Our week in review

It started with the "chicken pops."

 On Wednesday night, we broke out Just Dance 2--seriously the best $100 we ever spent.  So so so much fun.  I have a friend who got it and then has posted videos of herself on the internet.  Obviously she is my braver, more coordinated friend with more rhythm.

 It was a nice bit of fun in the middle of a very busy, very stressful week.  And a nice way to spend an evening together before the loooongest day ever- Back to School Day at ELCA.  It was meet the teacher, all school worship service, picnic on the grounds, ELCA sports preview--and all of this was preceded by a mad dash to get everything ready in our rooms after three straight infuriating days of meetings.

Here's me being a geek and taking a picture of myself before meet the teacher, just to make sure.  I can't tell you how many times I think I really look nice only to find out later that I had my sweater on inside out, or my slip was showing, or I had "embarrassingly high 80's hair.

 One of the only down sides to having my children in the same school where I teach is that I don't get the chance to take Hannah to see her classroom or the first day of school.  Maddy took her for me, and Sarah will take her on Monday.

Here she is with her teacher (and my weight watcher buddy) Mrs. Farr.

 And with Ms. Sandi, Mrs. Farr's aide.

 She wasn't too sure about going to kindergarten.  She absolutely fell in love with school in K4, and wanted to go back to Ms. Colleen's class.

By today, she was a little more excited, and even wrote out a list of snacks she wants to take to school next week.

 The uniforms are ready.

 Sock and hairbows are ready and easily accessible. (Yes, be impressed with my organizational skills)

 She was so excited (doesn't she look excited?) that she wrote a song about going to kindergarten.

Looking forward to one last weekend of freedom before the madness begins!

Monday Miscellany

Saturday--before a much needed haircut.  And yes, it was as bad as it looks.  She's not a big fan of hair brushing or combing, so as we have found ourselves doing so often, we just did the bare minimum so she didn't look like a street orphan, except for Sundays.

 And after.

 Duckface.

 Charlotte's first time-out.  Doesn't she look penitent? (not)  She is such a sweetheart, but lately, she has gotten great joy out of pulling Hannah's hair, kicking Hannah, hitting Hannah, and taking things from Hannah and running  away with them.  You would think that Hannah, with all of her attitude and feistiness (feistyness?), would stick up for herself.  But no, she just sits there and takes it.  I think we need to find a new location so that she doesn't enjoy it quite so much!

Not much else to report.  Back to work for me today, so I have had my fill of sitting in meetings wishing I was in my classroom working on getting ready for those 20 first graders that will become "mine" for the school year.  This time of year where I have a hard time sleeping--too much running through my head, so much to do and think about.  This year has been particularly rough, as the insomnia started about a week ago and shows no sign retreating.  Last night, I thought I had it licked, when who should climb in bed with us at 2:46?  Hannah.  And that's all she wrote.

Here's hoping for a good night's sleep...or actually sleep, period!

What Makes Me Happy Wednesday

How better to jump back into blogging that with a giant pair of red satin panties, huh?  For the last two weeks, I've had to deal with too many things that I would have just rather not have.  It's in my nature to run, and run fast, from conflict and pain.  But that's not really been an option, so I've had to put on my big girl panties and just deal.  Tears, fears, and little sleep do not a good blogger make.

 But, since I've felt all doom and gloom for the last couple of weeks, I thought a post focusing instead on my blessings was in order (plus there wasn't another way to tie in all these pictures).  So it's Wednesday, and now to what makes me happy....

1.  Maddy's finally home!  OK, so she is not home in this picture, but all of the pictures that I have taken of her lately have been blurry (did I mention I still haven't been to the eye doctor?)  Maddy's been a traveling girl this summer, going here and there and to the beach and to the beach again.  But finally, she is home for good!

 2.  Charlotte and her impersonation from the movie, Parenthood. (If you are too young to know what I am talking about, there are two siblings.  The sister drills her toddler with flashcards and classical music.  The brother?  His son goes around with a box on his head, bumping into walls.)  How proud are we?

 3.  Sisters who take care of each other.  We got home from the lake and Charlotte promptly got strep throat.  She felt a little puny for a while, but Hannah got her all set up in her bed and let her "rest," which in Hannah-speak means, "lie in my bed and let me pile stuffed animals on top of you."

