Getting Jacqueline school ready.

This post I had written on the computer once and deleted it. Had it written in my head many times since.  Each time I wrote it, my tone changed.  The first time I wrote it, I had to keep stopping and come back to it later because it was making me mad.  I was mad at the test because, they told what I didn't want to hear, and mad at myself because, I felt I failed Jacqueline and Nathaniel as a mom in doing my part at teaching them.  Now, I'm still a little mad at myself but proud at the same time.  Both kids have come along way since the school journey began.

Back in April, we registered Jacqueline for kindergarten.  We were excited in a way.  She was the only one that is going into kindergarten that didn't go to preschool, so she needed to do a screening.  The screening took place the same day we registered Nathaniel for preschool, he was being screened also.  Going into the screening, I felt the kids would do well, but might not do well on the language.  When the screening was done and the speech therapist talked to us about the results, I felt like I was slapped in the face.  I didn't want to believe that she was telling us.  Both kids failed the screening.

An appointment was set to go over the results deeper and ask me questions and to set another appointment to do a more in depth screening.  The principle, speech therapist, preschool teacher and an early childhood specialist was there (a little intimidating).

Another meeting was set to go over those result, Nathaniel was first.  He has the language of a 2.5 (2 years 5 months) year old and needs speech therapy on days that he is not in preschool.  Jacqueline was next and the kindergarten teacher was in on that one.  She also had the language of a 2.8 (2 years 8 months) year old.  She also would need speech therapy.  It was talked about that she go to preschool on the days that she is not in kindergarten for the first quarter (kindergarten is every other day the first quarter and every day after Thanksgiving).  I was reading what everyone was not saying,  "Jacqueline should go to preschool this year and not kindergarten."

In between the two meetings Jacqueline had a Kindergarten day (she loved it). So after the meeting I talked to the kindergarten teacher on how well she did.  Another blow.  She said that not well at all.  She couldn't cut with a scissors or say her ABC's and it was also implied that kindergarten was not for her this year.  But she did tell me that since I was planning on 'teaching her' this summer, she gave me websites that she uses and tips to help her get ready. I was still hurt but a little relieved that she was trying to help me and steer me in the right direction.  I was told everything that she needs to know to get into kindergarten and how school has changed so much in the last few years (common core, don't know much about it but already don't like it).

Well, it is a little less then a month until school starts and I have to say that I am so PROUD of Jacqueline!! She knows all her letters, can sing her ABC's and can count to 20 (a little help on that).  She asks almost everyday to do her ABC's and do stuff for school.  She still needs help on with scissors bit, have more things to do with that, and I need to work on her with writing/spelling her name.  I still have a little bit of time for that.  She will be going to kindergarten this fall (August 19th is her first day), not sure if she is still going to be in preschool on the other days or not.  It became a little surreal the other day when I received the letter from the kindergarten teacher saying when the open house is (a day the kids can bring all the supplies and get a look around the room and the parents and teacher can talk for a bit). I also got the days she goes to school the first 9 weeks, Tuesday and Thursdays!

 A letter from the preschool teacher also sent out a letter for Nathaniel too.  He will be going to school full days on Tuesday and Thursdays (school is half days everyday but speech therapy the other half of days on Tues, and Thurs).

What really made me feel good and proud that I am doing something right, came from a 10 year old boy, named Sam (Nathan and Sandy's oldest).  He said "She grew up and is more mature. She is not the same she was a while ago."  We only have been up there a few times this summer and it was the first time that they really talked (other visits were short quick ones, this trip was a nice visit one).  Jacqueline is not the same little girl that she was back in January or April when the screening took place, neither is Nathaniel.  Both have grown in the language and 'smarts' for school.  I'm not to worried about getting Nathaniel ready for school as he is going to preschool, but he has learn more of his colors and letters from watching Jacqueline learn!

Both kids will be starting school on August 19.  They both are excited for school and that they will be riding the bus (the bus will come to our door!).  Looking back now, yeah I was mad and upset but it was natural at the time.  Now I realize that if school started in April, Jacqueline was not ready for kindergarten.  She is ready now, she might not be where the other kids are but it wont take long and she will be at the same speed as the other kids.  She is a quick learner and smart too!!

Well, I should get a 'cutting' project ready for Jacqueline!! Have a great day!!!

Weekend Fun and Church under a tent!

Over this weekend was a Boss Cowman Rodeo and Celebration, another words our town of Lemmon's 125th Birthday! There was a lot of fun things going on that we would have liked to do, but what we did do was fun and we enjoyed ourselves.
We went out on Saturday and was there in plenty of time before the parade started, we got a good spot, next to the people announcing the floats and people in the parade! What was really cool was that every year (since they started this, 1971) they honor someone in the community and they are driven in the parade and at the beginning of each rodeo during the event! Some of the past honorees even are part of the parade.  There was a lot of cool cars in the parade, some really old ones too!!

