Just Have to Brag a Bit

Reading. We started the year as an "at risk" student in reading. He struggled even though we worked on it almost daily throughout the summer. We were lucky to get an amazing teacher this year. We all worked together and he has worked so hard. He knew he was behind and wanted to be a better reader so desperately. He started the first grade barely able to get through "One fish Two Fish" . This week he finished Diary of a Wimpy Kid. And last night I was happy to have to "reprimand" him for "sneaking books" instead of going to bed. My struggling reader is now an above grade level book worm!!

My daughter is very into supporting cancer research lately. She signed up to participate in Relay for Life and donated her own money towards it. She also has some money set aside to support research for a rare cancer that my husband's cousin has and has some more set aside so that she can buy some teddy bears and stuffed animals to bring to the kids in the hospital.

I was also pleased when I woke up this morning and realized that the song I had going through my head, was not one from the radio, but rather one that she wrote herself (and is good enough to be played on the radio - maybe someday!) It made me smile.

Today I am proud, nervous and excited because my 14 year old freshman daughter is on her way to Austin, TX (4 hours from us) for UIL state competition in vocal solo. Her choir teacher told her yesterday that the judge is going to do a double take when he read she is only a freshman (big confidence booster for her!). Did I mention that her song is 100% German??? So excited to see how she does tomorrow :-)

Yesterday I realized how much of an artist my 2 and a half year old has become. Just last week his pictures were of a bunch of squiggly lines, and earlier this week he started drawing mostly straight line (A little squiggly, but he's 2 and a half) with little circles all along the line. We had no idea what it was, but yesterday we realized that he was daring train tacks (The straight-ish lines) with wheels on them (The small circles). Also, yesterday he asked me to draw him a plane. I'm a horrible drawer so I just drew a long horizontal oval for the body of the plane and a smaller vertical oval for the wings of the plane. Then he tried to copy what I did and it actually almost looked like a plane! He got the long horizontal oval right and got half of the vertical oval for one of the wings right but the other wing was just a straight line. Still, that's pretty dang good compared to squiggly lines :)

Mamas all,
We have never met, but your stories are making me smile! This is the best part of the Internet -- strangers sharing things that are useful, or uplifting. You're all in my thoughts today even though you don't know me.

My own story is that my 12-year-old and a big crew of her classmates are working hard, totally on their own initiative, to create a little wildlife "sanctuary" on their school grounds. Seeing them come up with ideas, do all their own planning, and stick to their plans is really, really satisfying as a parent. I'm proud not only of my kid but of all her great classmates.

On the night after the tornado in Moore, we were watching The Voice and Dancing With the Stars (we switch the channels back and forth). There were several times where the show hosts mentioned donating to the American Red Cross and put the information on the screen. My oldest says, "Mom, I have some money. I think we should think about donating to help those people."

My husband and I both got misty eyed. :-)

My eleven year old went to the choose an instrument night at the middle school band night last night. Going in, the decision in this child's mind was to play the flute. After listening and trying all of them, the decision never waivered. Even after being told that there is a possibility that choosing this instrument MAY cause teasing. Yes, he is a boy. AND, he likes girls. He just likes how flutes sound. When the flute teacher told him he may be the only boy in the room, he says "and the problem is...?"

I'm just so proud that he is following his heart and not social pressure. He said that if the other boys tease him, he'll just say "I don't see a problem with getting to spend time with a bunch of ladies, do you?"

What a lovely story! Smiles, big ones!

My son is focusing on his upcoming exams after finishing a great swim team year. Even if he hadn't been a winner, I would have been proud of him just being on the team!

A couple of days ago my son gave the salutatorian speech for 8th grade graduation and the first people he thanked were the custodians and the lunch ladies. He has been that way his whole life, very aware and very thoughtful.

He still drives me crazy every morning because he is the worst morning person ever, so I think what your daughter did is absolutely awesome!

I just took the picture of my last on his last day of high school!

He was dressed up to go to a luncheon at Joe T Garcia's given by the school to Distinguished Acheivement students.

He was a late reader, too, SB. Now he just signed up for fish camp at a college 3 hours south of us!

Great news about you girl! Now look at the day and find out what made that possible, and repeat it! Enough sleep? Something to look forward to?
Reward her for today!

Yay! Congrats on a great morning Mama! Here is my little brag..... I ran into a teacher from my daughter's school and he said she is one of the nicest first graders he has ever taught.

Every day I leave my sons house and my blood pressure is sky high lol. I go down to pick up baby and get big one on bus. She is 10. You would think after listening to me for eights months of pack your snack, brush your hair, put your shoes on etc. she would just get up and do it. No. I give up. I refuse to do these things ga for her. I raised four kids to be independent and organized. Never had to deal with this and it makes me crazy. Kudos to your daughter. Hope she keeps it up.

The other day my daughter won a bunch of candy at monkey joes, and she shared it with everyone. It was really sweet!

My GD has started getting herself out the door alone in the mornings and riding her bike to and from school. Grandpa and I leave about 7:50. She doesn't have to leave until 8:00 or a bit later. She has been getting out the door on time, setting the alarm, locking the door and riding to school. She rides home as well and calls me when she gets there.

I have just been thinking lately about how far she's come since kindergarten. All I have to do now is wake her up and fix her a lunch on the days she doesn't want school lunch. Other than that, she is completely self-sufficient in the mornings! Yippee!!!

My almost 12-year old brought me breakfast and then cleaned the dishes because she knew I wasn't feeling well. What a sweetheart!

Mine did too! I think since it's the end of the school year, they're all in a better mood.

You go momma! I love when this happens and it's not my birthday or mother's day.
The other day my coworker told me she overheard this little boy when she picked her daughter up at daycare telling his mom "No, it's not mother's day any more." We got a laugh out of it, but it does feel so good when are little ones surprise us and do what your daughter did today.

Thanks for sharing, and tell your daughter how she made your day!

Just want to say this sounds wonderful. That's all.