Thank you Aunt Tricia!

The first day of school ended with a cookie bouquet from Aunt Tricia! Tricia is my bff and the adopted aunt of my girls. Can't believe I have know her for 16 years. We go for days without talking to each other, and then a quick text/email/call and it's like we didn't miss a thing. I hate that we both have such busy-ness going on that we don't make more time for each other. I am still looking at her birthday present sitting on my dresser. Her birthday was in May. Pathetic.

Don't know what we'd do without the surprise gifts in the mail from her. The girls all recognize her handwriting and get excited knowing something special has arrived for them from someone special.

Thank you Tricia! 

Kate and Jane first day 2013

Meanwhile, back at Hawthorne Elementary, big things are happening for my second and third blessings. Kate started second grade, which that in itself wasn't a big deal. It was the part about HER TEACHER IS A BOY that was making her worry. My mom had asked Kate before school started if there was anything she still needed before school started. Thinking she would list of some school supply or clothing item, she was surprised when she said "grandma, I still don't have confidence yet."

ahhhhhh.

She was so worried about a male teacher. Such unchartered territory. Not to mention that she had the greatest 1st grade teacher of all time with Mrs Chichester. We went to open house to meet Mr Herman and all fears were put aside. Not only did he have KU stuff up all over his room, but he is a HUGE animal enthusiast. He has a stuffed bobcat on display, a stuffed bird soaring across his ceiling, a deer head with antlers over his chalkboard, as well as skulls/bones of animals, birds nests, and a fossil! It doesn't hurt that he is young and cute. Kate is smitten. She is thrilled with her boy teacher Mr Hermann.  



 

Our baby blessing isn't a baby anymore. She is a kindergartener! We are so thankful we were able to stay in Hawthorne school boundries so she could experience this great school like her sisters did. Although, at open house, Jane was a little intimidated by how many people, kids and adults, already knew her! Knowing my Jane, she will make her own impressions on everyone. We've had a couple of mornings where she has asked to stay home, but so far so good. She is excited that she is learning to read already and we've noticed her writing and reading(guessing what words are) are improving. She got to be the "helper" on the first day(!) and has told us that she is Ms Ballew's choice to escort people to the nurses office "because I know where I'm going, mom".

I am not old enough to have a child in MIDDLE SCHOOL

This gorgeous child of mine is in middle school. The 6th grade! So far, so good. We are slowly getting adjusted to getting up at the crack of dawn, 6:15! and getting her on the bus by 7:10. I have no idea what the winter months are going to be like..oh, wait. Yes, I do. They are going to be hell. It is way too dark at that time of morning!

School is going great. The first day she and the neighbor girls could not stop talking at a loud, high decibel, for a good hour. All of them thought reading the handbook the first day was boring, gross, and embarrassing. "They kept saying the word sexual! and there were boys sitting in the room!"

Exactly. Sexual is gross and embarrassing. Keep that in mind until you are 30.

Tess has only went to the wrong class once, and that was on the second day of school. She forgot if it was an A or B day. When I said that the teachers should have made that announcement first hour, she said "oh they did mom, I just totally screwed that one up on my own."

Praying for a successful school year, both academically and socially. Middle school is such a melting pot. Makes for a diverse set of friend possibilities. While I love this, I also worry about friend choices. I don't want her to have to exclude, but I also want her to be somewhat choosy about who she spends her time with. It really does matter at this age. "You become like the five people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely."

 

 

Ballerina Princess Camp

This is my beautiful ballerina princess during their final performance. Her daddy and I were in Branson so got to watch the video and see pictures. Evidently all the other girls came dressed in some sort of dancewear and my Jane came in shorts and a tshirt. When I first heard this I worried and thought it was because her mommy wasn't there that she didn't get the memo....nope. She wanted to wear this outfit and didn't care. Her first official camp without a sister present. She did great and is ready to try the "Diva" camp next year. Pretty sure they will promote her to staff of that camp.

Branson

At the end of July, Andy and I went to Branson for four glorious days, thanks to the generosity of the Kearney Fire Department. While Andy attended emergency medicine classes, I slept, shopped, read, shopped, read.....

