First Day of School 2013

Kevin and I were at WalMart (on a protein shake mission) and I told him I need to find another small ice block for lunches.  "The two we have aren't enough?"  Yeah I forgot we had three kids in school too.

Patrick- 4th grade

He was really nervous but his best little friend, Erin is in his class and he's already made lots of new friends.  Including 39 other Raven friends  in his classroom (seriously 40 kids in a class, I bow down to these teachers).  He started cross country yesterday (begrudgingly) and really liked it.  He turns 9 on Monday and he told me last night that he is really going to enjoy 4th grade.  Hooray! 


Keith- 1st grade

Keith wears his worry in such a different way than his brother.   He was definitely a little nervous but  there is nothing like knowing your brother is there with you.  Keith has been full of energy when he gets home.  I thought he would want a nap, shows what I know!  Everything in first grade is VERY exciting.

Lauren- Preschool

This one has been ready.  Before we took her to school yesterday she was already proclaiming that she likes it.  I'm sure she's making an impression. I still find it hard to believe that she spends the day away from me.  It is so weird.

ACK!

Look at my face!

I'm not ready.  The kids have clothes, the boys' hair has been trimmed, the school supplies were purchased and organized weeks ago.... but I'M NOT READY.  I continue to refer to the first day of school as something that will happen at some point in the (distant?) future. 

Big changes for us this year (dig hole, stick head in).  Patrick is an upper grader, Keith is at school all day, and Lauren jets off to the preparatory academy (aka Preschool).  Don't let summer end yet!

We had an amazing summer, including our first family trip since Hawaii four years ago.  We spent a week at the beach and it was so much fun.  Can we go back?

Today when I thought about Lauren eating lunch out of her coveted lunch box without me there, I had flurries in my belly.  When Keith came in for yet another reassuring hug, my heart skipped.  When Patrick worried about the new year, I teared up. 

People keep reminding me that with Lauren at school, I have time.  Well, I don't really know what that means or what to do about that.  It isn't real.

I pray that my children will be lead by the ways of our God and not by the ways of this world.  I pray that they grow and learn and achieve to their full potential.  I pray that there will always be trials to make them better and stronger (I force myself to pray that most days).  I pray that Kevin and I will be strong role models for grace, love, compassion, leadership, integrity, and humor.  And I pray that whatever this new year brings that we grow in our love for one another and our family bond tightens against the icky stuff in this world. 

OK NOW I'M READY!

Visiting Aunt Bev

I am very blessed to have loving Great Aunts.  My mom's aunts are wonderful women with a very special place in my heart.  Most of them are out of state so we don't get to see them often.  But  Aunt Bev is right here in California! She comes to Fresno now and again to visit but this time we decided to pay her a visit in her new house in Roseville.  It was a quick overnight trip but we had a great visit.  We loved her new house and neighborhood.  We had fun playing games, eating, and catching up.  My kids just adore her and so do I.

This trip served as a great warm up for our week long vacation down south.  I didn't even plan it that way!

Backflips and Summer League

There is so much that I could say about the Patrick's swim season.  He's amazing and I am proud sum it up the best.
He's been in the pool Monday through Friday for two hours for swimming and water polo. 

All of his hard work paid off at the Summer Rec League Championships today.

That's a second place finish from the outside lane.  He improved every week and in total took 9 seconds off of his time from the beginning of the season.   He also made it to the finals in breaststroke.  Next year he will dominate in butterfly.

On top of all that he loved playing water polo this summer.  He even scored a whole bunch of goals. 

And read several books and made lots of new friends in between.   One swim season down, many many more to go.

Especially considering that his little sister is half fish.  Last week she taught herself how to do a backflip.  This video is on the big step but she taught herself how to do one off the wall too. She's swimming and she's ready to compete.

On a whim

We don't have a lot of opportunities to pack up the SUV and head to the beach on a whim.  Ok, I can't remember the last time we did that.... But yesterday we did it.  I punched Little Miss Planner Mom in the face and we hit the road with no real plans.  It was fabulous.  I think we are on Day 17 of triple digit heat so we headed to Monterey and highs of 63.

The kids were so excited to go to the aquarium.  Patrick set his alarm for 5:00 am. We spent the whole morning at the aquarium and explored Monterey in the afternoon. 

