Another one growing up

So I bragged not that long ago about my daughter in this blog. Now to brag about my son.

My son has come a very long way this school year. I am so proud of him and loving the decision we made to move him to a different school. It paid off and it paid off well.

One big thing over the school year was his reading. He started the school year basically a year below grade level. Yet we were always told he was doing fine in reading at the old school. He was put in reading resource and the teacher talked to my wife on what she was going to do with him and what we could do at home to help. Timeline for catching him up was 18 months. By Christmas we got a letter home about his progress and he was actually slightly above where he should be. So much for 18 months. :) He reads all the time now and loves it. Still working on getting him to read more challenging books but otherwise I can't be happier.

We have also ended his speech IEP. He has made great progress here as well and the speech teacher said there was really no reason to keep him in it. Makes me happy that the fight we had to get the IEP was worth it.

Probably the biggest thing is that the tested and qualified for gifted and talented services. He has been doing the gifted pull out at his school. His school actually has full gifted classes in the grades below him but not in his grade up. Just the pull out. The principal said she is looking into keeping the gifted kids in those upper grades together as they go through school so they can possible do enrichment in the classroom as well in pullout. We do have the option to ask to transfer him over to the school his sister has been at but we have decided we are happy where he is at the progress he made and that her school is not a good fit for him.

Overall I just love his school. I like the staff and a good group of involved parents that hopefully was just get bigger as we go. Looking forward to the upcoming school year.

I just have to brag and say I have two awesome kids. :)

Restarting blogging

So I am going to try to blog more. If nothing else try to just blog little things going on in my life or something that just strikes me.

Had a good time going to the Cardinals game last night for Social Media Night and picked up a free t-shirt. Which I am totally wearing right now. Had some good conversation with a good friend that went with me.

Bit overwhelmed at times with the various activies the kids are involved in as the school year comes to end. Ready for summer break for sure.

Spent a little time this morning searching for library blogs to start reading. Asked for help via twitter and got some good suggestions. So if you have a suggestion let me know please. Actually been throwing the idea around my head about writing a library related blog from a paraprofessional perspective. Granted in the next so many years hopefully I will turn into a librarian if all goes well. :)

All for now. Well sort of. Have another blog post in mind for later today or tomorrow. :)

Growing up

My daughter is growing up way too fast. I know that we all say things like that about our kids but it is the truth. I have said it before and I am sure I will say it more but it actually feels more true than in the past. Just been thinking lately about how much she has grown up over the last several months.

For all of you that follow me on twitter and are friends with me on facebook(pretty much covers the readers of this blog), you know that she has been working on her service project for her Girl Scout Bronze Award. I don't think there was ever a doubt that she wanted to do something with Kingdom House. Last year they did something at school researching a charity or not-for-profit organization and she choose Kingdom House.

So our friend Kyle that handles family ministry took her down there to meet and talk to people and see what they wanted. He was thinking maybe she could do a clothing drive and something that stuck out to her though was staff said that no one does a diapers and wipes drive. That is something they always need. She latched onto that and that is what she wanted to do. Well first it was going to be clothing with diapers and wipes but it was decided to just focus on the baby care items.

She wanted her whole church involved with the drive. She has seen what we can do with a canned food drive for the pantry at Kingdom House and our offering at Christmas Eve that digs wells in Africa. She also wanted other churches involved. She definitely dreamed big and that is just awesome.

She worked hard and collected a lot items. Today we take those items down to Kingdom House and she can't wait to see what they have to say when she brings them in.

She also expressed some frustrations in her experience of doing this drive. She was very articulate in expressing her feelings on the matter. Not only did she express to her mom, she expressed in the paperwork she filled out for her bronze award. Just another sign of her growing up that she can articulate and express those feelings so well. Just didn't expect something like that from my 11 year old.

And of course she is growing up in other ways as well. Just last night looking a pic of her and two of her friends from the first day of school in 4th grade and wow she has changed so much. She is becoming a beautfiul young lady and yes I am biased. :)

I am so proud of her. She is just growing up way too fast for me. :) She will always be my baby girl though.