Reading and Writing

I have SO much reading to do. SO SO SO much. I recently became a member of something. Funny that I can't remember what it is called for the life of me...hmmmm....

Anyhow, I responded to an 'ad' to be part of a blogger community. This will be a great opportunity for me to get to know more bloggers, for them to know me and for me to voice my opinion on topics of conversation started by my blogger friends and to also initiate conversation.

Boy-o-boy, little did they know when they allowed me to join! I'll have 'em all talking...hee hee hee!

So in the next few days, I'll have my head to the grind stone...er...computer screen. I am getting to know my new blog friends. They are getting to know me. I'll be linking with their sites. And I'll be inviting you to join my community.

Now if only I could remember what it is called...

Thank you cjane and thank you blog frog!

P.S. Wishing I was on the Pensacola Beach right now, hence the picture of our kids at the beach in March.

Lessons from a 7-11 Parking Lot

Last Friday, I sat in the 7-11 parking lot for almost 2 hours. Yes, you read that right, 2 HOURS!!! No, I didn't run out of gas. No, I didn't lose the keys. No, I wasn't having a nervous breakdown.

You see, I was out running errands and the baby fell asleep. I needed to run into the little bill pay place next door to 7-11 to pay the light bill. Sure enough, in the two minutes it took me to get there, he fell fast asleep. So I watched the people walk in and out of the bill pay place until finally, there was no one in line. I jumped out of the car, locked the doors and ran inside. Yes, I could see the car and the baby the entire time. I was in and out in 2 seconds. I know some of you are probably freaking out right now - but I had to do it. He needed to sleep and I needed him to sleep. Once I got the bill paid, I ended up sitting in the car for another 1½ hours. I just didn't want to wake him up. If I came home and tried to bring him in, then he would wake up. If I went to another store parking lot, I'd be tempted to get out and finish running my errands. I didn't want to sit in the car in our driveway either, seems to me like that'd just be dumb. So I did, I sat in the 7-11 parking lot for 2 WHOLE HOURS.

I read a couple of old magazines. I watched people. I am amazed and intrigued by how many people use the Red Box. I am shocked at how many people still drive up to the old school blue mailbox and drop in letters. I stopped counting the number of Slurpees that walked out of the 7-11 when I got into the 50's. I think 7-11 must be making all of their money on Slurpees! Who knew!?!?!

A lot can be learned by watching people for a few hours at 7-11. I got a few hours of quiet and the baby got a much needed nap! It was win-win all the way around!

P.S. Funny how I pride myself in the fact that most nights we sit at the table and eat. Go figure that when I want to capture these family times on film, the gang gives me a good show!

One Month

I haven't been around for exactly one month today. Holy cow. A lot has happened.

I will fill you in on all of the details soon. But first I've gotta share my new favorite picture taken by our awesome friend Whitney. She has a jazzy camera and I asked her to take pictures of the SBW with his soccer field dog friend, Bruno. In the process she got this shot, and I LOVE IT!!! Thank you Whitney, you are the bomb.

I'll be back soon. Keep checking in! You are gonna love what I have to say. Well, maybe not love, but you know what I mean!

Pumpkin Time

I took the kids to get our pumpkins last week.

As always, they had a great time walking through the rows and rows of pumpkins trying to pick out just the right one.

We were glad to see that our favorite pumpkin patch is still full of crazy Halloween decorations. I asked the older couple that owns the business how many batteries they go through each Halloween and was shocked to hear they spend over $600 on battieries alone. Wow! They also said they buy 5,000 lollipops and 10,000 Smarties. And wow and wow.

We are always happy to visit the giant talking jack-o-lantern. All of our big kids visited this pumpkin patch for a field trip when they were in kindergarten. It is kind of a family tradition now.

Not only did we get a great pumpkin, but I think Santa got a Christmas idea.

I had a great time watching the kids enjoy the hay maze. When they were little the would run through the maze, now they run on top of the maze! :)

I love this time of year!

