Astronomy Camp

Tru spent the last week at Astronomy Camp in Tucson, Arizona. This camp is offered through the University of Arizona, and it is a great opportunity for teen astronomers to receive hands-on experience in something they love. Tru was so excited to be going to camp, but he was nervous too. It was his first experience of being away from home for so long, but he did great on his own.

The camp is very academic and the kids were scheduled from morning through the night. I was surprised and impressed by how much they got done. Here is the schedule from just one day that they were there.

The kids stayed in dorms on top of Kitt Peak surrounded by a variety of telescopes and learning opportunities.

This is the dorm Tru stayed in.

The view from Kitt Peak

One of the telescopes they got to use.

The solar telescope which Tru loved.

The campers also had an opportunity to ask a question to an astronaut on the International Space Station. This was the first time in the camp’s history that campers had this opportunity. Unfortunately not everyone had a chance to pose a question, but Tru was lucky enough to be able to. He was very nervous about asking his question, but he did it.

Tru waits to pose his question. This photo is from a news article that you can see here. Credit to Kelly Presnell.

Tru had a great time, but he was ready to go home by the time we picked him up. He was so tired, as were most of the campers. I was ready to have him home too, but thankful for the opportunity he had, which would not have been possible without the scholarship that he received. Over 50% of the students there also received a scholarship, so if you would like your child to attend but do not think you could afford it I encourage you to apply. It was a life-changing experience for Tru, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Summer Plans

Things have turned around for us here, which is wonderful. Tru’s eyes have cleared up enough that he was able to go to Astronomy Camp which is where he is right now. He left for camp on the 4th driving to Tucson with his Grandfather. He had a great time on their road trip, and then on the 5th he was delivered to camp at the University of Arizona  All the students and councilors had orientation and after that they drove up to Kitt peak where they will be staying. I haven’t heard from him, but I hope he is having a great time. I leave to pick him up on the 10th, and I can’t wait to see him.

 

 

 

 

Autry  had her vocal chords looked at by an ENT doctor yesterday. She was sure that there was damage on her vocal chords, but they looked great. They were swollen from the sore throat she has had for weeks, but there is no damage at all and she is all cleared to sing again. She is going to be starting speech therapy to learn how to talk in a way that is good for her vocal chords. She is looking forward to her speech therapy, and I think she is going to learn many good techniques to help her.

In other new we are leaving for Chicago in the third week of June. We will be staying through August 5th which is when Autry will be picked up from Interlochen. All the kids are looking forward to getting away for a while, and they plan to spend hours swimming, jumping on the trampoline, and eating ice cream. All in all we have a great summer planned, and we are all looking forward to it.

 

So This Boy…

is now 10 which is crazy!

He has changed so much this year both academically and physically.

I am of the opinion that he is one very cool kid, and I am glad he belongs to me. He is creative, intelligent, funny, and loving, and I couldn’t ask for a better kid. Happy Birthday Decca!!

 

A Quick Check-In

We have had such a few difficult weeks here, but I wanted to check in with everyone to let you know what is happening. Tru has had several chalazias on his eye since January. About a month ago they became infected, so I took him into the doctor. After several doctor visits with various specialists we figured out the problem and Tru started on antibiotic drops. After a week there was no change, so he was put on oral antibiotics, but he has had no change and will need eye surgery soon. I have to figure out if he will need it before or after space camp which he leaves for on June 5th. The doctor said he could get it after, but Tru’s eye looks so bad that I wonder if that is a good idea. We are going to go in one more time to the doctor to see what he says. I am hoping we can get the procedure done soon, so Tru doesn’t have to live with this problem anymore.

Autry has also been sick with a terrible sore throat for two weeks (we all have), and now she cannot sing. She fears that her voice is damaged, and that thought really scares her. We are not sure what has happened, but she was quite sick and now when she sings her voice is tight and sore. She also feels like she has been over-singing the past few months and that may have contributed to the problem. Regardless, she has been on vocal rest for a while now with no improvement, so she is on two more weeks of strict vocal rest and if that does not help we have to go to a specialist. I cannot explain how sad she is. It is like a part of her identity is missing, and she doesn’t know what she will do if she doesn’t get her voice back.

