Homecoming 2016

 Both my high-school guys wanted to go to Homecoming dances this year. They attend separate schools but they had the big dance on the same night. First up was pictures with Parker;

He went with his friend, Riddhi. She actually organized the whole dance and was the DJ for most of the night. This group has been friends for the past few years but this was the first Homecoming dance hosted by their small high school. Fun to see them all come together for a special night. Parker was crowned Homecoming prince!

 And then Kaleb;

 Kaleb went with his friend, Alyssa. Even as a freshman, Kaleb has met a ton of new people along with a few lacrosse buddies at his new school. He is already making so many great memories. And! He shocked a few new friends with his crazy good dance moves on the night of Homecoming.

Obligatory School Pics 2016

Onto High School

Kaleb's eighth grade graduation was a delightful ceremony recognizing the growth in these young people over the course of middle school. 

It has been a blessing to have Kaleb, Aden, and Collin at the same school. Kaleb is particularly protective of his brothers. He can mess with them, but no one else can!

Kaleb and his best friend Indy. They have a band together with their classmate Lindsay. They even have an Instagram, so cool!

He read a poem at the ceremony. Kaleb is truly a strong, confident, charismatic leader and that has been recognized and celebrated at his school.

He will be a freshman at Renaissance High School next year. He is excited to be a apart of some of their unique courses but mostly their killer weight room to work out in. The two gals, pictured with him below, will also attend RHS. Pretty great that from his small charter school he can transition with friends.

This is Kaleb's good friend River at an outdoor camp. She is an artist and she would encourage Kaleb in art and when he was trying to throw away his art projects, she would save them from the trash for me. She also makes great fudge. I really like River :)

This is just a weird picture of my ginger guy with blue eyebrows at the school carnival. No matter how proud I am of him, he always brings back the reality of parenting teens. Embrace the weird.

report card

   As usual, my youngest son has flipped my perspective on parenting on it's head. A few months back I received Collin's report card. His progress is always good but the report is filled with categories like, "needs improvement," or "does not meet standard." It is a difficult thing to take in as a mom. I have three other kids that have very different, very high-achieving report cards. And, in raising these four boys, I have never seen any of them work as hard as Collin. 

   I am so very proud of the work he puts in. With ADHD and dyslexia, the classroom is not an ideal place for him. He keeps his teacher and I guessing, for example, it will take him anywhere between one and three weeks to master a spelling list. No real pattern or method for success has been apparent. Yet he greets each school day with enthusiasm. He is quite social with his peers and many of his teacher aides have commented on that joy of his. 

   Medication was not a good fit for Collin right now. Maybe in the future we will investigate further.  (Middle School, I'm looking at you.) For now, we take our vitamins, we lather on essential oils, and we have a morning pep talk about controlling our bodies and the volume of our voice. I laughed at loud when I read a note Collin wrote to thank his principal for all his hard work and noticed Collin ended it with, "I am gluten free because my mom thinks its a good idea." Ha! Indeed, Collin is  willing to make the changes but he would be all Cheetos and playing SkyLanders all day if he was in charge,

We are all met with challenges in life and Collin has taught me the most about how to respond to those difficulties. When something proves frustrating for my three over achievers, I have some new resiliency skills up my sleeve. The true life hacks for when, not if, things don't come easy. Let's face it, we live in a culture that is achievement based and celebrates overnight successes. Fighting that flow has been consuming for me. I was the cool, composed young mom at all those award ceremonies where my kids were center stage.  Now I am "that mom" whose kid can't sit still or shoves ahead in pickup line. 

So we have changed what and how we celebrate achievement at our house.  We started looking for what each son specifically excels or struggles with. We will help support where needed and when they get it right? There is no more money for straight A report cards. Now there is going out for froyo and cheers from your brothers. The older boys miss the way it used to work out for them but I am insisting that learning empathy and goal setting and doing it together is the better way,

Homecoming 2015

The stars aligned for my old high school friend, Jami and I's oldest kiddos to head to Timberline's Homecoming Dance together, Parker goes to a small high school that doesn't host a homecoming dance and Mariah had a fun group going together and needed just the right guy to go with. Jami and I were able to arrange a meeting and the kids hit it off. The two of them had a blast getting to know each other, posing for pictures, and dancing. They even let us parents hover around a bit, 

Jami and her husband Joel were fantastic to partner up with. We had dinner next door to the kids and just laughed until it hurt about parenting and all it's pitfalls. Jami took all these beautiful photos while the teens were coming up with more and more poses. It was so sweet for Matt and I to share this milestone with another couple.

I think they have started a great friendship. I was able to overcome a lot of worries about what these next few years will look like. I could feel that my heart stretched just a little bigger. That is the magic of young people, they are full of so much potential and possibility. It can be nerve-wracking but also inspiring.

Back to school 2015

Wants to be a pro athlete, coach, lawyer, or psychiatrist.

Wants to work in law enforcement or be a pilot.

Wants to be a pro lacrosse player or a forensic scientist.

Wants to be a voice over actor or own an ice cream parlor.

Back to school and the real reason this blog is getting any attention. The blue clothing color scheme was not planned but does look quite nice all together. My guys are all out of the nest this year. The oldest at a medical charter school and the younger three at a charter school in Boise. They had a good first week and made sure to tell me that it is way better than home school. Well then!

Reno

Parker's JV lacrosse debut! He is playing for Centennial High School and enjoying a new position on attack. The year kicked off with a tournament in Reno. 
Matt and I were up for some one on one time with Parker while Grandma Ellen took the other 3 boys for a fun weekend of their own.

(real reason for the road trip)


He played so well all weekend and scored more goals than all of last season. We stayed an extra day to sleep in and check out the outlet mall in Sparks. And one more meal at In and Out before hitting the road.



Parker is the best company, I joke that I gave birth to my best friends. Also, you can almost see in the picture that he is now taller than his dad. That seems noteworthy to me and it is still so bizarre that we have a child in high school!