Time MARCHes On

How on earth is it the last day of March??!! Once again, we packed the month full and have many wonderful memories and experiences to show for it.

Max has been taking a Lego Robotics class at Arrow
this year, and he was excited to get to show off for us.

Ruth participated in a number of track meets this month,
mostly in cold and/or wet weather.

Max got to go on his first Boy Scout campout.
But, first, he and his patrol had to practice pitching the tent.

Max and Clay got to go on a field trip to the Sci-Tech Museum in Frisco.

We discovered Bumbershoot Barbeque in Argyle.
It's a food truck with an amazing outdoor area that's fun for kids and adults.

Clay got to be an only child for a weekend, so we visited the Crayola Experience,
which was just perfect for this sweet little artist!

Jeff finally made it onto the official register for the State department!

Weston participated in a three-day speech and debate tournament.
He advanced to finals in impromptu speaking and ultimately won 6th place.
He and his debate partner also advanced to finals in their debate division and won 2nd.
And, Weston won 1st place as overall best debate speaker for his division.
We are so incredibly proud of him!

Ruth made a delicious chocolate pie for our Pi Day celebration!

The boys worked for days with their friends to build a fort in the woods near our house.
They were super proud of it and even invited me to come visit!

We had an awesome St. Patrick's Day cookout with some new friends!

Clay got to go hiking with his Wolf Den.

Ruth achieved the CAP rank of Senior Master Sergeant.
She also got to attend two leadership camps--one as a participant and one as staff.

Baseball season has started, and Max is loving it!

I published my sixth Geography Explorer book.

Max and Clay had their first natural science classes at LLELA.

"Wow, Mom, you made two things this week with spinach that were actually good!"
(Documenting in case anyone tries to come back to me and tell me they don't like spinach!)

While the other kids were tied up with various activities, Jeff and I took Clay
to the used book sale at the library. He was in heaven! (And so were we!)

It's been so fun watching our tulips grow this month!

Our little pastry chef has been keeping us supplied with sweets!

Weston participated in PSIA again this year.
He won 4th in Mathematics, 2nd in Modern Oratory,
and 1st in Number Sense. He advanced to State in those last two.

One of Weston's bucket list items was to have a chicken taste test.
We thought it was the perfect way to celebrate his PSIA victories.

Eleven

Dear Weston,

It seems so odd to say that you are 11, but 11 you are. You have changed so much in the last year--in your physical appearance as well as your overall maturity--and I can truly tell you are starting to leave some of the trappings of childhood behind as you stretch towards manhood. You have grown taller and thinner in the last year, and you've decided to start wearing your hair longer, because you determined a buzz was a haircut for younger kids. On a recent grocery shopping trip, I spied a man out of the corner of my eye coming up the aisle beside me. I tried to ease out of his way, but when he kept coming toward me, I took a closer look and realized it was you all along. It was a shock to register my mistake because I still sometimes think of you as my little boy, as mothers are wont to do I suppose.

You loved our RTW trip and often talk about things you enjoyed or observed while we were traveling. You definitely have the travel bug and are willing to go just about anywhere...when it isn't football season! You even came up with the term "awaysick" to describe your wanderlust. We'll be doing some traveling in the U. S. next summer, and you are really looking forward to it and are already helping us plan some of our stops.

Speaking of football, that is still your overriding passion. You were fortunate to get onto a great team this fall, where you were encouraged to push yourself harder than you have before. But you were rewarded with the opportunity to play both defense and offense in every game, and you helped your team out with everything from sacking quarterbacks to scoring touchdowns. Not only was your team undefeated in the regular season, but it was also never even scored upon until the championship game, where you suffered a heartbreaking one-touchdown loss in overtime. You and your team worked so hard this season, and your progress as an athlete was observable even to my untrained eye. You are so excited that we now live in a place that has a spring football season as well as a fall season, and you are gearing up to play again in a couple of months.

