Apple Peeler?

I'm neglecting my children's education...lol...thankfully! Standing in the store yesterday I looked over as Tasha picked up the Alabama "one" pictured above. She looked at it and turned to me to say, "So what's this? An apple peeler?" lol:) Sure made me laugh...obviously we don't open many bottles:)

Sports and Spectators

I have lots of sports games going on and I have lots of great spectators!! I love the "differences" I see in my kids:) I took these of my watchers this week:

The serious spectator....


The drinker.....


The reader.....


Another greater "watcher".....


The talkers, socialites....


And the listener, Sarah hears all the funny comments and relays them to me (who seems to miss the funny stuff!).....


AND of course the players....

Sethie..... (catching and pitching)





Ryan....(What a quick guy! Playing second base!)

What cuties!

My little sister came to visit me last week with her two youngest boys, Chance and Cooper. What cute guys!!! We stood outside bowing bubbles a long time. I love when I get to visit with Sandy (even when we blow bubbles in between talking!).

Samuel

On Wednesday we began CCFT again, this time with a new worker. We see the merit in a new worker, especially since Sam failed the last CCFT. The jury is still out of whether this new worker, a woman, will be successful or not. Given Sam's lack of respect toward women in particular we are unsure. Sam actually liked the previous worker and did desire to please him. So as we begin, yet again, dealing with the same issues (although escalating daily).

On Tuesday the Alternative school called us a little before lunch to come and pick up Sam. She had tried everything she could do to redirect Sam and when his behavior escalated to him arguing with her (and another female teacher) and then Sam kicked over a chair.

Sam's words? "I didn't do anything" Of course not! :(

Sam does not realize, or maybe he does, that being part of our concerns.. Sam's behavior "looks" like this:

I was playing a game with Tori, Lita and Rosie in the kitchen last night when Sam brought his electric keyboard into the kitchen and set it all up to play. I simply said, "you can play that in your bedroom Sam. We're playing a game in here." He argued but did take it to his room. Ten minutes later he returned with his "Bop It" in hand. That "Bop It" was yelling out commands as he stood watching everyone. I, along with Scott, called him aside and questioned him. He immediately began to argue with me. My question had been"what are you doing?" He knew, He argued. Scott stepped in, stopping the arguing and sending Sam and his still talking "Bop It" to his room. Sam could come out, but not with anything that made noise.

Sam is constantly seeking attention. He mocks others, he mimics others and he is does not care if the attention is negative or positive, it's "all good" to Sam!

At the breakfast table this morning Ryan and Tori were eating waffles and joking over the syrup. All of a sudden Tori said, "Sam! Why did you kick me?!" I looked up and repeated the question. Why? As Sam said, "they were playing around and I wanted to join in".

Sam lacks appropriate social skills.

I sent Daniel to get sheets from the linen closet and Sam beat him to the hall and "blocked it off" with his body telling Daniel. "You can't go down this hall" No matter that Sam heard me tell Daniel he could. It's a constant need to antagonize others.

Sam was pouring apple juice into his tumbler...24 ounces of juice! Everyone else was drinking from 8 ounces. He wanted to "get the whole thing" and he did.

Yesterday in the van he asked me the same question 3 times. I answered 3 times. The third time 4 siblings repeated my answer The 4th time he said, "I can't hear you mom.....What??" I said, "Sam, if you can't hear me don't ask me again, wait until we get home." I said it with the same volume as the previous answers and he heard me just fine.

Sam is pretty incredible. Over the weekend he blew up our riding lawn mower. He also tore up the push mower. The riding lawn mower is dead...seriously dead. The push mower was revived. It is always something...

For me personally, it all the "taking" that bothers me so much.

Sam picks up things and hordes them in his room. He has in his room.....4 pairs of fingernail clippers, all the Windex, all the band aids, all the neosporin, my new tube of toothpaste, all the pens (and pencils and markers and highlighters most from my desk), all the batteries, all the movies, all the ________, you name it.

When someone asks for a band aid Sam responds, "I have one you can have" Well, imagine that! Sam would tell you he's "helping". At age 3 or 4 or 5 that kind of "gathering" might be helpful. At nearly 15? Its taking what is not years which is more commonly considered stealing. Yesterday he took Bella's ipod ear plugs, I'm sure he was "just holding them for her", even though he tried to convince Scott and I they were his....kinda hard because he does not have an ipod.

I know all of these seem minor, minor issues that we deal with constantly. But, like sand in my shoes it can be the hardest to live with. I can also talk the "why's" of his behavior and explain it all with reasons ....but none of those reasons give much comfort in the midst of constant arguing and constant poor behaviors (all of which I have NOT mentioned the worst or even the scope of the seriousness).

I cannot sit and blog, I cannot cook dinner, I cannot drive home from school, I cannot sit with any child without knowing that I will have to stop and redirect Sam (which currently equates to a half hour ordeal...at very least). So my blogging it stuttering. Many apologies...I shall try to catch up!!