The whole situation with the twins is making me feel quite drained although I am trying to stay upbeat. I don’t talk about being a single mom that often, but it’s times like this that I wish I had a parenting partner. I am emotionally drained and financially stressed (doctor visits can really add up), so I haven’t had much time for my blog. I did however want to check in with everyone to let you know what is going on. Hopefully my next check-in will be more upbeat. Until then…

I Love Homeschooling Because…

We can go down to the beach on a beautiful Friday morning and be the only people there.

There is nothing so wonderful as having an entire beach to yourself for a while.

It brings a peacefulness that is very therapeutic.

It also brings out the playfulness in the kids.

 

 

 

An empty beach is also a great place to see wildlife. We saw several seals this morning and this little crab.

A beautiful, empty beach… another great benefit of homeschooling.

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

Goals for the Next Four Years, Part 1

I haven’t posted on here in a while. I seem to be in a major writing funk, and  one of the major reasons for this funk is that I have been stressing a tad bit (actually a great deal) about the twins and the high school years. I have been having trouble figuring out what I want them to do for the next few years, and I was struggling with what exactly my goals for them are.

I have been researching, reading about different high school curriculum,  looking into colleges, reading different plans that parents have put together, looking at AP classes, and looking at the SAT and ACT tests. Basically I have been over researching and over thinking it all.

During all this crazy the kids and I went to a homeschool park day, and many of the parents there were discussing high school plans. A friend of mine made the comment that (and I remember it perfectly because it resonated with me) “can’t high school just be about high school?” This one comment started the wheels in my brain turning and had me asking the same question to myself over and over again. Can high school be just about high school? Can the four years that make up this stage in education and development be of any value even if your ultimate goal is not to get into the best college? Is there any value in developing healthy young adults?

I have come to the conclusion that yes there is. So what should the goals be for this stage? Or to put it a different way, what should be accomplished in the years from the early teenager to adulthood. Looking at it this way I have been able to come up with a list of the goals I have for the twins for the next four years. These goals will help my son and daughter make the transition to adulthood smoothly and with confidence. The goals will also help prepare them for whatever they want to move on to, whether that be college or something else.

My goals are:

1. To have young adults who have confidence in themselves, confidence in their decision-making processes, and confidence in their abilities.

2. To have young adults who feel they have a purpose in life and have something to give.

3.  To have young adults who know they will always have something to learn.

4. To have young adults who are well-educated in all aspects of health: physical, mental, sexual, and spiritual.

5. To have young adults who feel they can take risks even if it means they will fail. Failing is as important as succeeding in life.

6. To have young adults who are financially smart.

7. To have young adults who have spent time developing a passion and a weakness.

8. To have young adults that have had the time and space to discover who they are.

9. To have young adults who can write with purpose whether it be academically or creatively.

10. To have young adults who love to read.

11. To have young adults who can converse with other adults of all ages in a mature and articulate way.

12. To have young adults who have traveled extensively and experienced life outside their own comfort zone.

These are my goals for now. I am positive that these will change along the way, but I wanted some sort of framework for myself and the twins for this stage in our lives. I feel that it is so important to raise healthy adults who are equipped for adulthood as opposed to stressed-out teens who are worried about their grades and what college they will get into. Not that college isn’t important, it is. But it should not be the only reason for the high school years.

Wordless Wednesday

California Wildflowers

Autry was reading a favorite old book today, The Daring Book for Girls, and she came across the section on how to make a flower crown. She decided she wanted to make one, so we went out in the nature preserve searching for flowers. We found a nice assortment and brought them home so we could identify them.

After identifying the flowers Autry got to work making her crown, and I arranged the other flowers for our mantle. They smell so wonderful together, especially the Cowboy Sage, and they brighten up the house on this cold, foggy day. Unfortunately we couldn’t identify the small white flowers. We still need to research that.

The crown turned out great, and it made me think about that old book that Autry use to love so much when she was younger. Maybe it would be fun for her to work through the projects now that she is older and can do all of it on her own. Hmm…something to think about.

Nina

My daughter has recorded a song that is up on iTunes, and I wanted to let everyone know. It is a wonderful recording, quite beautiful. I know, I know….. I am her mom, so I have to say that. But it is amazing, and I wanted to share it with all of you.

If you would like to hear another version of it, Autry sang it at her recital.  Here it is: