Get used to it!

Wanna share them. That's all.

I'm (occasionally) a lady of little words lately on this blog. Love sharing pics, so get used to it!!! HA!

Another vacay pic.

Happy 9th b'day Shadow!

One of my fav pics from this weekend.

Kinda Rocks

Vacation just kinda ROCKS! Especially when the ocean, (pretty much) well behaved children, and good company are part of the package.

Yayyyyy kiddos!

I opened the envelopes for both kids' report cards. I opened Juliana's first. I knew what would be inside, since I had the meeting with her teacher and principal yesterday. That meeting took the wind out of my sails. Maybe another day I'll share bits and pieces about THAT. Until then, I have to share about Kev for a quick minute or two.

Kev got the equivalent of all A's in every core area. As a matter of fact, he got 100 percent on every-single-assessment required. Not one wrong, NOT one! Shocked the pants off-a me! The best part of the whole report card was, "Kevin's attentiveness to friendships makes me smile." That was one sentence in the comment section, and it made my heart smile. So so proud of my little boy. She even said that his journal writing made her happy while she read it in the hospital room next to her niece. Awwww, that's sweet.

I'd love to share this on facebook, and perhaps even do a sky writing, but I won't. Too many people would wonder or ask why I'm not sharing about BOTH kids. Juliana struggles. Most of us know why, some don't know. It really isn't a secret, yet it isn't necessarily anybody's business as to WHY. I will say, the comment section on her report card made me smile too. Her teacher said she is "a joy", and I know he means it. It isn't simply a teacher stretching for words to write in a comment section. He truly cares for Juliana, and wants her to succeed. He will be missed. Kev will have the same teacher, same class, same classroom, same friends for next year. It's a "looping" experiment that I'm not overly fond of, but he's happy, so I'm happy.

I am sharing this via my blog, simply because I can't jump up and down in front of them. Because they are so drastically different, I do my very best to emphasize that report cards are not all about high grades, but about doing your best. Juliana's best is vastly different than Kevin's. I am so proud of her too, because her ambition trumps any grade she could ever earn. She may earn a "C/D (and an occasional F)", but her ambition is an "A/B" in most cases.

Who knows if Kev will always do well academically, and socially, and who knows if Juliana will struggle. I am so proud of them, and I am so proud they are proud of themselves!!! It is a wonderful feeling to know they are great kids and do the best they know how to do. Yayyyy kiddos!

Hello June!

Our lives recently have been uber duper busy! Every-single-weekend-day has been full, every school day has been eventful in one way, shape, or form. I'm loving it, albeit ready for it to slow down a little bit. I won't have my wish until, let's say, mid-September. :)

Hanging out with little friends. Kinda the best way to spend any afternoon.

Swimming in our pool with family. This is my niece taking the plunge into the chilly pool.

Favorite photo of the family day yesterday... my brother holding his breath, while his son is under water. HAAAA! My nephew came up smiling. I just adore this photo, and I adore watching my big bro be a dad. He's just so fantastic at the job of Daddyhood.

P.s. If you remember the drama with Kevin's eye last summer, well uhhhhh, he's heading back to Children's Hospital later on today. Who knows if it is the same issue or not. Poor little guy really needs a break from that place. We've tried to avoid it for him for 2 days to no avail. I think he's gonna be okay, but I hate to see his usually overactive little personality turn into a sad, I'm-trying-to-be-strong personality.

SCORE!

This girl really has been scoring points! Nope, not in basketball, 'cause basketball is simply something she does to release energy. She's been working SO SO SO hard to feel good. She's been in the midst of a big change for a few months, and somehow, someway in the last week or so, she is seeing results of hard work. She's had 3 really good days this week, and for the first time, she is seeing a pattern. I'll never expect perfection, nor should she, although it is wonderful to see results of more than a few good hours.

Never take it for granted when you have a full good day with your child. Never take for granted their smiles, their ambitiousness, their carefree nature... not every child has that running through their veins. When that trickles through their veins, it is a huge deal, even for a brief amount of time. We're working on longer periods of time. Go girl... so proud of you!

Thank you people!

Juliana said during ELLEN, "Why would someone donate their organs?"

After a long explanation as to why someone would do it, I tell her, "You got the gift of donors. Doctors took blood from a few people, made it special for you, and gave you an all new immune system. Your body was fighting itself, thinking it was one big germ. " Daddy chimed in, "Within an hour of your donation, your fevers came down, your face changed, and everyone knew it was working."

Her eyes bugged out, then she threw her hands up, "Thank you people!"

YES, thank you people!

(For the sake of anyone freaking out, this was when she was 13 months old, NOT today or recently. The donation was for the Kawasaki Disease.)

Boo-TAY

Yup, that's a duck booty in the air. It makes me laugh every time I see it... oh wait, it's happening again. -----running outside------