The "tail" is gone ...

Kate's "tail" as we lovingly call it would be perfect if ...

she was an 80's baby, was going for the mullet-look, wore a Swatch, chose between layering her multicolored socks or scrunching up her leg warmers, used hairspray and if she ran out just substituted with spray starch, wore blue mascara, had jeans with zippers, had a Members Only jacket (or even better got to wear someone else's), loved Esprit, must I go on????

The tail had to go ... she was born in 2006 and that stuff will be considered antique soon!!

So ... away we went to see Fontaine. My husband and I both go to him and Kate was ready to join in the whole haircutting experience (we are too cheap to let the boys go to him ... they had to settle on SuperCuts a couple of years ago).
Kate did not even move ... I don't even think she breathed the first few snips and then she sighed but her head did not turn, did not tilt, did not move up or down at all!!! She did not smile, did not cry, did not do ANYTHING but look straight into that mirror. Before sitting down in the chair, she took her purse put it down right beside mine. She was so pumped about getting "fancy" I think she was overcome by the whole experience.

Once she was done, he put some Smarties in her purse and took off her cape and

she came out of the still trance of waiting for beauty and ...

just grabbed him out of pure joy!

She knew she was beautiful and was so excited she could not contain herself.

We showed off her "no tail" look (and her purse full of Smarties) to his wife, Carrie, and all of the other precious people in the salon that day that stopped and oohed and aahed appropriately ...

Fun times with a two year old!!!

"The Homesick" virus

After the second day of school last week, Josh told me he was afraid he might be getting sick.
ME : "What hurts? Why do you think you are getting sick?"
JOSH: "Well, my stomach felt funny and kind of hurt. It may be that virus."
ME: "What virus???"
JOSH: "You know, the homesick!"
At that very moment I felt my heart break yet I had to stifle laughter ... THE homesick!
ME: "Well, I think that will go away without medicine."
JOSH: "It went away during recess some!"
Of course!

Day 3 at pick up
ME: "How is your virus, the homesick? Do you still have it?"
JOSH: "Oh no, Mom, it went away fast!!! And I did not take any medicine for it!!"
ME: " I love you, sweet boy!!"

Nine Years Old

I cannot believe it! My firstborn, my baby, the one I rocked many hours to sleep, the one I worried the most over, the one who has a place so deep in my heart words cannot do it justice, the one I labored the longest with (let's not get into the three, yes three, times I got sent home from the hospital to wait a little longer) ... he is nine today! Everyone says time flies by and I can confirm that boldly today!! His new shoes are my size, he tells jokes that really make me laugh (without that fake-laugh-sound), he has the largest two front teeth that could possibly fit in that smile, he loves his friends and still adores his family and grandparents. Caleb ... you live up to your namesake as a faithful servant to God!! I love you!

We had an army party to celebrate ... each kid got a camo bandana, camo face paint, and dog tags. Then, they went with General Glenney (hubby) to build their forts (40 boxes, camo paint colors and duct tape).

After the building of the forts, my plan was eating hot dogs and then having a "war" with the forts. We had prepared water guns and over 200 water grenades (balloons) for the battle. This would be messy but I never imagined this before the forts could even be completed ...

It poured for 15 minutes and not just a little but POURED! I feared we had a ruined party on our hands because the forts no longer existed. Instead, we had the party that will always be remembered ... wet, muddy, grassy, wet, humid, wet ... did I mention that it poured on those kids?!? They ran, played, threw water balloons, squirted every ounce of water possible on each other with water guns and well, had a blast!! Then, the sun came back out!! It was surpisingly a lot of fun with the added rain.

The little cadets...
and of course, the cake ...

Happy Birthday, Caleb!

First Day of School

The boys got up this morning READY to go!! We implemented one more step in our morning routine ... making your bed! Yes, I know most have been doing this for years but we would shower, eat and dress in as few minutes as possible to allow for maximum sleep ... this year things have changed. I am doing a neighborhood "boot camp" at 5:15 a.m. every morning and have plenty of morning time to make lunches, shower, etc. It has been so refreshing to start the day out early. Anyway, I added five more minutes to the boys' routines and it went perfectly!!