 The next day she was feeling a little better, so Hannah thought she was ready for a step up, the rubbermaid drawer bed.

 4.  Vacation Bible School.  Our church did Pandamania this year, and this was Hannah's first year as a participant.  Here she is before VBS--hair done, shirt on, not quite sure if she wants to go.

And after.  She LOVED it. 

 So proud of my big girls, who were helpers for the little kids.

 Hannah especially liked the Praise and Worship time of the night.  For a week after it was over, she led us in singing

 jumping for joy for Jesus,

praising,

 and prayer.

 5.  New bikes.  Sarah has been saving all summer for a new bicycle, and now that summer is essentially over, she had enough money to buy it.  I hadn't been on a bike in close to 25 years, but I did take a spin around the neighborhood.  Oh how times have changed.  I remember riding my bike, streamers flying, feet on the handlebars, wind through my braids, loving the feeling of "flying."  This time?  The whole time I was thinking, "It's a long way down if I fall.  I would really hurt myself."  Sigh...I'm old!

 6.  Toy catalogs.  I don't particularly like them as much as I love watching the little girls with them.  Hannah of course, wants everything.  Charlotte, her little mimic, walks around showing everyone who will listen that there are babies in her book.  Love love love her.

7.  That man in the picture above.  He is the voice of reason (most of the time) and my rock.  Plus he's the hardest working man I know.  This week, he is working at the school where he teaches in the morning, teaching a math camp at the college in the afternoon, rushing home to change and do electrical work in the evening, and then teaching a class at the college at night.  And he does it all for us.  Oh how I am blessed.

8.  I got to get back in my classroom today.  I've loved being home for the summer and being able to spend so much time with the kids, but I am a school geek at heart.  Something about setting up a brand new classroom and the hope of a new year to come that is exciting and soothing at the same time.

9.  Compliments! I've been at this weight loss thing for what seems like forever now, and today I got my first real compliment, from a former parent, who told me, "You're half of you!"  Of course, it was followed by, "You always do this.  You lose so much weight and then get pregnant.  Is it that time again?"
Um...........NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO thank you. :) 

I hope you have lots to make you happy this Wednesday!

4th of July at the Lake

We're at the lake visiting my parents on our summer vacation. At the moment, my great sleeper, Charlotte, is downstairs screaming hysterically because she doesn't want to take a nap.  She's done a great job for the last three days napping and sleeping here, but right before she went down, Hannah had a screaming tantrum about not wanting to go shopping with the girls, but still wanting a toy.  She kept coming in to the bedroom to beg me to change my mind about the whole thing, and then Sarah came in after her, and that was all she wrote for Char.  Yeah...fun day.  So, while I am trying to refrain from going to get her, I thought I'd blog about much happier times at the lake.

Summer at the lake means breakfast at the "bar."  Oh how these girls love this.

 It means swimming in the pool.  They have two different pools in their development, one with a water slide, and I hope before this trip is over to get a picture of Hannah actually going down the water slide.

But for now...Hannah and Maddy...friends for now.

 Four words:  stay on Weight Watchers!  Ugh.  Sad part?  I just hit 25 pounds gone and I still look like this!

 Hannah shows us she remembers how to swim!

Sitting with Daddy during adult swim.  When it comes to the sun, my husband and I are polar opposites.  He slathered himself to go and sit in the shade.  SPF4 for me!

Maddy gets creative with the dominoes.

We went to se fireworks at the Ritz by boat on the 3rd instead of the 4th.  Last year was Hannah's first time she actually watched fireworks instead of burying her head in Daryl's shoulder.  Since Charlotte doesn't have a lot of fears, we thought we would try it this year.

Getting ready...

and getting there.

Once we got there, of course, the camera battery died, so I haven't any pictures of the fireworks or the kids watching them.  Hannah loved them, but kept her hands over her ears. To be as loud as she is, she sure does hate loud noises. Charlotte, on the other hand, stared with wonder at the first five or so and then spent the rest of the show like this.

Josh cacme yesterday morning, so we had some fun as a family...

swimming in the lake

and setting off fireworks and playing with sparklers.

Mission accomplished.  Crying has subsided, for now.  Charlotte - 2,485;  Mommy - 1.