Not Much Going On

There really isn't much going on, but I thought I should update since I was mocking those of my friends (hi, JoLynne) for not updating their blogs.

This week is pretty much like last week - shuffle Reid to gymnastics, shuffle Jackson to swim practice, go to church, work with Children's Choir, hang out waiting for kids to finish said activities, etc.

Last weekend, we went out to Osage Hills State Park for the SplashClub Family Picnic. It was a nice day, the kids had a good time and were able to visit with some of the other parents. After Reid said, "She is from my school," pointing at one of the parents walking in, we made the connection that her principal is the mom to one of the Gold Team members, Colton. We have been talking to Colton and his dad to get Jackson and Colton together for some one-on-one workouts. Colton is going to do some coaching with Jackson to help him figure out the speed part of swimming. Jackson can't wait, he and Colton have a great connection.

This weekend we don't have anything on our plates, except church. Hopefully, I can get fall decorations out and maybe get the dining room glassware packed up. I have given Damon a deadline to get the dining room painted. I am hosting a Holiday Kick Off event for our Sunday School class on November 22 and I would like to have a shiny new dining room to host it in. The complication will be painting and keeping Reid out of it. We can't completely block off the dining room, so I am going to have to leave with the kids for a weekend or figure out something else creative to keep Reid out of the paint.

Rocky Mountain High

What a fantastic weekend! It was relaxing, fun, got a little shopping in and spent the day in the pure Rocky Mountain air.

We left Friday morning and headed to the airport. Reid was so excited about going to the airport, but was a little confused when she couldn't just walk on to a plane. She kept asking, over and over, "Is that our plane? That's our plane. Is that our plane?" We flew Southwest, so with the stampede seating, we ended up two rows apart - me with Reid and Damon and Jackson two rows behind us. Reid talked ALL THE WAY TO COLORADO. She couldn't figure out what she wanted to do - watch a movie, play Leapster, not watch a movie, not play Leapster, look out the window, not look out the window, eat her peanuts, not eat her peanuts, and ask over and over and over, "Where is my Diet Coke." Her greatest quote, as we came out of the clouds to land, "We're off the map, Mommie."

We arrived and picked up the rental car, which proved to be another concept Reid couldn't wrap her head around. "Whose car is this? Are we taking somebody's car? Is this our car? Where is our car?" We tried to explain that we were borrowing the car, but she was convinced we were going to get in trouble for taking the car.

Friday evening, we hung out with our friends, the Knight family, at a nice little park not far from their house in Highlands Ranch. We cooked burgers, let the kids get really dirty, and just relaxed. Saturday, the Knight's boys - Buddy and Zach - had football games, so Jackson went with them and we headed out to do a little shopping. We hit Archivers, Wolf Camera, and took Reid to Build-A-Bear. We ended up in a nice outdoor mall that had our favorites - Apple, Williams-Sonoma, Hallmark, and a few other stops. Reid enjoyed the one-on-one time with Mom and Dad and loved the fact she was in Build-A-Bear getting just about anything she wanted.

Sunday morning we loaded up two cars and headed into the mountains to Winter Park. What a fantastic place! We bought all-day, unlimited passes to the activities and the kids (and adults) had a great time. We were able to ride the ski lift, bungie trampoline, gyro, human maze, putt putt golf, and the alpine slide. The alpine slide was slide down the mountain. We got in a little sled, that could be controlled with a joystick, and when flying down the mountain. Reid insisted on riding by herself, so I let her, but told her she had to ride behind me so I could control her speed. That little snot kept ramming my sled. I would speed up and she would speed up more, ram my sled, throw her head back and cackle. Jackson and the other two boys went down the faster of the two slide and they were just flying. Damon and Randy were also on the fast slide and everyone was having way too much fun.

After a little shopping, we headed down the mountains and stopped to eat in Idaho Springs. We tried to get a little pizza at Beau Jo's, but the wait was 45 minutes and with hungry, tired kids and adults, we opted not too wait and ate an Italian place across the street.

Sunday night, we stopped to see a friend of Damon's from high school - Jason and Danna Spohn. They were very welcoming and Jackson was in heaven because they had an xBox and two arcade games - Ms Pac Man and Donkey Kong. Reid feel asleep on the couch. I got to drool over Danna's scrapbooking ROOM.

Monday morning, we said goodbye to the Knight family and met high school friend of Damon's, Christie and her husband Patrick for breakfast. It was nice to meet them and take some time to visit.

