Elizabeth's First Day of School

A new charm for her bracelet...Minnie Mouse.

Elizabeth and the neighbor boy who rides the bus with her

Elle and Grant the pre-schoolers!

Just focus on the braid here people!

Hello Mr.Martin! 

That is her in the window there...it is oh so appropriate that she would choose the seat with the emergency window!

She is so ready!!!

I can only describe the first day of school as being like a birth plan.  Toss it out the window because it's not going to go the way you think it will!  I can say that because it is all in the past and we all survived - if I had only known that morning to forget the plan!

The kids always get to choose their breakfast on the first day of school.  EB wanted chocolate chip muffins so I made them from scratch and cooked them in our little Babycakes appliance.  These are mini sized.  She ate one and I burnt the last batch.  The outfit went as planned - phew!  We all took pictures and walked to the corner to catch the bus.  The neighbor peeked down the road and said "Here comes the bus!" my stomach seized up inside of it's self and for a moment I considered grabbing her and running inside with her - NO you can't have her!  But of course I wiped my lipstick mark off her forehead and watched her spring up the stair of the big yellow bus.  Lord help me this is really happening.  But not to fear we were loading up ourselves to meet her up at the school.  We could go into the gym where the kids would all be assembled with their classes, give our last hugs and take a few more dozen pictures and then finally say goodbye for good (well until 11:30 anyway!).  There was just one problem...Elizabeth wasn't there.  Was the bus late? Did they take her directly to the classroom? Was their an accident? My (yes my) 4th grade teacher and the principal were working hard to track her down.  Parent's aren't allowed in the classroom on the  first day so they were trying to bring her to me.  In their defense, neither of them knew what she looked like.  Good thing they give us those name tags to put on them!  But no they didn't find her.  So I took pictures of Elizabeth's class walking  to their room only to suddenly hear a friend yell "Alison! She's over here!" And there she was marching down the hallway at the front of her class.  So I did what any sane first time kindergarten mommy would do...(no I didn't run after her, B would have restrained me for sure!) I tossed my arms in the air and yelled "Goodbye Elizabeth!!!"  (yes picture a low budget 80's film and I'm sure that's how I looked).  She didn't turn her head I knew she couldn't hear me.  Brandon gave me a nod and I knew we had to leave...she was gone.  My dear 4th grade teacher tracked us down outside and said she had tried to find her but couldn't.  She promised to go to the classroom and give her a hug from me.  Thank goodness for a small community where my previous teacher could tell my daughter goodbye for me!  Oh my and it wasn't even 8:35 yet!

When she got off the bus she ran into my arms!! She had a wonderful day.  My friend told me that the principal had personally escorted her off the bus and into the line with her class.  She talked about two boys and asked when she could get a phone ("I'm just joking mom!").  Her hair tie broke but that perfect braid stayed in pretty well!  Tomorrow she will tackle all day and (drum roll please...) hot lunch! I think she is going to love school!

Train Ride to Chicago

We took the train with Ima & Pops to Chicago this past weekend.  We got to the station a half hour early and the train was a half hour late.  We still made it to Union Station on time - go figure!  Obviously there is quite a bit of cushion built into these train timetables!

We decided to focus on Navy Pier.  The Air Show was also going that weekend.  First  stop was the ferris wheel.  Ima and daddy stayed with the stroller! We did the Children's Museum, had lunch and then Grant had a stroller nap.  Ima and Elizabeth headed back to the museum, while the rest found a bench to watch the air show.  Grant woke up in time to enjoy a little more of the museum and then we took an architectural boat tour.  The boat tour was really fun and something we had wanted to do for a really long time.  Chicago has so much to offer but it was really nice to focus on a just few things.  Grant who really wanted to take a boat ride in the morning was a little restless when the time actually came.  The smell of brownies in the air as we floated near the chocolate factory was amazing!  We learned a lot about the Chicago fire of 1871 and the different types of architecture downtown.

Putting out a fire at the museum

We found a pizza place (Beggar's for future reference!) near Union Station and ordered a deep dish to go to enjoy on the train ride home.  The pizza probably weighed 5 pounds and every ounce was delicious!

Elizabeth's 6th Birthday

Where have the last 6 years gone? I send my baby to kindergarten tomorrow! She put it in prospective for me when I told her that calling her brother names was not appropriate and her response was "Mom! That is something a 5 year old would do, I am 6 now!"

Daddy stayed home and had strawberries and waffles with us.  She opened a few presents (FedEx still had one to deliver!).  Ima joined us for lunch at our favorite "chips and salsa" restaurant after she helped me put the final touches on her party.