Taking Lauren to the beach for the first time was the highlight of my day.  Kevin made sure that we went back to the beach we took Patrick to for his first trip.  The boys had fun chasing waves (Keith was soaked) and Lauren loved the sand and water (of course).  I was staying dry and enjoying my family.  At least until Kevin wanted to take a picture of me with the kids. 

 REAL LIFE.  An armful of discarded sweatshirts, Lauren by the armpit, dragging the boys in, and boom I'm soaked.  This is my motherhood.  Wet and wild.  I love it.

Since the planner mom was knocked out, we were short towels and blankets and other things I would usually bring.  We did have extra clothes for most people but sizing was an issue and Keith will forever remember wearing my clothes home.  good times/great memories.

What just happened?

In January (for reals, I'm a planner) when I started making plans for the summer I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  I usually consider a few activities and follow through on one or two.  This time I was on the "sign us up" program.  Gone are the lazy, quiet summer days, my kids have something going on all the time. If I complain, remind me that I signed up for it and I love 97% of it.  The hardest part for me is adjusting to a new schedule that accommodates our activities and the rest of life (cleaning, teaching, Junior League, blogging, pedicures, Scrabble, working out, and plenty of tv viewing).

We are now in Week 4 of summer break and here's what has been happening.  {If you follow me on Instagram, sorry you've seen most of this}

1. Swimming
The little kids have had swim lessons most days with Aunt Katy.  Lauren is my little fish.  She will swim until she is exhausted.  Keith is coming into his own in the pool. 

Patrick is doing swim and water polo every evening.  He made his first goal last week at the polo scrimmage and shaved 3 seconds off of his freestyle time.  He's even talking about joining swim club this year.

2. Wrestling
Keith wrestles Monday and Tuesday evenings and he loves it most days.   The other day in the middle of practice Keith told his coach, "You used to coach my Uncle Ben!" He was on cloud 9 after that declaration.  His coach calls him Mr. Fox, which he loves.

3. Vacation Bible School
Our church had VBS the second week of summer and we were all there.  Lauren in the nursery, me volunteering, the boys attending.  It was an amazing week and the program was really fun for the kids.  I was so glad that we were there.

4. Teaching
I started teaching a new online class just as summer started.  My class was one of the first classes on the new online platform and it has been a lot of work.  This is the first week that my students seem more comfortable and I get to focus more of learning.  I'm taking a break at the end of July and I'm looking forward to it.

5. Working
Kevin changed shifts and finished at the academy when summer started.  We celebrated the Fresno Policy Academy Class #129 graduation last Friday.  Kevin was once again a superstar recruit training officer.  Under his mentorship, there were 5 cadets who graduated in uniform (they were hired by an agency) and another handful are in the process.  We are rolling with graves for now, who knows what next week will bring.

6. Weekends what?
The new shift and the academy mean that Kevin has weekends off for the first time in a very long time.  We've enjoyed our weekend time together. 

7. This girl

She is really good at waiting for her brothers.  Lauren goes back to My Gym for July and maybe August before her promised gymnastics classes start.  This picture in 10 pm one night.  I love-hate the sporadic naps.  Evenings can be a little touch and go without a nap but she doesn't go to sleep at night when she has a nap.  I think I prefer the non-nap day.  She crashes at 7:30 when we get home from swimming and it is perfection.

Only 47 more days of summer and we have lots of fun planned!

Done

Last day of school! 
Here are my sweet kids this morning before school.

Here they are right now. 

We did the awards circuit, we partied at the park, we watched movies at school all week, we ate donuts and candy, we said farewell to our awesome teachers, we played at the pool with our buddies, and now we are having the two hour chopstick dinner.  life is good.

Our plans for the summer are pretty close to being set.  Between golf, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, VBS, and day camps we will be on the go a lot.  But my goal is to make sure the summer learning gap never gets opened.   Summer is only 72 days long so it is important to be realistic.  So here are my goals:

1) Read READ read Read READ read READ

If we do nothing else, we will read.

This is Keith's stack of books for the summer.  We won't make it through all of these books, this stack is just his chapter book-read aloud selection (he's very proud of it).  All of these books were recycled from Patrick's personal book stash.

Patrick will likely plow through library books on his Kindle Fire again this summer.  Our library system updated the ebook website and it is really fun to use.  I love free.

