Scenes from the first day....

I can't believe summer vacation is over. In some ways I'm thrilled beyond words, in others I'm sad. But here we are, ready or not.

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year.

Ian was very excited to start 2nd grade!

I think I was way more nervous for Isaac to start Middle School than he was. He wasn't very thrilled about his mom taking 1st day of school pictures either....but I snapped this one as he walked away. :)
Nicole starts her final year of High School- the look on her face says it all. She's a little stressed about all that is going on at the moment- but she's going to have a great year I'm sure!
This is the gift my children brought home to me from their first day. Piles and piles of papers waiting for my signature promising that yes, my child will be an angel in their class every day and will come TOTALLY prepared. Love it.
And this how Erik and I feel about having the kiddos back on a regular schedule and having a quiet house for a few hours a day.
Happy new school year to us all!

One down, three to go.

All four of Ian's top front teeth have been wibbly, wobbly for the past month or so.

Finally, one came out yesterday (thanks to mommy's quick pull).

Ian was pretty excited......

and then he lost the baggie that we had put his tooth in for the tooth fairy. He was devastated. He wrote a note to the tooth fairy, promising that he would never lose one of his teeth again.

Then he cried himself to sleep.
In the morning, under his pillow was the money the tooth fairy had left him and this note.

Now he can't wait until the next one comes out!

Being Loved

Ian's note of warning: "This is a dandelion. Not a drink for anybody. This is a drink for the dandelion."
And just to be sure there is no confusion as to who this floating bloom is for: "For mom. Only for mom. Love from Ian M."

All it takes is a 'not feeling so well' mama to bring out the oh-so-sweet side of my boys.

I must have eaten something that didn't agree with my stomach yesterday because last night it hit me. As I lay on my bed, hand on my stomach, one by one my boys came into my room.

"You're not feeling well?" Ian asked.

"Not so well." I said.

He crawled up next to me and gave me a sweet kiss on my cheek.

His kisses are the best.

They are a little bit wet, but very soft.

And they don't happen very often, so when they do you have to notice and treasure each one.

A few minutes later, Isaac came into my room.

"Are you sick mom?" he asked.

"I think so buddy. My stomach doesn't feel well." I said

"Do you need a bucket?" he asked.

"No I think I can make it to the bathroom if I need to." I said.

Then he proceeded to share with me how he knows when he is about to throw up- hoping that it would help me in some way too.

And in some strange way it did. I think it was the concern in his voice and the fact that he cared enough to share with me in his own way that he has been there and knows how I'm feeling. That always makes you feel better, doesn't it? Knowing you are not alone in your suffering. That someone has been there too and survived?

Erik was just as sweet. He put the boys to bed and then let me lay on his lap for a few minutes. As soon as he could tell I was getting sleepy, he quietly told me goodnight and whispered that he hoped I felt better in the morning.

The morning is here, and I do feel better. As each of my boys greet me this morning, the same look of concern is on their faces as they wait to see if I am feeling well or not.

It's moments like these that make me feel loved. It's not often that my boys are so sweet and lovey. It's moments like these that ease my fears of what life will be like once Nicole is grown and gone and has left me with a house full of boys.

It's a silly fear, I know. But the reality of it hit me awhile back when I realized she will be eighteen this year. She will be off on her own before I know it and the thought of her leaving our little nest causes my throat to tighten and tears to come to my eyes.

But it's going to be alright. I'm going to be well taken care of. I have my boys to look after me and love me when I'm not feeling well.

And she will be a phone call away just as she was this morning, when she called from St. George to say good morning.

4th of July weekend {in pictures}

It started out wet.....

it was filled with lovely music by Nicole (and Mindy Gledhill), yummy cookies, and watching fireworks from the front yard.....

watching the flags wave in the wind, a wiggly tooth (actually all four front teeth are just about to come out!), and sitting lazily on the front porch.....
a parade with friends, sitting in the park with cousins.....
and fireworks exploding overhead!
Hope your weekend was just as wonderful!

The first and the last

Today was the boy's last day of school.

I thought it would be fun to take a look back at their first day of school pictures and compare them with the ones I took today of their last day.

Ian on his first day of 1st grade...

and on his last.
Isaac on his first day of 6th grade...
and his last.
I think they both look just a little bit older, and maybe a bit wiser too? I certainly hope so.

Here's to a fun summer ahead!

The end?

Almost every school day for the past 6 years, I have packed a lunch for Isaac. I can probably count on both hands the number of times in those years that he has chosen to eat a school lunch. He just never acquired a taste for them- unlike his little brother.

Today is the last school lunch of the year. As I packed it this morning, I got kind of excited thinking that this might be the last one I will ever have to make. He has told me that next year he is going to TRY to eat school lunch (is it too nerdy to carry a sack lunch in middle school?).

If not, at least I have 8 weeks off before I have to make sure we have enough bread, chips, drinks, and treats in the house to pack him a lunch.

Here's to 8 weeks off!

Trek and Toads

Nicole asked me today when I was going to blog about her trek experience. I wish I could have let her take over my blog for the day and share some of it in her own words, but she is off playing at Lagoon today, so here's her trek experience through her eyes (via the pictures she took).

Nicole with her besty, Audrey
and with her main squeeze, Adam (who's not lookin' like a pioneer so much)
with her fellow travelers,
and with her other besty, Jaden.

She came home with some fun stories about running through meadows barefoot, dancing under the stars, all the good food she ate, holding her breath in the biffies (especially the last two days as they got fuller and fuller- gross!) and with two new friends.....
Squishy and Sketch.
We were expecting her to come home with a sunburn, some blisters,lots of dirty clothes and perhaps even a tick or two- but certainly not two baby horny toads.
I'm not sure how I feel about having lizards in my home, having to run out and buy baby crickets to feed them every day, and having their new home be on my kitchen counter. I would have preferred that she leave that part of her trek experience back on the trail- but I'm so glad that she is home safe with us again.