First Day of Summer Break - 2013

Technically, it's not M's first day of break - last Thursday was her last day - but today was J's first day of break.  To me, it's the first day of summer because the lunch-packing and taxiing about is over for just a little while. 

Today has been such a fun, cool, special day that I wanted to post a quick rundown. 

Here's my Facebook status from mid-afternoon:

Today's Top 5 (and it's not even 5pm):
1) Getting my run in first thing this morning
2) Getting the boy off to camp (big smile from him and no tears from me!)
3) Making orange-mango creamsicles with the girl
4) Chocolate cayenne protein bites in the fridge (recipe from A Foodie Stays Fit)
5) Fun things in the mail from new friends
That's a pretty good start to summer vacation, I think!

I met my best running friend at 6:15am.  It was already warm then, and I've had a short break from running, so today seemed especially hard.  But I was out there and I got the miles in.  And going for a run just makes me feel good!

(I didn't even include the yummy breakfast I made in the top 5.  I did that as soon as I got home - I was hungry!  Bacon, roasted lemon thyme asparagus, and baked eggs.  A one dish meal, and I put some sliced tomatoes on the side.  My husband ate it, but I don't think he's convinced that meal is really 'breakfast.')

(Nor did I mention the three paintings M worked on this morning.  She was so happy to get paints and canvases out!) 

The end of the school year for J meant saying goodbye to J's teacher of the past two years.  I thought I would be a wreck - she is such a treasure, and she loves not just J, but all of us!  I made it through yesterday okay, but figured sending him off to camp this morning would really be hard on my mama heart.  After breakfast and a shower, I dropped him off for his ride to camp (he rode with a couple other boys and their dads/leaders).

M and I spent some time in the kitchen today.  I haven't been in the kitchen for anything besides just regular meals lately, so making some special treats was wonderful!  We took a basic recipe and made our own variation with what we had on hand - that became the creamsicles.  We had fun tasting as we went, deciding how much vanilla we needed and realizing we didn't need all the honey the recipe called for (glad we only added a little at a time!).

A friend of mine from college organizes a fun little "swap" between her Instagram friends called #flappymail.  I'm trying it for the first time, and my goodies came today.  They are just perfect!  I will send my package off pretty soon, and I'm excited for my 'person' to get her package.

And the rest of the day kept on in the same vein.  M and I went to the local running store.  I picked up my new running shoes, a belated Mother's Day gift, and also found a new pair of shoes for M, too (on sale!).

Mizuno Wave Inspire 9

Maggie had a little bummer of a situation to deal with, the result of a misunderstanding, and she was very calm and mature in working through her disappointment and finding the silver lining.  I was so proud of her, and I'm not sure that I can even express to her just how proud.  But I did take my big girl - whose love language is gifts - out for a sweet treat at her favorite local ice cream shop.  As we were headed in for ice cream, we happened to see J's teacher coming out of another store in the shopping center.  We had a brief visit (Maggie had actually called out to her to day hello) before heading into the ice cream shop.  

After that, we headed home to try out our new shoes with a quick dash up the street and back.  Of course, with those speedy new shoes on, M was the fastest!  Our plan is to really break them in at the Popsicle Fun Run tomorrow evening.  

Shortly afterwards, M's fourth tooth fell out!  We knew it wouldn't make it to the weekend :)

And then - then! - we worked together on dinner.  Spaghetti and meatballs (M helped mix and shape the meatballs), a salad (M helped prepare nearly every item), and popsicles for dessert (ones we made earlier in the day; and yes, she had dessert before and after dinner!).  I adjusted the meatball recipe a bit, but started with the basic recipe from The Mom 100 Cookbook.  This cookbook is fantastic!  It was a gift last Christmas, and it's the one I pull out most often right now. The vinaigrette recipes - yum!  The marinated flank steak - tasty!  The chicken tenders - oh, my!  I have even given this one as a gift - I love it that much!

Big J and I enjoyed every bit of dinnertime conversation with our girl this evening.  She is just a riot - and she really has some time to shine while her brother's at camp.  

Then she watched a bit of a hockey game - to the extent of cheering for a particular team - before declaring hockey "violent"!  So then we switched to a show about building tree houses and snuggled a bit on the sofa.  Love her....

Switching gears to the boy at camp - wow, it's different with him gone.  I had the opportunity to go with him, but I am so glad we decided that he should attend solo if possible (we had to find another parent going who would be J's "adult" for the week, which we were able to do).  But this is a time for him to shine, too.  He really needs this chance to just be himself, be responsible, and make his own choices.  Of course, I spent time with him packing, talking about some of the non-negotiable things (like brushing teeth, sunscreen, etc.), and telling him that I know he can do it.  And I tucked a note into his bag when we wasn't looking.  He should find it tomorrow night :)  And we have seen a picture of him with a smile on his face waiting in line for dinner - so that did a mama heart good.

This is an all-over-the-place post, so here's the summary:

What an awesome first day of summer break - for all of us!

