back to school 2010 edition

This post is a month in coming. The boys actually started back to school on August 20th and I am just now getting around to a back to school post. What in the world!?!

We are getting used to our school routine and the boys are all having a great year. This is the one and only year all three of the boys will ever be in school together. That is so hard for me to wrap my head around! We absolutely lucked out this year as far as getting three incredible teachers (although I have to say it has been rare for any of the kids to get a "bad" teacher). For that, I am so thankful. Cale's teacher and teacher's assistant are constantly telling me how much they love Cale and the teacher's assistant is always telling me she wants to take him home with her...to which I reply, when do you want him! ;-) Coby is always telling me how nice his teacher is and he seems thrilled to go to school everyday. Connor is doing great and loving school as well this year. He got the teacher he wanted, his best friend is in his class and he is putting a lot of effort into his work. It doesn't get much better than that. This mommy is happy and I hope all three boys have a great school year. I think they will!

So, here are a few back to school pics....you know, a month late....

The school supplies were sorted...it was the first time that I had to sort/buy

supplies for all THREE boys!

August 19, 2010

Meet the Teacher Day

before leaving to meet their teachers

Cale sorting out his school supplies and putting them in their proper homes

I can't believe I am typing this, but Connor is in 5th grade...hence at the TOP of the school. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

August 20, 2010

First Day of School

the boys before heading out to their first day of school

Darren and the boys walking toward the school...we had to park pretty far away (Coby was hidden by Darren and I hate that!)

the bug on his first day ever of elementary school

sitting down to color a picture (he looks so little here, but I know that he is going to grow up so quickly and that makes me SO sad!)

After getting Cale settled in, Darren and I went to see Coby who told us we didn't need to walk him to class (WHAT?) I'm not sure that he loved us stopping by, but goodness he is only in 2nd grade, surely he isn't too cool for us already!?!

As for a classroom pic of Connor...that's not happening! He hasn't let us walk him to class for two years now and we don't dare stop by his classroom. I mean seriously how embarrassing would that be? ha

Darren and I went to breakfast and ran errands after dropping off the boys. It was so nice to have some time together. It was like date (only it was in the morning) and we didn't even have to line up babysitters. I think we can get used to this!

My mom told me that I'd probably be really sad after dropping Cale off on his first day of elementary school, but nope, I felt just fine about it! I mean he only goes for 2 1/2 hours so it's not like it's the "real deal" just yet. Next year...that's a whole different story. The first week after one of the boys goes to school all day for the first time is really hard on me, but after that I'm fine (and so are they). It will be strange having all three gone all day, but I'm sure I'll adjust just fine! I guess I'll find out next year. Where has the time gone?

show us where you live: living room

I am so excited that Kelly of Kelly's Korner is hosting a home tour again this year. This week we are sharing our living rooms. I am really excited about this because there are so many things I'd like to change in ours so I'm hoping to get some great ideas while going on all of the other tours.

Our living room is just that...the place where we truly do most of the living in this house. Everything in it must be comfortable. I love the size of our living room, but would love to paint it a darker shade and also do something different with the fireplace. I think I'd like to replace the brick with rock and paint the mantel a distressed black. Until then, I just decorate around it.

The pics are from the last show us where you live, but sadly not much has changed since then...

The above picture is the view of the living room from the entryway and the pic below shows both the living room and the "piano" room view from the entryway.

This is the view from the "piano" room.

This is the room that we named the "piano" room. It is supposed to be the formal dining room, but we just aren't formal people and prefer to eat at our kitchen table. So, we decided to turn it into a room that we could actually use. We pulled the hanging light fixture up toward the ceiling and turned this room it into an extension of the living room. We needed a place for the piano which was the piano my parents had when I was growing up. Darren loves to play, so they passed it on to us.

Thanks for stopping by our home! Up next Friday is the Master bedroom tour...it is my favorite room in the house! Happy Friday!

rainy days

What do you after school on a dreary, rainy day?

