Been a while.....

I have been stretched so thin lately.

Pulled in so many different directions.

I a lot of catching up to do because a lot of things have come and gone...

The end of the school year, for me, brings SO many things that need to get done. So many projects for each of the kids...end of the year gifts...commitments at the schools...a certain persons birthday--which then means PARTY...our anniversary...plannning and getting a grip on the reality of having the kiddos home for summer....

I could go on.

But I won't.

Anyway....like I said....

I have a lot of catching up to do. :)

I will start with the fact that school ended yesterday.

It was quite emotional for me.

More then I thought it would be.

I am just not a person that does well with a change in routine. I like things to be the same. I like my people, and my day-to-day...and it is hard when what I know comes to a close.

Especially when it menas so many changes at one time...

Number one, I now have a senior in high school.

I have a senior who is SO not ready to be a senior.

Sometimes I wish we could decide where our kids should be...because although she is very smart, and has had a good year this year...mentally, emotionally...she is not ready to be where she is. She had a hard year freshman year, and then tried to come out of it Sophomore year, but went to the other extreme...so essentially...I feel like she just skipped those two years. Like she should REALLY be going into her sophomore year this coming year.

She is just now starting to learn accountability, and responsibility...and unfortunately, in the world...she is certainly expected to already know those skills.

I am super proud of the strides she has made this year, don't get me wrong...but I fear for what is to come too.

Number two, I have a second grader. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? How did my first born finish first grade.

I am kind of in love with our little "family" at our elementary school.

It makes me sad to have it come to an end.

We had an incredible year this year (again) with an incredible teacher (again)...well, group of teachers, really and I am so honored to be a part of it!

Funny though...that school- life becomes your normal day-to-day. The friendships, the interaction, the volunteering. It is hard to have it come to a close. I kind ofdon't quite know what to do now.

Number three, I have a friend at school who is leaving...moving away. Of course, that makes me sad too.

Anyway....all of that, coupled with the fact that I stayed up VERY VERY VERY late for 4 nights before yesterday to finish everything for Ty's birthday party (post to come) and end of the year gifts...made me kind of a wreck yesterday.

This was one of the teacher gifts....

This is another...

This is the book that I compiled from all of the kids. They did a thank you letter, a drawing and there is a portrait of each one of them.

Today, I am back to normal...kind of. :)

There is still a lot on my mind. We are having a garage sale this weekend, coupled with our 10 year anniversary...and dropping the oldest of my kids off at camp this weekend, then a little ocean trip at the same time. Finally my sister comes into town on the 3rd.

Seems like there is just always something!

A GAP!

We reached a big milestone around here. On March 20th, 2010 Tyler lost the first of his front two teeth...
then, the very next night, he lost the second.

SERIOUSLY, could he be ANY cuter????????

Here is how it looked after losing the first one.
RIDICULOUS!  it was JUST hanging there.
However; he got out the first one himself, and he didn't want me to touch the second...

He couldn't eat, because it hurt as he would hit it when he chewed...and I just couldn't stand it.

So after joking with him all day, I told him to go get the floss so I could show him how easy it would be to get out.

He got it, and I TRULY wasn't going to pull it, I was going to let him do it...

I was just going to loop in on the part that had detached...but I tightened the floss and he pull away...all at the right moment, and it just fell right out.

So we went to work and made the tooth fairy a welcoming sign.

Tyler was concerned that she wouldn't like to have to come and give him money TWO DAYS in a row.

So......He wrote her an ADORABLE letter with a picture, and I drew on the driveway.

We thought it "might light her way and make it easier to find us"

He told me, verbatim, what to write!  And he signed his own name.

He was so proud of himself...

He knew he looked adorable....

Plus...the kid LOVES money...so he was all over that part of it!

Time goes so fast!  In just a few weeks, my little boy turns SEVEN!  S-E-V-E-N!!! 

How DID that happen???

I adore the look of a child when they have lost those front teeth...there is just NOTHING cuter...but to me, that is the end of the baby or little kid look.  After those big front teeth grow in...they just attain that "older" look.  It changes their face, and they cross that threshold into "big kid". 

Really, don't know how that has happened. 

Seems like just yesterday he was holding on to things to stand up...or needed training wheels...or started preschool.

How is he about to finish first grade?  About to turn 7?

Oh, but that smile with no teeth????  I would take that any day!

Happy Birthday Dr Seuss!

Kevin shares his birthday with Dr Seuss.

Our schools do big celebrations for Dr Seuss' birthday.
In honor of the day, we started ours, with Green eggs and Ham before school...




To start with the week of his birthday is turn the TV off week, so the kids are challenged to play no video games, watch no TV or movies etc.
They read his books all week long, and have an assembly with a guest speaker talking about following your dreams. Tyler's class did crossword puzzles, and word searches, coloring pages, and made a plaque of their favorite Dr Seuss Quote.

