GratiTuesday and Happy Birthday Miss Claudette!

LOTS of homework tonight -  language arts with 3 new vocabulary words: strategic, emphasis, important, the scientific method for science (there's as quiz tomorrow) and ratios in math.  Kendall checked his email and he wrote to Kevin, the Abuelos and me all by himself.  He wrote 'Kendall  likes  to  run  with  you   I LOVE   you   mom' to me :-)

Have a sense of gratitude for everything, even difficult emotions because of their potential to wake you up. 

I can't take credit for this list but here are sixty things to be grateful for in our lives  \http://tinybuddha.com/blog/60-things-to-be-grateful-for-in-life/

1. Your parents – for giving birth to you. Because if there is no them, there will not be you.

2. Your family – for being your closest kin in the world.
3. Your friends – for being your companions in life.
4. Sense of sight – for letting you see the colors of life.
5. Sense of hearing – for letting you hear trickle of rain, the voices of your loved ones, and the harmonious chords of music.
6. Sense of touch – for letting you feel the texture of your clothes, the breeze of the wind, the hands of your loved ones.
7. Sense of smell – for letting you smell scented candles, perfumes, and beautiful flowers in your garden.
8. Sense of taste – for letting you savor the sweetness of fruits, the saltiness of seawater, the sourness of pickles, the bitterness of bitter gourd, and the spiciness of chili.
9. Your speech – for giving you the outlet to express yourself.
10. Your heart – for pumping blood to all the parts of your body every second since you were born; for giving you the ability to feel.
11. Your lungs – for letting you breathe so you can live.
12. Your immune system – for fighting viruses that enter your body. For keeping you in the pink of your health so you can do the things you love.
13. Your hands – so you can type on your computer, flip the pages of books, and hold the hands of your loved ones.
14. Your legs – for letting you walk, run, swim, play the sports you love, and curl up in the comfort of your seat.
15. Your mind – for the ability to think, to store memories, and to create new solutions.
16. Your good health – for enabling you to do what you want to do and for what you’re about to do in the future.
17. Your school – for providing a environment conducive to learning and growing.
18. Your teachers – for their dedication and for passing down knowledge to you.
19. Tears – for helping you express your deepest emotions.
20. Disappointment – so you know the things that matter to you most.
21. Fears – so you know your opportunities for growth.
22. Pain – for you to become a stronger person.
23. Sadness – for you to appreciate the spectrum of human emotions.
24. Happiness – for you to soak in the beauty of life.
25. The Sun – for bringing in light and beauty to this world.
26. Sunset – for a beautiful sight to end the day.
27. Moon and Stars – for brightening up our night sky.
28. Sunrise – for a beautiful sight to start the morning.
29. Rain – for cooling you when it gets too warm and for making it comfy to sleep in on weekends.
30. Snow – for making winter even more beautiful.
31. Rainbows – for a beautiful sight to look forward to after rain.
32. Oxygen – for making life possible.
33. The earth – for creating the environment for life to begin.
34. Mother nature – for covering our world in beauty.
35. Animals – for adding to the diversity of life.
36. Internet – for connecting you and others despite the physical space between you.
37. Transport – for making it easier to commute from one place to another.
38. Mobile phones – for making it easy to stay in touch with others.
39. Computers – for making our lives more effective and efficient.
40. Technology – for making impossible things possible.
41. Movies – for providing a source of entertainment.
42. Books – for adding wisdom into your life.
43. Blogs – for connecting you with other like-minded people.
44. Shoes – for protecting your feet when you are out.
45. Time – for a system to organize yourself and keep track of activities.
46. Your job – for giving you a source of living and for being a medium where you can add value to the world.
47. Music – for lifting your spirits when you’re down and for filling your life with more love.
48. Your bed – for you to sleep comfortably in every night.
49. Your home – for a place you can call home.
50. Your soul mate – for being the one who understands everything you’re going through.
51. Your best friends – for being there for you whenever you need them.
52. Your enemies – for helping you uncover your blind spots so you can become a better person.
53. Kind strangers – for brightening up your days when you least expect it.
54. Your mistakes – for helping you to improve and become better.
55. Heartbreaks – for helping you mature and become a better person.
56. Laughter – for serenading your life with joy.
57. Love – for letting you feel what it means to truly be alive.
58. Life’s challenges – for helping you grow and become who you are.
59. Life – for giving you the chance to experience all that you’re experiencing, and will be experiencing in time to come.