You get out the Lincoln Logs of course.

But only after mommy has kicked your booty in a mean game of Candy Land!

Rainy days at home are the BEST...especially when they're spent together.

sneak peek: back to school 2010

The boys started school on August 20th. Since I am too lazy to do a proper back to school post this will have to do for now....

I really hope to start getting caught up on here next week. During the summer I just decided the time with the kids was more important than blogging (but boy do I have a ton of pictures to share!) and I thought that once school started I'd have all kinds of time to get caught up. ha! That is not working out so well! Now I am busy driving to and from school 3 times per day, volunteering 2 days a week (just while Cale is in class), taking Connor to baseball practice and games, Coby to Karate 2-3 days a week, and helping the boys with homework. While they are at school I am trying to keep caught up with the house, meal plan, laundry, ironing, errands, etc. I really don't know how "working" moms do it!

I've told myself that this is the week in which I will add blogging back into the schedule (I do it for me so I have a journal of my kids growing up and I hate that I am SO far behind!), but for today, I am off to enjoy a beautiful day outdoors with all FOUR of my guys. We're so excited to have a rare three day weekend in which Darren is actually off. We plan to make the most of it...no plans, just hanging out and having fun together.

Hope you're enjoying your Labor Day!

last hurrah for the summer of 2010

Um, why do I think I'll ever get a GOOD

pic of these three boys together? Clearly it is NOT happening (as seen above and below!!!!) Oh. my. goodness.

Wow, it's been awhile...summer has been fun, but to be honest, I am ready for the kiddos to start school. Not necessarily because the boys are driving me crazy (although at times they are!) but because I like the routine that school provides and it also means we are just that much closer to fall. I heart fall!!!!! In fact, when I went to Sam's today I noticed they already had their mums and Halloween candy out. It made me SO happy. Fall is so close I can almost taste it! We have had lots of fun this summer...once the boys get back into school I plan to document it all, but for now I'll just share this past weekend (I promised myself a few weeks ago that I would enjoy what was left of the summer and let everything else go...and that I did! Darren can attest to that as the house has been a pit and the laundry has piled high, but you know what? The boys and I have had FUN and that's all that counts!

This is the second time over the past several weeks that we've been to the lake with the boys. These pics are all from this weekend. We went with mom and dad for the first time in a long time and Madison and Kristen joined us too. We had so much fun and were so worn out when we got home. It was our last hurrah of the summer, fun times were had and many memories were made.

DAY 1: SATURDAY the 14th

Connor and Coby were the first to take "Big Mable" for a ride

they had a ball

Darren and Cale hanging out while Connor and Coby took Big Mable out for the first time

Coby and cousin Madison on the boat

time for a cool-off swim

Darren and I rode "big Mable" with Madison and Cale, but Madison did NOT like it so we let her off just a few minutes after our ride had begun!

After Madison got off, and Darren, Cale and I had a great time on Big Mable

Mom (Nina) after a day on the boat. Her hair was out of control!

DAY 2: SUNDAY the 15th

While Connor and Coby tubed on Sunday this place came in for a landing, take-off, landing and another take-off in the small cove in which we were enjoying. It made me just a wee bit nervous having a plane landing so close to where we were in the water, but we enjoyed watching it nonetheless!

Nina and Calebug

c

Madison and Cale: "Partners in crime"

Dad (Poppy) with Madison (who sadly didn't enjoy riding Big Mable yet again!) and Cale

Dad and Cale had a great time together on Big Mable

We took a swim before heading in for lunch (I say WE swam, but in truth, Darren just lounged on "Big Mable"...bum!)

Madison was so worn out that she fell asleep while EATING lunch!

Sweet girl being carried back to the boat after lunch!

all of my boys testing out their rock throwing skills

Madison Taylor...she woke up!!!!

Coby Lane

Cousin Madison and Coby