We had a nice weekend last week and it was MUCH needed! I am already feeling a slight case of fall burn out so I truly treasure the weekends!
Friday morning I had to run to SAM's and get a few things and then I met Ashley W for coffee. It was nice to have some girl time and helped pick up my mood a bit.
Saturday Austin was working but the kids and I had a busy day planned. There was no sleeping in on Saturday! Colby had a ZooFari outting with Scouts. I had wished Austin could be with us. Since I had already purchased 4 tickets though we invited Ella to come along with us. We were out the house by 9 and picked Ella up by 9:15. We got the Zoo right at 10. We ran into Nijel and his family as soon as we got there. The kids were anxious to get in and start checking out the exhibits. We spent a lot of time at the Orangutans and the Elephants. It was super hot! The kids just enjoyed being together though! We had Colby (8), Ella (8), Nijel (8), Makyrin (8), Bryson (8), Mia (5), Lindsay (4) and Makylee (3)! So we had quite the group. After we made the loop with the Tigers and Bears we went on to the Reptile House. It took us awhile just to get anywhere with that large of a group. We spent a long time in the reptile house but it was nice b/c atleast it was cool and the kids were contained. by the time we got out of there everyone was getting hungry and tired. We stopped at the Scouting tents so they could work on a few science experiments. After that we all split up. Some went home and others went on to do other stuff. I took Ella, Colby, and Lindsay and we had a nice picnic lunch. It felt so good to sit down by that point. I was worn out!! After that we checked out the Sea Lions then made our way to the front and out the zoo. Ella had dance class at 1:30 so we had to have her back by that. I am not sure we would have ever been able to stay until 2 anyway. Once we got home I was just ready to RELAX. It felt good to nap and the kids needed that down time as well. That night we just stayed in and had a nice family night.
Sunday was a hard day. I had a breakdown that morning. I guess all the stress, tiredness, and hormones just built up. It hit me hard when Colby woke up and we realized the "tooth fairy" forgot to come. That's when I melted down and realized I can't do it all. I know God is using this season of sadness and brokenness for his glory even though its hard and hurts. We went on to church even though honestly I just wanted to stay home. It was good..I was finally able to sit in church. I hadn't realized how much I had missed that feeling. After the kids and I just picked up lunch and came home to relax. Again it felt great just to not have anything on our agenda. That afternoon my parents came by to see the kids and I think they enjoyed that. We had a nice family evening once again!
Friday, September 30, 2016
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Swimming/Drowning through Life
Wow, well this past week was quite a crazy one! Let me start at the beginning. So Monday....as you recall Austin went back up to Hattiesburg on Sunday afternoon. So Monday morning it was just the kids and I. It was also a particularly busy Monday b/c I had work. I was once again subbing for the kinder class at Aurora. I was thankful for the distraction and opportunity to work even though it meant a less then quiet day. I love that little class so! We had a great day again. They were just so super and sweet. They are learning about shapes and the letter C and also learning to write their names without tracing so that was the focus. I love though that play is still the main object at this school though so they got to play a lot too. They get about a 50 min recess. After work I had to go grocery shopping...UGH I never shop mid-day! Needless to say it was hot and miserable. I was so hungry and tired when I got home. Luckily when I got home though Austin was here to help me. We ate lunch together and rested before he went to go get the kids. I was thankful for his help so I could have a few quiet moments. That night we had a nice home cooked meal of fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, and green beans. It felt so good to eat as a family. We even took a walk after.
Tuesday was another very busy day! The kids had Parent Visitation day at their school. This was actually my 4th one but Lindsay's 1st. Austin had to work so my mom came in his place and to be there for Colby. I knew I couldn't split myself fairly between the 2 so she came to be with him. I wanted to mostly hang with Lindsay since it was her very first one. After dropping the kids off we began the morning in the cafeteria for assembly. It was neat that we got to see this portion of their day. My mom and I stood near his class' table. I enjoyed getting to visit with his teacher briefly. After that time it was time for us to get with the classes. My mom left to follow Colby. I think they had chapel, art, and PE during that time. I went with Lindsay in her classroom. They began the day with chapel which was so beautiful and just what my heart needed. Seeing the kids worshiping and singing "How Great is Our God" while holding hands put me in tears. It was such a beautiful moment. I am so glad my kids are getting these moments in school. After chapel they went upstairs to library time. During that time their library teacher read them a book and they played some fun listening games. Normally library would be in the library obviously but due to the nature of the day it took place in a different local. After that they went back to class. It was neat to see how their classroom operates. They had snack time first. I just enjoyed watching Lindsay and how she interacts with her peers. After snack they had circle time. They went over their vowels and counting. I loved how they moved, sang, and did things out loud to keep their focus and attention. They did circle time for awhile before going back to their desks to work on a letter O page. Lindsay had no problem at all writing her Os. When they finished that it was time for me to go and switch with my mom. My mom got to come down and see her class sing a couple songs before joining them at recess. I went upstairs and Colby's class did a math minute quiz and then played a history review game. It was fun to also see him in action. Once I left there I came home to eat lunch and enjoy a couple hours of quiet before going to pick them up.
Wednesday was a busy but fun day. Lindsay had a dentist appointment scheduled that day. I knew when I scheduled her appointment that I would just give her the day off school. Since she is in prek and they don't take attendance just yet I am not going to stress about when I make her appointments. I also figured once a month I will give her a free day anyway. So she and I re-lived one of our infamous preschool fun days. We stopped for coffee and a muffin. I then took her to Confetti Park to play. It was so lovely to just enjoy the early morning hour at the park with her. There weren't any other kids there. It made me sad a little b/c I think it shows how "busy" our society is that we just don't have time to take our littles to the park on a random morning anymore. When Colby was little and we would do this sort of thing there were always kids there. Anyway so she had a great time nonetheless. She dug in dirt, we spotted birds, spiders, butterflies, and other nature things! We stayed for about an hour and a half. Once we left we went to the dentist. She had an excellent cleaning and behaved like such a BIG girl! She has come a LONG way! So after that we had to go to the Pet Store to get some cat and dog food. She was super excited about that. I let her wander around a bit and look at the fish and kitties. It was really funny too b/c we ran into her friend Claire there! I think that made her day!! By the time we got out to the car Austin had called and wanted to meet us for lunch. I was already planning on picking up Chickfila for her so it worked out perfect! It was a nice treat to be able to visit with him in the middle of the day like that! That afternoon we relaxed...we had already planned on skipping church that night. Just with everything going on with Austin's dad and him being away so much I felt we needed time as a family at home. It was nice to have that night to sort of recover!
