1st day of school

Both of the kids started school today, Allie started 1st grade and Austin started at his new preschool, so of course I had to get the first day of school photos. We could not get any of Austin just standing still so we were in the photos with him and you have to still be quick becuase he is so busy.

They each did good and we did not have any tears at drop off. I think Austin must have cried some at nap time and then did n0t nap at all. His teachers said he just laid there quietly but never went to sleep. hopefully this will not be a trend, and he will learn to sleep their. After school we all went and got a treat to hear about their day.

A friend of mine posted this prayer on Facebook and I loved it and thought it could not be more true.

A Mom's Prayer On the First Day (and every day) of School

Here we are again, Lord. Their backpacks are loaded and their faces are scrubbed and their lunch accounts are full.

And I know you'll walk with them, Lord. You always do. But a mom still has to ask.

Will You walk with them? Will You whisper to them what they need to hear, when I'm not there to whisper it?

Will You please, oh please, cover their school with the protection only You can give, and will You keep harm far away?

Will You make their minds strong and ready to learn? Will You help them understand that hard work honors the One who created them?

Will You guide their teachers, giving them patience and wisdom and creativity and more patience? Will You bless them for their efforts?

Will You love all those children there, the ones whose lunch accounts aren't full, the ones who feel alone? Will You teach my children to be kind and unselfish and to love those who are different from them?

Will You point them back toward home just as soon as you can?

Lord, I give them to You today and everyday, trusting them to Your care.

Amen.

Summer time

Well I realize that summer is officially over after today so i thought i should at least get some of the pics from our summer up. This summer Allie went to 2 different camps one at the arboretum and one at Plano Children's theater. They were both really different but she loved them. At the arboretum camp on the last day they got to play in the frog splash area. I also put Austin in his suit so he could play, but he was not as into the splash area as she was.

We also went to the city pool and my mom's pool alot. Allie has become a really good swimmer this summer and just loves the water. This summer we also went to get snow cones a few times and went to some baseball games. Ms. Kristen (one of the kindergarten teachers) watched the kids this summer and they loved it. We could not have asked for a better person to watch them. It was such a blessing to know that I had someone who I completely trusted to watch them and that they had so much fun with. They swam, did crafts, read books, went to the library, meet friends for lunch, went and got afternoon treats and alot of other fun things. She even had Allie practice her reading and writing in her journal most days. The pictures below are from 4th of July. We went to watch fireworks at Kaboom town on the 3rd and then to a rangers game with my parents on the 4th. I could not get Austin to cooperate for pics so I just told them to make a funny face and was able to get one cute one. I also have pics of each of the kids with the pooh bear on their 1st 4th so I can see how little they were then. Allie was actually just a little bigger than Pooh on her 1st 4th.

At the end of summer we went back to Jackson Hole with my family but I will include those pics in another post.

Happy Birthday Little Man

Austin turned 2 back in June and we decide to just do a birthday party at the house with family. I decided to do a cow theme since he is obsessed with cows these days. It does not hurt that we have a field of them not far from the house so he is always on the look out for them. We found a ton of cute cow things this past year at Target so Austin got some cow rain boots, a lunch box, a plate and bowl, a cow chair, and a cow with baseball clothes (similar to build a bear). I also made his cake again this year and put the cow face that was on his plate. I think it turned out pretty cute considering it was all free hand. I am fortunately to really enjoy being able to make the kids cakes. It is alot of work but I always enjoy it. So now that Austin is two here is what all he is into. He loves animals, any ball but especially baseballs, He has started to enjoy playing with puzzles and reading books but usually only for a short time since he is always on the go. He has also recently seen a few Thomas toys but for some reason he has decided that Thomas is not a train but any type of earth moving equipment. So if we see a dump truck, back hoe, fork lift anything, I hear Mommy Thomas, Mommy Thomas, over and over- it is really cute but I never realized how many construction sites were around out house until he pointed them all out to me. He loves to snuggle with me first thing when he wakes up of right before bed but otherwise he usually wants daddy, or just wants to go go go. He has started calling my mom Nina recently instead of Nana, even though he has always called her Nana in the past he will no longer call her that. He is 2 after all and knows what he wants and how to get it. He is still my Little man and I love being his mommy, having a boy is so different from little girls but I would not pass up one day with him.

