Just Plain Silly

Wow!  The first week of school was an incredibly easy transition for the kiddos.  I was a bit stressed out because my part time teaching gig started the same week.  But the kiddos - they did great!  This week.... well that is another story.  A bit more drama on the kiddos' side and Disco and I are still crazy busy just trying to keep up.  It really should slow down after this week is over.  So we are in "survival mode" for just a few more days. 

The good thing is that even with the busy weeks and transitions around here the kiddos still know how to have fun!  Disco deserves a dad of the year award for his patience as big sis' dance student.  And we have a grand time playing a household-wide game of hide and seek.  We laugh and laugh - especially because Disco is very creative and stumps us each time with his hiding places.  :)

Below you will find pictures of one of the silly things the kiddos dream up around our house.  And yes, they think these things up all by themselves... Love these kids!

Big Kid School 2012

Tonight we got everyone ready to return to school.  Forms are signed, bags are packed, lunches prepared, clothes set out, and kids in bed.  Little man fell right to sleep.  Big sis is a bit too excited and took longer to settle.  I have no doubt this week will be a little stressful as we all adjust to the new schedule.  But for now the house is quiet and we all anticipate a wonderful school year!  Little man has asked us all week "Is tomorrow a school day?" and he told me "I'm not even going to cry on my first day."  Can't say the same for his mommy....

Here are the kiddos in Disco's white shirt - we plan to take a picture each year to show how much they have grown.  Big sis has one from the night before Kindergarten and now 1st grade.  Little man's picture from the night before Pre-K is his first one.  Off we go!

The Night Before Kindergarten 2011

The Night Before 1st Grade 2012

The Night Before Pre-K 2012

Summer 2012

I didn't really intend to take another blogging break.  But it happened anyway.  Although I think it was for a really good reason - taking time for FUN!  This summer I was still facing a limited amount of vacation time after changing jobs in the spring.  So my supervisor was kind enough to let me work an adjusted work week for the majority of the summer - 4 long days at work with 3 day weekends.  It was a little tiring but worth the extra time with the kids and the ability to take weekend "mini-vacations."  So I went to Boston to visit my BFF from college, we took a trip to Dallas to visit friends, and then we took a trip to a condo at the lake.  We also had Uncle Scott visit us for a weekend.  And many "staycations" where all we did was lounge around the house or go swimming. 

This fall will be busy again because I agreed to teach another semester in addition to working the new job.  But I am going to take time to blog at least once a week.  Maybe I will try out a new format for my posts....At the very least I am not going to worry about "catching up" anymore.  The kiddos have plenty of memories documented on this blog.  And there will be more to come.  :)

Mother's Day

Mother's day (May 13) was special around our house because of the excitement from big sis!  She had secret gifts and plans that she just couldn't wait to tell me.  It was quite cute!  Little man and big sis lavished me with an abundance of homemade gifts and a great gift card.  I have a feeling Disco helped a bit with the decision for the gift card :)

For the 2-3 weeks big sis was making her Mother's day plans, we all got to watch robins build a nest and raise 3 young robins right on our porch.  Momma robin was the most prominent member but once the babies hatched we saw daddy robin quite a bit too.  Our kiddos enjoyed learning about the birds and watching the baby robins eat worms - we heard a lot of "ewww" and "yuck" followed by giggles.  Not long after our own Mother's Day past all the baby robins left the nest.  We didn't get to see them take off from the nest and I know that can be tricky at times.  But I choose to believe they all safely made it during their first flight. 

The whole process was another gentle reminder to slow down a bit and enjoy our own "babies" at home while we can!

Best After School Activity . . . Ever!

I volunteered/worked at Camp Aldersgate from junior high through college.  Aldersgate runs several summer camps for children with special needs. I have to say I might have been "leading" groups of youngsters while I was there but they taught me more about life than any other experience.  Another great thing about working there was that I met so many future health care workers, teachers, and community leaders - some of whom I still call friends.  :)

It was one of those friends who hooked us up with a tour of Angel One, the med-flight helicopter for our local children's hospital.  It all started when I randomly posted on Facebook that little man wanted to ride on a helicopter because he thought they were cool.  One of the Aldersgate alums is a nurse that works on Angel One and he set up a time the NEXT DAY for the kiddos to check it out!  I was thrilled!  The kiddos were thrilled!  And it was the best after school activity . . . ever!

Annoying Neighbor

This young woman has set up residence at the back of our property.  Not only is she destroying our rock wall by expanding her home but she is RAISING HER FAMILY there as well!  We have 4 groundhogs living in our yard.  Heaven help our garden this year!  As Disco contemplates his assault on our furry neighbors I hear the voice of Kenny Loggins singing "I'm alright, nobody worry 'bout me. Why you got to gimme a fight? Can't you just let it be?"

Zoo Field Trip

Little man's class took a field trip to the zoo in April.  I think I was as excited about the field trip as little man was!  His first big field trip to the pumpkin patch was cancelled due to weather last fall so I knew he was due a "big boy" trip.  It was a fun day with beautiful weather and a whole lot of enthusiastic kiddos.  I spent my morning at the field trip and then Disco joined little man for lunch. 

The whole class stuck together throughout the park.  They are such a sweet group of kiddos - they were so cute pointing out animals to each other and making sure everyone kept up together.  Love me some 3-4 year olds!  I'm definitely going to miss the kids and parents from his class when little man moves up to pre-k this fall.