I Have

I have a husband that loves me and accepts me even though I am not perfect. I am so thankful.

I have children that fill my heart with love and teach me how to be a better person every single day. I am so thankful.

I have parents who love me. I am so thankful.

I have grandparents that loved me as if I was their own child. I am so thankful.

I have a birth mother that is accepting of me even though I am imperfect. I am so thankful.

I have a brother who is always willing and able to fill in the blank spots of our childhood. I am so thankful.

I have a family of in laws that accepts my nuttiness and love me because I love their son with all of my heart. I am so thankful.

I have a best friend that is family and loves me unconditionally. I am so thankful.

I have a friend that loves her God, her husband and her sons and is a role model for me everyday. I am so thankful.

I have a friend that believes differently than me and gives me great comfort because I know she prays for me. I am so thankful.

I have a neighbor that always wears lipstick no matter what the occasion. (And it makes me smile.) I am so thankful.

I have girl cousins that send me sweet notes and remind me that despite the rocky road that I started on, I turned out okay. I am so thankful.

I have a group of mom friends that laugh with me and cry with me and never ever judge me. I am so thankful.

I have a group of childhood friends that know the real meaning of friendship and would drop what they are doing right now to come to me if I needed them. I am so thankful.

**************
I have had a tough weekend full of doubt and hurt. Instead of focusing on the person that causes the pain and trying to understand why, I am going to look forward and remind myself on a minute by minute basis of the people that I have in my life. I am going to protect my family and my children with everything that I have. I am going to love my people with all of my heart. I am going to admit when I make mistakes. I am going to love.

That's all I can do.

Freaky

The birds are back. And I am sure they are watching me.

I never really saw many movies when I was a kid. We barely ever went to the theatre and there was no such thing as a VCR at the time. Popeye, Star Wars, Smokey and the Bandit and Airplane - those are the movies that have remained in my childhood vault. I certainly never saw a horror movie as a child and have barely seen a scarey movie as a grown-up.

So I don't know why these birds freak me out so much. They are everywhere. In every shopping center tree. On all of the power lines down the freeway. I start to get the feeling like I need to get out of the car and run as fast as possible into the store. Oh yeah, except for the fact that I've got to get 5 kids out of the car and one of them needs to be released from his carseat.

The kids and I sat in the car watching the birds for quite a long time the other day. It is like they are playing games, hopping from one tree to another and then over to hang out on the line. I know they are communicating. I think they are actually laughing and playing tricks on me cause they can tell that I am a little freaked out.

P.S. About Airplane, I was 10ish and my brother was 12ish. He BEGGED to go and see it. BEGGED!!!! My parents finally gave in. We went to the theatre as a family. My mom and dad had no idea that there would be nudity. I can remember seeing the naked chest bouncing across the screen and the look on my mom's face. I can remember it like it was yesterday. But I don't remember if we got to stay for the whole movie. Isn't that weird.

I am ashamed

I've decided tonight that I have a new thing that I need to work on. A new thing at the top of the very very very long list of things I need to try and improve. You know things like attitude, eating habits, housekeeping and sarcasm. The sarcastic thing is SO not becoming and yet I am filled with sarcasm almost as soon as I open my eyes each morning.

Anyhoo, my new thing is I've gotta work on being nice. Oh, I should clarify...being nice to people that I don't like. I don't have a long list of people that I don't like. Actually, I can really only think of one or two people.

But good God, I can't drop it. There is a person that I am in social interaction with on a regular basis - three times a week at a minimum. Ya know, it is that kids the same age in the same school doing the same activities kind of thing. This mom drives me up a wall. It has gotten so bad that even her voice bugs me. I will walk and pace on the sidelines of the wrong field away from my child's sporting event to not be near this mom. She sends know-it-all emails. Her kids are bossy. She is the person that flies a banner when she does something great, it's her birthday, she's gone out of her way to help her friend or her dog took a crap. It drives me flat out nuts.