Thursdays are always busy for me. I get the kids to school then go to Aurora to teach music class. I felt a lot more at ease this week being my 2nd week. The classes are so cute! The 3s I felt did a lot better this week although they are still exhausting at times. The 4s and 5s are awesome and really know the songs we are learning! The babies are just cute! There was a lot more this week so things were BUSY but it still went well since all 3 teachers stay with them. That afternoon I got the kids and we did homework. We left early to go to scouts. Since Austin was gone I promised then dinner at Wendy's. I was tired but we ended up having a good time nonetheless. I really wasn't a little sad and tired at Scouts. Not my usually bubbly self so I kinda stuck to myself. The boys worked more on their soap carvings. I was surprised when Austin got there! I had told him to go home and rest but he ended up meeting us and for that I was thankful! It was nice to be reunited!
Tuesday was another very busy day! The kids had Parent Visitation day at their school. This was actually my 4th one but Lindsay's 1st. Austin had to work so my mom came in his place and to be there for Colby. I knew I couldn't split myself fairly between the 2 so she came to be with him. I wanted to mostly hang with Lindsay since it was her very first one. After dropping the kids off we began the morning in the cafeteria for assembly. It was neat that we got to see this portion of their day. My mom and I stood near his class' table. I enjoyed getting to visit with his teacher briefly. After that time it was time for us to get with the classes. My mom left to follow Colby. I think they had chapel, art, and PE during that time. I went with Lindsay in her classroom. They began the day with chapel which was so beautiful and just what my heart needed. Seeing the kids worshiping and singing "How Great is Our God" while holding hands put me in tears. It was such a beautiful moment. I am so glad my kids are getting these moments in school. After chapel they went upstairs to library time. During that time their library teacher read them a book and they played some fun listening games. Normally library would be in the library obviously but due to the nature of the day it took place in a different local. After that they went back to class. It was neat to see how their classroom operates. They had snack time first. I just enjoyed watching Lindsay and how she interacts with her peers. After snack they had circle time. They went over their vowels and counting. I loved how they moved, sang, and did things out loud to keep their focus and attention. They did circle time for awhile before going back to their desks to work on a letter O page. Lindsay had no problem at all writing her Os. When they finished that it was time for me to go and switch with my mom. My mom got to come down and see her class sing a couple songs before joining them at recess. I went upstairs and Colby's class did a math minute quiz and then played a history review game. It was fun to also see him in action. Once I left there I came home to eat lunch and enjoy a couple hours of quiet before going to pick them up.
Wednesday was a busy but fun day. Lindsay had a dentist appointment scheduled that day. I knew when I scheduled her appointment that I would just give her the day off school. Since she is in prek and they don't take attendance just yet I am not going to stress about when I make her appointments. I also figured once a month I will give her a free day anyway. So she and I re-lived one of our infamous preschool fun days. We stopped for coffee and a muffin. I then took her to Confetti Park to play. It was so lovely to just enjoy the early morning hour at the park with her. There weren't any other kids there. It made me sad a little b/c I think it shows how "busy" our society is that we just don't have time to take our littles to the park on a random morning anymore. When Colby was little and we would do this sort of thing there were always kids there. Anyway so she had a great time nonetheless. She dug in dirt, we spotted birds, spiders, butterflies, and other nature things! We stayed for about an hour and a half. Once we left we went to the dentist. She had an excellent cleaning and behaved like such a BIG girl! She has come a LONG way! So after that we had to go to the Pet Store to get some cat and dog food. She was super excited about that. I let her wander around a bit and look at the fish and kitties. It was really funny too b/c we ran into her friend Claire there! I think that made her day!! By the time we got out to the car Austin had called and wanted to meet us for lunch. I was already planning on picking up Chickfila for her so it worked out perfect! It was a nice treat to be able to visit with him in the middle of the day like that! That afternoon we relaxed...we had already planned on skipping church that night. Just with everything going on with Austin's dad and him being away so much I felt we needed time as a family at home. It was nice to have that night to sort of recover!
Thursdays are always busy for me. I get the kids to school then go to Aurora to teach music class. I felt a lot more at ease this week being my 2nd week. The classes are so cute! The 3s I felt did a lot better this week although they are still exhausting at times. The 4s and 5s are awesome and really know the songs we are learning! The babies are just cute! There was a lot more this week so things were BUSY but it still went well since all 3 teachers stay with them. That afternoon I got the kids and we did homework. We left early to go to scouts. Since Austin was gone I promised then dinner at Wendy's. I was tired but we ended up having a good time nonetheless. I really wasn't a little sad and tired at Scouts. Not my usually bubbly self so I kinda stuck to myself. The boys worked more on their soap carvings. I was surprised when Austin got there! I had told him to go home and rest but he ended up meeting us and for that I was thankful! It was nice to be reunited!
