6th Grade was a Success!

When Bennett started at Homewood Middle School, we really didn't know what to expect.  We had heard it was better than elementary school, but wasn't sure if that would truly be the case.  It started off great when we learned who Bennett received for her teacher team (Adams, Bates and Tanner).  She did very well the first semester of the year, with all A's and only one B.  In addition, she made new friends, and kept many of her sweet ones from SCE.

It starts to get more real the second semester, when the 6th graders begin trying out for extra curricular activities that they can do in the 7th grade.  They limit what the kids can do their first year so they can really focus on their academics, making new friends and just adapting to the new environment.  Bennett had set her eyes on cheer, peer helpers and show choir.  All three are super competitive, like all of the sports at this level.

Sadly, Bennett did not make cheer.  It broke her heart, and ours too seeing her so sad.  However, after it settled in, she began texting and calling her friends that did and congratulating them.  THAT is what I admire most in this girl.  She is such a kind friend.

About a week before cheer tryouts, she submitted her application to become a 7th grade peer helper.  She was thrilled when she was pulled out of class unexpectedly a couple of weeks later and interviewed based on her answers (which does not happen for all applicants, and is the second stage of the process).  When she came home from school after the interview, she was so excited!  She knew she answered their questions well, and felt good.  A couple of weeks later, we found out Bennett was selected as a peer helper!  This is a great honor!  Peer Helpers are in the middle school and high school, and are good representations of character.  They are expected to be role models for their peers, maintain good grades, and serve a minimum of 30 hours of community service.

As the year is coming to a close, Bennett shifted gears and started focusing on show choir.  I hired a voice coach to help her perfect the song that she needed to sing for the judges at tryouts.  Mr. Litten, the show choir instructor, provided about 6 songs for the girls to choose from (and a different 6 for the boys).  They needed to each sing a solo acapella in front of a panel of three judges, and then perform a dance with a group of 9 other kids (which they wouldn't learn until the week of tryouts).  Bennett chose to sing "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music.  The week of tryouts, the children stay after school on Monday to learn the dance (which they later post online).  Later that night, she practiced with another friend and a couple of high schoolers at the rec for two hours trying to get it memorized.  She practiced hard each day, with her final day - over 5 hours!

Bennett gave it her best shot on Thursday after school, and on Sunday night (mother's day), we heard that her hard work paid off, and she made it!!  We couldn't be more proud of her, and are so excited to watch her performances next year!  Several of her friends made it too, so I know she will have a lot of fun wearing make-up, singing and dancing!

To top it all off, she has maintained good grades!  If she finishes the last week where she is now, she will end the 6th grade with all A's and only 2 B's for the year!  Go Bennett Go!!!  Here's hoping that she has an awesome 7th grade year too!

Mother's Day

Walker drew and painted this all by himself (step by step)

May is always a terribly busy month for mothers.  It is ironic that Mother's Day is celebrated mid May, it is like they knew we would need at least one day for a break!  My Mother's Day was terrific this year.  It started on Friday with a short program at Walker's preschool where we were presented with art work that they did for us, along with strawberry shortcake (which is coincidentally a favorite dessert of mine).

The spoiling continued on Saturday, when Bennett and Steve came home that morning with my favorite flowers, lilies and hydrangeas, along with a gift card for a mani and pedi!  Bennett heard me complaining that I never had time to get it done during the week, so they gave it to me early so I could use it that afternoon (before Mother's Day and another busy week).  The next morning, Steve let me sleep in.  He got up with Beck, and then kept the kids quiet and in the front of the house so I wouldn't hear them.

When I finally rolled out of bed, they had coffee and a cut grapefruit ready for me.  Then the cards and homemade presents were presented, followed up by a great big breakfast that Steve lovingly cooked for me.

from Preston

It was a rainy dreary morning, so we stayed in and rented a movie.  We drank prosecco and just chilled until we went to Myra's later that afternoon.  Of course she cooked for all of us on her mother's day, but she wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm pretty lucky to have an awesome mother and mother-in-law too!  What a fantastic day!

Homewood Elementary School Track Meet

Every spring the Homewood elementary schools put on a track meet.  It is only for 4th and 5th graders, and the three schools compete against each other.  The one that gets the most points wins a banner and bragging rights for the next year.  Bennett never wanted to run, so this was our first year participating. 

The children were allowed to do three individual events, and if chosen, could do a relay event.  Preston chose to do the 400, 800 and the long jump.  He was also chosen to do the 4x400 relay with a few of his fast friends.  He was so excited for the afternoon, and practiced in PE for a couple of weeks leading up to the event. 

Preston told me his PE Coach had him running 1600s to prep for his shorter distance events.  He had some tough competition for all events, but placed 1st in the 800 (3:02.27), 4th in the 400 (1:15.75) and 6th in the long jump (10 feet 9 inches) for 4th grade boys!  His relay blew away the competition too, and got an easy 1st place (5:25.35).  He was super pumped, and had so much fun competing!

Pres and Parks Murray

Pres getting handoff from Ty during relay - he was the anchor!

1st Place Relay Team: Grant Hartman, Jackson Martin, Ty Mayo and Preston

Pres in starting position next to Collier Hicks

Determination!

SCE swept the competition!

Pres has already set his sights on breaking the record on the 800 meter (which was set by another SCE boy a few years ago).  He wants to do iRun this summer, and has another sport that he now wants to compete in. 

