Not sure which this is - Angel Benjy or Benjy.
Lately, Angel Benjy has popped into our lives more and more. Today Benjy said he was on the roof of the van. "Boom Boom Boom," Benjy said. "He's stomping." "Swish," Benjy says. "He's jumping." "Chchchch, he's here!"

Good news for this hump day:
I don't have glaucoma, says the eye doc. I had a follow-up appt from a couple of weeks ago when my eye pressure was a bit elevated. So I had a series of tests today that showed everything to be A-OK. And the greatest thing of all - no dilation!!!!!!

I attended an awesome seminar on Monday and Tuesday on differentiating instruction in the classroom. With so many kids on different levels of instruction, it's hard to justify teaching them all in the same way. And we shouldn't be doing that anyhow. This workshop was led by a dynamic presenter - interesting, relavant, and fun. And the meals were excellent!

Camden brought his reading book home yesterday and read every single story in it. Wow. So awesome to hear him READ.

Our Wednesday night Food for Faith at church began the series Defending Your Faith. This is amazing. It's an honest-to-goodness method for defending Christianity to nonbelievers. Not an in-your-face belittling strategy, but a real way to engage people in discussing what they actually BELIEVE when they challenge our faith. After one night I know that I'd rather avoid all confrontations. But I also know that I can learn to handle opposition to my Christianity. I can defend it. And I owe it to Jesus to do just that.

Bad blogger.
Bad.
Bad.
Bad blogger.
Benjy has a new imaginary friend: Angel Benjy.
Angel Benjy plays Star Wars. He splashes in the tub with Benjy. He hangs out in the van when the rest of us have already made our way into the house, hung up our coats, and settled down with after-school snacks. Angle Benjy goes to time out. A lot. He allegedly makes messes in the real life Benjy's room. Angel Benjy is real life Benjy's new best friend.
"Where is Angel Benjy?" I ask.
"Ooooooooh... he's out in the snow," the real Benjy answers thoughtfully.
"Is he cold?"
"Yes. It's brrrrr cold."
"Does he want to come in?" I ask.
"No, not yet."
Angel Benjy. He's like Super Man around here.

I think I totally forgot to post about Camden's karate tournament a couple of weeks ago. He did fabulous! (of course)
He scored three medals - one for Black Belt Attitude, one for Listening (my son??????) and one for Powerful, Sharp Knifehand Strikes. Wooohooooooo! He was so proud. And so were we. Benjy, too. And Emma, as you see here, wearing Camden's three medals. Probably not her desire, but with some bling around her neck nonetheless. :)

Wow, what a sense of accomplishment. I have sorted, tossed, and organized toys in both the basement and the playroom. And it feels so good to walk into those rooms and survey my handiwork. Yesterday it was painting. Today it was cleaning. Who knows what tomorrow brings.



These pix are blurry, but in real life the layouts are not. I managed to accomplish some scrapbooking this week. Funny how when I'm sick I'm super uber motivated to create.

This the painting/collage I made yesterday between coughing fits.
It's inspired by Claudine Hellmuth. Heck, it's a total lift of one of her pieces. She is just so darn awesome. I am so happy with my first collage piece. It's hanging in my kitchen smiling at me. :)