Big catch-up post in photos

And it's in reverse chronological order, because that's how blogger uploaded them :)


March 2013 - Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet - B&G is the celebration of scouting's birthday, so we ask families to bring desserts to our banquet.  Miss M took pictures of some of the other desserts (a couple of the scouting-themed desserts were made to look like campsites!), but this particular one is mine.  Since B&G happens near my birthday, this is *my* birthday cake, too.  Big J baked it, I frosted it and made the decorations.  And thankfully, Big J made sure I got a piece for dessert :)

I really enjoy trying recipes that I find on food blogs - especially if they involve baking!  For this particular recipe, I was experimenting with a new-to-me ingredient: cardamom.  The blogger suggested buying cardamom in the pods and grinding it yourself - it's less expensive and it's fresher this way.  I realized that I think I sold my tiny coffee grinder in one of our garage sales, so I broke out the mortar and pestle.  Only took a few minutes - and talk about feeling super-accomplished!  (I. Have Made. Cardamom!) {Can you name that movie?}

I've picked up running again - see previous post - and I am loving it more than ever!  10k prep is going great, and I've even logged a few decent solo runs.  This was my run on Valentine's Day - check out that "Love to Run" shirt!  Sometimes I'm so stinkin' happy I just have to take a picture - even if I'm sweaty!

The first weekend of February is destined to be a crazy one for our family.  For the past two years, it's been both Cub Scout Pinewood Derby and Girl Scout Cookie day.  And I've been the cookie mom.  I was so thankful to have the help of three other moms and several girls with the pick-up and sorting this year.  Our troop has 30-ish girls, so we had a LOT of cookies!  And, also thanks to their help, I was able to go to the PWD races, as well - including the leader race!

Mister J participated in the Derby for the 3rd year in a row.  Big J and I are on the committee, and for the first time competed in the Leaders and Parents Race.  Miss M was bummed that she didn't get to make a car, but as it turns out she got to race after all.  One of the boys was out of town, but boys in our troop are able to race cars if they can get someone to race the car for them.  M raced for a scout a rank ahead of her brother, and that car made the championships!  So, we got to race a LOT that day!

Back in December we took a trip to see my dad in FL.  It was *so* nice to have warmer temps for a couple of days.  We had a great visit!  The kids loved hanging out on the screen porch (with a swing!) and playing in the rain.  Take a peek at the bottom of the downspout - the rain had stopped but they still found some running water.  And - if you couldn't tell - they totally posed for this photo.  They are so funny!  (And yes, still in pjs!)

Mister J reading the story of the wise men at our church's Children's Christmas Eve service.

Miss M playing the role of Maggie.  Our children's service allows all children to participate - as readers, characters in the stories of Christmas, animals, angels - everyone can have a part.  It's a really sweet service.

And this is how I've spent several mornings during the fall and winter - at my favorite coffee shop (aka "my office") working on Bible studies, meal plans, and much of the other work of being a mom, wife, and volunteer.  Even in the middle of a busy coffee shop, I find a peace that allows me to focus and tackle my to-do list.  The scone and hot tea don't hurt, either.

 

One other thing that hasn't made it here with a photo - but I don't want to forget - Miss M lost her first tooth yesterday.  There was some - ahem - drama with it.  She was not content to just let it hang and hang and hang there until it fell out (like another little person who lives here).  She pulled it out even though it hurt and bled.  :)  She's had a LOT of questions about how her new tooth will get here - I am impressed with her curiosity.  And - most charming of all - calls the tooth she lost her "gone tooth."

And one more...  Mister J is at his first spend-the-night birthday party.  Mom is handling it ok, seeing as how it's been a crazy busy week and she's just impressed that she was able to stay awake past 9:15 (unlike last night).  And Miss M is handling it ok, too, since she's controlling the remote and watching what she wants to on Netflix. 

No promises that I'll be back here regularly - or any time soon - life is very full!   I haven't given up on Mom's Magic, but it's taking a back seat to several other things right now.  I'll be back when I can.  Thank you for stopping by!

Am I old yet?

No, this isn't a post for my "Overheard" series.  It's actually a comment I left on a blog post I read earlier today.   I've actually been thinking about this a good bit lately, since it's a milestone year of sorts....

My 20th high school reunion is happening right now, and as far away as I am from being a teenager (an age to which I don't wish to go back), I still don't feel like an adult.  I still feel very different inside from how I think that person in the mirror should feel.  And yet, 40 is coming soon.  I have a rising 3rd grader and 1st grader.  The college students that I used to work with now have jobs and spouses and graduate degrees and families of their own.  My husband and I have two paid-off vehicles, wills, and a comfortable home.  My family looks to me for homework help and dinner each evening.  I'm a reading partner and prayer partner at bedtime - my husband is the pro at tucking in the kids. 

Where did all of those years go?  And with so much that has happened in those in-between years - shouldn't I feel older?  But perhaps it is a blessing that I do still feel so young inside - I've got a lot left to do!

