Wow, it sure has been a while! I am going to go ahead and update but do an entry per child. Which child should we write about first? We will start with the oldest and work backwards, I presume.

Elisa is in her third week of first grade. Let’s just say the transition from K to first is not going as smoothly as her starting Kindergarten. First grade is way different from Kindergarten. At first she has had some anxiety and said she hates school. We dealt with about a week of upset tummies and not wanting to get up in the mornings. She would always come home in a great mood having had a fun day, but just never wanted to go. The second week of school got a little bit better. She started having homework and one night we sat down and she just wrote her first and last name, with proper letters and spacing and everything! All on her own! I was so proud of her! I sent a note to the teacher so she could send back her homework with her name on it so I can display it. I am going to scan it as soon as we get it back and put it up on our website.

Each day has gotten better for Elisa but the work really is challenging. First grade is a big adjustment for any child, I have since learned. I wish they would have told us this sooner so I could have spent some time this summer preparing, but it’s okay that we are having to adjust like this. Elisa will be just fine, I know it. It has been harrowing and nerve wracking worrying about if the school is going to call saying she has a tummy ache (this happened twice the first week). But, which each day that goes on, Elisa is learning more and more and enjoying herself more and more. She has made friends, loves her teacher, enjoys doing her work and beaming about her progress and I think she will be fine as time goes on.

This Monday the school called and I cringed as I answered the phone. Every other time they have called it was because Elisa was saying she felt sick and I needed to come get her. This time, however, it was the assistant principal! I was shocked. He quickly told me that he had good news for me. Elisa’s teacher had chosen her to be student of the week! She had been chosen by her teacher because of her outstanding work on writing her name - remember from her homework? Well, she got a prize, a certificate, a button and she got to be the school ‘Queen for the day!” I was so proud of her! First month of school and she’s getting student of the week! Yay Elisa!

So, I just got back from a parent orientation for first grade at Elisa’s school. They went over lots of things which I was glad to hear. Some of it I didn’t agree with. I am working to get Elisa reading so she is not behind the kids in her grade level. If you come to see the kids, try reading to them, they can ALL benefit from it, especially Elisa. Anyways, the first graders are going to be doing Math, Social Studies, Science, Art, Music…it’s very academic now. The teachers want to challenge the kids as much as possible so the kids work really hard and are successful. I am not sure how I feel about the entire plan just yet, but I am trying to be a supportive and open minded parent so that my child gets the best education possible. Gotta love the public school system.

Elisa has been very lucky lately as April (Kenna’s niece) moved back into town from Gainesville and they have been able to spend some time together. The girls get along very well and play very nicely when they are together. It’s been nice for Elisa to have someone to play with that isn’t her uncle..heeheehee. She actually gets along better with Elijah after having spent some time with April. Elisa spends more time playing on her own now than doing much else which is good because she was watching too much TV for a while there. Now she only watches two shows per day and she has been excellent at keeping track and not asking to watch anything else. She is a GREAT little girl!

Picture day was today - will get you all some pictures when they come in. Check our website soon as it is under some major changes and will be a new place to get our family info!!