A Week of Celebrating Eleven

Our first born celebrated her 11th birthday this past week, and that celebration lasted seven full days.  After Nana & Pops came up to visit on Sunday, with arms full of birthday presents and a generous offer to treat us all to huge bowls of candy covered yogurt at YoLo, our birthday girl woke up to more electronic and stationery cards wishing her wonderful birthday blessings.

I put together a collage of her over the years, and I spent a lot of time last week thinking about how much she has changed and reflecting on so many wonderful memories we have shared together. (Gift #984)

She requested Golden Corral (I call it the "Pig Trough") for her birthday lunch, so we drove to her dad's workplace and all went together for a fabulous meal.  She ate way too much despite my warnings that she would get sick, and she has been nauseated ever since.  Maybe there is a stomach bug at work as well.   Hopefully, she learned a valuable lesson as well about moderation in all things, but I'm just excited that we all got to see where my husband works and join him for lunch for a change. (Gift #985) I didn't realize when I took these pics that her brother looked like he was trying to swipe her cotton candy.

 

Her birthday gifts were all art themed this year.  That big Santa sized sack was filled with art canvases from Kate, Luke, and the twins.  She received a very nice pencil set from my brother's kids and a huge assortment of acrylic paints from Witt.  Grandma sent a fancy art easel, and friends gave her art kits.  I guess now I need to get her art lessons. This year is the first year out of probably the past five that I haven't given her horseback riding lessons for her birthday as she is too busy with gymnastics team, choir, and drama, but I will have to find her some good art lessons to fine tune this new interest of hers.

At gymnastics, they celebrated her birthday by throwing her into the foam pit and burying her.

She insisted on another slumber party for her birthday this year.  Since we're on spring break, most of her school friends were traveling and could not come, but it was still a fun time with the three girls who came.  

After her birthday on Monday, we told the kids to start cleaning the 2nd floor for her party while I cleaned the 1st floor.  I had the 1st floor clean and decorated with favors wrapped and all the party preparations in place by Tuesday, while the kids accomplished nothing all week.  So on the morning of the party, my husband told the kids, "Your rooms and bathrooms better be ready for our company this evening when I get home from work." He walked in this evening to find "Off Limits" notes posted to the 4 different doors. That's not exactly what he meant.  Real, funny, kiddos.

Publix recently opened a new store in our town, and since so many of our new friends here are from Florida and Georgia where Publix stores abound, they were uber excited about it.  I shopped Publix when I worked in Georgia, but I could not remember much about it. I was a bridesmaid in a wedding for a Florida friend who married an IT network administrator for Publix, so he's been telling me how wonderful it is.  I had heard they make great cakes, so we ordered our daughter's birthday cake from the Publix bakery.  When I took the kids there on Friday to pick up the cake, you would think I had just taken them to Disney World with all the excitement in their eyes as they explored the new store and enjoyed the delicious samples galore.  Thanks for the cheap entertainment, Publix.

The party was easy to host with Hungry Howie's pizza for dinner along with a veggie tray I put together in a few minutes and some nabs and sweets.  I used E-vites for the invitations,  our daughter planned all the activities and helped me pick out easy favors, and we prohibited electronics so we would not have to constantly supervise or monitor any texts or online activity.  I'm grateful for a low stress party venue for our tween who is old enough to do much of the planning now. (Gift #986) 

The girls brought gifts even although I specified "no gifts" on the invitations, and our bunny was all about it.  Muffin was so cute "helping" her unwrap the gifts and read the cards.  That bunny continues to add a finishing touch of joy to our family despite the havoc she wreaks. (Gift #987)

 

The girls were highly entertained with creative adventures my daughter made up as the went along, epic Just Dance challenges on the Wii, and a movie.  The girls even let me watch the movie with them, although the fact that a our cute fluffy bunny in my arms who they used as a pillow helped gain me admittance.  I enjoyed hanging out with the girls, and I know my daughter enjoyed having me there.  Having someone else allow and appreciate my presence is a gift I don't take for granted, especially as I realize how much rarer that gift is as tweens turn into teens. (Gift #988)  I have no idea what time they went to sleep, but I was able to get to bed at 1:30am and slept until 9am, so I'm not complaining!  (Gift #989)

 Happy 11th Birthday, sweetheart.  Thank you for all the ways you make us laugh or smile.

