’t learn to work within a structured environment and under time constraints, I don’t see how they can fully function, successfully as an adult, in society.

Thank you for all your suggestions and thoughts. I will continue to try to find the best way to give my child the tools needed to become a happy and successful student and growing kiddo.

Onto this day and Doing the Dance of the Children~

A while back I talked about finding many, MANY pages of undone or partially done school work under one of my children’s beds. This happens to be the same child who is hating school. After making the kiddo climb under the bed and pull out all the papers and letting them know that they would be brought into the teacher and we would discuss how and when to get them all done, I figured the problem was over. Shortly after that, the teacher let me know that she had found several undone papers crumpled in the back of this child’s desk. We, again, made a plan for getting the work done-some of which no longer counted toward grades.

After having met with the teacher and my child and talking about the importance of the work and that if help was needed, all they needed to do was ask, I made the decision to change the way this child did homework and made sure that they were accompanied at the table, over each piece of work. So, since January, this child comes home, gets a snack and then sits down with someone and is guided through the homework that’s been presented from the back pack. Apparently even THIS isn’t a sufficient enough way of doing things to keep the child on task, because 2 days ago I received an envelope of papers and a note. Yep, more crumpled papers in the back of the desk!

So, last night I pulled all the papers out and organized them into piles. There was a total of 46 undone or partially done worksheet pages representing all of the subjects being studied. There’s the pile of “Done but not turned in” (I still don’t understand why that’s happening). There’s the pile of “Is this too old to matter?”. And finally the pile of “Completely not touched and needs to be tackled”. I wrote a note for each pile and am taking them into the teacher today to have her glance through and let me know that she wants each item taken care of.

~sigh~

This whole thing is making me crazy. Yes, I’ve sat and talked with my child. I’ve asked all the questions and offered all the help. I’ve taken the steps to make sure guidance is in place. I’ve done everything short of sitting in the classroom with them. Is that next?! Am I ultimately headed back to grade school?! I know, I know…just a little bit of being dramatic there.

Ok, getting the kids going for this new day of school and going in to talk with the teacher…again.

Prayers and well wishes appreciated!

Have a great day~

~Sigh~

One of my kiddos truly hates school. Every Sunday they look at me and say,”I know what tomorrow is…the worst day of the week.” The work curriculum isn’t a problem. Friends aren’t a challenge. They just, truly hate having to go and sit in a structured environment and complete work in a given time-frame. This particular child is a big thinker and is always thinking of a better way to do things or a better way to build things and can get lost in thoughts of planning and inventing and building for a long time.

The teacher and I have had several meetings and have come up with all sorts of ideas to help this child look at the whole thing differently. But each plan has failed. I’ve got someone working with them to see if we can find better tools for them to succeed inside the perimeters of the school day and the classroom structure. But that takes time and the school year is speeding toward it’s finishing point.

I’ve had another child who felt this same way and was just as lost in thought and they are now a successful High School Senior who is headed off to college in the Fall. I’m hoping they will have something to offer their younger sibling to help change all these feelings.

Anyone been here? What did you do?

Have a great day~

There are several topics I want to write on but I will be sitting with my first grader, overseeing the many, many, many pages of work that were hidden from not only me (under the bed), but from the teacher (crumpled in the desk) over the last few weeks. So…off to the dining table I go with an arm load of paper work for me and several sharpened pencils for him.

Doing the Dance…

Yesterday I attended the Junior Unity Liturgy and luncheon with Mariah. I couldn’t help but be brought back to the same day and the same celebration 5 years ago, when I was sitting there with Kateri. FIVE years?! I can hardly believe it! The high school years go so quickly! Kateri is already in her third year of college and JJ is a Senior this year!

It was so nice to be able to take the time to attend this celebration with Mariah. Because I have so many children at the elementary school, it makes sense that most of my time and energy is put there. But I end up feeling disconnected from the high school and all that they have going on. Not only was it great to be there with Mariah, but I was able to say hello to parents who had children go through school with Kateri and now, also have kids who are in Mariah’s class. It’s always nice to hear how everyone is doing.

It seems that when the kids are going through k-8th that high school seems so far off. Then they get there and it’s a whirlwind of time that passes in the blink of an eye! I was so glad to be able to grab a little piece of it, yesterday.

Have a great day~

Yesterday was the very last day of school for this 08-09 school year.  

What a year!  

