The Extras

The big kids have somewhat found their "thing"! I'm very happy about this. It's fun to see your kids do things with determination and passion. We have tried to let them try what they are interested in (within reason) until they find the one they love. And I think we have...for now! ;) We have found ourselves a little stretched thin with school extras and extra extras, so they will be cutting back to one sport and one extra next semester and Grayson picked his without question! He really wants to give football a try (eeek! Mama might not be able to handle that!) and is a little budding pianist who will definitely continue playing, he says. He absolutely loves it. He sits down and plays his assigned practice pieces and then "writes" his own music. It's fun to see. I think, for his little mind, piano has really been good. It's something he can focus and work at. Something that requires practice and thought, and for him...VERY big busy brain, this has been really great! He had his first piano recital in December and loved it. He did get a little nervous, but really did well and it definitely sparked a little passion in there!  Not to mention, he may have loved the fact that several people came just to see him play. ;) And the football may be just as good! He's a busy, competitive boy, who loves a challenge. He did decide to give up his art classes and cub scouts after this year to pursue football and continue piano. A little sad to let the scouts go, but any of you will know you can't do it all, and stay sane, especially with 3 children, and he seems very sure about his choice!

Ada is currently a tiny gymnast, girl scout, and takes art lessons. She has decided next semester that she will continue gym (because "I just LOVE it", she says) and she wants to stick with scouts and then "in 12 months, give piano a try," which I think will be great. She's a reader/writer so music may suit her very well and I think it's a valuable thing to be able to read/play music, but she's still young! I think 7 will be a great age to start. Once again sad to let the art lessons go (that girl has some natural artistic talent!) because she does love them, but hopefully these are things we can continue to develop at home. She began her second competition season in November. The first competition, she was so excited and jittery and had a few goofs, but she really enjoys herself and that is so fun to see! She still got a gold medal on her favorite event, bars! She did so well at the second competition a couple weeks ago, where she got 2 silver medals on bars and vault, 4th on floor and beam and silver all-around. She's loving it!! And always counting down to the next competition.

I must say, as fun as it is to see the interest sparked, we actually look forward to less on the calendar so we can do some more family adventuring as opposed to being on the go for different events and activities, all in different directions. We, of course, will finish out our committed years to these extras, but will be excited for some down time this summer and a new, lighter activity schedule (this however, doesn't actually give us a "light" schedule, as I don't think that exist with 3 children) in the Fall.

And as sad as it is, the little one will get his turn to try Tball and soccer this coming year, and boy is he excited!! He's already learned the basics from brother and sister, so he's ready to go! :)

I am grateful for a daddy who works so hard to allow his children to try the extra activities along with all the regular expenses of raising children! He's truly the best around! :)