I avoid emails from the person. I have over 400 unread messages right now. (I should be embarrassed to admit it, but alas - it is my life.) Most of the unread messages are truly because I don't know where to start and can't seem to get past the feeling of being overwhelmed by the whole scene. Hers, I flat out don't open.

I am ashamed of myself for feeling this way. Our kids know how I feel. I tell them that not everyone can get along all of the time.

I need to work on this. Why am I such an asshole. I need to be kind and show this person love. Maybe that is what she needs. Or maybe that is what I need. I recognize that this is my problem. I think she is mostly unaware of the extend of my dislike.

I need to get down on my knees and find it in my heart to love even the people that I don't love.

I don't want enemies.

I don't want to feel full of negativity every single time I see this person.

But how do I get to that place?

I just don't even know...

Family Fun

A few weeks ago, I took the four older kids to an Adidas soccer clinic. I was really pleased with how many new skill building tools the kids took away from the clinic. I was also pleased with the fact that three of them knew no one at the clinic, but they still got in there and participated. I am proud of Sam too because he was in with the teenage group where all of the kids were twice his size, but he didn't back down. I can feel that growth spurt coming soon for him. I just know that I am going to blink my eyes soon and find that he has turned into a young man. Let's just hope I don't cry about it and embarrass him too much!

Did I tell you that we once again have a 7 year old. How in the world did my sweet little one grow up so fast? He is changing a lot too. He looks bigger. He is very helpful and loves loves loves to learn. We were talking today about how we wish tomorrow could be a stay at home day. "Not me" he says, "I like school."

There are many many things that I love about my Jeff. Every single day he makes me smile and I have more and more reason to be thankful for him.

I really love that he loves our daughters and is not afraid to show them what a good husband and a good dad looks like. I love that he is not afraid to two-step with them when we go out honky-tonkin'. I also love that he shows our sons that it is okay to get up and take your girl for a spin around the dance floor.

And I love that he is willing to carry the sleeping baby during the long walk back to the car after he has been dancing all night! :)

Oh, and here is our sweet Oreo. Man, I forgot how much a kitten uses the kitty box. Geez, we hafta clean it every.single.day! But it's okay though, cause we love him to death!

Toes

This morning I woke up and was glad to be cold. What a surprise. While my heart loves the summer and all it brings, I am strangely looking forward to the cold. I am looking forward to being inside with my family. I am excited to cook and serve meals that warm not just the belly, but also the heart.

I am excited to hunker down. I am excited to smell the cinnamon candles burning in our home. I am looking forward to the quiet and still of winter.

Now I've just got to find my fuzzy socks.

ACL Mud Rash

Okay - I am only doing this because my Jeff wants me to. I actually think it is kind of gross. Here are some pictures of my ACL Mud Rash.

Yes, we were at ACL all three days.

Yes, I was covered in mud.

Yes, I have the 'ACL Mud Rash'.

Yes, we had the time of our lives and will go back next year!

No, I am not suing C3 Presents or the City of Austin. Although, a couple of three day passes for next year could make my eye hurt a little less.

P.S. How 'bout that I am getting a ton of hits on my blog cause of this stinkin' rash. Woo hoo.

MeMaw

Today I was at the doctor's office to have my ACL mud rash checked out. The nurse and I had friendly conversation while she was taking my vitals. When she started to walk out the door she inquired about the age of my grandson.

Come on. Really?

And P.S. Please excuse my muddy man hands. I just love the picture more than I hate the hands. I'm sure you understand.

Almost Famous

We went to the Austin City Limits Music Festival again this year. I've got tons to post and a gazillion picture to go through, but I thought I'd give you a little peek into our Sunday excitement.

Once again, the kids made the best of a very muddy situation. And then they became almost famous because of it. While we were watching Raul Malo play at the Austin Ventures stage, the kids got out the beach ball and started playing mud soccer.
Before we knew it, there was a crowd of festival goers gathering and lots of people asking if they could take pictures of the kids.