We headed to the airport and had no problems dropping off the car, getting through security and getting to our gate. Reid was equally excited about flying home and loved the bus, train and getting back on the plane. Both kids sat down, relaxed and were out cold before we even got to cruising altitude.

It was a nice trip. Thank you Knight family for a great weekend. We will be back!

Craziness

I read an interesting article today - it summarized a study that said it is a myth that our kids our over-scheduled. Kids do fine with multiple activities, within reason, but it is the PARENTS who are stressed and overwhelmed. That's funny. And, hits it on the nose!

In the last two weeks, our fall schedule has fallen into place. Both kids are now in activities, different times, and we are now having those conversations, "Okay, you take this kid at this time. I'll pick them up, because this kid needs to be here at this time." Reid is in gymnastics and Jackson is back in swimming workouts. Tuesdays and Thursdays involve different start and end times for each kid. Let the fun begin.

Reid is loving gymnastics. We can't watch her class because of where they are in the gym, but she tells me she is learning backflips. From what we can here - we can hear over the wall - she is having a grand ole time.

Jackson is back in Splash Club workouts. They were on a two-week layoff while the pool was being repaired and were supposed to be back in the pool this week. The pool is still being cleaned and repaired, so they are doing dry land workouts - aka, running and playing games. But, it is a workout.

Tonight, we start back in the school-year routine for Wednesdays at church - dinner, children's choir, and AWANA. I am helping with pre-school children's choir, which really comes down to herding cats. They have changed the children's choirs this year to a program that divides the kids (they were all together last year - pre-school through 5th grade) into three age divided groups. Jackson's group (3rd-5th) will be working on learning more about music, including reading music. Reid's group will be working on learning the basics of music - beat, soft/loud, etc. They will also be learning songs that will build into a musical at Christmas.

We are headed to Denver this weekend to visit the Knight family, a family we went to church with who recently moved out there. We are flying out on Friday and coming home Monday. This will be Reid's first flight, so it will be interesting to watch her. I think she will enjoy herself.

Updates

Last Saturday, a friend of ours called and said, "You want to go to the lake?" Umm..yeah. He took us out in his boat and pulled the kids around in an floatable. He called it an inner-tube, but it was more like a triangle with two seats built into it. The kids sat down in the middle of it. Neither one of them has ever been on a boat or out on an inner tube like that. They both had a ball. Jackson was wanting to go faster and hit the bumps harder (it was pretty windy out on the lake, so it was choppy), but Reid had her limit and was readily communicating it when we started going too fast.

School has been in almost a week and both kids seem to be settling into their routines. Reid loves Pre-K and every morning we have the same conversation, "Mom, you can let me out here." Mom: "Can I stop the car first?" Reid: "Yes, but don't get out." She hops out of the car, runs in and heads to her classroom. Big, independent girl.

Tonight, Reid starts gymnastics. We had thought about dance, but between Reid telling us she didn't want to do it, she didn't want to do anything and the fact that it was near to impossible to get information out of the dance studio, we gave up on dance. She will go two days a week, for 50 minutes each night. I think she will like it once she gets started.

I have my first PTO meeting tonight - we'll see how this goes. So far, I haven't hacked anybody off, but it is early. Tonight is just a welcome/kickoff meeting, so it should be short/sweet.

Friday night, Damon and I are going on a date and going TO SEE A MOVIE WITHOUT ANIMATION. We have found a new babysitter and we are ready to rock date night again.

Saturday we are headed up to Winfield to spend the day with Grandma. The last time we were there was early June and she is getting antsy for a great-grandchildren visit. She hadn't pulled out the "roast" yet, but it was coming.

First Day of School

Big day...she gets to take her lunch, go to her Pre-K and stay there for the day! She has waited a very, very long time for this day and it is FINALLY here!

First day of 5th grade. Wow, big man on campus!

The first day of school is here. Two kids, two different schools, lots and lots of pencils, paper, notebooks, crayons, markers, and more.

We dropped Jackson off at Ranch Heights for his last, first day of school as an elementary kid. He didn't seem particularly excited, but he said he was ready. We drove over to Will Rogers Early Childhood Center, parked and got the cameras at the ready. Reid said, "I can walk in by myself." Uh, not. Jackson robbed me of this moment and dear Reid, you are paying for your brother's sin of not letting me walk him into his first day of school.

