Four Kids: Four Different Ideas of Fun

Everyone loves a good deal, but I especially love a good deal that involves having some sort of fun with my family. 

With a family of six, getting a good deal on fun activities and outings isn't just exciting, it's imperative, if I don't want to create a dent in my bank account. If you know what I mean.

I have about a dozen apps on my phone that help me find all sorts of outings and activities that our family can take advantage of at a low or discounted price, and I am always on the hunt for the perfect outing for us. But as the kids get older this task has proven to get more difficult and trickier—because 'petting animals at a petting zoo is boring and for preschoolers'—this is especially difficult because of the fact that I have three teen and preteen boys that outnumber my daughter and I. 

So these days I get huber excited when I find something my kids—uhum, big boys—can actually enjoy!

So, this past weekend I found a great deal to go ice skating with the kiddos at our town's outdoor skating rink. I was super excited! It was the perfect day—sunny (not even a cloud in the sky), weather was in the high thirties and not even bit of wind—just perfect...until the boys announced that they didn't want to skate. As it turns out they had other plans; stay home and play video games.

And so it starts...

my daughter and I against the boys.

You know how some people say it gets easier when the kids grow up? I wholeheartedly disagree. It doesn't get easier, the battles are different.

When my kids were younger I would plan an outing and the hardest thing was getting them ready and out the door on schedule and getting from point "A" to point "B" without someone spilling milk or juice on themselves. We would get to our destination and the kids would enjoy it and then we would just leave when nap time came around or they got cranky. There was no bickering, no disagreements about who wanted to go where or long faces because they didn't get their way. These days this is my norm. 

This dialogues that go on in my house before an outing has made me come to the realization that with big families there will be different personalities and not every kid likes to have fun. For some kids fun is staying home and playing video games...I guess.  

But not in my house! After some coaxing, we were out the door—together—as the big, dysfunctional family that we are. We went ice skating and it was fun!

My athletic first-born, Jovan, had a blast!

Julissa truly enjoyed skating. 

Hubby and I :).

A couple of the boys decided that they didn't want to skate, and that was okay (alright not so much as alright but I accepted it) with me. They sat and people watched...

My big family is nothing close to being perfect—we have disagreements, we all have different ideas of what fun is—but in the end we agree to disagree, pull it together and go places...together. 

I wouldn't want it any other day <3!

Go goo gooo!!

...a phrase that has become a familiar one around my house these days, and not exactly by choice! It's usually yelled out, sometimes with a push or a tug out the door and most always with a sprint to the car, which is more often than not, followed by someone exclaiming that they "forgot something in the house"! 

I already feel out of breath just by writing about it... 

When my four kiddos were tiny, wobbly, walking human beings that required nothing less than my undivided attention—tying shoes, zipping jackets, last minute potty runs...the works—I dreaded leaving the house on any given day or time. If I ever did leave the house, I would fantasize of the day when they got older and could do such things on their own. Because, you know, growing up brings independence, which makes everything much easier for a tired Momma, right? I mean, there wouldn't be much to it, I probably have to wake them up in the morning and they would get dressed and brush their teeth while I made breakfast and get ready for work. I would leave the house, composed, and drive them to school, all with enough time to stop for a coffee and make it on time to work. At the end of the day, I would pick them up, go home and help them with homework and maybe take them to a sports practice or two; not bad, right?...so I thought!

My now mornings consist of waking up four sleepy heads that have slept through alarm clocks and each of which seems to have inherited my lack of morning cheerfulness. By the time I wake up the boys, downstairs, and make my way upstairs to wake Julissa, one of the boys has already gone back to bed. By the time I get to making breakfast and getting myself ready, I'm  running out the door with a shoe on my foot, the other on my hand and shoving kids out the door! Wheww!

But at the end of my workday, my day is just getting started, because the older the kids get the more their schedules grow with them! Suddenly, I'm not just pricking up kids from school and coming home to do homework, there's also sport practices...tons of sport practices. all. on opposite. sides. of the. city! Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough hours in the day to do all the dropping off, picking up and sitting down to watch a full sports game! Heck, even the car door, which won't open without a yank these days, has been protesting lately. It's like it's glued to the car! – Oh wait, maybe it's just the aftermath of that smoothie that Adrián spilled while running out the door to make it on time to practice, and which I swore I would make him clean afterwards but never did *sigh*.