Seriously, it’s been a year of schooling unlike any other for our family. Last summer I made the decision to pull my 4 kids from the private school that we had been in for 8 years.  The decision was HARD but had many reasons behind it.  One of the kids wasn’t going to be able to go back because of some math challenges, so I pulled everyone.  What a whirlwind path that set us on!  I started the year by enrolling the two 7th grade girls in a homeschool program that had them on campus a couple of days a week for spanish, computers and science.  I enrolled the 2 boys in the local public school.  By November we had one of the 7th graders back at the Catholic school and the other enrolled in the local middle school.  After Christmas break both boys went back to the Catholic school.  And finally, after Easter break, the other 7th grader went back to the Catholic school.  The child with math challenges worked REALLY hard and ended the year with a C. With all the changes and challenges, I’m so proud of how well all of the kids did this year.  It was all crazy, but it was a “live and learn” situation.  I learned that you get what you pay for and that we can not match the level of education that the kids were used to at the Catholic school.  I also saw, very quickly, that there was so much more that they were getting from that environment.  There’s a sense of self-respect and accountability that is maintained by learning in a faith-based school.  

Lesson learned! ( I supposed I should add this to the Learning Lessons Series) Next year I will have 6 kiddos at the school, 2 8th graders, a 4th grader, a 1st grader and 2 preschoolers.  I will also be there everyday as an aide in the 4 yr. old preschool class that Gabi is not in.  Wow!  7 of us in one place everyday!  

Well, here’s to the end of a crazy, but successful school year and to the beginning of summer! 

Have a great day~

Since I’m out and about and trying to Do the Dance of Life, I find that my head is very full and busy.  So much got put on the back burner in the last month, that trying to play catch up is making my head spin.  I’m falling back on my list making skills to get me through.  

Easter is around the corner and we are finishing up the travel arrangements to get Kateri and JJ home for the break.  This will be the last time that either of them get to spend time with Clay until he returns from deployment, next year.  I know a year sounds like a really long time and that a lot happens in a year’s time, but it seems like they fly by and I’m feeling confident that it’s going to seem like the blink-of-an-eye before we are talking about next Easter and Clay’s return. But between now and the day he leaves, there are so many things that have to be done.  There’s so much to prepare for that we don’t want to have deal with when he’s not actually here to make the phone calls of sign the papers.  It’s always hard to think about things like the kids’ future from far away.  

Next year, JJ will be in his Senior year of high school and Clay won’t be back until just before JJ’s graduation, so we have to think about planning for college NOW.  It’s stuff like that, that keeps me adding to the lists and worrying that I’m forgetting something.  

Well, today, I just need to make the lists and focus on today.  So, pen and paper are at the ready and one step at a time, one day at a time and it’ll all fall into place.

Right? (this is where you all chime in with statements of agreement!)

Have a great day~

Finally!  

I’m so excited to have a new show up!  There have been some hurdles that have kept me from getting a show done, but it’s finally here.  Thank you for visiting the site and for listening to the show.  Your comments and feedback are always appreciated.  Have a show idea?  Let me know!  You can use the contact link to email me.  

Click HERE to leave a review for Mommy of Many at iTunes

 

 MOM 55 [7:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (157)

We are 2 days into the Back to School routine and things are running smoothly.  We’ve had a warm “welcome back” at the old school.  Max was SO excited on his first day!  His new schools supplies made him very happy.  He’s in class with kiddos that were in his preschool class and all welcomed him back, happily.  Tristan seems like he never left.  He’s fallen right back in with old friends and his work habits are on track.  I’m  so proud to see him get back into his old routine; after-school snack, chores, homework, dinner, reading, bed.  There was so little homework at the public school, that I was seeing his work-ethic fall away.  He started asking to be on the computer, play with friends, etc.  My kids stay on-track best, with a full and solid routine.  

Max is having to learn what homework really means and the importance of sitting down each night and getting  it done.  This class is quiet a bit farther along than the class he was in.  He has a spelling test on Friday, which means, handwriting must be in order, letters must all be recognized, sight reading has been covered and letter blends are recognized.  This is a far cry from what was happening in his last class.  Luckily, our biggest challenge is the handwriting.  He’s able to sound out words and recognizes his letters and their sounds.  He’s got to learn organizational skills and responsibility for his work and things.  It’s just truly amazing what’s instilled at the private school versus the public school.  I know that this isn’t the case everywhere and that many of you can stand up for your schooling choices and talk about the good things your kids are getting and learning.  All I can talk to is what I have seen having had my kids in both places.  All of my kids have gone to public school at some point and when they’ve moved to the private school, the very same skills were lacking in each kiddo; handwriting and spelling, responsibility and organization.  I’ve had kids move schools in kindergarten, 2nd grade and 5th grade and no matter the age, it was those same skills that were lacking.  

So, I’ve got my work cut out for me in helping Max get up to speed.  I have no doubt he’ll do just fine.  But, it all makes me a more hands-on parent with the homework.  Its’ good! 