The honorees for this year!

Jacqueline liked the lion on top of the car (part of the Lion's Club)

All these carts were pulled by the tractor above! Nathaniel was interested in this one

Old firetrucks!! (Large fire department in this town, 9 trucks a 1 rescue team)

The parade lasted an hour and in time for lunch in the park! We left after lunch and headed home as Kevin's help was needed for a little bit and then we headed back in time for the rodeo. 

The rodeo was fun.  A bareback rider got 2 re-rides.  His first ride I dont remember seeing just know that he had the option for a re-ride and took it.  His second ride, as he came out of the chute the horse did his jump and fell on his side and everyone in the arena came and in a matter of seconds to hold the horse so he didnt move so they could get the riders hand unstuck. Rider and horse were both fine and they gave him another re-ride.  Never saw something like that before.  His 3rd ride of the night he made it!! Everyone was clapping and cheering him on during his ride!

The one event that we wanted to go to was the Christian Wrestling (CWF). It was going on after the rodeo was over. (left before the rodeo was over, kids were tired from a fun day)

The Church that we have been going to put on a lot of family friendly activities during the event and got the Christian Wrestling to come. They held the Church service under the big tent on Main Street, and the wrestling team was there for the service and a few gave their testimonies.  There wasnt much of a sermon, the guys giving the testimonies was the sermon, and the things that they said was good.  Between songs, the guy that started CWF told us how it came to be. He was a wrestler and traveled and did it for a year and decided that, that was not what he wanted to do.  A friend of his told him that he should do Christian wrestling, he laughed at the idea. After pondering the idea him and his wife prayed about it for some time, and that is how it was formed.  The vision for the CWF: "To be a Christian outreach ministry that shares the love of Jesus Christ, through wrestling events around the world "  (taken from their website)

Another wrestler came up and told us how they use the wrestling to minister to people. Since wrestling is popular, they are using that as a tool to relate to people.  One of the things that he said was that we all have a wrestling opponent in our lives, the devil, and our 'tag team' partner is Jesus! When we 'tag' Jesus in, our 'match' is won. As long as Jesus is 'partner' our 'match' is already won! 

The third one that came up to speak, was our story but with different events! It was almost like hearing our story of how God works in such a wonderful way and has everything planned our for us that it was beautiful and I could have cried. It was such a wonderful reminder that He is Wonderful and has everything in control!! His story, the short version: He got arrested for drug trafficking of cocaine and was in jail until court or he came up with the bail.  (he did come from a Christian home but turned away and into drugs) In his jail cell, everything that his mom said to him came flooding in and he finally turned to God for the first time in his life.  Gave everything to God and let Him in his heart.  He was released on bail, and spent the time praying to God asking for forgiveness and for the best outcome of his proposed 14 yr jail sentence.  He prayed with his lawyer before court and he said that he felt the presents of God in the court room. The judge (holds the record for sending the most people to jail in the US) didnt want to hear what the DA had to say nor his lawyer.  He was about to give the sentence and was looking through the paper work and said that he has 90 days probation.  The wrestler said that 3 days after he was arrested the law changed and he didnt know about it.  He said that he was is total awe that God worked things out way ahead of time. 

Just hearing another story of the wonderful, mysterious, and awesome way God works and being reminded of your own is just (not sure how to but it in words) beautiful, you could cry. Well, I am as I'm writing this, because the way God works is beautiful. That tears of awe, thankfulness, and joy, just come!! Not sure how else to put it, but God is just wonderful and awesome!!

This is the wrestling team (middle couple, Pastor and wife of the Church) after the Church service under the tent.

Have a wonderful day, I know that I sure will!

4th of July fun!!

This 4th of July was one of the best ones we have had in a while. It was relaxing, fun, and enjoyable! Our fun began on the 3rd (Kevin had the 3rd and 4th off).
We brainstormed that morning on what we were going to do and settled on going fishing! (that was the only thing we really wanted to do!) Later that afternoon we headed to town to get our fishing license and new fishing poles (our other poles are either lost in the move, or we forgot where we put them) and off to the lake we went.   We went to Lemmon lake, which is about 15 minutes down the road.

Its a man-made lake that they stock with fish, not very populated with people. I think that we were the only ones there!

We got lunch before we headed to the lake....fried chicken!

Kevin showed me how to use my pole (I forgot how the reel worked, it wasnt the push button ones)

Not long after I got my pole from Kevin I got a fish!!

Then Kevin got one!

Kids pretending to fish, we didnt give them a hook.

Kevin's second one!

Jacqueline fishing (thats Nathaniel's fishing pole, hers needs a little work)

My second fish!

On the boat ramp.

My third one!!

