packing in the fun

This summer we tried to pack in as much fun as we could because we knew it would fly by!
We had Anna and Luke spend the night ( I love how JE never cooperates for pictures) We attended Pioneer Day at church complete with a pot luck dinner and games

Drew turned FIVE and had a fun pool party. It cracks me up how much he LOVES his goggles.

Birthday party at Bower's Park for friend, Shelby

had fun playing with underwear

Had Drew spend the night

played at CHOM a lot with family and friends

Enjoyed the fireworks at Sokol with lots of friends!

hung out at mom and dad's for the 4th

went to Jasper for Sydney's teacher's wedding

We also had fun bowling...going to Chuck E Cheese and did lots of pool hopping! So sad it's over...sure wish the heat would go too!

John Evan had a better week at school. We started a sticker chart and that has seemed to help. I am so proud of him! SK had made 100 on both her spelling tests so far!

I am training for another 1/2 marathon in October. Chris decided to run it too. So...it will be me, Chris, Yvette, and Roz. Yvette and I are up to 8 miles so far. Chris and I got to run together this week since the kids were in school and that was really nice....look forward to it cooling off so we can enjoy the runs a little more.

I still work in the Primary at church and really enjoy that calling. Chris is still Young Men's President. We fed the missionaried last week and it made me realize how much I have missed having them in the home. When they walked in (there were 4 of them ) John Evan asked "Is that a bunch of bishops?" Too funny!

summer fun with friends and family

Sydney's sweet friend, Anna, turned 7 in July. She had an Alice in Wonderland party. My sweet friend, Tammy, (her mom) is amazing! She MADE everything for the party...from the tissue flowers all the way to the cake. It was all really really neat! birthday girl with SK

the set-up looked so cute

My 19 year old cousin, Christen, came to stay with us for a week from South Carolina. I'm so glad she was here! We had so much fun and laughed a lot and she really made me feel younger and the kids loved having her here!

We met Ashley, Bri, and Collin for dinner one night

My mom got everybody together to go to Alabama Adventure. Thanks mom!

Christen and JE

I could not believe JE rode this crazy ride!

so cute!

It was SO hot ! SK ended up getting really sick and had heat stroke symptoms...it was scary! But we still had fun!

Kim, Heidi, and I decided to get together in birmingham before Heidi MOVED! Shame on her for teasing me that way! We just hung out at heidi's (sk was nice enough to over flow her toilet) and took the kids to McDonalds.
Madison and SK

with Kate and Scarlett

I love my girls! Kim is expecting baby #4

Jack and JE

So excited to see Heidi again in October when we go to SC for a family reunion and to see Kim next month when I go to Huntsvile with Ashley!

finally over

As y'all know from previous posts...I have been very anxious about John Evan starting preschool. So, Wednesday was his first day. Chris and I walked him in and he seemed to be doing okay....we saw his little friend and they "chatted" as we signed them in. Then we proceeded to walk down to his room . As soon as we got to the door he froze up. He DID NOT want to go in there. So I hung out in the doorway with him until he was ready and eventually he was. So, we went to a blocks table and he would not let go of my hand and wanted me right next to him. Then he decided he wanted to go to a different table so we waked over there and he sat right down. I started talking to Mrs. Kim about some things and Chris suggested we sneak out since JE was preoccupied at the moment. So, we did but we were not very sneaky because he noticed right away. So I went straight into a storage room and just started boohooing! I was sad about leaving him and I felt so guilty about leaving without saying goodbye. So I calmed down (as Chris was snapping away) and asked the preschool director , Mrs Terri, to go check on him. She came back and sad "I'm not going to lie to you, he is very upset...but he'll be okay. He is sitting on the teacher's lap and he'll be fine" So I talked/cried to her for a few minutes then we left. We drove to River Road park for Chris and I to go for a run (which was so nice to beable to run with my sweet hubby)and I called to check on him when we got there. Mrs. Terri said that he was doing okay. She took him on a tour of the school and showed him every classroom and let him hang out with her in her office and look at books and play with some monkey's. Then eventually he was ready to go to class. Apparently, everytime they would ask him if he wanted to color or whatever his answer was always "I can do that at home with my mommy"! SO sweet! I sent Mrs. Kim a text later asking her if he was just sad or was he hysterical and and she said he was pretty hysterical but eventually got over it. Oh that broke my heart!
I stayed busy by running and then we went to Sam's. When we picked him up he seemed pretty happy and said " I didn't like it at first but then it got good"! So glad that stressful/emotional day is over!
He looks so happy to be going but this was a total front! HAHA!

His cute lunchbox

We saw his cute friend , Jackson. Unfortunately they didn't get in the same class :(

Chris thought it was hillarious to take pics of me!

Friday went some better. Mrs. Nan and I tried to get him to go into his room but he wasn't interested. He said he wanted to play with the monkies again so I went and found Mrs. Terri and she took him by the hand. He was not crying when I left so that's good. Mrs. Kim said he participated a little more than he had on Wednesday and that they were just going to let him kinda do his own thing until he got used to things. I am so glad that he has great teacher and a great director that are so patient with him! I hope tomorrow goes even better!

One down and one to go

I finally got SK to go to sleep last night. This morning she did great getting up and getting ready. She never fussed or said anything about not wanting to go to school which was really nice. Chris, John Evan, and I walked her to her room and she gave each of us a hug and said "bye" and walked to her desk. She had little tears in her eyes but never cried! YAY!


She was SO excited about the note I put in her lunchbox.

sitting at lunch with her cute lunchbox

SK and Mrs. Childers. The most wonderful teacher!

She was pretty sad after lunch. She really wanted to go home and was just clinging to my arm. But finally after a few minutes she was ok. Overall she had a great day and I'm so excited about 1st grade!

Now if only I can get through JE's first day! UGH!

school

my stomach is in knots and I have tears in my eyes. It is 9:36pm the night before school starts and Sydney Kate is in her room just pitiful. I put her to bed at 8pm and she is still awake. She is so nervous about tomorrow. She is starting first grade and will have the same teacher as last year so I'm not sure why she is so upset. It's just really hard to see her this way!
John Evan starts on Wednesday. He will go to preschool on monday, wed, and Friday from 8:30-12pm. The great thing is a friend of mine from the gym will be one of his teachers. She loves JE so I know he will be well taken care of. His other teacher is new to Tuscaloosa but has recently taught kindergarten and seems really sweet. John Evan has a very "different" personality. I don't really know how to explain it! He is very strong willed and stubborn. One worry is that he will not want me to leave him once we get in the classroom but my main worry is that he will just flat out refuse to even walk in the building! I have had to take him in and out of places kicking and screaming too many times! He is so bad sometimes that if he is somewhere he does not want to be he will literally just walk right out the door. So, I can totally see that happening. Not to mention he is NOT a morning person!
I feel like I am going to throw up right now but I know it will get better...it did last year!
I hope everyone has a great first day tomorrow! Good luck!