the first day of 2nd and 3rd grade

 Friday, the kiddos had their first day of school. They attend a year round school, so our summer is much shorter than regular schools, but we get many breaks throughout the school year.

 They love their teachers and had a wonderful first day of school! 

C Girl has one of her best friends from church in her class!

 My friend, Kelly, had the cutest brunch for some moms at our school after drop off. I think it is so wonderful of her to host, make yummy food, and introduce us to other moms at school that we may not know yet! We all had the best time eating and chatting!

 After school, we met some friends at a local frozen yogurt shop that is closing. 

We had a fun time!

This morning, we all four helped at our church's annual clothing giveaway. 

I'm so grateful to be able to serve in this ministry. It is such a blessing to our community.

 Tim's sister, Karen came to stay the weekend with us! We are having such a great time! We have been visiting and laughing and took her to dinner at our favorite restaurant in town- Flying Fish!

the last week of summer vacation

We have had a busy week! The kiddos finished up swimming lessons last Wednesday night and we are SO proud of their progress!!!

Thursday afternoon, I took the kids to the library to see a marionette puppet show. It was of the Wizard of Oz and we loved it! B Boy even ended up being in the newspaper the next day!!! The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission had a mobile aquarium set up outside that went to check out for a few minutes and then we headed to Bella Vista to visit a grocery store there that we like.

On Friday, we treated the kids to a fun day at the city pool to celebrate all that they had learned in swimming lessons. They had a really great time! We ate at one of their favorite restaurants and then we headed to a Naturals game! We had an awesome time and the fireworks after the game were fantastic!!!

Saturday was spent at home just hanging out. We did rent a couple of Redbox movies to watch. Tim and I watched Lone Survivor. It was such a hard movie to watch. It ended up being a really good movie.

Sunday was church and then I spent the rest of the afternoon/evening working on plans for the kiddos' birthday party. Things are coming together!

Monday the kids and I cleaned in the house and went through toys to donate. Tuesday, we went to the church to help sort and hang clothes for the clothing giveaway that our church holds for the community every year.

We also had open house to meet their teachers and see their classrooms! I felt so overstimulated the whole time we were there. There were people everywhere and it was new classrooms and things to sign up for, forms to fill out, supplies to organize, etc. B Boy was pretty unsure about things because he only had 1 student in his class this year from last year. He did recognize more kids from school in his class while we were there. He will be fine because he is a social little guy! C Girl was absolutely thrilled to get the teacher she wanted and to have one of her best friends from church in her class! She picked the seat next to her friend and I'm so happy that they have each other to be with all year!!!

I don't usually get too emotional about the start of school every year. I think I kind of push all of the sad thoughts to the back of my mind. It has been very hard this year realizing how big my kiddos are becoming. I cannot believe I have a 3rd grader! It is going to be a great year though!!!

end of the school year

I can't believe at 2:40 pm, I will officially have a 2nd and 3rd grader. Elementary school is going by too fast!

I helped with a game party for the 1st graders yesterday.

 My cat, Sissy, has had a UTI for the past couple of weeks. It has caused us some grief and her to have two trips to the vet and an overnight stay. I'm praying, praying that she is better now. Poor kitty.

 Here are pictures from the first day of school and the last day. I feel like their faces look older. I am so, so proud of all they accomplish and who they are becoming, but it is SO hard to see them grow up so quickly!

Momma Musings

Every time I have sat down in the past week, my mind just has not been in the mood to blog. 

 I think it is coming from a few different reasons.  

One, I've been tired and having a headache off and on most of the week.  

Two, I'm in that place where I don't know what to share about the kids.  I want to blog and remember the things going on with them at school, but I'm afraid to seem like I'm bragging.  Or, if I share not-so-good things, I don't want them to read this in the future and be upset!

Does anyone else have this predicament???

So, in hoping not to sound braggish - a little about the kids:

C Girl is doing so well that I want to cry!  She is a super smart girl and excels in math.  She does great reading, but at the beginning of the year, she had a little motivation issue.

Her teacher is a gift from God and has boosted C's confidence and it shows so much!

She is reading chapter books left and right now!

She improves every week in gymnastics and she just has so much fun being there.

B Boy is doing super.  He is naturally gifted at everything so far.  He is doing wonderful with math and his reading is off the charts.  I haven't seen an official assessment, but I would guess that he is reading at close to a 4th grade level.  Yesterday, he finished a chapter book while we were at C's gymnastics class and then came home and read an entire chapter book before bed.  He may be an even more voracious reader than I was!

He loves to write stories.  He and C both have great imaginations.  They have always loved pretend play.  We have been invited to numerous plays, shows, restaurants, etc.!

I'm just so, so proud of them and I'm so grateful for how much they love school.

So, what's been going on with me?

Last Friday evening, I headed down to my hometown to attend the rosary of my friend Amber's grandmother.  I spent so much time with Amber and her family in high school and over the years.  It still shocks me to the core every time someone I know passes away.
On a good note, I got to visit with Amber and then I stayed the night with Jessica so I got to see her, Keith and Parker!

Saturday, I headed back home.  We had dinner at Red Lobster and it was the best meal I have eaten out in so long!  For some reason, everything we ate was just wonderful!

Sunday and Monday were just normal old days.

Tuesday, we had our annual brunch ending the fall studies.  We actually had Mexican food and it was SO good!

