Kaleb's Swim Meet

Kaleb had his first swim meet on Saturday. It was at a local college. Thing is, they don't have start blocks set up where he practices, so the kids from that pool had no idea how to use them. Some went ahead and tried, but others attempted to dive off the side. That also had not been practiced. Not sure why. But other than the starts, most of the newbies did pretty well. 

Kaleb only swam front crawl and back crawl because that's as far as he'd gotten with me teaching him. He would have learned breast stroke and butterfly this summer with me except that the pool was closed so often for thunder/lightning (real and imaginary!) that I only got as far as teaching them the kick and introducing breast stroke arms. 

This was a small 10 and under meet. I think it's kind of an introductory meet for the new swimmers. A lot of them, Kaleb included, don't have their team suits yet. There were about 103 swimmers (that's how many swam freestyle at least) from three different teams.

There were also limited events. The 7 and unders and 8s swam 25 yards of the 4 strokes and a 100 yard relay. The 9s and 10s swam 50 yards of the 4 strokes and a 200 yard relay. There were a lot less kids in breast and fly. On the 7 year old final time list all but three seven year olds had DQ'd in breast stroke. I wonder if the coach forgot to tell them that they had to touch the sensor pad with both hands at the end? 

You can see his very interesting start at the beginning of this :)

He did okay considering he had no clue how to do the start from the bottom of the block.

His next meet is a full meet with all the age groups (he is novice) and there will be around 600 kids at it. it's at a 50 meter pool in a large park where Adam often ran cross country about 45 minutes away (60+ in traffic).

The night before his next meet, Jasmine has an away football game and won't be home until midnight. She has band photos the next morning. That should be interesting. The meet goes over three days, so I don't know if he'll swim Saturday morning. But if he does, one of us will go with him and one with Jasmine.

Jasmine is playing cymbals because they don't have mallets or pit this year. We found out that percussion practices an extra hour on Tuesday so that takes out her only dance class this year. At least she can still do Monday night choir. It starts the 14th, but that is her new high school's open house, so she'll start choir a week late.

She is feeling much less stress in her new school and she actually understands what they are doing in algebra. It's the intensive (remedial) class, but supposedly, so was the one at the other school. The difference in the level of work  is unreal. I wish she'd been in this class for the first three weeks. She'd probably be doing pretty well. I'm sure it will get harder but it looks like they are still reviewing pre algebra--which she never had because she wasn't that far yet. The math is doable though at this point.

 First day of math at the first school. It is supposedly review, but like I said, she never had pre algebra.

Fourth week of math at the new school. She can do this.

She's only gone to the new high school two days, but we are feeling hopeful. And we are looking forward to Kaleb's next meet.

School Choices

Jasmine in the front on xylophone at the football game.


Most of you who follow this blog know that Jasmine has been in a charter school since 5th grade. We put her in it at that time because we are zoned for the absolute worse middle school possible. The teachers can't teach many days because the kids are so bad. The parents are worse. Not a good place for Jasmine. So into the charter school she went.

What I like about it is that it is smaller, they have consistent rules and the teachers are high quality and high character.

What I don't like about it is that they have the attitude that they are the best. They constantly talk about being one the top schools etc. If you are good enough, other people will do the bragging for you. They also have the philosophy, "high expectations, high achievement." Basically they require way more than the public school. They do not take homework late. That is a problem because Jasmine will do the homework and have it in her folder and never think about turning it in. I've ask that she be given a personal reminder, but for them that's not encouraging her to be responsible. But knowing about the damage to the front lobe of her brain, I think it's reasonable.

And my philosophy is "do the best you can with what you've been given." Not all people are gifted the same. I think kids should be encouraged in their strong areas and helped with their weak. I have  A LOT of examples from my own life of when that did not happen.

When it came time for high school, Jasmine and I had different opinions. But I will say "yes" to their ideas when it doesn't go against our values or cause harm. So I put her in the lottery for the high school. Their are two branches of the middle school both feeding into one high school, so not everyone gets in. We had plan B in mind. It was my choice of school. In our town you can request to go out of zone. If there is room in the school, you'll be allowed to attend.

