SPARE TIME

We sent our second child off to school this past week. I was not ready for it (nor was I ready to have a second grader!) but there was not any choice. As my mom emailed me earlier this week, time moves all things forward. Simple, yet so true. If you cannot tell, the time topic has been on my mind a bit lately!

I am used to random people asking questions about our large family. It never fails when we are out and about that someone will ask if they all belong to me. I have become accustomed to it now. I guess I should have come to expect the latest group of questions since the older boys are now in school. So without further ado.......here it is...............
"Wow! So what will you do with all that spare time now? You won't know what to do with yourself having only two at home?! You must be looking forward to that so much!" Hehe. I always want to challenge them to come spend a day with us. Bet that might change their perspective a bit!

It cracks me up! Spare time? Does having only two at home now mean I can take that bubble bath I meant to take for the past 4 years? Or read that book I have been meaning to read for the past few months? Or perhaps I will get to finish the baby scrapbooks....from child #1!

No offense to these comments or those who say them. But honestly I did not have children in hopes of sending them off one day. I did not count the days until they were "gone" each day. I have not been excited that only 2 will be at home this year. I was sad when Bottle Rocket went off to school and there were only 3 at home. The fact is, I miss my kids. Sure things will be a bit quieter and a tad slower than previous years. But I like spending time with my children and having a full house. As for the spare time issue, I'm not taking any bets, but I am pretty sure I will 'find' plenty to do!

THE NEW WAY TO TODDLER PROOF A HOME

Having a 1 year old in the house is exciting! They are like little sponges....learning new things, exploring (everything in the house!), trying, watching, challenging, running, screaming, singing, dancing, crying, jumping, falling, talking, climbing, laughing, squealing, temper tantruming (yes, I know it is a made up word, but it works for this post). Sparkler is a VERY ACTIVE child. She has been since she was in the womb. And she is into everything.... full of life as her Mimi puts it! It is so much fun to watch. And yet so tiring some days to keep up with! I have found lately that it is a wee bit difficult to.....well, do anything! Sparkler's new adventure is to sit in the kitchen table chairs. No problem, except we have a tall table and 24 inch stool seats which means a long way down if she falls. She also loves to go in the pantry and play self serve. Except it is more like, self spill! Don't get me wrong. I am excited for her and know she is having a ball at all her newfound independence. A few weeks ago we 'sillybanded' the pantry door closed. Works like a charm. Now she even pulls the sillybands across the handles if the door is "unlocked!" Today she wanted to sit in the chairs while I did a few minutes of work. My nerves were about shot trying to keep one eye on her and type an email that made logical sense. And so with that, I laid down each kitchen table chair, pushed them under the table and wa-la. There you have it. The new and improved, sure to keep you sane for at least a few more minutes, toddler proof home idea. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if this was normal. But today, I was willing to be okay with it even if it was not normal! Don't worry, I know that more are sure to follow!!

FINALLY (CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE A 2ND GRADER AND KINDERGARTENER) FRIDAY!!

School started back this week! Bottle Rocket was excited to go back and got back into the swing of things without a hitch. He was tired at the end of each day though...almost falling asleep on the five minute drive home! For Kindergarten they have staggered entry so each child goes to school one full day with 5 other kids and then they all come together as a big class next week. Smoke Bomb's staggered day was Friday and he was cool as a cucumber! I was glad as the months leading up, he has been on the fence. Our traditon is to give the kids a cross to carry in their pocket on the first few days of school. In fact, last week Bottle Rocket "just so happened" to find the very cross he carried 2 years ago in his pocket. It was stuck inside an old radio the boys decided to take apart for fun. Hmmm.....you can't deny that!

We all took the boys to school today and the family walked Smoke Bomb to his room. He gave us a hug and ran off to put his book bag away. I made it all the way back to the parking lot and then I lost it! It is hard to let your kids go no matter how many you have. It might get a pinch easier, but it is never easy. Thinking back to the day he was born, I would never have imagined just how fast 5 years would pass by before I walked him into his first day of school. Parenting teaches so much. It is as if carrying a mirror around all the time.....constant evaluation of yourself and what you are doing, what you need to be doing, what you don't want to do and how you can improve what you are doing, etc. Sending Smoke Bomb off to school reminded me that life goes by fast. Blink and you will miss something. Today I promise to make more of what really matters and less of things that don't. I will show my kids "what it's all about". I will say yes, I can play more often, listen a little closer, play games a little longer, snuggle a little tighter, read a little longer, give hugs more frequently, laugh a little harder, answer questions more in depth, pat backs a little stronger, hold tight a little longer, turn off my computer a little more often, be patient a little longer, and love a little deeper.

