Maybe I take to many pictures of my kids?

Another doctor day was upon us.  I had the four youngest with me today loaded them up and toted them off to the doctors.  What a day!  Disasters were happening from the beginning.  I was not sure whither or not to send Evan to school today and pick him up for the doctors or keep him home causing less running for me but him missing an hour and a half in the morning.  I left the decision up to him.  And no that does not mean he will always stay home.  My kids love school, Gregory always chooses to go to school and Evan it is dependent upon a lot of issues.  But today at their school they were doing the Terra Nova test  in grades 3-8 so I knew they would not be having monumental lesson plans for they younger kids either.  In Pennsylvania, all public schools and some private take the PSSA.  All the public schools in the area teach to the test.  An enormous soapbox point for me.  In fact the public elementary school the children are zoned for only teach reading and math during most of elementary school because that is what they are tested on.  When I was teaching 1st grade Sunday school the kids knew they lived in PA but had no idea where it was on a map.  When my husbands father died we had to give the class a geography lesson on where is PA, where is Washington State is  and the difference between that and Washington D.C.  It was an unfortunate eye opener, great kids terribly educated.  I am so thankful for where my kids attend school.  I love the school and the teachers.  I can never say how blessed we are for there education.  We value it so highly.  Anyways so my kids take a different test called the Terra Nova Test, a standardized test that test in all areas of education.  It is just a way for their school to show the world the kids are learning.  Montessori is a completely different type of education, it makes so much sense.  But it is too much to get into now.  But quickly, Montessori does not test kids.  Spelling test they do take each week in 1st-3rd but it is a little different.  The grades they get don't really matter the teachers just want them to learn the words.  For instance the children that can't sit there and write out the spelling words as dictated can take the test orally.  Or they could show the kids a picture of the word and then they write it down.  There are just so many options to see if the child knows the word and to help them spell it and their school will do which ever one works for all the children.  Their spelling tests are not designed to pass or fail the child but to see if they are learning how to spell the word.  And if they don't learn the words they continue working with them on it.

Since the school does not have test they do not expect the kids to pass the Terra Novas the first time because it is such a foreign concept to the children.  Gregory took a pre test and passed it.  Everything right. WOW!    There is not pressure on the kids to pass just do what they know.  And after 2 or 3 years taking the test the children all preform highly above grade level.  Gregory took the real test this morning for hours which was his complaint.  But unlike traditional schools these kids are allowed to stop and snack take a walk or what they need to refocus and continue.  He still complained the test was long though.  I don't know how he did I won't find out for a while but it does not matter that much to me because...



Every child is different and one test does not show their knowledge or potential.

But Evan chose to sleep in, ironically only a half an hour later than he normally gets up.  And as I am a person who would love a good night of sleep, maybe someday?, I could understand his choice and why not. He even waved his brother off to school with the other children on the van.  Okay maybe rubbing it in a little there.

What I did not know was somehow someone broke a 3 pound bag of berries I had for a pound cake disaster (you will not see me posting that recipe)  in the fridge.  When I opened it to get out milk for my coffee I saw a sticky, berry, huge, OMGoodness mess.  Drop everything I have planned I now have  to clean a fridge.  Luckily it is a clean fridge, yeah me!! but this took half a roll of paper towels none the less plus a lot of bleach spray scrubbing and re washing over and over, 2 hours of over and over.  I am glad Evan chose to stay home because I would have had such a hard time to drive out to his school and get him.  God knows and he provides in the craziest ways sometimes.  We were struggling with time.

But I got all four bathed and dressed cutely, because that matters so much as they are in diapers for the check up, but still.  Sometimes as a mom you just want to present your best foot forward.  My two March babies had their birthday check ups and both passed as super healthy and super active!  It is never easy taking kids to the doctors lets alone the entire tiny team and Evan.  Smiley came so the doctors would not hurt his sister.  Awe!!  Love those two!  She still had to get shots which made her sick all night, good thing I was at school tonight :)  sorry for your luck Dad.  But he did not come to the fun fiasco we had all day so I guess it evened out in the end?

As soon as the kids got into the room they said mom take our picture.  The nurse laughed.  But I had forgot my phone or else I would have.  It was all I could do to get us there on time with my hair still soaking wet from my shower I quickly jumped in before we left.  I was braiding my hair in the lobby as we waited to be called in.  Sometimes we do resemble a circus walking frantically into places but it is a small town and they know me so it is all good.  The fact that the kids know I take pictures of everything about there lives make me laugh but happy.  Happy because my memory sucks.  And with out these pictures I would not always be able to remember.  Without this blog I would not be able to remember.   I hope they read it one day and learn about their lives.  I blog for me, for the grandparents but also for them.

After the appointment I ran back home for my phone.  And then back by the doctors office to pick up toy Smiley thought he left there which turned out to be under Gracie's seat!

Evan had asked if I could take him out for lunch today and of course yes.  I was planning on taking him for tacos  but I asked him where he wanted to go and he said Hoss it kind surprised me but where ever he wants that is NOT McDonald's is fine.  It is a buffet steak house kind of restaurant out here.  It is a chain out here but I do not no how far it extends.  They had closed the one we used to go to and reopened a new one closer to the major highway cross section of 30 and 81.  It was our first time there, in the new place.  I actually did not like it but the 4 little ones did they had a good time and left with full bellies.  And I left with lunch for 5 for $15 SCORE!  (6 and under free.)



Gracie just ate apples she did not make too much of a dent in their budget



Faithy and salad, go figure.  Smiley ate plates of fruit, jello, cheese, chips and some random stuff who knows.  They seemed to like it.

But what they were are eating and waiting for was the ice cream.  Evan had two bowls!  I am sure his teachers were thanking me once I finally dropped him off for the last hour and a half of school, oh well.



Evan had a nice day at home and out to lunch and that was what was important.  Every kid needs to feel special and once in a while missing a little school to have that I think is okay.  You only have them for such a small amount of why not enjoy your kids every chance you get.