It's been a long difficult road...

Ever since the kids started Kindergarten, Jacqui and Matt have been polar opposites. Things just came naturally for Jacqui. She NEVER needs help with her homework. In fact, she gets a 6-7 page packet on Monday to do through out the week and turn in Friday. Usually miss "born organized" has her packet done by Monday night so that she won't have homework the rest of the week. (Unless you count the 20 minutes of reading she is supposed to do each day. Even that she will try to do all in one day to leave the rest of her week open - and if she doesn't read, she usually writes down that she did anyway. Yes I realize that it is a big fat lie but the girl is in fourth grade reading at 8th grade reading levels, so I give her a break)

Matt on the other hand hasn't had it quite as easy. He genuinely enjoys going to school. All his teachers tell me how excited he is each day to be there and loves to learn. Science is his all time FAVORITE subject and he soaks up all the information that he possibly can in one lesson. But reading, it's always been a huge struggle my friends. When we got to California, all the kids in his first grade class were reading sentences. Matt could barely spell his name. I could go on and on about all the crying and screaming and tantrums we had over doing his homework that year. Every report card always said "Behind in Reading" and every single break they had at school, he would have to go to intersession because his reading level was so low. But over the past 3 years he has been doing better and better. I have found ways to gently correct him when he makes a mistake and we also found out that he can't see close up so his glasses helped him see the words more clear. Still, reading has just been one of his problem areas.

Well last Friday, Matt came home with a note home from school. He told me "It's not good mom!" So as I gave him the "What did you do now" look and started reading the card, a smile spread across his face...

HE DID IT!!!!!!

I'm so proud of my baby!!!! He finally made it to the level that he is supposed to be at!

Matt went on to tell me "I was on the fence mom! It could have gone either way." But it didn't - he's come along way since the first grade when he got here and all he could recognize was the word Matt.

Great job buddy! If anyone knows how hard you've worked to get to this point, it is me!

Happy Fathers Day!!!

Happy Fathers Day!!!

This morning we made Ski breakfast in bed - although I had a tough time getting everyone out of bed to HELP me get breakfast together before he got up. (My husband gets up bright and early every morning making things like "breakfast in bed" almost impossible - he's too ambitious at break of dawn! But that is why I love him!) needless to say I had to tell him to "GET BACK IN BED!"

It was a nice day though. After he had breakfast he and Chuck went golfing for the afternoon. When he got home I put him to work setting up Matt's new bedroom set.


Jacqui made him a cute little card.
Cadence (and I) made him this plaque of her hand and foot prints. Getting her to sit still while I painted was quite a task. He' lucky it didn't come home a nice shade of plain white!
Caders loves her Daddy!

I'd also like to say Happy Fathers Day to my own Dad!!!!

And to Ski's Dad Pork!! Hope you all had a great day!

Okay so maybe it isn't over just yet...

Little League All Stars were announced today!!!!

Congratulations to Miss Jacqui for making the All Star team!!!!

There was a meeting last night and the teams were picked. If you made the team there was an envelope on your door this morning as you walked out the door for school. Ski saw the envelope first so we knew about it before she even woke up. I couldn't get her out the door fast enough this morning so that she could find it!!!

This is her reaction:



The team got to vote for one player to go to All stars and the managers choose the rest. She was confused because a lot of her teammates told her they voted for Tanner so she wasn't expecting to go. She didn't know she could be voted in by the coaches.

(The fact that she didn't find it the least bit strange that I was walking her to the door with a camera is a little scary. Maybe I should stop taking so many pictures!!! )


Matt wasn't even eligible for All Stars because he was in the Rookies this year. Hopefully next year buddy!!!!!

Our last weekend of baseball...

This weekend was the last weekend of baseball for the season. Jacqui's team "The Storm" had their last game Saturday morning bright and early at 8am - unfortunately they lost. She got a good hit though and scored a run.

After the game they had the closing ceremonies. Each kid came up and got a trophy and then they had a carnival with games and inflatable jumpers for the kids. Cadence was being a complete monster and really needed a nap so one of my friends took her for the afternoon and let her sleep at her house. I was kid free because the other two were off and running around the carnival so I didn't see them for most of the afternoon. Rumor has it Matt was over at the other field Umping for the older kids that were playing a game. Parents were coming up to me telling me that he has picked up a lot of Ski's mannerisms and that he acted just like Ski out there while he ump'd. I'm not sure if that is a compliment or if I should be frightened!!!

The highlight of the day though was when Ski got into the dunk tank. You should have seen the line of people ready to drop him in the water. Jacqui, Matt and I were right up front for our chance to dunk him - which we all did! It was great. We had a really good season though and as busy as we were all the time, we are also disappointed that it's all over.


Jacqui and Matt in line to Dunk Ski!
Now I know why all of her socks have holes in them...



Sunday we had our end of the season team party. Because Ski and Chuck coach together, and a lot of the parents have kids on both the Hooks and the Storm team we decided that it would be easier to have their parties together.

Matt getting his certificate from Coach Ski

"Go Hooks!!!!"
Jacqui getting her certificate from Coach Chuck. He told everyone that if there was an award for a pitcher that raised their leg so high they almost gave themselves a nose bleed, it would be Jacqui.
All the kids eating in the back of Chucks truck. Ski would have a heart attack if this was his truck!!!
Me and the monster baby eating. What a great picture of me...

We decided it would be fun to combine the teams and let the kids play a baseball game together. I learned from watching that game that Jacqui and Matt, even in the middle of a baseball game, will find a reason to fight and scream at each other. Having them so close to each other in the field is not a good thing - especially if one of them makes an error!Ski ump'd the kids game.
The very supportive Storm and Hooks Parents!!!