MWMW: Mental Wrestling Match of the Week

We bought these supplies for Julia according to the list we got before school started.  Once school began, we learned she wouldn't need the binder after all (this was from last year--glad we didn't buy a new one!), or the dividers.  The teachers have the kids use folders, one per class, so we ended up buying a few more folders, (one per class) and took back the dividers.  We also had to buy some index cards, not listed on the first list.  Not too bad. 

Julia came home from school last week and said, "I think my math class is going to be too easy for me..."  I thought about this all weekend, and Sunday at church, talked to my friend's husband (a math teacher).  At the end of 6th grade, Julia took a Pre Algebra readiness test, on material they'd studied that year, and scored 100%.  The kids that scored above whatever number went on to take the Algebra 1 readiness test, covering material that hadn't been taught.  Julia scored a few points lower than the cutoff score to automatically be placed in Algebra 1 (probably 2, maybe 3 problems).  At the time, I was relieved!  Everyone we talked to said how rigorous and strenuous Algebra 1 is for a 7th grader.  That there is no reason for a 7th grader to take it.  But yet, it is an option.

Julia's original schedule--new for her this year, for 7th grade!  Thought some of you might like to see how her schedule works.  They do block scheduling at her school.  They have Advisory (homeroom) every morning, 45 min., then 3 classes on Mon. and Weds., 90 min. each, and 3 classes on Tues. and Thurs.  Friday, they go to all 7 classes for 45 min. each.

Anyway, my friend's husband said Julia would learn in Pre Algebra, but not be challenged...  He thought, based on her Algebra readiness test score, and her STAR test scores, that she would likely do fine in Algebra 1.  He [basically] said they indicate she has the type of brain that "gets" math, and is able to figure problems out based on what she does know, even if she hasn't been taught the material.
 

Also new for 7th grade:  gym clothes!!  I love the hot pink sneakers!!

 I called my sister, who did well in math, and asked her what she thought.  Her advice sounded about the same as our friend's.  She also said that if Julia is taught how to do the math, she'll likely pick it up.  I was all ready to call the school Monday morning and get the class switched!

Monday morning I talked to the asst. principal about switching Julia's math class from Pre Algebra to Algebra 1.  I talked to her for probably 30 minutes!  The asst. principal said she wouldn't recommend it, that if it were her kid, she wouldn't do it... 

She said it was up to us, but she didn't think it was a good idea.  That by starting a kid in Algebra 1 as a 7th grader, they'd take Geometry as an 8th grader, and Algebra 2 as a 9th grader.  The math classes would continue to have a domino effect, and Julia would have to take Pre Calculus as a Sophomore and Calculus AB as a Junior and Calculus BC as a Senior.  That started sounding scary to me, as I only went through Pre Calculus!  The asst. principal also said Algebra 1 is a 9th grade course and would be taught as a 9th grade course. 

She said Calc. 1 is already an AP class, and there is no reason to take two AP math classes (2 years of Calc.) unless Julia really loves math and we think she is in the top 1% that will do well in it.  Yikes!!!!  She asked what Julia wanted to do career wise.  Veterinarian, but, she's 12 years old! Who knows?!?  Asst. Principal went on to say Julia might not even need that much math, she might need more science, like biology.  She asked me if I was good at math (that caught me off guard, no one asked me anything like that before!).  I told her I was, back in the day, but I forgot most of it!!  She seemed glad to hear that though, and said I could probably read the lesson in the book and help Julia, if she needed help.

Julia says her gym clothes are the ugliest clothes she's ever worn!  Well, the shirt's not that bad, but she hates the shorts!  LOL  At least everybody else is wearing the same thing, right?!  They're better than what I had wear for PE.  ;)  We had to write her name in that big oval, right in front, under Hawks.

By this time I was sure Julia should stay in Pre Algebra.  Everything else to consider sounded scary...  ;)   Julia wasn't totally convinced, however.  She still thought Pre Algebra would be too easy, but sighed, saying maybe it was the best place for her.