A Good Day

Here's a little 'day-in-the-life' post - probably more for me than for you, but I love reading these on other blogs and I think it's a fun way to capture the day-to-day (the "ordinary extraordinary!") around here.

I slept in just a bit this morning, but still managed to get everyone up, dressed, fed, and headed to school on time this morning - actually, just a tad bit ahead of schedule!  Even though I didn't pack lunches the night before.  Even though I grabbed my own breakfast, which I normally skip - a banana in the car counts, right?  J did about 1/2 of the preparation of his own breakfast - currently he's loving grits with a little butter and cheddar cheese.  M ate dry cereal, one of her most frequent breakfast selections (Although on Sunday she managed a collaborative effort for some pb toast with banana- she got an assist from her brother on some toast, sliced her own banana, and when I came downstairs she asked me to help with the peanut butter so she could put it all together.  A little more complicated, but still a success!)  ((OK - all of these food-prep accomplishments make me realize that my kids have grown up A LOT over the summer!))  But I digress - into the car, drive to school (including a reminder about our plan for the afternoon), park and walk in....  J asked me to walk him to his class today (he asked to do it solo on the first day, and we typically do drive-through drop-off unless it's my volunteer day)!

The kids' school requires volunteer hours as a condition of enrollment - one hour per week per child.  My two hours are on Monday, and usually include some combination of copying, grading, cutting things out, or filing/organization.  I've been doing this for one hour/week for the same teacher for 3 years now.  We 'get' each other, so it's easy to figure out how she'd like something done - especially if it's a busy morning and she's just left me a few sketchy notes about what she needs.  It's not really a guessing game for me.  My second hour of the week has changed each year, and this year I'm working the same type of classroom assistant 'job' for another teacher.  I'm not sure she was expecting me there today, as she didn't have anything set aside for me.  But she did have a project I could start working on - organizing the two puzzle/game closets that she shares with another teacher.  I forgot to mention that when I got up this morning, I put on a dress.  A short, summery dress.  Not exactly closet-cleaning attire.  However, I manged to go through all but one shelf and had a lovely, Southern 'glow' to show for it.  I will still get to spend plenty of time making sure games have the right pieces, repairing boxes, and eliminating games/puzzles that are beyond repair.  Next time, I'll dress for the job!

Afterwards, lunch with a friend!  I have a standing lunch date with a close friend - we try to have lunch at least every other week during the school year.  Believe it or not, we had lunch on Friday and again today - we are catching up on what happened over the summer!  We do go to church together, and sure we can email or connect on Facebook, but there's just nothing quit like a girls' lunch out!

A quick trip to the bank, the grocery store, and a stop by the house were next.  I checked email, worked out some scheduling issues (wow, is our fall getting busy already), got the mail, and then it was time to go pick up my two kiddos from school! 

We had some interesting conversation on the way home.  M told me a story about how her friend from Texas sat at her table during lunch today.  When I asked if maybe she meant another friend, she said no - her friend from TX had decided to get a new house so she could go to school here, because they were *best* friends.  I love her imagination!  But some days, it's harder to figure out what part of her accounting of the day is most accurate. :)  J had another good day (with another story about math!) and ate lunch with a new classmate.  It's interesting to think that there are kids in his class that I know (from my volunteer time in other pods besides the one he was in the last couple of years) and that he doesn't, when you consider that I'm there way fewer hours per week than he is in school.  It's also exciting for me, though, because it means he's meeting new people - something that can be a struggle for him sometimes.  He is certainly like me in that respect.

Today was the first day of homework for 2nd graders, and also the first day of daily homework.  Ks and 1s get a homework packet on Monday to be turned in on Thursday - and you can complete it at your leisure.  J was not as excited about homework, but I was hoping it wouldn't be too much of a challenge since he was told during Open House that homework should only take 30-45 minutes (and that includes 15 minutes of reading).  Let's just say that when writing is involved, we typically spend a little more time on it than average - and Mondays are writing days.  In the end, though, J used 10 spelling words in 8 sentences which ended up being a pretty good little story about Cub Scouts.  I was really proud of him, and I think he surprised himself with how well it all turned out.  There was also some math in there, which he finished in a flash, and a math/logic game that we played several times while we talked about strategy. 

M has been a little disappointed to not have homework these past few days, and was disappointed when she realized that J had homework and she did not.  A few days ago, I made a math worksheet for her to complete, but today she occupied herself with coloring while J and I were concerned with his homework.  I do hope she is still as excited about homework when she has some assigned by the teacher!