As I whine I am reminded of a poster I saw a classroom at the Middle School this week:

Just because something is DIFFICULT ....doesn't mean you shouldn't TRY ....it just means you should try HARDER!!

Country Place

What a fun weekend with my teens/tweens! We went to Country Place for our Youth Retreat and it was so very beautiful! The weather could not have been more perfect:)

I taught a girls class with my neat friend Carol Ellison. Our retreat theme was "Sold Out". My girls and boys were probably not to traumatized to have me there. The only one who absolutely did not want me there was the only girl to thank me for going:) I love how that worked out!

My John is a Senior and this was his last Spring Retreat as a youth group member. He may come again, but not as a "kid". I wish there were enough words to describe how proud I am of this son! So well rounded and outgoing, so compassionate and caring, so grounded and faithful! He talked about his momma last night in the loft and it was sweet enough to make me cry, as did was his note to me (Rosie also wrote a sweet sweet note). I loved worshipping this morning with John leading singing (another something I shall miss so much!). John has such great opportunities before him! He can truly do whatever he puts his mind (and effort) to doing!

I think all my kiddos had a great time...each finding their niche:

John won the Senior High boys cricket spitting, he spit about 29 feet!!


Tasha won Junior High girls cricket spitting, she spit about 20 feet!


Michael did not spit a cricket...he ate it! I have NO IDEA what possessed the silly boy, but it certainly was a first!



My kids LOVED the lake and spent endless hours there!How could you not love this?


We had lots of fun with friends and we enjoyed the fellowship of our church family:

Between trips...

This week has been so very very busy (haha...as most are). We began with Sam back in school. The week has gone fairly smoothly with his school. I find that Sam is just plain old defiant. In the smallest of things, likely because we have been so careful about what is allowed in order to keep Sam's behavior contained. He has stood face to face with me arguing several times. He has antagonized nearly everyone. Today as I sat in the van waiting on Seth's baseball practice to be done Nina's ESL teacher (who is a fellow baseball mom) walked over to talk. Nina has made such big improvements in her language skills!!! As we talked I could hear Sam arguing with my two youngest girls....why? He was throwing things at them. Of course he was 'just kidding'. Lita, who is rarely angry at anyone, was pulled into the melee too after being hit in the side of the head. It is CONSTANT!

With that behavior coupled with some more issues I will not place here, Scott has decided to not go this weekend with myself and the kids to Country Place (Youth Group Retreat). Most people really don't understand our concerns with Sam....it will be easier for Scott to be home. He will be teaching the Junior and Senior High Bible Class Sunday morning.

In the midst of craziness I love "seeing" the way our family works. I know this big family works well, not perfectly (whose does?!), but it is pleasing! Tonight I smiled as I watched Scott walk up and get Ryan from baseball practice. He also picked up two brothers who play on his team (one of whom is on Ryan's team too). He walked with those boys (and our boys) and talked with them. He put their baseball bags in the truck and went on to the game before me. At the game ...which we won....he was wonderful:) I love seeing him help those boys, all of them! So many of his boys do not have father figures at home, I know they are blessed by Scott's calm leadership. I love watching Jacob co-coach with Scott, I smile as I watch him emulate his dad. It is just so pleasing to me!!



Tonight, with games and practices and all the normal crazies I could not go with Mercedez to her Cheer Banquet. Sarah, in a huge way, stepped up and went with her. Sarah took great pictures and even promised to guest blog about Ms Harrington's talk to the girls (which Sarah thought was great). Hopefully that will come later?

Scott and our middle schoolers went to see Tasha play tonight. She is a big old funny mess!!




I sat with Rosie at the Senior Play. Or rather she sat a couple of seats down with me at the play with her buddies.



I had so much fun watching John do such and incredible job!! It was a great play (perhaps one of the best I have seen in years). I know John will have lots of great memories from the hours he spent practicing and performing!!






I found this note and laughed!



This is Seth's list of building materials for the tree house he is dreaming of with Caleb. I sure wish his pricing was true! lol:)


Yesterday John bought these wonderful berries and Sarah dipped them and decorated them (sorry I pictured before that part!) for John's AP English class. John is a good guy to actually remember to take something...and Sarah is a good sister to make it for him:)



On that sweet note I shall head to bed! Tomorrow I have much to do! I will be traveling with the youth group, a much different trip that my one last weekend!!

In HAPPY news.........

"We are not retreating — we are advancing in another direction."
— General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)

I am VERY happy to say that my son Caleb is advancing in another direction and has left Afghanistan! His tour is over and he is back in Germany:)

More later, but I was so very excited to talk to him tonight! John laughed that I was talking to Caleb from the future (as it was already tomorrow in Germany). Past, Present or Future....I am HAPPY to talk to my soldier!!!

I will see this face in person in just a couple of weeks!!!!