For anyone that knows Ella, they also know that swimming is something she has struggled with. This time last year, she was content with barely putting her face in the water. This year, on the other hand, is a whole other ball game. She has been so persistent in learning how to swim this summer and it has paid off!
Just a week ago, we went over to swim with the Beckett's. It took Ella quite a while to warm up to the water. By the time we were packing up to head home, she had managed to learn from Brayden how to jump in off the side of the pool with her swimmies on. She was so comfortable with the water and didn't mind it getting in her face at all.
We also bought a family size pool for our backyard which we have been using nonstop. Ella has learned how to float on her back, hold her breath for 14 seconds, and even swim underwater! This is a huge milestone for her and she is so very proud of herself! We leave for vacation on Sunday, so Kermie and I are anxious to see how her swimming skills transfer over to pools of greater depth!
Until then.... YAY ELLA! :)
Monday, May 28, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
What a Ham!
Just the other night, we had a notary over to the house to watch us sign papers for our refinance. The guy was talking to the kids and Grayson was loving the attention. Here was how the conversation went:
Me: "Can you tell him your name? What is your name?"Grayson (with a huge grin on his face): "Poop!"
And, the whole table couldn't control the laughter! This little guy is totally obessed with the word poop. He fits it in to just about every other sentence now a days. Lord help us all!
Today, we were at the mall and I was trying on bathing suits. Grayson and Kermie were walking behind me and Grayson goes up to a rack full of bathing suits. He pulls one of the tops off (keep in mind that it looks just like a bra) and proceeds with, "BOOBIES!"
What a ham!!!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Lack of Faith?
Today was my official first day of summer break 2012! And, boy was and is it a great one! I took the kids with me to school this morning to lock up my cabinets and such and then headed off to swim with my friend Ashley and her precious boys. All of the kiddos had a blast and both of my children are fast asleep, which makes me even more thankful! I will get at least 2 hours of peace and quiet on this very first day of summer break!
As I sat down to figure out what to do with myself for two hours, I realized I had not blogged in over a month and haven't really mentioned anything about my interesting school year. So, what better time than now?
To make a long story short, this year has been a difficult one for me in many ways. Teaching, as I've mentioned many times before, is something I LOVE doing! I enjoy it and have a passion for reaching out to my students beyond just the academics. More than anything, I want my kiddos to understand how to be successful citizens with morals and integrity. Achieving this goal has been difficult this year to say the least. I was handed a very unique class! They were made up of some of the sweetest, most genuine, helpful, artistic, intelligent kids (which I thanked God for each day!), and then there were others that I knew would be a challenge to reach. More than anything, I never want any one child to take my attention away from the group as a whole and this was extremely hard. Several of my kids needed that extra attention and I found it so hard to balance. This year I found myself upset and flustered more than ever before. I felt defeated and at times a total failure. I am so extremely blessed to be married to my husband because without him, I know I would have turned into a total basket case! For me, my students are my own children when they are with me and not being able to steer them in the right direction totally destroys me. I know this is something I need to learn to overcome as I will never be able to reach all of my students in this way, but boy.... it truly kills me!
On top of my struggles in the classroom, I also had to deal with the fact that my very own daughter would be entering with world of public education this upcoming fall as well. So, every time I was faced with situations like a student bullying another, a child hitting another, a child begging to be put somewhere else in my class so they could concentrate, a child screaming at another, and the list goes on and on, I became fearful of what I would be exposing my own children to.