It just so happened (I rarely see her in the mornings at all, even last year) to run into Julia's 6th grade teacher (Miss H.) Tuesday morning.  She asked how everything was going, and of course I told her about the math class situation.  She told me if there was anything she could do to help get Julia in Algebra 1, anyone she needed to talk to, to let her know.  She said if anyone can handle it, it's Julia and so-and-so...!  Then, I started feeling sad, that by keeping Julia in Pre Algebra, we weren't challenging her enough.  What if she can handle Algebra 1 and subsequent math classes just fine?

I was quite conflicted. LOL  Well, now we can LOL, at the time, it wasn't funny!  Brian kept going back and forth in his thinking too, based on what we'd hear!  I even emailed Lauren's teacher from last year to see what she thought, considering she had 2 kids go through our local schools and high school.  She encouraged us to challenge Julia.  Goodness!  What to do?  What to do?  I want Julia to be challenged, but not overwhelmed!  Tuesday afternoon, the kids and I went in Miss H's class again, so Julia could talk to her, and that was helpful as well.

The asst. principal said Julia may do well in Algebra 1, and maybe even Geometry, but come her Freshman year in high school, she'll likely need a tutor b/c she'll have problems w/ Algebra/Trig b/c of not taking Pre Algebra, and they will assume she knows certain things that she hasn't been taught.  Ack!  Scary!  Miss H. said Julia may or may not need a tutor, that if she does, it's not a bad thing.  She also said, who knows, maybe Julia will be the one who's a tutor.  Who really knows?!  And also, that Julia shouldn't worry about her Jr. and Sr. years in high school right now.  Think about them, yes, but when the time comes, things will all fall into place.




Not sure what this expression is; I told her to look scared, scholarly, happy...  What is this face?!

Miss H. said she couldn't make the decision for Julia, but that she thought Julia should "Go for it!"  :)

Sooo, Wednesday I called and said we indeed wanted Julia's math class changed.  Asst. Principal called Julia into her office and talked to her about why she wanted to switch, and about her extracurricular activities (how much time she'd have to devote to math and still live a balanced life!!).  I had to write a letter that night to the asst. principal, and the next day, Julia's schedule was officially changed. 

We had been praying all along, that we should know which direction to take; we had to decide that week.  Asst. Principal assured us Julia's schedule would get rearranged; she couldn't guarantee any classes would stay the same, except Julia's Language Arts and Yearbook (I'd requested those stay).  The only schedule mess-up?  PE and math got switched.  PE!!  So simple--if you want a class to be "messed up", isn't PE one that wouldn't matter so much?  We took that as an answer to prayer!  The only "bad" thing is Julia's sweet friend, Rachel, was in her first PE class; now she has no friends in her PE class.  So when they had to find partners, everyone else had a partner and she had to go with a boy who had long hair and "looked weird".  Oh dear... ;)




Julia's wanted Toms shoes for awhile now.  We bought her some for school.

So now, Julia's in Algebra 1.  She had homework Thursday and Friday, and understood the concepts.  I did go over some of it with her to make sure she understood, but she said most of it was like what they did last year, just more numbers, more complex.  We'll see what happens.  The asst. principal said they'll monitor her, and if she carries lower than a B+, she'll go back to Pre Algebra.  And, it's normal to spend 1 - 1.5 hrs. a night on math; not 3 hours and staying up till midnight b/c you don't get it!

No pressure or anything!  LOL  Brian said, what about the kid who struggles just to get a B??  Actually, there is no pressure.  If Julia does well in Algebra 1, she'll stay in the class, and go on that math track.  If she ends up going back to Pre Algebra, she'll just end up taking 1 year of Calculus instead of 2, in high school.  But at least she will have tried, and we'll know where she should be.  Brian and I think now is a better time to find that out than high school!  It doesn't seem like it would be an option in high school anyway.  So why not try now?

She chose red Toms.  Last year she had gray Bobs (Skecher knock offs), and they're almost worn out!   I know she'll wear these ones a ton and get lots of use out of them too.

When Julia walked in her new Algebra 1 class, there was only 1 seat left.  She didn't know anyone in the class except one girl.  She recognized a boy from 4-H, but only knew Jessica, my friend Marsha's daughter.  And wouldn't you know, the only empty seat left in the class was next to Jessica, and that is where Mr. Z told Julia to sit.  Julia said she thought that was a sign that she should be in that class; that God must have planned that seat to be for her.  I kind of think so too!  :)  Also, Mr. Z said if she needs help with anything, to let him know.  That was encouraging, b/c the asst. principal said this Algebra 1 class is full, and if you need help, the teacher won't have time to help just you, when there are so many kids (there are 32).