Once Raul Malo finished his incredible set, we made our way through the mud and over to the Dell Stage to see Sam and Lake's favorite, Michael Franti and Spearhead. Boy-o-boy, what a show. And what a crowd of professional photographers gathered around our kids.
It was crazy. I was starting to wonder if Brad Pitt was standing behind us or something.

I love that our girls are willing to get down and dirty and have a good time with the boys!

Once that show was over, we got some water and helped the kids wash the mud off of their faces. Sam had so much mud covering him that even his teeth were brown. Ick.

I've gotta say that I think Sam, Lake and Alex are pretty darn cute, even when they are covered in mud!


And the very very best part of the whole situation is that we were given another beautiful example of the kindness of strangers. I started going through our pictures yesterday and was really bummed out to see that I didn't have one single shot of the kids hanging over the front rail at the Michael Franti show. And then I realized that a lot of my mud pictures didn't turn out so great because there was a bit of mud on the lens. (go figure) So after much internal debate, I decided to go out on a limb and email a couple of the folks that gave me business cards when they were taking the mud photos. Well, lo and behold, I received a reply message today from my new buddy Karen, the Digital Executive Producer of KXAN here in Austin. Can you even believe that she took time out of her busy day to send me a few really incredible pictures?!?! I mean with a job title like that, she must be super duper busy - and she still sent us the pictures. I am so so so thankful. What a kind and special person she is. (Thank you SO much Karen.)

So here are a few of the pictures that I received from my new friend Karen with the swanky business title who works for KXAN the NBC Affiliate here in Austin.


Photo credit:
Super talented memory saver for taking pictures of my kids in the mud: Charlie L. Harper III, photographer

One of the nicest people ever for sending a mud tired momma some great pictures: Karen Brooks, Digital Executive Producer KXAN.com

Oh, and you can also find a picture of our muddy kids on the Michael Franti and Spearhead flicker page by clicking here. And did I remember to tell you that the muddy kids got to get up on stage with Michael Franti and dance and sing in front of thousands of people. Yep, they sure did. And nope, I don't have a single picture of it.

Oh, and you can also see a few photos of our Ella singing at ACL with the Barton Hills/Palm School choir here.

The Reason

I went to the grocery store this morning and can now provide proof of why it doesn't work for me to grocery shop with sleepy eyes, a cloudy head and no list.

Items purchased
3 containers of Spic and Span car cleaners (on sale for $0.75)
3 loaves of bread
2 boxes of instant oatmeal
2 boxes of taco shells
4 packages of McCormicks taco seasoning
3 packages of goldfish
1 jug of apple juice
1 newspaper

Now how in the world am I gonna feed 7 hungry mouths with that???

Although we need groceries, I am happy in my ACL haze. Ahhhh...

Oreo

My head is full. I've been bouncing all over the place lately with my thoughts. There are times where it feels like my chest will break into a million little teenie tiny pieces if anyone accidentally bumps into me.

I am happy. I feel so loved. I feel like loving so much. Oh these babies. I want to just eat them up. Every single one of them, dirty fingernails and all.

I was driving down the road yesterday and I had a rare moment where a memory from my childhood came rushing into my head. I don't know what the trigger was. Before I knew it, I was in traffic on Lamar crying my eyeballs out. It is a strange thing, our mind.

We have an outstanding new music teacher at our school. He has the kids truly interested in music. This afternoon, I was watching YouTube videos with #2 and #4 - Elvis, Beach Boys, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Beatles, Louis Armstrong. We were talking about Elvis and watching him perform in the 'old days' - as the kids like to say. I asked #4 if he remembered a certain song from Lilo and Stitch. He didn't know what I was talking about. It is sad to me that #4 can't remember seeing a lot of the movies that are huge memories for the other kids. When the first four were under 5, we had movie night every Friday after playing at the park. We'd watch all of the kid movies - Dumbo, Jungle Book, Little Mermaid, Toy Story, Lilo and Stitch. It is such a bummer he doesn't remember those sweet sweet times with four under five. So we watched Lilo and Stitch tonight. I think he liked it. I think he really really liked it. It was nice to all be in the living room having that time.