We know that the outcasts and misfits are the children most likely to become violent, so it only follows that we must pull them into the arms of love and/or acceptance, and find a place where they fit. If our system doesn't have a place where a child fits, there's something wrong with the system, not the child. WILLIAM G. DEFOORE
I truly feel that God wants me to teach those children who are less fortunate than others, who are angry because of situations at home, and who struggle to know the difference between right and wrong, but at the same time I don't know that I want my own children to be exposed to that day in and day out. Being a teacher and a mother can be hard at times! I have looked forward to the day when my kids would be with me all day! But, as the time draws near, I realize that might mean they are going to learn lots of new and ugly things about the world they live in. I know that our sole purpose on Earth is to be a witness to the others around us. I know that we are supposed to welcome in the sinner, the hurting, and the weary (I fall into that category myself.). So, sheilding my children from those things and not allowing them the opporutnity to witness is not an option. But as a mom, I find it so difficult to place the burden of being the "role model" on my own child. With the population of students at my school, you are guaranteed to have children who will throw chairs, fight, etc. I also know that school-aged children are very impressionable! Ella is a great girl with a great heart and I want her to be one of the kids in her class who others can look up to, confide in, and respect. I also know that she will be exposed to things that I do not necessarily agree with which terrifies me! I also know that I fell into peer pressure which led to smoking, drugs, drinking... you name it... I did it! I also know that she is only going to kindergarten and most of this stuff is years away! However, I can't shake the fact that she only has her childhood once and it is my job to make sure she makes it through. Faith.... faith is where I'm lacking.
The more we shelter children from every disappointment, the more devastating future disappointments will be. FRED G. GOSMAN
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
As I'm writing this, I totally see my problem... a lack of faith. I lack faith in God to work through me to reach my troubled students. I lack faith in God to continue to work on those students who are hard to reach. I lack faith in God to help me raise my children with morals that do not break. I lack faith in God to live within the hearts of my children so they may always know He is there. I lack faith in myself to know that I can be a living testimony to my students. I lack faith in my own children for thinking I need to control everything in order for them to be who God intends them to be. Geez.....
So, maybe the difficulty this year didn't lie soley on the troubles around me, but on the lack of faith within me. I pray that God will forgive me for this lack of faith and restore the faith I once had.
As I sat down to figure out what to do with myself for two hours, I realized I had not blogged in over a month and haven't really mentioned anything about my interesting school year. So, what better time than now?
To make a long story short, this year has been a difficult one for me in many ways. Teaching, as I've mentioned many times before, is something I LOVE doing! I enjoy it and have a passion for reaching out to my students beyond just the academics. More than anything, I want my kiddos to understand how to be successful citizens with morals and integrity. Achieving this goal has been difficult this year to say the least. I was handed a very unique class! They were made up of some of the sweetest, most genuine, helpful, artistic, intelligent kids (which I thanked God for each day!), and then there were others that I knew would be a challenge to reach. More than anything, I never want any one child to take my attention away from the group as a whole and this was extremely hard. Several of my kids needed that extra attention and I found it so hard to balance. This year I found myself upset and flustered more than ever before. I felt defeated and at times a total failure. I am so extremely blessed to be married to my husband because without him, I know I would have turned into a total basket case! For me, my students are my own children when they are with me and not being able to steer them in the right direction totally destroys me. I know this is something I need to learn to overcome as I will never be able to reach all of my students in this way, but boy.... it truly kills me!
On top of my struggles in the classroom, I also had to deal with the fact that my very own daughter would be entering with world of public education this upcoming fall as well. So, every time I was faced with situations like a student bullying another, a child hitting another, a child begging to be put somewhere else in my class so they could concentrate, a child screaming at another, and the list goes on and on, I became fearful of what I would be exposing my own children to.
We know that the outcasts and misfits are the children most likely to become violent, so it only follows that we must pull them into the arms of love and/or acceptance, and find a place where they fit. If our system doesn't have a place where a child fits, there's something wrong with the system, not the child. WILLIAM G. DEFOORE
I truly feel that God wants me to teach those children who are less fortunate than others, who are angry because of situations at home, and who struggle to know the difference between right and wrong, but at the same time I don't know that I want my own children to be exposed to that day in and day out. Being a teacher and a mother can be hard at times! I have looked forward to the day when my kids would be with me all day! But, as the time draws near, I realize that might mean they are going to learn lots of new and ugly things about the world they live in. I know that our sole purpose on Earth is to be a witness to the others around us. I know that we are supposed to welcome in the sinner, the hurting, and the weary (I fall into that category myself.). So, sheilding my children from those things and not allowing them the opporutnity to witness is not an option. But as a mom, I find it so difficult to place the burden of being the "role model" on my own child. With the population of students at my school, you are guaranteed to have children who will throw chairs, fight, etc. I also know that school-aged children are very impressionable! Ella is a great girl with a great heart and I want her to be one of the kids in her class who others can look up to, confide in, and respect. I also know that she will be exposed to things that I do not necessarily agree with which terrifies me! I also know that I fell into peer pressure which led to smoking, drugs, drinking... you name it... I did it! I also know that she is only going to kindergarten and most of this stuff is years away! However, I can't shake the fact that she only has her childhood once and it is my job to make sure she makes it through. Faith.... faith is where I'm lacking.