Jasmine got into the charter high school. She loved being with all her friends.

It required a lot of supplies in addition to the ones required by the public high schools. Among them was an iPad. You could lease one for $300+$75 insurance. I chose to buy a refurbished one at Walmart for $189 and added their warranty.

And off to school she went.

We had issues with school policy from day one. She was given a language arts pretest. She could not finish it, so it was sent home. She was unsure of how to do it, and she somewhat forgot about it until too late. But it was partially done. She got a zero and a note "we do not accept incomplete work." So not only can it not be late, but it can't be even a little incomplete.

She was also put in algebra 1.She never had pre algebra because she wasn't ready for it. Her first two tests were zeroes. They are on a block system so you do four complete year long classes one semester and four more second semester. So each class is 90 minutes. That means the first quarter ends four and a half weeks into school. Our public schools require algebra 1 and geometry. The charter school requires algebra 2. They told me to get a tutor. 

Well, if you don't have the background and your mind just doesn't do well at reasoning, that's really not going to help. She doesn't think that way. For example, to help with money skills, every weekend I tell the kids they can have $2, but I tell them how many coins they have to use to do it. Sometimes there is more than one right answer. She cannot figure it out. Ever. Not even with coaching. But I continue to have her try.

High expectations, high achievement became unrealistic expectations, high stress!

They have a cool black hat with blue plume, but she didn't have one yet.

She liked her technology class because it was podcast. And she loved band. During summer camp, she was one of many on mallets in the pit. But they all dropped, and she was the only one in pit at the football games.

Still, knowing she was going to flunk algebra 1 and probably language arts, we made the decision to try to my school of choice for her. There is another good school, but it's larger and can be snobbish. It's also overcrowded so require an administrator waiver. My choice of school is much smaller and under enrolled. And not as rich. But it is not perfect. There have been incidents there. But they were dealt with. We got in.

Rick told the band director at Friday night's game that we were trying to get her in a public high school, and he was very unhappy to be losing his only mallet and pit person.



So yesterday we went to the new high school to enroll her and talk to guidance. Their lowest math class is also algebra 1. I asked repeatedly what they do for students who are just not able to do algebra at all. There was no answer. But she'll be in an intensive class. It's a double class. They are supposed to teach the first session, and then they work on the assignment the second session. They do not have geography and world culture which is the social studies class she was in. There is no history in ninth grade. Also no podcast.

She has:
homeroom
fitness lifestyle design (I hope that's her personal fitness credit)
Intro to info technology
English 1
Physical Science
Lunch
Alg 1
Alg 1
Percussion (band is broken into groups)

There is full band practice 6-8 p.m. Tues and Thurs. 

She will only be doing one dance class at the dance studio again this year, but instead of hip hop like the past two years, it will be musical theater on Tues at 4:15. So Tuesdays will be crazy. We will probably go from school to dance to band! On Monday nights she'll have County Christian Youth Choir again starting this coming Monday. They sing from 6-7 p.m., then have an hour Bible study and supper from 7-8 p.m..

Oh, and she got an iPad out of this deal :)

Yesterday we went and got her a hoodie at Walmart. Someone else gave her some spirit shirts. She can wear polo shirts in red, black and white or spirit shirts.

 Today she started at her new school. 

Ready to go

She had a good first day. We went back for band practice this evening, and there was a football game on the field where we thought she would practice. It turns out they were practicing on the soccer field. We were late, and didn't have the shorts and T shirt everyone else was wearing. We'll get it all figured out by Tuesday.

So I hope this change will help her be successful. Ya know, it's never easy figuring out what is best for each kid all of the time. But I think we've got this one right.

Labor Day Fun and Too Much Drama

Labor Day was a break in a drama filled week. We headed over to the bay in the morning. There was a 40% chance of rain, but it turned out to be a beautiful day.

 Concentration

 We had a small group this year. My adult kids didn't come, so I only had three kids, and the Millers only had one at the bay. Things really change when kids grow up. With a smaller group, all of us took turns on the rented paddle board.