I know my kids are in good hands when they are away from me. I know someone much bigger and powerful loves them, even more than I do. I know that He is with them, side by side, in everything they do. I know that He protects them and guides them each and every day. And that makes being a mom a whole lot easier!

NEW WORD OF THE DAY

Word: Hungy
Pronounced: Hung-eeee
Definition: Hungry
Language of Origin: Fire Cracker
Frequently Used: Just before bedtime/naptime (when we just ate 10 minutes earlier!)
Tense: Totally Cute!

SLEEPING ON THE GO

Today we had to run out for some last minute school supplies. I chose to go close to naptime and knew it was a gamble to keep the little ones awake until we got home. When we were about 5 minutes out, I heard Bottle Rocket tell Fire Cracker to wake up. He kept telling him to "put his head up." Semi-asleep Fire Cracker would pop his little head up and say, " I am awake Bottle Rocket" and then his head would bobble back down. This went on a number of times before Fire Cracker finally told Bottle Rocket to leave him alone because "his head was NOT asleep!"

FINALLY FRIDAY!!

Here we are at the last weekend before school starts back. It is hard to believe we will have a second grader and a Kindergartener this year! Bottle Rocket is excited to start back and thinks second grade will be the "most fun" grade yet. Our neighbor has asked Smoke Bomb for months if he is ready for school. He started off saying "no!", then "maybe" and then finally on Tuesday night, he said "YES"! So I think we are all a go. Except for me. I want to put them in a bottle and keep them small! But since I can't do that, I will join in the excitement. Here are a few pictures from this past week. Here's to a great new school year!

SPARKLER IS OUT!!

Of her crib that is!! We caught her twice trying to scale the sides of the crib. Then yesterday morning she came prancing into our room. The way she got out was to teeter on the rail and then somehow maneuver down (luckily without falling!). We knew then that it was better to be safe than sorry. So we bought her a new bed and today she slept in it for the first time and did great! She hopped right in, got her lovie and fell asleep right away! We also bought a few new things to spruce up her new "big girl" room. The first time she saw everything put together this morning, she began to clap. It was quite cute. While at the furniture store last night, Sparkler couldn't keep her hands off this little flower nightlight. She was enamored with it! So of course, I couldn't leave the store without buying it. Turns out, she likes it better than the new bed! I am excited because we are switching the boys' rooms around this Fall. I can't wait to see what they pick out!

I HAVE A NEW LOVE IN MY LIFE!!

Well okay, it's really an old love, but freshly renewed after last week. I have always LOVED the beach......we are talking seriously loved the beach. When we were little, I used to cry on Saturday morning driving down beach road for the last time when we had to leave. I used to beg my parents to stay another day. I used to wear my bathing suit on the road trip to the beach. I take that back.......I used to wear my bathing suit to bed the night before!

Not much has changed. I told the kids this year that I was so excited about the beach I could almost pee! The kids know it is a family rule that they have to wear their bathing suits on the trip to the beach. This year they even asked if they could wear their suits to bed! Last year, Bottle Rocket, with his newly acquired reading skills, excitedly read all the signs about July 4th fireworks on the pier and convinced us to stay another day. This year, I was able to talk the family into staying one more day! We always wait until the last minute to make condo reservations so we can get a good discount. This also just happens to leave some wiggle room to stay another day.....hehe!!

Anyhow, I told MacGyver that I love the beach now more than ever after our recent trip. Watching the kids have so much fun and revel in all the beauty of the beach just melted my heart all week. Seeing things through their eyes made the beach all that more wondrous to me. I woke up each morning eager myself to get out to the sand and surf, but the real reason I was so excited was to be with the kids in the sand and surf. Things like watching the sunrise over the ocean, walking on the beach, collecting seashells, sitting on the balcony at dawn and playing in the ocean seemed to all take on a new meaning. I can see now why my parents loved the beach so much. I am grateful for the time we had at the beach this year and will cherish the memories for a lifetime.

BEACH TRIP 2010

Ready To Go........ !!!


On The Go..........!!!

Hate To Go.............!!!