Kambree's Graduation Announcement

My talented & beautiful cousin, Michelle made these for us!
Thanks Shell!

Dev's Dance Recital

Believe it or not, this is the BEST picture I got of the actual performance!

Hugs from Grandma....

With both her Grandma's.....

With her Dad....

My favorite.....hug from Grandpa.....Dev looks so cute!

With friends.....

The whole gang (less Austin who did show up but skipped out after her first dance thinking she was done-ohh was he in trouble from Dev when she found out he didn't stay for the 2nd dance!)

Afterwards we went to our favorite ice cream place....Leatherbys!

My Uncle Brent and Aunt Elaine surprised my grandma by stopping in for the night. The were traveling stand by and re-routed through Salt Lake. While grandma was with us at the recital Aunt Deb picked them up for the airport and then showed up with them for ice cream. They had never met Alex before and we're so excited to introduce themselves and hug him. He had no clue who they were and was polite but Ukrainian indifferent towards them. Pretty typical. He had one relative in Ukraine-his brother. I think all the aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins in our family over whelm him at times.

Kambree is squishing her eyes closed for a reason! She woke up with pink eye! She had a date Friday night and was so embarrassed that her eye was crying and red and puffy. The next morning we had our first rehearsal for Peter Pan so she came with an ice pack and her sad hurting eye then we went straight to Insta-Care, out to lunch, and then the pharmacy-she actually slept in the car while Dev & Ry & I went in. She came home and crashed on the couch for three hours and Dev began the process of curling each strand of hair on her head for her performance. (So much for my plans of getting to the Horlachers carnival.)

Dev danced beautifully. We are so lucky to have such talented, healthy children. We're trying to talk Alex into taking a hip-hop class but he's not hearing it. Austin took a class ONCE and refused to try again. I think he was about nine.

Rylee IS going to be a Lost Boy in Peter Pan and Dev & Kam are Indians. I am once again Mrs. Darling and a pirate. Our lives will be a bit crazy here on out with rehearsals every night until the show at the end of June, but we love it!

We watched a copy of our last production of Peter Pan this afternoon. Alex has been singing "I won't grow up" over and over this evening. He would be a PERFECT Lost Boy but like hip-hop lesson's his answer to performing is....."NO." Just like his big brother. I guess he and Austin will just have to entertain each other while we're at rehearsals for the next five weeks!

She Made It!

So, we went up to the school to check and see if Rylee made it. I actually knew she had as a friend of ours had text me to congratulation Rylee before we made it to the high school. Her daughter made it as well but I wanted Rylee to experience reading her name on the list. I had my video camera out and interviewed her on the way in and when she saw her name she was jumping up and down and screaming and than ran to hug me and I realized I had not been recording the whole time! Grr.....

Afterwards I tried to get her to reenact it but it wasn't the same. On the way to the car I confessed that I knew already and Rylee confessed too. She knew as well! That stinker! We could have stayed home but instead we're both pretending that we don't know for the sake of the other. She had found out at school when another excited dancer who had already made it in to see the list reported to her right after school.

Oh, well. Sweet that we both were trying to make it special for each other!

Here is the video confessing to already knowing and then a 2nd reenactment for my benefit!