Friday, September 23, 2016
Weekending and The Diagnosis
So this past weekend was quite an emotional whirlwind. It began on Friday with learning that Austin's dad had to go back to the ER...it was now the 2nd time in a week. He had been having severe hip and back pain. They also learned that morning that he had cancer in his bones. It was emotional just learning of all this. That day I also kept Lindsay home from school. She woke up that morning and I just knew she had a stomach bug. She woke up saying her tummy hurt and didn't want to eat breakfast. It was very unlike her...she also seemed pale. I quickly called my parents and decided it would be best for them to bring Colby b/c I was worried about her puking in the car. He got off to school and almost immediately she started feeling better. I decided it was a combo of her being tired (after said busy week), a little allergy cold, and truly just wanting a day home with mom. She's gone really strong this first month of school. She's gone 5 days a week full days for a month! I think her body just told her she needed to press the pause button. I was honestly ok with it too. Last year I used to keep her home once a week and I always treasured those fun days with her. After getting some stuff done around the house and realizing she wasn't really "sick" after all we decided to go to Barnes and Noble. I needed to get a couple books and I figured it would be a fun outting for us. She loved it!! She picked out a couple books and was happy as a little lark. That afternoon we just hung out until time to go get Colby. We picked up Colby and his best friend Nijel. It was fun having them here to play! They were both super good too. I ordered pizzas for them and they just played for a couple hours. His mom picked him up about 6:30. From there we got the kids ready for bed and movie night. We watched Beethoven 2 that evening.
Saturday we had a low key morning which was nice! It was needed! Late that morning my parents picked up Colby to bring him to Hattiesburg for the game. After they left I brought Lindsay to Target. We shopped then picked up lunch and hung out that afternoon. I missed my boys b/c Austin also took off to Hattiesburg that morning as well. The trip was actually scheduled before we knew his dad would be sick. He left earlier though to go be with his family. His sisters were there and his parents and with knowing his dad might not be around much longer they basically had a family meeting. My parents took care of Colby but they did bring him over there and he got to play with Shelbi and Maggie some. That evening they went to the ball game. It was a long night from what I hear. From a rain delay to the fact they lost. They ended up leaving before the game was even over. I was thankful for a quiet day and really I think I needed it. I missed them though so so much.
Sunday it was off to church. We had 8 kids and ended with 6 b/c 2 left early. It was a hectic morning and I really felt like I was in another time zone the whole morning. I tried to focus and be present with the kids but it was so hard. Well first of all I knew Austin was going to be driving back from Hattiesburg that morning. He had to go into work for awhile. We weren't sure what time he would get home. Well around 9:30 he arrived to church. I could tell quickly that things weren't right. He was very distracted...he told me briefly that things were bad with his dad and he was going back to the ER. We couldn't really discuss it b/c I was teaching obviously. Well about the time it was almost time to go he stepped out to take a phone call. Honestly I didn't know he was talking to. He had mentioned ordering lunch for us so I thought he was out there doing that or even talking to someone at work. I looked out the window though and my heart sank when I could tell that's not what was going on at all. Turns out his dad had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital b/c he was no longer mobile. Austin knew at that moment he had to go back to Hattiesburg. My heart sank again...I knew he needed to do that but also I really wanted him home with us. He had just been gone basically all weekend. We had planned to go to Lindsay's dance class and he and Colby do something special. Well we all gathered ourself and decided to leave pretty abruptly. We got home and I made Austin chill out for about an hour. We ate and just took a few minutes as a family to stop, think, and pray. I knew he needed to stop even just for a short time. I think he was thankful for that!
He left after lunch to go to Hattiesburg. I skipped Lindsay's dance class. I hated to do it b/c I knew she had looked forward to it but I knew right now we needed to be at home. Going to dance class for 2 hours just seemed so trivial and that it would cause extra stress. The kids and I had a very low key afternoon and night.
Saturday we had a low key morning which was nice! It was needed! Late that morning my parents picked up Colby to bring him to Hattiesburg for the game. After they left I brought Lindsay to Target. We shopped then picked up lunch and hung out that afternoon. I missed my boys b/c Austin also took off to Hattiesburg that morning as well. The trip was actually scheduled before we knew his dad would be sick. He left earlier though to go be with his family. His sisters were there and his parents and with knowing his dad might not be around much longer they basically had a family meeting. My parents took care of Colby but they did bring him over there and he got to play with Shelbi and Maggie some. That evening they went to the ball game. It was a long night from what I hear. From a rain delay to the fact they lost. They ended up leaving before the game was even over. I was thankful for a quiet day and really I think I needed it. I missed them though so so much.
Sunday it was off to church. We had 8 kids and ended with 6 b/c 2 left early. It was a hectic morning and I really felt like I was in another time zone the whole morning. I tried to focus and be present with the kids but it was so hard. Well first of all I knew Austin was going to be driving back from Hattiesburg that morning. He had to go into work for awhile. We weren't sure what time he would get home. Well around 9:30 he arrived to church. I could tell quickly that things weren't right. He was very distracted...he told me briefly that things were bad with his dad and he was going back to the ER. We couldn't really discuss it b/c I was teaching obviously. Well about the time it was almost time to go he stepped out to take a phone call. Honestly I didn't know he was talking to. He had mentioned ordering lunch for us so I thought he was out there doing that or even talking to someone at work. I looked out the window though and my heart sank when I could tell that's not what was going on at all. Turns out his dad had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital b/c he was no longer mobile. Austin knew at that moment he had to go back to Hattiesburg. My heart sank again...I knew he needed to do that but also I really wanted him home with us. He had just been gone basically all weekend. We had planned to go to Lindsay's dance class and he and Colby do something special. Well we all gathered ourself and decided to leave pretty abruptly. We got home and I made Austin chill out for about an hour. We ate and just took a few minutes as a family to stop, think, and pray. I knew he needed to stop even just for a short time. I think he was thankful for that!
He left after lunch to go to Hattiesburg. I skipped Lindsay's dance class. I hated to do it b/c I knew she had looked forward to it but I knew right now we needed to be at home. Going to dance class for 2 hours just seemed so trivial and that it would cause extra stress. The kids and I had a very low key afternoon and night.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Back to the Busy Life
Well it seems now that we are in full time fall crazy mode! We are enjoying it but I think found ourselves tired this week. Even though vacation last week was great---sometimes I believe its even harder and more tiring to go away.