Our son wasn't sure how he would survive the invasion of girls, but he and his dad coped by tuning out the noise of the loud, lively, giggly girls all around them and tried to watch the ACC game.  Our son decided to pull for Duke, and despite all the noise around him, he still managed to fall asleep.  Don't worry, my son. Pops pulls for Duke, and I've seen him fall asleep on the recliner during Duke games more times than I can number.  Pulling for NCSU is less boring as you just never know what they might do. (Example - Beating #1 Villanova during the NCAA championship play-offs) :-)

Pi Day

Pi Day, that once in a lifetime day when the date matches the numbers in the ratio constant Pi, took place yesterday, and we were all about it.  Several of the teachers at school sent me Pi Day greeting since I'm now a math teacher at the school.  Now that Pi feels like part of my identity, I had to celebrate it.  So, I began by sharing a Pi tip for all my math and/or coffee loving friends.

On 3/14/15 at 9:25 a.m., some of the Ferocious Fireflies (our daughter's former Y Princess tribe) were here eating breakfast following a birthday slumber party for our daughter, so they all joined me in making Pi symbols with their hands during that significant moment.

Then that evening at 9:26pm we celebrated again with some Pi Day acrobatics. We're not as coordinated as we though, and it looks like my back posture still needs some serious work after carrying those babies 9 months each.  The kids enjoyed our silly fun, though, and I'm thankful for a husband who puts up with our immature ideas. (Gift #981)

Except for the few minutes spent celebrating Pi day, I spent the entire rest of the day filling out tax return forms to determine how much of our pie we will be giving the government to waste this year.  And while our federal taxes went up a lot (though nowhere near as much as they will when the current POTUS leaves the office, for that is when all his hikes go into full effect), our state taxes went down enough to offset the federal taxes. (Gift #982)  Amazing!  Say what you want about our state legislature, but I doubt you'll find many NC state taxpayers complaining about the tax reduction since it leaves more money in taxpayers' pockets to help those who really need it. Or since it's Pi Day, I'm thankful for any policy that helps make the economic pie bigger for everything so that everyone gets more pie instead of shrinking it into nothing via wealth distribution.  I'm so thankful for a break this year at least. (Gift #983)

Fun Filled, Frenzied Four Day Frolic into Spring Break

It's been a full few days around here as we wrapped up the 3rd quarter at school before spring break began today.  Our daughter's class assembly was held at school on Thursday.  The parents were impressed when the students recited an entire chapter from Philippians from memory.  They diagrammed sentences, quoted math facts, sang history songs in English and Latin, recited all sorts of sea animal facts with sign language and included fun props and jokes to keep the parents and siblings laughing.  Our girl is thriving this year after being so well-prepared by her very tough 4th grade teacher. (Gift #971) She's still maintaining an all A average for the year despite her rigorous competitive team gymnastics schedule, TKD, school plays, church choir, and drama productions.  Thankfully, the school does not give homework, and she rarely has to study, but when the school demands increase, she will have to give up something given that she doesn't even get home until 9pm three nights a week.  I'm proud of her for working so hard in so many different areas this year (Gift #972), though I fear she is exhausting her little body.

 

Since our son is repeating 2nd grade this year (we decided last minute not to keep him a grade ahead for physical development reasons even though the principal had initially agreed that we should skip him to 3rd grade), he has been very bored in class.  He does, however, enjoy the fun enrichment activities at school and has been looking forward to Pirate Day.  The temperature reached 70 degrees on Thursday, but the temperature dropped to the low 20s Thursday night with sleet in the forecast, so he was concerned that school would get cancelled on Pirate Day.   He was so excited about Pirate Day that Thursday evening during his dinner blessing he prayed, "Please don't let school get cancelled tomorrow so I don't miss Pirate Day."  Hearing him actually excited about school was a wonderful gift. (Gift #973) Then while we were enjoying our evening meal, he told us how the pirates would eat rats if there wasn't any food on board. And that brought our meal to an early end. :-)  Of course the rat tales were far better than the stories he had told me earlier that day about how many hits it took to kill Blackbeard and what they did with his remains. Gag! School was delayed two hours, but Pirate Day still happened, albeit later. I could only stay for half of it since I had to teach.  The other parents were fully decked out in awesome pirate attire.

 Had I known, I would have worn my eye patch and pirate scowl.

Here are some pics of our little pirate having a blast on Pirate Day.

Saturday was a juggling act for our family. Our daughter had an 8am gymnastics meet near the beach, so my husband got up at 5am to take her.  God bless that man for being a morning person, for I had only been asleep for two hours when he was waking up, and could not have gotten her there safely without him. (Gift #974)  Considering that she had only had one practice without a boot on her foot or tape around her knee in months, our daughter did great at the meet to be so under practiced. (Gift #975)

 During the long drive home, she entertained herself by taking unusual selfies.