Junior Starletts

Last night was a big night for Rylee.
She tried out for Junior Starletts.
The first step in becoming a member of "Company". She was so nervous. When she first learned she qualified to try-out she was dead set against it. Her teacher told her there were thirty spots and sixty girls trying out. She made the tryouts sound grueling and terrible. Rylee and her friends unanimously agreed that they were ALL not trying out. Their conversation was hilarious as I drove them home.
"No way, I am NOT trying out."
"Yeah, only half will make it"
"And we're just ten years old"
Etc.
The were working themselves into a frenzy!
After a few minutes of ranting and raving I asked them what did they have to lose? So what if they don't make it. They won't know if they don't try.
To which I got a exasperated. "MOM!" and the conversation stopped.
Weeks passed-because of course the teacher brings this up a couple MONTHS before the audition. I finally talk to Rylee and convince her to go just to see what it's like, so she'll be prepared next year when she REALLY tries out. That sits well with her. "Yes, I'll go and just check it out." Yep, no stress.
Rylee is a fabulous dancer and she's been dancing since she was three or four. I think she has a very good chance of making it.
All week she's had butterflies but insists she's just going to "check it out." The day before I got one "I sort of hope I make it this year." but that was it.
I drove her up to the high school, went in and got her registered and she pinned her number on. Then my baby went in with the gaggle of other dancers all hoping and dreaming that they'll make it too. We were informed to come back in two and 1/2 hours!
I ran home, grabbed Devree, ran to her awards assembly where she was honored for being an exemplary Spanish student and having a GPA higher than 3.7 (It's a 4.0 by the way but her certificate say's higher than a 3.7)
Brought Dev home, helped Alex with English, folded laundry while he read and then set off to pick up Rylee. I wasn't sure what I'd be in store for. Would there be tears? Drama?
She walked out beaming and I asked if she was hungry. YES! So we went to Mimi's for a late dinner and I just happened to bring her spelling words and a notebook to give her a spelling quiz for tomorrows test while we waited for her food.
She told me she felt wonderful! Wonderful about her audition and about spending time with just me. "This is like a mom and daughter date!" She must have thanked me five times for taking her to eat and spending time just with her. I hadn't realized how few and far between these one on one times had become.
So, today is the day! The day we find out! The list for Junior Starletts will be posted at 3 o'clock at the high school. I have Kambree checking on it and texting me so I can be prepared. I won't tell Rylee but if it's bad news I want to be ready!
Cross your fingers and wish us luck!

Testing and Language Ramble....

Testing
CORE testing is this week for my kiddo's.
I've been worried about Alex and his testing. Monday I gave him a big pep talk. Just do your best, don't get frustrated, don't cry. Just do your best.
Monday afternoon he said he did fine.
I made sure everyone got to bed on time and made a big protein rich breakfast all week only to find out that there wasn't any testing for the last two days and for Alex there hasn't been any testing at all.
I got this email from Alex's teacher yesterday.

Alex will have his very first Core Test tomorrow. He did not have to take Language Arts but will have to take math and science. I gave him some word problems today to see what he could do, he was very frustrated. He just started to guess. I hope these core tests do not make him nervous.

So, whatever he THOUGHT was a Core test on Monday was not. (I mean, how was he to know? He probably took some sort of quiz or test and assumed it was a Core test.) Today is the day. We had a talk again about doing his best. Slowing down. Reading the words and really thinking about what the answer is, not guessing and NOT getting mad and frustrated.
I was sitting at the computer talking to him and he leaned down to hug me and than just plopped right down on my lap, wrapping his arms around me and laying his head on my shoulder. He sat there hugging me for a good two minutes while I rubbed his back telling him he can do this, he is smart, he could call me if he needs a pep talk. He nodded.
Language
This morning at breakfast Alex asked looked around perplexed, "We not having lunch today Mom?" To which I quickly responded. "No, you're not eating lunch on Friday's anymore." Then Austin pipped in with a "Yeah, we're trying to cut back on food costs." Alex looked shocked and then puzzled. I quickly said "Of course you're having lunch. Why would you not have lunch today?" Apparently because I was sitting eating breakfast and not preparing cold lunches? I explained that the question he needed to ask was "Mom, are you making our lunches today?" Has he ever not had lunch? No. Did he really think he would not get a lunch today? No.
I know that sounds trite, but I'm trying to get him to think about what it is he's wanting to know. He's wanting to know if I'm MAKING lunch. He's always asking questions that he knows the answer to. I thought it was just to talk for the sake of talking but maybe not. Maybe it's that he has a valid question but can't formulate it correctly so what comes out is a question that he already knows the answer to? Something for me to think about.
It's hard sometimes. I don't want to be correcting every sentence uttered out of his mouth so I try to repeat what he's asking or telling me correctly before answering or responding but sometimes I just answer like he makes perfect sense-even though he doesn't. It's like when your babies begin to speak and only the mom understands what the baby is saying. We're at that point. I'm always translating his English to someone else. Sometimes it's Rylee who can better understand. Sometimes Austin. But usually me.
It hurts my heart to watch him try and talk to others and they look at him puzzled or ask him to repeat himself over and over. Sigh. He gets frustrated and sometimes just shrugs and walks off.
I can feel his funny personality all bubbling up and yet he cannot express it. He doesn't have the words for his quirky comeback or funny quip. Or he does but it comes out all wrong and the minute he utters it silence follows as we all try to decipher what it is he's trying to say or how that is suppose to be funny or pertinent to the conversation.
His favorite way to include himself in the conversation these days is to ask if someone remembers something. "Mom remember in Ukraine? We have stinky apartment?" or "Remember in movie, car drive fast?" And usually these memory's are not exactly in step with what everyone else is talking about. I try to acknowledge and validate his comments but sometimes none of us can remember-or more likely understand-what it is he's trying to remind us of.
HOWEVER, I'm just so happy he's willing to try and talk with us and be apart of the conversation! Last year at this time I wasn't sure we'd ever have a two sided conversation. He has come a long way. The last six months he's improved triple to the first six. I told him as much this morning. He replied that that is because he cares about his homework now. Which is true to some extent. He cares to get it done and out of the way and for that I am grateful. And he's towing the line here so very well. Last night everyone had places to go except Alex. I left him home with instructions to finish his homework and take a bath. Rylee and I got home after nine and the house was dark. Alex had put himself to bed! I was so happy. He's been so obedient and trustworthy these days that it makes me misty just typing about it. There was a time I never thought he'd get it but he is, he's getting it! I think we might be on the down hill side? (Maybe I shouldn't have typed that for the fate's to see?) But I do feel hope. I think one day it will just all click in his head. He'll start talking in full sentences. He'll understand and he'll be able to express himself. He'll want to learn, he'll want to try, he'll want to do his best. Yes, I have hope. Hope and joy for my boy!

