September 3rd, 2013 - first day of the 2013-14 school year.
This was Brooklyn's first day of 1st grade and Lauren's very first day of her school career. On top of both of those firsts, it was Mommy and Nolan's very first "Mommy and Me" day! needless to say, there was a lot of excitement in the air!!! We had no tears, no fights or no '5 more minutes' that morning. Everyone jumped out of bed and started in on our morning routine. Once everyone was dressed and the girls had their hair curled and done up, we all sat down for a quick breakfast before we headed out the door for our 3 block walk to Steven's Elementary. First stop was the colorful preschool room. Lauren gave me a quick hug and said "bye Mom!" She was soooo ready for school! Honestly, it was easy for me to leave her at school. She was so excited and has been waiting 2 years to get as big as Brooklyn so she could go to 'Book-in's' school. She had already met her teacher at the open house the previous week, so there wasn't even an once of nervousness in her. (Also, her preschool is only Tuesday and Thursdays from 8:20-11:20, so I knew I was going to pick her up in only three hours!)
We then ventured up to the 1st grade classroom to find the new first grade teacher, Mr. Dorn, waiting! Once again, Brooklyn had already scoped out the classroom during the open house so she didn't seem at all hesitant for me to leave her, either.
So here we are, it's 8:20 am and it's just Nolan and Mom. We went for a long walk, picked up a few groceries, did a load of laundry and played some serious choo-choo trains. Our 3 hours flew by so quickly, before we knew it it was time to go and get Loey. We walked back up to the school and found the preschool class playing on the playground. It was fun to stand back and observe Lauren with her peers - the start of many long friendships! Once she noticed me, she was eager to tell EVERYTHING they had done, including the 2 bathroom breaks! She called Daddy on the walk home to tell him everything, and we stopped by our daycare Mom's house to tell her everything, too! We got home, had a quick lunch and Lauren was more than ready for her 'quiet time'. (She thinks she's too big for naps now, so she spends her quiet time looking at books, watching a movie or anything else to fight the sleep!) At 2:50 we made our final trip up to the school to get B. When I asked her to tell me everything about her first day, she looked at me and replied with "I LOVE school! I LOVE school! I LOVE school!" I guess the day went ok ;)
The day went smoothly, no tears from anyone! Both of the girls love school and can't wait for the next day to go back. Nolan and Mom finally had a couple of hours of alone time after 2 years. I have never heard that child talk as much as he did during our alone time. I guess his sisters do a lot of the talking for him when they are around!
I am thankful for a smooth first week of school and pray for protection, guidance, and growth for my two students this year. I am looking forward to cool fall walks with Nolan searching for that perfect crisp leaf, I am looking forward to watching Lauren's friendships with her classmates grow, and I am looking forward to Brooklyn learning to read in first grade. Another huge thing I am looking forward to is watching the progress of our new home project. We have a lot of things going on in our lives right now, dance class started for both girls last night and piano lessons begin for Brooklyn in a couple of weeks. We are a very busy little Party of Five and so very thankful for all our the blessings we have been given, including a safe and enjoyable first day of school.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!
Because of our current living situation (5 people in a 2 bed room apartment) we tried something a little different this year. Lauren turned 4 on August 4th and little Noley will be 2 on the 23rd - we did a joint party for the two of them this past weekend. I usually host a big party for both sides of the family in my home with a beautiful meal, sugary cake and tons of presents for the special birthday boy or birthday girl to open. We had to rent the back room at our local Pizza Ranch for the space and just ordered pizzas for everyone to eat. It was way less work for me! I brought in a couple of salads (as did both of my wonderful sisters) a couple pans of bars and my mom brought a veggie tray with dip. The meal was wonderful, people filled their bellies and every single picky kid at the party ate!!! I wanted to blog about all of the small bumps I encountered at this party - they all seems like huge deals at the time, but looking back at it now I know I will never remember them if they aren't in writing ;) (funny how often that is the truth!)
My afternoon started out with a very moody 4 year old. When auntie Bessie asked Lauren what was wrong, she replied with "I'm just crabby today!!!" Let me tell you, when Lauren is crabby she is crabby! My dad always jokes when he is referring to her "Don't poke the bear!"