If all of that wasn't great enough, I still had to figure out what to cook for dinner.  I did not do so well at planning ahead for the evening!  However, I did have some shredded beef in the fridge (which was supposed to become taquitos, until my second pack of tortillas would not cooperate) and those darn, too-thick tortillas.  Plan B = tostadas!  We almost always have black beans in the pantry, and had plenty of lettuce and tomatoes from this weekend's fruit and veggie co-op.  I have had plenty of limes and avocados around lately, too (I love guacamole just a little too much).  Although J told me he didn't really like the smell of the tortillas frying, that little stinker ate two tostadas!  M even ate one - with beef and beans! - and seemed to enjoy it.  We had fruit on the side, which was also a huge hit with M.  Afterwards, I surprised the kiddos with dessert - vanilla ice cream I'd just made this afternoon, topped with bananas and chocolate syrup.  For a throw-together meal, it seemed to be a hit - and 'how much my family enjoyed the meal' is a bigger measure of success for me than how well I planned or how fancy/complicated the preparation.  I think I got an A+!

Getting the kids to bed is always the toughest part of my day.  They want to play games or play with toys and just have fun - and who can blame them?  Instead, it's time for stuff like brushing teeth and picking out tomorrow's clothes.  We have started reading at bedtime again - we sort of fall off of the wagon over the summer - and the kids are excited about that.  I switched up the routine a bit tonight from pjs, teeth, read to pjs, read, teeth - and nobody fussed about brushing teeth tonight.  Dilly-dallied, yes, but not the same kind of reluctance we usually see.  Hmmm - food for thought.  Another way the evening routine is just a bit different is that, instead of reading one book to both kids, I am reading to M while J reads silently.  After I tuck her in, I go into his room to talk about what he's read and then tuck him in.  The plan is he will pick out a chapter book that he wants to read, I will read it first, and then he will read it (while I work on his next selection).  That way, we can discuss the book - which is hard to do for a book you've never read!  We will probably work through some beginner chapter books in this fashion starting next week.  I'm hoping he will get excited about this plan and really be motivated to read for comprehension and not simply accuracy.  I think (hope) I'm going to be doing a LOT of reading!

Now that the kids are asleep, and this post is nearly complete, I think I may head off to bed with my Girl Scout Leader training materials and my laptop in case I can squeeze in the online training tonight.  After I do one last sweep through the kitchen - I think the dishwasher just finished its load.

How have the first few days of school gone for you and your kids?  If it's still summer for you, how are you wrapping up the summer and preparing for the 'new year'?

First Day Recap

Mister J started 2nd grade today.  So far, he's told me all about having lunch in the cafeteria (kids at our school have lunch in their classrooms through 1st grade), how he has 'green lunch' and how there are five different lunch sessions to choose from.   He also said that he started learning multiplication today, and that this was his favorite part of the day!

Miss M started Kindergarten today.  She told me that she has a new friend named Remmi (who I happen to know is a first-grader).  She learned abut "plus-ing" (addition), and when asked for an example she told us that 7+8=15.  M was also very excited to go on the big kids' playground (the pre-Ks play on a different playground).  Her favorite thing about the playground was the 'twirly slide', and her favorite thing about the day was playing in Home Living during centers.

I'm sure we'll learn more over dinner, and I hope to post some of today's photos, too!

Countdown to School!

I have been looking forward to the start of the school year, and I'm feeling even more excited about it now that we've had the opportunity to sit down with each of the kids' teachers to talk about the upcoming year, expectations, etc.  This year, we have a kindergartener (in a blended K-1 classroom) and a 2nd grader!

While our teacher meetings went well, they didn't go quite as I would have expected.  We met with Mister J's teacher first, a very enthusiastic woman with a moderately strong Northern accent.  Mister J suddenly became uncharacteristically shy when his teacher asked him a few simple questions (parents' names, phone number, etc.).  When he did answer her questions, he spoke so quickly she had to ask him to slow down.  Miss M, on the other hand, was quite happy to talk with Mister J's teacher about summer vacation and give plenty of detail!

Then we were off to meet with Miss M's teacher, a calm, soft-spoken woman.  Mister J made himself at home investigating the classroom and reading some books.  Miss M was checking things out with him for a few minutes, and when she sat down with us to talk to her teacher she kept mumbling her answers.  Shyness struck again!  I'm sure she will show her true, outgoing, spirited self in no time!

This evening, I'm gathering papers and library cards that need to go to school, renewing our PTA membership, and re-linking my VIC card.  Tomorrow, I'll be gathering supplies to pack into backpacks, doing some laundry, and planning to pack lunches for the first time since June!  

Happy New (School) Year!

I found that little cord...

I finally hooked my camera up to my computer again, and found SO MANY photos that I wanted to share!  I don't have time to show them all, so I thought I'd share just a quick summary of the last month or so.

These two kiddos wrapped up another year of school! 
(For those of you paying very close attention, those are glasses frames you see on her face, but no lenses in them.  They were a favor from a friend's birthday party, and she wore them nearly every day for about two weeks.)

Compare to the same time last year....

If anyone knows the secret to make them stop growing, let me know.

Also on the last day of school, this little girl had a dance recital.

I also finally gave in to letting this little girl loose with some paints - thanks to her Daddy's encouragement.  She didn't make a mess like I feared, and really enjoyed the process.  

