Two posts one day, wow (see more in "wanted, identity thief" after this post)...
OK, OK, OK, we promised not to lag behind on this! Here is our catch-up:
Scooter/Maggie first because they are the easiest...sleep, eat, play, sleep, eat, play, sleep, eat, play, bite- oops, yes! Their relationship is hit or miss, one might say Love/Hate! They are still getting used to each other and Scooter unfortunately has become a far less tolerable dog as she gets older, so Maggie has been bitten to prove dominance. Overall, they are great and we love having both of them around.
Parker: Parker now 8 caught a bit of "spring fever" after a week of staying home! Now back in school, he wants to know why the time has passed so quickly and when is the summer coming. All good questions to which the answers are unknown! Parker plans on playing baseball again this spring/summer. He doesn't have his coach/team yet, but we know practices will be on Wednesdays through July. Parker loves to play ball, it really keeps him active. He has friends over all the time and is finding more independence is a huge responsibility, but rewarding. He received a new bike for Easter and is waiting for the spring to actually stay so he can ride it regularly.
Parker is doing fine in school. He is looking forward to his spring concert this Friday. He really loves music or the music teacher :)! He thrives on the structure and his teacher's quick witted humor everyday. Next year he may be attending a new school (Mom and Dad have yet to decide). To that he is as unsure as we are, but hopefully the meetings and tour next week will help with our decision. The new school is part of the IGH school district and is contained in one of the three elementary schools. It is a school specifically created for children with learning gifts called the Atheneum School.
Every year the school district puts the 1st and 2nd grade students through a cognitive skills test that determines need and elegibility for the school. Parker passed the cogAt test with flying colors and then was tested one on one with a licensed psychologist on his IQ. (We are anxious to get the scores!) All this and a few more requirements, lead to an invitation to join the school.
Parker thinks differently than most 8 year olds and has a gift for knowledge. This we guess has been in the back of our minds for a while. He doesn't sometimes get the easiest of tasks, but put him on an assignment that seems overly difficult and the kid thrives. Does that mean he should be taken out of the regular curriculum school? This is were the uncertainty lies. Whatever the decision, we hope that it is the best for him and that he understands.
Parker is also looking forward to a whole week off with Mom/Dad in Warren this June.
Joyce: Well, we could just use the word "busy", but doesn't that describe every MOM! Work is going well for Joyce, but finding balance is the never ending battle. She has had the joy of photographing many clients and family/friends in the beginning of 2008. Despite raising prices, GPDS, Inc. has managed to basically fill the years schedule plus. Joyce and friends will be photographing a wedding in May and keeping up with invitations, business projects and more through the rest of the spring/summer.
Joyce's sister announced that she is expecting Twins early this fall to which we are so excited!!!! Hoping for one boy, one girl- but anything will be a blessing. Baby news abound and then her Friend Amy gave birth to a baby girl on the 20th of March. Already pictured and soon on the website, Miss Aislinn Marie will make her debut in May.
So just the usual for Joyce- work, family and friends keeping her busy....and more to come!
Steve: (intentionally left blank for additions straight from the source, hehehe--Challenge Accepted, Honey!) Work's been pretty busy as of late. Right now, I'm writing from Houston, in town for the weekend to attend the ICRM board meeting. Last week, it was a quick trip to NYC for business, and looking for time to work on a couple of things north of the boarder next month. Trying to settle into a new role and new boss at work. So far this has been going really well--I hope that remains his perception as well! At home, it's been great to see spring come, and go, and come, and go, and hopefully after this weekend's snow come again. The lawn mower is itching for a good run--hopefully in the next couple of weeks. Parker and I have played catch outside only once. I caught some, he caught some, both the van and Edge caught one each!
Overall, we are good and healthy! Looking forward to more family time this summer and definitely a break from the crazy lives we lead!
So excited! Parker passed his 18's on timed tests in Math. He struggled for quite a while. We didn't understand why and neither did the teacher. We talked about it and he said it was just too much pressure in 2 minutes. He could finish far more than 25 flash cards in 2 minutes and has been adding/subtracting since he was two. Needless to say, a little pressure from his mean parents and 16s, 17s, 18s...boom done perfect on the first try!
Today Parker enjoyed singing at his spring concert. The Pine Bend concert was centered around the school service project for the year, H2O for Life. The H2O for Life School to School project was created to provide funds to directly support water projects located at schools in developing countries that lack an adequate and sustainable water source. Our school is sponsoring a school in Mozambique, Africa. We were able to view pictures of the specific school and hear the kids talk about the necessity of water to our lives all around the world.