She can balance, tumble, do splits and flips, and keep us entertained during long meet trips!

Meanwhile, I took my son to his last Upward basketball game and stood in my daughter and husband's place as stats girl and assistant coach.  On the way to the game, my son said, " I sure hope my sister does well at her meet today."  I told him that was a very nice thing to say, but he honestly replied, "I just don't want her to come home grumpy and irritable."  Preach it, boy!  They won 38 to 12 with each player scoring at least once.  It was a great last game!

After the game each player received two stars and specific verbal affirmation from the head coach.  Unlike his sister who relishes the limelight, our little guy was so shy during this award portion that the coach offered to let him hide behind his legs until he finished. 

 

After the game I anxiously awaited word from my husband with hope that he would be back in time to watch our son while I went to a baby shower for a dear friend's daughter.  This friend flew in from Los Angelas, CA and really wanted to see me there.  I mumbled to my son, "I wonder why your dad isn't answering his phone or texts. Maybe his battery died. We need to know if he and his sister will be home in time."

And that 8-year-old with an old soul replied, "Now, Mom, let's not go jumping to bad conclusions."  He cracks me up. (Gift #976)

Since my husband and gymnast were not due home until after the shower ended, my son went with me to the baby shower. Contented with the nice spread of food, he behaved quite well indeed. (Gift #977)

I was blessed to see Laurie and her lovely smile (Gift #978)
While celebrating her daughter's expectant child.
She lives in LA, but we met at Gold's Gym.
She became a lawyer and is engaged to Jim

All the adult conversation and food must have worn my little buddy out, because this was my view from the rear view mirror on the way home.

After church on Sunday, Nana and Pops came to visit bearing lots of gifts as always. (Gift #980)  We had a nice visit as my daughter opened her birthday presents from them.  Then they treated us all to yogurt at YoLo where you pay by the ounce, and each kid loaded 12 ounces into their bowls.  Oops.

Even though my husband needs major shoulder surgery soon, he surprised me by signing up to join his work's basketball team.  I'm thankful for the exercise it will give him but hope he will do more damage to his shoulder.  Filled with energy from YoLo, he practiced on our little basketball pad that afternoon.  Even though he says he never wanted a bunny, he's grown attached to Muffin and brought her outside to keep him company while he dribbled and shot.  And I'm sad to report that our most troublesome family member is now officially addicted to weed and grass (even brown, dormant grass).  Oh how I miss the evergreens of our previous Fescue lawn, but at least Bermuda doesn't need much mowing.

We have also been very busy celebrating family birthdays this month.  When our daughter realized that nine of our closest relatives have birthdays in March, she asked, "Why were so many people born in March?"

So her dad replied, "Because most people get married in June. Your mom will explain to you the rest."

Gee thanks, Dear.

The First Sixth of March

Parenting
The kids are disappointed with their tooth fairy for forgetting to show up sometimes (okay - lots of times). I suggested they fire her. They contemplated that and then decided that a slack tooth fairy is better than no tooth fairy.  Jesting aside, though, isn't that how it is too often? We are much more slack with those we love most because we know they will never reject us, while we give our best to our employers who could hand us a pink slip without a moment's notice.

Parenting my mini-me often feels like an out-of-body experience. I know how she feels (because I was just like her at her age) verses what is actually true, and I want so much to show her right now what took me over 30 years of walking with the Lord to learn & apply. Yet, while I have that "higher" perspective that comes with age & experience and can see her so clearly, she doesn't seem to see or hear me, for she is not an extension of myself but her own unique person. While I can do my best to teach her what I have learned, her unique journey is ultimately between God and herself.

It's already time to start registering our kids for summer camp.  When registering my little boy for a camp for 1st & 2nd graders, I noticed that this year, the form had been altered to include an extra check box under gender labeled "other". Why were resources spent to make that change? Is that 3rd option now legally required? I have heard one isolated sensational news story about parents wanting to change their kids' gender, but really, are that many parents in our local area seriously confused about their child's gender?  Must we trouble our children with questions that were clearly decided at birth (hello...you are either male or female...God created us male and female from the beginning) by making them question their gender.  This world has gone mad.   We know and work with someone who changed his/her gender, claiming to be a woman, trapped in a man's body, while still married to his wife.  How does an adult comprehend such a thing...much less an 8-year-old child.  Oh the things we parents get to face that now that our parents never even imagined, much less faced themselves.

