Morning Sunlight

The last couple of mornings after the "big" people left for school and work we've caught some interesting morning sunlight.


I hope your day is a great one!

First Day of School 2012

Wow! Our summer went way too fast. This was the first morning, the morning full of energy and excitement. The morning when everything is done super fast and there is no tiredness...just happiness and a bit of jitters.

This is the first time I've sent two kids off to school. It was bitter sweet for me.

But there was no bitter for Josiah. For him it was all sweet...all excitement.

And it has continued that way, every day.

Goldie's loving it too. She knows this school, knows the ropes and helps Josiah whenever she can.

She was the one with the tiniest bit of jitters, but they've left her pretty quick. She's settled right in.

Josiah has the same teacher Goldie did for kindergarten and she took a couple of photos for us too. I think I'm looking more tired than either Goldie or Josiah that morning. (I love this blue shirt for pregnancy. I've got to figure out how to alter it after this baby arrives. It didn't fit right before.)

This is my favorite picture of Josiah that day. Mrs. Roberts picture frame idea was awesome. She said they did nothing but play that day. The only day the whole year.

Goldie and Josiah, I hope you have an awesome school year with lots of fun!

I am BIG

"I am too.  I am big enough to drink out of this cup and sit in a big person seat. I am BIG mom."

"Are you sure? You've got milk splashed across your face."

"See mom, see...I told you so!"

Tree House

The kids...or was it the do it yourself TV shows at Mom-maw's...finally convinced Mike to build a tree house in our back yard.

There was a whole week of cutting and sawing and measuring and screwing and chasing children with power tools in their hands. There are "secret stairs" on the right hand side of the tree and a slide down the front.

How do the children like their new tree house you ask. Their faces do it no justice. They eat every ice cream cone they can get their hands on there. Their imaginations have soared. They have a blue magic carpet or is it an ocean on the floor and they spend a lot more time outdoors. Oh that we had finished it at the beginning of the summer rather than the end. It is a beauteous and wonderful plaything. I even like to hang out up there.

2nd Grade Show Choir

On August 16th Goldie participated in the culmination of four day choir camp. Her grade school has the only second grade show choir in the state of West Virginia.

This year, for the first time, the choir held a camp two weeks before school started. I volunteered the first day and had fun doing crafts with the children as well as serving them pizza.

Goldie enjoyed renewing friendships, meeting new people and of course singing.

On Thursday of that week she had a performance at the school cafeteria. Goldie did an excellent job. During the evening the choir teacher announced that in September the students will be traveling an hour and a half to Charleston (WV's state capitol) to perform for a state school meeting of some kind. I am a little wary of this trip but hopefully parents will be able to attend as well.

Return of the Jedi

Mike had to work late because of some snafus and so I spent August fifteenth sewing Jedi Costumes for the three oldest children.

It was a Star Wars party at the library. It was to be Josiah's single party, but ended up being one for all of us.

The boys used belts to tie their Jedi costumes.

It was an exciting day for them. I love the energy exuding from a three year old Jedi in this photo.

They played games with light sabers made from swimming noodles, got snacks, and looked at a variety of books relating to Star Wars.

By far, however, the boys favorite part was playing with Star Wars Legos. They spent most of their hour doing that. They were very sad to leave.

My only smart alec in the whole group was the one who didn't get to dress up. Maybe that is why he would not look at the camera no matter what I did. I will have to sew a costume for him someday. I thought Yoda would be good...but how do you get those ears to stay on an 19 month old?

Fancier than Nancy

At the beginning of the summer I grabbed a flyer from the library and it had three different parties listed that each of the kids wanted to go to. I was going to take them all individually, but this is the only one that worked out that way.

Goldie's party was a Fancy Nancy party on August third. She asked me a couple of days beforehand what she should wear.

I told her she could wear whatever she wanted. But it concerned her.

A couple of hours before the party she asked me again and she decided she needed to dress up. We had to look Fancy Nancy up on the internet-where we found that she is an over the top kinda girl. (I'm ashamed to admit we've never read one of her books.) It was fun taking an hour or so to spend on making her beautiful. During her makeover session the boys played in the back yard. When they saw her they oohed and ahhed and talked about how beautiful she was.

The tea party was fun...quiet, but fun. I think all in all we had more fun in getting ready than anything. And by the way don't I have the most beautiful daughter this side of the Mississippi? Or for that matter anywhere?