No Stabilizers!

The Challenge group (grades 7th-12th, though our group only has 7th and 10th graders) from Classical Conversations took a field trip to the Fox Theater in Atlanta to see the Phantom of the Opera. The girls looked so beautiful and grown up! Skylar was in awe of her experience. She would go on and on talking for hours about the opera, the story, the music, and the chandelier. I'm so glad that she was able to have this opportunity to experience the opera with her friends.

March 2nd

Skylar, Somer, Maddie, and Presley

7th grade CC girls

While Skylar was away in Atlanta, we were surprised to find new visitors in our yard, 2 male peacocks! We had no idea where they came from. We checked in with a few neighbors and they didn't know either. I was delighted to have them. I had been begging Mitch for peacocks, but he told me they were too expensive of a pet for us just to admire in the yard. They stuck around for about 3 days before a neighbor would come looking for them. I'm glad he found them, because I knew that if I had bought and raised these peacocks as he did, that I would of course want to enjoy them for myself in my own yard. This was a good opportunity for us to get to know another neighbor whose family is around the same age as ours, with a son close to Maddox's age and another son close to Josiah's age. He collected his peacocks and left, but a few days later the peacocks returned and they haven't left yet. I still don't mind my visitors (as long as they don't poop on my porch!). I love watching them strut around the yard with their beautiful feathers. Our neighbor let us know that they're only 9 months old, and it turns out that peacocks don't mature and get their long train feathers until they're 2 or 3 years old. 

Big news this month! Mason has learned how to ride a bike without training wheels (or stabilizers as he likes to call them! lol). Mitch and I were enjoying a Sunday evening on the front porch, watching all 4 kids play and ride their bikes. I casually mentioned to Mitch that one day soon we would have to teach Mason how to ride without his training wheels. Mitch, still motivated to get things done after working in the yard all afternoon, said lets take off the training wheels now! Wait, what?!?! Just because I suggested it, didn't mean I was ready to teach him now. What if Mason wasn't ready? and even though Mitch was gung ho about taking off the stabilizers, I would be the one who had to train him once Mitch was away at work, I would be the one who would have to hold on to and help balance a frustrated 5 year old everyday while he tried to figure out how to ride his bike with only 2 wheels. But Mitch ignored my protest and took the wheels off anyways. Mason was bouncing with excitement, ready to ride his bike like a big boy, like his big brother Maddox with only 2 wheels, no stabilizers. I sat on the porch to watch Mitch give the first lesson. I figured that he could at least tackle the first day...I would have the days to follow. But Mason blew us all away when he took his bike from his dad and hopped on and took off like he already knew what he was doing! I squealed with excitement for him. Easiest lesson ever, I thought! He couldn't figure out how to stop without falling off, but he was too excited to get frustrated. After his first go, he would wobble and struggle to find his balance, so I would hold on to the back of his seat while he tried to figure out his foot placement on the peddle and then he would take off again. Within just a few short days he figured out how to stop himself without crashing and how to get on and off all by himself. It still blows me away to see him riding with just 2 wheels around the yard.

March 5th

March 11th

March 14th

Mason is still enjoying his piano lessons! and the opportunity to bang on some drums :)