Twins Baseball

Pitching during a lesson

Baseball starts so early anymore, but due to all of the rain that we get in the Spring here in Alabama...it is always a slow start.  This year Preston was drafted to play on The Twins, with Coach Heathcock.  He had a lot of friends on his team, but they had a tough time performing well as a team, and sadly had a losing record.

Their overall performance did not stop the support from Mimi, Papa and Uncle Dan though.  They came to at least half of his and/or Walker's games. Of course I love watching my boys play ball, just wish they could get some more hardware at the end of the season by playing on a decent team.

With all that said, Preston did get the opportunity to play at his usual position of short stop, and he continued to develop some decent pitching skills (thanks to an ex-MLB player who has been helping him with that).  Playing time is key, and he got plenty of that.

Uncle Dan is never a fair weather fan!

Pres, Collier Hicks and Reid Johnson with their 4th grade teacher, Miss Lyon

Wow, look at that cheering section!

Redwings T-Ball

This spring both of the boys played baseball again.  Walker played t-ball on the Redwings, and learned a little more about running bases and specific positions.  This year, there were less parents on the field, and more actual playing.  They kept score, called outs and really helped the 5 year olds improve.

Walker definitely got a little better, but I am pretty confident his favorite part was still the snack after each game.  He assures us that he wants to play coach pitch next year.  Here's hoping he continues to enjoy the sport!

Walker with Stan Evans and Lochlan McBurney

Easter Weekend in Peoria

Peoria Bound!

This year we gave up our tradition of church at Trinity and pictures in front of the beautiful flower cross to go to Peoria to visit my parents.  It hasn't been a good year for my poor father, so we are trying to go back as often as we can (especially since he can't travel anymore).  For the past couple of years, we have been explaining to Bennett and Preston what dementia is and how it is affecting Poppy.  They both have watched him decline, but Bennett is much more aware and quick to pick up on the changes.

After a scare on the airplane during the flight down to Birmingham at Christmas, my mother declared that he would not be flying anymore.  In fact, she insisted that we cut out the connection for their return flight, and drive them over to Atlanta so it would be a direct flight into Peoria.  Brian was kind enough to do that, but at that time, we didn't realize that we wouldn't see Poppy again unless we came to Peoria.  Since Peoria is not a hot destination, we rarely return.  In fact, it has always been easier for my parents to visit us in Birmingham since they can see both of us, and all six of their grandchildren at one time.

After we put my dad in the memory facility in February, Bennett really started realizing that she didn't like her last visit with Poppy, and she wanted to see him again (before he didn't remember her).  After much discussion, we decided it would be best for all of the kids to see Poppy in his new home sooner rather than later since our spring and early summer is crazy busy.

So the whole family (Beck included) drove to Peoria on Maundy Thursday and arrived late that night.  The next morning we went to visit Poppy.  It was definitely a shock for the kids, even for Bennett who "loves old people."  We tried to prepare them, but it is hard to predict the craziness that comes from a place like that.

I mean there is an old lady who kept screaming at all of us (other tenants too) saying "Who are all of these people?  Why are all of these people in my house?"  She thought she was at home, and we were all invading her space.  There is another sweet woman who doesn't talk much, but she loves to sing, and that is what she does much of the time.  We tried to bring levity to the situation by bribing Preston to sing with her (which he did).

Then there is Connie, who gets all dressed up, puts on her ornate jewelry, does her hair and make-up, and walks up and down the halls asking people to take her to Peoria.  One of the guys who is better off than her, quickly answered "Sorry I can't help you, they took away my license and car."  There are funny situations with the male tenants too.  One man just walks the halls popping his dentures and grinding his teeth (making the most annoying sound ever).  And then there is my father's former roommate, Gene, who they caught multiple times in bed with a lady tenant.  They eventually moved him to another room (after getting both families' consent) so they could do whatever it is they were doing.  It truly is like a soap opera.

Anyway, my mother is a saint.  She goes to visit him every single day for several hours, and usually over lunch so she can cut his food and help him eat.  Dad has good days and bad days, but the bad days are becoming more and more frequent anymore.  Dad was definitely excited and shocked to see us all on Friday (and every other morning).  He recognized us all, and called me and Steve by name, but not the kids.

I was able to get some sweet pictures during our visits, and I know that I will treasure them forever because I was able to see glimmers of my dad in these....his big smile, his loud laugh and his loving nature.  It broke my heart to say good-bye on Easter Sunday, and it hit Preston really hard too.  It was the first time he put it all together that Poppy will never get better, will never get to go home and is only going to get worse.  He cried, and refused to talk about it anymore.  His teacher even told me he cried in class one day after we returned.  She asked him what was going on, and he just said that his grandfather is sick and he was sad about it.  The whole situation is just heart-breaking.  Dementia is a HORRIBLE disease.  I can't stand the way it is eating away at my father.

Thankfully my mother has great health and is miraculously staying positive (even with the terrible winters in Peoria).  I know she misses her husband and the man that he was tremendously, but she is doing what she needs to do.  The visit from us was a welcomed distraction, and I know good for all of us.  She went on walks with the kids daily, got supplies for dying Easter eggs, took the kids to a movie, and we celebrated Easter at my former church and went out to lunch at the country club.  We had a nice long weekend, and don't regret the long drive one bit.

Giving B some love Sat morning upon our arrival

Happily Married 48 years!

Easter Sunday - W finally got to wear his bow tie!

Enjoying the pretty Easter Sunday afternoon