Managing Ella

Ella has been one busy little bee as of late.  Thankfully it's all slowing down now.

During January, February, and part of March, she was doing soccer 2 nights a weeks with a game on Saturday, piano lessons on Tuesdays, extra practices for Honor Band, and the Science Fair with her friend Emily, and that was all one top of her regular homework, activity day girls, and seeing her friends for some mental breaks.

I never wanted to be the parent with over-scheduled kids.  But it all ended up at one time of the year.  

Piano, homework and church activities are no option.  They are must haves. 

On Tuesdays, I would pick the girls up from school and drive them to Ft. Wainwright 12 miles north on the Highway for piano lessons.  After lessons, we drove home to pick up Shad and then drove 10 miles South on the Highway to Eielson Airforce Base for soccer.  After soccer, we came home and ate dinner, put the kids in the bathtub and then to bed.  

Thursdays we would eat dinner when the girls got off the bus at 4:00 and then drive to soccer.  After Soccer, we drove straight to the church for the weekday church activities. Then come home, bathe the kids and put them to bed.

Soccer is such a great way to break up the winter with a little running around.  It was harder this year because Ella and Amaya's practices were on different nights of the week.  That made us there 4 nights a week and Shad was a volunteer coach for both teams, so I had to watch Dash.  We didn't all get to exercise like last year.  Alas, I think we will still be doing it again next year.

Honor Band was optional, but Ella wanted very badly to be a part of it.  I explained to her that it would make her that much more busy, but it was her decision.

They sounded pretty good and I could tell, she felt big and proud of herself for it. 

I was proud of her too.

The Science Fair was also optional for 4th graders.  Ella and her best friend at school, Emily wanted to do one together.  Thankfully Emily's mom was the mom that helped.  All I had to do was drop Ella off at their house a few times and she took care of the rest.  Ella and Emily ended up winning a second place ribbon for their efforts.  Their project was how strong eggs are and why.  They experimented by standing on the eggs and counting how many cracked.

Ella's 4th Grade class also entered a project.  They made creme fraiche and talked about the bacteria and cultures.  Ella was the first student in her class that was willing to taste the end result.  She said it was good.

 Now that we are in April, soccer is over, honor band is over and the science fair.  Things are at a normal pace again. No more running here and there and everywhere.  Thankfully.