First Day of School 2011

The girls started school on Monday.  Addison is in 3rd grade and Libby is in 1st grade.  Amazing!  Where did the time go??!  They both love their new teachers and are getting to know new friends. Homework hasn't really started, so we'll see if they change their tunes once that gets going :)

Of course, I couldn't snap pics of the girls without Brother jumping in front of the camera!  Levi will start preschool in a couple weeks, so I'll post his first day pic then.

A note about Levi's clothes:  He picked them out himself, which is unusual.  While My Boy never complains when I pick out his clothes/dress him, he whines if he's expected to do either of those things!  What a change from 3 year old little girls!  I don't want to completely corrupt him, so I am making him pick out his own clothes and dress himself these days.  Yesterday he wore his too-short Wranglers with an old t-shirt and flip-flops and wouldn't heed my advice about shorts, (I mean, why should he?  It's only been getting up to 105*/106* this week!) so he proceeded to whine most of his ride in the jogging stroller on my 4 mile run.  Amen for an Ipod and earbuds :)

Quotes heard around Disneyland

Pappa: Ethan tell me about that plane ride!
Ethan: You were on it!

Pappa: Levi did you shave this morning?
Levi: No I didn't! I just don't have mustaches! [I wasn't there, but I would bet he had both his arms out to the side with his palms facing up as he was saying this!]

Libby: I wanna ride on a miracle round!

Levi: Don't tell anyone that we're having snakes for breakfast!  [Can't remember the explanation for this one...I'm thinking they had milkshakes for breakfast??]

Rachel: (driving down freeway) This doesn't look like Disneyland to me...

Ethan: I'm so hungry I'm gonna die.
Addison: Ok then, die.

E: One time I held a chick at school.
A: One time I held a bunny.
R: Boooooring.

Libby: One time daddy threw a rock at a bird and hit it's tail and hurt it and I tried to make it better but it just flew away.
Addi: And now Levi won't stop calling daddy a murderer.

Libby: One time at school, an earthworm crawled in my pants. But it didn't crawl in my panties. It held up my panties with it's mouth. And then it crawled out of my pants and we threw them away because they had earthworm stuff on them. And then I almost stepped on Ms. wormy. That's what I named her.  [No explanation for this one either!]

R: (the weenie falls out of her corn dog) Awwwww man! But at least I can use it as a telescope!

A: We're going to burn a lot of calories today!!

Libby: Disneyland is not like I thought it would be.
Kelsi: How did you think it would be?
Libby: Like...lots of fun. [Classic Libby!]

A: Kelsi, I think you're going to be a good mommy. [ :) ]

Libby: This is making me seasick! I really really like it!

Libby: There's blood on my ear. And I know it's not ketchup. How would I get ketchup on my ear?

Libby: Ethan, did you know that Rachel is crazy?
E: Yup!

Libby: I wanna ride the rabbits! [rapids]



Bryan's parents took the kids to Disneyland with their two cousins, Ethan and Rachel, and with help from B's cousin, Kelsi.  *Everyday, I hear how they want to go back :)  Kelsi recorded funny things she heard and sent a lot of picture texts.  That combined with the detailed descriptions we got from Addi made it seem like we were there.  Only, we didn't have to wait in any lines.  Sweet!

Pictures?

I'm going to attempt to get back to this blogging-thing again.  No promises.  I've wanted to for a while, but I think my pride's been keeping me away.  What if I make the claim that I'm back and then I fail?!  Then I realized that anyone who ever read this blog has given up all hope that I'll ever return, so I'm only really letting myself down if I don't keep the blogging up :)

I was going to add some pics from the last day of school...maybe even comparisons from the first day to the last day to see how much older my girlies looked, but then I had to google our blog address (wow, if that's not a clue that I've been away to long... really, it's because we got a new computer and I don't have my bookmarks on it) and all these past pictures of my kids came up as saved by other people.  What??!  I didn't investigate too much, mainly 'cause I'm a little freaked out about it.  It's probably no big deal.  I do have a big imagination.  (Just ask Mr. Parker about that!)  But, I don't know.  I'll check it out a little more and talk to Bryan before I post any more pictures.  Whew!  My writing is gonna have to get a lot more interesting if I'm not gonna be posting any more pictures! :)

So, a quick recap of the end of the school year and our summer, so far.

