Homeschooling

 I always hoped that if I felt that school wasn't going well for one of my kids, that I would have the courage to pull them out and try homeschooling.  In 4th grade, Tommy was often coming home frustrated.  He wasn't having trouble academically so much, although he seemed to be underperforming in my opinion.  But he was worn out from the drama and meanness that he faced daily.  I chaperoned a field trip in April and I was disappointed in the behavior of the kids.  Some were so loud and attention seeking, and Tommy just got lost in all the chaos.  

It also seems difficult to develop a strong sense of self in an environment where there's such a strong pressure to conform.  And maybe my kid deserved to spend more of his time with someone who actually really likes him.

We have completed our first year of homeschool and it has been an amazing experience.  We have had so many adventures together.  I feel like my own brain is more awake, learning and reading along with him.  We have been able to research things he is interested in. We've taken fun field trips, had more time to appreciate nature.  More time to develop other talents like art, music, and sport.

After just a couple of months people told me that he seemed happier and more confident.  I'm so grateful that we were in a position to be able to do this.  We're going to continue at home for another year, and re-evaluate after 6th grade.  I will always be grateful for this year.  I have been able to know my boy better and grow closer.  

This is Tommy's mosaic project that won a special prize in the state fair.  

Our yeast experiment to understand the importance of sugar in the process.

His biscuits won 3rd in the fair!

We had an amazing field trip to DC in September.  There were no crowds, lines, or wait times.  We could walk right up to see the Declaration.  When we toured the capital, we were the only people in our group from one of the original 13 colonies!

We had time for fun outdoor adventures.

During weekday mornings with no crowds!

Here he is doing an experiment comparing the circumference to the height of cylinders.  This one surprised us. 

We took our reading out to the reservoir some mornings. 

I still tried to do some traditional school projects and assignments.

Tommy was impressed with the thickness of the walls at Ft. McHenry.

We had a homeschool group activity making pigments from iron on rocks in the creek.

Even I went roller skating.

Tommy and I got season passes to Hershey for Christmas and we have gone a couple times before schools let out to enjoy the shorter lines.  We also learned a lot about coaster physics this year so this was our reward.

We toured Hampton House, which is a local historic site.

We visited our State House in Annapolis, which is the oldest State Capital building still in use!

In this room George Washington resigned his commission as commander of the revolutionary army.  Tommy was really moved by being in the same place as something that happened long ago.  I'm so grateful to experience these moments with him, and to hear his thoughts about them.

Surely one of my kiddos will accuse me of favoritism as this post exclusively features Tommy, so I will have to provide an update as I have not posted in 2 years!

Gnocci

 This meal is a memory for me.  I was already having an emotional day for some reason when I started this dish.  Italian comfort food.  Little potato pasta dumplings.  

The last time I went to my Grandma’s house she taught me how to make it at my request. I had driven myself there with my brother and a friend.  It was over my Christmas break sophomore year of college.  It was my last visit because she passed away that spring.  We made a small batch together, and her instructions were not like a typical recipe, more of a tactile guideline “Just add in flour till it feels like this…”A little hard to remember 20+ years later.  She didn’t teach me how to roll it down a fork to make the little ridges.  She didn’t fuss with those. I had to pick that up from the internet.  Time consuming and unnecessary maybe.  Her food wasn’t trying to be fancy or impress you.  Gnocci was just a humble dumpling she made for her picky eater granddaughter who wouldn’t eat the eggplant parm or ravioli she was serving.

I imagined her with me as I cooked today.  Maybe she would have thought I was doing it wrong or taking some silly unnecessary steps.  But I’m sure she wouldn’t have criticized.  I could almost hear her say, “Isn’t that nice!?!” As she always did.

Letting one leave

This new phase of parenting has not been my favorite.  I prefer having all my people under the same roof every night.  This kid has grown into such an amazing person who I love to hang out with and now he's leaving me.  Spring was a whirlwind of graduation festivities.  Here are a couple pictures from his graduation party.

Many of his cousins made the trip.

The tradition is to decorate your cap to indicate where you will be attending college.

This picture illustrates what Luca is like as a big brother.  Here we are packing up to leave from a summer swim meet.

College orientation visit.

He let me take his picture for a book we made together.

High school did a signing day for all kids who plan to play a sport in college.

This was the last ride together in our family minivan.  It was actually hard for me to let go of the van and downsize.  We were coming back from a trip to Shenandoah.  Often times all our personalities in one confined space for hours would lead to conflict, but this moment was silly and peaceful and I realized how much I would miss this.

18th and 9th birthdays.  Combined party at sky zone.  I figured the older kids didn't get invited to sky zone parties much anymore.

I have said this before, but swimming is the best family sport.  This was their last summer practice all 4 together.  I don't know any other sport where a 9 year old and his 18 year old brother can have equal importance and opportunity in scoring points for their team.  One of our goals since we started summer swim was to have all 4 kids double trophy at champs meet.  Last year we came close, but Tommy got too scared to swim one of his events.  This year we did.  8 top 10 finishes at champs.

Our last Sunday together at church before Luca left for college.
 

Water Polo

Both older boys are playing water polo on club team at Calvert Hall this spring.  It has been amazing to watch them play together on the U18 team.  James played last spring and this fall, but it is Luca's first time.  He had 3 goals in his first game!  It's a tough exhausting sport but so fun to watch.  Jeremiah got me a new camera and lens for Christmas so I have been having fun trying to get good action shots.  More to come.

 

Easter Solo

 I am posting more frequently lately.  Feeling more sentimental with the upcoming departure of my oldest to college.  I know everyone says "it was just yesterday..."  But wasn't it?  When he wouldn't hold my hand as he toddled down the sidewalk?    Here Luca is practicing for an Easter Sunday solo.  I couldn't record the actual at church.  I am going to miss hearing this strong voice beside me every week.

Kitchen Window

 Our house has floor to ceiling windows in the kitchen.  They're not glamorous.  Old and drafty, the frames are scratched up by the previous owner's cats.  Luca looked at me standing there awkwardly staring out the window.  He could see me from the other room, but he couldn't see out the window down to the driveway.  "What are you smiling at?"  He asked me.  Confused why I had been standing there motionless with a silly smile on my face.  Just watching my kids play hopscotch on a warm spring day.  Just feeling perfectly happy for a few minutes.

Rocky Mountain High

We had a fantastic time visiting Uncle Tommy and Jean and skiing the slopes of Vail and Beaver Creek.  

 

Some of my favorite moments weren't on the slopes, but rather at Tommy and Jean's beautiful new home.  An old family tradition of ours in a new space.  I love these moments of working together and then eating together.

And probably my favorite moment of the trip.  My 4 kids sat down together designing and drawing ski mountains.  I have been so blessed by their creativity.  This moment struck me so profoundly for a couple of reasons.  It started as the younger two drawing, but the older brothers took an interest and joined in.  We are so busy at home with everyone's activities that moments of the four of them all together are not as common as they once were.  Also, my Luca is a senior, the days of us all together under one roof every night are fleeting.    

Lastly, upon our return home, Luca conceived this idea and enlisted the help of his siblings to bring it to fruition.