Don't feel too sorry for Andy. He got to golf twice!

You guys, we really needed this little vacay. Our complete and total gratitude to my parents, Andy's parents, and the SIL/BIL for watching our girls. The joy of being at the pool and not having to look up every few seconds to see if my children are safe was priceless. I actually read pages of the book at a time, and then even had the nerve to CLOSE MY EYES and just listen to music....all while lounging by a pool.

I heart shopping and for the last several months haven't had the time or the money to do it. It isn't so much about the purchase, but just the looking to see what is out there. Loved my shopping time, although I actually overslept one morning and didn't get started as early as I wanted to. Totally not my style. Must have been the down comforter and the way dark room. What a great week! and we are so not the Branson type. 

 

 Golf Course

Branson Landing

My Guys

Me, Ben, and Martin

It seems like yesterday that we were cruising down Main Street in Rock Port, drinking our pop and eating beer nuts....watching the clock for 10:30 so we could head to someone's house and watch Saturday Night Live.
WAIT.
It has been 20 years since we did that. Probably longer. These two boys men were my best friends in high school. Then a stupid boy (if you know me you know who this was) got in the way and we kind of drifted after high school. These guys were right.....I should have avoided the boy and stuck with hanging out with them.
Anyway.
Last fall I got sentimental and realized how much I missed them. I mean, they are MY PEOPLE. We laugh at the same things, we roll our eyes at the same things, we get-each-other.
They are my guys.
I contacted them each on Facebook and we finally made plans to hang out.
BEST NIGHT in a loooooong time. Haven't laughed that hard in ages. Felt so natural and like we hadn't been apart a day. It is great to be able to still be sarcastic and insulting to each other as adults.We all look and feel older(although Ben is waaaay skinnier)...but still had the same vibe we had in our teens.
It felt awesome. The next day it was like I had been hit by a truck. I had a  laughter hangover.
Shut up. I know I am old.

Gator Boat

My brother and his friends on the Missouri River.

Yes, they did capsize. I told him they were lucky a Missouri River monster did not find his boat attractive and decide to get friendly. For some reason my brother has an intense fascination with this river. He has also canoed down it. Thankful for those Red Cross swimming lessons in the Rock Port pool years ago. I am also thankful that he knows to wear a life jacket.

Grand Camp 2013

Kate took my mom to Grand Camp this year. This is church camp for 1st&2nd graders at Camp Wilderness in Lawson. Such a wonderful experience for this age. They get to spend the night away from home, do the whole camp experience thing, have God moments, and still have the comfort of a grandparent with them. Turns out the grandparents have a pretty great time as well. My mom is already excited to go back with Jane. This years theme was Christmas in July. They did Christmas themed activities, acted out The Nativity and learned about the birth of the best Christmas gift ever, sweet baby Jesus. Kate came home with some of the cutest crafts and lots of God moments. She was so tired and was a little sad that she was missing her "friends", aka, girls she had known for 2 days. She did however, find out she has a 5th(!?) cousin named Hadley that also attended. Talk about random God moments. My mom recognized the last name of this little girl as being one she recognized from her childhood. With some questions to the little girl and her grandmother, it was determined that she and Kate were related! Newly found cousins! God is so good!

Camp Stage Struck--2013

This year all three of my little thespians got to participate in Camp Stage Struck at NKCHS. Tess, Kate and Jane participated in 101 Dalmations and then Tess was in the older kids production of Cinderella. Jane was the nanny and did awesome. She had the first line(!) of the play and did an Oscar worthy job of dusting the entire cast throughout Act 1. Kate was by far the cutest little dalmation named Lucky. Tess was Anita, the wife in the couple that owns the dogs. For Cinderella Tess played the evil stepmother and NAILED it. So proud of my girls. So thankful to Grandma Linda for helping get these girls to camp--both financially and transportation. Really, really thankful my girls enjoy this camp. They LOVE it and work so so very hard at memorizing their lines and learning the songs. Even Jane was the bomb.com at choreography. What a blessing this camp is for us.