The more we shelter children from every disappointment, the more devastating future disappointments will be. FRED G. GOSMAN
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
As I'm writing this, I totally see my problem... a lack of faith. I lack faith in God to work through me to reach my troubled students. I lack faith in God to continue to work on those students who are hard to reach. I lack faith in God to help me raise my children with morals that do not break. I lack faith in God to live within the hearts of my children so they may always know He is there. I lack faith in myself to know that I can be a living testimony to my students. I lack faith in my own children for thinking I need to control everything in order for them to be who God intends them to be. Geez.....
So, maybe the difficulty this year didn't lie soley on the troubles around me, but on the lack of faith within me. I pray that God will forgive me for this lack of faith and restore the faith I once had.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
LOVE
I titled this post LOVE for many reasons:
1. I LOVE this time of year! We had an incredible Spring Break and our Easter was fabulous!
2. I LOVE having a fence in our backyard and so do my children!
3. I LOVE these two kiddos and watching them enjoy each other's company!
4. I LOVE Ella's sassy personality (on most days) and that Kermie got so excited to see her wearing his elementary school t-shirt.
5. I LOVE these two guys and seeing how much they love eachother!
1. I LOVE this time of year! We had an incredible Spring Break and our Easter was fabulous!
2. I LOVE having a fence in our backyard and so do my children!
3. I LOVE these two kiddos and watching them enjoy each other's company!
4. I LOVE Ella's sassy personality (on most days) and that Kermie got so excited to see her wearing his elementary school t-shirt.
5. I LOVE these two guys and seeing how much they love eachother!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Personal Day Patience!!
For a couple of weeks now, I had been planning to take my personal day to enjoy some extra time with the family. I don't know that I've ever gotten to do this (maybe once) due to exhausting my days on maternity leave, so the idea of it is very nice!
Kermie has to go to trainings every now and then for work and this week happened to be one of those weeks he was going to be gone. The kids miss him like crazy when he's gone, it's super hard being a mom of two by yourself for four consecutive days (kudos to those single moms that do it day in and day out--you are a superhero for sure), and spending the night/day away to slow down sounded nice to me, therefore, taking a day and to stay with Kermie while he was away for work was the plan.
The kids and I headed up to Louisville right after school on Tuesday. Ella was very excited to be staying in a hotel and both of the kids were even more excited to see their daddy! When we arrived, supper was on the immediate to-do-list! We headed over to Fourth Street Live and ate dinner at Hard Rock.
This is where the word "patience" in the post title comes in to play. Grayson is at a stage right now where he insists on being independent and will do any and everything to make sure he gets to do things his big sister gets to do. So, simple things like eating become a huge ordeal. Instead of splitting a hamburger (or any other food item), he wants the whole thing... instead of mommy and daddy helping hold his drink, he wants to hold it by himself (he doesn't understand that you don't tip a cup with a straw to drink it yet)... instead of mommy helping feed him, he wants the "big" fork to do it himself. And, so you see, mass chaos starts immediately! These kind of situations are easier handled at home, but in public we are put in a situation where the right parenting decision isn't so easy to come by. Do you give in to his fit to keep him quiet, do you get up and leave immediately, or do you refuse to give him his way and let the screaming begin? Any tips would be great. Ella never threw these kinds of fits at his age so I am at a loss! On top of Grayson's need to be Mr. Independent, Ella was a tad exhausted (a combination of a full day at Nana's and recovering from her sickness), so she refused to eat and wanted to lay down on the seat to rest. Kermie thoroughly enjoyed his meal, while mine on the other hand was not so wonderful. Trying to keep positive and patient, we paid for our meal and headed back to the hotel and a quick stop by the river!