Guitar Lessons

James gave Alex his first guitar lesson. He was pretty excited about it but since the lesson he hasn't picked up the guitar. I think-like the piano-the fact that he has to work at it is discouraging? Not sure. I can't fault him on the guitar though, I tried to learn and my fingers hurt so bad and the fact that it's not really reading music but memorizing chords was very difficult for me. I had visions of me singing and strumming around the camp fire-after a few lessons- and it didn't happen. The truth is I can't play in the dark because I have to read the chord, find where my fingers go on the strings, strum, then take a few seconds to find the next chord. Grr....frustrating. Add to it the painful fingers and my vision of being the next Joan Baez quickly evaporated!

James on the other hand is self taught. He works at it every day and has learned quite a few songs and has lovely callouses on his fingers to prove it. I guess I'll just sing and play the tambourine and he'll have to sing and play with me!

Now if I can just get James to learn some songs I like. His first song was that terrible country song about how a man chooses fishing over his wife.

I'm going to miss her but I love to fish.....

Grr....what a terrible song!

My Ukrainian German....

The last few Wednesdays I've been helping direct Alex's class in a little play. Our scene was the battle of Trenton. Alex was a German solider. He had memorized his part early and was very excited to perform. He told me he wasn't nervous-like the rest of his class-just excited. We worked hard on talking loud and slowly. He had some hard words like "triumph" but he didn't forget any of his lines or cues. I could tell he was in fact nervous but not any more so than anyone else.

It's hard for me to direct children. All children, not just Alex. Especially when they have no idea how to project, or any sort of stage direction. But he did okay, in fact he did just as well as some of the other children-he does have a little accent but it's hard to place just what kind of accent it is. Too bad it wasn't German. That would have been lovely.

Introducing.....

She made it!
Devree is the Vice President of the 9th grade!
Whoootwhoo!

Tonight Alex came down at 8:40 pm on the dot.
Mom, come tuck me in?
Alex, are you going to bed now?
Yes. Last night you said.
I had completely forgotten that I told him and Rylee they had to be to bed at 8:40 pm. Twenty minutes early because they were up 20 minutes past their bed time last night. Good grief, my parenting skills are lacking.
I was so proud of him for following through on his own.
He had walked home from school today with TWO girls and at dinner tonight he proudly announced that one of them HUGGED him! While I tucked him in we talked a little more about kisses. We talked about how 5th grade is just too young for kissing or even thinking about them.
He agreed.
He said he'll wait until he's seventeen. (Well, that's better than twelve right?)
I then told him HIS kisses were just too special to give to just any girl and even when he's seventeen he better really like her and think she's special.
He agreed again.
When I praise Alex or tell him he's special he just lights up. His eyes just twinkle. It's like it fills him up from the inside. I've never seen it so visible in a child before. Of course everyone likes to be told they're good at things, or special but with Alex it's like he's been so deprived of praise and love in his little life that he just basks in it.
I leaned down and told him he could always give his special kisses to me and with that he planted one right on my cheek.

