He's not so little anymore

In the last few years, Ryan has really grown. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, too. But, physically is the most noticeable. I'm 5'4", but he's now passed me in height. I think the last time I measured him (about a month ago), he stood at 5'8".

My little chunk of a baby is gone, and in his place is a tall, somewhat lanky teenager that plays hard on the lacrosse pitch. It's great that he's finding his place in the world, even if it means Honor Roll every quarter or getting hit with a lacrosse stick (thank goodness for protective gear!).

This kid makes me proud.

{Just a few pictures of him in action}

Running towards the action

Tearing it up on the field (he's the one in the maroon jersey)

He dislikes doing face-offs, but he's really good at it, so his coach constantly puts him in there
(maroon jersey again)

Dancing!

Vanessa finished her third year of dance, and she had her big dance recital at the beginning of May. I really love her dance teacher because instead of competing, she holds mini recitals throughout the year, then has a giant one for her students' families and friends to showcase what they've learned.

When I first enrolled Vanessa, it was because she was a bit uncoordinated. She would constantly trip over her own feet and she looked awkward as she walked. Her teacher for the last few years, Miss Jessica, has worked really hard with her and Vanessa adores her! And, Miss Jessica is so proud when she tells me of the progress Vanessa has made.

After the recital, Vanessa asked, "You're signing me up for next year, right? Make sure you remember to sign me up, Mom!"

As you wish, Princess.

Picture Day

Before & After her big recital; so excited!

Dancing her little heart out on stage; so proud of her!

Let's try this again

Has it really been almost a year since my last post? Yikes! Fortunately, it's summer now, and everything has slowed down. I'm finding more and more free time for myself, so why not blog?

We completed our second year of homeschooling, and it was a challenge with Ethan. We really struggled to find a "groove" with him, and I don't think we really found one when the school year ended. He's a totally different type of learner than Vanessa and Jeff, so I was constantly scrambling to find something for him to focus on.

After our last day of school, I started researching "unschooling." There had been a few articles in the media about parents who unschooled, and so I was curious. And, the more I read (pros and cons), hubby and I decided it might be a fit for the Crack Monkeys. So we're going to try this for next year. It'll take a lot of faith and patience, and generally me "letting go" on a lot of things, but the kids and I are excited.

In other news, Ryan finished his 8th grade year and is now, technically, a Freshman in high school. High school. When did he get so old? When did I get so old? Sheesh! Honor Roll, as well. This kid never ceases to amaze me!

So  now we're just lazing around, enjoying our summer. The pool in our community is once again open and we've been taking advantage of that, as well as the bright, sunny weather to play outside with friends. For once, we have no set plans (just our annual camping trip to Bear Lake in August) for the summer; just whatever catches our fancy.

I love summer.