Maybe it was really nice because our bellies were full. I made pork chops, mashed potatoes (from scratch), green beans, corn and super flat rolls. Ugh. I let them rise for almost 4 hours and then they dropped when I put them in the oven. Oh well, they were really yummy flat rolls. :)

In addition to being worried about my own stupid crapola, I've also been worried about my friends. I think a lot about my friends in the middle of the night. I wonder where their hearts are. I hope they know they are loved.

I've also decided that I am done with grown-up problems. I am not done with the grown-ups or listening to the problems, but I just think that sometimes being a grown-up really really stinks. This is a brief list of what is happening to some of the people that we care about - friends getting a divorce, friend having an affair, friend that is trying to come out to the kids, and friend with a serious alcohol problem. One of my very best friends in the whole wide world was battered by her soon to be ex-husband last weekend - oh and that is different than the divorcing friends that I mentioned above. I can't completely let myself think about her being hit by someone that she loved. I can't completely let myself think about the fact that her child was there when it happened. I can't understand why a grown-up would be such a coward and so stupid. I can't let myself go back to the place where I am the child watching the abuse. I just can't.

I received an email that moved me this week. I haven't yet responded. I guess that is another thing to put on the list of things I can't do right now. It was hard to read, but it was good to read. I need to read it really really fast or else the tears take over and I will melt into a pool on the desk. Oh what facebook can do. Oh how I love my cousin. I mean really really love her. Thank you Vivian. I am working on being able to really really hear things from our past. I am taking baby steps, but they are steps.

***************************************
Vivian sent you a message.

--------------------
Subject: My First Memory of You

I did not want to share this with everyone. I remember this little toddler girl brought into my grandparents house with burn scars & hurt written in her eyes. Tia Jackie & Tio Manuel said this is our new daughter. I smiled at you, held my arms out to you & you fell into my arms & wrapped yours around me tight. I have always thought of you as special since then. We may not have communicated throughout the years but as long as I know you are still out there, my world is a better place.
Love you,
Viv
****************************************


Oh and on the list of things that I can do, LOOOOVVVVEEEE my husband, LLLOOOOVVVVEEEEEE my kids, be a FRIEND and take my kids to happy hour at Sonic. So there list of crummy things that I can't do - I am winning!

P.S. Oreo is the name of our new kitty.

Without Thinking

I did it.

I REALLY did it this time.

I was checking out the old facebook page tonight and noticed that our good friend had a stray kitten hanging in her garage.

At that very moment I sent her a message and within 10 minutes that kitten became ours.

I didn't ask JC.

I didn't talk to the kids.

I just did it.

I know it was a rash decision. and.i.don't.care!!!!!

We can't have a catless house. I can't STAND a catless house.

JC just smiled when I walked through the door. It was a half smile that can only be given by a man that has been married to me for almost 19 years and knows that I am sometimes a little bit nutty. (to say the least)

The boys woke up and were excited.

The girls don't know yet. Tomorrow morning when they have bed heads and sleepy eyes they will get a sweet surprise.

I am excited.

Fingers crossed that he uses the litter box that I just made for him. I can't wait until we can give him a name tomorrow.

I can't wait until he lays on my head while I am trying to sleep.

Welcome home kitty, I am looking forward to spending the next 15 years with you!

The Eyes

The other night I was up in the middle of the night. I walked into the kitchen and this is what I saw.

It kinda freaked me out at first.

Then it just made me sad.

The kids are still visiting his grave regularly.

#1 has made his picture the wallpaper on both of the computers.

We were so lucky to have such a sweet kitty for such a long time.