Have a great day~

Here it is, the last day before we hit the grind again.  I’ve enjoyed the time off and have even had the opportunity to follow the wind a little.  The day after Christmas, I got in my little car and drove the few hours to my sister’s house.  I spent the night, visited with my nieces and nephew and then headed to Sacramento and the Sierra Nevada foothills.  I haven’t made that drive in years and I’ve never made it completely on my own before.  Talk about climbing out of my box!  It was an easy drive full of great music (Elvis and I had a moment) and lots of quiet thought.  I discovered that I enjoy driving in the wee hours of the morning before the sun comes up.  But given my normal wake-up routine, I suppose it’s no surprise.  I was able to spend a little alone time with my dad, who I hardly ever get to visit with and I even had one night where I got 11 hours of sleep.  After a few days, I answered the phone to a tearful call from Max and I knew it was time to go home.  The drive home was just as easy.  It felt good to get back.  Of course, I walked in to a mountain of laundry and a note on the fridge that said, “we need food and lots of it”.  I looked through the cupboards and freezer and concocted a meal.  Then it was back to the Dance.  

Now, Clay, JJ and Kateri are on a trip.  The older kids haven’t seen their grandparents in quiet some time, so they are all enjoying a little family time.  

The other kids all start back to school tomorrow.  Tristan and Max are going back to the Catholic school and I’ve been busy getting them outfitted with their uniforms and school supplies.  Today it’s time for haircuts!  I’m really happy to think of the kids back together at that school.  We have had kids there for 8 years and it feels like going home.  Next year, Gabi and Lex will both be in preschool there and I may even be working there.  Talk about change!  But for now, I will just enjoy going back to a routine that I’m used to with people who know us well.  

Kateri and JJ head back to school at the end of this week.  We will see them again at Easter.  I know the time will go quickly.  However, that also means that the rest of the time that Clay has at home will pass quickly.  He will be deploying again in May.  It’s good that the kids will be able to see him again before he goes.  

I hope each of you had a nice time off, that your holidays were peaceful and that this new year is full of opportunities that are realized and taken!

To life~

If you’ve followed the blog and the show since the early Fall, then you know that this year has brought a lot of change, experimentation and indecision when it comes to schooling. For the last 8 years all my kids have been in the local, Catholic schools. Over the summer I had to make some decisions about schooling based on one of my children. Instead of just focusing on that one child, I made a decision to change everyone’s schooling and pulled 4 kids from the K-8, Catholic school and put my 2 younger boys at the local, public school and my two 7th graders went into a homeschooling program. Once Clay came home, he reviewed the changes I’d made and watched me juggle the house, kids, blog, podcast, writing and homeschooling. To his credit, he agreed that my juggling skills were pretty, darn good, but that one of the girls should definitely go back to the Catholic school to finish out 7th and 8th grade and we could make other decisions for our other daughter as needed. So, off he went to the Catholic school to meet with the principal to see if there was still space and if we could have our daughter come back. Four days later she was back in uniform and sitting in class with her old classmates. We then focused on our other 7th grader and made the decision to stop homeschooling and put her into the local middle school. This was SO hard for me. But, I must admit, she’s doing very well, has met friends and is on top of her work load. Once the girls were settled and doing well, we turned out attention to the 2 boys. They’ve been doing great at the new school. They are both working well above grade level and have made friends that live near by. Our intent has been to let this year play out and then pursue spots for them back at the Catholic school. BUT, time has been sped up. Clay, once again, sat down with the principal and reviewed the openings that were still available. The decision was made that since there are openings now and may not be when it’s time to register and apply for next year, that we jump in with both feet.

So, after beginning this school year with all sorts of change, we are now going to have everyone back in the same school, except the one 7th grader. The boys were really excited to find out the news. It’s nice that they’ve made friends that they will be able to keep, here in the neighborhood. But for schooling, it’s going to be best for them to go back to the program that they were used to and for me to cut down by one school. Whew! This has really been an experience for our family! Leaving the Catholic school and then hoping and praying that the kids could get back in, has made us appreciate the education our kids get there and to know that no matter the cost, that we want our kids in a faith-based environment for their schooling. Yes, we still have one daughter who’s getting a different education, but in her situation, it’s what needed to happen for this year. Hopefully she will continue to excel in the program she’s in and we can reevaluate what the best schooling situation is, for her, for next year.

I’m amazed at how things have changed from when I was a kid. Back then, you just simply went to your local school. It seems that we’ve looked at the schooling for our kids, every year and asked ourselves what the best options are. But now, I feel confident that for as long as we are here, the kids will go K-8 at the Catholic school. As a matter-of-fact, Gabi and Luke-Xavier will both start preschool there, next Fall. I will have 5 kids in one school and on one time schedule! Not to mention the last of the Lang children will be walking out the door and into school!

Wow! Let’s talk about the life-change in that situation another time!

Have a great day~