43!

I hit the big four three yesterday.  It was a low key celebration.  We actually went to a really nice steakhouse here in Austin with the whole fam on Saturday night. It was the best steak I have had in a long, long time.  The view is beautiful when the lake has water in it.  They had a pianist and he allowed Conleigh to sit down with him and he gave her one key to play while he played a couple of songs. She thought it was the best and has declared it her new favorite restaurant. :)

Peter gave me some pretty sunflowers and a delicious chocolate birthday cake.  He and the kids also gave me a jewelry holder. I've been wanting something to hold all my necklaces. Now I have it.  We went to the super fancy Pei Wei for dinner last night. Not fancy but it hit the spot.

I had gone to the school yesterday to eat lunch with the girls. They overlap in the cafeteria by about 10 minutes which is so nice.  Alex doesn't understand why I didn't eat with him. His lunch time is a whole hour before the girls.  Maybe next time bud.

I wish I had it in me to come up with 43 things that I am thankful for but truly I don't have the energy. I am thankful though.

Thursday musings

What's a mom to do when all three kids are at school?  I snuck into Conleigh's room and cleaned out a couple of her bookshelves. He is such a hoarder.  I found the sticker that comes inside  bathings suit bottoms.  It was stuck on her sticker wall. Oh brother.   I also  found the cardboard for the outside of a tampon!!!!!
I didn't go too crazy and clear it all out. I just did her nightstand and three bookshelves.  She didn't notice, but there were three Target bags of garbage outside in the trash.

While I was cleaning out the junk,  I was being serenaded by the piano tuner.  We had someone come tune the piano today. While he was plunking around on the keys, I started thinking, it sounds the same to me. I wonder if he is really doing anything?  The music holder was broken and one of the pulls to cover the keys was broken. He fixed both of those things too.  I am pleased.

Peter is in San Marcos tonight for work.  We had a microwave dinner rendeveaux with watermelon to top it off.

The kids are doing well. Campbell is not eating much at school. Thus, she came home super cranky today. She wants to buy her lunch. I hope she is eating it.  Conleigh has made a couple of friends in her class. It is surprising how many kids in her class have been at the school all four years and we haven't been in class with them.  Alex is digging his teacher and her stories. 

Life is good, and tomorrow is Friday!

And we begin

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 This morning we sent all three of our children to elementary school. They were up early and ready early. Alex gave Campbell some good advice, "Campbell, it's time to get learnin'."  Wow.

I teared up right at the front of the school. Campbell didn't even look back.  She & Conleigh held hands down the hall and then Conleigh pretty much pushed Campbell towards her door and kept on truckin'.
I thought about all three kids all day and wondered what they were doing and if things were going well.   I guess all moms do that. 
After drop off, a neighbor had a back to school breakfast for lots of mom's. It was a nice time to visit and talk with people I don't see often.  Then, I didn't really know what to do with myself. I worked a little and then I went to Target. I can't do that every day. Then I decided to go by Krispy Kreme and get a donut to take on the golf cart for pick up.
Campbell didn't have a lot to say. She was ready to relax. At dinner, she piped up and told us about the green, yellow, red, and how getting on red is BAD!

Alex had a great day and told us all the stories his teacher told them. He thought they were so funny. None of his good buddies are in his class but he seemed happy, and he told me that three of the kids he had pointed out in the yearbook as troublemakers and bad choice makers, turned out to not be so bad.  I guess his previous impression was kinder playground time. I'm glad to hear that!!  A nice surprise this afternoon was Alex's teacher called just to say what a great day he had. 

Conleigh sounds like she learned the way things will work. There was a brand new girl to the school in her class and she volunteered to eat lunch with her for a week, so she isn't alone. Her little crush boy from last year is in her class again, so that brought a smile to her face. 

This evening Conleigh started piano lessons and enjoyed the teacher and the learning. He asked us to bring the book she used this summer. At the end of the lesson, he told me that she is way past that book and he had another one for her to work from.  I love that she has found something that she loves!

Our three monkeys on the first day of school.

Twas the night before Kindergarten...

...and Campbell konked out at 6pm. She was so exhausted. Snoring like an old man. Of course, we just got the other two in bed, lights out at 8:45 and guess who wandered back into the living room? Campbell. She's a brand new girl.

After a year of me asking her to not grow up and to stay home with me, she has decided that she wants to do that. The kindergarten meet-the-teacher was a little intimidating to her today. There were so many people, and she was hungry and could hardly function.

Alex led us to his classroom and with our weekend spying we had spotted his desk through the window, so he knew exactly where to go.  His teacher goes to our church and she has a daughter who is a first grader at another school, but she is in Sunday school with Alex. Alex is very excited about having her for his teacher.

After checking out the scene in first grade, we braved the crowds to third grade. It was much more calm in there. I don't know the percentages but I understand that we are in a heavy boy class.  Conleigh met Mrs. Corbett and put all of her school supplies away. She saw who else is in her class and I think she is happy about it. I know I am.

Here's to a great start to a terrific school year! 

The eve of school start 2011.

Changes

We haven't even gotten the postcards yet for the new school year, and one of the kids has already had their classroom changed.  Since I work with the school supplies, I was able to see their teacher assignments earlier this week. I was pleased with all three classes that the kids will be in this year. Then, yesterday when we were moving school supplies through the building to the proper rooms, the registrar stopped me and said, "one of your kids has been switched."  What!?  I was so surprised. Of course, I asked which kid, and she hesitated to tell me, but in the end, she said it was Conleigh. She said there were two kids that needed to be put into her original teacher's classroom, so two had to be taken out.
I've gone over and over why she would be the one chosen at the last minute to be switched.  After all my official analysis (ha), I believe it is because she is an independent girl. It is because she can be with most any group of kids and be fine. She isn't the troublemaker that they have to seperate, so they looked at the list and saw her name and knew she would be okay whereever she lands.
I guess that is comforting. She is her own person and she will be fine and thrive whereever she is!