Once we got to the Pizza Ranch, I sent Peter to Walmart to get the cakes. It was a Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse themed party so I had ordered a pink and purple Minnie cake for Lauren (which she was extremely excited about) and a red and blue Mickey cake for Noles (which he couldn't care any less about)!!! Peter carried the cakes in and the first thing I hear is "I don't want this on my cake!" (From the cabby 4 year old) Walmart messed up my order and made matching red and blue Mickey Mouse cakes!!! I had to run back to Walmart quickly, but of course the bakery was close as it was 4:45 pm on a Saturday. I explains my problem and someone from the deli said she could frost some cupcakes quick and stick a Minnie Mouse toy on all of them. I said that would be just fine - and it would have been except she couldn't find any cupcakes to frost! We ended up pulling some out of the cooler and sticking plastic Minnie rings into them. In the end, it worked!
Everything else seemed to be falling into place. We finished supper and started opening the huge pile of gifts. Nolan is obsessed with tools right now so when anyone asked for gift ideas, I said plastic toy tools. He got a TON! He was one happy, excited Birthay boy! - except for when ever anyone else touched his tools! His curious little cousin-brother, Gavin, was amazed by the plastic hammers and toy electric drills, too. Any time he snuck up to the pile of tools we heard "NoNoNoNoNo" from Nolan! So instead of enjoying his Mickey cake and ice cream, he spent the rest of the party monitoring his tool pile making sure no one touched any! There were a few screams, tears and fights - but the party ended without any black eyes or bloody noses!
Looking back on Saturday night, all of these small things don't seem to matter. We had a room full of family, all of my children's cousins made it along with 3 second cousins, grandmas and grandpas were there along with all 4 great grandparents (who's lucky enough to have 4 great grandparents?) Everyone traveled safely home and my kids left with a boat load of new toys! (I woke up the next morning and ask Peter what time the 'birthday bomb' had went off!!!) My beautiful Lauren is 4 - I still can't believe it and my little man Nolan is almost 2!!! My baby isn't such a little baby anymore :( Big sister Brooklyn had fun evening at the party and is now playing with all of the new toys when ever she can (mostly when Lauren isn't looking!) Another night packed full of happy memories for my little Party of Five.
Big Sister Brooklyn was dressed up for the Minnie Mouse party!!! She liked the new toys, too!
Birthday cake time for the big birthday boy!!! Happy 2nd Birthday, Nolan :)
New Fireman rain boots and rain coat for Daddy's little helper!!! Thanks for helping open, Jordan!
As you can see by Nolan's face here, Gavin was playing with a new toy hammer!!!
My afternoon started out with a very moody 4 year old. When auntie Bessie asked Lauren what was wrong, she replied with "I'm just crabby today!!!" Let me tell you, when Lauren is crabby she is crabby! My dad always jokes when he is referring to her "Don't poke the bear!"
Once we got to the Pizza Ranch, I sent Peter to Walmart to get the cakes. It was a Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse themed party so I had ordered a pink and purple Minnie cake for Lauren (which she was extremely excited about) and a red and blue Mickey cake for Noles (which he couldn't care any less about)!!! Peter carried the cakes in and the first thing I hear is "I don't want this on my cake!" (From the cabby 4 year old) Walmart messed up my order and made matching red and blue Mickey Mouse cakes!!! I had to run back to Walmart quickly, but of course the bakery was close as it was 4:45 pm on a Saturday. I explains my problem and someone from the deli said she could frost some cupcakes quick and stick a Minnie Mouse toy on all of them. I said that would be just fine - and it would have been except she couldn't find any cupcakes to frost! We ended up pulling some out of the cooler and sticking plastic Minnie rings into them. In the end, it worked!
Everything else seemed to be falling into place. We finished supper and started opening the huge pile of gifts. Nolan is obsessed with tools right now so when anyone asked for gift ideas, I said plastic toy tools. He got a TON! He was one happy, excited Birthay boy! - except for when ever anyone else touched his tools! His curious little cousin-brother, Gavin, was amazed by the plastic hammers and toy electric drills, too. Any time he snuck up to the pile of tools we heard "NoNoNoNoNo" from Nolan! So instead of enjoying his Mickey cake and ice cream, he spent the rest of the party monitoring his tool pile making sure no one touched any! There were a few screams, tears and fights - but the party ended without any black eyes or bloody noses!
Looking back on Saturday night, all of these small things don't seem to matter. We had a room full of family, all of my children's cousins made it along with 3 second cousins, grandmas and grandpas were there along with all 4 great grandparents (who's lucky enough to have 4 great grandparents?) Everyone traveled safely home and my kids left with a boat load of new toys! (I woke up the next morning and ask Peter what time the 'birthday bomb' had went off!!!) My beautiful Lauren is 4 - I still can't believe it and my little man Nolan is almost 2!!! My baby isn't such a little baby anymore :( Big sister Brooklyn had fun evening at the party and is now playing with all of the new toys when ever she can (mostly when Lauren isn't looking!) Another night packed full of happy memories for my little Party of Five.