The theme for her party was FLOWERS.  I was hoping for a beautiful summer day and we would be out in the yard, painting flowers and enjoying a breeze.  Mother nature decided a drizzly, humid day was more in order so we moved the party inside from the get go.  I will let the pictures tell the story.

Anna!

Cupcake flower bouquet, complete with candles and a balloon that  someone special sent her!

Good morning! Traditional picture with the birthday chair cover.

The flower cake a la Alison (someday they are really going to want a professional cake!) 

My Elsa braid!

Waiting for the girls to arrive for the party.  Ima made us all matching aprons!

Decorate your own cupcake.  I am not going to lie, I had the sweeper out 5 minutes after they left.  Remember I had imagined this party outside!

Decorate your own special box.  For all those trinkets girls have to keep forever!

Trying to perfect the "swoopy" braid for the 1st day of school. 

By the time she was done opening her gifts the girls were practically sitting on top of her!  I love how kids just can't get close enough.  These little ladies were all so well behaved! 

The sprinkle aftermath. 

Evening with the grandparents. 

Daddy likes to help read the cards and make them really funny! 

New gymnastics leotard.

A little game of pin the flower on the flower! 

Awesome little artists!

Pops' card came with a very special crown!

Hold on tight to her Grandpa!   

THE BIRTHDAY QUIZ :)

1) WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Elizabeth

2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 6

3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Pink, purple & blue

4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? Julianna

5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? A vet

6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? The Pirate Fairy 

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Wild Kratts

8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? Crafty Chloe

9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? When Daddy tickles me

10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? When Daddy yells at me

11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Sweet & sour chicken

12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? VBS music

13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? 20 questions with animals

14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? Tinkerbell & Periwinkle with different outfits

She had a great day and we could not be more proud of her!  School is just around the corner for her and she is ready and excited and I can only imagine what she will do in the next chapter! 

Jack

This week we had to make a very hard choice to put down our dog.  Jack would have been 10 on Halloween this year.  He had an obstruction and he couldn't keep any food down.  He also had developed arthritis in his hips that had come on pretty strong and we were finding new lumps and bumps on his body all the time.  Given his age and wanting the best for him we decided it was time to say goodbye on Tuesday morning, July 29.   He had started getting sick early Sunday morning.  I had a feeling we might be dealing with a bigger issue so we made a special effort to spend quality time with him, well at least as much as what he wanted.  He loved to swim with us and although he wasn't jumping in and being all crazy he did walk in on the steps and paddle around a little and seemed to be enjoying just cooling off in the water like we do.  Anyone who knew Jack knew that no food was safe around him - he loved people food!  He was so sick on Sunday the kids and I were able to eat ice cream cones while sharing a chair with him and he didn't even try to snag a bite.  That's when I knew we were really in trouble.  Things went downhill from there and I called Brandon home from work on Tuesday morning.  I couldn't look into his sad eyes and see him in pain.  We told the kids an hour before so they could give him lots of love.  Elizabeth cried a lot and was really upset.  Grant said he was being brave and wasn't going to cry (although his bottom lip had a little quiver to it).
We spent a lot of that last hour just sitting outside and petting him.  Grant wanted to give him his favorite snack (cheese) and Jack even surprised us and jumped up and drank out of the bathtub - one of his all time classic Jack moves!  Brandon grabbed his frisbee (his favorite toy) and he chased (ok, ran slowly) after it once.

Jack & Elizabeth

Jack & Grant

Walking out the door and saying "we will be back" and then correcting myself to be clear that "mommy and daddy" will be back was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  But the kids have done just fine and have handled it really well.

Jack has given us all kinds of stories and lots of great memories.  He never really slowed down until he hit the end.  He protected our family from the moment I was pregnant with Elizabeth.  The kids loved him so much, especially Elizabeth.  She would wake up each morning and come into our room and cuddle up with him and give him love and she loved it when he licked her face.  He may have eaten everything under the sun and drove us crazy but man did we love Jack.  I look at the corner where his food used to be or where his kennel was or I find dog hair and I am sad because our family feels empty and incomplete without him, but he filled our hearts full for 10 years and that is what we must remember and never forget.

Yes he is sitting on the table outside...a few years back

Ok he had the sad puppy eye thing down because this was an old picture!

Tuesday morning we went to the Memphis St.Jude runner send off.  I told my mom that it could be worse, my kids could be dying of cancer and she said yes that would be worse but think of all the kids that will love playing with Jack in Heaven.  I really hope Jack is up in Heaven licking little faces, chasing frisbees and eating cheese all day long!

Jack's last swim