James is Funny

Let me set the scene for you:  Natalie was talking about an episode of Caillou she saw where Caillou’s dad couldn’t go to work because he was sick.  So they were talking about going to the doctor.  And James starts saying “doctor” over and over again, because I guess it felt good in his mouth.  So…

James: Doctor

Gran: Is there nothing I can take?

James: Doctor

Gran: To relieve this bellyache?

Me: You put the lime in the coconut…

And then we’re both laughing pretty hysterically, and James keeps saying “doctor” because he gets such a good reaction from it.  :)

Walking home, puppies, and what’s for lunch

Matt says it’s a quarter of a mile from our house to the elementary school.  I walk it four times every day, so that’s one mile of walking for me every day.  That may not sound like much, but it’s one more mile than I’ve ever walked before!  :)

On the first day of school my mom watched James and Natalie while I walked Joanna to school, but they came with me on the way to pick her up in the afternoon.  I push them in the double stroller, and it’s a good little work-out for me.  It is, by the way, freaking hot outside at 1:50 in the afternoon.

Joanna didn’t want me to take her picture on the way home.  :)

Can you see her running ahead?  She has plenty of energy!

My mom surprised me this morning by coming over again to watch the kiddos and she brought breakfast!  It was fabulous!

It’s going to be rough actually taking everybody to school in the morning tomorrow.  :)

This morning the little kids and I were getting on each other’s nerves, so I decided to run an errand (shoes for me!) and then we stopped by my mom’s house.

She’s fostering two little beagle puppies right now.

They’re very cute (for dogs)!  They need homes!  They were abandoned, and they’re so tiny!

Anyway… the kids loooooved holding the puppies.  It was a fun morning.

When we got home from picking up Joanna after school I took a shower.  2:00 may become my regular shower time.  It is gross outside!

I thought I’d go ahead and post pictures of Joanna’s lunches this week, just for kicks.

This was today’s – ham, crackers, banana bread, tomatoes, grapes, carrots, and a yogurt tube.

This evening I made the next three days of lunches.  It doesn’t make any sense to me to pull out all the lunch stuff more than a couple of times a week, especially since my Wednesday and Thursday evenings will be busy this fall.

Cheese, ham, crackers, tomatoes, almonds and craisins, and a couple of grapes

Ham, cheese, and spinach sandwich, tomatoes, carrots, and strawberries:

The other half of the sandwich, celery with cream cheese, grapes, and tomatoes:

Both yesterday and today she came home with a little bit of food (which she ate after school), and that’s my goal for lunches – that she has a little bit more than she needs.  I’m also hoping to have at least a little bit of variety for her. 

Joanna Started Kindergarten Today

And I really really miss her.

Yesterday is when it really sunk in that she’d be going to school today, and I felt pretty sad.

But I’m feeling amazing today!  Thank you Lord!

I do toy around with the idea of homeschooling; it’s always there in the back of my head.  When it comes right down to it, I don’t really want to, but it’s always there, always an option.  And it doesn’t scare me too much.  That being said, I feel no regret about sending Joanna off to school.  I feel absolutely sure she’s going to love it, and it’s going to great for her.

Last night I prepped a lot for this morning.  It helps my brain.  It helps my nerves.  Eventually Joanna will do more of this, but for now…

Here is lunch day 1.  Ham and cream cheese roll-up, grape tomatoes, carrot sticks, grapes, pumpkin chocolate chip muffin, and a tube of plain Greek yogurt mixed with some homemade very low sugar strawberry jam that I froze last night.

I gathered up all her stuff.  Since she shares a room with her sister, I didn’t want her to have to get ready in there.

This morning I woke her up at 7:00 and carried her into the kitchen.  She asked for Cheerios with fruit on top for breakfast.  Natalie woke up pretty quickly after that, but James didn’t get up until my mom was here, probably 7:40 or so.  Yay James!!

Saying goodbye to Natalie:

I made this sign for me, so I would have all of this info in with the pictures.

She looks so tired in these pictures, but she didn’t really seem very tired at the time.

I love this one.  :)

There are a thousand of these, by the way.  :)

She was saying, “Can we go to school now?”

She’s so big!

A little grumpy with the paparazzi.  :)

Our neighbors were getting in the car to go to the school, so she was watching them.

I told her she could make a funny face.  I’m not sure this counts though.

Waving to Bernice and Junior:

She’s so big!!

Back inside to kiss James goodbye:

We walked along, leisurely to the school.  We left at about 7:50.  I figured there’s no reason we needed to get there early.

Her teacher had a table set up outside with everybody’s name tag and tags for the different ways to go home.

I pinned Joanna’s name on her dress.

And a little foot on her backpack.

Mrs. M met each student at the door, double checked her information on everyone, and took the lunches, water bottles, and backpacks.

Joanna walked right in with no hesitation.  She was ready!

I walked home alone.

And now I’m having to work harder at entertaining Natalie and James than I usually do.  :)

I can’t wait to go pick her up this afternoon!!!  Just one more hour!

Kathryn was Here!

This is just a random picture that doesn’t fit in any post.  :)  James LOVES his Sesame Street characters!!  We have this look and find book, and he is CONSTANTLY looking and finding his favorites.  And then telling me and whoever else will listen.  Sooooooo cute!

Kathryn was down for just a few days at the end of the week.  We didn’t get to see her a ton (she had many adoring fans to make time for), but we enjoyed getting to see her!

James is smiling for me.  :)

They all crawled up in her lap so she could read to them.

Sunday morning was promotion Sunday, and all the kiddos moved on up!

Joanna started Kindergarten Sunday school, which our friend Shaun teaches.

Natalie started 3 year old Sunday school, with three AMAZING teachers that had Joanna as well.

And James moved up to what I like to call transitional two year olds.  The girls (because of how their birthdays fall) never spent much time in this room, but James will be there all year!

The Pre Back to School Post

I had hoped to get caught up enough with blogging this weekend so that I could just go ahead and post today’s first day pictures this morning.  But that did not happen!  And I hate to post out of order, so I’m doing a quick catch-up post (or two) of the last week first.

Soooo… here are some more glamour shots of my girl from Wednesday morning, I think.

Friday after Matt got home Joanna and I walked up to the school to meet her teacher.

She was bashful, but didn’t have any hesitations about walking around the classroom, exploring things.

Checking out the guinea pig, Sugar:

Taking a picture of me taking a picture of her.  :)

She seemed right at home in that classroom.  Yay!

On Saturday evening we had a fajita potluck at the Watsons with several friends who all have Kindergarteners this year!

I deeply deeply love cookie cake.

Checking out baby Eli:

James was a very happy boy in that boy house.  Lots of cars and trucks to play with!

Kimberly put everybody’s name on an apple on the wall!  She also put every child’s name on a real apple with a silver sharpie – too cute!

Best buds, having some dinner:

All the children present, minus Eli and Lily.

And just the Kindergarteners.

They’re so big!!!!

I know Tony took a bunch of pictures as well, so I may update when Lisa gets some up on her blog!