You are kind of obsessed with logic, having entered an early stage of dialectic learning, and you are enjoying doing logic puzzles and studying logical fallacies in school this year. You also love to point these fallacies out in discussions with those around you, and I'm pretty sure you would be willing to argue with a fence post. I'll admit, sometimes this is maddening for your parents and siblings, but it's also super cool to watch you learning how to use some great tools that will help you better process information and learn to make more of your own decisions. As far as other school subjects go, you still love and excel at math. You are even planning to participate in two different PSIA math contests in the spring. Probably the most surprising class you are enjoying is writing, as this has been your nemesis in the past. You are loving the structure of the IEW program we are using in our CC Essentials class and are especially enthralled with the awesome application of alliterations. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

Despite the proclivity to argue about just about anything, you are still a very sweet guy. You are always quick to give hugs, generous with compliments, and careful to show appreciation for gifts and kindnesses. You are thoughtful and sensitive and an all around nice guy. You also love to tell jokes and to make others laugh, which, combined with your sweet, fun-loving nature, makes you loads of fun to be around.

We happened to be at the ranch on your birthday, and you were beyond thrilled that you got to shoot both a turkey and a buck on your special day. Throughout the course of the weekend you also shot a couple of dove, a quail, and a skunk, though this last was not exactly a hunter's delight. You love being outdoors and certainly don't mind getting your hands (or shirt or anything else) dirty to stock the freezer. Clearly, Dad and I chose wisely when we decided to get you a grill for your birthday.

Weston, I am so very proud of you and the young man you are becoming. You are smart, sweet, funny, handsome, hardworking, and curious about the world around you. It is a joy to have you in our lives, and we are so thankful for you! May this next year be filled with millions of happy moments for you, and may you continue to grow into your awesomeness! I love you so much!

Love,
Mom

Double Digits

Dear Weston,

It's your 10th birthday, which is so very hard for me to believe! It doesn't seem that long ago that you were just a little boy. Now, you are a young man. This year, your birthday falls on Thanksgiving, and we are certainly thankful for you. You are smart and funny and talented in so many ways. You fill our days with joy and make us so proud. You are rough-and-tumble, but also sensitive and thoughtful. You are a hard worker, but you also love to relax and have a good time. You are the best of everything!

We are currently traveling around the world, and you have eagerly and enthusiastically embraced all of the new situations and experiences we have encountered. You always look forward to trying the local cuisine, no matter how ridiculous or unusual it seems, and you always try to learn a phrase or two of the local language. You have been most looking forward to our visit to China and have taken it upon yourself to try to learn as much Mandarin as you can before we get there. I have been particularly impressed with the care and attention to detail you show when you practice writing the seemingly complicated characters.

You have also, not surprisingly, been very interested in local sports--both as an observer and player. For your birthday, we gave you tickets to a Rugby World Cup match in Wales, which you thoroughly enjoyed. We also got to see a shinty match in Scotland, which was very interesting and exciting (not to mention, rough). You may have enjoyed that even more than rugby. You have played every sport that has presented itself, with anyone willing to play, on playgrounds and campgrounds throughout Europe, proving not only your athleticism but also your ability to quickly and easily make friends. One group of boys you played football (soccer) with in Wales even came up to Dad and me to tell us what a good "mate" they thought you were. Your true sport love still remains American football, though, and you look forward to watching games (even Aggie games!) when we can get them. And, we were able to get a pro game today, in honor of your birthday, which you were very excited about. You are continuing your tight end training (with a few tweaks to particular localities), as it's possible to do so, while we're on the road. When you are training, you are singularly focused and unquestionably dedicated.

Your love of sports doesn't keep you from also exercising your brain. You are tremendously smart, and it is such a joy to get to participate in your school days and watch your amazing brain in action. You were a CC Memory Master again in the spring, which is such an impressive accomplishment. You also got to go to State in PSIA Storytelling, which was something you had been aspiring to do for a couple of years. You won 6th place and brought home a coveted State medal. You absolutely LOVE Math and look forward to that class above all others. You just recently started the Pre-Algebra book and are thrilled with the new challenges it presents. You also play with numbers and number puzzles all the time and can often be found calculating on some obscure problem, just for fun. You are considering participating in Math Counts when we get back to the States. And, though Math is your true academic love, we have also seen you blossom in many other subjects this year, as well. For instance, you have developed a genuine love of reading and have read all the Percy Jackson and Harry Potter books in the last six months, and you are currently working your way through the Chronicles of Prydain. Honestly, there was a time a few years ago when I didn't know if you would ever read a book purely for your own enjoyment. I'm so glad you have discovered this love and that you have become a such a voracious reader.

