First grade!

 

Well, we sent little man off for another year of higher learning this morning. Welcome to first grade! He said he was excited to go back to school and make new friends.

 

Little sis was not so excited to see him go. I heard Jake tell her this morning that he would need to give her a hug and a kiss before he left because he was going to miss us all more than we would even know. Awesome. That's when I started contemplating homeschooling again. Then I remembered how much we've all been bickering for the last three weeks around here and hauled him off to school.

Last hug of the morning. Could these two be any more beautiful?

You can tell he was thrilled that I followed him into his new classroom to take one last picture can't you? I felt totally fine leaving him at school this morning. It was much better than the Kinder drop off where I felt like my heart might literally pop out of my chest. I knew he would be fine. Then along about 10am I really started missing him. And my heart felt funny the rest of the day. Luckily, my friend Misty came over to distract me until it was time to leave to pick Jake up for the day.

The pick up line at school the first week sucks. Emma and I had to wait for 20 minutes before we got our boy in the car with us. We were so excited to see him and I could tell he was happy to see us. Later on, he told me the things he liked best about the day. He got to take his beloved crabby for show and tell. He got to play with some old friends. He met some new friends although he doesn't have a clue what their names are yet. He got to decorate a cookie and eat it. He had some trouble with friends wanting to play with different people at recess though. That breaks my heart. I keep telling him to find someone that doesn't have anyone to play with and be a friend to that person. We'll see how that goes.

Then tonight while he was taking his bath he asked me how much longer first grade was going to last. So I told him until next summer. And he said "aw man. I really want to spend some more time hanging out with you guys." That broke my heart too. I know he was just really tired from a long day back at school, but I so wanted to tell him that I would home school him and he could stay home with me forever and someday when he's 35 I would find him a wife and she would be so happy living with all of us forever. I didn't though. I just told him how much I love him and miss him when he's gone but that first grade was going to be so much fun and he needs to keep going so he can fill up his brain. We'll see how that goes too!

First Grade!

It's that time again! What a difference a year makes! I just read the post I wrote last year about sending Jake off to Kindergarten and I was a mess! And although I am feeling a little sad about starting another school year, a part of me is feeling a little glad at the same time. We have had many long days of summer to hang out, have fun and get on each other's nerves. It is time to go back.

Jake couldn't be more excited. We met his new first grade teacher last week and she seems very nice. I've also had a couple neighbors tell me that she is wonderful. Good to have back up confirmation. And when I saw that she sent home a note to parents asking us to send her an email or write her a letter letting her know about our child I was pumped. I'm going to try and be slightly less melodramatic than I was with my letter to Jake's Kinder teacher. So without further adieu:

Dear Mrs. Harris,

I'm giving my boy over to you for seven hours a day five days a week. He will be spending more time with you and his classmates than he spends with me now. He's so little. Please be kind. But firm. You're gonna need to be firm. Here are some things you need to know about Jake:

1.) He is a dreamer. He spends more time in his imagination than he does in reality. I like this about him. Please don't kill it.

2.) He loves animals-especially ocean animals. Please foster his interests.

3.) He loses focus easily unless actively engaged in something he enjoys. Please give him tools to do better.

4.) He is a superhero. Please help him to put away his super powers while at school but to know deep down that he still has them. Don't cut those spider webs just yet.

5.) He is sensitive. He may cry over something that nobody else would cry over. Please give him a quick hug and tell him to buck up.

6.) He is a leader. Watch how kids will follow him. Encourage that without giving him a big head. Help him to use those powers for good and not evil.

7.) He has recently learned potty humor. For this I am truly sorry.

8.) He is enthusiastic. Please teach him patience and humility without quenching his enthusiasm.

9.) He really does not like to write sentences. Please find a way to make writing seem fun.

10.) He does not like to lose. He is often a bad sport about losing. Please remind him that doing his best is really what matters most.

