A Bunch of Little Things...

NOTE: Check the blog button everyday to enter to win prizes:)
So I added this button from this blog linking to the above website because I would like to get in on the possible prizes (it's all about me, you know:)

I am not an artistic person but I consider myself creative. As in, I find creative ways to accomplish what I need to do (I had to make a poster for Sunday School Registration the problem is that I can barely write in a straight line... the solution? Using Microsoft Word to print out in cool fonts and colors the letters for the sign and then cutting and pasting those letters onto my posterboard... that's the creative part of me... but it is definitely not artistic:)

Paul and Big P are on their very first real backpacking trip. It's just one night but they are hiking in and camping and then maybe doing some fishing. I am very excited for my big boy. So that leaves me home for one night with Little P:) We are going to go to the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest with Yiayia and Pappous. I remember going to Mt. Angel with my grandparents when I was a child. It was always a fun trip. I hope to maybe come across some peaches, blueberries, and/or blackberries along the way. I need to finish up my canning (I already have 12 jars of raspberry jam done... well, actually, 11 now because I gave one to my very good blogging friend Mimi when I saw her yesterday at the baptism for Baby Suzy, Katie's baby). I want to make jelly with the blueberries and blackberries. The peaches I would like to can, cut in half or quarters. I love canning. My maternal grandma did lots of canning. So I feel like I am carrying on a tradition from her. If I do not find the peaches/berries on the trip to Mt. Angel, then I am heading with the boys to Sauvie's Island one afternoon this week.

Last night we went out to The Mississippi Pizza Pub for dinner because they have Gluten Free Pizza and Gluten Free Beer on their menu. The GF Pizza was awesome (I have made GF pizza at home but it is a bit more time consuming to make than regular pizza so it is nice to have someone else do the work). They had a band playing music last night and the kids loved it! One other great thing is that it is about 5 miles from our house. We will probably go back there for some special occasions in the future:) Pizza is one of those foods that Paul really misses now that he is Gluten Free.

Also, another GF shout out to this amazing Gluten Free bakery conveniently located next door to Trader Joe's in NW Portland! It's called New Cascadia Traditional. Their Portland sourdough is awesome. I buy it, cut it up, and freeze it right away. Then, when we are having GF pasta or some bean soup I just pull a few slices out of the freezer and warm them in the oven or lightly toast them for Paul and he is his own French bread!

To completely change the topic this week is the first week of school. I am a bit worried/concerned about Big P and our decision to keep in Montessori rather than putting him in the K-1st grade class. I think that I am just worried because it is my job to be worried. But I also think (after having a very wonderful chat with a great friend today at church) that I would be more worried/concerned about him constantly (as in throughout the year) if I put him in the K-1 class. I know he can do Montessori and I know he is successful at it. His teacher knows my concern and there is always the possibility that he might just move into the K-1 class anyway. I just need to not "worry" about it because in the grand scheme of things, this is very small:) But, as I already wrote, I just need to constantly have something to worry about:)

I also have decided that instead of Big P playing soccer this fall, he is going to start swim lessons. He was deathly afraid of swimming pools (he has always loved his bathtime) until about three months ago. We have been going to the swimming pool for family swim once a week. I have taught him to hold his breath underwater and to swim using a kickboard. He is definitely ready to have some lessons. And I am going to sign up for lessons with Little P. He is not afraid of water at all which scares me a little as he has no fear (that's his general attitude towards life... I believe it is a second child trait). I have declared this year the year of swimming lessons. Maybe next year we will add soccer, but it is very important to me that our children know how to swim (I was a fish when I was younger... I loved swimming and I was good at it).

Big P's other major accomplishment this summer is riding his bike. He still has training wheels, but he rides his bike when we go swimming or go to the library. We bought him this bike for his 5th birthday and he hated it. Did not want to ride it at all (he is small and his feet barely touched the pedals). This summer he has been riding everywhere.

It seems as if Big P is always just a little behind his peers in accomplishing these things (swimming, bike riding, etc.). I know that he is going at his own pace and that he is smart and talented in his own ways, but I guess that's why I should keep him in the Montessori program for another year; let him have the opportunity to catch up with everyone else (he struggles with his fine motor skills... he is in occupational therapy during the summertime... he is also in vision therapy because his eyes do not track properly). This summer I have seen him accomplish so much but I guess I have to be careful of pushing him. As a teacher and a lover of learning, I just want my children to love school and to love learning (he does love school and learning). As a first born child, I have to be careful to not push him too far and destroy that love of school and learning. I am thinking about buying the "Handwriting without Tears" program for him to use at home (he is using it in OT and is doing really well with it).

I think I have posted way more than anyone wants to read. If you made it all the way to this last line, I thank you for reading.