Minnie Mouse cupcakes!!!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Family Picture 2013
Well... Once again I have been amazed by the skill of my favorite photographer!!!
Last August we met for an outside session and after about an hour, I left feeling disappointed. Much to my surprise, I went the next day to pick up my proofs and found this treasure...
Last evening we met with him for our 2013 session. It was a complete repeat of last year, as I blogged about last night. Much to my surprise, I wake up today and find this in my proofs...
I think I found my "fire place mantel" worthy picture! I will be ordering my updated 16x20 to hang in my new great room!
Last August we met for an outside session and after about an hour, I left feeling disappointed. Much to my surprise, I went the next day to pick up my proofs and found this treasure...
Last evening we met with him for our 2013 session. It was a complete repeat of last year, as I blogged about last night. Much to my surprise, I wake up today and find this in my proofs...
I think I found my "fire place mantel" worthy picture! I will be ordering my updated 16x20 to hang in my new great room!
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
We had family pictures tonight with a local photographer who has taken pictures of my children their whole lives. Taking one kid for a photo shoot is a blast - it's an hour of me, the photographer and one kid. All of the attention is on one (something my kids don't get very often) and things usually go perfectly.
So here we are, the happy little Party of Five, trying to get that one perfect shot. We have Brooklyn looking at everything except the camera, Lauren with her ever-so-fake-Miss-America smile showing way too much of those adorable tiny baby teeth, and little Nolan eating grass. I repeated myself over and over and over again "Brooklyn, look at the camera" "Lauren, smile with your real smile" and "Nolan, stop putting grass in your hair and sit still already". It was a repeat of last summer's family photo shoot. I drove away bummed figuring it was a waste of time and there would be nothing 'fire place mantel' worthy.
As I bathed my three wonderful, healthy active children and got them ready for bed tonight, I began to feel extremely guilty. No, maybe I will not be getting a 16x20 blown up picture of my three children smiling and looking directly at the camera, but there are worse things in life than a bad photo shoot. None of my children are in a wheel chair, none of my children are wearing a hat to cover their hairless head cause by chemotherapy and we don't have a memory bear in our family picture to represent a child we have lost. When I think about all of the things I have to be thankful for in my life, it puts things like silly photo shoots into a whole new perspective.
As I sit here tonight (at 3:50 am on a never ending night shift) I find myself excited to see the proofs from our photo shoot.
-So what if Brooklyn is examining the bird flying above her head.
-Who cares that Lauren is trying to tie a piece of grass into a bow.
-And looking at little Nolan chewing on a stick will make me laugh in twenty years!
I am so very grateful for my healthy little blessings that I get to spend my days and nights with. God has blessed me with so many wonderful gifts, I sometimes need to step back and look at the big picture - or in this case, a silly photo. Who knows, maybe I will get that perfect shot of my little Party of Five :)
So here we are, the happy little Party of Five, trying to get that one perfect shot. We have Brooklyn looking at everything except the camera, Lauren with her ever-so-fake-Miss-America smile showing way too much of those adorable tiny baby teeth, and little Nolan eating grass. I repeated myself over and over and over again "Brooklyn, look at the camera" "Lauren, smile with your real smile" and "Nolan, stop putting grass in your hair and sit still already". It was a repeat of last summer's family photo shoot. I drove away bummed figuring it was a waste of time and there would be nothing 'fire place mantel' worthy.
As I bathed my three wonderful, healthy active children and got them ready for bed tonight, I began to feel extremely guilty. No, maybe I will not be getting a 16x20 blown up picture of my three children smiling and looking directly at the camera, but there are worse things in life than a bad photo shoot. None of my children are in a wheel chair, none of my children are wearing a hat to cover their hairless head cause by chemotherapy and we don't have a memory bear in our family picture to represent a child we have lost. When I think about all of the things I have to be thankful for in my life, it puts things like silly photo shoots into a whole new perspective.
As I sit here tonight (at 3:50 am on a never ending night shift) I find myself excited to see the proofs from our photo shoot.
-So what if Brooklyn is examining the bird flying above her head.
-Who cares that Lauren is trying to tie a piece of grass into a bow.
-And looking at little Nolan chewing on a stick will make me laugh in twenty years!