 

 

Julia likes school, and Jr. High with its newness is very exciting for her.  I hope this next week is more settled!

First Day of School

 
The three oldest kids started school August 16. Julia and Lauren were so ready.  Lauren told me about a week before that she couldn't wait to go back to school; that she loves school!  Austin said he'd rather have summer last a little longer; that he didn't want homework.  I agree with Austin!  Not b/c of homework, but that is part of it, I guess.  It is just that, with the school year comes a nice routine, but also life gets crazy busy!!!!

Julia began middle school, and was very excited!  She is at her own school now, with just 7th and 8th graders.  Lauren says she will miss having Julia at her school. :(

Julia's school starts at 7:54 am.  She gets up at 6 to get ready; I wake up at 6:05-ish to get ready and make everyone breakfast.  She could make her own by now, but since I have to make everyone else's, might as well get hers too.

Brian brought Julia to school the first day.  From here on out, her friend Julia G's dad will take the two Julias and one other girl to school on his way to work.  He comes to our house at 7:15.  He drops off their younger daughter, Lauren's friend Emily, to stay and play here and then walk to school with us.

We leave the house about 8:35 to walk to school.  I think this is going to be easy this year!  Since everyone is up and dressed, and eating breakfast, about a half hour earlier b/c of Julia's new schedule.  The elementary school starts at 9 am.

 New backpacks!  Last year, the kids all used their backpacks from the previous year.  Austin and Lauren's were trashed:  holes, ripped, faded, dirty!  Julia's was in fairly good shape, but faded.

The two Julias get out of middle school at 2:10.  I drive 8.4 miles to pick them up.  It takes about 12 minutes, according to Mapquest, and the few times I've driven it.  I had to look at a map and directions the first few times I drove to the middle school.  It is aways out, nowhere near the freeway, though I do take Highway 1 part of the way.  I have to take a few windy country roads to get there!  We get back home at about 2:35 - 2:40.

These two had simple math homework the first two days of school, and I got such a kick out of them.  I thought they'd want to go out and jump on the trampoline or visit or something.  But no--both of them got out their little bit of homework and set right to finish it.  Such studious girls!

Julia G stays at our house till about 3:20 when I leave to go pick up Austin and Lauren at their school.  Julia G comes with me, while Julia B stays home with Caroline.  Julia G gets dropped off to wait with her sister at the elementary school for their mom to come pick them up (she teaches in Santa Maria).

I actually woke up 1/2 hour late on the first day of school!  My alarm never went off.  I'd pushed a wrong button somewhere the night before, and the display was only flashing in the morning, when Brian woke me up.  Thankfully he helped get everyone ready, and we had a simple cinnamon roll breakfast planned.

I took this picture after school b/c we were too rushed in the morning!

All the kids got new lunchboxes this year, b/c again, they'd used their's from last year for two years, and they are trashed!  Especially Lauren's.  Julia's was in the best shape, but she didn't seem too eager to take her purple and yellow lunchbox with a cute little, whimsical pink kitty on it, to Jr. High.  ;)  Lauren wanted her lunchbox, backpack, Thermos and soup container to all match, and was able to find all matching Barbie things!  She was quite pleased about that!

Julia and Lauren happily picked out a new outfit and shoes for the first day of school.  Austin chose an old t-shirt--so he wouldn't have to "waste time" cutting off tags!  Such a boy.  I asked him if he wanted to wear a new shirt.

Austin:  "...I don't know...."

Me:  "Do you want Birds or DC or stripes?"

Austin:  "...I don't know..."  I chose a DC shirt, and Julia said to choose the blue one.  Because blue is a good color on him. :)  Friday and Saturday he chose to wear new shirts, so I guess he must have decided it was worth it to rip off the tags!  He chose his camo shorts himself (they're his favorite).

Brian taught Austin to tie his shoes.  Yippee!  Should/could he have learned earlier?  Probably.  But he had convenient, easy Velcro and didn't need to!  So we never had to teach him till now.  Lauren said she could give him shoe-tying lessons.  LOL  She had to learn last year when she picked out Tinkerbell shoes with laces.  But Julia was also in 4th grade when she learned.
  