Music, Ownership & Update

Yesterday morning Alex was getting ready for school and was singing:

"Schools out for-ever!"

Me: Alex, I think the song goes "Schools out for summer."

To which he looked at me with surprised eyes and asked,

"Mom how you know that song?"

Like I would never listen to such a rocking song. Please. That song is older than I am.

However, I'm always baffled that my kids don't know I'm not a hundred years old! I had one child ask me if I wore a poodle skirt to school. My MOM didn't even wear poodle skirts. (Although my brother-when very young-once asked my mom if she rode a dinosaur to school! Which is just slightly more of a dig than a poodle skirt wouldn't you say?)

I know time line's make very little sense to children. They probably at one time all thought I served tea and donuts while the Declaration of Independence was signed. (Sigh)

But back to Alex's music.

We put him in piano lessons at the start of school. We have the sweetest Hawaiian man that comes to our home once a week. He teaches Alex, Rylee and Devree. Alex at first was excited to learn but since the skills didn't come overnight, his enthusiasm has waned. He asked me a few weeks ago how long he has to take piano lessons?

Me: Until you can play FIVE hymns.

Alex: FIVE? But I not even learning Hymns.

Me: Well then tell your teacher to start!

(I figured if he can get this across to his teacher and his teacher agrees that's fine with me!)

But recently Alex has taken up playing the guitar. He wears his MP3 player (not to be mistaken with an I-pod-he always corrects me when I say I-pod "I no have I-pod Mom!") and plays it full blast and strums the guitar. He thinks he's playing exactly like the song in his ears when really he's just randomly strumming. I'm hoping to catch a picture of this and maybe some video. It's priceless.

He asked me how much a guitar costs. I told him. He looked disappointed. "Alex, you don't have to buy your own guitar. We have two guitars. You can use our family's guitar. You don't want to buy your own piano do you?"

"No!" and he laughed.

He still struggles with OWNING things. Although we have roller blades that fit him He doesn't have his OWN roller blades. I know it's silly, but to him I think owning things gives him value. It's not that he wants to own things to not share because he willing shares all his things it's just the sense of owning that makes him feel important. Unfortunately the things he wants to own are very expensive and his $5 allowance bi-weekly is just not allowing for him to own all these big ticket items.

Yesterday, we worked on the work owe and own. He had left candy wrappers in his pockets for the umpteenth time and they had gone through the laundry. I had already found a bottle of power bait (from fishing) in the bottom of the washer earlier in the day and after pulling out wrappers in the dryer that Alex said were his I told him he owed me a ten minute job! (Work is the threat that triggers Alex to remember what he should do.) In his journal he wrote:

Today I forgot to emty my bacats (pockets-he struggles with putting a b where a p should be) and I nid (need) to own my mom a tem (ten) miunat (minute) evera (extra) work.

Own and owe. Complete opposites when you think about it. Yet so close in sound and spelling.

Alex walked home with one of the two girls he's crushing on. He was so very happy about it. After his bath last night he asked me if he smelled good. Yes, I said and covered his cheeks and forehead with kisses.

"Mom, how come girls don't kiss me like that?" I was taken back. "Alex, do you want girls to kiss you like that?" He grinned, and nodded. Hum...I don't know if I can handle TWO hormonal boys in my house at the same time. Later we talked and he confessed that he really just wants a kiss on the cheek. Whew. I thought he really wanted a girl to smoother him with kisses.

This morning he was all good smelling and wearing a nice shirt to go to school. "Oh la la!" I said to him to which he just smiled. He's not even embarrassed about this crush thing! Heaven help me when he gets older!

He did so well on his homework yesterday it made my eyes water. We were reviewing when to use a vs an and he got every problem perfect and told me which words started with vowels. I told him how proud I was of him and how perfect he did and he grinned and threw his arms around me. So happy.

The blessing he recorded last night was:

I am grateful I have a nice mom and dad.

We re-read ALL his blessings last night. There is quite a list. I told him from here on out he can just write down things he's thankful for. It doesn't have to be better here than Ukraine, just things he's grateful for. Like a healthy body or indoor plumbing. I made him a new book and I'm going to type up all his previous blessings and stick them in his scrapbook. I think someday he'd like to look back on all these things he wrote.

Well, because I don't OWN a million dollars and we OWE money to orthodontist, utilities and have a never ending grocery bill etc.. I need to stop writing, stop blog reading and get working this morning!