And last but not least… #60: You - For being who you are and touching the world with your presence.

Buenas noches!

Monday Morning

• Fleetwood Mac

   
• Monday morning you look so fine
  Friday I got travelin' on my mind
  First you love me, then you fade away
  I can't go on believin' this way
  I got nothing but love for you
  So tell me what you really want to do
  First you love me then you get on down the line
  But I don't mind, I don't mind
  
  I'll be there if you want me to
  No one else that could ever do
  Got to get some peace in my mind
  Monday morning you look so fine
  Friday I got travelin' on my mind
  First you love me, then you say it's wrong
  I can't go on believing for long
  
  But you know it's true
  You only want me when I get over you
  First you love me then you get on down the line
  But I don't mind, I don't mind
  I'll be there if you want me to
  No one else that could ever do
  Got to get some peace in my mind

And we wish it was still Sunday. Lots of homework and Tae Kwon Do. 

Buenas noches!

The Ultimate Pokémon and Soulful Sunday

Church in the morning where we served as lector and communion assistant (Kendall requested a break from being acolyte) and quick stop at Giant to get bee spray since Kendall noticed a nest right by our front door and then Dollar Tree to pick up school supplies to donate to a local school that Croda has chosen to help out.

We organized ourselves for the week and enjoyed the movie Blended in the afternoon. Here is a summary - After a disastrous blind date, single parents Lauren and Jim agree on only one thing: they never want to see each other again. But when they each sign up separately for a fabulous family vacation with their kids, they are all stuck sharing a suite at a luxurious African safari resort for a week in "Blended." Kendall and I both like it!

I'll be honest I am not interested in Pokémon but I like the scientific version: On the Prowl for an Elusive Rodent Called 'the Ultimate Pokémon'

Buenas noches!

Therapy and The Angry Birds Movie Saturday

We went over Kendall's art work in therapy and then did a bit of our own with watercolor colored pencils. You drop off paint on your paper and then use the the colored pencils to finish the art. Guess which one is Kendall's and which one is mine?

Quick shopping at BJs and a stop at Bikeline for an inner tube for Kendall's old bike. We discovered Nature Valley Almond Butter Biscuits at BJs.  They had samples, we tried them and they melt in your mouth. Bonus is box has Boxtoos so we bought a box 😊 Zachary came over to play and they cleaned up some of the LEGOS in the basement.

And we watched The Angry Burds movie per Kendall's request. It was cute but I am glad we didn't go to the movies to see it. 

Buenas!

"Never prove people right. Never prove them wrong. Prove instead that you make your own path in life."
 - Katina Ferguson

New Air Conditioner, Water Heater and Furnace for the Weekend

And Happy 49th (yes 49th!) Wedding Anniversary to the Abuelos!

I worked from home and Kendall took the bus for the first time this year.  Clark escaped once and had fun running around the cul-de-sac.  New neighbors caught him for me and we introduced ourselves. We are lucky he is so handsome!  A co-worker commented that 'maybe Clark was actually running to find a discrete place to change into his Superman costume? You never know… :-)

As I was being given a tour of the new equipment in the basement I was asked 'Are you a Science Teacher?'  Yes, yes and yes! I bet everyone is wondering what our basement looks like!

Because it was a long day, we opted for pizza night and staying in rather than going to Tae Kwon Do.

And some artwork, of course.

Buenas!

Tutor Thursday

Thursdays for now will be tutor night at the Chester County Library.  We have relaxed a schedule a bit and enjoyed the next Chicken Squad and we're trying an audio book.  I found an audio book that perked Kendall's interest.

