So...

I missed like 6 weeks of life. Or maybe I just missed blogging about it because I was too busy living it. Sounds better that way.

Baseball and softball are in full swing. Tristan is having a rock star kind of year...we knew that would probably be the case when he did not make a majors team. It's kind of good, everybody deserves to be a rock star sometimes, but kind of bad as the challenge is not all that great. Tori is having a rougher year, one in which lots of girls have played for years and the team is huge requiring people to sit out often. But her attitude is usually good, and she tries her best. Sometimes I think its good to have something that doesn't come easy to you...everything else seems to be natural to her - music, school, art - working hard and not being THE best is ok.

Oh and I went to Italy. It was heaven. The food and drink was amazing, the views were breathtaking and standing on sacred ground - well it was priceless. There is something that cannot be explained about standing in a moment of history...and this trip provided both present and past history. We went to the Roman Forum and their is an arch built by enslaved Christians. They were conquered by the Roman empire in a time of paganism and forced to build this beautiful arch that still stands today. I dont really associate myself with a specific nationality outside of American...but those people, they were the ones that came before. The ones that suffered for their faith...the ones that are part of our story.

And then I got to see Pope Francis give his first mass. I am not Catholic. I am not Italian. I did not know what he was saying. I do not even believe in all the pomp and circumstance that is Catholicism. But it was a holy moment nonetheless. One where you know you are surrounded by a community of faithful, a people filled with hope and the grace of God. Awesome is really not a big enough word.

We also made our now annual trip to Vero to visit our Canadian friends. Lots of sun, pool and beach were shared amongst many stories and lots of laughter. The older I get the more I appreciate those friends...the ones you see seldom but when you do it feels like only moments ago. Friends who make you feel at home. Til next year...

And I launched a new and improved, aka more sophisticated, photography business. I will miss my hot pink and lime green, the steel drum version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and the adorable footprints marching across my page but as I take on some new partner work with a wedding photographer it was time to "grow up" my page. I am second shooting weddings and really working hard to book some new clients. Looking forward to seeing what comes next!

Everything else is just life...playing with the kiddos, going to work each day, attempting to keep my house clean, paying bills and spending as much time to spend with the people I love as possible. Life is good.

The Never Ending Week...

Some weeks fly by and I look back and think how did that happen? Where did the time go and how are we all another week older and another week further into a year that is speeding by? But this past week...it was like time stopped. Each day dragged, each night took forever and by the time I called it a night on Friday I was resembling the walking dead!

My day job was stressful and frequent due to a coworker's vacation. My nights were crazy packed as the kids had 4 nights of baseball/softball...in a row...in temps under 50. My body hated me this week as a cold turned into a constant cough that was quite literally so bad I pulled a muscle in my back/neck. And then I had the opportunity of a lifetime to shoot a wedding with the potential of a partnership...on Friday, at the end of my work day, while sick, and having gone without a good night's sleep in a week.

The good news is - its a new day, its a new dawn - I mean its a new week! A doctors visit earned me some heavy duty cough suppressant and an inhaler, and I got a few pictures I feel good about. And my vacation starts in a mere 100 hours!



 

  

SAT's

Tori took her SAT's as part of a county initiative to determine where students in the top 10% of middle school FCAT scores fall in comparison to college bound seniors. The SATs have changed since I, and probably most of you, have taken them to include a writing, multiple choice and essay score....

Below is a graph I found online on the means for Florida college students....those that GOT IN.

Florida SAT Scores (mid 50%) (Learn what these numbers mean)
	Reading		Math		Writing
	25%	75%	25%	75%	25%	75%
Central Florida	530	630	560	650	510	610
Florida A&M	Florida A&M has Open Admissions
Florida Atlantic	490	570	490	580	480	560
Florida Gulf Coast	470	550	470	550	450	540
Florida International	490	580	490	580	490	570
Florida State	550	650	560	640	-	-
New College of Florida	630	740	570	680	600	680
North Florida	530	620	530	620	500	590
South Florida	520	620	540	630	500	600
University of Florida	570	670	590	690	-	-
West Florida	470	580	470	570	460	550

Tori's scores (AT 12!!)
Reading: 480
Math: 500
Writing: 480

As for the essay - well the top score is a 6.0, for those of you familiar with FCAT/Florida Writes, much the same rubric.

She got a 5!

From the College Board website:

Score of 5

An essay in this category demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery, although it will have occasional errors or lapses in quality. A typical essay:

• Effectively develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates strong critical thinking, generally using appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position
• Is well organized and focused, demonstrating coherence and progression of ideas
• Exhibits facility in the use of language, using appropriate vocabulary
• Demonstrates variety in sentence structure
• Is generally free of most errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics 

So proud of her and all she has accomplished already!!! 

Christmas Card Pictures

These are self taken...not my best idea. Love the ones of the kids but the whole picnic table as tripod, oops I lost my remote, self timer, run for it, family photo - not my favorite but it made do. And real family photos are coming SOON!

 
 

And I'm back...take two!

I had been so good about blogging for so long...and then it was gone. So maybe no one reads this anymore, and maybe blogging is a thing of the past in a world inundated with fast glimpses at peoples lives - twitter feeds, facebook statuses, and instagram photos. But I dont keep a diary. And one day I want my kids to look back and say - wow, look at all those things we did, who we were, what our mama thought. And I think this is the easiest way to do it, for me. So I'm back. Beware, one post after another coming this morning...I don't do sick days well. I need to be busy. So catch up day it is.

What happened??

It's been a month. And we have been doing a lot of things. That don't include blogging apparently. So here is the short form...first in words, then pictures. 

Tori got new glasses, the kids and I had a week off for Thanksgiving, we put up our Christmas tree, and the Giving Tree too. Todd and Tristan went to a cowboy bonfire, we made cookies, and Todd went all the way to Colorado and back. We started our Random Acts of Kindness countdown, hit the trail, wrapped up the first of the gifts, and Tori and friends decked out for the Harbor Very Tacky Christmas. The gifts started pour in for the the Giving Tree and the rain started pouring while we visited Christmas Lane in Dover. We are planning parties (for Tori and friends) and attending others (Todd's networking group party!).

More December activities and hopefully more time to blog...coming soon!

Super kids.

Report card week - all A's for both of them!!

Tori named 7th grade student of the month, out of like 400 kids!!

Tristan's baseball team ended in second place earning runner up medals at the last game!!

Tori and her partner won an honorable mention (one of only two) at the model UN conference at a local junior college. They were two of only 8 students from her school sent to represent various countries. Their platform, resolution paper and debate topic was access to primary education for the country of Tunisia.

And now we are officially on fall break.

My kids are kind of super. At least I think so :-)