So, I guess my life is not as easy and perfect as I thought it would be when my kiddos finally "grew up". I have a crazy life that includes sleepy kids that refuse to leave their beds in the mornings, insane schedules and a ton of homework, but it's our crazy life and I cherish every minute of it. 

Because nothing lasts forever...

~Yamilka :)

Number 38

That's his number – 38 – and today he played his first of many games with his high school football team! I was so proud of seeing my first-born out there in the field kicking butt, but most if all I was happy of seeing him enjoy the game! :)

Jovan is a natural-born athlete; what ever sport or game he gets into, he masters it quickly and effortless. He's always been such a boy—always kicking, throwing, hitting or just rolling a ball on his hands. Because he's so athletic and competitive, I always knew that sports would be a big part of his high school experience. 

So this is the beginning of the next four years...

I really enjoy rooting my kiddos from the sidelines at all their sporting events and feel terrible if I miss being there for them, but Julissa had a game to attend this morning (for cheer) and I was not going to be able to make it to Jovan's game because it was an hour away. I was feeling a little bummed out, and I could tell he was feeling dissapointed as well. Thankfully, Julissa's game was rescheduled last minute and I was able to make it to Jovan's game, late but sure!

Initially, when my attendance was bleak,  I felt a little better that my husband and brother were going to be there for Jovan...his role models! :) 

When I found out I could go I invited—on, coaxed—my Mom to come along to the game. She's so not a game type of person, but agreed to it today. She ended up enjoying the entire experience and even asked me to pick her up for other games! Jovan was ecstatic to see her there! 💙

Jovan's team lost by 20 points...boo!! But you can't always win, right? It's all part of the game! He was happy, nonetheless.

We will see what the next few games look like. 

Until next time!

Jovan's First Day of School 2014

Well, this is it -- HIGH SCHOOL! 




Yes, Jovan started high school this past Wednesday, and on the way there when I asked him how nervous he was, his response was: "I'm not nervous, it's just a regular school like my other school (his previous school) except with regular clothes and different kids! 'Maybe it hasn't dawned on him yet', I thought, as he got out of the car. Because as all of us know, high school is a big deal! Especially after attending the same school from kindergarten to 8th grade.

But hey, you know what they say about firstborns being confident, leaders, etc. -- those traits definitely describe Jovan and radiated from him as he walked into the school, without a care in the world.

That day I couldn't wait to leave work so I could hear all about Jovan's first day, and of course I bombarded him with questions when I got home; "did you make any friends? Did you know anybody? How were your teachers? Who did you sit with in the lunchroom? Did you like your classes?"...until he asked me to stop lol.

After laughing at me for a little bit, he told me his teachers were amazing, he sat with the freshmen football players in the lunchroom -- I guess it helped that he started the football weight training sessions a few weeks before school started :) -- and he did actually have some classes with a few students he knew from his old school. 

All in all, it was a good first day. If this is a glimpse into the next three years and ten months, then it'll all be good! 

<3

Cheer On!

Julissa started Cheer a few weeks ago, and this past Sunday was her very first Jamboree. She was super excited...can you tell just by looking at that face?!

I loved seeing her out there cheering for her team with the rest of the girls.

The past couple of summers have been a filled with sport related activities for the kids, but I wouldn't have it any other way - I love shuttling them to games and practices and cheering them from the sidelines. 

College Week and First Day of School 2014

Well this is a late...OK, REALLY late, post! I am working on getting better at posting here at least once a week, but sometimes life gets a little hectic and I keep putting it off and then never get to it...procrastinator much? Lol.

But here it is, first day of school post (late but sure!). School started on the last week of July and I still can't believe that that was already three weeks ago -- time really does go fast!

