Time to remember all the cute and funny things my kids say and do! I haven't been too diligent about recording these lately, but I'm getting better!
One day, Lexie was playing in Dylan's room, near the hermit crab habitat. She crinkled up her nose and said, "I smell the stink of Supercrab!!!"
The other day, Lexie asked me, "Is Nina (my mom) an old girl?" (Yes, but please don't tell her I said that!)
Dylan was recently measuring Lexie's head with a ruler. He told her, "Your head is five units long!!!" I'm not exactly sure how big that is, but he seemed amazed by that measurement. I think he confirmed that she does, indeed, have a big head. It's genetic.
Lexie walked out of the bathroom yesterday, holding a broom. "Mommy, I sprayed the bathroom all smelly all clean." I'm guessing that's a good thing.
After the bad bus incident on the first day of school, Dylan came up with a great reason not to ride the bus again. "Mommy, I'm bus sick." Thankfully, that sickness passed the next day, when he made some friends on the bus.
He did try another excuse that night. He did not want to go to bed. After an hour of finding reasons why he needed to get up, he added, "Mommy, I'm bed sick!" I insisted that there was no such thing as bed sickness. He replied, "Yes there is! I'm bed sick. That means I need to get out of bed." Nice try, buddy. Nice try.
I'm happy to report that the only current sickness in this house is the sniffles. Dylan loves Kindergarten and riding the bus. On his second day of school, he came home and told us that he loves school. He has repeated that every day since!
Speaking of the sniffles, Lexie woke up with them this morning. She had a fantastic reason for why her throat was sore. "A fly flew into my bedroom last night and flew down my throat! And now it hurts because he's stuck in there." She finished her statement with a dramatic coughing fit. I didn't have the heart to tell her that it was just a cold.
Here's hoping that those sniffles...I mean, that fly...stays away from me!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Giving Up
It's a sad time for this mama. My now 3 1/2 year old has decided that naps aren't much fun anymore.
Believe me, I've tried. I'm equally as stubborn as she is. I've even tried to shift around nap time.
In the past 4 weeks, she has only napped once.
Here's our daily nap routine: I put her down for her nap. I leave her there for 2 hours, despite the protests. When I return, she's still awake. So I let her get out of bed because it's too late for her to nap.
This no nap thing? No fun. She's miserable by 5:00. Too late to nap, too early to go to bed.
I miss those quiet moments while she naps.
But it's just not working. I'm throwing in the towel. And insisting on a much earlier bed time.
Believe me, I've tried. I'm equally as stubborn as she is. I've even tried to shift around nap time.
In the past 4 weeks, she has only napped once.
Here's our daily nap routine: I put her down for her nap. I leave her there for 2 hours, despite the protests. When I return, she's still awake. So I let her get out of bed because it's too late for her to nap.
This no nap thing? No fun. She's miserable by 5:00. Too late to nap, too early to go to bed.
I miss those quiet moments while she naps.
But it's just not working. I'm throwing in the towel. And insisting on a much earlier bed time.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Wrap-Up
It's been a busy week-make that busy month-and I feel like I haven't had a chance to breathe. I know I missed a lot this week (month!), so here's a weekly wrap-up!
{MONDAY}
We spent Labor Day at home. Grant's grandma has pneumonia, so his family's annual picnic was canceled. We spent a lazy morning at home, spent some time at the park, and then had a picnic of our own at home. We were invited to 3 picnics, but skipped them, since it was a school night!
{TUESDAY}
Dylan's first day of school!
I also started doing Tot School with Lexie. She knows all of her letters/numbers/colors/shapes thanks to her brother, but we're reviewing letters and numbers, and working on writing. She loves the one-on-one time spent with her mommy! We focused on Aa, 1, and writing her full name.
{WEDNESDAY}
Dylan got a shiner when he hit his eye on the corner of the coffee table. Nothing like heading to your third day of school with a black eye! I didn't take a picture right away, but here's one from today. It's finally starting to fade!
{THURSDAY}
We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary! My parents watched the kids while we had a great dinner at Red Lobster! Grant bought me a beautiful mother's necklace!
{FRIDAY}
Finally, the weekend! We were all exhausted after Dylan's first week of school. We had dinner with my parents, then Grant and I spent a quiet evening together after the kids went to bed.
{SATURDAY}
We went shopping for clothes, and had some friends over in the evening. It was a great day! Happy Birthday to Grant's dad!!!
{SUNDAY}
Today, we went to visit Grant's parents. It was the first Steelers game, and we were all dressed in our jerseys. We usually watch all the games with Grant's grandma, but she still has pneumonia. We're praying that she gets better soon-it's been 3 weeks!
