Art Festival Winners!!

We are so excited to announce that we have two first place winners form the CCS Art Festival!!

Can I get a Woo Woo!!

Which means not only did my Sam and Serafina take first place but their art will be heading down to Lancaster for a regional competition!   We are just so proud and excited.


What is their art you ask?

Well they dyed silks.

For Chirstmas presents this year my mom taught the kids how to dye silks.  They had so much fun designing and making them that when the art festival came around they both decided to do silks.

The theme of the festival was "The Works of His Hands."

Sam decide to use his hand prints to create a sun. The colors surrounding are representing outer space and planets. He choose a planetary look because God created them with his hands!!  (Got to love it) One thing he decided to do was not to wet the silk before painting which kept the dye from bleeding together (this creates more of a tie-dye look, Sam didn't want).

With out further ado Sam's Silk:

Serafina took a more girlie approach and decided she wanted to make butterflies and hearts (which you know God create with his hands also).   She too wanted to use her hand prints so she figured out a way to create a butterfly by putting her hands together.  Then she just drew in the hearts and extra butterflies.  She liked the tie-dye look so she choose to wet her silk and mix all her colors up.  


Serafina's Silk:

The kids had so much fun making their silks and now are so excited about their wins!!  Of course they have a very proud Mama.

We can't wait to see how they do at regionals!!

I am not alone.

Did you know I am not the only one with an ADHD child?

And that having an ADHD child does require a different type of parenting.

I know you are all thinking DUH but for me it really has been a revelation.

It is hard to explain.  It is like I embraced the diagnosed but not; oh yeah my son has ADHD but my friends have kids with REAL conditions.  Well ADHD is a real condition.  I can not just send him off to school and expect him to learn.  I have to monitor medication, be in constant communication with his doctor, teachers and tutors, make sure he maintains organization (that I have taught him multiple time), make sure he has a schedule he can function in (ie enough time to complete simple tasks), etc.  We have to work on social acceptable behavior for when we are out and about.  And just allow for a lot of energy.  It can be overwhelming.

We have been doing great limping along, changing things up that don't work, expanding on ones that do but lately I have been feeling like I have been hitting my head against a wall when it comes to his homework/school work.  He is a smart smart kid but can't find the motivation/focus to do the work.  I feel like we have tried thousands of different tactics and then circled backed through them all again for a retry and still: brick wall my head. 

Then I found them, thousands of them all in one spot.

Who?

Moms of ADHD childern

Where?

On a blog of course (why had I not looked earlier.):  a mom's view of ADHD

They have been here this whole time and you know what.....I am not alone.

And you know what....I have been doing the right thing.

And you know what...they had new ideas for me to try.

I feel like I have a breath of fresh air.

I feel like my Sam went to bed happier and more satisfied with his work because his Mom found a new way to attack the school/homework issues.

I am not alone and that feels great!


If you have and ADHD child go take a look at there site, you might just find something new, or just get the feeling that you are doing the right things.

Making the Boring Exciting

For those that don't know my eldest little guy is a bit on the active side, physically and verbally. He is consistently on the go. (OK he does have ADD but I like the term active better!!)

With that said one of the hardest times of the day for me is driving in the car with him. Oh my goodness. Since his body has to be still (Well at least sitting down) it seems like all his energy comes bubbling out verbally, no holds bar. There have been times I have almost wrecked the car when he has screamed out "COW...COW...COW....I see a COW!!!!!!!!!!!" (yes it needed that many explanation points. It seriously drives me nuts. Or he comes up with these stories that go on and on about racing cars on the streets or how rain is made (none of which are true but they are very interesting ideas)

However, thanks to my Mom, I know have a new outlook on my crazy car rides with a very loud boy in the backseat.

We were driving around, with my Mom, and passed a tractor. All of a sudden from the back seat seat we hear.

"TRACTOR, TRACTOR, TRACTOR....MATTEO, LOOK A TRACTOR."

I cringe.

Mom looks an me and says,

"The way you should look at is; when the other kids grow up and are sharing childhood memories they will always remember that there big brother Sam could make the most boring thing in the world exciting!"

That is such a true statement. And now I can appreciate his crazy bouts or random excitement better, I just sit back and smile, thinking he is help making the boring exciting.

(fun side note this picture was in the Santa Barbabra Zoo magazine this month!!)

Speechless

What do you get when your 8-year-old decides to hang on the soap dish during his shower?









I am speechless.

End of the Year

The kids end of the year programs (if you click on the little pictures it will make them big and 3 of them are small videos!

Another free scrapbooking design by Smilebox

Eight-Years-Old

On May 6th Sam turned 8yrs old! I can hardly believe how fast the last few years have sailed by. He is full of energy and loves to learn facts about our world and repeat them over and over. He has found the joy in reading and moved up to a third grade reading level. His other love is books on CD which he checks out at the libary (and mom and dad bought him a couple more for his birthday). His current favorite activity is attending Awanas at our church! We are so proud of the young (extremly active) man he is becoming.

In an effort to not let his birthday be lost amongst the hoopla a new baby brings I decided that a birthday at a bowling alley, or gymnastic (where they do all the work) would be the best bet. So I gave him a few options and he chose our local ice cream parlor Doc Bernstein!! I booked it before the baby and then on the day of simply had to show up with the camera. So easy and it was one of the best parties! They definitely know how to bring the birthday excitement. Sam had a great time and I believe he felt properly celebrated. They played games, made balloon animals, got there ice cream served out of freight cars, ate pizza and every child went home with a very cool gift bag in the shape of an ice cream cone.