Both boys will also work on writing.  Patrick at night before he falls asleep, Keith in the morning.

Lauren is going to start working on her Phonics.

2) Math

Welcome to laminated Math Facts.  Just for practice for a few minutes after breakfast.  Everyone loves using a dry erase pen.  Patrick still has a little work to do on his multiplication to make it stick and Keith is so close with addition.

3)  Art (aka teaching Keith how to cut)
Coloring, cutting, gluing, painting.  I love having these kids at the kitchen table together creating.  And Keith really does need to learn how to cut.

4) Quiet Time/Free Time/Individual Reading

This hour or so will be our break before heading out to the pool deck in the evening.   They can do what they want but reading will be encouraged.  This accordion file is full of easy read books for Keith, organized by level.  Mom will spend her free time enjoying the quiet.  Hopefully Lauren starts napping again.

5) Play and have fun
I know you don't think there is any time left but there is plenty!  All of this only adds up to a couple of hours.  The kids will be up later than their normal 7:30 bedtime.  Electronics and television time will be limited. Legos are at the top of the list for all three kids.

We also have some fun excursions to fit in.  The only thing that will slow us down is 100 degree heat.  Wish us luck!  Have a great summer!

Almost

Since Memorial Day Keith has been quizzing me each day about his status.  "Am I a first grader now?"  We are now one step closer to his dream of being in the first grade!  Today was his Kindergarten performance and I didn't cry! 

That's because I cried when he brought this home last week.  He volunteered for a (small) solo part in the performance.  "I don't know but I've been told!"

I wasn't sure why it was emotional for me (still is) until I finally realized what it meant, this kid who used to ask his brother to speak on his behalf volunteered to talk in front of everyone!  I am so proud of him.  His confidence isn't always the best so it is awesome to see him volunteer and perform. 

Also, he is just a really great kid.  Today was our annual meeting for his Individual Education Plan for Speech and he has just come so far.  It is easy to loss sight of the growth when you are entrenched in the dailiness of life.

He has worked really hard this year on speech and in school so it is great to see his team give him praise.  His speech teacher thinks that he might be done after next year. 

I am so proud of him and his hard work.  And I love the fact that he is a true original (he has a drum and he can hear the beat).

 His memory book.  We are so blessed to have an amazing Kinder Team!  One more Callahan kid to go!  And she is READY.

He's going to miss his BFF Cameron this summer.

Good-bye GG

Yesterday we celebrated the life of Kevin's grandmother, Virginia Mugrdechian.  I love that everyone in the Mugrdechian family gets nicknames!  We always called her Bedgie and she always took care of Kevin and his sister Katie like they were her own grandkids.  Bedgie was Kevin's step-mom's mother and she was such a kind and wonderful woman.  We will miss you Bedge!  Give Chuck a hug for us! XOXO

From the Fresno Bee:
Helen Virginia 'Bedge' Mugrdechian, age 88, entered into eternal peace on Friday, May 17, 2013, at Mission Gardens in Merced, Ca under the care of Hinds Hospice. Virginia was born on July 10, 1924, a daughter of the late Sam and Aroxie Bedrosian. She graduated from Fremont High School in Los Angeles, Ca. in 1942. She worked as a hair stylist with her sisters in her dad's barber shop. She also was a member of the Armenian Church Youth Organization at Saint James Armenian Church in Los Angeles, Ca. She married the late Charles "Chick" Mugrdechian in February 1946. Together they lived in Fresno, Ca. where she worked for Gottschalk's Department Store in the fine jewelry department for more than 30 years. Virginia was a member of Saint Paul Armenian Church. She was a very kind and gentle soul. She had a loving and generous heart, and was always giving to others. We all will miss her sense of humor that she shared with her sisters, Flo and Gloria Thomas. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 50 years, Charles in 2005; and her sisters, Gloria Thomas from Los Angeles, Ca. and Florence "Flo" Thomas from Fresno, Ca. She leaves her loving memories to be cherished by her loving daughters, Janet Dix and her husband Clay, of Santa Rosa, Ca. and Roxine Callahan and her husband Patrick, of Chowchilla, Ca; and her son Charles Mugrdechian, Jr. and his wife Rima of Monrovia, Ca.; adoring grandkids, Katie Torosian and her husband Brian, and Kevin Callahan and his wife Lindsay; along with her seven great-grandchildren; and the whole Mugrdechian, Bedrosian and Thomas Families. A Graveside Service will be held at Ararat Cemetery, 1925 W. Belmont Ave., Fresno, Ca. 93728 on Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. Friends and relatives are invited to a Memorial Luncheon which will be held at Pheasant Run Golf Club, 19 Clubhouse Drive, Chowchilla, Ca. 93610, (559) 666-3411 on Sunday, June 2, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, Remembrances may be made to Hinds Hospice, 1616 W. Shaw Ste. A5, Fresno, Ca. 93711. Yost & Webb Funeral Home, 1002 T Street, Fresno, California (559)237-4147

