Contagious...in a Good Way

I realize I probably should have stopped her, but this laugh of his is so genuine and funny I just couldn't stop!

Christmas in September

This weekend we had some major excitement around here!  We got a new sidewalk AND some gravel in our driveway.  Now, to the average person this may not seem so exciting.  But...those people obviously had not seen our old sidewalk OR our driveway. 

When I found out they were going to be doing this project on a day that Nathan was in school, I knew I needed to document everything in pictures.  This kind of project is right up his alley.

They started the day by ripping up the old sidewalk with a bobcat.



Somewhere during this time the gravel truck came with the load of Class Five for our driveway.



This was a LONG process.  The good thing about that was that Calvin and Nathan came home on the bus and there was still LOTS of action to watch.

These poor guys were here from 10 am until 10 pm.  Then one of them came back the next day to take out the frames and put back the sod along the edges.  Here is the finished product!

We built the deck like a year ago and this is the first time we've had cement at the bottom of it.  Awesome.

When it was finally dry all the kids wanted to do was walk on it barefoot.  I'm telling you people, it's the little things.

As soon as Nathan saw them pouring this area at the bottom of the deck....he couldn't wait to park his car there. 

There was even a bit of a traffic jam at one point!

Have you ever loved your new sidewalk so much that you wanted to lay on it?  WE HAVE!

YEAH for new cement!







Nathan Strikes Again

Last week at Awanas Calvin received his first bible verse to start memorizing.  I put Nathan in the younger Cubbies group because I just couldn't imagine him memorizing verses quite yet.  Well, Calvin has repeated John 3:16 MANY times this week.  This morning as I was making breakfast for the kids before school, Nathan walked up to the refrigerator where the verse was hanging.  As he started to recite the verse I stopped what I was doing and just stared.  My mind was racing..."Who am I to say he can't memorize verses???" 

I was quickly tossed back to reality when I heard him calmly say this:

John Free:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only 'gotten Son
And then he had a baby, and he milked him.


Need I say more?

Ohhhh Nathan

Nathan has had a fabulous start to the school year.  He flies out of bed on his school days, and gets off the bus with a smile on his face.  He doesn't offer up very much information for us...which I have found to be typical of boys.  When he does tell us a story he refers to his teacher as Mr. Potter.  Of course HER name is actually Mrs. Potter so this makes us giggle.

Tonight we were eating dinner and I noticed Nathan kind of singing to himself.  I asked him what he was singing and he said, "It's a song I learned at school from my music teacher!  I have a music teacher!"  I was thrilled to get any type of information from him so I suggested he teach us the song.  He was more than happy to put his fork down and sing for us the song his music teacher taught him.

"Let me see you pat your stomach!" (Nathan pats his stomach with both hands)

"Let me see you pat your head!"  (Nathan pats his head with both hands)

"Let me see you pat your boobs!"

I'm guessing that last verse is his own.

My Tiny Dancer

Ever since the day I saw my little girl on the ultrasound.....the one where I did this before I showed it to anyone  else....

Anyway....ever since THAT day, I've been waiting for THIS day.

The day that she could start dance.  I was in dance as a little girl for years, and I just couldn't wait to get my own little girl into those cute little outfits, fancy shoes, the whole works.

She was SO excited to start her class.  She wore her outfit most of the day and traded between her ballet shoes and tap shoes.  We had to pick up the boys from school so we could get to the studio on time, and on the way she fell asleep.  I knew this was not going to be good.



My suspicions were confirmed when we woke her up and she was a tiny bit crabby.  The class started with ballet and when she wouldn't leave my side, the teacher suggested I go out and we shut the door.  I honestly thought this might work.  It did not.  Oh...she followed along a little and KIND OF did what the teacher asked, but she was sobbing the entire time.  The boys and I sat outside the two way mirror/window and watched.  It broke my heart, but I knew she was fine.  Half way through class the girls had to come back out to their moms to get their tap shoes on.  As I put them on her I told her we would sit in the room this time.  She sat by me for a little while....then I joined in a little so she would participate.  I could tell she was starting to enjoy herself.  For the last 5 minutes the teacher gave them some scarves and told them they could dance around however they wanted.  The teacher then put the icing on the cake when she turned on the main song from Beauty and the Beast.  This is Jilly's FAVORITE princess movie right now.  She is in love with it.  The little stinker spent the last 5 minutes of a 45 minute class smiling and dancing around like Gregory Hines was her father.  (he's not)

I'm hoping that since she really WAS excited and the class ended on a positive note, next week will go much more smoothly.  Either way...it was adorable and I can't wait for more.

 



Princesses!

I'm having so much fun lately!  Today was Nathan's day to be at school, so here is what we did.



Yes, those are tears in Jillian's eyes.  Sometimes there were disagreements over who got to wear what.  She pulled through. 



Girly days are just a good time.

And now this little princess is wiped out.

Back To School!

Well, like it or not...Fall is here!  I always dread the end of summer, but once fall hits and the excitement of school begins, I can't help but enjoy it.  This year EVERYONE was excited!

Calvin started Tuesday and loves being a second grader.  There is just something about knowing the ropes.  And this year, for the first time, he has his best buddy Walter in his class.  What could be better?



Nathan started on Wednesday.  He is going to K1.  This is a program our district has that is designed for kids who are old enough for Kindergarten but not quite ready.  It will be PERFECT for Nathan.  They go all day every other day.

If you'll notice, the little sister is noticeably absent from these photos.  Sleeping Beauty is having a hard time adjusting to the new earlier wake up time.  She generally rolls out of bed a half hour or so after the boys leave.

Here she is saying, "But I want to eat breakfast with my brudders..."  

However, she has a little excitement of her own.  This year I quit my part time teaching job and I am staying home full time.  My good friend got a teaching job, so I'm watching her two little girls who are 3 and 4.  We're doing a little school time of our own!



I know this is blurry, but it was just so cute!  And the only one she really cooperated for!



Here is the crew we spend our days with.  Nathan, of course, is here every other day.

Everyone had a wonderful first couple of days.  I love this picture of the boys getting off the bus.  If you'll notice, Calvin is carrying his backpack AND his brothers.  Nathan is famous for getting people to do things for him, and honestly, Calvin is very good at taking care of him.

I'm counting on many good stories from Nathan's teacher this year! 

Happy Back to School Week!