summerblue

In My Own Words

I am married to the love of my life and have been since 1993, considering we were married when my husband was 21 and I was 23, we had the odds stacked against us, but HERE WE ARE! 2 amazing kids (i'm tooting my horn here). My daughter is in high school and is a sophomore and my son is in the 6th grade. Both have gone to public school. We moved from California in 2005 to Austin, Texas and for us, it was the BEST choice/decision we could make. We lived in Northern California and really were ready for a more 'family friendly' lifestyle and for us Austin is it! It is amazing that all of the kids have MANNERS....everything is yes ma'am, yes sir....even from kids you wouldn't expect to have those type of manners. My daughter has a wonderful spirit....she's an A/B student - she could be an A student but (in her words) she wants to have a LIFE so she choose A/B and does take pre-AP/Honors classes and is in her 3rd year of Spanish. She loves to read and write and make up stories, she attempted to write a book...which I think so day she will that is aimed at Middle School girls. She is a Youth Leader at Church and has been a competitive Cheerleader for the last 5 years and that truely is her SPORT. She always has a big smile, is VERY talkative and has a very good sense of humor (so we're told) hahahah. On her OWN....she has finally realized that doing your best and trying to go above and beyond, and not taking short cuts COULD actually net you some things in life that you are after. My Son is the sugar of the family....very sweet and sensitive. He's had a tough time with school but after 3 years of very hard work it is all paying off. He is still a grade level behind in reading (he's 504 for reading) but at level in math, science, etc... He has finally found he does like to read. He graduated 5th Grade with A/B Honor Roll and earned the only CITIZENSHIP Award his school gives out, so we know that was a HUGE confidence booster. He was diagnosed in 3rd Grade with ADHD Inattentive, meaning he has trouble with focusing however is not hyperactive. He is being treated with Stratera and takes that only during school. He is also in Karate - Mixed Martial Arts and is pursing his Black Belt - he has 3 more belts to go, he's been doing Karate for 3 years now and loves it, we also recently put him in a Boys Tumbling Class at my daughters Cheerleading Gym and he's doing great with that too. We did hold him back and he repeated the 2nd grade, best thing we ever did! He needed to be retained not just for learning but his social skills. I have to admit I am a bit nervous of him going into Middle School, but he seems fine with it and he will be also starting in Music and taking the Sax, so that should be interesting! So he started beginning band and playing the Saxophone and really likes it a lot.......much more than he though - it's so fun to watch him! I personally didn't get too involved in being a room parent or anything like that in Elementary school...the schools we went to, the parents all seemed so involved and though I did my part, I didn't over involve myself. I do involve myself in Middle School and High School and I love it! Seems some of those that did involve themselves in Elementary may have burnt out by Middle/High School...but for me, those areas are most facinating and I am involved in all kinds of ways. I feel that with the cost of EVERYTHING nowadays that saving money on groceries, school clothes, school supplies, etc....has become a major HOBBY! I have to be creative in order to do that plus be able to go on family vacations/trips! I love to cook.......and bake.....my daughter bakes a lot with me and my son actually likes to cook as well....he makes himself QUITE a breakfast in the morning, even on school mornings, like eggs, toast, pancakes, etc... YUM!

Parents I'd Like to Meet

Anyone - I love sharing new ideas and parenting ideas!