Read more here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fresnobee/obituary.aspx?n=helen-mugrdechian&pid=164963113&fhid=18468#fbLoggedOut#storylink=cpy

GG with Baby Keith and Grandma Callahan

GG's Great Grandkids

 

 

Sibling Discord

"Ow. Quit it. Ow. Quit it. Ow. Quit it." Bart Simpson to his sisters poking his sore arm.  The Simpsons Episode 1: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

Seriously?  When my children are interacting like the Simpsons we have gone completely off the rails.  I am so used to my kids getting along most of the time.  Not a lot of screaming, playing nicely and quietly together.  They have been fighting for weeks and we are now only three weeks away from Summer break.   I'm scared.

problem #1
The girl and her girl shrieking (making my ears bleed).  I very well may go crazy if I hear my articulate 2.5 year old shriek at her brothers again.  USE YOUR WORDS!  BETTER YET, USE YOUR SENTENCES!  Also, try napping.  It works for every other toddler on the block.  The nap is your friend.

problem #2
control
Patrick needs to be the boss.  Keith needs to be the boss.  Lauren needs to be the boss.  Notice a theme here?


problem #3
I'll have what he/she's having.....  My children are capable of fighting over one dumb toy that they have successfully ignored for months.  Today its my old cell phone (like old old old older than they are old).  Keith wants to hoard it in his pile of things, Lauren wants to make phone calls.  There will be blood.

They get alone fine when they are glued to the TV.  So the TV is dark until they figure this out.

Now that's more like it!....  This lasted about 15 minutes before the fighting restarted and the little kids were sent to their rooms.  If we can break through this wall of bickering we can take on anything. 

On the shoulders of giants.

Source: Michael Noyes

And boy oh boy is it nice in the shade.  Over a decade ago when I started my career in education reform I had a dear friend who was old enough to be my mother.  We hung out all the time and when I would make presentations or give speeches she would distract me with her beaming smile.  She was super kooky but she taught me a really important lesson about life.  She smiled at me because I was living the dream, her dream and the dream of so many women.  I was enjoying her shade.

Junior League of Fresno Past Presidents

And here I am, once again basking in the shade.  In less than a month I will be the President-Elect of the Junior League of Fresno, following in the footsteps of some amazing women who helped make Fresno a better place to live.  From the Ronald McDonald House, to the Blood Mobile, to the Volunteer Bureau, to the Discovery Center.... the list goes on and on. 

Over the last two months, we lost three of our past presidents.  The way they lived their lives (in service of their community and having an absolute blast!) was such a pointed reminder for me.  Why I do this and why I want to do more.
Frances Mosgrove President 1961-62
Lyla MonPere President 1964-65
 Muriel Walton 1969-70

I am so lucky to come behind these women to continue their work in Fresno.  And I continue to be amazed at the caliber of women in League today.  Busy, smart, generous, and gracious women who make the time to make a difference.  What an honor to be part of this organization.  I am in the company of some great women. 

Source: Markologie

We are going to do great things.  Have you ever witnessed the power of a group of determined women?  That's what we are. Stand-by.  We aren't afraid to get our hands dirty.

So over the next year, I will watch, plan, listen, think, train (Wh-what?  I get training!?!  I've NEVER had a job that included training!), and stretch to prepare myself for 2014-15.  But more importantly, I'm going to be tapping a whole bunch of smart women on the shoulder and calling on them to be a part of history in the making.  This isn't about MY presidency, this is about the trees we will plant together.

My PEE (President-Elect-Elect) Orchid {flowers always sweeten the deal}