Also, when I wasn't looking, she turned five. We had a sweet little tea party at home with some friends, and I really enjoyed the smaller celebration.  I also loved all of the 'tea party food' that we served - and I think she enjoyed most of it, too! 

Although we had planned to picnic at a local park on the 4th of July and watch fireworks the that evening, our picnic got rained out.  We changed our plans to a back porch picnic, then a den floor picnic due to the rain, but did end up getting to see the fireworks. 

We're spending our summer days playing outside, cooking (because I'm serving a lot more meals now that I'm not packing lunches), and spending time with friends and family.  I also recently wrapped up my part-time, work-from-home job, so I'm hoping to add a few more things into our days - library visits, blueberry-picking, and other fun summer activities.

How are you spending your summer?  Can you believe how fast it flies by?

Welcome, 2011!

This New Year's was the first time our kids stayed up to ring in the New Year.  A couple of days ago, Mister J asked if he and Miss M could "stay up to say Happy New Year," and we agreed.  So we planned a kid-friendly celebration - 'party food' for dinner and a cake for dessert (Miss M's request, because every party needs a cake!).  On Friday afternoon, we received an invite from our friends who were also planning a family-friendly celebration and invited us to join.  So - we packed up our six-layer dip (oops - I forgot a layer!) and chips, the cake (funfetti with chocolate funfetti frosting), a pitcher of sweet tea, and grabbed a pizza on the way over.

We had a great time!  The kids enjoyed some time to play with friends, the adults enjoyed conversation, laughs, and a round of Cranium.  Big J made me hum one of the music clues - even though he's the musically-inclined one in the family - so of course everyone at the table knew the song I was humming except him.  That's ok, we got a good laugh!  There was also the sketched clue that I drew - everyone wondered why I could possibly be drawing a hairy heart.  The answer was actually heartburn, and those were flames....

We counted down to midnight with the kiddos, said our goodbyes shortly after, and had the kids in bed around 1:15am. 

2010 really flew by for  me.  I think it's one of the "fastest" years I've ever had.  I feel like it was just October, and suddenly Christmas was here and now it's a new year.  While the days have flown by in a whirlwind, I have spent a bit of time thinking about some changes - really, just one change - that I want to make in the new year.  We are working on it already, but I really want to focus even more on our family and our relationships with others.  I want us to be more intentional about taking care of ourselves (individually and as a family) and about reaching out to others.  This really isn't something that comes easily for me - because it usually means saying, "No," to exciting opportunities - but I want a good balance in my life, and I need to regain that by coming back to the center, to what's really important.  For now, that means making our home a comfortable, uncluttered space that works for us, intentionally planning family time, making time for dates with my hubby, and (hopefully) catching up on our scrapbooks.  Those are all pretty tall orders - each of them will take work - but I'm looking forward to it.  And because they will take work, that probably means that posts here will continue to be infrequent and unpredictable.  They'll have fewer photos to no photos as all (I totally forgot to take photos of any of today's preparations or of the time we spent with our friends). 

I do hope that each of you will continue to stop by the blog and see what we are up to.  Mister J has a 3rd loose tooth.  I'm continuing 5K training in the spring (to improve speed and endurance) with an eye on even more training in the summer.  Miss M is in her 2nd year of dance, and wants to be a Daisy Scout so bad she can't stand it (but that's not until next school year).  Mister J continues to work hard for our family and recently helped us reach Baby Step 3. I'll keep blogging about all of this - and more - but probably less about lunches and other 'non-milestone' events.  All in keeping with my desire to be more intentional about time spent with my family.  I'll keep you posted on our progress in 2011!

Happy New Year!

Jeopardy! (also, Overheard #36)

From my Facebook status last night:

My 6-and-3/4-year-old just answered a Jeopardy! question all by himself. Way to go, Mister J!

And after someone inquired as to the question:

Honestly, I didn't hear the whole question - but I heard him say "bamboo", then the contestant said "bamboo", and then Alex said "correct". And then we all celebrated with Mister J :)

Update on the Tickle Tooth!

I was met with a very excited grin after school yesterday - Mister J's tooth finally came out!  He was excited to find a 1971 Silver Dollar under his pillow this morning.  We think the tooth fairy probably leaves a little something special for the very first tooth, so I think he's decided to add that coin to his collection.  Perhaps she will leave spendable, paper money for the next one, which is already loose!

My boys

On a Friday night...

You're right - it's not a local campground.  It's a local ball field.  It's also a great place for Mister J's first camping experience.  Level ground, no rocks/twigs, and plenty of food and entertainment.  He stayed up late and got up early.  He was tired when he got home - but he's managed to keep going all day long without a nap! 

