I'M BAAAACK!!!!

It is time that I get back to sharing the crazy daily ordeals of the Beightol Family! I knew it had been a VERY long time since I had been on my blog but I did not realize it had been over a year! WOW! I know life had gotten EXTREMELY busy but I guess I didn't think it had been that INSANE!

The Family at Housel Middle School's Awards Assembly.  Taylor was one of only 6 6th graders who had received a 4.0 GPA for the first 3 QTRS.

So, where to start...Well, Taylor had an AMAZING year at Housel Middle School! She TOTALLY fell right into step as a middle schooler.  We are very proud to say she kept a 4.0 GPA for the ENTIRE year...yeah, we all know she did NOT get that ability from me!! She was voted ASB Vice President for next school year and is very excited to be a 7th grader next fall.

Ryan helping his teacher Mrs. Wyatt lead a song for Tea For Two.

 Ryan Jackson entered Kindergarten this year and he too had a great year.  We weren't so sure he was going to make it the entire year the way the year started. He was refusing to walk into the building without me, he was refusing to finish his Handwriting work each day and anytime there was a Fire Drill he began crying and freaking out!  Needless to say as a teacher I was thinking to myself  "God Help Mrs. Wyatt!"  But after Mrs. Hatch (the principal) bribed him with Starbucks he entered the building by himself without ever crying again! He realized that doing his Handwriting work at school was much better than bringing it home for mom to find not finished and having to sit down at the counter with ME watching his EVERY stroke...And well for the Fire Drills...I'm not sure we ever had a drill at school WITHOUT tears...But hey, we don't want to reach ALL of our goals in ONE YEAR!!! LOL  Ryan's teacher was always saying what a wonderful boy he was in class...we kept trying to figure out where "our little devil" disappeared to as he walked through those school doors.  ")

Ryan singing "You Are My Sunshine" during the Tea For Two the Friday before Mother's Day.

Will had a good year in the vineyard.  He didn't travel as much this year as he has in the past.  One thing he did do was take on another AAU Basketball team.  He decided to coach Ryan's team which meant taking on a group of Kindergarten boys.  Yes answers your question...HE IS CRAZY!! The boys were all Kindergartners expect one boy who was a 1st grader.  And thank goodness for that first grader! He was MUCH taller than the Kinders and he was able to make baskets unlike most of our other guys.  We did win one game...and the boys were so excited because we were playing in the 1st Grade Division.  Next year should be even more fun to watch as they will be playing boys their own age and hopefully size!

Will talking with his infamous boys basketball team!

For me...well the year brought me going back to work.  I sent Taylor off to the middle school and I decided to take on the little ones...PRESCHOOLERS!  After a full year of teaching them I can honestly say that some days they are A LOT more mature than middle schoolers!  It was a great year that flew by.

This summer finds us hanging out at home getting things done around here.  There is the never ending landscaping projects that just seem to get bigger and bigger.  Which sooo thrills me and Will soooo much! Yes, that is sarcasm you hear in my voice.

It also brings extra time for me to read, relax and hopefully keep up on blogging again.  I can honestly say I have missed this time to journal the daily events in our lives.  So...keep checkin back cause I am sure one of us...most likely Ryan will be doing something WACKY within the next 24 hours.

Sheepy Farm

At the beginning of April Ryan's preschool class got the opportunity to visit a local family who has a sheepy farm. The kids were so darn excited that morning. We loaded the mini-bus and off we went on a trek out into the country. When we arrived the kids lined up and we walked into the barn where the sheep were being kept. The owner had asked the kids to make sure to use very soft voices so not to scare the babies and the protective mom's. The preschoolers filed into the barn to find baby sheep waiting to see them. We (kids and adults) learned many new things about sheep. Such as, did you know that sheep only have teeth on the bottom. And their upper lip is split down the middle to help them grab a hold of grass.

The preschoolers were able to touch the sheep wool after it had been sheered. The kids thought it was "strange" feeling.After the tour of the barn we were taken on a tractor ride through the field where we were able to see the sheep running and playing with one another. The kids found it funny that they were chasing each other just like real kids.

For Mr Ryan it had been a LONG day. Because the field trip was on a Monday (the days I work at the preschool) he had taken the field trip twice. Remember how you felt after a field trip...well think about doing it TWICE in one DAY! Sounds like fun until the end of the day and you realize you are ready for a nap.

Haven't Given Up!

