Birthdays!
Toby turns 7!
Then Ellie turned 6!
Halloween 2011
Up: Homemade Halloween costumes successful (and the kids helped) Up: Halloween night was gorgeous Up: The boys brought home enough candy for the next year. Up: Our library gives out free books! Up: My robot (who ended up being called both a magnet and space king) and lion had fun. And Daddy helped Ellie feel better at home by watching a new show, The Muensters.
Down: Toby experienced just how hot that hot glue is
Down: Ellie was sick that day and stayed home from school; Therefore also missed out on trick or treating.
Down: It will probably only last until Christmas.
Down: The library also gave out ‘slime’ this year – made with real food coloring! Handed to small children in ziploc bags!
Up: We own trash cans for such ridiculous things.
Baby girl gone
This baby girl (gone!) came home to tell me that she is pulled for extra reading (reading!)
A few new
Check out the gallery… I added a few (more forthcoming) of our pictures from the summer.
First Day
The best (and worst) first day responses
Caleb: You know how _____ said Mrs. C was really strict? Well, she’s not. And I have to say, she seems really young. Toby: You know how we can remember my teacher’s name? It’s something big and green with a square head. (Me: ??) You know, Frankenstein. (Yes, this was his *teacher’s* suggestion to her students because, yes, her name rhymes with said monster. I LOVE it. ) Ellie: Well, I probably didn’t sit down when they told me, or line up when they told me or something. I don’t know. Maybe I was talking. (this, when asked why she had a note ON HER FIRST DAY about not following directions…!)* *I’d like to say that both of her parents scared this behavior out of her with threats of (gasp!) never returning to school again if she can’t listen to her teachers. Day 2 went without such issues. I could have called this from the time the ultrasoud tech said I was going to have a girl…my genes + small person = a whole lot of spunk.
…and here we are
Tomorrow. All three of the kids will return/begin school. Toby and Ellie are both excited. Caleb, attending a new school for 3-5th graders, is less so. But under his aloof manner and gawky mannerisms, he is curious and is ready to see what the year will bring. I have to shake my head whenever I see just how large he has become. Oh, not heavy (ha!) but certainly too tall for my liking (up to my shoulders). I always joke that the growth-stunting pills aren’t working. Caleb rolls his eyes at this and I anticipate many others things will warrant this response in the coming years. I can take it. His spirit is delightful and insightful. Ellie is nearly beside herself with excitement. The number of questions she has asked regarding school in the last few days far outnumbers those her brothers ever asked. Ever. She has already picked out her first day outfit (jean skirt, complete with belt – this was her own deal. No mom-promptings to choose ANYTHING). She has ensured that I have enough for her packed lunches (“you should get baby carrots, Mom, so you don’t have to peel them”). She has even asked that I cut her hair off so it won’t take so long to brush it so she won’t be late for school ( I had to deny this request. Does this make me a bad Mom?) tonight we will go to ‘Meet the Teacher’ night. Ellie has sparkles of anticipation nearly causing her to glow. Toby says he’s excited. This happened this morning in the checkout lane at Kroger: CASHIER: Ready for school? So there you have it.
TOBY: I’m good at math.
CASHIER: Oh, that’s good.
TOBY: Yeah, but my brother, who’s 8, isn’t that excited about it. ‘Cause he’s going to a different school.
a time to laugh and too much time to grow
I have six more months before all three of the kids will be in school. Six more months of laughing with Ellie when she crawls up onto my lap and wants to snuggle in the middle of the day. All snuggling will be after-school and on weekends. It makes me remember to put aside the things I think I HAVE to do now and let her be with me. Games, books, art projects….they all take precedence over the dust and dishes and vacuuming. Oh, they still get done…either in those moments when she wants to watch Barney or in the form of a game where she is in charge of the cleaning (which she loves). 
Insider information
Ellie came running in and told me this: “Did you know Jesus was sooooo cute when he was a small one? Well he was! I saw Him on the Wiggles Christmas video!”
Foreign wildlife
Ellie came running inside saying, “mama! There’s a mysterious cat dog fox in our yard!” I checked it out and found a fluffy multicolored cat. I saw what she meant! Mysterious indeed.
