School is in Session!

This year Audrey entered third grade, and Corbin is a kindergartener! Corbin has been excited to start this chapter of his life, but you can tell he is a bit relieved to have Audrey showing him the way. Both of the kids are attending Caprock Academy, a local charter school here in Grand Junction. They started about a month sooner than the public schools, however, they only go Monday thru Thursday and enjoy three-day weekends all year long! Summer break has flown by this year with only seven weeks off. But we enjoy the long breaks throughout the year.

Here's Corbin all ready in his uniform - just a little big :)


The kids wanted to show off their backpacks.


And of course, Drew had to be in the pictures. He was sad to see them go!



Audrey’s teacher is Mrs. Miller-Forrest and Corbin’s teacher is Mrs. Hecht. Corbin is attending full-day kindergarten rather than the traditional half day. Because the kids go to a charter school, the bus system does not take them to and from school. Consequently, we are responsible for taking them to and from school. I do have a carpool group worked out, but if Corbin attended half day, I would be spending another 40 minutes a day going to and from the school, right during Drew and Jake’s nap time. So, we decided with our family circumstance, and the Corbin’s development, full-day would work out well. Attending half day would mimic the schedule he maintained last year of ½ day pre-school two days a week and then a full day he spent at the babysitter’s with Drew. The time he was home he would complain, “I’m bored, what can I do? Who can I play with? Is Audrey almost home?”

We are a month into school and aside from the separation anxiety that has existed since BIRTH, he seems to be doing well. He is even sleeping better. I think he likes the structure and routine. As far as the separation anxiety, he often complains of a belly ache or headache and asks if he can stay home, but once he gets to school, he loves it.

I personally have some concerns, but I think I have recognized that they are just that, MY concerns – not the kids. Corbin has so much homework for a kindergartener! His teacher is new this year, but overall, the school is more demanding than what we are accustomed to in the public school system. He has already had to give two presentations and has tests on his sounds and letters daily. Audrey is learning Latin and Spanish this year and seems to be doing fine. Craziness if you ask me! But we felt good about this option when we moved to Grand Junction last year. Audrey really has flourished and has caught up in her reading and spelling where before she was a bit behind. I was told a lot was due to her young age for her grade, and eventually she would catch up, but I want my kids to feel successful. Some struggle is fine, but I don’t want to crush their self-esteem, especially when they are so young! This school does group reading and math, which is great. When it is time for reading/writing and math, they break into ability groups. The entire school does it at the same time, and all the students go to different classrooms. So it’s not a big deal to have 5 different levels of readers in one class. The kids don’t seem to mind that they are in groups with kids who are younger or older than they are. But mostly, I appreciate the character building that is taught. It seems values are a big part of the school, which to me, reinforces what we are trying to teach at home. However, I do not like how strict they are with absences. It’s a big deal to be gone. I can understand the reasoning behind it, but we are travel bugs!!! I’ve had to relax a bit and not care if my kids get unexcused absences because the headmaster doesn’t think a family trip should be excused. Overall, it’s working for now. We’ll see how the year goes.

Boating at Ridgway

One of the perks of living in Grand Junction, so close to Uncle Jared and Janet, is their generosity! They have been so nice to let us use their pool and ski boat - even when they are not around to join in the fun! We took the boat out to Ridway, about an hour and 45 minute drive. The water was a bit chilly, considering we were braving a mountain lake, but the scenery was awesome and the heat made the chilly water easier to handle. We went with our cousins, Chris and Jesss and their little girl, Hannah.

Brandon got himself a scurf board and bought me a cute white and pink wakeboard.


All the kids loved boating. Audrey takes after me, loving the wind blow through her hair as she sits at the helm of the boat. That is one of my favorite feelings. No worries or cares.


At two months old, Jake was a dream! He slept most of the day lulled to sleep by the water. We tucked him underneath the steering wheel compartment in the shade and even gave him a break from the life jacket every now and then.



Brandon tried teaching Audrey how to ski. Fortunately I took the picture before she had her panic attack and refused to release her grip around Brandon's neck as he lowered her into the water. Needless to say, waterskiing lessons will have to be resumed at a later date.


Tubing was a much better success. Although, Drew continues to show no fear. He insisted on standing up in the tube and jumping like it was a trampoline. He loved it. Nervous Nelly (Audrey) kept trying to get him to sit down. In fact, while Drew is in the front of the boat, he has several mothers tugging on his life jacket to sit down while he screams at them. Finally, I gave up. Told everyone to leave him alone. If he falls out of the boat, maybe he'll be more cautious.


I know my husband is not the only one who does this, but I would still like to believe the behavior is crude. And to top it off, he's teaching Corbin the ways of a boating man with a full bladder and not enough guts to jump into the water and pee politely.