Once we got home though it was full swing into all the fun things fall has to offer!
Monday the kids returned to school. I was thankful to only have grocery shopping that morning on my agenda. I was able to stay home and get stuff done and also relax. I have learned that rest/relaxation is ok. I try to schedule days in where this is possible and then try not to feel guilty about when they roll around. That evening was good..Austin got home and we had dinner together.
Tuesday was when the busyness really began. I had Bible study that morning. It was as always great to be back with my awesome group of ladies. After Bible study I stayed to help count box tops again and then to also help out with lunch time at the school. It was fun getting to see the kids again. I think they were happy to see my mid-day. I enjoyed visiting with Colby's group of friends and then enjoyed being able to help out with Lindsay's group. It was a pretty full day though. Once I got home I really just had time to eat lunch and do a couple of things before it was time to run back up and get them. I was just thankful though for a night at home. Austin had his men's group so the kids and I picked up dinner and hung out.
Wednesday is always my sort of down day. I am always thankful to drop the kids off and come home. Its a day I try to hit the pause button. That morning I did stop at Chickfila for breakfast and then went to Hobby Lobby. I must admit I enjoyed that quiet alone time of running errands. It also helps me mentally prepare for church that night. That night we ofcourse went to church. As always we all really enjoy being there. I only had 2 kids that night so we went out on the playground with the big kids. We didn't get to do much in class other then have a snack and do some finger painting. I have been thankful for a couple "easy" weeks though.
Thursday I had my first music class day. I was honestly a little nervous about it. I got there early so I had plenty of time to "prep" before class. I taught the 3 year olds first...I felt like they were the hardest group. I was also nervous and they weren't quite sure what to think of me. They loved the bumble bee song though and the instrument time. Next I had the 4s and 5s. I actually felt TONS better during this class b/c it was just me and the kids. I think not having the other teachers in there made me feel calmer. The big kids were great and participated in everything. I really enjoyed them! The final class I had was the babies. They were pretty low key. We sang a few songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Start" then they mostly just wanted to play instruments and watch the music videos which was honestly fine with me. I was super exhausted when I finished! I guess the non-stop talking for almost 2 hours! I got home and enjoyed some downtime before going to pick up the kids. We had Scouts that night. I had contemplated not going but I knew they were learning pocket knife safety so I figured the more adults the better, plus Lindsay loves going! Austin got home early enough we were all able to go together. The boys were awesome in their first knife lesson and Lindsay had a blast with Mia and Makylee.
After a very busy week we were all super ready for the weekend!
Once we got home though it was full swing into all the fun things fall has to offer!
Monday the kids returned to school. I was thankful to only have grocery shopping that morning on my agenda. I was able to stay home and get stuff done and also relax. I have learned that rest/relaxation is ok. I try to schedule days in where this is possible and then try not to feel guilty about when they roll around. That evening was good..Austin got home and we had dinner together.
Tuesday was when the busyness really began. I had Bible study that morning. It was as always great to be back with my awesome group of ladies. After Bible study I stayed to help count box tops again and then to also help out with lunch time at the school. It was fun getting to see the kids again. I think they were happy to see my mid-day. I enjoyed visiting with Colby's group of friends and then enjoyed being able to help out with Lindsay's group. It was a pretty full day though. Once I got home I really just had time to eat lunch and do a couple of things before it was time to run back up and get them. I was just thankful though for a night at home. Austin had his men's group so the kids and I picked up dinner and hung out.
Wednesday is always my sort of down day. I am always thankful to drop the kids off and come home. Its a day I try to hit the pause button. That morning I did stop at Chickfila for breakfast and then went to Hobby Lobby. I must admit I enjoyed that quiet alone time of running errands. It also helps me mentally prepare for church that night. That night we ofcourse went to church. As always we all really enjoy being there. I only had 2 kids that night so we went out on the playground with the big kids. We didn't get to do much in class other then have a snack and do some finger painting. I have been thankful for a couple "easy" weeks though.
Thursday I had my first music class day. I was honestly a little nervous about it. I got there early so I had plenty of time to "prep" before class. I taught the 3 year olds first...I felt like they were the hardest group. I was also nervous and they weren't quite sure what to think of me. They loved the bumble bee song though and the instrument time. Next I had the 4s and 5s. I actually felt TONS better during this class b/c it was just me and the kids. I think not having the other teachers in there made me feel calmer. The big kids were great and participated in everything. I really enjoyed them! The final class I had was the babies. They were pretty low key. We sang a few songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Start" then they mostly just wanted to play instruments and watch the music videos which was honestly fine with me. I was super exhausted when I finished! I guess the non-stop talking for almost 2 hours! I got home and enjoyed some downtime before going to pick up the kids. We had Scouts that night. I had contemplated not going but I knew they were learning pocket knife safety so I figured the more adults the better, plus Lindsay loves going! Austin got home early enough we were all able to go together. The boys were awesome in their first knife lesson and Lindsay had a blast with Mia and Makylee.
After a very busy week we were all super ready for the weekend!
Friday, September 16, 2016
Weekend in Hattiesburg
This past weekend we took off to Hattiesburg. We usually try to take a trip there in September to kick off fall and football season. The kids were super excited and I think we were too!
Friday we left when the kids got out of school. We picked them up and and they couldn't wait to be on our way! We stopped in Slidell to eat dinner at Cracker Barrel. It was a nice way to break up the trip and plus the kids were STARVING by the time we got there! They loved the food and looking at all the Halloween decorations in the little store. We hit the road and pulled into his parents house around 6:30. We got there and visited with his parents for awhile. His dad hasn't been feeling well but he was up and moving around that evening which was good. We had cake and icecream and the kids played. We left by about 8 since it had been such a long day for the kids. We got to the apartment and unloaded and got settled in for the evening. It didn't take long at all for the kids to go to sleep!