By the time we got back to the hotel, everyone was totally exhausted and ready to call it a day. Both kids fell asleep fairly fast, but it did not last long. At around midnight, Ella's fever came back and her coughing started back (non-stop coughing). Grayson woke up around 3 am screaming for juice, chocolate milk, and Diego. And, because they did not eat at dinner, both kids by this point were starving! I felt bad for Kermie because he was there for work which meant he still had to wake up at 6:30 to head to a meeting. On the other hand, we had to deal with the chaos in the hotel room before we woke anyone else up. This meant lots of patience on mommy and daddy's part. It's hard not to get totally irritated with the kids and each at this early in the morning. Kermie headed to a gas station to grab something little for the kids to eat and drink. This adventure took him nearly an hour due to parking garage complications. In the meantime, the kids and I sat in the window watching planes, cars, and boats pass by at 3 in the morning. When Kermie did arrive back, the kids got their snack and quickly fell back to sleep!
Finally, morning arrived! Kermie headed off to his meeting, I gave the kids their bath, got myself ready, and headed to Panera for breakfast. Getting the stroller into Panera was a story in itself, but we finally ordered and sat down to a very yummy breakfast! The kids enjoyed it as much as I did, but once again, Grayson wanted to be Mr. Independent! He wanted the delicious Blueberry Muffin and Four Cheese Egg Souflee all to himself!
After breakfast, we walked a couple more blocks to the Louisville Science Center. Here, the kids had a total blast! I enjoyed it too because the only other times I've been I have been with lots and lots of fourth graders! Field trips, while great, stress me out completely! It was so nice getting to explore with my own kiddos and watching them learn new things! Not to mention, Ella's sweet comment made me even more thankful to have taken them there this morning. "Mommy, I would have never guessed we'd get to go to the museum today!"
After the science center, we headed back to the hotel, got the van, and picked up Kermie at his meeting to go to lunch. By this point both kids were sleeping, so he and I pulled into Sonic, rolled down the windows, and enjoyed a nice, breezy lunch together. Those are always the best!
When it was time to drop him back off, the kids were in tears and screaming which made me happy and sad that we had come. I think they would have cried for him most of the day if we hadn't come, but I hate to make them say goodbye more than once. Other than the rough night, I definitely enjoyed my day and am very thankful to have a job that allows me to take personal days like this one. And, one thing I know for sure is that Kermie is going to enjoy SLEEPING in a hotel room by himself tonight!
The kids and I took our time getting home. Both kiddos were feeling good, minus the agonizing cough. We were in no hurry to get back, so we stopped for milkshakes and decided to stop at playgrounds along the way. I think we all enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with no time constraints or plans!
Kermie has to go to trainings every now and then for work and this week happened to be one of those weeks he was going to be gone. The kids miss him like crazy when he's gone, it's super hard being a mom of two by yourself for four consecutive days (kudos to those single moms that do it day in and day out--you are a superhero for sure), and spending the night/day away to slow down sounded nice to me, therefore, taking a day and to stay with Kermie while he was away for work was the plan.
The kids and I headed up to Louisville right after school on Tuesday. Ella was very excited to be staying in a hotel and both of the kids were even more excited to see their daddy! When we arrived, supper was on the immediate to-do-list! We headed over to Fourth Street Live and ate dinner at Hard Rock.
This is where the word "patience" in the post title comes in to play. Grayson is at a stage right now where he insists on being independent and will do any and everything to make sure he gets to do things his big sister gets to do. So, simple things like eating become a huge ordeal. Instead of splitting a hamburger (or any other food item), he wants the whole thing... instead of mommy and daddy helping hold his drink, he wants to hold it by himself (he doesn't understand that you don't tip a cup with a straw to drink it yet)... instead of mommy helping feed him, he wants the "big" fork to do it himself. And, so you see, mass chaos starts immediately! These kind of situations are easier handled at home, but in public we are put in a situation where the right parenting decision isn't so easy to come by. Do you give in to his fit to keep him quiet, do you get up and leave immediately, or do you refuse to give him his way and let the screaming begin? Any tips would be great. Ella never threw these kinds of fits at his age so I am at a loss! On top of Grayson's need to be Mr. Independent, Ella was a tad exhausted (a combination of a full day at Nana's and recovering from her sickness), so she refused to eat and wanted to lay down on the seat to rest. Kermie thoroughly enjoyed his meal, while mine on the other hand was not so wonderful. Trying to keep positive and patient, we paid for our meal and headed back to the hotel and a quick stop by the river!
By the time we got back to the hotel, everyone was totally exhausted and ready to call it a day. Both kids fell asleep fairly fast, but it did not last long. At around midnight, Ella's fever came back and her coughing started back (non-stop coughing). Grayson woke up around 3 am screaming for juice, chocolate milk, and Diego. And, because they did not eat at dinner, both kids by this point were starving! I felt bad for Kermie because he was there for work which meant he still had to wake up at 6:30 to head to a meeting. On the other hand, we had to deal with the chaos in the hotel room before we woke anyone else up. This meant lots of patience on mommy and daddy's part. It's hard not to get totally irritated with the kids and each at this early in the morning. Kermie headed to a gas station to grab something little for the kids to eat and drink. This adventure took him nearly an hour due to parking garage complications. In the meantime, the kids and I sat in the window watching planes, cars, and boats pass by at 3 in the morning. When Kermie did arrive back, the kids got their snack and quickly fell back to sleep!
Finally, morning arrived! Kermie headed off to his meeting, I gave the kids their bath, got myself ready, and headed to Panera for breakfast. Getting the stroller into Panera was a story in itself, but we finally ordered and sat down to a very yummy breakfast! The kids enjoyed it as much as I did, but once again, Grayson wanted to be Mr. Independent! He wanted the delicious Blueberry Muffin and Four Cheese Egg Souflee all to himself!
After breakfast, we walked a couple more blocks to the Louisville Science Center. Here, the kids had a total blast! I enjoyed it too because the only other times I've been I have been with lots and lots of fourth graders! Field trips, while great, stress me out completely! It was so nice getting to explore with my own kiddos and watching them learn new things! Not to mention, Ella's sweet comment made me even more thankful to have taken them there this morning. "Mommy, I would have never guessed we'd get to go to the museum today!"
After the science center, we headed back to the hotel, got the van, and picked up Kermie at his meeting to go to lunch. By this point both kids were sleeping, so he and I pulled into Sonic, rolled down the windows, and enjoyed a nice, breezy lunch together. Those are always the best!
When it was time to drop him back off, the kids were in tears and screaming which made me happy and sad that we had come. I think they would have cried for him most of the day if we hadn't come, but I hate to make them say goodbye more than once. Other than the rough night, I definitely enjoyed my day and am very thankful to have a job that allows me to take personal days like this one. And, one thing I know for sure is that Kermie is going to enjoy SLEEPING in a hotel room by himself tonight!
The kids and I took our time getting home. Both kiddos were feeling good, minus the agonizing cough. We were in no hurry to get back, so we stopped for milkshakes and decided to stop at playgrounds along the way. I think we all enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with no time constraints or plans!
Monday, March 5, 2012
A Month Later
It has been over a month since my last post! I always think about posting and really love doing it, but finding the time is quite hard these days! So, this post is dedicated to catching everyone up on what's been going on with the Donovan Clan since February.
Let's start back in February with Valentine's day. Kermie has always been a great "flower giver!" He's never forgotten to get me flowers on Valentine's Day and is 4 for 4 with Ella as well. Ella loves the flowers her daddy gets for her as you can see from the picture. She's pretty certain she is daddy's princess and I think she's absolutely right!
We also took a trip to Owensboro in February to visit Robert, Lynsie, Emmie, and Wilson. It is always fun getting to visit and we all loved getting to see sweet Wilson. A weekend is never enough time with great friends!
The rest of February is pretty much a blur! The weather this winter has been incredibly warm, so we have definitely taken advantage of the extra time outside. This past weekend, we had some scary weather here in Kentucky. On Friday, it was 60 degrees and by Sunday night we had a blizzard..... which leads me to today!