 Addison finished 2nd grade and I truly think that's the end of my denial that she's growing up.  She keeps talking about being a 3rd grader now - Not so fast, Addi!

Reagan (if she was reading this, she'd roll her eyes and remind me, "It's LIBBY!") finished kindergarten and is happy to have some time off.  She's a young one with her August birthday and kindergarten was a little more trying for her than it was for Addi.  She ended up doing well, but, man, was she ever tired at the end of school days.

Addi is such a first-born, over-achieving, perfectionist that school has been truly stimulating for her.  Libby is not a first-born, obviously.  She over-achieves at anything social.  I have seen some perfectionist tendencies lately, when it comes to accessorizing her outfits.  I'm only sort-of joking.  Actually, Libby is Libby.  She's go-with-the-flow, loves to be with people, is always ready for fun, enjoys any activity, if it is her idea (stubborn?), and is passionate.  I did notice over Spring Break, she started asking how many more days until she got to go back to school because she missed her teacher and her friends.  Any break before that was met with resistance the night before it ended.

Addison had such a neat group in her class this year.  I so hope she gets to have several of them in her class again next year.  The girls school is busting at the seams.  This is  the case with every school in this growing city where we live.  I did see today where they've broken ground on a new elementary school in our neighborhood (it's less than a mile from our house/our school), so that will take some of the pressure off our school, but it won't be ready this school year.  In the meantime, our school has added 2 new portable classrooms this summer.  All that to say, there are usually 7 classes of each grade.  Or, at least that's been the case since Addison's kinder year.  So, she only had 1 kid in 1st grade that she'd had in kinder and 2 this year from her 1st grade class.  On one hand, it's nice because she gets to know so many kids, but she's heartbroken when one of her best friends is in a different class.

Libby's best friend changed every other day, so she'll be fine.  I do hope she gets a couple of the "sweeter" girls in her 1st grade class, just because she'll be more comfortable the first week.  But, it won't be a big deal to her after the first 20 minutes of the first day if she doesn't know a soul in her class.

Both girls did gymnastics and soccer this past year.  Addison took gymnastics classes the entire year, but I made Libby give up gymnastics during the Fall soccer season.  I just didn't know if it would all be too much after spending her days at school.  It would've been.  She could've come home every day during the first 2 9-week periods and taken a nap.  Addi wasn't interested in soccer until she saw Libby playing, so she started in the Spring.  Levi also took Mommy-and-Me gymnastics this past year and has just started an independent class this summer.  He loves it!  He just loves expending energy :)  The girls gave up gymnastics for the summer.  Addison says she wants to go back once school starts, but Libby wants to do cheerleading, tap, and ballet :)  They'll both be back in soccer (as much as I'm dreading Saturdays full of soccer games!)  At least I'll just have to worry about 2 games this season, even though B would love for us to also sign Levi up.  He's old enough, but I'm already crazy without adding another soccer practice a week and another game on Saturdays.  I don't think he'll be too behind waiting to start until he's 4!

June has been pretty busy for us.  We spent one week with both girls in soccer camp, Levi in swim lessons, and then vbs at night.  The next week just held swim lessons for Levi and this week the girls have had their swim lessons.  Yes, I know we have an 8 year old in swim lessons.  That we paid for!  She begged and now regrets it because she's bored.  But, it's been kind of good for Libby because I insisted they be in the same class, so it's them with another little boy and Libby is really having to step it up in the class.  The boy is 7 and Addi is a really good swimmer (she better be since she's taken swim lessons for 6 summers!), so she's always the "example".  I fought her about taking swim lessons last year and then it happened again this year.  She only won because she got B on her side :)  I don't forsee having to argue about it next year.  We have next week off and then Levi has one more week of lessons. I'm thinking next year, we might get away with no lessons for any of them!