Recent Weather
The weather recently has been a roller coaster of highs and lows as illustrated below.  The temperature is expected to drop 50 degrees within a 12 hour time frame today. 

I saw this meme recently and decided it wasn't funny or precise enough anymore.  So, I corrected it.  I hope somee cards does not mind.

A Riddle
Help us solve this riddle: It is sassy and pompous, destroys costly things with its razor like weapons, likes to climb up high for a better view, and will recline on top of a person's lap, belly, chest, head, feet, etc. for hours like a cat. It chews on shoes or sticks, wears shirts and a collar, enjoys walking with a leash, and follows people everywhere like a dog. It can move almost faster horizontally or vertically than the human eye can see. It seems to eat most anything in its path (from grass and house plants to rubber mats, dumbbells, and even it's own poo) like a goat. What is it?

Muffin's method for managing Monday malaise

If you guessed "a bunny", that's what our pet's breeder said she was, but we're still not sure. She is the most bizarre and annoying creature ever, but we love her, and I especially enjoy spending my morning prayer time with her nestled in my lap.  It's become our tradition.

Teaching
I have really enjoyed watching my students rise to the occasion for their quarterly projects.  My husband thought this quarter's project on Data Ethics would be too challenging for them, but they have been addressing some key current issues with professionalism and sound reasoning.  The guys dressed up in their dress uniforms with coat & tie for their presentations and a student remarked that they looked like a singing quartet.  These students absolutely loved hearing the story of how I met my husband (I shared it to illustrate key stats concepts (seriously), to illustrate spiritual truths, because they asked, and to show them that I am real person they can relate to and come to and not just a talking head up at the board every day), so I reminded them that the dress uniform and singing quartet worked for my husband when I first met him (did it ever, I was smitten from the moment I saw and heard him!).  They imitate my husband in a lot of ways I find amusing.  Anyway, I do believe information ethics (collection, protection, communication, utilization, privacy rights, etc.) will be a critical topic their generation will have to address as data runs the world, influences decisions, and steers people to believe all kinds of things whether true or false.  Some of the most interesting topics students selected include:

• InBloom and the Common Core Standards
• Unemployment rates reporting - U3 vs. U6 and how the reported rates are half the actual rates to present a healthier picture of the economy
• Cell & tissue research from diagnostic tests vs. clinical trials and full disclosure research panels
• Information security & the 2013 Target data breach
• TV advertising using Simmon's consumer surveys, particularly with regard to OTC weight loss products
• Social media being used for data collection, behavioral studies, etc.

The presentations have been very interesting indeed, and provide far better usable education and skill development than written tests in my opinion.  Students who do not test well often deliver outstanding projects, which helps both their confidence and mine!  (Gift #970)

Our next project has been received with great rejoicing in our class, particularly by the basketball players (who have played together since 6th grade and have been undefeated conference and tournament champions for the past two years in a row).  I am sad to admit that I never cared too much for NCAA basketball (except when it meant I could spend time with my daddy watching all the games as a kid). But after realizing that I could reinforce many of the key concepts we have covered this year in my class while building analytical, critical thinking, decision making, research & reporting, oral & written communication skills through an NCAA championship bracket project, I am all about some NCAA basketball. Watch out, sports fans, because our class pool knows how to pick em'.

Interesting Reading

"Why Our Children Don't Think There are Moral Facts"
This troubling and very false idea that moral truth is relative is not new to common core, but it does seem to be more pervasive now.  One of my professor friends read this article upon my recommendation, and had this to say:

Summary: Children are taught that facts are the same as truths and that facts are provable and/or testable, that opinions are everything else, and thus that the two are mutually exclusive so there can be no moral facts/truths.
Gödel's second incompleteness theorem, however, showed us that even in relatively simple mathematical systems, there are true things about a system that can be stated but cannot be proven within the system. Also, there are many facts we cannot test given human/physical limits. This is not limited to the metaphysical. I'm surprised that one would think that our ability or lack of ability to test a physical theory at different points in history should have any bearing on the underlying truth or falsity of that theory.

There is a lack of basic humility reflected in an anthropocentric definition of truth that fails to allow that things can exist which we cannot prove, test, understand, control, measure, sense, etc. We will never be able to see the whole truth of things, and our inability doesn't change those things a bit.

"The Great Achievers are the Great Believers"
This article was a great reminder of a key theme I've been imbedding into my statistics lessons.  True greatness is in the believing, not the achieving. Leave a legacy of faith! This piece is a must read!