Flying High

Well, a handful of you have commented regarding the whereabouts of SBW in the Lucky JUMP picture!

He was there with us. But he was too busy running around to be bothered with trying to do a synchronized jump for a picture. Besides, he likes to spend his time flying high with his super fun dad.

Seems like he can laugh for hours and hours when dad is throwing him in the air. Seems like we never get tired of hearing it.

And this is a shot of how cute a 13 month old can be after hanging out at the soccer fields all day on Saturday. There wasn't a dirt free spot on his sweet little body!

I think these picture didn't turn out too shabby with our broken cheap camera. Maybe I should sign up for one of those jazzy photography classes too!

Goodbye GL

My eyes are puffy tonight. Tomorrow is the last day of the Guiding Light and I am sad. I've have spent the last couple of nights watching a weeks worth of episodes. Although I hadn't watched the show in a handful of years, I cannot believe that it is over. I was screaming at the TV and JC all night long because my Springfield friends were coming out of the wood works.

Some of my earliest childhood memories include this television show. I can remember being in kindergarten and my mom watching the show. This is one of the only memories I have from our first family home. White bread (Sunbeam) sandwiches, koolaide, hair braids and the Guiding Light on the little black and white television.

I can remember being in junior high and high school and watching the Guiding Light during the summer. We had a giant console television. It was the years of love for Phillip, Rick, Mindy and Beth. They were the people that I SO wanted to be my friends.

After Jeff and I got married, I still watched. We'd put the video tape in the VCR so that I could watch once I got home from work. Oh that Roger - he kept me coming back.

When we had our first babies, I would put the kids down for nap and watch during my 'mommy break hour'. I would call on the phone to my best mommy buddy Val and we'd talk about the show and our babies.

As a young girl, I dreamed of being a Bauer. I wanted to be invited to their family July 4th picnic so bad that I couldn't stand it.

I kinda lost the show in the last few years. I was always checking out the soap opera magazine in the grocery line though. I knew that my Springfield family was always there and recognizable whenever I was ready to come back.

I am ready to come back now, and they are leaving. I just can't believe it.

For those of you that have never heard of or watched this soap opera, here is a little bit of information.

* Final episode on Friday, Sept. 18, 2009
* The series spanned 72 years
* More than 15,700 episodes on television and radio

Wow, I just never thought I'd see the day that Guiding Light would no longer be on television.

Thanks for the memories Maureen, Ed, Rick, Michelle, Danny, Phillip, Beth, Allan, Alexandra, Nola, Fletcher, Josh, Shane, Maura, Vanessa, Matt, Billy, Bill, Dinah, Bert, Jeffrey, Olivia, Blake, Holly, Frank, Buzz, Nadine, Harley, Gus, Daisy, Marina, Lizzie, James, Mallet, Mel, Roger, Lillian, Hart, Lujack, Kassie, Jeffrey, Edmond, Dylan, Bridget, HB and Reva Shayne Lewis Spaulding Lewis Cooper Lewis.

I'll never forget you guys!

Lucky JUMP!

We are so lucky! Our dear sweet Krob is taking a photography course and she needs subjects.

How 'bout that.

Some pretty jazzy pics. of my kids all in the name of helping a friend.

Gotta love it and gotta LOVE the JUMP!

A Number

So you might have noticed that I haven't been around much lately. Seems like when the kids are at school, Sweet Baby is busy holding me. And when the kids aren't at school, I am busy holding them. And driving them around.

There has been so much love to soak up in the last few weeks that blogging (or anything computer related) has been the last thing on my mind. Or actually, it has been on my mind a lot, but it has been the last thing on the never ending to do list.

I have been full of worry again. It is very very apparent by the rash that now covers the upper part of my right leg. Scratch scratch scratch.

