Summer's ending...NOOOOOO!

I have to admit that I have truly enjoyed this summer, more so than any other summer off.  This is for lots of reasons!!

#1 reason, my kids.  We haven't had a summer off together yet.  This summer we made lots of memories and had a ton of fun.  The kids and I spent lots of quality time together and took lots of naps.  Our summer vacation was great and I can't wait to do it again.

#2.  I actually GOT a summer, for the first time since Eli was about 7 months old.  This has been really fun to just relax and not work.

#3.  I actually did think too much about school, ok,  at least less then I have other summers.  That's not to say that I didn't go to many trainings, but I actually took some off my plate and I haven't been to my room ONCE since school was out.  That is truly a record!!

But after all the fun we've had, I think it's time to get back to thinking about school.  I get the great opportunity to teach first grade this fall.  Ok at first, I wasn't sure I would think it was a great oopportunity LOL.  But after some time to digest, I'm really SO excited.  I'm ready for a new adventure.  I do, however, keep getting warned that this is the hardest grade I'll ever teach.  Like, over and over I hear that.  But I have  a great and generous team and I'm glad to work with them. 

Most of all, it's time to get us on a schedule I think.  I do enjoy the lazy days, but Eli has missed school SO much and Owen hardly remembers it LOL.  So, we need to get them back in the swing of things soon.

So, these last few weeks of official summer will be spent getting things put together for school, getting a schedule in place and getting my brain ready to start 10 minutes earlier.  Here's hoping it'll all fall into place!

Photographs

I've been working at my photographs and here are a few that I'm proud of...  yes, some were edited :)

Steak Nights

For the last two weeks we've had Saturday Steak night. Paul has great enjoyed this as steak has not traditionally been my first choice. But since I was preganant with Owen, I truly enjoy them! And Paul does grill the best steak around... Here are a few pics from last night...

The Bread....

The dinner

The dog... yes she got some steak too!

Eli getting goofy before bed...

Mommy loving Eli...

wow!

I kept thinking I needed to blog and then I would try to log in and it had been so long I forgot my passoword LOL. So... I finally remembered, thank goodness

I have a goal that I'll be better at this. We'll see.

Goings on...

Me: TAKS is now over and I'm wrapping my mind around teaching first grade in the fall. I know I'm capable, I just don't have the stuff! Guess I'll be going to lots of garage sales this summer! I have started really getting into taking pics with my camera and I'm getting some great tips from a wonderful colleague at work who knows her stuff. Hopefully, this summer will mean some great progress in my photos. I'm also doing project 365 on FB where I'm taking one pic a day for 365. We'll see :)

Paul: Still working like crazy! I'm so thankful that he's doing what he does. He's making impacts in people's lives. Not many people get that chance. Pretty amazing.

Eli: Well! He is amazing! We have been throught the most difficult season of sickness, but he's such a trooper. He's doing great at school and his teachers enjoy him almost as much as I do. He's so smart and he LOVEs Owen. We're very lucky in that respect... 4.5 is a very cool age and I kinda wish he would freeze at this stage for a while. It's only a year and half til kindergarten. Oh my, I'm not ready for that!!

Owen: Our little goofball. For whatever reason I refuse to cut his hair and it's everywhere! I've got to get it cut soon. The whole school knows Owen with his charming personality and he loves everybody. He's not shy and he's such a hoot!! When my kids are well, they are amazing!!!!!

My dearest Eli...

First of all, I'm sorry this is late!! we've had quite a few weeks around here. Your dad has been traveling overseas while we hold the fort down here. That means Mom doesn't have much time here for blogging!!

I didn't get a chance to write for you on your 4th birthday, so here goes...

I wish I could put your little spirit in a jar. You are the most precious little boy. I love how your mind works and watching you create things with your blocks and trucks. I love the way you love your trucks! you teach me daily all the different types of trucks! I'm so amazed.

Some day you will know how long we waited for you. Your Dad and I cried over and over when we found out you weren't on the way. And then... you were coming! After two long years of waiting, our miracle was on the way.

You have always known what you wanted, I love that about you. I don't have to guess with you, you are sure about things. your sweet voice telling me all about your day and what your friends did is music to my ears.

Lately you have made some big strides. I know that Mommy's last job was hard on you. But I see now that you are sooooo happy. I see that you are thriving. It was worth waiting a bit on what I wanted to see you flourish.

You love your little rother to pieces. He loves you too. But you are special when it comes to him. You think of him more often then I think we even realize. you want to share your experiences with him (most of the time.) I will never forget last Easter, you had already opened your basket, but Owen had slept in. You met me at the bottom of the stairs holding Owen's basket saying, "Here Baby Owen, look what the Easter Bunny brought you!!!" You melt my heart each time I see you interact with him.

You sure love your Daddy. you told me last night that he's "a great guy." You're right, he is. He is very special and you are his best little buddy. I know the two of you are going to have so much fun together.

Eli, I love you so. Happy Birthday...

Mommy

Goodness!

I just posted on FB that I seem to be in the doc's office once a week, but it's not that it SEEMS that way... it IS that way. After a run in with a ravioli can, Eli lost a toenail. It was gruesome and the toe got infected. That led to impetigo. He was on an antibiotic and is now better. But as brothers share EVERYTHING, Owen now has it. This is one GROSS disease!! ugh. So Owen now has his antibiotic and I hope that's better soon. I won't post pics cause I don't want to gross you out!

It's conference week, although they are quite time consuming, I love them and seeing the parents talk about their kiddos is always fun.

Paul is travleling a lot still, but we had the whole weekend together, the first in a month!! It's so nice when he's here :)

Owen has his tube surgery scheduled for November 3rd. I love my ENT and he said he is an excellent candidate with low to moderate hearing loss. I'm not nervous, but I'm sure I will be soon.

Eli turns 4 next week. Holy cow, how did that happen???? I'm in denial LOL. We'll discuss next week I guess :)

Catching up

It's been so long!!

The kids are great :) Eli still continues to make tremendous progress at school!!! I think some of it might be that he's almost four now, but I also think he's just happier at the new place. He's been talking about all the things he's learning these days and I'm so happy with the results. We made breakfast for dinner in the middle of a crazy storm today. When it was over, it was still raining while the sun was out. He thought that was really cook, he told me he was going to tell his teacher tomorrow. I thought that was really sweet :)

Owen is finally cruising around the furniture. He hasn't attempted walking on his own, but he's moving around just fine as it is, thank you. He and Eli are building a relationship and it's so cute! He only wants to be where Eli is and is enamored by him. He thought it was hilarious tonight that Eli was jumping from rock to rock. Owen just laughed and laughed!! And Eli likes him around too, except when he doesn't want to share his toys. This seems to be most of the time however...

We have the consult for Owen's tubes in about a week. Hopefully the surgery will be short and sweet and he'll do well. I don't plan on it being crazy... but you never know.

School is good. We fnish the six weeks tomorrow, it sure has gone quickly! I look forward to things calming down a bit soon. (I think it should have by now, but for some reason, it hasn't.)

Paul is still traveling and we are getting better at handling it. I'm very stingy with my weekends though and I need to get better about his having to leave. ergh.

That's it for now :)