Lauren at her desk.  I haven't been in Austin's class yet, or met his teacher, though I've heard she is wonderful!  I didn't request for him this year, but she is the teacher I most hoped he'd get.  For Lauren, I just requested that she not get a certain teacher.  She ended up getting the person her teacher from 1st grade recommended, so I'm happy with that.  :)

All three kids came home happy and excited!  They were all full of news about their fun first day back.



Crammed Full of Fun

This was our last week of  summer vacation before school starts August 16.  Boo!  So long, sleeping in and lazy mornings at home.  Sunday after church, Julia, Lauren, and I went out to lunch at Jamba Juice, then to see a play.  Julia's friend, Elizabeth, was in Anne of Avonlea at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre.  It really was a lot of fun!  The play was good; Julia happened to be reading the book right now, also. 

We made a quick Costco run and did a little back-to-school shopping for the girls.  We'd gone two weeks ago with everyone, to get backpacks, lunchboxes, basic supplies...  Austin picked out a few new shirts, but he was sooo bored when Julia and Lauren tried on clothes!  Then Lauren started talking about how she itched, and she had a "botherin' feeling" that she had lice.  Oh, what the fitting room attendant must have thought!!  Big brother horsing around with baby sister; then one kid talking about lice.?!?!  So much easier just to take a couple kids at a time!  At least clothes shopping!

~Lauren mentions getting a "botherin' feeling" often, when she can't stop thinking about something; or when she's very concerned about something not going right.~

Our last swim lessons were this week, ending Weds. the 8th.  Julia's job [for just a few minutes] was to hold the pool noodle and make a tunnerl for Caroline to swim through.

The kids were so funny choosing what kind of silly jump they wanted to do at the end of the lesson.  Sometimes Miss Jennie lets them choose, like today.  Austin's back was red, as he'd been scratching it.  Miss Jennie asked him why he was so itchy that day?!  His reply:  "Bedbugs!"  Not sure where that idea came from!  Bedbugs?  Lice?  Where are these kids coming up with this stuff?!

Tired out after swimming lessons.  Caroline wanted to sleep with Bitty Baby, so badly.  Lauren really didn't want to share, and kept making comments how Bitty Baby was her doll!

One of our "Annette" dahlias, from Doug and Annette.  :)  This dahlia was huge!

They are really blooming right now.  Sadly, a gopher completely chewed through one dahlia's stem--no more dahlia!  :( 

The leaves seemed a little wilted, so I checked on that plant, and out came the whole stem, gnawed off about and inch below ground.  Naughty, naughty gopher!!  There are also gophers destroying our garden, and one of them killed some of my other flowers!

Caroline was so tickled to be carrying Bailey around the yard!

Bailey has such a sweet personality, and tolerated Caroline chasing him, picking him up, then letting him go.  Over and over she did this.

Bailey always loves attention--not sure he knew what he got himself into with this attention-giver!  Oh well.  She had fun and didn't hurt him at all.

Monday night Julia had a sleepover at her friend, Lorin's house.  I picked her up Tuesday morning, and took the kids to the Avila Barn.  It was really hot there!  The kids had fun feeding the goats and other animals.

It was a perfect day for ice cream, but no one got any, b/c the power was off for the whole place!  I let my kids choose cookies and a giant Rice Krispie bar for their treats.

We also went on a hay ride around the orchards and berry patches.  There was no fruit ready to pick, so we just got a ride.  Until just before the end, the driver (the Barn's owner's son) dropped us off in a Triple Crown Berry patch.  We picked a very few blackberries, as they weren't quite ripe yet.  But at least it was a little something.  :)

The kids were still starving, so we drove to San Luis Obispo to eat at Panera Bread.  Yummy!  Caroline wanted to go to Old McDonald's.  ;)  Oh well, I'm sure we'll end up there another day!  We did a few errands after lunch.

There are lots and lots of these beautiful zinnias growing  at the barn.  They were so pretty!

Beautiful colors!

Thursday we had a free day at home.  The older kids had me buy canvases months ago, for paintings they wanted to do.  Well, guess what--it didn't happen till now!  There is just too much going on, typically, for us to get a big chunk of time to do art.
Austin made a splatter painting.  It goes perfectly in his room!