We had a good time! We ordered pizza, had birthday cake, and celebrated the Steelers first win of the season!
It's my Pap's 90th Birthday today! I'm looking forward to visiting him next weekend!
Last year, Dylan got sick on the weekend after his first week of school. He only got sick once more after that. Just like last year, he woke up with a cold today. Here's hoping he follows the same trend as last school year, and remains germ-free!
As you can see, we've been busy! I'm working on catching up on all of my favorite blogs. I'm sorry I've been slacking with my visits! I hope you all had a great weekend!
{MONDAY}
We spent Labor Day at home. Grant's grandma has pneumonia, so his family's annual picnic was canceled. We spent a lazy morning at home, spent some time at the park, and then had a picnic of our own at home. We were invited to 3 picnics, but skipped them, since it was a school night!
{TUESDAY}
Dylan's first day of school!
I also started doing Tot School with Lexie. She knows all of her letters/numbers/colors/shapes thanks to her brother, but we're reviewing letters and numbers, and working on writing. She loves the one-on-one time spent with her mommy! We focused on Aa, 1, and writing her full name.
{WEDNESDAY}
Dylan got a shiner when he hit his eye on the corner of the coffee table. Nothing like heading to your third day of school with a black eye! I didn't take a picture right away, but here's one from today. It's finally starting to fade!
{THURSDAY}
We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary! My parents watched the kids while we had a great dinner at Red Lobster! Grant bought me a beautiful mother's necklace!
{FRIDAY}
Finally, the weekend! We were all exhausted after Dylan's first week of school. We had dinner with my parents, then Grant and I spent a quiet evening together after the kids went to bed.
{SATURDAY}
We went shopping for clothes, and had some friends over in the evening. It was a great day! Happy Birthday to Grant's dad!!!
{SUNDAY}
Today, we went to visit Grant's parents. It was the first Steelers game, and we were all dressed in our jerseys. We usually watch all the games with Grant's grandma, but she still has pneumonia. We're praying that she gets better soon-it's been 3 weeks!
We had a good time! We ordered pizza, had birthday cake, and celebrated the Steelers first win of the season!
It's my Pap's 90th Birthday today! I'm looking forward to visiting him next weekend!
Last year, Dylan got sick on the weekend after his first week of school. He only got sick once more after that. Just like last year, he woke up with a cold today. Here's hoping he follows the same trend as last school year, and remains germ-free!
As you can see, we've been busy! I'm working on catching up on all of my favorite blogs. I'm sorry I've been slacking with my visits! I hope you all had a great weekend!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
One Decade Down: An Anniversary Milestone
We met in the Garden of Eden.
It was January 1999 when Grant and I met. We were cast as Adam and Eve in the musical "The Apple Tree." Little did the director know, it would lead to a lifetime together.
Two months later, we began dating and fell madly in love.
Two months after we began dating, we got engaged.
On September 9th, 2000, we got married. We were young: I was 20 and he had just turned 21. But we knew what we wanted.
It was a huge, gorgeous wedding. Everything went perfectly.
The Garden of Eden theme continued, when we were handed an apple at the end of our reception.
We honeymooned in Riviera Maya, Mexico, near Tulum.
Soon after we were married, we moved into our first house. It was little, but we loved it. We filled it with all of our pets and all of our love.
In 2004, we bought our first house and welcomed our first baby...at the same time! Our son came a lot earlier than expected!
In 2007, we welcomed our baby girl into the world.
Our family was perfect.
In ten years of marriage, there were many happy moments. Amazing things have happened in our lives. The ups, by far, outweighed the downs. There were, however, some downs. That's reality. But we pushed through each and every time and stayed together. We've had our fair share of marriage issues recently. We decided to conquer them together, because we belong with each other. I think we're now stronger than we ever were.
Today, we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary!
It amazes me how far we've come.
Here's to many more decades of happiness together!
It was January 1999 when Grant and I met. We were cast as Adam and Eve in the musical "The Apple Tree." Little did the director know, it would lead to a lifetime together.
Two months later, we began dating and fell madly in love.
Two months after we began dating, we got engaged.
On September 9th, 2000, we got married. We were young: I was 20 and he had just turned 21. But we knew what we wanted.
It was a huge, gorgeous wedding. Everything went perfectly.
The Garden of Eden theme continued, when we were handed an apple at the end of our reception.
We honeymooned in Riviera Maya, Mexico, near Tulum.
Soon after we were married, we moved into our first house. It was little, but we loved it. We filled it with all of our pets and all of our love.