Saturday we were able to sleep in a bit. Austin had to get ready pretty early though and he and Colby went to help his parents with some yard work. I enjoyed the peaceful morning with just Lindsay. She and I took our time getting dressed then went and picked up Chickfila for breakfast. We got to his parents house around 9:30. By the time we got there they were finished with the yard so Austin went to shower and get cleaned up. I hung around his parent's house with the kids. They just played and watched tv. Austin's dad was not feeling well so we didn't see much of him. We did get to visit with his mom though. Once Austin got back we took the kids to go get some new USM gear from the bookstore. They were excited about this! Colby chose a hat and jersey and Lindsay chose a cheer outfit and bow! We then ran a couple other errands before getting back in time for lunch at his parents. We ate BBQ and visited with his mom. Around 1 we went back to the apartment so the kids could rest up before the game. I laid down with Lindsay and she took a nap. Colby just watched tv and played Legos. My parents were also there by this time. We were able to all rest a little and prepare for the game. We packed up about 4 to go to the game. The kids were super excited! It was only Lindsay's 2nd ever football game. Colby has been going since he was 3 so he's been to a bunch! We got there in time for part of the Eagle Walk. I think Colby was in awe of the football players and Lindsay was pretty taken with the Dixie Darlin's and the cheerleaders. We walked around some and soaked in the Tailgaiting atmosphere before going up to our seats. It was neat being there with my dad and the kids. We got up to our seats and had dinner. They had BBQ chicken, mac n cheese, spinach dip, and popcorn and candies. The kids were super excited! We enjoyed eating then went and sat down. The kids were so good during the game! I was so impressed. Colby was super into it and Lindsay even lasted the whole time. I really thought I would be bringing her home early but she insisted on staying the whole time. They had a firework show after the game so I think that was on both of their mind's to stay!
We got back to the apartment around 9:30. We bathed the kids and they were both asleep soon after!
Sunday we woke up and ate a McDonald's breakfast then got ready to hit the road. We planned to stop by Austin's parent's house to say goodbye. Well when we got there his dad wasn't doing well at all. Austin made the decision to stay and get him to the ER. I knew I needed to go ahead and get back with the kids. We got home around 11:30. We had a nice drive back and they were super well behaved. We got in ate lunch and watched the Saints game. Austin got home I think before the game was even over. We had a nice family night that evening. We cooked dinner and just enjoyed being together after a busy weekend and before another busy week!
Friday we left when the kids got out of school. We picked them up and and they couldn't wait to be on our way! We stopped in Slidell to eat dinner at Cracker Barrel. It was a nice way to break up the trip and plus the kids were STARVING by the time we got there! They loved the food and looking at all the Halloween decorations in the little store. We hit the road and pulled into his parents house around 6:30. We got there and visited with his parents for awhile. His dad hasn't been feeling well but he was up and moving around that evening which was good. We had cake and icecream and the kids played. We left by about 8 since it had been such a long day for the kids. We got to the apartment and unloaded and got settled in for the evening. It didn't take long at all for the kids to go to sleep!
Saturday we were able to sleep in a bit. Austin had to get ready pretty early though and he and Colby went to help his parents with some yard work. I enjoyed the peaceful morning with just Lindsay. She and I took our time getting dressed then went and picked up Chickfila for breakfast. We got to his parents house around 9:30. By the time we got there they were finished with the yard so Austin went to shower and get cleaned up. I hung around his parent's house with the kids. They just played and watched tv. Austin's dad was not feeling well so we didn't see much of him. We did get to visit with his mom though. Once Austin got back we took the kids to go get some new USM gear from the bookstore. They were excited about this! Colby chose a hat and jersey and Lindsay chose a cheer outfit and bow! We then ran a couple other errands before getting back in time for lunch at his parents. We ate BBQ and visited with his mom. Around 1 we went back to the apartment so the kids could rest up before the game. I laid down with Lindsay and she took a nap. Colby just watched tv and played Legos. My parents were also there by this time. We were able to all rest a little and prepare for the game. We packed up about 4 to go to the game. The kids were super excited! It was only Lindsay's 2nd ever football game. Colby has been going since he was 3 so he's been to a bunch! We got there in time for part of the Eagle Walk. I think Colby was in awe of the football players and Lindsay was pretty taken with the Dixie Darlin's and the cheerleaders. We walked around some and soaked in the Tailgaiting atmosphere before going up to our seats. It was neat being there with my dad and the kids. We got up to our seats and had dinner. They had BBQ chicken, mac n cheese, spinach dip, and popcorn and candies. The kids were super excited! We enjoyed eating then went and sat down. The kids were so good during the game! I was so impressed. Colby was super into it and Lindsay even lasted the whole time. I really thought I would be bringing her home early but she insisted on staying the whole time. They had a firework show after the game so I think that was on both of their mind's to stay!
We got back to the apartment around 9:30. We bathed the kids and they were both asleep soon after!
Sunday we woke up and ate a McDonald's breakfast then got ready to hit the road. We planned to stop by Austin's parent's house to say goodbye. Well when we got there his dad wasn't doing well at all. Austin made the decision to stay and get him to the ER. I knew I needed to go ahead and get back with the kids. We got home around 11:30. We had a nice drive back and they were super well behaved. We got in ate lunch and watched the Saints game. Austin got home I think before the game was even over. We had a nice family night that evening. We cooked dinner and just enjoyed being together after a busy weekend and before another busy week!
Friday, September 9, 2016
Labor Day Weekend
So we just finished up our first "holiday" of the school year. It was so nice to have that long weekend. The month of August was fun but also exhausting. This year has been one of transitions and growing up.