Alright, only time will tell when I'll be back with another post.  Hopefully a better formatted post with pictures!  If I don't post before, have a great 4th of July!  We've got a baseball game, picnic, and fireworks all planned for the long weekend.  Can't wait!

Nice and Shiny Armor

{a paraphase of a conversation from a couple weeks back about Halloween and between all 5 of us}

Libby  I want to be a princess for Halloween this year.  Or a fairy!
Addi  You always want to be a princess or a fairy!
Levi [jumping in place and yelling - his normal method of communication]  I want to be a nice and shiny armor!
me  What??!
Bryan  [laughing 'cause he got it]
Levi [at the same time as the girls]  A Nice And Shiny Armor!
[while both girls]  He's talking about a knight in shining armor!

I think he picked it up from Tangled?!

You're the reason God made Oklahoma

Oklahoma gets a bad rap,  I think.  Sure, it can be windy and dusty and HOT and COLD and full of red dirt and flat.  (Hey, sounds almost just like North Texas :)  But, there are parts of OK that are, well, okay.  Better than okay, really.  There are beautiful parts of Oklahoma. 

We lived in Lawton when Bryan was stationed at Ft. Sill.  Now, Lawton is an Army town.  While it's the only military town I've ever lived in, it's not the only one I've visited, so I think I can generally describe military towns.  They aren't beautiful or fancy or cheerful.  They can be so run-down parts of them are scary.  Most everyone shares a common bond...service to our country...current or past.  No one really puts down roots.  Businesses, like the residents, are somewhat transient.  Businesses that do well are barber shops, dry cleaners, pawn shops, used car lots, and Wal-Mart.  I don't think in our 4+ years in Lawton we ever saw any of those close down.  Many homes look old beyond their years.  It isn't that no one cares.  It's just that homes change owners/renters every few years and many times residents aren't actually occupying their homes much.

Of course, there are good parts of Lawton/Ft. Sill:  the people, many of the restaurants, the memories, it's close to TX(!), the ability to be on Post each evening as the Flag is taken down, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.  The Refuge is just beautiful.  And, it's not flat! 

All that to say, sometimes I miss Oklahoma.  I am thankful for Oklahoma and for my time there.  I was priviliged to experience life in the military in Oklahoma and I was priviliged to become a mother in Oklahoma.  Those two events probably contributed most to molding me into the person I am today.  Oklahoma is indeed dear to this Texan's heart!

Today, as our little Okie turns 8, I am so thankful God made Oklahoma!  You see, I do believe God has a plan for everyone and I believe God made Oklahoma for me to birth our sweet, loving, beautiful little first born.  Most family members, and even we, were skeptical about delivering an Oklahoma-born child a mere 40 miles from the Texas border.  We may or may not have even inquired into insurance coverage if we had happened to be at the Target in Wichita Falls, TX when a fast and furious labor began.  However, neither the birth location change nor the fast labor was to be.

Looking back over these 8 years, I wouldn't have changed a thing.  Well, maybe I would've had Addison pick up the pace a bit or had someone anyone figure out she had twisted her little self around so she could have a peek at all those faces as she was forcep-ed out of my loins before it was too late to do anything about it other than grab some huge salad tongs and use them to pry my sweet baby out of my birth canal. (tmi much?)  Okay, so I wouldn't change much.  I certainly wouldn't change the location of her birth.  As much as I love Texas, I wouldn't change that she identifies herself as an Oklahoman and a Texan, and probably a North Carolinian too. :)

Addi's an Okie.  It's part of who she is.  She's fiercely loyal to her birth state, even after only visiting once since we moved away soon after her first birthday.  Some might even find her description of Oklahoma to be exotic.  Her favoritism of Oklahoma is just a part of who she is though.  She is also so kind and loving and funny and clever and thoughtful and sensitive and dependable and stubborn and dramatic and easily embarrassed.  She is a perfectly placed member of our family.

I love you, Addi Pie.  Happy Birthday!  You are my reason God made Oklahoma. ;)

clutter on the fridge

See the purple paper on our fridge?  It's new there. 