You are starting to play around with ideas for your future, and though you don't have any specific plans, you've talked about maybe wanting to work on cancer research or bringing back wooly mammoths, when you're not playing football. You definitely seem to gravitate toward math and science disciplines, at least at this point in your life. I can't wait to watch your passions develop in the next few years. I know that whatever you become, you'll be a great one!

You are a very hard worker and are committed to taking care of business before indulging in pleasure. You make it your goal each day to be the first one up, so that you can knock out a couple of school subjects before the official start of the school day. You also very often get busy working on the dishes after a meal, without being asked. And, sometimes you even volunteer to give Clay a bath. You are very good at looking for ways to help, and we all appreciate that quality in you.

It's hard to put into words how much I love you and how proud I am of you. You are a delight and a treasure, and I'm so thankful to get to do life with you. You make every day more fun and interesting, and you give really great hugs. I hope you have the very best birthday! Double digits looks good on you!

Love,
Mom

Two whole handfuls

A new watch wrapped in coffee filters.
Because that's how we roll in our minimalistic world.

State

Yesterday morning, Jeff and Weston and I headed up to Ft. Worth for the State PSIA contest. We had a celebratory dinner at Medieval Times in Dallas last night, and then Weston competed in his Storytelling contests (prelims and finals) today. Weston got sixth place and represented Watts Homeschool well! We couldn't be prouder of him!

King of the Castle

A royal party

So proud of this boy!

Winner, Winner

I'm taking a break from my packing series, in order to brag on my boy, Weston, who competed in his district PSIA meet today. He had three contests to compete in: Storytelling, Spelling and Math. He did not place in Spelling or Math, but he worked so hard and improved so much this year in both subjects that he certainly has nothing to be ashamed of. In Storytelling, Weston brought home the blue ribbon and advanced to State! The Storytelling contest is a two-step contest, with Prelims and Finals, and then, only the first place winner in the Finals advances to state, so it's all the more special. Weston has been dreaming of going to State and has been working toward that goal for the last couple of years, so we are all beyond thrilled for him and oh so proud!

PSIA Pride

Ruth and Weston competed in their district PSIA meet yesterday. It was a full and fun day, with Ruth competing in five events (On-Site Drawing, Ready Writing, Spelling, Mathematics, and Listening), Weston competing in four (Creative Writing, Storytelling, Spelling, and Mathematics), and Jeff and I judging two contests each. We were some of the first people there and some of the last to leave. Both kids did a fantastic job, and we are so very proud of them!! Weston walked away with the third place ribbon for Storytelling and a couple of qualifying ribbons for Spelling and Writing. Ruth brought home fifth in Listening, fourth in Writing and first place in Spelling, which will allow her to move on to the state competition in Ft. Worth in May.

State

Last night, we celebrated Ruth's qualification for the PSIA State Meet with dinner at Medieval Times restaurant in Dallas, and a fun time was had by all! After dinner, we made our way over to Ft. Worth, where we spent the night, so we could be close to the TCU campus for the contests today. Ruth participated in the Spelling contest and the Vocabulary contest. She didn't place in Spelling, but she got 4th place in Vocabulary, which provided her with another medal for her collection. We are very proud of her!

The princes and princess of the house of Watts

cheering for the red and yellow knight

4th place in Vocabulary

Smarties

Ruth and Weston competed in the District PSIA meet today. This was Weston's first meet, and he competed in Creative Writing and Storytelling. He didn't place in Creative Writing, but he got very wonderful feedback on his story. The Storytelling competition consisted of prelims and finals. Weston won 1st place in the prelims, to advance to the finals, where he won 2nd!