Some of you might already know that my kiddos attend Seven Hills Charter Public School (SHCPS), which participates in a year-round education program; one of the of the very few that exist in the state. Each year, for the last three years, SHCPS school have their students spend the first week of school at a different college or University in the city. The goal behind this is to give their students a vision for the future, one that says that their education does not end after they graduate from high school, but that it goes on beyond college. During this week the children get to experience what it is to take classes and spend time in a college setting.

This year's College Week took place at College of Holly Cross. 

Adrián, Abdiel and Julissa on their first day. 

The boys refused to smile for me! :(

But Julissa was more than willing to strike a smile...and a pose! I just love her sassy demeanor <3.

Jovan graduated from 8th grade at SHCPS this past June, but wanted to go visit his old teacher. This picture makes me all teary eyed - he really made great memories at this school. While he walked around looking for his old teachers, it dawned on me that he will miss all those amazing educators that cared for him and pushed him to his limit. 

My sincere thanks to all those educators that made a difference in Jovan's life for each of his nine years spent at this school! He will greatly miss all of you...

At the end of the week, the kids had a showcase to show their parents the work they did during college week.

It was amazing listening to them talk all about their week and meeting their teachers. I can't wait to see what else this year has in store for my kiddos! I'm sure that whatever it is, it will be quite a ride :). 

I better get better at keeping up with my posts, because I have a feeling I will be posting a lot about their school year!

-Yamilka

It's Happening...Fast!

I dropped off Jovan in school this morning for his first weight training session for the Worcester Technical High School's football team - the high school he will be attending in the Fall.

I can't believe how fast things are happening for him! Just last Monday was his eighth grade graduation and family orientation night the next day. The sessions will keep him busy for most of the summer, which I am thankful for. The school that Jovan attended this past year was a year-round charter school, which kept him pretty busy. He was already asking what he was going to do with all the free time he had - until he found that he would be doing the weight summer session and attending the inter-school's football camp next month. He's just super excited and motivated about everything that is happening right now!

The process of choosing a high school for Jovan was physically exhausting and emotionally draining, but now I am certain that I made the right decision when choosing Worcester Technical High school, for Jovan. This school is set up for kids to succeed, academically and athletically, at the high school level and beyond. The school, which is a vocational high school and Blue Ribbon recipient, prepares their students for success with a "rigorous curriculum that combines academics with hands-on experience, in school and in the workplace, through internships and cooperative education jobs". 

Jovan has chosen to take the Electro-Mechanical and Mechanical Assembly trade. I have to admit that I wanted him to take a trade in the medical field, but I will back him up 100% in whatever he chooses to do. Because I know that whatever path he decides to take, whatever journey life takes him through, he will succeed.

Meanwhile, I will continue to keep my eyes open, to cherish all the new experiences, because at this rate, the next four years will go by...fast! 

Julissa's First Time in Camp

A couple of months ago, I was planning my boys' week long camping trip to Wisconsin, with the Pathfinder Club, when it occurred to me that I should also send Julissa to camp as well. 
Julissa is still too young to join the Pathfinders Club (a Seventh Day Adventist based club for kids and teenagers) and was feeling a little left out about the boys' trip, so to make up for it I signed her up for a week at Camp Winnekeag. 

Yesterday was the big day! 



On our drive to the camp she was super nervous and asking tons of questions;

J: What are you going to do while I'm at camp?
Me: Nothing, just the usual stuff - work, etc., why?
J: Because I don't want you to do anything fun without me. I mean, you can go for ice cream or the park, but nothing major.

Of course she doesn't want to miss out on anything, she's been like that since day one. She cracks me up!

 All her worries and nervousness started to fade away as we walked through the gates of the camp; there were counselors standing outside the cabins cheering and welcoming the kids as they walked through, which made her all happy and excited...

Waiting to get checked in...

Getting medically cleared..

Julissa's counselor was out sick for a couple of days, so she was placed with two other counselors for the first couple of days. Tess was her counselor Sunday. How lucky of her to have not one or tow, but three counselors!

After the registration and medical clearance, we walked over to her cabin 

- the Cherokee - which has an amazing view of the lake.

She was super excited to get the there early because she wanted the top bunk, which she got :).

