Time For School

Annie started Kindergarten, and Ben began 2nd grade yesterday. Boy, are they growing up! They had the parents come in with the kindergartners for a few hours, so Annie didn't have real class until today. Anyway, yesterday we did a few classroom things, talked about bus safety, the kids rode the bus, we ate lunch and then talked to the teacher for a few minutes. In the lunchroom, after going through the line while Mom lectured about PLEASE choosing and EATING your veggies. (Both she and Ben did; hopefully I've trained them well enough!)

Mrs. Shearer, whom Annie already adores. I'm hoping to help in the classroom at least every other week, assuming that she needs help. There were over 12 parents that signed up on the list!

We were a bit late getting Ben to school since I promised the kids I would make pancakes but then misjudged time. We got his picture coming OFF the bus!

This is his cheesy smile, right before telling me his day was, "fine" and running down the street to see the neighbor girl who just came home. I did get more details later, but not many! He also really likes his teacher and thinks she is going to be great because she wears modest clothes. :)

After school snacks...this cucumber was from the garden but the inside was gooey, so I didn't send it with Ben. I sent him 1/3 of a bell pepper instead. Emily snagged the leftovers and went to town.

Annie wanted some too!

This was today as Emily and I walked B and A to the bus stop. I did amazingly well today with controlling my tears! Yesterday I was an absolute MESS!!!

Waiting for the bus...

Here we are - bus #10! I need to figure out the bus driver's name since it is no longer Jo Momma (she signed an end of the year card with that, so I know Ben was right!). I told Andy his name might just be Jo Daddy! We'll figure it out. They both came home beaming today, although Ben quickly lost his when Annie pulled out the tootsie pop she got from her teacher today. The competitiveness continues...

Emily and I had a good day, although I didn't get near enough done! I thought the day would drag eternally, but it went by very quickly! The rest of the week we have things scheduled in both mornings and afternoons, so today was laundry and house projects...they didn't all get finished though!

Coygirl/Boy Party

Annie decided she wanted to have a Cowgirl/boy party. Part of this party included having a fire and roasting hot dogs, so the kids are watching Andy start the fire with the dead apple tree that we had to cut down last month. Annie declared the activity below as her favorite: making knots of out pull-and-peel twizzlers. However, I don't know that she ever made the knots, just enjoyed the twizzlers. Practicing riding horses.

One of my non-age-appropriate activities. I thought this game was going to be fabulous, and I think it could have been with more adults (Note to self: NEVER again throw a birthday party without Grandma or Aunt Jamie around while pregnant). It was a dress up relay and this sad cowgirl wasn't enjoying it.

Dinner - cowpoke style! Just now realized that I forgot to serve the baked beans!

Instead of a cake, Annie decided on s'mores. While putting this together, I'm sure she ate at least a bar and a half of chocolate!!!

Kirsten stayed for the party, so I put her to work entertaining the kids while I got the s'mores ready!

Target practice: shooting over cans.

The rest of the kids did a rattlesnake game. They did great, but we had to trade off spinning the snake as it was a dizzy job!

Our last activity was practicing for a shootout with empty water guns. Andy was the sheriff teaching them how to do it...

Then he turned into the 'bad guy' once their guns were filled up and they did the real shoot out. They got him!

I had so many things planned, we totally forgot about opening presents! We came inside to take baths and get ready for bed (after cleaning up outside), when Annie saw the presents on the table. Sweet little girl was just so excited to have everyone there and singing to her, she didn't even remember there was more celebrations! (She really was thrilled with this, it was just the 3rd posed picture, but her eyes are OPEN! She's so fun to watch open presents because each one is "just what I wanted!!!" but she tends to hold the wrapping paper in front of her face.

Loyal Oaks Lake

We went with some friends to a fun, quiet, peaceful lake last week on a day the high was 71 degrees. Ben has found another baby girl to fall in love with: little Gwen! The fish in this lake were a little bit more amenable to being caught, thus the highlight of the day: WE CAUGHT A FISH!!!!

Taking a break from the lake and having a snack, my little sweethearts!

It was a completely fabulous day, until we got home and found massive sunburns. My kids have never had more than a little tinge of pink, until that day. I am still in pain four days later, stupid cool day that messed up my judgement. We DID put on sunscreen...about 3 hours after we'd already been there. Joy...although I'm sure Ben's was worth it to catch those fish!

Annie is 5!

Sweet Annie turned 5 on a Sunday, so we just hung out together for the day. We decided to make Texas Tea Cakes (like fluffy sugar cookies) since we were going to have cake at her party. The girls helped me make up our tasty treats! She is such a cheese ball with pictures right now - big chessy grin with little squinty eyes! She had a fabulous time opening packages from family!

The kids all love breakfast for dinner (but I just couldn't do pancakes for dinner AGAIN), so we had breakfast casserole, tomatoes from the garden, and sliced avocado! Happy Birthday little one!

These are some of the reasons we love Annie:
Emily - I like to play with Annie and her new ponies.

Ben - She shares with me and she's kind. (Very true!!! She'd much rather share with him then play by herself)

Mom - Annie loves to help younger kids and is the first one to comfort anyone who is hurt.

Dad - Loves her curly hair and bright blue eyes!