Time to put away the oars and put up the sails.....

And coast a little.....It has been a busy couple of days. The kids and I need a day at home with no commitments, no appointments and time to relax. I have ordered my girls official end of the year grade level testing and it should come in the next day or so. We will be doing that for either one or two days depending on how long it is. In our state, you do not have to submit test results to the school superintendent until the grade they start once they are six years old (meaning they have to be six by Sept of that school year). We just want to make sure that I didn't mess her up too bad this year, lol. She did another mini skills test on her Jump Start First Grade program and tested on a third grade level on much of it but we want to make sure this was accurate. The California Achievement test is very specific on administrating the test so it takes away that natural parental compulsion to "help" them. You are instructed verbatim what to say. Now of course, if you were being dishonest and wanting to boost their scores you could but what would the point be? I know that as a home schooling parent, I want to make sure she is learning, not that I know enough to score on at least a fifth grade level. (I HOPE!, LOL)

My joints are aching today! I had my volleyball league tournament last night. My team had already won first place for the Spring season and last night we also won the tournament. So our big reward will be TWO t-shirts. That worked out though because my DH's team (they play on Thursdays) finished in 3rd place and unless they win the tournament, starting tonight, he would not get a t-shirt this season. Now, you might say, what's the big deal? Its just a stinkin' tshirt, but now that we are getting older and these joints and knees just aren't what they use to be, we may not be playing many more seasons, especially this girl. I ache all week long after playing one night. As my great granny use to say, "My Rheumatism is flairing up". That was just an oldtimers way of saying their joints were hurting. Now that more and more people are being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is much worse than the general, run of the mill arthritis, I don't think you hear it much anymore. I am thankful that I do not have that. I have a peep and an uncle that have RA and with all the meds they have to take, and the pain they have, it makes mine look like a walk in the park.

My kiddos got great checkups at the dentist yesterday. He said that my girl's teeth were well spaced and straight and she would most likely not need braces. My son's are too early to tell but they were very clean and no signs of decay. He did a great job getting them cleaned considering he just turned three. I am trying to convince him that he is a big boy now and need to use the potty. He keeps saying "No Fankyou!" I am pushing the issue since we are planning on being home for the next few days. He has on big boy undies and I am setting an alarm to take him to the potty every 30 mins. Wish me luck!
I will keep you up to date on the progress....We'll call it the Chronicles of Pottyville. Tomorrow will be the first installment.....I think I'll call it "The Timer, the Spiderman (his undies) and the Bathroom" and then next could be "Prince CasPEEan"....Or we could call it "Harry Pooper and the Porcelian Throne".......