Ruth competed in five events: Ready Writing, Spelling, Vocabulary, Mathematics and Listening Skills. These last three were brand new events for her. She walked away with 5th place in Math, 4th place in Listening, 3rd place in Writing and 1st place in both Spelling and Vocabulary, which will allow her to attend the State meet in May in Ft. Worth!

We are so incredibly proud of these kiddos!

A week with The Watts

Sunday~

• My sister and her family were here in the morning.
• In the afternoon, we went over to Jeff's parents' to visit with them and with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Clay is introduced to corn-on-the-cob

Monday~

• Last day of preschool for Max.
• Martial arts for oldest three kids.
• Last Cub Scout meeting for Weston.

Tuesday~

• Jeff's half-birthday.
• Max's first day of pre-K at home (at his insistence).
• Round Rock Express game.

Take me out to the ballgame

Wednesday~

• Ruth piano lesson.
• Martial arts.
• Teeny, tiny birthday party for Clay with just our immediate family.

A new set of wheels

Thursday~

• Early morning road trip to Belton/Temple.
• Hanging out with Nana and Papa.
• Date night.

Friday~

• Early morning road trip to Dallas/Ft. Worth, without the boys.
• Received early Mother's Day gift: a new camera.
• Shopping with Ruth in an actual mall.
• Lunch at Souper Salad, at Ruth's request.
• Hanging out in the lobby of a hotel we weren't staying in. 
• Dinner at Medieval Times.

Ruth receives a flower from the Yellow Knight

Saturday~

• State PSIA contest at TCU, where Ruth competed in Poetry Interpretation and Ready Writing. (She didn't advance to the finals in Poetry, but she came away with the 2nd place medal for Writing).
• Road trip back to Belton.
• Dinner with my parents, and cupcakes with the birthday boy.
• Road trip back home.

Taking the 2nd place medal for Writing

The birthday boy sharing a cupcake with Nana

Sunday~

• Slept in until 8:30, proving that miracles do still happen.
• Ruth's piano recital.
• Early Mother's Day party with my mom at Fresh and Fruiti.
• Cook-a-thon to restock the fridge for the upcoming week.
• Belated Cinco de Mayo party at home with homemade Mexican food.

Playing "Give Me Oil In My Lamp" for the crowd

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It's off to State we go

Ruth spent the day competing at the district PSIA meet in New Braunfels. Her four events were Ready Writing, Poetry Interpretation, Spelling and Music Memory, and she placed in all of them. She got 2nd in Writing, 1st in Poetry, 4th in Spelling and 5th in Music. Those first two earned her spots in the State competitions in May, in Ft. Worth. She has worked so hard preparing for each of these contests, and we are just so very proud of her!

Taking home the blue for Poetry Interpretation

A story about red-streaked hair earns her a red ribbon

Fourth place in Spelling

Different color ribbon, same beautiful smile!

Published

Remember back in May 2010, when Ruth was the PSIA state champ for Creative Writing? Well, the 2011-2012 PSIA handbook arrived a few days ago, and Ruth's winning story is published there as a teaching tool for others competing in the contest. I'm sure it won't be her last published work, but it is her first, and I'm just so proud! She no longer competes in Creative Writing, but has moved on to Ready Writing. She will also be competing in Music Memory, Spelling and Poetry Interpretation this year. The district meet will be in March, so stay tuned for more PSIA updates in the Spring.

*Click on the photo for a larger, more readable version.

All About Ruth

This weekend was all about Ruth. Jeff and Clay and I took her to Ft. Worth on Friday, where we had a fancy dinner at The Melting Pot to celebrate her advancement to the PSIA state Spelling competition. The contest was on Saturday, so we spent the day at TCU. Ruth didn't place, but she was proud of her performance, and she had a good time. The scores were very close, and we are very proud of Ruth for all her hard work and just for getting to be there.

Yesterday afternoon, all grandparents and a great-aunt and uncle joined us for Ruth's piano recital. This was her first time to play in front of a real audience. She played three songs, and she did great. And, besides that, she looked beautiful! We are just so very proud of her and all her many accomplishments, and we had such a great time celebrating and supporting her this weekend!