Mister J and Big J had a fun "just the boys" outing last night, and I have to admit that while I was happy for them to have that time together, I was sad that I wasn't there.  You see, this was Mister J's first time camping.  And I'm a mostly-stay-at-home mom, so I'm used to being there for all of the firsts.  Instead, Big J got to enjoy this milestone.  And I'm glad.  He works hard so that I can be at home, and he doesn't always get to do the 'firsts.'  I think it's important for them to have some time together and to do some special things.

To be honest, Miss M was a little bummed, too.  She wants to do everything her big brother does!  And have I mentioned that the tent is new?  So she and I were both a little, teeny bit envious that the boys got to use it first.  We hadn't been able to work out a time to give it a test run in the backyard before the boys used it!  That's ok, though.  It was damp when they brought it home, so the kids and I set it up this morning to let it dry.  And, of course, we all crawled through it a couple of times for fun.

So what did Miss M and I do to occupy our time?  Dinner out (Chick-Fil-A, of course), followed by a trip to Target to pick out some new nail polish, and mini-cures when we got home!  She also wanted to buy her brother a book since he didn't get to come shopping with us - so sweet!  I have to add that she really missed him like crazy last night.  While she wasn't very talkative (tired from the first week of school!), when she did talk to me, it was often about Mister J.

So how did this missing-her-boy's-first-camping-experience Mama do?  Well, I did get a few phonophotos and text messages to let me know how things were going, so I did fine.  And all of those came after Miss M was in bed, when I was really missing my guys (perfect timing, Big J!).  But next time, I want to go, too!

First Day of School (1st grade, Pre-K4)

Ah, the end of summer - back to a routine!  Back to our regularly scheduled activities!  Back to early wake-up calls!

Miss M has been so excited about going back to school!  Uncharacteristically, she was the first kid up this morning, and was cheerful about it, too!  She may be extra-excited because she's full-day this year.  Mister J asked, "Why do I have to get up so early?"  Never mind that he has been getting up early (on his own!) all summer long!  We still managed to make it out the door only 3 minutes behind my ideal schedule (I've already confirmed, I'm a dork), thanks to my very successful preparations last night!

So what slowed me down?  In truth, not the kids.  I wanted to take some pictures!  Forgive the poor color on the lunches - it was overcast this morning, so the natural lighting was non-existent.  (I'm also not taking the time to color correct since I'm anxious to go pick up my kiddos!)

It started with photos of their lunches, which we a little fancier today than normal.  Translation - they had some fun notes and stuff.  See?

Mister J's lunch had:

• turkey and cheddar sandwich, cut in half, with an apple cutout on the top slice of bread
• yogurt with a frozen cube of strawberry puree - according to Mister J, it kept the yogurt cold, but was also melted by lunchtime (yeah!)
• jello - a special treat for the first day of school (I don't usually pack a dessert).  It's hiding under the note from Mom & Dad
• veggies and ranch dip - an apple-shaped slice of cucumber and some carrots hiding underneath
• a Phineas and Ferb napkin - another fun surprise
• an afternoon snack of pretzel nuggets

Verdict:  He ate the whole thing!

Miss M's lunch had:

• half-sized turkey and cheddar sandwich with an apple cutout on the top slice of bread
• strawberry yogurt, store bought for the extra fiber
• jello - again, hiding under the note from Mom & Dad
• veggies and ranch dip - an apple-shaped slice of cucumber and some carrots hiding underneath
• a Princesses napkin - another fun surprise

Verdict: Leftover sandwich bits were not a surprise; Miss M prefers American cheese.

And finally, here's a picture of the two cutest kids I've ever taken to school:

Didn't even have to ask him to put an arm around his sister.  But I did have to ask her to not stick out her tongue.  Yep, just a normal day around here. Except for this - I can't remember the last time I was alone in the house.  It's kinda quiet....

Post-school update:  They walked out to the mommy-van holding hands and smiling!  Mister J wanted to talk non-stop about a new computer game he played at school.  He's usually not much of a talker, so I felt a tiny bit guilty for asking him to give Miss M a chance to answer a few questions about her day.  It wasn't long before I turned the conversation back over to Mister J; I could tell that Miss M was worn out after her first full day of school.  After a quick snack once we were home, Mister J invited a friend over and now they (along with Miss M) are playing in the backyard.

Also: check out last year's first day of school post.   Scroll down to see a picture of the kiddos - they have grown so much since last year!

Also posted to What's for Lunch Wednesday (Week 13) hosted by What's for Lunch at Our House.  Click on over to get some great lunch ideas!

New-School-Year Eve

I just posted this as my Facebook status.

I seriously have nothing left to do to prepare for tomorrow.  This feels weird.