We said our goodbye's and I walked out...fast. 

Walking through those gates and leaving my baby behind for a full week, without communication, was one of the hardest things ever! But I want my daughter (and my boys) to experience a world out there, to make their own traditions and memories, to have fun without being held back. I will miss her and it's not easy to let go, but it'll all be worth it.

So here's to the start of new traditions, experiences and memories...

Jovan's Eighth Grade Graduation

Jovan's Eighth Grade Graduation

This past Monday, Jovan graduated from eighth grade! 

Words cannot describe how proud I am of all he has accomplished in the last few years. He has grown into a handsome, responsible and caring young man. 

This week has been an emotional roller coaster for me; I don't know where time has gone! My "baby", my first born, is spreading his wings and growing into the young man I envisioned him to be, but it still feels like everything is happening too fast. 

Leaving Seven Hills Charter School is a big step for Jovan...and us! He has attended this school since Kindergarten. Leaving this place feels like he's leaving family behind. This school is all he's ever known, teachers that have seen him grow and friends that have grown alongside him from kindergarten through eighth grade — family. 

At the ceremony Mr. Fanfan, one of Jovan's previous teachers, gave a moving speech about changes; about being afraid of changes, but overcoming those fears, moving forward, having faith in themselves and succeeding in reaching their desired goals.

The entire time I was tearing up, it took all of me to keep from shedding any tears...until Jovan gave me this note, along with a carnation :').

After the ceremony, we went outside to take some pictures with the family. 

Jovan was eager to drop everything and leave and refused to go back to take pictures with friends and teachers (he's such a boy lol!), but I was able to sneak a picture with his previous math teacher, Ms. Stimpson. 

With his siblings, Abdiel, Adrián and Julissa.

My brother, Kevin joined us at Jovan's graduation, after working a 16-hour shift in the ER, along with his beautiful wife and daughter, Juliana and Amaya. 

Kevin is that sort of uncle, the one who is there for his niece and nephews and would sacrifice all the sleep in the world to be there rooting for them.

My mother, and sister, Chassandra were also there with my nephew, Julian. 

Our beautiful family...

...and us!

Son, we are so proud of you! We know that you will fly high and you will do great things. You will succeed. We are ready and buckled up tight, because the next four years are going to be quite a ride, but your Dad and I are already rooting for you, side by side. 

Whatever path you decide to take, we will back you up 100% . 

This is our promise. 

Julissa's 9th Spa Birthday Party

Julissa's 9th Spa-Themed Birthday Party

 

Julissa's spa 9th birthday party was a true success! She had most of her closest friends here with her and the girls really enjoyed it.

Although nothing came out quite the way I envisioned it, it was a really nice party and the girls all had a ton of fun.

We sent the boys off to the movies to watch Godzilla  ("the best movie ever!", according to them), so that the girls could have the house all to themselves. The party was initially a sleepover spa party, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the sleepover part couldn't happen. Julissa was very understanding of the last minute changes, and so the party went from being a sleepover party to a late Friday night Spa Party.

I left work a few hours early and my Mom came to help me make the cake and prepare the house for the party. We made a nail polish birthday cake. It was a fondant cake, our second one ever. We made the fondant out of a marshmallow recipe we found online a couple of months ago. It tastes much better than the store bought stuff. Here's the final product our nail polish bottle fondant cake:



It didn't come out the way I had envisioned it, but it's not too shabby for our second time working with fondant :). I am sure I will get to practice more in the future and get better.

I still had the girls come in their pajamas so they could still have that sleepover feel. As each of them walked in the door, they seemed so ready to get all pampered- they just couldn't hide their excitement and their squealing voices gave them away. It was super cute to watch!

We did some pedicures and facials and had some punch...









Before we knew it, it was time to sing to Julissa and cut the cake. Time does fly when you're having fun!

Julissa was so happy, I couldn't stand it! And throughout the the night, some of the girls mentioned what an awesome party this was and how much fun they were having. I guess you can call that a successful party!

 Happy 9th birthday, my princess. Can Someone stop time, now?