Dance Portraits

Happy Birthday Jeff

Jeff is 21 today. However, I don't have any new pictures of him.

This and That

 Adam got a disk of pictures from boot camp long after it was over. We just got around to going through it to see if there were some of him. This is what there was.

Crucible

Ready to swim clothes, gear and all.

Maybe he's praying?

This does not look like a lot of fun.

Tyler and a few of the other guys from Job Corps earned an unsupervised weekend out. From the report, some of the guys could have used some supervision--or some common sense. They went to a small con while there. He didn't have his costume because he sent it home with Rick after the comic con.

Louisville

Look how much the pups have grown! And they will get bigger. They are still just puppies.

Tomorrow Jasmine travels to Wild Adventures with the band. They will perform and then have some time in the park. We used to live close enough to go several times a year, but it's 3 1/2-4 hours from here so we haven't gone in several years. They leave at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow!

The twins have several field trips coming up, and Jessica is finishing up her spring classes. 

Jessica and I have less than three weeks until New York. And the twins turn 9 three weeks from today, same day Jasmine has her spring concert. Jeff turns 21 on Tuesday. I mailed his presents today.

I got the galleys today for Promises for God's Princesses which releases in the fall. The galleys are basically the finished pages unbound.

Things are going to get crazy here soon.

How about you? How many weeks of school left?

Easter

There were two services at church yesterday. We went to the early service knowing it wouldn't be as crowded. Jessica played in the orchestra in the second service too, so part of the group stayed to bring her home when they were done, and I came home and got lunch ready. 

Before church.

We didn't buy new clothes this year, everyone just wore what they had.

Jasmine (13)

Kayla (8)

Kaleb (8)

Jessica (22)

Rick. I made pulled pork in the crock pot.

Adam (19)

Playing Just Dance

Adam and Jessica both worked, so the three youngest hunted for Easter Eggs together. We do it after dark by flashlight to make it more challenging. It was really wet out, so we hid them in the house, but they still had to do it by flashlight.

97 of 100 eggs found

Jasmine and more

I have several pictures of Jasmine and more to share for this post. 

We got her band photos back. I think she did great. 

It is dance photo week. The official portraits won't be back for two weeks, but I have some I took of her getting ready for photos. This is her jazz costume. For the recital her hair will have to be parted on the side and in a bun.

DQ for a chicken strip basket and strawberry shake after pictures.

Playing with Travis

A somewhat strange thing  happened yesterday. Tyndale sent me an Easter lily that was delivered by a local florist. When he got to our house, our greeting committee met him (below). The phone number he had as a contact number was Tyndale in IL. So he called them, and they called me to tell me the guy "wasn't comfortable with the dogs in the yard." I was in the back and didn't pick up the phone and didn't hear the message, but Jessica did, so she went out and got the flowers.

They can be protective if they think one of us is being threatened (like by another dog on a walk), but you're probably safe unless you have tacos in your hand or something.

Today is the last day of FCAT, so I got cupcakes for the kids to take in for treats.

Jasmine ended up not being in her classroom so she's not sure if the teacher handed out the cupcakes or not.

Kaleb, unfortunately, decided he was going to open his on the bus, give some to his friends, stick his fingers in them and lick the cupcakes. When his teacher saw them, she threw them out. She said they were too gross to even look at. She also told me he's kept his lunch money the last two weeks and not turned it in but keeps charging lunches. I wish they would not let him do that. She doesn't know where he put the money. So he will be packing his lunch until the money shows up to pay the charges. He just paid off one library book he's kept and hid somewhere and today he took another book that the teacher can't find where he's hidden it. Sigh. It seemed like he was doing better and then all this at once.

The problem is that when he gets a privilege or treat, he gets a strong sense of entitlement and thinks he can do whatever he wants. That's why I can't take him lunch at school anymore. Last time I did he punch several people in the back. When asked why he said it was because he got pizza for lunch and no one else did. So he lost that privilege. It appears he can't take treats either. And
I'm not driving them in to the school because he clearly understands he's to deliver treats unopened to the teacher. He is not allowed to bring treats for his birthday. I hope that will cause him to think about violating the bus rules by having food open and giving it out and also not taking the treats for the class.

So he managed to lose taking treats for the rest of the year, hot lunch and library privileges.

He also acted out quite badly after being given the ribbons for honor roll and attendance last week. I was really hoping he'd out grow this.

Anyone else dealing with this and have a solution?

Adam stopped by today.

This is Jasmine's hip hop costume. She had her picture taken for this class this evening.

with a dance mate

waiting for pictures.

we stopped for wings and pizza on the way home

So that's our week so far. The kids have Good Friday off of school. We wanted to go to the beach but it's dropping down to 62F and 100% chance of rain!

Hope everyone has a happy Easter!