Back to School 2011

Another First...Day of school, that is.

Signs from HowDoesShe.com

Linking here:

Wordless Wednesday @ 5 Minutes for Mom.

Sounds like a horror film...

So, I'm filling out Nutella's basketball form, since she wants to try out for the 7th grade team, along with 95% of the 7th grade girls, and here's what it says:

(Sport or Activity) Basketball, by its very nature, poses some inherent risk of a participant being seriously injured.  These injuries could include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Sprains/strains
2. Fractured bones
3. Cuts/abrasions
4. Unconsciousness
5. Paralysis
6. Disfigurement
7. Head injuries
8. Loss of eyesight
9. Death

Maybe I'll just say no.

Cute back-to-school stuff to craft

I Love

1. Etsy
2. back to school anything
3. office supplies
4. fabric
5. lunch
6. sending my kids off to school

I've stumbled on some fun back-to-school themed crafts and ideas, so I'll share them here.  That way I have them all in one spot, too.

Etsy has a How-Tuesday blog that features some fun things to make, and this week incorporated lunch bags, ice packs, pencil wraps, book covers, you get the picture.  Cute stuff!  And most of it is pretty easy.

Sew, Mama, Sew has some adorable embroidery patterns from Sarah Jane Studios.  They're so cute!  Could someone please embroider something for me?  Please?

And how could I leave out these adorable banner stickers by Jenni Bowlin?  They're the perfect little ending.

Catching my breath!

We're in our new house, still looking for some furniture, still unpacking and trying to find this and that, and now school has started. Wow. It has been pretty crazy around here, but the dust is starting to settle a little bit.

School started today, and I felt like I was throwing the kids into a den of lions. I SO remember what it was like to be the new kid in school, not knowing ANYbody, not having a history or shared past with a single person on the campus. It's a scary feeling, and they were a little bit anxious. Do they look it? Fez must have been nervous, cuz he NEVER cooperates in pictures, and I have stacks of crazy photos to prove it.



Luckily, they were all sporting their Cons. Sally's weren't her actual Converse (she's got a pink pair) but they were reasonable facsimiles.

Dear Birthday Boy,

You are five today. My baby is five years old. Wasn’t it just yesterday, or maybe last year, when you were two weeks overdue and taxing my patience even then? You've been asking me every day for three weeks if it is your birthday today. Then we have to go over the days of the week and count until we get to the 28th. Oy.

This past year has been full of so much growing and learning. You surprise me every day with your ability to read my moods—“Mom, why are you so grumpy?” and to express yourself. When you use the words “excited” and “believe” and “disappointed” and use them in the right context--like the other day when Joe said that something worked “automatical” and you told him, “You mean automatically”--I can’t help but be proud of the big boy you are becoming. You can even ride a two-wheeled bike (no training wheels!) and do a cartwheel!

Now don’t get me wrong, we’ve had our tough times, too. Like the days that you didn’t want to go to preschool, or the days that you didn’t have school but you incessantly begged me to take you. And we can’t forget the day you broke your leg. It was terrible having to carry you and hold onto you on the way to the hospital, knowing that every little jostle and move caused you so much pain, but I’m so grateful that I was there with you. And when the x-ray confirmed your broken leg, I couldn’t stop the tears from pouring down my face. It was so hard to see you in pain, and I wanted it to be me instead. But you handled the whole thing like a champ!

And now you’re five. And you can tie your own shoes, and get your own water, and when you are really feeling independent you even wipe your own bottom. I know the night will come that you don’t crawl in bed between dad and I, and if I’ve learned anything these past four years it’s that the time will come much too soon.

I love you, Monkey!

School, Glorious School

Ahh, the first day of school. So bittersweet. Good thing I love bittersweet - chocolate, that is.

The kids headed off to another year, another grade, new friends and old. Don't they look excited?

I'm not heading off to school. Mario made the journey to preschool without me today, and he didn't seem bothered by it one bit. We'll see what he has to say when I pick him up. He wasn't going to be able to go to preschool this year since they were filled with full-time students, but at the last minute we were able to share a spot with another boy. Now he'll go Wednesdays and Fridays.

And did I mention that Brian is in 8th grade? Next year is High School!!! I'm old. Yep. That's all there is to it. Next stop, nursing home.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...

So, Monkey is just that: a little monkey. He's also kind of a daredevil monkey. Luckily, he's also pretty coordinated. But his coordination couldn't save him from disaster on Friday. Monkey is now sporting a lovely almost body cast in this spring's hottest color; red. No, Monkey did not fall off the bed, even though that would be entirely possible, he fell off a bike. And broke his femur. Which is hard to break. At pre-school. I was there. I felt bad. Now I'm feeding him goldfish and chocolate milk. Cuz I still feel bad. Doesn't he look like he feels bad?

He was wiggling around so much his face is a blur, and he is wearing Brian's boxers since nothing else can fit over the cast.

After visiting the ER in Sedalia, they transfered him to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, just in case he needed surgery. He didn't, but the Orthopedic Surgeon put him under in order to set and cast him. They were even able to leave out the stablizing bar they usually put between the legs. His cast goes almost up to his chest, right under the bottom line of words on his T-shirt.

Please, please, keep ME in your prayers. This is going to be a long 6 weeks! I'm just sayin'.

An angel when he's smilin' and a devil when he ain't

This is how our morning went:

"Joseph, please get up and get dressed."

"JO-seph, get dressed, your going to be late to school!"

"JOSEPH! You have to get dressed!"

"JOSEPH! YOU are GOING to be LATE FOR SCHOOL!!!"

Then I pulled out the big guns and bribed him with food. {I was desperate!}

"Greta made biscuits and gravy for breakfast. If you don't get ready for school you're going to miss them."

He had already gotten out of bed and out of his jammies by this point, then got back into bed. Because he didn't like his pants. Or his shirt. And could only find one shoe. Humph.

Then I pulled out the camera, which he thought was funny at first. I didn't. I wanted to remember how ridiculous this really was, the power struggle we go through every morning.

This is what we call "Flailing". It's really just flopping around while throwing a fit. And he wasn't smiling here, he was crying. Nice.

After dropping the older kids off at school, I came back home to load up a crying kindergartner, drove back to the school to unload a crying kindergartner, walked him into the school and tried to get him to go into the cafeteria. Or the gym. Or anywhere. At that point I didn't care where he went!

The principal, Mrs. Brock saw our little drama and took pity on me, steering Joe to where he needed to be, and I took off to leave him in her capable hands.

Thank goodness they're off of school tomorrow!

Happy first day of school!

Well, it's official. Mario is definitely not a baby anymore, and I am really feeling old! Technically, yesterday was the first day of school for Joseph, the big Kindergartner, Natalia in 4th grade, and Brian, who is officially in Junior High now that he's a 7th grader. I'm so impressed because he didn't even complain about getting his picture taken in front of the school!

Mario started Pre-school today, and he'll be going just Tuesdays and Thursdays. After getting there this morning I took him to the bathroom. He stood at the potty and said, "Mom, you can leave. In the car." You know, just in case I thought he meant I could leave the bathroom! Each student switches their little picture on the wall in the classroom when they get there in the morning to check in. The pictures are something that begin with the same letter of their name. His picture is of a Monkey of course. What else could it be?