PSA #4

A better place?

Is there a better place in the world to dance than on your grandfathers toes?

And they ...

had an AWESOME first day ... both of them. We started a new tradition yesterday. I took them to a local bakery and we each had a cupcake. They shared with me anything and everything they could remember about their day. Just a little one on one time with each of them.

I picked Pace up and off we went. I didn't tell him where we were going so when we passed our subdivision he was quite curious about where we were going. Though once he figured it out he was so very excited.

He told me how much he loved his teachers and that he had stayed on "green" all day. He didn't get to eat all his lunch because time ran out before he was done. He LOVED playing on the playground and he didn't meet any new friends. It was so much fun hearing him tell me about his day ... HIS day not his brothers day but his day. He was excited to have his own stories to tell as well.

Ryan, too, had a wonderful first day. It was fun to find out that our neighbor across the street as well as one a few houses down were both in his class. He rides bikes with Tyler often and they are also sitting right next to each other. Ryan's favorite part of the day was going to the "cafeterium" to have lunch. He didn't finish his lunch either ... guess I sent too much :) He enjoyed going outside to play and also having PE. He likes his teacher and told me all about the rules and how she gets them quiet and to look at her. He soaked it all in and had a ball his first day.

The funniest thing was his realization of how long he was in school. He couldn't believe how close to dinnertime it was when he arrived home. He said ... "I am going to live at school more than I live at home" ... He was talking a mile a minute and I couldn't keep him from talking about it before we got to our spot. So by the time we got there he had already told me everything. We still had a great time together.

Now it's time to get ready for their second day .... I want my summertime back!

First day!

Today was the first day of school for both of my boys! It was an emotional morning for me. They were both SO VERY excited for school and the new year.

My most favorite moment of the morning was when Pace hugged his brother and told him to have a great day. As we were walking out he looked up and said ... "Mom, that is my best buddy and I hope he has a great day!" I love the bond between those two!

I cannot wait for them come home this afternoon and hear all about their day. I cannot believe this day has come so soon!

Meeting another Teacher

Yesterday I took another child to meet his teacher. I'm not ready for school to start back if I'm completely honest. My time with my children is coming to a close far too quickly. I'm sure tomorrow I'll be packing them up and dropping them off at a college dorm. No, I know it won't be tomorrow literally, but it sure will feel like it. Time goes by too fast!

I'm praying over my two boys as they are out of my care for a few hours daily. I'm praying that they would remember what they have learned so far with me, that they would always believe in themselves, that they would always try their best and that they would know that there is nothing that we can't talk about. I pray that their eyes and ears are protected and most of all that they have fun learning new things. I also pray that above all, they are lights in the darkness around them. May God use them for his glory and to make his name known among the little people they encounter ... and also their teachers!

Meet the Teacher

Today is my birthday! And for my 21st (kidding!) birthday I got to go to meet my first borns kindergarten teacher! There is just something wrong with this statement, I know, I know, I'm not 21! But seriously, I should not be meeting a kindergarten teacher yet! He was just swaddled and placed in my arms yesterday.

He is extremely excited about starting school on Monday. He loves his classroom and quickly found a TON of legos which made his day!

I'm praying over my children and especially this one as he enters his first year of school. I'm praying this verse over all 3 of my kiddos ... But I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. (Romans 16:19) NIV

Tomorrow I will sit down and write his teacher a letter letting her know that I'm praying for her and that I hope she has a fantastic year!

I'm going to be a basket case on Monday ... How did we get here so fast?

Happy Birthday Kennedy!

Happy Birthday sweet girl! I cannot wait to celebrate your special day with you! You are such a delight and a joy to parent. You have opened my eyes to such a fun world that is so different when parenting a girl!

You are such a blessing and we love you so much. I have a letter to write you but we are about to head out for your big day so I'll have to post it later!

We love you Kennedy!

Thanks!

Thanks for all the comments on my hypothetical story. :) Seriously, though. Today was a bit of a better day. She is STILL yelling at her brothers but she did go down for her nap and bedtime a bit better today.

I'm seriously trying to evaluate how many choices I am giving her. I don't feel like I give her many at all. We have never been one to give them many choices at all, so my eyes are open to where I might be.

Her world is about to come crashing down when the boys go to school in a couple weeks. Honestly, I think this is part of the problem. It all started about the time that the boys spent a week away with Jer's parents and the night issues started. The nap issues started after the boys came home. We never go back in so I have no clue what is going on. She once was the picture perfect child at bedtime and nap time. Hopefully, it has just been a phase and she is coming out of it.

We are totally getting on the yelling so hopefully this will end. The girl has a set of lungs on her!

Thanks for all the comments and prayers! We can definitely use them! Where is the raising a girl book? :)

Need Mommy Help

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved to nap, she loved to eat her veggies and her fruits and she was so easy going. Then all of a sudden about a month before she turned 2, she decided to no longer love naps or going to bed at night, no longer like to eat anything remotely healthy and she decided to YELL at the top of her lungs when things don't go her way. She might even be known to pull hair or hit her brothers.

So now she has a mommy that is pulling her hair out because said little girl doesn't do this for other people when they keep her. And mommy doesn't know how to get back her great sleeper who doesn't scream when put down at nap time and bed time, she doesn't know how to get her sweet princess to eat and she just doesn't like consistently putting said child in time out because she REFUSES to say she's sorry when she has yelled at or hit her brother, let alone get her to stop hitting or yelling at her brothers.

Not that any of this is going on in our home ... but if it were, that mommy might be in need of some advice or maybe just a few people to say that they have been there and there is another side?? Someone, anyone????

I still do ...

Seven years ago we said "I Do". Guess what? I still do! It has been a full 7 years. We have had 3 children, 1 dog, we have moved 5 times to 3 different states, and had many ups and downs. I have been blessed to have a husband who loves me and loves his children. He loves being a husband and father and it shows.

I love you Jeremy and am so blessed to have you by my side! I look forward to the next year (and many years after that)! I can't wait to see what God does in and through us! May this next year be our best yet! I'm so glad that we are running this race hand in hand!