Caroline's art...I didn't buy her a canvas, but of course she didn't want to be left out from the big kids!  She wanted a picture like Lauren's, so I helped her draw sea creatures and sea life.

Lauren used oil pastels, and Caroline used crayons to draw their sea life.   Then they both painted blue over top their drawings, to make an ocean scene.

Julia found a cat drawing in the art book we used, and decided to paint this cat.  It was very challenging to her to draw a cat!  Her painting turned out cute though!

Caroline had her big birthday party in WA, but I didn't take along three of her presents.  No room!  She saw these presents set up, and made her own scene with them, with her ballet outfit, toy instruments, and her ocean art!  Then she wanted me to take her picture.

Little girl, BIG present!

Friday, Brian took the day off from work. We went to the Ravine waterpark in Paso Robles.  There were big, long slides, as well as a kiddie pool with short slides. There was a lazy river to float down, which connected to a wave pool.  The wave pool was Austin and Caroline's favorite thing to do at the park.  The water park had life jackets for infants, all the way up to 90 lbs.

It was such a fun day.  The kids loved the waterpark!  We ate dinner at Olive Garden that night in San Luis Obispo.  We were all so tired and worn out!

In the group picture below, you see Lauren's arm raised high.  The kids have been watching the Olympics, and she sees the gymnasts raise their arms like this.  Lauren has gotten extremely interested in gymnastics.  She checked out gymnastics books from the library, and she and Caroline practice doing the moves/tricks in the books.  Then they dance around like they are doing gymnastic floor routines.  So fun!



 Austin stacked a bunch of inner tubes just before the park closed and we left the park.  This was at the shore of the wave pool.

Caroline's "big" birthday present was this Snow White Cottage.  It is so cute!  I bought it last year on Black Friday for $15!  So worth it!  I saved it in my present stash for her birthday.  All 3 younger kids like playing in these tents!  the pink one is Lauren's castle tent.  The kids combined the two to make a bigger tent!  They rigged the tent storage bags and Austin's shirt on top to connect them both.

 So cute!



VBS Week

This summer at church, our pastor has been going through a series of messages called "The Storied Life of Jesus", all about parables.  Each week a different person tells a parable before the sermon.  Our pastor asked for volunteers, and Julia said she'd like to do that!  There have been people of all ages telling the stories.  She practiced and practiced the week before her turn.

July 29, Julia told a parable about humility, from Luke 14.

That afternoon Brian played with the younger kids outside.  Caroline loves her "new" bike!

Brian worked with Lauren riding her new bike she got for her birthday.  By the end of the afternoon, she was riding by herself!  Good job, Lauren!

She was so proud of herself!  She still needs a little help stopping and using the brakes, but she's doing well.

So happy!

Austin was out there too, riding his scooter like this.  Silly boy!

Vacation Bible School started Monday, July 30. I helped in registration this year.  We had over 500 kids registered, but I think the most that came on any day was 491 kids.  That's a lot of kids!

The daily dress themes were wordless book colors.  Monday was black, for sin.  Here the kids are on black day.  Julia has absolutely no black in her summer wardrobe, so she chose navy blue--at least it was dark, right!

Being Monday, the kids had swim lessons at 2pm.  VBS ended at 12, then we ate a lunch I'd packed, at church.  We had a little time to spare, so I'd planned to go to the Nike store at the outlet mall so Julia and Austin could get new tennis shoes for school.  That worked out nicely, since we were in the area anyway!

The kids were all tired, unfocussed, and naughty (!) at swim lessons!  They were worn out from their morning at VBS and then shoe shopping!  Not to mention, we had to be at church at 8:15, b/c I was helping with registration.  We had to leave home a little before 8, and amazingly enough, we made it to church on time.  I told the kids we would take their picture everyday, but this was the only day we weren't scrambling to leave on time, where the photo got taken before we left!

Red Day!  Red for Jesus' blood that saves us from our sins.  Everyone has a little red.  We like red.  :)

My job helping with registration, was to total the attendance every day.  I had to add up all the kids that were at church, from nursery through 6th grade.

Someone else counted missionary money; someone else organized all the groups for the kids to be in--there are lots of little jobs to do!