Buenas!

Middle of the week

And I wanted to watch Master Chef and find cookie recipes  25-out-of-this-world-cookie-recipes ,which I did but Kendall announced later in the evening (after saying he had no homework and received a computer game )that  he had a journal assignment he didn't understand.  It was the beginning of a story and he had to write a happy ending. So I had him draw a picture of what he wanted to write and I sent him to bed early after he was finished telling him that he needs to start an assignment like this much earlier than mid-evening. After all, this is 6th grade :-0

My longest running dreams include:

1)  being a chef - I am fascinated by the cooking shows Master Chef, Chopped and Chef Wanted.  I am not ready to audition but maybe in a few years...

2)  being a brew mistress... https://www.brewersassociation.org/resources/schools-organizations/

3)  owning a bed and breakfast... http://www.holdenhouse.com/blog/2014/07/the-reality-of-starting-a-bed-breakfast-inn-by-sallie-clark-innkeeper.html 

4) live on a houseboat... maybe more information after we vacation as a family on Lake Powell  http://www.lakepowell.com/houseboating/houseboating-experience/

5) travel with a camper... https://happiercamper.com/the-trailer/

Buenas noches!

If It Should Be...

I received word from Tia Coreen that Chere, her older toy poodle close in age to Cordelia, needs to euthanized. I cry as I write this - beware, this post is a tearjerker. We also keep in our thoughts my cousin and his family as they also recently euthanized their 14 year old labrador retriever.

The decision is “just so hard.” but because something is hard, it doesn’t mean it’s not right. In fact, some of the most meaningful things we do in life are difficult — raising children, staying with a spouse through thick and thin, honoring our responsibilities, and being with loved ones during their last moments. This poem expresses that euthanizing a pet who is suffering (or when suffering is imminent) ia the  ultimate expression of love. 

The Last Battle
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done,
For this — the last battle — can't be won.
You will be sad I understand,
But don't let grief then stay your hand,
For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.
You wouldn't want me to suffer so.
When the time comes, please, let me go.
Take me to where to my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end
And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.
It is a kindness you do to me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Don't grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do;
We've been so close — we two — these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

If it should be that I grow frail and weak

We have had so many happy years,

I know in time you will agree

— Unknown

To quote Dr. Seuss, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

Wishing it wasn't Monday

But it is and we had a busy day back at school and work.  Kendall walked CK, checked his email, gave me the form I needed to sign for his teacher, did some Nessy and tried to see if the Abuelos were home to play piano.  

We are loving the 7pm Tae Kwon Do class!

Buenas noches!

Soulful Sunday

We had a the Covered Bridges bike ride scheduled in Lancaster, PA today but the heat, chance of rain and needing a break were what we decided instead.  We slept in and organized for the week.
Kendall played with Zachary for the afternoon - lots of rain in the afternoon!  Kendall enjoyed dinner with Zachary's family while I caught up on Leverage,  I have watched them all!

Buenas noches!

Kendall's Mask

Gracias, Abuela Linda!

Kendall worked on his mask with Abuela Linda while they visited. I did not document the day but here is the sketch and the mask so far....

Buenas!

Ice Hockey Saturday

Tae Kwon Do in the morning, new uniform shorts to replace Kendall's tight uniform shorts, fueled the car and picked up some antihistamine eye drops for Kendall since his eyes are still itchy.

An afternoon of school and house organization and we really did need it! There is still more for tomorrow :-0

And in the evening, we cooled off at the First Annual Christine Mastrangelo fundraiser Ice Hockey Game! This is Kendall's first time watching ice hockey live - we love it! Kendall even navigated the- Dippin' Dots vending machine -  solo. His flavor - cotton candy, of course!

Buenas noches!

Thank Goodness It's Friday

We are exhausted but I made a Hello Fresh dinner. Kendall's eyes are itchy so we are going to Tae Kwon Do on Saturday.

Buenas!