He is my heart. I miss him when he is gone. Please protect him. But help him become independent. On the days you can't love him ask me why I love him. I'll fill you in on his good qualities. Please equip him to move on in life to second grade. I'll do my part here if you do your part there. Let's be partners. Oh and try to do the same for the other 21 kids in your class. (You seriously don't make enough money.) 

(ok. so mainly I copied and pasted my kinder letter. Still pretty melodramatic, isn't it? Maybe I'll do better in second grade!)

Happy 32! Happy, happy, happy!

Yesterday was Mike's 32nd birthday. Poor thing. I feel like it was the epitome of what a parent with small children's birthday inevitably becomes. Just another day. It doesn't help that his birthday comes in August and my brain has officially left the building sometime around July 1st. It normally doesn't come back again until November when things cool down around here. August. Texas. Hot. Enough said.

I did attempt an outing to WalMart on Friday to find a small gift for him. We have no money in August either. So, I'm talking really small. As in a 4 by 4 Rubik's cube small. I generally hate and despise going into WalMart because it smells funny in there. And also the aisles are usually in complete disarray. And also some if not most of the clientele at our local WalMart choose to wear inappropriate day time shopping attire when they visit. And also I think that WalMart is the place where hope goes to die. I'm just sayin'. I prefer Target with their bright red colors, dollar aisles and welcoming Starbucks aromas when I walk through the double doors.

But Target wasn't gonna happen yesterday. I chose to go out around 3pm which meant the black faux leather interior of my car was approximately 3000 degrees. I was already in my after 10am heat induced sluggish brain coma and WalMart seemed like a better option because it is only ten minutes away from our house. Turns out I should have just stayed home and taken a nap. After following some other shuffling zombies around the store for awhile I came to the conclusion that WalMart doesn't offer Rubik's cubes to its patrons. That is very telling my friends. Very telling indeed.

So Mike got nothing for his birthday. Except a day with his kiddos because wouldn't you know I started back to work yesterday too? Teacher in-service day. I did bake him a cake the day before but did not see fit to frost it until I got home from work on Saturday. It was just too. much. I did tell him on Friday night that there would be no birthday gift this year because I suck. And also WalMart sucks. So hopefully, he was prepared. At least we took him out to eat at his choice restaurant to commemorate the day. Thank you Rudy's! You saved what could have gone down as the worst birthday ever.

I believe he is thinking "Today I turned 32 and all I got was this stupid cake!" Love you honey! May your next birthday be more special and perhaps celebrated in Colorado or California or Alaska.

Summer Snippits

We really have been quite busy this summer. I've just been too exhausted by the end of the day to write about it! Here's a synopsis. I took the kids into the big city one Saturday morning to see a free concert by some of children's music "big names".  Joe McDermott and The Biscuit Brothers. At the same concert. For free. That would be like a teenager getting to see Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber together. Or like me seeing Rick Springfield and Bon Jovi in the same night. You can't tell by the picture but Jake and Emma were super excited. And maybe suffering from slight sun stroke. It was hot out there ya'll.

 

This is Joe. He is incredible. Even adults like him.

We got some rain and saw a lovely rainbow.

We made friends with some lizards in the garden.

 

Mike did a complete overhaul of the kids Power Wheels truck.

 

Took a trip to Amarillo to see my parents.

Dad and I took the kids to the zoo. "Hey, hey we're the monkeys!"

My oldest friend in the world, Denise, was gracious enough to host a Stella & Dot trunk show for me while I was there. She invited my second to oldest friend in the world, Misty, to come. Had a great time with these girls! And I don't mean that they are old. I just mean I've known them longer than any of my other friends!

We've hiked, bowled, swam, and gone to many a bouncy house over the last few weeks. And now, somehow, someway, we are down to the last two weeks of summer. I think we're all ready for a more regular routine and some cooler weather. Although I am not looking forward to setting an alarm clock every morning. Enjoy the last days of summer!