The first day of school is always such a roller coaster of emotions!

I am sad that yet another year has gone in the blink of an eye but I am excited to see the kids grow into the people God has purposed them for ... I love the organized pace of the school year yet I miss the laid back-swimming-reading-breakfast at 9-days of summer.

Yesterday, we met the boys teachers and got all of their supplies/desks/books in order to start school year. This is a great method our school has before school starts to make the first day of school seamless BUT I was sweating (literally, the 24-hour-prescription-strength-Secret did not stand a chance). Kate was attempting to empty the pencil bags that we were trying to organize like the teacher had instructed (pens and pencils go here, ruler and glue go there, this here and this there -whew). I was desperately wanting to appear to these new teachers that we handled our family of 3 kids beautifully, perfectly, calmly ... the sweat began to drip when 48 crayons came out of the first completed zipper bag ... and we still had Josh's classroom supplies to go!! I know by the time we left someone was sighing a deep breath of relief besides me (teachers, principals, etc)!!

Really, it all went well and sonehow Kate quite endeared herself to both boys' teachers with sweet "hi"s and hugs and kisses.

here is Mrs. Shields, Josh's first grade teacher

and here is Mrs. McClenny, Caleb's 3rd grade teacher

to school, to schedules, to early mornings, to sweet teachers and mostly I give this day to God and thank Him profusely for the blessing of allowing me to parent these precious ones and for giving me the strength to graciously allow someone else to teach them for 8 hours a day ...

The Boys of Summer ...

The boys of summer decided to dress up (the blazers are at least 2 sizes too small) and fix their sister up at the same time. It was a rainy day and I had requested that they "pleeeeaaaase play with your sister for a little bit while I start dinner". They came out in what they called their "cool" clothes and asked if they could maybe take me out for dinner. I suggested that a nice tablecloth on the table at home would "fancy" our spaghetti up a little and they agreed. I love that right as my heart was feeling heavy at the thought of having a third grader, a first grader and my baby in preschool, they made me smile and laugh and enjoy them ... they allowed me to focus on them right at that moment and not on what is coming up next (school starting, sports starting, blinking and another year is gone). I am trying to enjoy these last few days of summer but am remembering that it is also exciting to see them grow and learn and experience life, too! To summer, to school, to my precious kiddos ... you guys looked great!

On the Road Again ... (actually the Air again)

Just got in this morning from a wonderful trip to Boston with the Hubby.

We stayed in Cambridge on the Harvard (pronounced Hahvad there)

campus at this fantastic hotel (below). He had a conference in the Architecture school and I came along to "chillax" as they boys say.

We did all the "touristy" sightseeing things like visit Paul Revere's home and tombstone, had a beer in the oldest tavern in America (yes, a Samuel Adams one), shop and shop, tour Harvard, learn about the Patriots that started our country, ate the finest seafood ever ...

saw a Boston Red Soxs game at Fenway park along with the Green Monster (pronounced monstah) which is the huge green backfield fence that only the best hit over...

and then ...

we truly pretended we had no kids and lots of money...

we rented this

asked specifically for a convertible that a family of 5 could NOT fit in

and drove along the coast of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

We shopped in precious antique malls, saw the beautiful beaches of the Hamptons, ate homemade ice cream that costs as much as a pedicure and finally had dinner (shrimp, clam chowder, and lobster) approximately four feet from Jenna Bush ... yep, the President and his family as well as the former President were all in town at their place in Kennebunkport. We took a picture of their place ... oh my gorgeous!!

I loved taking a break with my man and love the sweet grandparents who helped to make it possible by taking on 3 wild kiddos for 5 days!!! I think at last, though, we are home for August. No more traveling for a while :)!!