Josiah and Kaleb went kayaking. Kaleb spent most of the day kayaking. He wouldn't go on the kneeboard after losing his suit last time.

 Josi grilling

 It was shallow enough that we didn't need life jackets in certain areas. Tide really makes a difference in the bay. 

I was letting the current carry me around the point.

 Rick grilling more meat.

Jessica came for food. She and Hunter have to move out of the house they are renting from Hunter's mom on land owned by his grandfather. Hunter and Jessica's dogs keep getting out of their fence, and the grandfather told them they had to get rid of the dogs or move. They chose to move. He only gave them a couple of days to be out. Jessica needed to get away for a while so came to join us. Then later I went to her house to help her pack up.

 Jasmine and I went under the bridge to another part of the bay. The jet ski decided to act up. We got a warning light and beeping. The jet ski dropped to 6 mph. I was able to take it over to shore with the help of waves. Rick came over, backed the SUV into the bay and pulled the jet ski out. He's my hero.

There was no rain, but we got a double rainbow and could see both ends.We were looking for the end of the rainbow when the jet ski broke down. I have to get it looked at this week or next. Bad timing as I need a $950 part for our a/c, my kindle is dying and the van needs repairs. I needed this rainbow.

 Can you see the double rainbow?

Lately I have been spending a lot of time trying to get Jasmine the services she needs. It isn't going to happen at her current school. So I put in for school choice to put her in the smallest public high school. It is underenrolled because there is one "rich" high school that a lot of the kids want to go to. I'd rather have her in the smaller one. 

The paperwork went through today, so I unenrolled her from her current school, and tomorrow I'll get her enrolled in her new school. There are many things she will miss from the charter school, like band and better behaved students, but many she won't miss like getting a zero if an assignment is at all late or isn't 100% complete. It just makes for too stressful of a situation.

Cool Stuff

Just a lot of this and that going on as we settle into a new school year. Here are some photos that capture these times.

Jasmine and I got new walking/running shoes. Hers are for completing 100 miles and mine for 300 miles. We got them during the buy one, get one half price sale during no tax week and with an additional 10% military discount. So we came out really well on it. The twins are around 65 miles.

We have $1 skating on Wednesday nights, but we'll be starting youth group after Labor Day.

Jasmine and me diving with Alex, an instructor. Even though we are certified, I don't feel confident enough to navigate without him.

Hehe. Bad hair day!

Between 10 and 15 feet down. Jasmine still struggles with clearing her ears. I want to meet with her cranio facial team at Shands, but our insurance has decided we can't.

 She's so colorful.

Shark skeleton

I love the feeling of movement in this picture.

 Kids playing with a friend. Kaleb and Josiah are in after school rhythm club.

I am doing some serious decluttering. I pulled everything from the back of my closet, including my wedding dress that has been sealed for 27 years. I saw that even though I paid to have it preserved, the arms and front have yellowed. There is also a stain on the sleeve. I have no idea what to do with the dress. I was going to try to find a place that collected wedding dress for the poor or something, but with the yellowing, I doubt anyone would want it. I guess for now it goes back into the closet.
And no, my 14-year-old is not getting married any time soon. 

 This is the family room, which is supposed to be my office also. One side is bookcases, the other side this. I'm tired of looking at clutter. Unfortunately, as an author, there are lots of papers, books etc that I need.

 The ping pong table takes up most of the room when it's set up. I am clearing out over 100 books and moving the rest to my closet. 

You can see the other side of the room in the background here. It's the bookshelves I often use as a background for the kid's pictures.  I will post update pictures as we go. As long as I am redoing the room, I am also babyproofing! Other areas of the house are getting decluttered also.

Jasmine is feeling her niece move. She was like, "That's soooo weird."

 I took Jess to lunch at the Chinese buffet.

 Someone Jessica knew had to get rid of their dog due to their housing situation. So Jessica talked Adam into taking the dog. She's a very sweet, six year old pit bull. She is mostly an indoor dog, which is good because he lives in an apartment. I hope it works out for them.

She was excited to be going for a car ride. Jessica bought her food, a bed and toys.

So that is all of our random photos and news for now