Thursday, August 25, 2016

Back to School

I am sure this was an emotional time for me, but let's be honest I am over a month behind in my blog and have really adjusted to having both kids in school! We ended the summer with a family round of mini-golf.
It was an awesome summer full of swimming, friends and family time and England but all of that fun has to lead to school! I think the kids were ready but a little anxious too. Grant had kindergarten round up and we met a new family who happen to have a daughter in Elizabeth's class and a son in Grant's class. I am thrilled with the teachers that they got and they both know kids in their class. All good starts. Grant announced at breakfast he was so thankful he didn't have to go to that baby school anymore!
They requested breakfast pancakes Aunt Sandy style!
Two days later he was crying at the bus stop and thinking pre-school sounded pretty good to him. A week later he asked if he had to school in the winter. A month later I still struggle to get him out the door happy. He says he doesn't like school (although there he does well academically, behaves well, and has friends), there are always wrinkles in his socks and there is always some other major complaint each morning. Needless to say he is having a harder time adjusting than I ever thought he would, but each day we make a little progress...then it is the weekend and we start all over again on Monday. On the days that he seems to be holding it together in the morning is when Elizabeth decides to fall apart. They do a lot of assessments (that's a fancy word for testing - we don't use the word "test"). It seems she may have a small case of test anxiety. She continues to do well also but she works really hard at it.  They will both be fine and one day I know we will have a perfect morning complete with rainbows and butterflies...it just hasn't happened yet, but I am forever hopeful!

My sincere apologies for not checking this picture and only taking one
The million dollar question...what do I do with all of my time?! Well, it doesn't feel like a lot of time, as I was warned it wouldn't! I signed up for pretty much every volunteer opportunity at school. I am there 3 days a week helping with literacy centers, library and art cart. I have found a friend to play tennis with, which still amazes our husbands! We have a great time and we have fun, which is all that matters, because neither one of us is really very good. Auggie is getting lots of walks. I get to grocery shop kid free and can aimlessly wander down aisles with no purpose, judgement or nagging. I am able to get organized and put a decent meal on the table for my family. Apparently, I let the house go all summer and deep cleaning and organizing is on my list. I have the landscaping and mowing and pool maintenance. The laundry never stops. I am able to be productive and get things done so when the school day is over I can give all of my attention to the kids which is a the best part. I have accepted that I will never have a regular routine like B and kids. My days are always different, but that flexibility is a treasure. Yes, I even have time for the occasional girl time.  But they don't even know me by first name at the local coffee shop...(yet!). So that lump that I had in my stomach about having both kids gone all day only lasted a few weeks. I still think about them all day. I still worry about them all day, but the day does go by amazingly fast. It's not even October yet and I am almost caught up on the blog!!








Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Golden Birthday - Elizabeth is 8!

Our special daughter who was born on the luckiest day in the Chinese calendar got to celebrate her golden birthday with her first sleepover. As an added bonus her cousin RSVP'd yes!!! Her awesome Aunt Sandy, Auntie Amber and Ima got to spend the night too! The party was spa themed complete with a nail station, do your own make-up, photo booth, bows for toes (decorate flip-flops), make your own bath salts, decorate a pillow case, pizza, cake, a dance party and a movie!


Facial veggie tray


The big girls had just as much fun as the 8 year olds!




Elizabeth and Aunt Sandy may have outdone themselves with this  cake!
Yes the sleeping bag girls are watching an AmericanGirl movie with pizzas and their teddy bears!
It looked too good to eat, but we had to eat it!




On her actual birthday she asked for a trip to the zoo to see the new baby giraffe and to paint pottery. Daddy surprised us and took the afternoon off. The pottery place surprised us by being closed on a mondays :( So we punted and took a trip to the Heights Tower! 

The annual picture in the birthday chair!

The annual birthday quiz...
1) WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Elizabeth
2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? se....8!
3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Teal, purple and pink
4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? I like all of my friends!
5) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? A vet or a teacher
6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? Zootopia
7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Alvin and the Chipmunks
8) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? Amelia Bedelia
9) WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? Music
10) WHAT MAKES YOU SAD? No music
11) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Sweet and Sour Chicken
12) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG? Shake it Off by Taylor Swift
13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY? Beat the Parents
14) WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GIFT? I liked them all

Elizabeth continues to be such a beautiful little girl inside and out and we couldn't possibly be more proud of her or love her more. She still loves her animals, and loves it when she gets to play mommy to her brother or her baby dolls. She embraces whatever comes her way with bravery and always has a story to tell! I can't wait to see what year 8 has in store for her!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Swim Team - Part II

It was just bad luck to miss 5 swim meets over our vacation. The week before we left had no swim meets scheduled! But we made it back for one more regular meet and then the end of the season county meet. I would like to say I kept the spreadsheet with their times up to date, but I didn't. I would have to look back at all of the ribbons and pull the times from there. Summer swim team is just a little more relaxed - one of many reasons I love summer swimming! Apparently, I love it so much that I got myself nominated to the VP role on the board next year. 
It is important to be properly tattooed for the county swim meet - my mom was equally as impressed. At least a shirt covers them!

Ready for a relay 
This is the usually the moment that I am panicking at the other end of the pool because he isn't putting his goggles on yet!
So his hands might not hit the water first on his dives, but he went off the blocks the majority of the season and we are proud of him for that!





She was always his biggest cheerleader at the end of the pool.




There are not a ton of boy swimmers so Grant had lots of opportunities to swim many events. He wasn't alway game for all of these opportunities and his sister was chomping at the bit to get to swim more! They both always swam hard and we are really proud of them. We decided to take the fall off from swimming and let them explore other activities. They both want to play soccer and Elizabeth is going to try an art class. I think swimming is like riding a bike...they won't forget how to do it and will be really anxious to start again in 2017!

Elizabeth is 15!!

  2) HOW OLD ARE YOU? 15 3) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? pink 4) WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? Parker, Isabella & Julianna 5) WHAT DO YOU WAN...