Thoughtful Thursday

This has been a hard day for one of my good friends from elementary school, Dawn.

I have no idea what you must be going through in losing your most important compass in your life. I know your mom was that to you,  and with this loss comes so many layers of heartache. You are truly the imprint of your mom. Your mom touched and enriched so many people's lives and I am so blessed to have known your Mom. Please know my heart is open to giving you anything you might need during this time of incredible loss.

Love and Hugs, Allison and Kendall

The Myth of Closure

"When will I begin to feel better? When will I return to normal? When will I achieve some closure?" grievers often ask. Closure, our culture tells us, will bring about a tidy ending, a sense of completion. Some grievers hope that the desired magical closure will occur after the funeral ormemorial service. Others are confident it will come once they have cleared out their loved one's room. Or maybe after a special personal ritual.

Or perhaps after the first anniversary comes and goes...." surely then we will have closure," we think. We pray.

The reason we long for closure, of course, is because we would like to neatly seal away all of this pain. We would like to close all of the sad, confused, desperate, angry feelings out of our life. We would like to put all of this behind us. Closure. What an odd concept really, as if we could truly close the door on pain...turn the lock and throw away the key. The truth is far more complex, of course. Closure is for business deals. Closure is for real estate transactions. Closure is not for feeling or for people we love.

Closure simply does not exist emotionally, not is a pure sense. We cannot close the door on the past as if it didn't exist because, after losing someone dear to us, we never forget that person or the love we shared. And in some ways, we never entirely get over the loss. We learn to live with the loss, to integrate it into our new identity.

Imagine if we really could end this chapter in our life, completely. It would mean losing our memories, our connections to those we love. If we really found closure, it would ironically hurt even more because the attachment would be severed. And this attachment is vital to us...the memories are treasures to be held close, not closed out.

Individualized Educational Plan Update Wednesday

I had an early meeting with the school about Kendall's reading plan for the year. I brought an advocate and Kendall's Certified Wilson Reading Tutor.  Some progress was made but I am going to try to Kendall as much reading help this year as I can.  I have reached out to the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) for additional help.  They have offered another advocate.  Kendall does have an assisted technology request in to the CCIU already. This is a very exhausting process but well worth the work.

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."
 - Steve Jobs

Buenas!

Second Day of School - No School

School was cancelled on the second day for air conditioning issues and high temperatures at 9pm the night before. A lot of  angst for me as I was traveling to New Jersey to give a presentation for work. United Sports has a drop in Action Day Camp but Kendall did not want to go to this camp.  So plan B was for Kendall to put away laundry, have a piano lesson with the neighbor at 11:30am, make lunch using the microwave, practice Tae Kwon Do, walk Cordelia & Clark Kent and chat with the Abuelos. I headed out at 9:30am after making sure Kendall was ready for the day and had breakfast and was home by 5:30pm.  Kendall did a GREAT job completing all of the aformentioned tasks. I called him several times and he was on track the whole day.  I have no doubt there was as much television as he could today as well but he finished all the tasks assigned to him.  I am so proud of my son - he is growing up fast!

My presentation went well but it was a long day. I came home with Cinnabons so we enjoyed a bit of a sugar high after dinner.

And a lost video of Clark Kent from August 16, 2014 - he is still the same and we love him lots!

Hoping for school tomorrow :-)

Buenas!

First Day of 6th Grade

Already?!?!  Welcome to Middle School Kendall!  Kendall is very handsome in his uniform - almost a foot taller than last year and Clark Kent was confused sitting still in the dining room chair. But I was able to get a great photo of him.

Our first time at the 7pm Tae Kwon Do class. We had an 1 hour and a 1/2 before heading to the class to walk and feed the dogs, eat, do the dishes and some homework. Kendall knows a lot of kids in the class which is a bonus as well.

And we completed all about my first day of 6th grade :-)

Buenas!

Some Lost Art from 5th Grade

Discovered when setting up Kendall's backpack for the first day of 6th grade. Some intricate, fascinating and lovely work - I love them all!

Buenas!