We got to hear testimonies from my friend, Ginger and her mother.

I can't say enough how much I love hearing those and just getting to know people.

Tuesday evening, I went to my monthly book club meeting.

Our theme this month was "classics" and we read Wuthering Heights.

I remembering LOVING this book in high school.

This time? Uhhhh, not so much.  It seemed a LOT more depressing this time.  Oh, well!

Wednesday night, I filled in at AWANA in B Boy's group.  It was fun! It made me miss being there on Wednesday nights!  It was hilarious to watch both kiddos during game time!

As we were getting them ready for bed that night, the power went out.  We soon realized that it was not just our house that was out.  We turned on our battery powered lantern and lit some candles.

As C Girl was saying her bedtime prayers, she prayed that the workers would not get electrocuted while fixing the power.  She was also very worried about "little children who could not find their mommies and daddies in the dark house." I assured her that the mommies and daddies were all taking care of their little ones.  She really does have a sweet, sweet heart deep down :)

Yesterday, I went and ate Thanksgiving feast with the kiddos at school.

The food is not what I remember eating growing up!

C Girl chose the chicken nugget option and when I asked her why she said, "we are having turkey next week and I don't want to spoil it."  Oh, it made me laugh so much! So her!

I've been painting B Boy's bed this week.  I'm really trying to get some projects done in the house before I take some official pictures to share (you know, 9-10 months after we moved in!)  Hopefully soon!

Today, I volunteered in a classroom, ran some errands, visited  Mr. Overstreet at his jewelry store and finished up grocery shopping for the holiday.  The kiddos got to wear pajamas to school and they were so excited!  We are so excited to be on break when they get off the bus today!!!

I've been listening to Christmas music the past few days.  I have gotten really in the mood for Christmas.

Our local Christian radio station makes me laugh every day.  They have a commercial every day pledging not to play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving day. Their slogan is- Grateful hearts before Christmas starts!

Sometimes we need a little Christmas now :)

Haul out the holly;
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.
Fill up the stocking,
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now.
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute.
It hasn't snowed a single flurry,
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry;
So climb down the chimney;
Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For I've grown a little leaner,
Grown a little colder,
Grown a little sadder,
Grown a little older,
All:
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder,
Need a little Christmas now.

A week of stuff

I haven't blogged much in the past week.  Every time that I would have some downtime, I would just not be in the mood.  

Last week, I felt really, really good!  I'm not sure what the deal is, but I'll take it!

Monday, last week, Tim and I went to the Rise and Shine at the kids' school.  B Boy was recognized for being an ambassador this semester and C Girlie was student of the week! Both kids have been student of the week already and I'm SO proud of them!

Tuesday, I had my weekly Bible study, I filled Tuesday folders in each of the kid's classrooms and voted (we have a school millage vote and school board vote right now).

Wednesday the kids have church and Tim & I get some much needed alone time to just talk and hang out for and hour and a half.

Thursday, we had our first district PTO meeting.  This is actually the first time I've ever been a secretary and had to take minutes, but it's pretty easy!  I had lunch with both kiddos after my meeting. I love that their lunches overlap and I get to see them both at the same time! It was also school picture day that day!

C Girlie has gymnastics after school on Thursdays.  She has been going about 7 weeks now and she really seems to love it.  She has some trouble learning a few of the things, but I'm so proud of how hard she is trying!

Tim had football duty that night, so he took both kids with him and I had 3 hours to myself! It was really nice!  I just hung out and made the menu for the next two weeks- I'm trying some new recipes and I'm excited about that. I also sat on the couch and read some of my book!

Friday, I went and helped read with some 1st graders. I'm excited about getting to go do this weekly.  Afterwards, I went to get groceries. I'm one of those people who loves getting groceries- weird, I know!  I also organized my pantry when I got home and unloaded.

Tim and I watched a movie Friday night, and then Saturday, we did a few things around the house and then just watched football all day!  Our Hogs are 3-0 now! I am nervous about the rest of our schedule though.  We play Rutgers this week and after that, it is big-time SEC opponents every week. Eeek!

Yesterday was church, home to have lunch, relax, make soup for dinner tonight, and then back to church for the evening. 

Last night was also the Miss America pageant.  I really prefer it over Miss USA.  My favorite part of this night is the Twitter commentary.  It is the absolute BEST.  I was laughing the entire time! 
C and B were so sad that they had to go to bed and miss the football game last night and the pageant.  It's hard to be 7 and 8.

Geez, it's hard for me to write that they are 7 and 8.  It just seems so old!

Today, I woke up to an unexpected dreary morning. It's not raining now, but it must have sometime during the night/morning.  We really need some rain around here.  I wish we could take some from Colorado.  Please be praying for them. My blogger friend, Jenn, lives in Colorado and wrote this post yesterday.  Just keep the whole state in your prayers.

I have a hair appointment today and I'm very much looking forward to it.  A cut and color always make me feel great!

I also have my appointment for the Cancer Prevention Study 3 this week.  If you want more info or still want to sign up, here is the blog post from a few weeks ago that Keisha wrote.  

I hope you have a wonderful week!!!

The First Day of 1st and 2nd Grade

My little ones are at school today- 1st and 2nd grade.  How did this happen already?!  They were a little nervous about being at a new school, but I know they will do great!

B Boy and his sweet friend, Allison get to sit across from each other in class!