Friday I had started my weekend with coffee with my friend Cindy. Its always fun to have a little girl time to start off my weekend. We enjoyed chatting about the girls and the progress they have made thus far in school. That afternoon we picked Nijel up from school so I had a busy afternoon with 3 littles. The kids played well but were just super active. He got picked up around 5:30 and we had dinner and a low key night. The kids wanted to watch Beethoven for movie night so that is what we did.
Saturday I was so excited to wake up without any plans. Colby was technically invited to a birthday party but 1) I wasn't really in the mood to go to that and 2) I really didn't know the family that well and none of his close friends were going.
I decided to take the kids to the park instead. We had a leisure morning around the house. We worked on math and language and Lindsay worked on letters. Afterwards we got dressed and headed out to the park. OMG it was super hot though! We only lasted 30 min. I am ready for fall days when going to the park feels lovely and we can stay for 2 hours. I was just thankful though for those 30 min of outdoor time my kids got. There were even other kids out so they got exercise and time with other kiddos. Afterwards we came home and had lunch. That evening we ate lasagna and chicken and watched the USM game.
Sunday was ofcourse church day. We only stayed for the 1st service so it was nice to have a long afternoon. I had only 4 kids. Lindsay was the only girl and I am not so sure she was super thrilled about that. She misses some of her friends that have promoted up to the kinder class. We went to eat at Panera Bread after then came home and Colby got ready for his playdate at Nijel's house. I love his friendship with Nijel and Makyrin. They have now all known each other since kindergarten. Nijel's mom invited them over to play snap circuits and video games. Needless to say Colby had a blast!! I am so glad he has friends who he can go hang out with like that on the weekends. That evening we cooked fajitas and just had a nice family night. We even took a walk after dinner since it wasn't a school night and the kids could stay up later.
Monday (Labor Day) we had an easy going morning around the house. It was nice to not be rushing off to school or anywhere. Austin worked in the yard and so the kids and I did school and just hung out. Oh and I also cooked. I made them blueberry muffins and then made pasta salad for lunch. We went to my parent's house about 11. It was pouring down rain when we got there so swimming was out of the question. We just mostly visited and helped my parents while the kids played. Randall and Lizzie got there around noon. We ate lunch and just hung out and talked. It had been since Colby's b-day (July 17th) that we all hung out like that. It was fun to catch up. The kids and Austin and my dad were able to get into the pool a little while so they were happy about that.
We got in that evening and just had leftovers for dinner and took another walk.
Friday I had started my weekend with coffee with my friend Cindy. Its always fun to have a little girl time to start off my weekend. We enjoyed chatting about the girls and the progress they have made thus far in school. That afternoon we picked Nijel up from school so I had a busy afternoon with 3 littles. The kids played well but were just super active. He got picked up around 5:30 and we had dinner and a low key night. The kids wanted to watch Beethoven for movie night so that is what we did.
Saturday I was so excited to wake up without any plans. Colby was technically invited to a birthday party but 1) I wasn't really in the mood to go to that and 2) I really didn't know the family that well and none of his close friends were going.
I decided to take the kids to the park instead. We had a leisure morning around the house. We worked on math and language and Lindsay worked on letters. Afterwards we got dressed and headed out to the park. OMG it was super hot though! We only lasted 30 min. I am ready for fall days when going to the park feels lovely and we can stay for 2 hours. I was just thankful though for those 30 min of outdoor time my kids got. There were even other kids out so they got exercise and time with other kiddos. Afterwards we came home and had lunch. That evening we ate lasagna and chicken and watched the USM game.
Sunday was ofcourse church day. We only stayed for the 1st service so it was nice to have a long afternoon. I had only 4 kids. Lindsay was the only girl and I am not so sure she was super thrilled about that. She misses some of her friends that have promoted up to the kinder class. We went to eat at Panera Bread after then came home and Colby got ready for his playdate at Nijel's house. I love his friendship with Nijel and Makyrin. They have now all known each other since kindergarten. Nijel's mom invited them over to play snap circuits and video games. Needless to say Colby had a blast!! I am so glad he has friends who he can go hang out with like that on the weekends. That evening we cooked fajitas and just had a nice family night. We even took a walk after dinner since it wasn't a school night and the kids could stay up later.
Monday (Labor Day) we had an easy going morning around the house. It was nice to not be rushing off to school or anywhere. Austin worked in the yard and so the kids and I did school and just hung out. Oh and I also cooked. I made them blueberry muffins and then made pasta salad for lunch. We went to my parent's house about 11. It was pouring down rain when we got there so swimming was out of the question. We just mostly visited and helped my parents while the kids played. Randall and Lizzie got there around noon. We ate lunch and just hung out and talked. It had been since Colby's b-day (July 17th) that we all hung out like that. It was fun to catch up. The kids and Austin and my dad were able to get into the pool a little while so they were happy about that.
We got in that evening and just had leftovers for dinner and took another walk.
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Friends and The Chaos of Life
Well we are into full swing with school and our fall schedules now. The first few weeks of school I felt like I had a lot of time at home and time to balance everything but for whatever reason this week has seemed more busy and stressful. Part of it could be hormones but I am feeling burnt out already which is not good considering fall really just started!
I try very hard to keep rest and downtime in our schedule. That is why on most weekends we choose not to do much.
Well I have been bringing Colby's friend Nijel home after school. I didn't think it would be bad and its really not horrible I guess its just taking more out of me then I thought.
The first week we just did a Friday and that was fine b/c the boys were able to just come home and play.
The next week we did Thursday and Friday. Once again they had no homework so they were free to play. Not much stress!
This week though I picked him up Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. All the days except Friday they also had homework. I had no idea how stressful it would be to get them to finish their homework. I had been bragging on Colby and how well he's been doing this year working independently on homework. I hope this doesn't end up affecting him in school. I have had to get very stern about them focusing and doing the work. Its mostly Nijel just being too hyper and talkative and silly. By Thursday I had had it and I put him in timeout.