In 2004, we bought our first house and welcomed our first baby...at the same time! Our son came a lot earlier than expected!
In 2007, we welcomed our baby girl into the world.
Our family was perfect.
In ten years of marriage, there were many happy moments. Amazing things have happened in our lives. The ups, by far, outweighed the downs. There were, however, some downs. That's reality. But we pushed through each and every time and stayed together. We've had our fair share of marriage issues recently. We decided to conquer them together, because we belong with each other. I think we're now stronger than we ever were.
Today, we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary!
It amazes me how far we've come.
Here's to many more decades of happiness together!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
School Days
It's so hard to believe that we're parents of a school-aged child! We're getting used to our new normal. Our days are so scheduled now!
First day results? It went fairly well! Dylan woke up, full of energy and excitement. He wanted to get on the bus and go to school immediately, and declared, "I'm so excited, I'm going to EXPLODE!!!"
When the time came, the four of us headed to the bus stop. We had a mini photo shoot while waiting for the bus, which kept me from tearing up. That came to an end when the bus came into view.
All I could muster was a big hug and a mumbled, "I love you." Dylan climbed aboard, introduced himself to the driver, and took a seat. When the bus pulled away, with my baby boy on board, I cried. And cried. And cried.
Grant had to head back to work after almost a week off, so I took comfort in snuggling with my little girl. I managed to keep busy, and not cry. That is, until my sister called. Then, the tears returned.
The day ended with a bus mishap. The driver pulled away from our stop without letting Dylan off the bus. Our neighbor's son chased down the bus and stopped it. Thank God for him! Poor Dylan climbed off the bus, in tears.
I was able to comfort him quickly, and the back to school gift bag definitely helped him forget the scare. After the tears stopped, he gushed about how much fun he had at school.
Fast forward to today...day two of school.
As soon as he woke up, Dylan insisted that he was not going to ride the bus, because he hated it. I explained to him that the incident was not going to happen again. I told him I would use my SuperMommy strength to stop the bus if I had to. He started laughing, and he seemed reassured.
All was well until I mentioned that it was time to get dressed for school. Suddenly, Dylan came to a realization. He looked up at me and said, "Hey, Mommy, do I have to go to school everyday?"
"Well, yes." I replied. "Every week day. Five days a week...but you get vacation days and weekends off."
His response? "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!!!"
Oh, I wish.
Apparently, his frustration was quickly forgotten. When the bus pulled up, he happily leaped aboard. And this time, he returned home completely happy. He said he had a great day, loves his teacher, loves school, and even made a friend on the bus ride home.
I am so relieved!!!
So, despite the now-forgotten bus incident, Dylan really loves Kindergarten!
First day results? It went fairly well! Dylan woke up, full of energy and excitement. He wanted to get on the bus and go to school immediately, and declared, "I'm so excited, I'm going to EXPLODE!!!"
When the time came, the four of us headed to the bus stop. We had a mini photo shoot while waiting for the bus, which kept me from tearing up. That came to an end when the bus came into view.
All I could muster was a big hug and a mumbled, "I love you." Dylan climbed aboard, introduced himself to the driver, and took a seat. When the bus pulled away, with my baby boy on board, I cried. And cried. And cried.
Grant had to head back to work after almost a week off, so I took comfort in snuggling with my little girl. I managed to keep busy, and not cry. That is, until my sister called. Then, the tears returned.
The day ended with a bus mishap. The driver pulled away from our stop without letting Dylan off the bus. Our neighbor's son chased down the bus and stopped it. Thank God for him! Poor Dylan climbed off the bus, in tears.
I was able to comfort him quickly, and the back to school gift bag definitely helped him forget the scare. After the tears stopped, he gushed about how much fun he had at school.
Fast forward to today...day two of school.
As soon as he woke up, Dylan insisted that he was not going to ride the bus, because he hated it. I explained to him that the incident was not going to happen again. I told him I would use my SuperMommy strength to stop the bus if I had to. He started laughing, and he seemed reassured.
All was well until I mentioned that it was time to get dressed for school. Suddenly, Dylan came to a realization. He looked up at me and said, "Hey, Mommy, do I have to go to school everyday?"
"Well, yes." I replied. "Every week day. Five days a week...but you get vacation days and weekends off."
His response? "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!!!"
Oh, I wish.
Apparently, his frustration was quickly forgotten. When the bus pulled up, he happily leaped aboard. And this time, he returned home completely happy. He said he had a great day, loves his teacher, loves school, and even made a friend on the bus ride home.
I am so relieved!!!
So, despite the now-forgotten bus incident, Dylan really loves Kindergarten!
School Days
In our household, we're getting used to a new normal: a school schedule!