I am so very grateful for my healthy little blessings that I get to spend my days and nights with. God has blessed me with so many wonderful gifts, I sometimes need to step back and look at the big picture - or in this case, a silly photo. Who knows, maybe I will get that perfect shot of my little Party of Five :)
Monday, August 12, 2013
Does this make me a blogger???
I have decided to officially start my own blog. I ask myself - does this make me a "blogger"? My brother-in-law asked me tonight what I was going to blog about - politics, the weather, my own opinions??? I am going to blog about all of the things that are important to me. I have been following my sister's and cousin's blogs for some time now thinking "I should start a blog!" Well, here goes nothing!!!
I am a 28 (almost 29) year old married woman who works 24 hours a week in a hospital lab. I have the most amazing husband (Peter) who loves me with every ounce of strength in him. I can see it when he looks at me, smiles at me, holds my hands and plays with the three amazing children we have created together. We live in a small town in western Minnesota and give everything we can to our beautiful children.
We have Brooklyn (6 1/2) who will be starting 1st grade in a couple of weeks - crazy how these last 6 years have flown. She is the classic "first child" as she tried every day to impress us and help us out with anything she can. She is beautiful, kind, a great listener and still loves to snuggle with mommy. From day one she has been "easy". A great baby, a calm toddler and an excellent student. Peter and I couldn't be anymore proud!
Our "middle child" (she is a whole blog of her own) Lauren, just turned 4 last week. She is crazy and silly and loving and naughty all wrapped into one beautiful brown-hair-blue-eyed child. She will be starting her first year old preschool in a couple of weeks and this momma is having some serious mixed feelings about it. She is ready and needs it, but I want her home under my watchful eye!!!
Finished up our party of five is little Nolan. He will be 2 the end of August and he is the perfect "cherry on top". He finished up our little family on the morning he entered the world, all 11 pounds and 3 ounces! And people ask if we are sure we are done having babies... you deliver an 11 pound baby and tell me if you are done or not!!! He has added so much to our family - he is 100% BOY! Trains, trucks, hammers, mud and bugs... these are just a few of his favorite things!
I am a simple, easy going person who finds joy and excitement in the little things. Nolan is starting to count (to 2) now, Lauren is learning all of her letters and putting them together to write words, and Brooklyn is learning to tie her own shoe!!! The simple every day things are what gets me out of bed in the morning! I couldn't feel any more blessed or be any more grateful for all of these things He has given me. We pray 3 times a day in our home and listening to my 2 year old start to join in brings me so much pride and happiness. My three children know that they are a gift from God, as they have been told this since the day they were born. I am excited to see what else He has in store my little 'Party of Five'.
I am a 28 (almost 29) year old married woman who works 24 hours a week in a hospital lab. I have the most amazing husband (Peter) who loves me with every ounce of strength in him. I can see it when he looks at me, smiles at me, holds my hands and plays with the three amazing children we have created together. We live in a small town in western Minnesota and give everything we can to our beautiful children.
We have Brooklyn (6 1/2) who will be starting 1st grade in a couple of weeks - crazy how these last 6 years have flown. She is the classic "first child" as she tried every day to impress us and help us out with anything she can. She is beautiful, kind, a great listener and still loves to snuggle with mommy. From day one she has been "easy". A great baby, a calm toddler and an excellent student. Peter and I couldn't be anymore proud!
Our "middle child" (she is a whole blog of her own) Lauren, just turned 4 last week. She is crazy and silly and loving and naughty all wrapped into one beautiful brown-hair-blue-eyed child. She will be starting her first year old preschool in a couple of weeks and this momma is having some serious mixed feelings about it. She is ready and needs it, but I want her home under my watchful eye!!!
Finished up our party of five is little Nolan. He will be 2 the end of August and he is the perfect "cherry on top". He finished up our little family on the morning he entered the world, all 11 pounds and 3 ounces! And people ask if we are sure we are done having babies... you deliver an 11 pound baby and tell me if you are done or not!!! He has added so much to our family - he is 100% BOY! Trains, trucks, hammers, mud and bugs... these are just a few of his favorite things!
I am a simple, easy going person who finds joy and excitement in the little things. Nolan is starting to count (to 2) now, Lauren is learning all of her letters and putting them together to write words, and Brooklyn is learning to tie her own shoe!!! The simple every day things are what gets me out of bed in the morning! I couldn't feel any more blessed or be any more grateful for all of these things He has given me. We pray 3 times a day in our home and listening to my 2 year old start to join in brings me so much pride and happiness. My three children know that they are a gift from God, as they have been told this since the day they were born. I am excited to see what else He has in store my little 'Party of Five'.
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