Homecoming

Grace and the "crew"

Last week, all week was Homecoming. The kids got to wear crazy things to school, paint their faces, and basically be wild. They loved it. This is the first Christian School we've gone to that is K-12 and has all the things like football teams, cheerleaders, and HOMECOMING!! Friday was the big parade where they drove around all the homecoming court in cool cars, and the football team and senior class walk by and throw candy at your children. Literally throw candy at your children. I actually picked a piece up and threw it back and one of the kids and warned him that he is throwing at 6-year olds....not seniors. With a smile on my face of course! Drew and I volunteered to be "safety patrol" for Maddie's class, to make sure no one from her class dived into the road in pursuit of the perfect piece of candy. It was too cute. And the little stinkers were actually trying to dive into the road...all for some gummy life savers.

My toothless, one dimpled, whistler

Just hanging out waiting for the parade to start.

So it was a fun week. We are really liking this school, and SO thankful we are able to send them there. All three kids have really bonded with some friends and Drew and I are beyond thrilled with all three teachers they got. This is one of those times in life where you know this is exactly where you should be. There aren't many times like that in life, so I am relishing in it while I can. :)

The after picture.....of what happens when your child has too much candy.

We Made It

Well....we made it. Jack and I survived the first week of way too much quiet around here. After a shaky start to the week, it actually wasn't as bad as I thought. Got a few random projects done around here that I've been trying to do since we moved in!! I brought Jack with me on a few pick-up trips and he loved sticking his head out the window and watching everyone. And, the kids loved seeing him with his head out the window in anticipation of their arrival. He is pretty darn cute..not that I'm partial or anything. So week 1 is done, we all survived, and the weekend is upon us. Not sure what we have planned yet, but we are all excited to SLEEP IN tomorrow.

Fun Notes

Found these super cute lunchbox notes here. eighteen25 Just print off and punch out with a 3 inch circle punch. Best part...they are FREE! I am a cheese ball and love putting little fun facts and jokes in my kids lunches. Caleb is a big fan of knock-knock jokes, and Grace loves facts like....Did You Know? That a turtle can breathe through its butt. ;) And Madeline just likes hearts and smile faces and "i love you's". I posted about these super cute lunchbox notes this year that I found here - lunch box love - and they are so fun, and give really neat facts about everything under the sun. We learned things like butterflies smell with their feet, an ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain, and Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise. VERY useful information if you ask me! :) But sometimes free is nice too. And sometimes just a little handwritten note that says "I love you" in your own handwritting is perfection to your children.

Unexpected Surprises

Today was the first day of school. First day of making new friends, becoming used to new surroundings, and trying to navigate around new teachers. Drew and I walked with them into their classes, and I was so proud of them. They were, of course, nervous. So was I. Caleb walked in and we could tell didn't want us to linger too long, and as hard as it was, I didn't. How is the little boy who was obsessed with Thomas the Train in 4th grade? Grace walked in her class and began talking to her teacher, and telling her how excited she was. No shock there! :) Madeline walked in, hung up her backpack and walked to her chair. She looked back at me, which of course almost broke my heart. Why, I don't know. Maybe it was because her backpack still looks like it swallows her up when it's on her back, maybe it's because her little jumper she has to wear looks like I could fit two of her in it. She is our little peanut, and although she was putting on a brave face, I could tell she was nervous. I walked over gave her a big hug and reminded her to look at her palm when she was lonely. We love the book the "Kissing Hand" and have adapted our own version of it in this house. It's a cheesy, corny thing that I do with the girls and I think you need to have more estrogen than testosterone to understand. But they love it, and I will do it as long as they let me. I may even just hold them down when they are 16 and draw a heart on them. ;)

And now here I sit. After getting home and starting to get things ready for dinner.....a bottle of marinade exploded in my face after I opened it. Marinade that has horseradish in it....spicy horseradish. So, after telling myself I was not going to die on the kitchen floor or at the least go blind, I gathered myself together and began drowning my face in water. Once I got to a mirror, I noticed I had brown marinade dripping from every part of my face and hair, and the left side of my face looked like it had gone a couple rounds with Rocky. And I had to laugh. So much for the quiet afternoon I was going to spend missing my children. For the past 2 hours I have re-showered, started two loads of laundry, mopped the floors, cleaned the marinade off all the cabinets, and lit 20 candles because my house reeks. So, here I sit with the left side of my face burning and swollen from the aftermath of spicy marinade attacking it, and I have to admit, I haven't really had time to miss my children too much......wonder what I will do tomorrow to distract myself.

Back to School

Fliers like these always make my heart go pitter-patter. Not sure why. Could be my over the top obsession with all things Target and office supply goods related, not sure. I get this and I want to go buy school stuff!! And I'm sure I will peruse the isles of the school section one more time just to make sure we are all set. There may be some super cute pads of paper calling my name. You just never know.

We are starting school in 6 days. Clothes have been bought and tried on. Shoes are all ready to go. New backpacks have arrived and are waiting with anticipation to be put on. Even school supplies are seperated and ready to bring when we meet our teachers this Friday. We are ready. It is on. And after I take my little flyer to Target one last time, I will be ready. I think.