What....

Do you think he is doing? Any idea? When I asked him he didn't know either. I saw him headed outside with the twine but didn't think too much of it. He is a boy and loves to spent time outside, build, create and use his imagination.
In fact, I think his favorite present he ever received was the one from Grandma Smith that was a box full of different kids of tape, paper, scissors, rope, string, straws, etc, etc.
When I saw what he was doing today, though I did a double take and had to take a picture!

Preschool...sort of!

Brenna and Braelynn started a preschool co-op today. Nothing big, just one day a week. Five little girls. They were so excited, they wouldn't hold still for a cute picture.
Braelynn was confused. When the older kids started school, she wanted to go, too, so I told her when she was five she could go to school. Then we formed this "school" but she wasn't five yet. After a little bit of explaining she was fine with it.
They had a ton of fun and are looking forward to next week.
My personal triumph today? Not wanting to spend too much money on backpacks and finding two of the last three girl backpacks around for 70% off! Spending $5.00 for two backpacks, one Dora and one Tinkerbell. That made all three of us happy!

We Are Ready For Some Football!!!

It is that time of year again. Football time. This is his second year playing tackle football. Last year I really fought it, just wanted him to do flag football for a few more years. Then I decided that if that was really what he wanted, then I could probably do more harm holding him back then letting him play.
He loves it. Loves it more than I can tell you. I love to see him so passionate about something. I love to watch him and Joe practice together, discuss together, be excited about it together. Just one more strand in that bond that is woven so tight between those two.
I didn't get very good pictures. I was gone all morning doing luncheons and some other responsibilities that I couldn't get out of so I was there just in time for the game to start and was busy keeping two tired-without naps-hot-cranky three year olds entertained by myself. They had already been sitting there with Joe for an hour and a half before the game started and then once I got there he went down to help run the chains for the game. Maybe next time the day will go more smoothly and I can get some video or something...maybe!.!

New Picture

I just had to post this family picture we had taken by Joe's brother (Inspirational Photography). I think my kids are just cutest ever!

Separation Anxiety?

We tried...we really tried. We know it is important for each of our kids to have time away one-on-one with each of their parents and we really do try to make sure we do that as much as possible with the older kids although it doesn't happen as much as we would like.
I guess with Brenna and Braelynn we really haven't done that good with them. On Friday Braelynn decided she wanted to take her nap in my bed. Fine with me. Brenna hates sleeping in my bed and wanted to sleep in hers. Fine until Brenna realized that Braelynn wasn't sleeping with her. Poor Brenna was so sad she cried herself to sleep and has every day for nap time since. We are making progress, though. She only cried for Braelynn to come sleep with for a few minutes today.
At least we know she loves her sister, right?

Oh, Sweet!

It's time...we have been waiting anxiously for our first peaches off of our tree to ripen and now they are ripe! Hooray!
Brenna just couldn't wait to eat hers, as you can see in the picture. She had it polished off and asked for another one in no time!

That's All, Folks!

Well, summer vacation for us is officially over. Good-bye late nights and sleeping in. No more friends all day and picnics in the park.
Hello early bedtime and schedule.
It was fun while it lasted, but it will be nice to again have order and a routine.
Samantha claimed she wasn't really excited but was up and dressed waaaay before she needed to be and couldn't sit still all morning...hmmmm, sounds excited to me. Her day went well. She has a lot of her friends in her class and the best 3rd grade teacher around (Except, I am sure, her grandma!) and made a new friend today.
She was relieved that most of her bruises on her forehead were fading thanks to an encounter with a step stool.

Tyler (4th grade) was scared to death and very nervous, no surprise there. Things like that are hard for him. He had a great day though, I have never seen him so excited after the first day of school. We didn't know his teacher before and he really likes her, it should be a great year for him. Probably the worst part of the whole day was having his picture taken before school.

Veronica was pretty excited about entering 7th grade until back to school night when she realized that her lunch hour was changed when we had to change her schedule to allow for orchestra which meant she didn't have lunch with most of her friends and the fact that there was a mix-up with meeting the teachers. That's when the nerves (and drama!) kicked in but she also had a great day and has a lot of neat classes.

Looking at their pictures I can't believe how grown-up they look. I am so lucky to have good kids who try to make good choices and who behave so well at school and are such good students.