Ahhhh

This week I have been so overwhelmed with just love for my kids.

Haley...
She started first grade this week and has been very emotional. Our neighbor picks up three of the kids from school to help us all out... (I take two of the kids to school). On Friday I got a call from school that Haley refused to get in the car with Karla. Now Karla is not a stranger. Haley is over at her house almost everyday! She is one of the only friends of mine that Haley will have a conversation with. On the phone, Haley was SCREAMING.... Mrs. Gilfry, her kindergarten teacher, had to coax her into the car. This broke my heart!!! I loved having Karla pick Haley up because it was right at nap time for Joe... so this coming week I will have to rearrange nap time.... I have to pick her up from school....

She loves her teacher, Miss Burrows. At Back to School night, her teacher told us that she will answer any question with as little words as possible. She doesnt talk much. :) Hmmmm I wonder where she gets this from?

Hunter....
Now him on the other hand... he asked me this morning, "Mom, I dont want you to pick me up from school.."
Me: "Really? You want dad?"
Hunt: "No I want to go home with Stef (aka Seth) or Nate. I want their moms to pick me up."

Jonah...
a few facts about Joe-
1. He loves to go behind our couch (which is up against a wall) and hang out there.
2. He LOVES balls :) and loves to throw things
3. He LOVES to play in Haley's room, Hunter's room, our bedroom, pretty much everywhere BUT his own room. He cries the moment you take him into his room.
4. He will bite himself and then look at you like you just did it.
5. He is scared of men. :)
6. He will bust up laughing simply if you are laughing... you dont have to tickle him.

I just love my kids unique personalities.

Math Fun

Being the math teacher I am... when my friend Julie, sent this to me I had to blog it. I thought it was funny.... This first example I have SERIOUSLY seen kids do on quizzes. I have wanted to do this on my own homework :) (below)

Another answer I LOVE.... (Below)

The start of school

The start of school has been eventful :). Haley and Hunter start school at the same time... Jim had to rearrange his work schedule so that he can take Hunter every morning. I think it is great. Jim is enjoying the time to chat with his son and be involved in Hunter's day... :) Hunter was THRILLED when I told him that Dad is going to take him to school everyday! It was cute. (to see more of Hunter's class and teacher - it is in a previous post)
Haley is in first grade. She is still at Caryn Elementary School, which is right by our home. WE walk to school. She has Miss Burrows. I really think her teacher will be a good match for Haley. Haley picked out her first day of school clothes... Camp Rock. She has a Camp Rock backpack... shoes, shirt, shorts, folders... I think she likes camp rock. We listen to the sound track in our car (even Hunter sings along) I am not sure how much of the movie she really follows....
Above is Nate and Hunter at Chick-Fil-A after school on their first day of school. Jane and I took our boys for a fun lunch to celebrate. Hunter and Nate seemed to really enjoy preschool. The first thing Hunter told me when I asked him about school was, "MOM, Mrs Jones DOES have trains!" He was worried that there wouldnt be trains to play at school... :) Hunter likes trains :)
Haley and Grace (across the street) I think it is funny that she will forever be known to my friends and family as Grace-across-the-street as if that is her WHOLE name. They wore the same outfit for the first day of school. Grace is in afternoon Kindergarten this year and has Haley's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Gilfry.
Overall, this week has been a tough one on Haley. Just adjusting to going to school ALL DAY LONG and having to get use to new routines... She likes school and her teacher and for that I am happy!

OH and I know earlier I posted about my cell phone being found... I was referring to my cell phone that got stolen earlier this summer. :)

My Cell Phone???

Get this...

I just got a call from a girl in SOUTH Ontario, YOUNG girl...
She found my cell phone on a bus and looked up the phone number for HOME... and called me. She told me she had my phone.

I was pretty impressed with the kindness of this young girl. :)

Scarlet Rose!

Uncle Jimmy!
Brothers!
Aunt Stephanie
What a doll...
Scarlet cant be exposed to little kids for a while to Jim and I took turns going in and seeing her. They live RIGHT next door to a park... so it made it very handy :)
Jonah kept wanting to run into the street... He thought it was funny everytime I would chase him... FUN
My new tattoo...
It is fake. :) But I thought it was fun having one for a day :)

Aunt Jenna... and Hunter who was being a stinker.