Our First Family Dance

My prince charming and I before we left for the ball

We were invited by a board member and a school staff friend to attend their church's family dance, and we were surprised to discover that a large majority of our school's rhetoric faculty including the rhetoric principal (my supervisor), the headmaster, and one of the key founders of our school were all members of this church with families in attendance.  We weren't sure what to expect, but it was easier when the kids and I all saw so many people we knew from school.  The hymn and doxology singing at the beginning and end were a breath of fresh air, the band was fantastic, the company so kind and hospitable, and the dances were fabulous fun. (Gift #966)

Our family of four ready for the introductory march to kick off the dance

At this dance, each boy must first ask the girl's father for permission to ask his daughter to dance.  I was impressed by the courage and manners these young gentlemen displayed. (Gift #967) My husband had a waiting list of young men so long he lost track of who was next in line. My daughter lamented the fact that these boys were so young, but I told her to count her blessings, for by the end of her first dance at age 10, she had been asked to dance by more fellows than I had by age 18. 

Our son pretended that he dreaded the whole ordeal, but I saw a lot of genuine smiles while he danced with cute little gals.  I tried to get him to dance with me at the end, but by then, he just wanted to wrestle with the other little boys on the floor.  He was all danced out by the end of the first 90 minute set. He was all about the delicious snacks, too, as was I with the rich chocolate spread.

I love how comfortable my introverted, yet super fun husband is on the dance floor.

We had way more fun than we expected or intended!

Many of the songs were mixers, so we got to dance with other faculty and students.  Our school feels so much like a family, so that should be not feel awkward, but it was just so different from my high school experience, that I felt a little awkward dancing with the literature teacher and with one of my students.

My husband and daughter swing other partners during this lively Russian dance.

The last dance of the evening was by far the most exciting, but I gave up my chance to dance so that my daughter could dance with her daddy, and I'm so glad I did. (Gift #968) Whenever I look at these pictures, Stephen Curtis Chapman's weepy song, "Cinderella" plays in my mind, and I tear up a little...or a maybe a lot.  Of course, when I watched them dance in person to this fast paced, high energy Russian dance, the slow rhythms of "Cinderella" would have certainly been out of place.

Here is the music video:

Cinderella - Steven Curtis Chapman (Official Music Video) from steven-curtis-chapman on GodTube.

Of course, I guess if my husband had sung "Lady in Red" to me, then I would have felt like Cinderella. (Ha!) But words can't express how thankful I am to have such a loving, devoted, Christ honoring father for my children.  He's the best. (Gift #969)

Snow Day 5

Our 5th snow day occurred yesterday.  We returned to school today while the public schools took their 8th snow day today.  (It's hard for our kids to return from school when all the neighbors get to spend the day outside playing, but at least we get to keep our Saturdays and two week long spring break). I was glad to get back to school, though, as I was developing cabin fever.  Over the past two weeks, we've seen ice that made for the fastest sledding ever (so fast that our daughter crashed into a mailbox creating an injury so severe she has been on crutches ever sense), powdery snow you can sweep off the driveway with a broom or collect in a bowl for the most delicious snow cream, and lastly, gorgeous, soft, snowman making snow.   This snow was so pretty that even the most ardent cold weather haters were repenting and professing their love for this display of God's splendor. (Gift #963)

My first view from the front door that morning

We only got 4-5 inches while friends 30 minutes away got 7-8 inches of snow.  They also experienced lengthy power outages as it seems those extra inches greatly increase the probability of an outage.  We're grateful ours stayed on and that our friends received so many offers for warm shelter.  (Gift #964)

Our daughter with some neighborhood friends and their bikini clad snow woman

This third snow event was too slushy for sledding but ideal for a romantic walk along the river trail across the road from our house behind our neighborhood.  Well....it was romantic until my husband shook a tree causing a huge amount of snow to fall on top of my head, but that's how guys show love I guess.  My husband and I enjoyed a lovely walk as the temperature was above freezing and comfortable.  Here are some photos from our walk when there were only 3-4 inches left on the ground as it was melting quickly.

Our daughter celebrated the snow in her usual dramatic fashion.  Here she is cackling with laughter, singing, "Let it Go!", and throwing snow with delirious bliss.  I love to watch her relish life (especially when she relishes outside instead of creating messes inside). (Gift #965)

Meanwhile our son enjoyed log rolling around the yard.

The kids built snowmen as well, but I had to laugh 3 days later when what remained of the snowmen looked like they really need to come with me to see the chiropractor.