Birthday..

SIX!! Impossible I say!!
I was awakened this morning by a flurry of footsteps and Cubby put his face about two inches from mine and said,
"Mom, I'm Six!! Can you even believe it?!!"
I can't believe it!!

The days are long, but the years are very short.


We celebrated in the usual way around here, with a simple cake and some presents and quality time with just our family.

Again I made the kids cakes to their specifications, although, I'm thinking I should take a class because Miss H's taste is exceptionally complicated. Also. I hate fondant.

But she loved it, and as usual I relished the opportunity to prepare something her way instead of mine, with her color choices instead of mine, and to pray for her.

Cubby's cake was much easier.. his current love, Chronicles of Narnia and he dreamed up a cake in the shape of a shield. He has such a great imagination and creative heart it is impossible to be around him and not get caught up in his enthusiasm. I am amazed to be able to say he came through me.

Awww. 

It is impossible to put into words how much I love being the mom of these two kids. I am bowled over with Miss H's care of her baby sister, general helpfulness and logical thought. Cubby's imagination and artistic nature are a wonder to me, and his ease in making friends, and loving others are a delight. If only he could manage to get the ants out of his pants!!

Happy Birthday!!

First Day Of School

when the alarm clock went off this morning, neither The Mr. nor I were incredibly excited. 

but Cubby and Miss H were...

Still Sleeping!!!

Not to be deterred we awakened them, got em dressed and ready

 fed them a healthy breakfast and dropped them 

off at school for the first time!!

I left them in these capable hands.. 

and departed with this Handsome Little Daddy who was ECSTATIC!!

and saw this ominous sign about 5 blocks from the school. 

Yes, I know, DRAMATIC!! 

In all honesty, as I drove away I did have a huge feeling of relief, that the school decision was made, that they would be going, and they would be in the same class. It took about three hours for me to become addicted to the special silence created in their absence. Little Daddy has become quite the big brother, and conversationalist without the older kids around. 

Some favorite moments in our first 2 weeks of kindergarten.. 

1. Little Daddy snuggling into me on the couch to read his THIRD Bob Book and saying,  "I just love being home with you mom." 
2. Little Bit  racing to the locker room saying "get my shoes I need to get my Sissy"
3. Little Daddy, saying "NOOOOO!" When I said it was time to pick up the kids. 
4. Little Bit saying, " Where my Sissy?" I answered at Kindergarten she says, "Again?!! AWW MAN!"
5. Little Daddy throwing a fist pump in the air after dropping the kids off and saying, "Let's go home and learn to READ!"

There has been some rough moments as predicted. I've been "scolded" several times because the drop off and pick up areas are an enigma, not to mention my frustration at their insistence on running the whole thing backward so the kids have to get out on the drivers side. Not being present for lunch and snack leaves me constantly hoping the kids remember they have to eat food to survive. There was also the morning I discovered Miss H had given Kit a haircut and I was immediately dreaming of driving to school and dragging her out of kindergarten to ask what she was thinking!! I didn't, and I had to wait all Day!!! 

While C and H are enjoying being there, and I am also enjoying them being there, how much they will learn while they are there is unclear at best. The Mr. made me promise to wait through last Friday before I set foot in the classroom because of the number of "erks" I have gotten only hearing the kids point of view. 

Two kids were sent to the principal last week (neither of them mine) 

On the third day of school Miss H asked if it would be okay if she brought her own book to read

The kids were all grumpy when I picked them up one day and when I asked what happened they said, they didnt' get to do any silent reading because Ms. K said only she would get to do reading today. 

They have not had computers.

One day they spent their second recess practicing walking in a line, sitting in circle, filling up their water bottles, in Miss H's words, "Some of those children are not very good listeners mom" 

Miss H said one day, "My table is a disaster"

They have yet to learn anything, in a way that makes me wonder if they will learn anything. 

So, I am not completely happy about the situation, and probably the most frustrating part is the attitude of the majority of parents that the school is perfect. Which it is not although it does seem to be improving thanks in part to there decision to adopt a math program the county adopted 10 years ago! and the lack of a clear approach to literacy that can actually be communicated unnerves me!!

 I saw someone screw up the carpool line on Thursday, when I REALLY REALLY needed to get in and out in a hurry, and when someone went to explain the problem I smirked a little, not because they were getting in trouble, but because I felt pretty certain they would ask how they could avoid this situation in the future and the answer would be I don't know!! Because I had just had the same situation explained to me a few days ago by a not so friendly Hairy Scary woman, and when I said, how do I know when to bypass the line and when to wait in the line she said, "I don't know, it's been like this for eight years, and it doesn't matter because you have to move RIGHT NOW!!" 