Hunter's Back To School Meeting

Hunter gets to have Mrs. Jones for another year! We love that!!! She is a great teacher for Hunter!

HE is entering his second and last year of Preschool on Monday.

He is still going to C.L.O.U.D.S.

But this year, the school is located at a different elementary school.

Lasy year it was on Haley's elementary school campus... so we were able to walk to school EVERYDAY! I loved it!

This year they are at Perdew Elementary school... which is by the Victoria Gardens.

The bummer is- his school starts at pretty much the same time as Haley's school and now they are at different schools.

I love this picture because it shows Hunter sitting on his letter from last year :)

A Night away!

Yes that is right baby!!!

I was having an interesting week and I remembered Megan saying WEEKS ago that she wanted to go on a girls get away. So I texted Megan: Wanna go on a girls weekend? ... half thinking - where would we go and when would we even have time to plan such a trip...

She responded quickly... YES!!

Somehow in just a few short days... all VIA text and email... planned a night away to Santa Barbara. Her Aunt Carol lives out there and had room for two of us to bunk on her couch... PERFECT!

Personally, we could have bunked in the bathroom I would have gone.

We Left Last Saturday morning (the day scott and jenny left for Georgia) at about 830am.

We had lunch... ice cream... walked the beach... shopped...

It was great!

There was no hurry...

No complaining children (or husbands - Jimmy hates to window shop)

This is us eating our Rite Aide ice cream. YUM!

If we had to stop for gas or Meg had to change a diaper... I popped out with my sudoku.

Averie came with us... She is a doll!
We ate cookie dough and watched a chick flick. (Like High school)

We stayed up till 2am talking and just chillin'. I cant get this picture to delete... HA... so I made it small.... We did face masks and it was fun but not a picture you want big on your blog :) ... sorry meg
Sunday morning we slept in :) and then went to the beach to walk the beach where they were having an art show. (And a memorial for our troops)
Overall... we had a ton of fun! No agenda... It was great. Did I mention it was fun? :) Anyways... next time we want to bring a group of us and find somewhere to go where we could go for the WHOLE weekend.

Good bye pictures

Smile!
We gathered in a circle outside my parents house to pray for scott and jenny.

There really was just a little get together, kinda last minute... to say goodbye!
Joel and Scott. Good BUddies
Joel taught Hunter some new moves on the wall outside my parents house. THANKS JOEL :)
Jenny getting some last minute cuddles in. Do you notice Hunter in the background jumping off the wall? The Williams Family

Jenny outside their car which was PACKED to the max!

The Smith's
Just an update... But scott and jenny are settled in their new home, for now. They are living with my "Uncle" Rodger and "Aunt" Pam. (Rodger is my mom's cousin). They are in Flowery Branch, Georgia. They have a blog too if you want to check them out... (See my link on the side)

Jonah turns ONE

Today is Joe's first birthday! I can't believe it!
TWO days before my parents drove Scott and Jenny out to Georgia, My mom threw Joe a party.

She had asked me what she could get Jonah for his birthday and I said, "can you PLEASE give him a party!"

She is so good at that and it comes so natural... For me... I stress out over everything!! It was so nice to wake up the day of and simply just show up... Thanks mom!

Helen made her famous chocolate pudding cake that I love... Jonah requested it :) Thanks Helen!

My mom made Joe's little cake. He wasnt that interested in it... But Hunter and Haley were. REALLY Hunter... He kept saying, "I am showing Jonah how to eat it."


Present time came and it was pretty stuffy with all the bodies and it being August. My mom made Scott and Jenny promise to have children in cool months. :) As if you can totally plan it. :) Silly mom :)

Jonah loved his presents even though he took no interest in unwrapping them. He LOVES balls.

We kept the party to MOSTLY family. With it being two days before a BIG move... it was already a lot. Jonah doesnt care :) It was hard for me to limit like that because I normally would invite kid friends and all, but really, Jonah doesnt care and it was easier for my mom.
Below is people praying for dinner...


It was my favorite kid party of mine so far... Mostly because I really didnt do ANYTHING... THANKS to my mom and Shellie and Helen for helping out... Mostly my mom for throwing it all.