Monday, August 31, 2009

School's In Full Swing

So school was on day 9 today already. I am in the routine of getting myself and everyone where they need to go. Boy, am I exhausted as the day comes to an end. As if teaching weren't enough, I am taking a class through Hawkeye Community College. It is a web-hybrid class. Most of it is on-line, but I have to go to campus once per month. It is Oral Communications, so the nights I have to go to campus are to give my speeches! FUN, FUN!! Ok, but it is the last class to get my middle school endorsement! Makes me a little more marketable if I ever feel the need to change jobs. I just need to win the lottery and then I wouldn't have to worry about a job at all (ha, when pigs fly). I am also helping at church to teach Sunday School. Luckily there are enough of us that I really only have to teach 3 times from now until Christmas. I am sure it will go fast. Laci starts preschool next Wednesday, September 9th. She hasn't really said much yet, but I am sure she will be excited to go back. Madison is liking 1st grade, but she doesn't say a whole lot about it. She needs to get to be more talkative like her mom! Olivia is still not walking, but that is okay - she still crawls as fast as can be and gets into everything. Boy, is she busy!! She doesn't say really much yet, just some faint "ma", "bye" and maybe "ba" for bottle. She gets what she wants by grunting. Spitting is also her favorite thing lately thanks to Uncle Doug. I could really wring his neck some days for that! I will try to post some new pictures by the weekend, but don't hold me to it!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

First Day of 1st Grade

Wednesday, August 19th was Madison's 1st day of school. First grade already - Seems like just yesterday I was going to the hospital to be induced and meeting this little girl for the first time. She has Mrs. Cashman for her teacher. That's who she wanted she told me. Standing on our front steps the morning of her first day.
Holding up her finger to let me know she is a first grader.
A picture with Laci. They were so kind to each other that morning. I could tell that they would sort of miss each other while Madi was at school even though the fights were more frequent the last few weeks. Let's just say the next two mornings they weren't so nice to each other.
And one final picture that morning - with Olivia. I had put her in her carseat in the van and left the doors open while taking the pictures of Madison on the front steps. Madison and Laci both said they needed a picture with Olivia, so this is the best I could do for that! Some mornings can be challenging getting us all to where we are supposed to be.
Well, the first two days of school were 12:30 dismissal days. Madison went to latchkey the first day and rode the bus to the babysitter's house the next day. Friday was a full day of school and it was also picture day for the elementary students. I could tell Madison was tired from three days of school, so it will be interesting to see what a full week brings. Mom survived the first week too. Hope the year goes well!

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Watching the Neighborhood

After making brownies, the girls were playing outside. I looked out the living room window to check on them and this is what I found. They had gotten out their chairs and were sitting facing the street. We don't have much traffic on our street at all, but they seemed to be waiting for the cars to go by.
Don't they look like they get along marvelously?? I wish that was always the case. Typically, when they play together, they do get along pretty well, but there are times when I need to separate them! Will be glad when they get back to school and a routine, maybe then they will miss each other and enjoy each other's company in the evenings.

The Best Part of Making Brownies

Madison has really been into helping me do things in the kitchen lately. I haven't always invited the girls to help because I know it can get a little messier, but I am trying to be a little more relaxed and just let them help. Madison helped stir up the brownies the other day. Then she and Laci had to use rubber scrapers to lick the bowl clean. The best part!
Chocolate was all over their little faces!
Laci wasn't quite as messy because she had a smaller scraper.
With the bowl - scraping what little was in there.

A Few Good Smiles

Here are some pictures of Olivia taken recently. I can really get her to smile and even laugh a lot. When she smiles like this, you can really see her dimples. Love those dimples. She has got 4 bottom teeth and two top teeth too.
She also gets smiling and almost giggly at times like this. The hiccups are sure to follow!