Here is Tylers favorite quote...
Today You are You,
That is truer then True,
There is no one alive
That is Youer then You

It really is a fun way for them to learn about this man, who is a legend in the childrens book world! Dr Seuss would have been 106 this year, and at the time of his death in 1991, Dr Seuss had written and illustrated 44 children's books which had been translated into more than 15 languages. (these are some of the facts that Tyler learned during the week.)
Most of us have amazing memories of Dr Seuess stories from our childhood, and I for one, am so glad that my kids will have that in common with me!

And it begins....

Apparently,
There are a few girls "crushing" on my son....

I am not quite sure how this starts...
Tyler is just one of the nicest boys you would ever meet.
I mean he has his moments, don't get me wrong...but in general...he is so sweet, and innocent.

Last year, we had an amazing kindergarten class. I bonded with all of the kids, and most of the moms. I was there a lot...and I adored the kids, how the kids treated one another, and how they interacted, and our teacher!

We miss them...

Tyler has had a hard time with missing his teacher, and trying to understand so many more expectations that come with being a first grader, plus some kids just start to lose their innocence so quickly...and that can be hard.

However...
Monday...
in his bag I found
ALL of these
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Then on Tuesday...
there were more....

I asked Ty about why they gave them to him....
And, he said..."I guess they just love to."

Oh...
I love him!

My First Grader....

My baby!
So NOT a baby anymore...

I am not normally a school picture fan...as I have no control over the outcome...
I mean I usually like them, but not often love them...

It is usually a forced smile...messy hair...or dirty clothes...

This year though....
OH MY
Love Tyler's........
it is just a picture of a picture of course...
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*******
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He said the photographer told a joke about a spider.

Apparently it was funny. :)

Love the real smile, and how adorable he looks!

*(Karman got retakes...hopefully they will be great too!)

Missing Tooth!

On Saturday...October 3rd...at 6:40 in the morning....[yes, I said 6:40...that's AM].
Tyler lost his very first tooth!

Last year, in Kindergarten, EVERYONE around him was losing teeth. In fact, he was one of the VERY few that didn't lose any. His teacher told us that she had never had so many lost teeth in one year in kindergarten.

So, of course, as you can imagine, Tyler was LONGING to lose his!

All of the time, he would say..."when are my teeth going to get loose?"

Then in about August, at a dentist appointment, we were told that his bottom tooth was loose, and that all of them had small roots (which I guess is a sign that they will be getting loose.)

After that...he was pretty obsessed about wiggling that tooth...but it took a long time to actually see it move beyond what a dentist can see.

However, little by little, it kept getting looser and looser....

Then....literally, in a minute, IT WAS GONE!

Don't ask me why he was playing with it at 6:40 in the morning.

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But DANG....He is SO CUTE!

He was so excited! I mean, you can't tell can you?

Just another first...

on a list of many...

everyday reminding me...

that my little boy is growing up!

A First day in First...

As usual lately...I am behind.
I have just not really been in the mood. Don't know why.
I was savoring the last couple of weeks of summer with the kiddos...then all at once school started.
I guess I was sad...and excited all at the same time.

So Tyler started THE FIRST GRADE on September 9th, 2009!
Yes, today is the 22nd...so sue me. :)

He seems so much bigger then last year. He has lost so much of that little baby"ish" face and seems to be so much more put together then he was last year.
Last year, he was quiet and shy...very tiny in a great big world...
This year, he was laughing and smiling...and just seemed so...
....
...
...
...
...
READY!

Oh, he was so excited...but about this time, below...is when he started getting a little anxious.

He was still excited...but sort of wished that we would stay with him for the day.

I know, for sure, that Makylie didn't want to leave him. She wanted to take him home and keep him forever...tucked in her pocket!

Daddy took the morning off, which Tyler adores! Of course, so does daddy.

We got to go in the classroom, put our supplies away, and listen as the teacher explained a few things to everyone.

Then slowly, the parents started to trickle out of the room.

We knew it was time...

He seemed so confident, but so insecure at the same time.

I could have stayed with him all day...

but, of course, I knew I had to go.

We said our goodbyes...everyone stronger then the year before.

Tyler, though a little nervous, said goodbye...more confident because this year he knew, that I would be back to get him, everyday, without fail...

Then came Makylies turn to say goodbye...

It was so cute...she sat there for a good minute...

Just like this...

She was sad....She literally, DOES NOT know what to do without him. Last year was one thing...only being a few hours...and it was alone time with mommy...however, now it is ALL DAY!

She cried.

Oh I love how much she loves him!

It is nice to be back on routine...but...hard at the same time!

Tomorrow I will post the 10th, which was Karman's first day of school....