I really haven't forgotten about all of my wonderful friends in Blogger World! Life has been soooo very busy the past month that I haven't had time to even CHECK my blog! When I logged on tonight I was surprised to see which background template I had on here because I had forgotten what it looked like.

In the past few weeks I have started back to work at Ryan's preschool 3 days a week. I LOVE it but it is taking some getting used to being back at work! Being back in the classroom has brought along "Little Kid Germs" which I had forgotten about. I have had a cold now for about 3 weeks.

Taylor got her cast off but isn't suppose to play for about 3 more weeks. Her final game is this weekend and we now have two other injured players...Tay just might find some playing time this weekend.

Ryan is struggling with Mom going back to work. He has become a MAJOR Mamma's Boy! Last Wednesday when I dropped him off at school he chased me out the door! He didn't even do that on his very first day of school as a 3 year old!! So, I am trying to give him extra attention when we are home together.


Will's brother Brandon, his wife Kim and their daughter Mia were just here from Florida for 10 days. We had a GREAT time with them and hope that their "talk" about moving here becomes reality sooner than later!

So, now that you know I'm not dead and haven't given up blogging completely I need to get back to giving Ryan his needed attention for the evening. I will TRY VERY, VERY HARD to be better at updating!

Fifth Grade Christmas Fun

Last Friday was Taylor's classroom Christmas Party. Ryan and I arrived just at 1:30 in time to pass out the popcorn balls that Tay and Nana had made for the class. I also took cupcakes and candycanes. Michele and Brittney brought gingerbread cookies and the kids had plenty of pop and time to enjoy each others company. Michele and I walked around taking pics of the class while they talked and giggled showing off their "eating skills." Ryan had his own seat with Taylor at her table and I believe learned a "few things" from the big kids!
The only other Christmas party of Tay's I have been to was when she was in Kindergarten because I was on maternity leave with Ryan. I am SOOOOOOOO thankful that I am home now to be able to share in these special times with my children. Having always worked, I wasn't able to take the time off to be able to do these things (that whole "being responsible for the job you are hired for" thing that some just don't (won't) ever get.)

The kids had a great time and I bet Mr VonMoos was excited when the 3 o'clock bell rang to send all those sugar high kids home for the LONG break

Thank Goodness For Little Boys???

Ryan has been testing my every nerve these last few weeks. Up until then I didn't think it was possible for him to be anymore of a turkey...but he has proven me wrong!

I know as a teacher that when the students start acting up we blame it on the upcoming holiday or the change in weather, which is what I could do but what I really believe it is is 100% paybacks from the man upstairs for the way I behaved as child! My mother has been warning me and her warnings have now turned into nothin' but reality!

Here are just a few of the things Mr Ryan has been doing, there are MANY more but I am trying to block at least some of them out of my mind.

Last Thursday Ryan announced to me as we were getting ready to leave for school "I think I'll skip school today." I looked at him with the motherly "What the????" He looked me straight in the eyes smiling and said "It's not like anyone will find out." I had to give him the mother/teacher talk about why we ALL go to school. He listened then said "It's not like I would get into lots of trouble if they found out." I absolutely have lost control of my five year old!

That same day (after I got him to school) he was holding his pencil incorrectly (what is new!?!?) He will not listen to me when I talk to him about holding it right so his teacher, Mrs. Courtney sat down next to him walking him through (for the trillionth time) the right way to hold it. I looked over at him and he wasn't even looking down at his hand. He was looking straight ahead and I noticed a small roll of the eyes as Mrs. Courtney was talking to him. I wanted soooo badly to pick him up by his little ear and drag him out of the building. But I remembered that 1. It wasn't my classroom and 2. I probably didn't need Child Protective Services at my door.

This morning he told me that he really does like school. He said he could list his 3 favorite things about it. In my mind I was really hoping I would get a list of WONDERFULLY educational things. A mother can wish can't she!?!? This was his list:

1. Recess
2. Snack
3. Free Choice Time

As a teacher this is what I heard:

1. Socialize
2. Stuff my face and socialize
3. Socialize

I am so in for it with this wonderful boy that the Lord has blessed us with. I know you are all thinking how cute his list really is and that it is not only a typical boy but just a typical child at this age. I also know I am not suppose to compare children but Taylor NEVER talked this way about school. She couldn't get enough and still can't. She SOOOOO did not get that from me. I guess she is much more like her father and I guess RyJack is just "a bit" like ME. Please pray for us...it will be MANY, LONG years to get him through school!