Caroline made this lion craft on red day.  They learned about Daniel in the lions den, I think, and the day before about the men in the fiery furnace.  I think that's how it went?

Julia, going into 7th grade, is too old to attend VBS.  She and her friend, Julia G, both helped in Pre K, Caroline's class.  They were busy in there!  At the end of the day, Julia would tell me what they all did:  handed out snacks, swept the floors, cleaned the tables, monitored the playground, held little kids' hands while walking here and there, played with the kids, held kids on their laps during Bible story time, etc.  I worked in Pre K before, and it really is a lot of work, but fun.  :)

Wednesday was white day, to represent Jesus' blood washing us white as snow.  We kind of had to stretch for the white--Julia was the only one who had an "only" white shirt.  (Well, Lauren has a white blouse that used to be Julia's, but remember, one of Lauren's clothes rules is No white!!, so she didn't want to wear that.)

The kids had swim lessons again,at 2pm, so we went out for lunch to Baja Fresh.  I told them we could go out one of the swimming days, but not both.  We also had a little extra time again, and squeezed in errands to Sally Beauty Supply for hair products for Julia (that is a whole other post!) and Zumiez at the outlet mall for her to get some Toms for school (also another post). The kids listened better today during the lesson.  We'd had a little talk with them, and it seemed to help.  That and they were in the VBS routine by then.

Green day!  Green = new life in Christ.  We were all soooo exhausted by this point in the week!  I took a nap this afternoon!  I told Brian, I don't know how working moms do it.  I think I'd have to get a maid if I worked--the house kind of went to pot during VBS week.  I think I'd need a chauffer too, to drive the kids around!  There just wasn't time to do everything.  I planned easy dinners that week, b/c I knew I'd be worn out.

These little, baby carrots are from our garden!  Caroline chose a pack of rainbow carrot seeds this spring, and now they're about ready to eat!  A little small yet, but they taste good!

When we got back from our trip to WA, our zucchini plants were huge!  Taking over the garden, and flowering so nicely, with several baby squashes.  Well!  We only got to eat a few of those squashes, b/c a naughty gopher ate the roots of every. single. zucchini plant!!!  GRrrrr!!!

Friday was yellow day at VBS, to represent streets of gold in heaven.  Austin wore his "bumblebee", yellow and black striped shirt to VBS, but then got soaked in a water balloon game.  The kids attending VBS all got a shirt that day, so he just wore his new shirt home.  Julia only had her yellow cami (under her T shirt), and I had zero yellow!  We like pink and blue here. ;)  I have lots of that for any of us girls.  And Austin and Brian have plenty of blue.  :)

You can see on Austin's shirt that our VBS theme was Praise.  At snack time, the kids could do karaoke along to Go Fish songs.  Austin and Lauren both did it with their groups.  Lauren especially loved it!  Is anyone surprised by that?  Singing in a microphone?  In front of a group?  It was right up her alley!

Friday after VBS, the church provided a yummy lunch for the VBS workers.  The workers' kids all got lunch too, in another room, so that was nice.  There was no VBS grand finale carnival this year, as the Go Fish Guys are coming to do a concert at our church August 17, instead.  Our kids are excited for it already!

Saturday morning, we all slept in!  Sooo nice!  After a pancake breakfast, we went to a few furniture stores to look for a dining set for our breakfast nook.  Julia spent the night at her friend, Julia's house, so she wasn't with us.

I'm looking for an oval table with dark wood.  I don't want fabric cushions on the chairs!  No way!!  Our current chairs have upholstered seats, and while they are more comfortable to sit on than wood, they are a mess!  I sprayed them with Scotch Guard years ago, but now they are all spotted and stained.  Yuck!  I am going to recover the seats with new fabric once we move our table in the formal dining room.

Anyway, the table and chairs above is the one I liked the best, of what we saw.  Brian and I aren't sure about the two-toned black/wood.  It looks nice, but I don't know...what if the paint chips?  The salesman brought up that you could fill in the chips w/ a black Sharpie!  LOL  I've actually done similar things before...  I like the style of chair very much.  At a different store the salesman gave us a website to check out, which I still need to do, and we want to look at Ashley Furniture in Santa Maria before making a decision.