Dylan was so excited on his first day of school. As soon as he woke up, he asked if it was time to get on the bus. He was full of excitement and energy! He said, "I'm so excited, I'm going to explode!!!"
After breakfast, some play time with his sister, and a snack, we headed down to the bus stop. I kept my emotions in check until I caught a glimpse of the bus pulling up. Then, I lost it. Thank goodness my sunglasses hid my tears! I couldn't even speak as I led Dylan to the bus. I gave him a huge hug, and he climbed aboard, and introduced himself to the bus driver. He didn't look back. As the bus pulled away, I cried. And cried. And cried.
Grant then headed back to work after a week off.
I was able to contain my tears quickly. That is, until my sister called to see how it went.
I spent some time with my baby girl. Dylan's not the only one learning! I decided to spend 30 minutes a day with Lexie, doing tot school. She loved it!
Thanks to her older brother, she already knows her letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. I want to review all the concepts with her, do art projects, and teach her how to write. We really need to work on her name. Alexandria. That's a lot of letters to write!!!
This week, we're reviewing "A" and "1". Yesterday, we cut out a big A and put all the letters of the alphabet on it. She really enjoyed her alone time with me!!!
There was a bit of an incident on the bus ride home yesterday. The bus pulled away from our stop without letting Dylan off the bus. My neighbor's son chased after the bus and was able to stop it, but poor Dylan climbed off the bus in tears.
After I calmed him down, and told him that would never happen again, he gushed about how much fun he had in school. A back to school gift bag helped cheer him up, too!!!
This morning was rough. As soon as he woke up, he said he hated the bus and wasn't riding it. Once again, I reminded him
Dylan was so excited on his first day of school. As soon as he woke up, he asked if it was time to get on the bus. He was full of excitement and energy! He said, "I'm so excited, I'm going to explode!!!"
After breakfast, some play time with his sister, and a snack, we headed down to the bus stop. I kept my emotions in check until I caught a glimpse of the bus pulling up. Then, I lost it. Thank goodness my sunglasses hid my tears! I couldn't even speak as I led Dylan to the bus. I gave him a huge hug, and he climbed aboard, and introduced himself to the bus driver. He didn't look back. As the bus pulled away, I cried. And cried. And cried.
Grant then headed back to work after a week off.
I was able to contain my tears quickly. That is, until my sister called to see how it went.
I spent some time with my baby girl. Dylan's not the only one learning! I decided to spend 30 minutes a day with Lexie, doing tot school. She loved it!
Thanks to her older brother, she already knows her letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. I want to review all the concepts with her, do art projects, and teach her how to write. We really need to work on her name. Alexandria. That's a lot of letters to write!!!
This week, we're reviewing "A" and "1". Yesterday, we cut out a big A and put all the letters of the alphabet on it. She really enjoyed her alone time with me!!!
There was a bit of an incident on the bus ride home yesterday. The bus pulled away from our stop without letting Dylan off the bus. My neighbor's son chased after the bus and was able to stop it, but poor Dylan climbed off the bus in tears.
After I calmed him down, and told him that would never happen again, he gushed about how much fun he had in school. A back to school gift bag helped cheer him up, too!!!
This morning was rough. As soon as he woke up, he said he hated the bus and wasn't riding it. Once again, I reminded him
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
First Day of Kindergarten!
You were six months old and full of fun.
With a blink of my eye, you were suddenly one.
There were so many things we were going to do,
But I turned my head and you turned two.
At two you were very dependent on me,
But independence took over when you turned three.
Your third birthday, another year I tried to ignore,
But when I lit the candles, there weren't three, but four.
Four was the year that you really strived.
Why, look at you now, you're already five!
Now you are ready for books and for rules.
This is the year that you go to school.
The big day came, you were anxious to go.
We walked to the bus, going oh, so slow.
As you climbed aboard and waved goodbye,
I felt a lump in my throat and tears stung my eyes.
Time goes so fast, it's hard to believe
That just yesterday you were home here with me.
And tomorrow when the bus brings you home
and you jump to the ground,
You'll be wearing your cap and graduation gown.
So I'm holding to these moments as hard as I can,
Because the next time I look,
I'll be seeing a man.
And just like that, the day arrived. My baby boy headed off to Kindergarten!
*The author of the poem above is unknown. It is written on a picture I have hanging in my room!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Celebrating Summer
This weekend, Grant and I have been busy completing projects around the house. Our only break was last night, when we spent a few hours at my sister's house for a picnic. My parents stepped in this weekend, to keep the kids busy while we worked on the house.