Addi met me with a huge smile on her face yesterday afternoon and a hushed, "I have something to tell you, but I'm not sayin' until we get home!" About 5 steps later she broke down and told me she'd earned a You Sparkle!  She'd picked to surprise me after school rather than let the vice principal call me during the day.  It's been super-busy for B at work, so he wasn't able to see her on stage at the assembly this morning, but the rest of the 5 Texans were there beaming.

Her teacher wrote that she was always kind, respectful, and could be counted on to lead.  Of course, I know those things, but it's always nice to hear how she's acting when I'm not around.

In other Addison news, she got her first official progress report with real number grades.  She's doing her best work and learning a lot.  Bryan and I couldn't be more pleased!  Now if I could figure out how to make sure she keeps earning these same grades through high school, we wouldn't have to worry about saving for college for her :)

R I - part 2

My sweet Addison left me a surprise on the first day of school. After I got home from dropping the girls off, I found this note she'd snuck by my coffee. I love, love, love my seven year old!


Things to notice (aka things that make me smile since I get to be her mom):

1. the correct date written in the correct form
2. the comma between "Dear" and "Mommy"
3. the transposal of letters in "shcool"
4. and, of course "thang"!

She is a dear child and I am blessed. I think I'll go write her note and stick it on her pillow for her to find after shcoolschool ;)

It's week 3 of the school year

and we're surviving.

Here's the breakdown:
Addi(son) is still her name, but this year she has another Addison in her class, so she goes by Addi at school. In the past, about half her friends and teachers called her Addi anyway. She was created to go to school...always wanting to please, always trying her best, always disappointed if she didn't do as well as she'd hoped, obedient, thoughtful, cooperative, happy, rule-following to the letter, excited to work on homework, thrilled to see friends, fiercely loyal to every teacher that's ever taught her. She is the model Responsible, Respectful, and Ready to Learn student her school expects. She's still going strong in gymnastics and recently moved to a more challenging class. Our living room is still her makeshift gym! Addison's my child who would like to sleep in and has had trouble waking with a pleasant attitude in past years. So far, this year has been different. She's usually up before I even stumble up the stairs to wake her. In fact, this morning, she had Levi dressed and his bed made before I rolled out of bed. Addi relishes her new responsibility that includes picking Libby up from a designated area after school and then walking out with her to meet Levi and me. Second grade may be her best year yet!

Libby is her name of choice in kindergarten. Although she still answers to Reagan or any of her nicknames without complaint! If she could really have her way, she'd be called Elizabeth because she claims she was named after Queen Elizabeth! I wonder if the real Elizabeth she was named after realizes Libby thinks she's a queen?! Honestly, I'm not really sure how she's doing in kindergarten. I know she is beyond tired and is a tad cranky. By tad, I actually mean ton! I think by the time 3 o'clock rolls around she's done. She's had it. She doesn't even want to think about school, much less answer any of my questions about it. Socially, she's great. Libby is not my shy child. She was stressed out that she'd get her folder signed, but I think we've calmed her down. She did tell me a few days after school started she finally had kindergarten figured out. "It goes, 'Blah, blah, blah', go to playground, 'blah blah', go to lunch, 'blah, blah, blah', bathroom, rest time, 'blah, blah', snack, 'blah, blah, blah', go home." As emotional as Libs is, she really hides her feelings. On any walk home from school she can be all over the place with her emotions, but when we make it home, I still have no clue why she was excited and then crying and then laughing and then pouting. I'm chalking up most of this to being overly tired. Hopefully her little body will adjust in a few weeks. I am doubting our decision to start her a mere 5 days after she turned 5. There's nothing to be done about it now, but stick it out and see how she does. I'll be anxious to talk with her teacher at conference day in October. The good news is she's her old self on the weekends! We just have to get through 5 days to see the real Libby for 2 days! Libby stopped gymnastics for a few months because she wanted to try soccer. Bryan is her coach and she's having a great time so far even though every practice but one has been rained out! We have another practice scheduled for tonight and her first game is Saturday. That should be interesting :)