The weird part is that I posted it around 9:30 pm.  That's about 90 minutes ahead of my school-year bedtime.  I feel like I must be forgetting something to be done this early.  So far this evening (since 5pm) I have:

• Held a "peanut butter alternative" taste test (look for future blog post - with photos).  Both of my kids are in class with peanut-allergic kids, so we'll be using an alternative to PB again this year.  Stay tuned to see which one it'll be.
• Cooked dinner
• Cleaned up after dinner - all before I went upstairs with the kids.  That last part there is what makes it a HUGE deal.  (Just FYI, that means I cleared table, put away leftovers, loaded dishes into dishwasher, washed non-dishwasher safe items - all before the start of the bedtime routine.)
• Packed the kids' school supplies - one paper bag full of 'supply list' items for each of them (we never get the 'real' list before Open House, which was on Monday, so I didn't have quite everything they needed until today).
• Remembered to include all of the 'first day of school' forms - which I completed yesterday, including a copy for my files and getting them into said files.
• Prepared the backpacks  - which mainly means cleaning them out from the summer (toys, papers, odd crayons, etc), but I also tucked in a travel-sized pack of tissue.  They couldn't resist the Toy Story-themed packets (Woody for Mister J, Jessie for Miss M) when we saw them weeks ago.  Kudos to me for not losing them by now.
• Packed their lunches, complete with fun surprises (more details tomorrow)!   Except for the sandwiches.  I'll make them in the morning so the bread doesn't get soggy.  But the bread is even cut in half already, just waiting for the fillings.  Oh, my, I'm a dork.
• Put the kids to bed on time - really on time - for the first time in ages.  And that includes bathing, flossing, brushing, and reading (3 chapters of How to Eat Fried Worms).  Oh, yeah - I'm feeling like SuperMom.

So, if I got everything done, why does this feel so weird?  When I figure out what I forgot, I'll let you know.

Another Post-Allergy First

Over two months after Miss M  was given the "all clear" by her allergist, Big J and I still have aha! moments when it comes to safe foods.  Yes, they are all safe foods now, but our habits aren't so easily changed.  In fact, we have discussed whether or not we will ever stop questioning food safety, and we doubt that it will ever be so.

For instance, on a recent outing we were trying to decide where to go for dinner.  The kids were tossing out ideas (mainly Chick-Fil-A) when Big J proposed a stop at Five Guys.  I've been two or three times before, but I could only go on my own because they serve peanuts.  Big, open boxes of peanuts.  It's completely off-limits for any peanut-allergic family.  In fact, Big J had never been before, but as soon as we remembered that we can go, we headed that way.

So, here's another snapshot of something I never thought I'd see:

That blur is Miss M's fist coming down to smash a peanut open.

And besides the burgers and the super-yummy fries, Five Guys has my respect for this:

Posted on the door as you exit a Five Guys restaurant

 Thanks, Five Guys, for spreading the word about food allergy safety (even though you serve peanuts)!

Tickle Tooth

We're an electric toothbrush family - even the kids.  Every night they rub their noses as we brush their teeth, because the vibrations of the toothbrush tickle.  As a brusher of said teeth, it's a little annoying - their hands get in the way of me trying to see what I'm doing  - but it's what usually happens.  What was a little unusual tonight was something Mister J said to me after I brushed his teeth.

"Mom, I've got a tickle tooth."

My first thought was, "What?!?" - but I caught on quickly enough...  Mister J has his first loose tooth!  It's not very wiggly yet, but certainly enough that the toothbrush would make it feel funny!

It's a big deal, for sure.  Even more so because in his mixed-grade (K-1) class, he was one of the few who hadn't lost a tooth last year.  I'm pretty sure this one will be out before school resumes next month, and I know he'll be excited to show his returning classmates.

(scattered thoughts from here on out - be warned)

Big J and I weren't surprised that it was taking a while to lose the first tooth since it took quite a while for Mister J's teeth to come in as a baby.  Back then, we wondered if he would have teeth by his first birthday! 

Big J asked him what he thought the tooth fairy should bring, and Mister J has requested a dollar coin.  He found it kind of funny that his daddy only got a quarter!  He also says that he's not going to let Daddy pull it, and that he might just wait until it falls out on its own.

Thinking back, I might have been 4.5 of 5 when I lost my first tooth.  Mister J is six and a half!  I guess that's a lot of extra time to develop strong permanent teeth!

I'm not as eeked out by the loose tooth as I thought I would be (I can handle a lot, but eye and teeth issues get to me) - but there's still a ways to go until it's out.  Rest assured, you will get an update then - and photos to boot!

My baby is growing up, y'all!

Dance, Dance, Dance!

Miss M's first dance recital was this afternoon - and it was just too cute!  She did a great job!  After her number, we stayed and watched the rest of the show, too (she was dismissed at intermission). 

The theme of the recital was, "Celebrate!"  There were songs to celebrate holidays throughout the year, and Miss M's class did "Peter Cottontail" for Easter.  I can't wait to get the DVD so she can see how well she did.

I tried to get a few snapshots in the front yard before we left the house.  Miss M isn't looking at me because we were all trying to get photos.  Hopefully someone got a good one.  I wish I'd remembered to get a photo of her after the show with the rose she got from Grandpa R.  She was pretty worn out, though, and ended up falling asleep on the way home. 

