First Day!

Well, we’re back at it…school that is! Boy howdy the summer days go way too fast if you ask me (but I do love our school calendar which gives us 2 weeks of vacation time in October, 3 for Christmas, and 2 for Spring Break).

There was much reluctance coming from my boys with the start of the school year and all the "newness" that comes with it (especially Nathan) yet total excitement from Baylee, knowing she was about to embark in some pretty cool “big” girl things…a new building on campus and being in the iPad class!

So here they are. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you the totally adorable and forever loved students...

My 1st grader!

(He picked out a "must have" Tom and Jerry shirt and Vans (shoes) like Nathan. He's most excited about being on the "big kid" playground with his brother and sister.)

...and our 3rd grader!

(Check out his first time sporting his "rolling backpack"...a privilege in our family once you become a 3rd grader.)

...and our confidently styled 5th grader!

Here they are all together, right before we left for school, with a thumbs up (not sure if they are trying to convince themselves that things will be okay, convince mommy, or if they are just good "posers" for the camera).

Here's our Owen with the amazing Mrs. Runyon (our 5th year with her in a row. Can you say blessed?)

Here’s Nathan with his sport’s fanatic teacher, Mrs. Mann. (She’s wearing the pretty hair flower Nathan gave her last week by mail and holding a gift from him today, a football vase with a potted plant.) I know he's going to love her! She's a doll.

And last but not least, Baylee and Mrs. Kavanagh (who she had for reading last year)! She'd dying to just "get inside" to pull out that iPad!

 
And it wouldn't be right to not show the kids without their friends. Let's face it, that's the best part of their school day!

Here's Owen and Colton...great buddies since strollers and classmates since preschool!

Nathan and Michael...they've never been apart. They've been classmates and fantastic friends for 4 years now!

Baylee and Sabrina (dearest friends since kindergarten and classmates for 5th and 6th grade!)

Owen, the School Boy!

Attention, attention…let it be known that all 3 of my totally adorable, incredibly smart, highly precious and loved children are now in school! Today our Owen started preschool at Ladybug Learning Club and walked in with such confidence. Daddy met us so he too could witness this life changing day. Although I will miss Owen incredibly, God answered my prayers by giving us everything I had asked for:

-a preschool that met in the afternoons so all three kids could still be together in the mornings until 11.


- a school on the same modified year round program as Baylee and Nathan’s schedules are!


-a Christian based program that prayed with the kids multiple times a day and memorized scripture together.


- a teacher that’s highly educated in early childhood learning and boy howdy is she ever! Not only is Mrs. Merriam Owen’s teacher, she’s the director and founder of the school as well (and working on her Masters degree)! She just oozes love for young children!


-a school that is more concerned with healthy snacks for the kids instead of filling them up with a bunch of fishy crackers and such.


-a place where each kid works one on one with their teacher daily and rotate in centers to foster the whole child.


-a preschool that uses literature, literature, and more literature then asks the kids to respond to that literature in journals and other mediums!


-a preschool with fun themes to make learning exciting and their world open up!


- a place where the projects are child centered and look that way verses a finished product that looks like an adult put it together. Owen (and all kids) need free exploration with their crafty, creative minds!


-a school that will turn a child away if they are sick for the day. I love how they check them each day!


-and finally…a place where Owen’s buddies will join him. How totally cool that Colton and Ross are in his same class! (We wish Ethan could be too!) The three boys are going to totally charm their teacher Mrs. Merriam!

So, from 11:45 until 2:45, three days a week, my little big boy will be in class, learning, sharing, singing, reading, and having fun! I wonder when I get to start volunteering in there. Oh I can’t wait!

First Day of School

My third grader and first grader, Baylee and Nathan started school today {sigh}. I have to admit, there is NOT a solitary ounce in me that’s excited about it. I miss them. I miss their random hugs and kisses. I miss their voices, their noises, and their ‘presence’.

Ahhh, when is 4:00 going to be here for Owen, Zoe, Brinkley, and I to go get them?

Praise God that Baylee was so comfortable with heading into her class line because Nathan wasn’t once it came down to it. Quite a scene happened when the emotions he was holding inside couldn’t take it any longer and he grabbed onto me as it was time to walk into the class. He kept sobbing (loudly) saying, “I want to stay home one more day and snuggle with you more…” over and over again. All eyes were on us…and I mean ALL! Now tell me, how in the world is a mommy to walk away from her child’s heart and comments like that? Boy howdy…it was NOT an easy task and I absolutely hated (big word, I know) peeling sweet Nathan off of me. He’s in great hands at school with Kelly Runyon, I know. But ahhh, so sad, so so so very sad!

(Fast forward...The day’s hours seemed to be as slow as molasses pouring out of a bottle but finally 4:00 hit and Owen, Zoe, Brinkley, and I were finally able to see our two BIG KIDS. Baylee and Nathan jumped in the van with beet-red faces from the heat, big Kool-Aid grin smiles from a successful, fun day, and lots of stories to tell over the homemade cookies Owen and I had waiting especially for them.)

Like it or not, we’re back in the trenches of it all…school schedules, more drive time, earlier bedtimes, packing lunches, and yes…homework. Oh Lord, I better brace myself.

Summer 2009, we already miss you! Thanks for treating us so well. Here's to a wonderful school year, I just know it. God blessed us with our heart's desires.

Jeopardy

To end each school quarter, each class in Baylee’s school hosts a Cottage Fair where the kids “show off” what they learned. Baylee's Cottage Fair was spent in a different style. Her sweet teacher planned the kids to share their head knowledge on their theme, weather by playing Jeopardy (kids against parents/grandparents). The kids had a BLAST, blowing the parents socks off.

Alex Trebek made a special appearance as well, "Jon" who was his normal whimsical, quick thinking, joke-telling self. Baylee loved having her daddy in the spotlight!


Wow these kids know a lot and of course they WON, BIG TIME! The final score…Parents = 2,200 and Students = 6,300!

Here are some of the questions they answered correctly (written by Baylee):
~How many sides is a snowflake? (6)
~Is snow always white when it falls? (No, it's been red too in Japan.)
~What are the rainbow colors in order? (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet)
~How many types 0f clouds are there and what are the names of them? (10...here's a few of the names: cumulous, nimbostratus, cumulonimbus, stratus, cirrus, etc.)
~What is the strongest wind called? (a tornado)
~What is the cycle of water? (evaporation, condensation, precipitation)

We are so proud of Baylee for working very diligently through this cottage and thank Mrs. Runyon for her dedication and creativity towards these precious kids and their education.

One last thing…Baylee wants her daddy’s silly jokes in here too, so here are a few:
~What is the difference between weather and climate? (You can’t weather a tree but you can climb it)
~What happens when the fog lifts in California? (UCLA)
~Why did the woman go outdoors with her purse opened? (She expected some change in the weather)
~What happens when it rains cats and dogs? (You have to be careful not to step in a poodle!)

Cowboy Nathan and the "ghost"?

Nathan's preschool class had a field trip today to Rockin' R Ranch in Gilbert. He loved sporting his "real cowboy hat" from Papa John while panning for gold, roping, taking a hayride, playing in a teepee, and much more.
I had to laugh...during the 'cowboy show' of music, the "ghost rider" rode by the window twice on horseback. Some kids were in total awe and others, a little frightened. Nathan's friend said reassuringly, "Don't worry mom, it's not a real ghost," then Owen yelled back, "It's the Holy Ghost guys!" Gotta love it!