Thankfully next week we will get a break just due to life circumstances. I hate saying it b/c I am glad we can help out a friend and Colby loves it and its his best friend but it did make my life a little more crazy.
Also the other thing I am feeling overwhelmed with is all my childcare duties. I love teaching and I am thankful with staying at home that teaching at church is something I can do. I love the kids and I really enjoy what I do. I feel dealing with the parents though is getting harder and harder. Lately I have had this 3 and 1 year old come in with food. First it was chickfila, then whole bananas, and then pizza and cookies! I am a little outdone at this!
Anyway just some of the stuff going on in my head!
The kids are doing well in school though. Colby had a MUCH better week behavior wise and Lindsay is doing so well in prek. I was able to go up there and see them both Tuesday after Bible study. I had lunch with Colby then helped the preschoolers out with their lunch. It was fun seeing them in their school atmosphere.
I am excited about this long weekend and hopeful it will allow us time to rest and clear our heads and be ready for the upcoming busy that lies ahead!
I try very hard to keep rest and downtime in our schedule. That is why on most weekends we choose not to do much.
Well I have been bringing Colby's friend Nijel home after school. I didn't think it would be bad and its really not horrible I guess its just taking more out of me then I thought.
The first week we just did a Friday and that was fine b/c the boys were able to just come home and play.
The next week we did Thursday and Friday. Once again they had no homework so they were free to play. Not much stress!
This week though I picked him up Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. All the days except Friday they also had homework. I had no idea how stressful it would be to get them to finish their homework. I had been bragging on Colby and how well he's been doing this year working independently on homework. I hope this doesn't end up affecting him in school. I have had to get very stern about them focusing and doing the work. Its mostly Nijel just being too hyper and talkative and silly. By Thursday I had had it and I put him in timeout.
Thankfully next week we will get a break just due to life circumstances. I hate saying it b/c I am glad we can help out a friend and Colby loves it and its his best friend but it did make my life a little more crazy.
Also the other thing I am feeling overwhelmed with is all my childcare duties. I love teaching and I am thankful with staying at home that teaching at church is something I can do. I love the kids and I really enjoy what I do. I feel dealing with the parents though is getting harder and harder. Lately I have had this 3 and 1 year old come in with food. First it was chickfila, then whole bananas, and then pizza and cookies! I am a little outdone at this!
Anyway just some of the stuff going on in my head!
The kids are doing well in school though. Colby had a MUCH better week behavior wise and Lindsay is doing so well in prek. I was able to go up there and see them both Tuesday after Bible study. I had lunch with Colby then helped the preschoolers out with their lunch. It was fun seeing them in their school atmosphere.
I am excited about this long weekend and hopeful it will allow us time to rest and clear our heads and be ready for the upcoming busy that lies ahead!
Friday, September 2, 2016
Last Weekend
I am having a hard time keeping on this blog. Even with the kids in school full time I find myself so busy!
So last weekend we had a super weekend! Its so great just having down time as a family!
Friday I babysat for a little girl named Ebbie. She is 5 and one of Lindsay's friends from church. She was here from about 9:30-12. It kept me busy for sure! She was good though...I just had to do a lot of "entertaining" since my kids weren't here!
That afternoon we picked up Nijel along with the kids from school. We are bringing him home most days now. The boys had a blast playing for about an hour before his mom came to get him. That night we ate dinner and went to get ice cream. We then watched the SAINTS game. We did that in place of a movie. Our kids are little SAINTS fans and were totally ok with that. We let them stay up for the first half.
Saturday I was so thankful to wake up with nothing on our agenda. We had a pretty busy morning but it was a morning at home. Colby had some studying to do over the weekend so we hit the ground running. Between breakfast and getting ready we also studied and worked on math and language. Lindsay worked on drawing stars and counting and recognizing shapes.
We went over to my parent's house around 10 to swim and hang out. Now with school we just don't get over there much. Not to mention it had been since July since I had been in the pool. At first when we got in it started thundering and lightening. We had to get out and wait a bit but then were able to get back in and swim about 2 hours. The kids had a great time and it was just a fun time to play and visit with my parents. After swimming we went inside to eat lunch.
That afternoon we came back here and just relaxed. Austin got home early which was SUPER! We went out that night to Chickfila for a Mustang Car show. We ended up meeting up with Colby's 2 besties Makyrin and Nijel. Lindsay also had Mia and Makylee to play with. It was a fun night! I was glad we got to do something "fun" and friend oriented with them. I try to incorporate friend and family time into our weekend so I felt like it was a successful day as far as that goes.
Sunday it was just the kids and I that morning for church. I had a class of 12 to myself. It was busy but I felt like for the most part it went well. After church the kids and I just picked up lunch and came home. It was honestly nice to have a long afternoon. Once again Austin got home early and we just enjoyed the family time. We had time to play outside and just enjoy each other!
So last weekend we had a super weekend! Its so great just having down time as a family!
Friday I babysat for a little girl named Ebbie. She is 5 and one of Lindsay's friends from church. She was here from about 9:30-12. It kept me busy for sure! She was good though...I just had to do a lot of "entertaining" since my kids weren't here!
That afternoon we picked up Nijel along with the kids from school. We are bringing him home most days now. The boys had a blast playing for about an hour before his mom came to get him. That night we ate dinner and went to get ice cream. We then watched the SAINTS game. We did that in place of a movie. Our kids are little SAINTS fans and were totally ok with that. We let them stay up for the first half.
Saturday I was so thankful to wake up with nothing on our agenda. We had a pretty busy morning but it was a morning at home. Colby had some studying to do over the weekend so we hit the ground running. Between breakfast and getting ready we also studied and worked on math and language. Lindsay worked on drawing stars and counting and recognizing shapes.
