friday

Jack has one week....well 3 days, under his belt and it couldn't have gone better.  I let him stay for lunch and part of the afternoon today (beyond his morning class) and he announced that he wants to stay longer every day........whoa buddy, we'll see about that! 

I'm so happy he's enjoying it and we couldn't be happier with his teacher and school.  Hopefully we keep up this good groove we are in, now I just need to settle into my new routines.  I think these transitions are sometimes harder on the mommas than the kids. Yet another example of how we can learn so much from our children.  I guess I just need to get excited and go with the flow like Jack is doing!

 Can't believe how big my little man is betting, so proud of this guy!

off to great places

You're off to great places, today is your day, your mountain is waiting so get on your way.  -Dr. Seuss

Jack woke up pumped this morning and quickly got ready for his first day without us even having to ask him.....boy is excited!  He came running downstairs with a big woo hoooo!

First morning drop off was a huge success, I had to interrupt him from playing to tell him I was leaving, he quickly hugged me and returned to his toy cars.

Here is Jack and his teacher Mrs. Sutton on back to school night

Go get 'em Jack, Mom & Dad are so proud of you and know you will have a great first year at your new school. I don't know about Jack, but I am sure glad to have the first day over with. One down and one to go - Stella starts a week from today!

fillin' our buckets

We are squeezing in as much fun as possible this last week before Jack starts school.  Ice cream, you bet......a trip to the pool instead of an afternoon nap, why not?......lunch time, why on a picnic blanket in the park of course, and visiting two parks in one day, perfect!  Our buckets are getting filled to the brim, maybe even overflowing with summer goodness this week, and we are loving it!

 Amidst the summer fun we are having this week is a bag of mixed emotions about the transitions ahead of us in the coming weeks, excitement, anxiety, happiness, sadness, yup, they're all swirling around inside.  I really dislike the anticipation of these transitions, and am ready to just get on with it already.  Ready for our new routines to fall into place.

 

 So laying on a blanket in the park, looking at the beautiful summer sky, kids crawling all over me, well that's just what I needed in this moment.

Jack teaching Stella the art of crawling up the slide.

Jack has a new found love for swinging "super high" and for Stella it's the tire swing

 Say cheese and smile for a picture Stella....nope.....stick your tongue out and say grumpy Stella.....you bet!  That's our girl!

Tutu's and Tippy Toes

sweet little Stella

Stella attended a super fun dance themed birthday party.  It was all pink and tutu's and dancing, right up her alley, she had a blast and it was so adorable watching the little ballerinas. After cake and treats, it was like a pink blur around you, lol!

Stella was thrilled to learn the dance routine the teacher there taught the girls. She is excited to be starting her dance classes again this fall.  I'm sure with her enthusiasm for dance she will do great!

 The fun in tutu's didn't stop after the party ended.  For a three year old girl, rolling down the hill and playing in the yard is way more fun while while wearing your tutu.

 Jack joins in on the action.

 And switching gears a bit, seriously a day doesn't go by that Jack isn't trying to build some sort of project or rig some car, truck, legos, etc together.  Here he is trying to rig the umbrella onto the dump truck.  He is such a big thinker, his mind is always going trying to think of what to build next.

 Can you tell we eat a lot of our meals picnic style in the summer?  here he is playing picnic

 our handsome little guy

getting ready

school supply lists and shopping bags in hand. These two are excited and ready for school.

Jack is going to "big kid school" and Stella "pretty school" (preschool) and don't try to correct her, she's going to pretty school, lol!

backpacks are packed with new school supplies and the kids are playing school daily around here!

little babysitters

We had a blast watching this adorable little guy on Tuesday!

 Mr Henry is 3 months old and is such a smiley little guy.  

The kids thought they were so cool holding him.

Jack couldn't get over how tiny his little fingers and toes were.

The kids were very attentive to him all day - actually fighting a few times about who got to help with him.

 Jack was all over making sure he had a blanket on and a toy in his hand at all times :)

Thanks for coming to play Henry - we hope you can come again!

 

garden fresh

 me: Stella, did you eat all the cherry tomatoes?

Stella (with a full mouth): no Mom,  not me
  

busted!

 I wasn't picking them mom......of course not Miss Stella, sure, ha!  Can't say I blame her, they are fresh and delicious, although I can't quite get into the "green ones" like Stella does.

wordless wednesday - just us two

 all dressed up for Dennis' 20 year class reunion - so glad I married someone so much older than me to make me feel young, wink!

Throwback Thursday

This is Jack on his first day of preschool, age 3.  As we approach a new school year, Stella will now be walking the steps down to preschool and Jack will be moving on to a new school.  August is a month of transitions here and I'm not quite sure how I am feeling about them.  While I know they will both grow and thrive in school, it's a little sad that there will be a couple mornings a week that neither of them will need me.  I know crazy right, I am finally going to get some alone time and now I'm not so sure I'm ready for that alone time.  When you're in the trenches of motherhood, having a 2 year old and a newborn, middle of the night feedings, feeling like you will never sleep again, it's easy to feel frustrated and like these tiny little people have taken over your life forever.  But here I am already, sending my little people off to school, seeing the light at the end of the trench.

This summer I have gone through a shift, realizing I want to spend as much time with the kids and love on them as much as I can while I have them to myself for the summer.  It's true, (though unhelpful and annoying to hear when you are "in it") the time goes so fast, enjoy every minute.  I have to hold myself back from telling my friends with new babies this, but it is true, and this summer I have felt the shift in my motherhood journey.  The kids are becoming more and more independent and self sufficient, and while they are so much fun, ready or not here we are, at this new stage of each of their journeys.

Wordless Wednesday