Our beautiful dancer (looking at someone else for "smile!" cues....)

Last Day of School & Beginning of Summer!

The school year wrapped up last week, and I snapped a quick photo for a comparison with the first day of the school year.  While there's not really a good point of comparison (like the mailbox), I think Miss M and Mister J look so much bigger than they did last August!  Miss M's hair has been trimmed once or twice, but she's looking forward to getting it cut 'short' after her dance recital.  Both of the kids have grown two sizes in the past 9 months. 

There was an awards program on the last day of school, and each of our children was awarded with the title of Ravenous Reader!  Miss M talks a LOT about spending time in the Home Living center in her classroom, so we were pleased to learn that she continues to enjoy the reading center, too.  Mister J has made great strides in reading, and is hoping to complete the Magic Tree House series this summer.  I see a lot of trips to the library in our future!  I've printed out a checklist so we can keep track.

We will begin our first full week of summer vacation with a gathering at a bouncy play place, a day program for elementary school students at our church, and some time at the pool.  Oh, and Miss M's food challenge on Wednesday!  It's the first week of 'vacation' - but we won't slow down until at least Thursday! 

As much as I love the structure of the school year, I am excited about the summer.  I'm hoping to keep a little structure in our week - as much as possible with camps and travel - but also balance it with special events and spur-of-the-moment fun.  And, I'll keep you posted here with we've got time!

Firsts

Yes, my kids are older - potty-trained and all of that - but we still have firsts! Tonight, I have a 'first' to share for each of the kids!

Mister J has been taking swim lessons at school, and today he swam on his own - face in the water, and no floaties - for the very first time! I'm so proud of him! He was very timid in the water last summer, so I'm incredibly excited for him. He has been so proud of his accomplishments after each swim lesson (twice a week) - and I can't believe he waited until bedtime tonight to tell me this!

Miss M - well, this isn't exactly the same kind of milestone, but I think all kids do it... Miss M decided to take things into her own hands today and take a chunk out of her hair. Thankfully, she only snipped off part of a little ponytail (just the front section of hair that I'd pulled back for her dance class this afternoon), and it seems to blend into the rest of her hair pretty well. However, "Dr. Sabrina" will certainly notice it at our next hair appointment!

First Basketball Game

He's excited, and so are we! (And he made his first basket ever during practice! He was so excited, but I didn't get the snapshot since my 'real' camera is at home.... Mom FAIL).

The Milestone That Wasn't

Remember Blanket? .... Aw, come on, sure you do! Blanket.... Mister J's constant bedtime companion (except for that one time when he got left behind at Grandma RL's). Well, friends, Blanket is getting old. He's been hanging around with Mister J for the better part of the last 5 years, and unfortunately blankets age faster than people. He's had his share of love, his share of travel, his share of bodily fluids, and his share of 'baths' (in a lingerie bag on the washer's gentle cycle). He's wearing out. Some places in the yarn are worn so thin that I fear they will pop and unravel with another wash.

I dreaded the day that Blanket would unravel. I gently worked with the thin places, pulling the yarn to a thicker point before tying a loop of yarn into a knot. I reminded Mister J that Blanket is delicate. I'd tried once to find a replacement blanket. When I brought it home, Mister J informed me that it didn't feel the same. So, that was that, and this new blanket was just added to the pile of kid-sized blankets and quilts to be used for camp-outs, naps, and playtime.

I was out shopping with Mom/Grandma RL a few days before Christmas and we dropped in at a local consignment shop. I always check out the children's section, and this trip was no different. And there it was - a lovely, light blue, knitted/crocheted (I can't tell the difference) blanket. I walked over to it, felt it, and was instantly excited that this blanket might be The One. I didn't buy it right away - I'd been down that road - but I decided I would approach Mister J with the idea that evening.

Mister J is most often tearful when the subject of Blanket's future comes up, so I tiptoed a bit when I brought it up. I decided to leave the choices completely to Mister J. I explained what I found at the store and asked if he was interested in looking at it if it was still there (it's a consignment store after all, so there was only one). His answer? Yes. Whew! Two days before Christmas, Mister J and I went back to the store to look at the blanket. It was still there. I took it off of the shelf, opened the bag (I'd already checked it for snags, etc., the first time I saw it), and let Mister J feel it. He liked it! The final question - could we put Blanket away in a special place and let this New Blanket be the one he would snuggle with at bedtime. With a smile on his face, he said yes. I could have cried. Instead, I smiled, we walked to the front of the store, and I gave Mister J the money to pay for the New Blanket.

That night, as I was tucking him into bed with a freshly washed New Blanket, Mister J asked me when I was going to put Blanket in a safe place. Truly, at this point, I could have boo-hooed. This was so much easier on Mister J than I thought it would be! And, for that reason, it was so hard on me! Right before my eyes, my baby is growing up. When did milestones turn into barely noticeable dips in the road? This wasn't even a bump - not for him. I am so proud of him, even though it was bittersweet for me.