The Pick - Up

Conleigh finished Sun Dancers dance camp today. She had a great time and they finished with a demonstration.  She did a great job and seemed to really know the dance to ABC's by Michael Jackson. She is in the front row with the dark shoes in the below picture.

How special that Krissy & John came out to support her and watch the dances.

 Is this little guy the cutest? John wasn't too interested in the dancing. Krissy was pulling all the tricks out of her bag to try to keep him satisfied -- even the swim goggles made an appearance. :)

After dance, we zoomed to Brenham about 1.45 hours and met up with the rest of our crew. It was a s.weet reunion. Alex & Campbell were happy to see us for sure.  My mom & dad said they did great and behaved well. It was a good 'vacation' for them.  Two movies, swimming til they are water-logged, and time with Granny (Peter's mom) and Grandma & Bepaw.

 We met at the Blue Bell Creameries. Why not? We all got a scoop, took a picture with the cow and hit the road home!


The reunion was sweet -- but short!

 Ooh. One last highlight of the trip. Alex lost his first top tooth.  My mom said there was no bleeding at all. It had been dangling for days.

The Girl with the Curls

My sweet oldest daughter

Peter & I are getting to spend some quiet time with Conleigh this week.

Her siblings are in Houston visiting grandparents. She is so excited about this time with us, and we are excited too.

This afternoon Conleigh and I went school shopping. She loved it. As we walked into the dressing room, I had a flashback of doing the same experience with MY mom. So wild how I am now the mom and the one hanging up all the clothes. :)

She found some super cute clothes to start the school year. She even learned to tie a shoe today.  We've tried off and on for a long time but she gets so down when it doesn't work. Today she was super excited to have learned the art.

Almost everything she picked out is of some shade of aqua. That has been her fave color for a long time now.

Conleigh got to watch "West Side Story" at the end of the school year in music class. She has wanted to watch it all summer. We finally received it through Netflix and Peter & I watched it with her tonight.  She was completely into it and we were completely over it.  She is a fine arts girl through & through. She was so attentive and emotional during the movie.  I'm surprised they watched that in elementary school. There were definitely some questionable lines in the movie.

Our house was so relaxed this evening. Working with one eight year old is very different than juggling three busy children.

I am very proud of Conleigh. She went to drill team camp this morning and enjoyed it a lot.  There were so many little dancers there.  It will be interesting as we move through the years to see who gravitates to what activities, ie sports, dance, cheer, theatre.

Time will tell.

I will tell now that I love my #1 daughter more than can ever be shared here.

It's a Wrap

We had a good, busy week last week.  My sister and her boys came to visit for a couple of nights.  I think the cousins all had fun. They jumped on the trampoline way more than I would have in the heat and they played Wii more than it has been played here all summer. We all went bowling and walked the streets of South Congress. 
Susan helped me organize Alex's closet. It had all sorts of old bridesmaid dresses in it and clothes that I wish would fit me again. Peter's suits were in there and it was absolutely overflowing with stuff that didn't even matter to Alex.  It is beautiful now. Thanks Susan.
Thursday night I went to bunko. It is always a good time to visit with the gals.
Friday morning I went up to the elementary school to start the school supply distribution. I've taken over this responsibility and the girl who used to do it came up with her sons and we got boxes distributed around the building. Next week we'll get exact amounts into the right classrooms.
Friday night our friends the Vagners invited us over for swimming and dinner. It was a lovely evening with their family and our good friends the Schultz's.
Saturday I was a real slug. I helped Peter rake the courtyard and spread some weed killer out. He then spent way too long filling water balloons for a boy scout function last night. It was a frustrating activity. All the balloons popped in the cooler during the day and he had to redo it all with new balloons in the late afternoon. Peter took the kids to the boy scout swim event and I joined a little late.
After church today, Peter took Campbell & Alex to Granny's in Montgomery.  They will stay there for a couple of nights and then go to my parents house for a couple of nights. Sweet Campbell said before they left, "mom, in case you forget me, my handprint is right there," and she pointed to her stamped handprint.
Tomorrow we hit it again for the last week of summer. Work is pretty busy now and Conleigh will spend the morning at drill team camp.

Ricky Bobby? Alex Bobby!

Father Daughter Dance

 The men of our church held their first Father/Daughter Dance last Friday night. Peter took his girls. They were excited to dress up and wear some make-up.

Meanwhile, Alex and I got a little mommy/son time. His choice: rent G-Force and sit together to watch it. My sweet boy!

Family Time

We just enjoyed such a nice family evening.  Today we purchased the newest fad, duct tape.  Guess who was completely into crafting with it? Alex!  he has made three bracelets, 2 wallets, and a bow.  He is all about watching You Tube and following the duct tape tutorials. 

Meanwhile, Conleigh and Campbell were getting completely muddy in the backyard with our neighbor, Cameron. Drought? What drought? Peter said that water is soaking down to the roots of the trees. Nice justification. Anyway, they had a great ol' dirty time.

The girls and I spent Saturday night in Houston with my parents, so we could celebrate my dad's birthday. It was really nice to be there. On the way back to Austin, I met up with a woman who was selling her Cricut Expression for a really good price. I had tried to tell Peter I would like one for my birthday, but I don't think I had explained it very well. Then when I saw this one listed on craigslist for such a great price, I went for it. He was happy that I bought it, and tonight Conleigh, Campbell and I got busy experimenting. It is pretty cool.

Tonight was a great evening of all of us being around the table doing various crafty things. It was very nice to not have the TV or computer going.

Good Friends, Great Memories.

Maine, July 2011