January Journeys :: 2019
I'm not ready to totally give up on this blog space, but I have to admit defeat when it comes to blogging regularly. So, for a compromise, I'm going to aim for 1 blog post each month; kind of a monthly wrap up. I'll include our activities for the month along with updates on each kid. Yeah, it's probably going to be long :)
Let's start with our activities:
First, we went to Chimney Rock, NC for our annual New Year's Day hike. Jaina had to work and Jayce doesn't really like hiking (or cold, or outside) so he stayed home. It was fun with just Jocelyn, Brian, and me, though!
We had some warmish weather the next few days, so we drew an LPS town with chalk. It lasted a few days before it rained.
Jocelyn tried to teach me how to floss :P
I had all intentions on doing another 10 on 10 project, but didn't make it past the first few hours.
Jocelyn is trying her hand at cheerleading for Upward, just like her sister did when she was in 1st grade! We've had three games so far! She likes it better each time!
Then the girls and I went up to Concord Mills, NC for a weekend at Ichiban Con.
While Brittany and Jaina were enjoying the Con, I took Jocelyn to a local children's museum. We had so much fun!
Jocelyn has been practicing with a jump rope so she can get her name up on the board in PE.
Next up, another cheer game! (and another one!)
On Saturday, January 26th, we celebrated Jocelyn's 7th birthday at Sk8erz family fun center. In hind sight, we should have picked an activity that Jocelyn was actually good at :P She fell down a lot. And cried, a lot. And was generally overwhelmed at "too much birthday".
We decided to take our presents home and open them at home. I think it was a good decision.
Now, for the updates...
Jaina:
My oldest just started her last semester of High School. She's taking Honor Chorus, Anatomy, Spanish III, and Government/Econ. School is going well, except for the fact that she doesn't like High School in general. Hence, graduating early. She originally was hoping to go to College of Charleston this Fall, but after some anxiety about this, I think she's decided to go to USC-Upstate for a year or two instead. There are a lot of factors going into this decision and I'm proud of her for making it. College of Charleston (and their study abroad program to Japan) are definitely still her long term goals. She's dealing with some anxiety and overall depression, but is meeting bi-monthly with a therapist and we're trying to find the right medication for her. She absolutely loves Kpop, JRock, and Anime. She lives for the next Convention. :) She's so insanely talented with her cosplay costumes. Jaina has been working as a hostess at Fatz for the last few months. She's driving a 2008 Honda Fit that Brian and I bought her (she's paying us back). She finally got a new iPhone after "Gerald" bit the dust 4 years later. Oh, and she made Upstate Regional Choir!
Jayce:
Fall 2018 was rough for our middle kid, but I think he's on the upswing. His girlfriend decided to get back together with him on New Year's Eve, so he's a happy camper at school again! We did a med adjustment and started therapy back again (with a new therapist this time... a guy!) and this is the happiest I've seen Jayce in awhile. He's doing great in school! Straight A's! He made the Math Team again and is looking forward to competing in Math Counts in February. He's in Men's Choir and got invited to Spartanburg Sings! It's still a struggle to get this kid to shower and brush his teeth (typical teen!) or to do his laundry in a timely manner, but he's matured so much since last year! He's becoming so much more independent, especially with homework. Oh, and I almost forgot... Jayce got Leader of the Pack (again!) at the middle school!
Jocelyn:
Sigh. My poor little one has had a time of it since school started back on Jan. 7th. At first, her teacher, school nurse, and I all thought she was sick. But when that "sickness" lasted all week (with no vomiting, no fever, no other symptoms at home), we quickly figured out it was anxiety. She loves her school, loves her teacher, loves her friends, hasn't been bullied, etc. The only thing she tells us is that she misses her mommy and that school is too long of a day for her. She seems to not enjoy activities like music, PE, art, etc. We can't figure out why, though. She's going to talk to the school counselor once a week or so. I love her school so much and they are making every effort to validate and listen to her feelings and to help ease her anxiety. I keep hearing that age 7 is hard. I don't remember it being hard for Jaina, but I also have a bad memory :P I DO remember her going through a period where her "stomach hurt" all the time. Our pediatrician at the time (Jayce was 2, so Jaina was 7) dismissed it. I've since read several articles about how kids experience anxiety and how it was probably that all along. I have to say we have an excellent pediatrician right now and love having him in our corner trying to help my kids feel the best they could be. As far as activities, Jocelyn is both cheerleading at Upward and tumbling at Starmakers. She goes back and forth from enjoying them to not wanting to go (anxiety). Luckily, both are short term commitments and she'll be done with both soon. We'll see what she decides to do this summer. Her favorite thing to do is design characters on an app on her (my old) phone and watch You Tube. She's waiting until her nails grow out to go back to recording videos of her LPS.
Brian and me:
I've been struggling the last 4 years (since my brain aneurysm surgery) and we've both been struggling for the past 2 years in marriage counseling. I finally got to a point where I just felt like I couldn't be married to him any more unless he got some understanding of what me and the kids needed from him as a husband and father. We'll see what happens. Our future together is certainly up in the air.
And, on a lighter note, here's a phone dump from the month of January.