Levi is much better than he was the first week of school. He understands now that we pick "his girls" up after his nap. Usually the first thing he utters after I wake him is "we go pick up my girls now after nap!" He is delighted to see them! One day he even let Addi hold him like a baby for a good 30 minutes. She sat in a comfy chair and sang to him while he stared at her and was perfectly still. He's settling into a routine of taking the girls to school and coming home to watch Clifford. Most days we take a walk and some days we have to run errands, which is torture on both of us. I wouldn't hesistate in taking both girls on errands rather than just him! Both girls and Bryan. We I took Levi out of preschool for this year. I really enjoy having him around and he's got enough social interaction through sisters, church, and playgroups for now. I'm starting to wonder if I'll put him in preschool at all. I really don't think it's necessary. My tune could drastically change in the next year though. And, part of this rebellion may be aimed toward new teaching standards in public school kindergarten. But, that's a whole other can of worms. I think it will be good year for Levi and me. He is already telling me, "You're bootiful!" How could it not be a good year :)

First Day of School 2010

Both my sweet girls went off to school this year! Libby was so excited to begin kindergarten and Addi's a big 2nd grader. I keep reminding her 2nd grade was my favorite grade to teach.

Levi (and I) feel a little lost without the girls around most of the day. He's starting to remember that as soon as naptime is over, we go pick his sisters up. The last couple days he's woken up saying, "It time go get Addi and Libby!"

The girls are both adjusting. It's old hat to Addi and she thrives in school. By today, five days in, Libby is tired and missing home. Hopefully by Sunday evening, she'll be excited to go back again.

I'm already counting the days to their long Labor Day weekend!

Three Snug Bugs

Staying up late while watching a movie in the playroom has become a favorite activity this summer. The downside (for me) is one of the 3 inevitably wakes up at the crack of dawn and proceeds to wake his/her siblings. Then I deal with 3 cranky kids for the rest of the day. Or, at least until after lunch, when I make all 3 take a nap. :)

petting zoo

A few weeks ago, we met some good friends at a petting zoo. We had a fun time with only one child traumatized by a hungry deer. (Apparently Libby's shirt smelled a little too much like deer food.) It was nothing a little ChickFilA couldn't fix. :) (ChickFilA for the tears, not the deer)

downtown

One day in the last month of school, Addi was home feeling crummy. By mid-afternoon she started feeling better, so we got out some paper and made a list of all the activities we wanted to do this summer. While Bryan was in Houston last week, we checked two more off the list.

First we stopped at the Dallas Farmers Market. I packed our lunches, but I think we could've filled up on all the samples people were willing to pass out. We ended up with a watermelon, a cantaloupe, green tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini and honey. Then we ate our lunch in the car with the a/c on full blast and a dvd playing. (It was the most peaceful lunch I've had in a long time!) The fun didn't stop there though. :) Next, we ventured out in the heat and humidity in search of tall buildings. Riding elevators was on the agenda. It was fun and after about an hour we were all pooped. All 3 slept the entire drive home.


Yes, I know these appear to be the exact same picture. Libby took the first one and Addi took the second. I think they could point out all the differences in their very different takes on the same building.

old friends

Okay, so I've totally dropped the ball this summer. And, I uploaded these pictures in reverse order from when they actually occurred, but! I'm posting today!!

We had some wonderful friends visit a couple weeks ago. We knew them in Raleigh and we used to have a little babysitting swap back when both families were complete with 2 girls. I wonder if they would still swap with us now that we've added a rowdy little boy?! We've missed them terribly and had such a good time together.

We miss you again, D, R, and S! Next reunion, we'll have to come to you. :)

the end

We all climbed into the car with the oldest one shouting, "I can't believe I'm a 2nd grader!" This confused the younger one. She questioned whether that made her a kindergartener. Personally, I didn't want to think about one of my dear ones being in the 2nd grade and I certainly didn't want to think about the still-4-year-old being a kindergartener. (Weren't we just bringing them home from the hospital?) And, for a few weeks, I won't think about it. Summer's here and we're going to be lazy for a while. I learned last summer, when my days of having a school-aged child began, that summer is TOO SHORT! I'll be thinking about and preparing for the next school year soon enough. For now, we've got swim lessons to finish up, vbs to attend, a vacation (sans kiddies), wonderful friends visiting, a 10-year wedding anniversary, a 5th birthday to celebrate and a list a mile long of activites and projects the kids and I want to complete in the next couple months. It's going to be a busy summer!