Happy Birthday Sam, we love you!!



Limbo was a major highlight:

When it got to low, they just pulled each other through!

The Proud Parent

Let me take a moment to be the proud beaming parent.

First:

My Samuel: The sweetest kid with the biggest heart. Has been struggling in math this year. Many a tear has been shed over math. About 3-4 wk ago we hired a good friend Janice to help tutor him and just this week got a beaming e-mail from the teacher about what a positive change she has seen in Sam. He is paying better attention and is actively participating in class and answering questions. I just couldn't be happier for the little guy he is finally experiencing the great joy of learning and understanding. Then today I went on a field trip with his class and again my heart beamed with pride. Sam was the picture of a perfect Angel on the trip. He was polite, listened to the Docent, asked questions (appropriate ones) and answered them. While on the other hand I wanted to medicate a few of the other boys (if you know what I mean). We have had so may struggles in the past and to get a chance to see him excelling and growing up is just such a wonderful thing. He is becoming such a great little Man!

Second:

My Serafina: The most active, non-stop four-year-old has been loving gymnastics. And well as a gymnast who quit at 10 and regretted it as a 16-20yr old. I try not hard not to live vicariously through her. But this week the coach approached me and said Serafina is ready to move up to the next class and would like her to be evaluated for the instructor approval class instead of just putting her in recreational gymnastics. I really...really tried hard not to be over excited about this. She tried the class on Wednesday and well she was approved. Again...I told myself be calm this is Serafina's life. And to my under happiness Serafina too loved the class and wants to go with, I know she is four but it feels great to have your kid do well in something they love. Now don't get worried about me I don't have her signed up for the 2020 or 2024 Olympics or anything ......but you never know (I am allowed to have my fingers crossed behind my back right?)

Now I am done bragging about my kids......

Sorry Matteo, the only news on him was he started hitting in his toddler class. I can't brag about that, next time bud!

*Update*

Our good friend Rob (owner of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad) made such a good point on my face book page that I had to add it to this blog post, enjoy:

Rob Himoto Hey Tracy, just read your blog, there is a lot to be proud of Matteo this week. He recognizes boxcars on sidings, as an engineer knows how to negotiate meets on single track, understands railroading is a 24 hour a day job as he wants to keep working on his trains past his bedtime, and as a major shareholder had to take care of some of the kids in his toddler class that want to make bike paths on our railroad right of way!

Head Stiches

There is nothing like a a few head stitches to make a Wednesday exciting.

Yes head stitches.

I had just laid Matteo and Serafina down for a little nap and was getting started with a few household chores when my cell rings.....then the house phone rings....huh....

Retrieve the message only to find the school nurse reporting that Sam has a head injury that needs should be looked at by a doctor. Of course.

Call back the school..find out it is a cut they think might need stitches so he is just working in the office till I get there.

Call Noni..."please watch my little children so that I can take Sam to the doctor." Noni -"No problem I am having Lunch at Cafe Roma just drop them off there and they can run errands with me and Robob." (Oh yes it is raining.) What do you give a Noni who is willing to run errands in the rain with 2 small children and my 80yr old grandfather!!

Pick up Sam and oh my gosh....two inch long gash in the side of head.

Call our pediatrician he says come on in.... an hour later Sam has 5 stitches in his head. The pediatrician said it was quite the gash but not to worry he saw the bone and there are no cracks! That was reassuring.

All in all it turned out great. Sam got out of school a little early and a huge cookie so I don't think he is to bummed. He was also a very brave guy, hardly shed a tear.

My only last thought for the day was....

We are going to have THREE boys!!

The boy, his cookie and his stitches (on Sam's left the bloody area of hair.) Please note the blood on the shirt! Oh my gosh...(and yes I am pointing it out to the world!)

Complete!

Today Sam's adoption was finalized!! We couldn't be happier. It was a long haul getting here but we are so excited that nothing can take him away now. He is now Samuel Regusci! We had a great day we arrived at the court at 10:30 and went before the judge just a little before 11:00. She asked Matt and I a few question and then pronounced him from here on out our little guy. Our whole family was there including Robob, Nana, Gramps (Don) and Nana Zoe. The judge then gave all 3 kids a beenie baby which they thought was the coolest thing in the world. They still haven't set them down. Afterwards we had a celebratory lunch at CPK. Now everyone is napping. What an awsome day!!

Waiting outside the court.

More waiting, oh and the security guards at the door gave the kids the sherif badges!! I think going through the metal detectors was jsut about the coolest thing.

In court, listening to the Judge.

And it is finalized, and the kids pciked out there beenie.

Everyone.

The Regusci 5 (well 5 and nut).

First Day of School

Today we packed backpacks and lunch boxes and sent all three kids off to school. Sam started 2nd grade, Serafina pre-k and Matteo started in the toddler program. Matteo will only be going two days a week (Tuesday and Thrusday). Since all my Matteo sitter decide to go off to college (karlee) I need a place to send him so I could spend Chemo days with my mom! So it was off to the toddler prorgram at The Laurette, he was so excited to be going to the same school as his big brother and sister that he never even looked back to see if we were gone. And to stick with tradition we had to take our back to school pictures as we left the house. Here are a few of my favorites! (I cant believe next year we will have a 4th baby in the picture, and I thought is was hard to get 3 kids looking at the camera and smiling!)