Kevin's third one, little guy!

Kevin's fourth one, a trout!! I did catch one of these too, but it came off the hook, like a foot out of the water.

We didnt keep any of the fish we caught, we released them.  There were a lot of fish jumping out of the water and turtles spying on us, the kids loved it!! They are already talking about going back to the lake for more fishing!!  

We went to the next town over (20 mins away) for the 4th, they had a lot of fun things going on.  We got there in time for the parade to start, well, the parade already started when we got there.  We found a spot at the beginning where the parade route started, and they were throwing big hand fulls of candy and all the good stuff!!

Jacqueline got an ice-pop!!

Nathaniel loved this tractor!

Some nice tractors were in the parade!

This one was my favorite!

Nice car!!

Nice truck!

Last of the parade!!

Jacqueline and her candy!!

Jacqueline got sparklers!

And Nathaniel did too!

After the parade there was going to be a free lunch at the lake (a different one they the one we fished at). We got to the lake before the parade got to the end of the line. So we checked out the park by the lake.  Heading to the lake, Jacqueline recognized the area and said "Oma took us here!"  She was excited to go back!!

This is the free lunch that was served, pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, coleslaw and chips!! It was good!

I was thinking that the lunch would be a cold sandwich or hamburgers and hot dogs. So I was surprised.  We were going to stay there all afternoon and wait until the next activity started that we were wanting to go to, but it was hot. So we left and got the kids ice-cream and went home to cool down for a while. 

There was one thing that Kevin and I wanted to watch and knew that we might not stay long as it might not entertain the kids much, mud volleyball!!  It was fun to watch, I kinda would like to do it.  I'm not good at volleyball but that looks like fun!!

Some of them sure were muddy!!!

My favorite picture of the day!

Watching the mud volleyball only lasted an hour, kids were getting tired.  So home we went.  We had about 4 hours until the fireworks started. We relaxed a little, checked the horses and Kevin bbqed dinner, hot dogs and brats!

We got to the lake a little early, not knowing how full it was going to be for the firework show. 

Us all ready for the show to start! ( I got a little sun burnt from the lake the day before)

Kids being silly!!

This was one of the only good pictures of fireworks that I got from the show!!

It was a blast watching the fireworks at the lake!! The show was great!! Looking forward to this next year!!

There is a lot more fun coming this weekend! Two towns by us (both 20 mins away) are having fairs, rodeos, parades, and fun this weekend. We are going to try to hit both!

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July, and has a great weekend!!

Garden update as of 7/7

The garden has been changing by leaps and bounds all with in a week.  I took pictures last week that way I was ready when I do this post.  I was out there yesterday afternoon and it was so different that the pictures I took would not work.  I took new pictures today!!!  The cilantro is flowering and there is not going to be another cutting of it.  I know now for next time that I need to cut it often before it flowers.  Before the flowers die (going to leave them there for a while) I'm going to cut them and dry them in the house to get a little bit of coriander seeds (going to you Mom!) I am going to start some more cilantro in the house and see if i can keep it going all winter!

Potatoes!!!

Onions (still not too sure what is grass and onions, getting closer to getting all the grass out!), Beets and few turnips, carrots and corn

In the center there is honeydew, watermelon, zucchini and pumpkins. Peppers on the side.

 Peas, green beans and spinach and Swiss chard

Lots of tomatoes growing!!

Their getting big!!

Swiss chard, a little squished thanks to the dogs!

Spinach!! Almost ready to cut!! (my lettuce never came up and I haven't replanted any yet)

Green beans (that's cornstarch on the plants to help get rid of the grasshoppers that are eating the plants!)

Broccoli!! 

Little broccoli that I thought was going to die, but came back!

Peas!!

A few of the peppers!! They are little, but there are a few starts of buds!!

Honeydew

Watermelon, also almost died but came back with the help of a good dose of coffee grounds!

2 zucchini plants and lots of bloom!

Look at all the the flowers on it (this is just from one plant!)

Pumpkin!!!

Corn!

Carrots!! (there are even colored carrots growing too!! And I need to weed again, I missed a thistle.)

Turnips!

Beets!

Onion!!! I was almost going to pull it, but tested it by pinching the leaves and getting the juice and it was an onion smell that came out of it!!

There is so much difference from the first update I did, next months update will be an even bigger difference!! If I harvest anything I will show what I get!! I am not out in the garden as much as I would like to be, it is only partially mulched and the rest needs to get done soon.  I hilled the potatoes once and will do so another time along with mulching and they should be good until they are ready to be harvested.  Thinning the carrots and beets is on my to do list, but I'm letting them get a little bigger so that I can, can them.  This gardening is fun!! I am thinking of adding fruit to the garden next year, like strawberries, raspberries and rhubarb!! 

Have a great evening!!!