Here he is showing off his "cow" boots

The cake

Getting ready to blow out the candle

Austin got a crab sand box form us, which is just as much fun to sit on top of as inside.

As you can see by the look on his face, he was not to sure about the sand at first, but eventually figured it out and was covered by the time we were done. We actually had to strip he and Allie down outside and take them right to the bath.

Last day of Kindergarten

Allie had her last day of kindergarten back on June 4th. The last day they pretty much had stuff going on all day. First they had a graduation, they all lined up and walked in to the typical graduation song, wearing these cute paper caps. The they sung this song, and her teacher had said it was going to be a little long- well that was an understatement it was like 15 -20 minutes. It was kind of like the military song that you sometimes see groups signing when they march that ends with "and they all go marching down" (Heath said it's the song from Die Hard 3, - I am sure that totally clarifies it for all of you). Anyways it went something like this "The kindergartner marched one by one Hora hora, (repeat), The kindergarten marched one by one and Allie stopped to do some quick arithmetic, (Allie's line) eleven plus eleven equals twenty two, and they all go marching down to the school to go in to first grade." except Allie was number 19 out of 20 students and they each had their own line and it went one by one, two by two, three by three, etc all the way to twenty by twenty. Heath started taping it and actually ran out of tape about 10 min. in to it but thankfully we had another one and he was still able to get Allie's part. After that they handed out class awards that all the kids voted on. Allie got Most Funny, which I am not sure I agree with but she thinks she is and was so happy about that award. Then they also handed out the perfect attendance awards (We did not get this since Allie had pneumonia around spring break) but she did get the super scientist award. that is given out each 6 weeks to 1 student per class that shows a special interest in the science section/topic for that time. Then finally they each got their diplomas from her teacher. After that they had their class party, which I stayed to help with then they do a balloon lift off for the 5th graders as they walk the halls for the last time. After that it was almost over and Allie's teacher gathered them all around to talk with them one last time and to get one last hug from each of them. This was a very emotional time because Mrs. D is not going to be at her school again next year. She told them to each give her the biggest hug they had ever given and when Allie went to hug her I felt the tears well up. I was so emotional, first my little girl is getting so big and second she had just the best year with the most wonderful, loving teacher. I was nervous before school started but Mrs. D. was better than I could have imagined. She taught Allie and all the other kids so much, never raised her voice, and truly loved each of them. Every time I was in the class room I was always amazed at her patience with them and caring attitude. She was the best 1st teacher Allie of I could have asked for, so saying good by was VERY hard. I have not posted pictures of her before because I wanted to protect her identity but since she will not be at the same school I think it is OK. By the time we got to the car I had pulled it together but Allie was on the verge of tears. She kept telling me "I'm going to miss Mrs. D." over and over. It just broke my heart. But thankfully when we got home Allie still had a few birthday presents she had not played with so I opened them up and played with her while Austin napped. Later that night though when Heath got home she climbed up in his lap and just cried- it totally broke my heart-but also made me happy at the same time.

Allie with her Diploma

Allie with her Super Scientist ribbon

Hearing one last story

The final hug from the best Kindergarten teacher ever. We love you Mrs. D.

1st haircut

Austin had his first haircut back on June 3rd. It was getting pretty long and would curl up in the back, especially when he would wake up from his nap (as you can see by the pics below). I had been putting it off it is so hard to cut those little curls and I did not want him to look all grown up. You know there is just something about little boys when they get their first haircut, they suddenly become big boys. He was not to sure about getting his hair actually cut as you can see by the pics, but there were no tears so that was good. This has been his only cut so far but I am going to have to have it cut again very soon, and probably we will actually have to have them style it a little more this go around because it is so stick straight in the front and sides.

The after picture