We went over to my parent's house around 10 to swim and hang out. Now with school we just don't get over there much. Not to mention it had been since July since I had been in the pool. At first when we got in it started thundering and lightening. We had to get out and wait a bit but then were able to get back in and swim about 2 hours. The kids had a great time and it was just a fun time to play and visit with my parents. After swimming we went inside to eat lunch.
That afternoon we came back here and just relaxed. Austin got home early which was SUPER! We went out that night to Chickfila for a Mustang Car show. We ended up meeting up with Colby's 2 besties Makyrin and Nijel. Lindsay also had Mia and Makylee to play with. It was a fun night! I was glad we got to do something "fun" and friend oriented with them. I try to incorporate friend and family time into our weekend so I felt like it was a successful day as far as that goes.
Sunday it was just the kids and I that morning for church. I had a class of 12 to myself. It was busy but I felt like for the most part it went well. After church the kids and I just picked up lunch and came home. It was honestly nice to have a long afternoon. Once again Austin got home early and we just enjoyed the family time. We had time to play outside and just enjoy each other!
Thursday, September 1, 2016
School Days....
So school has now been in for a little over 2 weeks for Colby and a little over a week for Lindsay. So far I think they are loving their classes. Colby is in the 3rd grade and has Mrs. Caygle as his teacher. She is new this year to the school. She is older and has 20+ years teaching experience. I am honestly a little excited about him having a "seasoned teacher". I think she will be good for them. He's had younger teachers the last 2 years. Not that that is a bad thing I just think sometimes the older ones have a lot to offer. His class has 13 students I think? He has made some new friends this year and also still has his best friends: Ella, Makyrin, and Nijel.
We are definitely on a learning curve in 3rd grade. First of all they are using a new behavior system called Dojo points. I still don't understand 100% how it all works. There have been several days he has gotton 1-3 taken away so his behavior grade was a B. He has always been an A behavior student so I am not sure if she counts off for bigger things or he's more comfortable this year and talking more in class. Another thing we are adjusting to is he has a planner. He is responsible for writing down his homework and such. Well first of all for the first few days I honestly didn't think of signing it. In the past we have signed their behavior sheet and since their behavior grade isn't written in their planner I guess I didn't even think of it. I also threw away a Bible study guide one day and he ended up making a D on the test. Again I am totally getting used to the "planner". He used to have a homework page for the week so we could see when tests were coming up. Plus as far as Bible their grade was always based on just memorizing the Bible verse. Agh I felt so bad! But again another thing he probably should have shared with me instead of just expecting mom to figure it out.
Lindsay has now been in school 2 full weeks as well. She has adjusted beautifully and far exceeded any of our expectations! I really was nervous how she would do with the ALL DAY thing since she had only ever been in 1/2 day preschool before. She really never even seems cranky afterwards. She is super tired at night but not overally cranky or emotional like the transitional year of when Colby started kinder. Its obvious what different children they really are. Her teacher is Mrs. Kuan and Mrs. Hart. I think Mrs. Hart is a little strict but she is loving Mrs. Kuan. I love her room and everything just seems perfect for a preschool class. I love the pace that they seem to be going as well. Its different then her last preschool but she is ready for the pace. Although I have realized Colby at this age would have hated it. I think its a nice balance of work/play for Lindsay though. I took a peek at her schedule and it sounded super fun! So far she has even had a little homework. She had to practice writing her name, find and glue things that began with the letter i and also work on an all about me poster. She has loved doing it all thankfully!
The only bump we've really encountered with her was that the assistant approached me one morning and told me she wasn't sleeping. She said she would squirm and play around. I got a little annoyed b/c I can't force her to sleep. I told her she pretty much dropped her nap about 6+ months ago. I emailed the teacher though and it looks like they will let her look at books or they will work one on one with her.
So far they are having a great year! I miss them but I am enjoying my new schedule too!
We are definitely on a learning curve in 3rd grade. First of all they are using a new behavior system called Dojo points. I still don't understand 100% how it all works. There have been several days he has gotton 1-3 taken away so his behavior grade was a B. He has always been an A behavior student so I am not sure if she counts off for bigger things or he's more comfortable this year and talking more in class. Another thing we are adjusting to is he has a planner. He is responsible for writing down his homework and such. Well first of all for the first few days I honestly didn't think of signing it. In the past we have signed their behavior sheet and since their behavior grade isn't written in their planner I guess I didn't even think of it. I also threw away a Bible study guide one day and he ended up making a D on the test. Again I am totally getting used to the "planner". He used to have a homework page for the week so we could see when tests were coming up. Plus as far as Bible their grade was always based on just memorizing the Bible verse. Agh I felt so bad! But again another thing he probably should have shared with me instead of just expecting mom to figure it out.
Lindsay has now been in school 2 full weeks as well. She has adjusted beautifully and far exceeded any of our expectations! I really was nervous how she would do with the ALL DAY thing since she had only ever been in 1/2 day preschool before. She really never even seems cranky afterwards. She is super tired at night but not overally cranky or emotional like the transitional year of when Colby started kinder. Its obvious what different children they really are. Her teacher is Mrs. Kuan and Mrs. Hart. I think Mrs. Hart is a little strict but she is loving Mrs. Kuan. I love her room and everything just seems perfect for a preschool class. I love the pace that they seem to be going as well. Its different then her last preschool but she is ready for the pace. Although I have realized Colby at this age would have hated it. I think its a nice balance of work/play for Lindsay though. I took a peek at her schedule and it sounded super fun! So far she has even had a little homework. She had to practice writing her name, find and glue things that began with the letter i and also work on an all about me poster. She has loved doing it all thankfully!
The only bump we've really encountered with her was that the assistant approached me one morning and told me she wasn't sleeping. She said she would squirm and play around. I got a little annoyed b/c I can't force her to sleep. I told her she pretty much dropped her nap about 6+ months ago. I emailed the teacher though and it looks like they will let her look at books or they will work one on one with her.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)