I have been amazed lately by the number of conversations I have had that turn to facebook talk. Seems like it might be taking over the world. I have even heard people talking about the number of friends that they have. I am a bit surprised by all of this friend counting mumbo jumbo. I have no idea how many friends I have. I do know though that I can honestly say that I know every single one of my friends in real life. Seems that some folks just ask anyone that has a mutual friend or is in a mafia with them. Not me though. If you are my friend on facebook, then I am proud to say that I've had some face time with you during life.

And about me saying face time. I was called out a few weeks ago for saying that I was looking forward to some face time with my husband. It seems that some of my friends live in the gutter and assumed that meant some lovin' time. Well, for the record, that isn't what I meant. And I don't know when face time became slang for getting it on in the land of the hip young people. And besides, if we are gonna get it on, I'm sure not going to update my status about it. Although we ARE married and it IS a perfectly normal thing for folks like us to do.

My bff Heather is back in America. She and her hubby came to visit last week. I didn't want to sleep. I just wanted to talk and talk and talk for hours. It turns out that I didn't want to shower either. Thank goodness she still loves me, even if I stink when I am visiting with her.

The other big news? Well, it is the rain, of course! Rain and rain and rain and rain. I love the rain. Is it bad that I am already feeling cold though? Ugh. I am not looking forward to being cold this winter. I love me some Texas heat!

I'll be back this week. I've got lots and lots to say.

Thanks for checking in on me.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Leah's Story Link

Today starts Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Please click on the link above (Leah's Story) to see the story of our friend Leah. What a brave little girl. What a strong family.

I promise you will be touched.

Marcellus

Tonight I hurt. I hurt for me. I hurt for my kids. I hurt for my Jeff.

Our kitty died today.

We are all so sad.

The tears just keep coming. We cry in shifts. One person stops, the next person starts.

Marcellus was a member of our family. He had been with us for 14 years. Our kids have never known life without this cat. He was my constant friend. He always gave us unconditional love - even when I forgot to buy the cat food.

I am so so so thankful for our vet who helped us make the right decision today. I am thankful that so many people in our lives got to experience the perfect pet. I am thankful that my friend Krob was willing to take some incredible pictures of him this afternoon before we all had to say good-bye.

We were all so lucky to have this guy in our lives.

He was purring all the way until the end.

Oh my sweet kitty, how I will miss you.

7, 6, 4 and 1

You might remember from previous posts (2007/2008) how much I don't love this day. I know it is exciting. I know that it is fun. But I really enjoy having the kids at home. And it is not just me, SBW is missing them too!!!

#1 is headed to 7th grade today! Can you even believe it???? We were all (J, K and S) up most of the night worrying and fretting about it all. I know he is going to do fine. I don't know if I am gonna be fine though. I AM embracing every age and stage of life - but it is also so sad to think that we only have FIVE more first days of school with him. He is growing way way way too fast.


And you know I couldn't let him start 7th grade without getting the pair of shoes that he wanted. So we went off the beaten path and let him get some perfectly 80's tennis shoes!


#2 was very excited about this first day of 6th grade. She tried on lots and lots of clothes before she got her perfect look! I had to smile when I looked at her this morning because it totally felt like some sort of flashback. :)


#3 was feeling jazzy with her striped shirt, dangley earrings and knee-high socks. I love that she feels good about herself. I have a feeling that 4th grade is going to be a good year for her!


#4 was very very excited about the first day of 1st grade, his first time to have a man teacher and his new tennis shoes that don't have shoe laces. He was up and floating in the bathtub at the crack of dawn with no problems!


Walking to school was sure nice this morning, but boy-o-boy, those hills can really mess with ya!


I wonder if #4's teacher will let him keep his most special hat on his desk all day long?


As normal, one of the kids ended up not having everything they needed to start the day just right. Go figure that our biggiest worrier ended up at school with nothing to write with. How in the world did we forget to pack her pencils??? So then when I went in to kiss her and give her love on her first day she was in a full on panic. Ugh. At least she is still smiling though and that her neighbor let her borrow a pencil!