Field Day 2010

Addison's Field Day was a few weeks ago. It was supposed to be on a Friday, but, at the last minute, was moved to the following Tuesday for fear of thunderstorms. That meant, I was late and had to leave early. I was late since I had to drop Libby off at preschool and I had to leave early because Levi has to eat lunch and get a good nap in before 1:30 on Tuesdays. We leave at 1:40 to pick Libby up, come home for about 45 minutes to wait for Addi to get home, and then leave for the girls' gymnastics classes. It's way too late after gymnastics for him to nap and I've tried letting him go without a nap. We spent the hour in the car and I might have cried the entire drive home! All that blah, blah, blah was to explain why I don't have many pictures. These, with a couple whole-class pictures are truly all I took.

Addi probably takes the most pleasure in this first one. This little boy was also in her kinder class and he likes to aggravate her. A lot. She couldn't wait until school was out so she could tell me his clothes were still wet at the end of the day!

Then it was her turn!

Levi was content in the stroller for just a little while.

That smile looks like she had a great time. Next year I'll be running around watching both my girls at Field Day since kinder-2nd grades go at the same time.

2 Gymnasts and a Monkey

We are alive!

We've just been really busy lately and I neglected posting about our fun weekend trip to College Station. It's been almost 2 weekends ago now - oops!

Anyway, Bryan was in Houston most of the week, so the kids and I drove to College Station on Saturday morning. But, first we stopped (and met Grandpa and Uncle Brett) in Levi, TX. I wanted to get a picture of the "Levi, Population 50" sign. However, there isn't one, so I had to settle for this road sign. It was the only thing, besides an address on a mailbox, that said Levi. Oh, if you're wondering, Levi was totally impressed with the town he was named after. :)

Our next stop was in Reagan, TX. My sister in law gave me a black and white photo of the old Reagan post office building one year for my birthday. It made me cry, so I wanted to go back and get a picture of our Reagan standing in front of the building. Sadly, it is now an eating establishment, but Grandpa thought we should still get the picture. I'm glad we did. The next time we drive through it could be gone. (And, yes the wind was fierce. You just have to take my word for it that the little girl sitting atop my father's shoulders is, in fact, Reagan.)

Next stop - Olsen Field for peanuts and popcorn...

and snow cones...

and cotton candy!

We said goodbye to Grandpa and Uncle Brett as they headed home and we hit the road for Houston. We met Bryan at his hotel and everyone fell asleep early. The next morning we ate breakfast at the hotel, loaded the car, dropped off Bryan's rental and set out for College Station again. That afternoon we attended a ring ceremony for one of Bryan's closest friends from college who gave his life in service to our country. It was a moving ceremony with plenty of memories and old friends.

There were a lot of people there, including Governor Perry. This thrilled Addi beyond words since her class recently finished their Texas unit.

We're not so sure Levi's a republican!

Levi finally warmed up to the govenor while he tried to teach Levi how to stick his thumb up without sticking any other fingers up. The girls have it and Levi sort of got it. (Incidentally, we're not so sure Levi's an Aggie either :)

Major Glenn and his family were there.

A bunch of kids were there.

Christian was there. His mom and dad were there too, but I didn't get a picture with them.

I did, however, snap this picture of my child licking the glass inside a revolving door right before I told him to stop licking the glass because that is disgusting!

It was a good weekend. Ideally we would've had time to walk around campus and bore our children to tears, but Addi had school the next day and it's a 3+ hour drive back home. The girls did have fun in this huge Aggie ring outside the Former Students building. Levi was asleep in Bryan's arms or he would've been right in the middle of this picture.

After a meal at Wings N More (yummy!) with the Starrs, we made the trip back home.

And, I've been recovering ever since. :) Not really, but that would be a good excuse for my lack of blogging!