As you know, I LOVE snow days. And, this year has been a pretty big let down when it comes to the amount of snowfall we've gotten. I had actually given up on the thought of a "good" snow and transitioned my brain to think about Spring. However, we received about 4 inches over night last night which resulted in a terrific snow day today! This snow was a terrific blessing to our family as the whole family (minus Kermie--keeping fingers crossed) has gone through some terrible virus! Ella woke up this morning without a fever, but I still was not comfortable sending her off to the sitter's house. This year has been a horrible one in terms of having to take off work, so my days left to use are small in number. So, yippie for snow to play in and yippie for not having to use another sick day!!
This was Grayson's first real experience with the snow because he was so little last year. To his delight, not being allowed to stay out long because his sister was not 100% was perfect in his eyes. In other words, he was not fond of the snow! He refused to move unless I held him, took off his shoe, threw off his mitten, and would not assist in the failed attempt to build a snow man. When mommy said, "You ready to go inside?" he quickly replied, "Yes," with the nod of his head! On the other hand, making Snow Day Snow Cream was a much better idea in his opinion. He enjoyed it thoroughly.
Let's start back in February with Valentine's day. Kermie has always been a great "flower giver!" He's never forgotten to get me flowers on Valentine's Day and is 4 for 4 with Ella as well. Ella loves the flowers her daddy gets for her as you can see from the picture. She's pretty certain she is daddy's princess and I think she's absolutely right!
We also took a trip to Owensboro in February to visit Robert, Lynsie, Emmie, and Wilson. It is always fun getting to visit and we all loved getting to see sweet Wilson. A weekend is never enough time with great friends!
The rest of February is pretty much a blur! The weather this winter has been incredibly warm, so we have definitely taken advantage of the extra time outside. This past weekend, we had some scary weather here in Kentucky. On Friday, it was 60 degrees and by Sunday night we had a blizzard..... which leads me to today!
As you know, I LOVE snow days. And, this year has been a pretty big let down when it comes to the amount of snowfall we've gotten. I had actually given up on the thought of a "good" snow and transitioned my brain to think about Spring. However, we received about 4 inches over night last night which resulted in a terrific snow day today! This snow was a terrific blessing to our family as the whole family (minus Kermie--keeping fingers crossed) has gone through some terrible virus! Ella woke up this morning without a fever, but I still was not comfortable sending her off to the sitter's house. This year has been a horrible one in terms of having to take off work, so my days left to use are small in number. So, yippie for snow to play in and yippie for not having to use another sick day!!
This was Grayson's first real experience with the snow because he was so little last year. To his delight, not being allowed to stay out long because his sister was not 100% was perfect in his eyes. In other words, he was not fond of the snow! He refused to move unless I held him, took off his shoe, threw off his mitten, and would not assist in the failed attempt to build a snow man. When mommy said, "You ready to go inside?" he quickly replied, "Yes," with the nod of his head! On the other hand, making Snow Day Snow Cream was a much better idea in his opinion. He enjoyed it thoroughly.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Spring in February
This winter sure hasn't felt much like winter! We have only had one official snow day which only brought a trace of snow to the ground and there has been no snowmen making whatsoever. This is a huge bummer when Ella and I had planned on making an up-side-down snowman this year. And, speaking of no winter, it was in the 50s this week! So crazy, disappointing, but motivating all the same. I LOVE snow, but getting out of school in May is looking better by the day. With this being said, Kermie and I took the kids to the park here in Sadieville on Thursday to enjoy the spring like weather. Here are a few pictures I captured.
I was wanting to get a cute sis/bro shot, but no one would cooperate at all. I guess this will do since it shows the reality of the two of them!
Loving the "sneaky" grin he's got going on in this one.
My beauty sure enjoys being outside... The good Lord knows how much energy she has that needs to be LET OUT!
I was wanting to get a cute sis/bro shot, but no one would cooperate at all. I guess this will do since it shows the reality of the two of them!
Loving the "sneaky" grin he's got going on in this one.
My beauty sure enjoys being outside... The good Lord knows how much energy she has that needs to be LET OUT!
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