Thanks lady.

SO.. rough road ahead, but I am hopeful we will be able to navigate it. For Goodness sake Cubby will have a heart attack if he doesn't get to do Peter and the Wolf. 

Things in The mail...

We love mail.. I'm telling you, Cubby and Little Daddy can hear that guy coming a block away.. and everytime I manage to sneak the mail out of the box I am FOUND out and bowled over with chants of... anything for me? me? me?me? me? Even Lil bit get's in on it, although she is usually persuaded with a mailer of some kind... well the latter half of the month hit us big time at the mail box much to the children's delight. Mimi took a trip to Canada and sent a postcard everyday... I had wanted to preserve these little correspondances in some sort of book but the children refused to part with the ones that had been addressed specifically to them, in some cases snuggling the postcards as they slept...
Any whoo.. and then there were packages..

These adorable dresses from Mimi Viv which Miss H had slated to wear for her first day of school, but just couldn't bear to wait five more days and wore to church instead...

An entire box filled to overflow with things to do and make and puzzles and a whole book on how to give your American Girl doll the best tea-party ever from my Sister In Law who had somehow managed to find something so exactly perfect for each child that they squealed yes.. squealed with delight. Including this little baby seen here...

seriously this litle dolly revealed a creative play we had not previously seen in Lil Bit... she cooked for baby, changed baby's diaper, told baby to use the potty, explained that baby would like to watch a little pongebob, put baby in time out, and slept with baby. She did however REFUSE to share baby, or name baby.. well you can't have it all. 

And last but not least.. these things arrived... because to quote Miss H the twins are "finalee going to school." (and apparently they could use it!)

and no.. this next photo is not staged.. when I came home from Field Hockey practice the Mr. told me to look at Miss H.. and of course I brought the camera...

yes.. she is sleeping with her backpack on, and also... clutching her lunchbox... clearly this is a girl who is very excited about school!!

Go DEACS!

It was a suppose inevitable that our kids would root for the Deacs.. and with the Mr. coaching there this year on top of Cubby and Miss H taking field hockey there our allegiance has obviously grown.  

We were so excited to participate in Fan Fest again!! And we look forward to another great season sitting on the Hill. 

Look at these kids getting fired up!! 

GO DEACS!!

Where to begin..

So.. we have been a little BUSY around here what with all the basement work and quick out of town trips, and more basement work, and swimming and field hockey coaching and getting The Mr. settled in his new school, and Cubby and Miss h getting moved up in Gymnastics and more basement work.. and getting together with old friends, and missing our school year friends... and Go Deacs Fan Fest.. and FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL!! anyways.. my apologies to those who have been watching Lil Bit shake her booty for an entire month!! but it really couldn't be helped. 

The booty shaking or the lack of updating that is..  

The basement progresses... 

To a level that might almost indicate "done" but not quite. But the end as they say is in sight, so that's something.

We have built the lockers and cabinets ourselves, tiled the bathroom and laundry room, and the fireplace,  installed laminate in the playroom and now we attempt to floor the craft room. I have decided that I would really love to own a KREG JIG after watching Tom build some things, and if you do not have a sweet mudroom locker system like you see here.. I super reccomend it. The corner will eventually have shelves for storing pool things and out of season gear (aka snow pants) but as you can see the project has spiraled out of control. so we are trying to get the main things done so we can get all the "stuff" moved out of the garage. YIKES!!

I can't wait!! 

shake your oompa loompa

Although Miss H has given up dance, I have a sneaking suspicion there may be another recital in my future.

Also.. does anyone know how to get better quality uploaded videos? This is shot in HD so it looks great on my camera and on my computer as I go to edit.. but really less than stellar here..

Doing a little painting...

So we started with something like this... 

The blue being for the bathroom and the red for the laundry room.

The wall paper will line the back of the bookcases in the family room and my crafting area. 

So with a house full of young helpers, we got right to work! 

Their idea's of course being different from ours.. 

Still somehow we got it closer to done.. 

That wall next to the fireplace is where one day we will be able to play Wii. 

This area will be my crafting area..

My dad promises he is coming to build in some storage and and secretary style desk a la pottery barn. 

We got this room worked on too.. 

She's standing in the closet that is going to change my life with it's storage capacity. 

Here's a full playroom view.. I'll bet it looks even more awesome when all those "items" aren't cluttering it up. 

I can't hardly wait.. except The Mr. is deserting us for an ENTIRE 8 days.. I know I throw up a little when I say it. YIKES!! so probably this is it on progress for a while.
I would like to take this opportunity to admit that the basement project has been the LONGEST  "two weeks" of my life.