We took Reid in, found her teacher, and followed them to the classroom. I got a hug, but it was a half-hug. I don't think Dad even got a wave. This girl had things to do, people to see. Parents were huddled in the hallway and all of the kids had this look like, "Why are you guys still here?"

I teared up a little. Life has changed. Time is flying. But, at the same time, I am happy for Reid. Happy she is confident and ready to take on this new stage of her life. Happy that she isn't afraid to be in the middle of something new. Go get'em little girl.

Just Everyday Details

The summer is winding down, but the activity around here has not:

We had Jackson's birthday party at the swimming pool on July 31. He had a friend, Joseph, over to spend the night before and all day Friday. I don't think, no, I know I have never heard the word "dude" that many times. It was "Dude," "Dude," "Dude," all DAY LONG. Jackson enjoyed his party and received about $50 in cash/gift cards, plus a lava lamp.

I went to Curriculum Night at Reid's school on Monday, which gave me the opportunity to meet her teacher, see her classroom and get the low down on what she will be doing during her day. All I can say is, please pray for this teacher...she is going to have 23 four-year-olds. I need a magarita just thinking about that.

Monday night, we go back to Will Rogers Early Childhood Center for Open House. This is Reid's turn to check things out, take her school supplies and put them in her cubby, and meet her teacher. She is ready! She doesn't know this yet, but I will walk her in to her classroom, hand-in-hand. We will not have the Jackson-Running-Away-From-Me fiasco that we had when Jackson first went to school. Yes, she is paying for the sins of her brother.

Jackson's Back to School Open House night is Tuesday night. This his last year at Ranch Heights...I have a 5th grader. How did that happen?

Reid's last day of day care is tomorrow. The LAST DAY! I wrote the last check this week and I should have taken a picture of it. I will have to get an image of that check and scrapbook it. After 10 years, 9 years at the same day care...WE ARE DONE!!

Tonight, we are going to a birthday party at the pool and tomorrow night Jackson has a sleepover/birthday party at a friend's house. We are thinking about taking Reid swimming - a little Sissy one-on-one time.

This weekend, we actually have nothing, nada, zip, on our calendars. It was somewhere March the last time that happened.

Happy Birthday, Jackson

Happy Birthday, Little Man! Welcome to 10!!

Every year, you turn into a more incredible kid and, in these last six months, we have watched you mature into an even more confident, self-assured boy. You are really leaving behind your "little kid" ways and moving into your own identity as a "tween."

Even though you are maturing and becoming more independant, you still:

• Take my hand and want to walk hand-in-hand
• Can't sleep without your blankie
• Tell me I'm a good mommie at least once every day
• Say, "I love you Mom" at least 10 days times a day
• Want your parents to go to activities with you

I know those things are probably going to slip away more and more, but I am going to hold on to them and treasure them each and every time. (And continue to pray you will just stop growing for a second.)

You still surprise and delight people with your compassion and your ability accept people for who they are. We started a new church this year and you slid into that situation without a hitch, and in one ministry situation you showed your personality to a 99-year-old member of our congregation. You walked up to her, without hesitation, talked with her, and helped her blow out her candles. Not many 9-year-olds would do that.

You're a good (third parent) big brother to your Sissy. She worships you, I hope you know that. You are incredibly patient and giving to her, even when she isn't the most appreciative or the nicest to you. Thank you for that. Thank you for being someone Reid can count on.

You started a new sport this year - swimming - and joined the ConocoPhillips Splash Club. I hate to break it to you, kiddo, but you are not a natural born athlete. Mom and Dad did not bless you with athletic genes. But, that hasn't stopped you and it hasn't stopped from dreaming. This is the first sport you have done that you have aspired to moving up. Early into the training, you said you want to be on Gold Team - you are starting on bronze - and you have stuck to that. I have no doubt you will get there. It won't be easy, nothing worthwhile ever comes easy, but I see your determination and that will is your ticket. Hold on to it and swim!

In this your ninth year, we lost your Grandpa. But, you were loving, understanding and more worried about me than about yourself. I hope you know and will remember how much he loved you and how we said good-bye in a way that honored who he was and allowed you, his grandchildren, to have fun in the great outdoors, just where he was most at home.

Here's to another year of good-night tickles, food on your eyebrows, snotting Dad's pillow, leaving toys in the chair, and living, laughing, and holding on to every ounce of your childhood.

Happy 10th!

Mommie