Today was Dylan's last full day of summer vacation. I felt bad that he spent it away from us all day...but he did have fun. When the kids came home, we decided to surprise them with a trip to Dairy Queen for some ice cream cones.
What better way to celebrate summer than with some ice cream?
My little man had a great summer, but he is ready to start Kindergarten! He can't wait to ride the bus and have fun in school!!!
Today was Dylan's last full day of summer vacation. I felt bad that he spent it away from us all day...but he did have fun. When the kids came home, we decided to surprise them with a trip to Dairy Queen for some ice cream cones.
What better way to celebrate summer than with some ice cream?
My little man had a great summer, but he is ready to start Kindergarten! He can't wait to ride the bus and have fun in school!!!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Family Time
One of our favorite family activities is hiking! Our favorite hiking spot is at McConnells Mill State Park.
Today, we braved the 90+ degree weather, and headed into the woods. We stuck to the trail at Hell's Hollow. Contrary to the name, it's actually a quiet, easy trail that winds along a stream and ends at a waterfall. It's perfect for the kids!
Before our hike, we stopped at the mill.
We continued on to Hell's Hollow. Taking a hike was a nice escape from the heat! The canopy of trees shielded most of the sun, so it felt cooler.
Grant and Dylan spent most of the time lifting up rocks along the stream to find critters, while Lexie waded in the water.
Lexie's happy mood faded when she fell face first into the shallow water. Already mad at the fact that she wasn't allowed to wear a dress, the fact that her clothes were now dirty fueled the fire.
She ran off, pouting.
She cheered up when we reached the waterfall. She had a great time skipping rocks while Grant and Dylan continued to search for frogs.
Grant and Dylan succeeded at catching a frog, which made for a very happy boy!
The kids love visiting the lime kiln along the way. I used to love going in it when I was a kid, so I understand the excitement!
We headed back to the car with two tired, filthy kids! All signs of a good day!
We're looking forward to returning in a few weeks, to see the beautiful fall foliage!!!
Today, we braved the 90+ degree weather, and headed into the woods. We stuck to the trail at Hell's Hollow. Contrary to the name, it's actually a quiet, easy trail that winds along a stream and ends at a waterfall. It's perfect for the kids!
Before our hike, we stopped at the mill.
We continued on to Hell's Hollow. Taking a hike was a nice escape from the heat! The canopy of trees shielded most of the sun, so it felt cooler.
Grant and Dylan spent most of the time lifting up rocks along the stream to find critters, while Lexie waded in the water.
Lexie's happy mood faded when she fell face first into the shallow water. Already mad at the fact that she wasn't allowed to wear a dress, the fact that her clothes were now dirty fueled the fire.
She ran off, pouting.
She cheered up when we reached the waterfall. She had a great time skipping rocks while Grant and Dylan continued to search for frogs.
Grant and Dylan succeeded at catching a frog, which made for a very happy boy!
The kids love visiting the lime kiln along the way. I used to love going in it when I was a kid, so I understand the excitement!
We headed back to the car with two tired, filthy kids! All signs of a good day!
We're looking forward to returning in a few weeks, to see the beautiful fall foliage!!!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Last Days of Summer
Grant, the kids, and I have been spending a lot of time together and enjoying the last days of summer! It has been hot, but we're making the most of it!
Dylan heads off to Kindergarten on Tuesday. I really can't believe that time has come! Tonight, we had Kindergarten orientation, and he got to meet his teacher. He wanted to send us away and start school tonight! I think he's ready!
His teacher is extremely nice, he has a small class, and he is friends with two of his classmates. I think he's going to have a great year! That helps with my anxiety about sending my baby off to school!
We are getting used to a new back-to-school routine. We are all going to bed earlier, and waking up earlier. I'm even going to bed earlier! I'm still not sleeping great, but definitely better than I was!
We're focusing on having fun together, and getting things done around the house. On Tuesday, Grant returns to work, and my baby boy starts school.
We're savoring every last moment of summer vacation!
Dylan heads off to Kindergarten on Tuesday. I really can't believe that time has come! Tonight, we had Kindergarten orientation, and he got to meet his teacher. He wanted to send us away and start school tonight! I think he's ready!
His teacher is extremely nice, he has a small class, and he is friends with two of his classmates. I think he's going to have a great year! That helps with my anxiety about sending my baby off to school!
We are getting used to a new back-to-school routine. We are all going to bed earlier, and waking up earlier. I'm even going to bed earlier! I'm still not sleeping great, but definitely better than I was!
We're focusing on having fun together, and getting things done around the house. On Tuesday, Grant returns to work, and my baby boy starts school.
We're savoring every last moment of summer vacation!