That's it for now! I'm contemplating making this year's blog private out of respect for my teens. So, if you are reading this, then chances are I've given you special access. My blog has always been written by me and for me. This is my online journal.
Let's start with our activities:
First, we went to Chimney Rock, NC for our annual New Year's Day hike. Jaina had to work and Jayce doesn't really like hiking (or cold, or outside) so he stayed home. It was fun with just Jocelyn, Brian, and me, though!
We had some warmish weather the next few days, so we drew an LPS town with chalk. It lasted a few days before it rained.
Jocelyn tried to teach me how to floss :P
I had all intentions on doing another 10 on 10 project, but didn't make it past the first few hours.
Jocelyn is trying her hand at cheerleading for Upward, just like her sister did when she was in 1st grade! We've had three games so far! She likes it better each time!
Then the girls and I went up to Concord Mills, NC for a weekend at Ichiban Con.
While Brittany and Jaina were enjoying the Con, I took Jocelyn to a local children's museum. We had so much fun!
Jocelyn has been practicing with a jump rope so she can get her name up on the board in PE.
Next up, another cheer game! (and another one!)
On Saturday, January 26th, we celebrated Jocelyn's 7th birthday at Sk8erz family fun center. In hind sight, we should have picked an activity that Jocelyn was actually good at :P She fell down a lot. And cried, a lot. And was generally overwhelmed at "too much birthday".
We decided to take our presents home and open them at home. I think it was a good decision.
Now, for the updates...
Jaina:
My oldest just started her last semester of High School. She's taking Honor Chorus, Anatomy, Spanish III, and Government/Econ. School is going well, except for the fact that she doesn't like High School in general. Hence, graduating early. She originally was hoping to go to College of Charleston this Fall, but after some anxiety about this, I think she's decided to go to USC-Upstate for a year or two instead. There are a lot of factors going into this decision and I'm proud of her for making it. College of Charleston (and their study abroad program to Japan) are definitely still her long term goals. She's dealing with some anxiety and overall depression, but is meeting bi-monthly with a therapist and we're trying to find the right medication for her. She absolutely loves Kpop, JRock, and Anime. She lives for the next Convention. :) She's so insanely talented with her cosplay costumes. Jaina has been working as a hostess at Fatz for the last few months. She's driving a 2008 Honda Fit that Brian and I bought her (she's paying us back). She finally got a new iPhone after "Gerald" bit the dust 4 years later. Oh, and she made Upstate Regional Choir!
Jayce:
Fall 2018 was rough for our middle kid, but I think he's on the upswing. His girlfriend decided to get back together with him on New Year's Eve, so he's a happy camper at school again! We did a med adjustment and started therapy back again (with a new therapist this time... a guy!) and this is the happiest I've seen Jayce in awhile. He's doing great in school! Straight A's! He made the Math Team again and is looking forward to competing in Math Counts in February. He's in Men's Choir and got invited to Spartanburg Sings! It's still a struggle to get this kid to shower and brush his teeth (typical teen!) or to do his laundry in a timely manner, but he's matured so much since last year! He's becoming so much more independent, especially with homework. Oh, and I almost forgot... Jayce got Leader of the Pack (again!) at the middle school!
Jocelyn:
Sigh. My poor little one has had a time of it since school started back on Jan. 7th. At first, her teacher, school nurse, and I all thought she was sick. But when that "sickness" lasted all week (with no vomiting, no fever, no other symptoms at home), we quickly figured out it was anxiety. She loves her school, loves her teacher, loves her friends, hasn't been bullied, etc. The only thing she tells us is that she misses her mommy and that school is too long of a day for her. She seems to not enjoy activities like music, PE, art, etc. We can't figure out why, though. She's going to talk to the school counselor once a week or so. I love her school so much and they are making every effort to validate and listen to her feelings and to help ease her anxiety. I keep hearing that age 7 is hard. I don't remember it being hard for Jaina, but I also have a bad memory :P I DO remember her going through a period where her "stomach hurt" all the time. Our pediatrician at the time (Jayce was 2, so Jaina was 7) dismissed it. I've since read several articles about how kids experience anxiety and how it was probably that all along. I have to say we have an excellent pediatrician right now and love having him in our corner trying to help my kids feel the best they could be. As far as activities, Jocelyn is both cheerleading at Upward and tumbling at Starmakers. She goes back and forth from enjoying them to not wanting to go (anxiety). Luckily, both are short term commitments and she'll be done with both soon. We'll see what she decides to do this summer. Her favorite thing to do is design characters on an app on her (my old) phone and watch You Tube. She's waiting until her nails grow out to go back to recording videos of her LPS.
Brian and me:
I've been struggling the last 4 years (since my brain aneurysm surgery) and we've both been struggling for the past 2 years in marriage counseling. I finally got to a point where I just felt like I couldn't be married to him any more unless he got some understanding of what me and the kids needed from him as a husband and father. We'll see what happens. Our future together is certainly up in the air.
And, on a lighter note, here's a phone dump from the month of January.
That's it for now! I'm contemplating making this year's blog private out of respect for my teens. So, if you are reading this, then chances are I've given you special access. My blog has always been written by me and for me. This is my online journal.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for commenting!