First Days and New Normal

Howdy.  I've got some back to school photos of my cuties.  August was a big change in our routine and we are loving it.  Dakota started 3rd grade on August 10.  Corban had his practice day of kindergarten on August 12.  Sage started daycare August 17 which is when Corban started full time and I went back to work.  I know you are disappointed that I don't have a "back to work" picture of myself but the kids are cuter anyway.  After 2.5 years of yoga pants and running shoes I am actually enjoying dressing up and putting on make up.

I had contemplated going back to work when I had 2 in school but hadn't really approached the subject.  I got a call from my former employer asking me to come back to help.  We agreed on a part time schedule so I could balance family and work easier.  After two full weeks, I am really loving it.  The kids are all thriving at school and even Sage is loving her new independence and friend time.

I really prayed about this transition and feel like going back to work was just what I needed at this time.  I am loving relaxed mornings, a little adult time during the day and then family time in the evening.  While I do miss my gym time, I am thankful the weather has permitted me to hit the pavement in the evenings.  The kids and Jacob have even started riding bikes alongside me which makes it extra fun.  I'm really hoping this routine continues to go well for us and that we aren't just in a "honeymoon stage" of something new.  I'll get back with you in a few months and let you know.  Until then...

 First day of 3rd grade.  She's wearing an outfit that her boyfriend of 8 years bought her for her birthday.

 Sage walked brother in on his first day.

 Corban was SO excited about school.  He only went one day the first week and they did assessments and assigned teachers after that week.

 Sage has loved every day of school so far.  Side note:  Since it was my first day of work, Dakota got herself and Sage ready while I was in the shower because she knew we couldn't be late.  She even did her hair.  I didn't have the heart to redo it and crush her little 8 year old spirit so I left it like this all day.  Dakota is such a big helper with Sage and she genuinely helps with a cheerful heart because she adores her baby sister.

First day of school with his real teacher.

School Boxes

Every once in a while I complete an organization project and feel like I need to pat myself on the back.  I'm not the most organized chick in the world which is funny because some things I can be really particular about.  I still haven't quite figured myself out.  Anyway, I pinned this project a few years ago and knew that it was something I had to tackle.

The plastic bins can get a little expensive so I finally just got the ones from Office Depot that were on clearance for $10.  I had planned on getting them at Joann's but I was already out and didn't have my coupon.  They sell the Sterilite brand which are $20 a piece but frequently put them 40% off or you can use your coupon - so check there if you aren't in a hurry.  The bins I bought can be used with letter or legal size folders.  I decided to go with legal size.  This might be overkill but every once in a while a larger drawing comes home so it might be worth it.

If you don't want to make your own labels then click on the inspiration link and she gives you freebies.  I didn't want to buy any new labels so I just used whatever size I had and printed them from Avery.com.  I really love using their online design & print software - it's way more user friendly than trying to do it in Word.  I just pulled a template that looked like paper and typed a title for the tab and then made a larger label for the school/teacher info.  Probably not as cute but I got it done super quick.

I then added some school pictures from k-2 for this sweet girl - stuck on with washi tape and started filling the folders.  One other thing that I decided to do was add some extra folders in the back for the following:

• church:  dedication, baptism, etc.
• sports: recitals, certificates, etc.
• birthdays: invitations, special cards, unique decorations, etc.
• medical: our doctor gives us a sheet at every appointment with stats so we have quite a few of these, shot records, etc.
• other special:  first tooth, first haircut, ear piercing certificate, etc.

Feels good to get this tackled.  I will keep them in a hall closet where I can get to them pretty easy.  I will say that we have set expectations pretty low at our house for what we keep.  We keep very few art projects unless it is a first (first time they color, write their name, draw a picture), includes hand, feet or thumbprints or if it took extra creativity like writing a story or drawing a picture.  If my child glued a cotton ball on a plate then it's not going in the box.  I still need to go through the various drawers and closets in the house to find the last 7 years of papers that need filed but at least as I stumble upon them then they have a place to go.

This project cost about $100 ($75 for boxes/folders/labels, $10 for washi tape, $15 for the vinyl lettering) but I would say it was worth it for something that should last many years and should limit on desk drawer clutter.  

Celebrate: Dakota Turns 7! And Starts 2nd Grade!

As usual, Dakota's birthday and the start of school coincided - which is crazy to me because my nephew just started yesterday and we are already in week 5.  Hard to believe.  Dakota was really excited about school starting, in fact, she actually missed it all summer.  She absolutely loves school and I am thankful for her eagerness to learn.  She was a little nervous on the first day because she has a man teacher this year and I guess that seemed a little unorthodox to her.  When I picked her up she said, "He is so sweet!" and has really enjoyed him so far.  She also got accepted into the gifted program and will have a few days a week where she participates in an alternate class that will hopefully challenge her a little more.

 I'm pretty sure I was half this height in 2nd grade.

 First year with short hair - she got gum stuck in it and thought she could cut it without me knowing.  She cut out a HUGE chunk and I could have easily gotten the gum out if she would have told me.  So this was the fix.  It is definitely easier but I think it makes her look older...sniff.

Look how much she has grown up since last year's first day!

Dakota really is such an amazing girl.  I get frustrated over the normal attitudes that come with raising a little girl but other than those expected annoyances - she is such a big help and blessing to us.  I really am so proud of her and who she is growing to be.  

This year Dakota fell in love with Legos - especially Lego Friends.  She got a few sets for Christmas and has since become fully obsessed.  In fact, she currently says she wants to be a "Lego Maker" when she grows up.  I tried to explain that's kind of what I do only with real buildings but I think she meant she wants to get paid to play with them all day.  She can be entertained for hours with her sets, following every single little direction and if she messes up, she will start over.  All of that Lego love lead to an obvious theme for her bday.  We decide to invite a few of her closest girlfriends for a small, at-home dinner and play time. They ate, built a few Lego sets (although I don't think her friends are into them as much as she is), had their nails painted, watched a Lego Friends cartoon and just did whatever little girls do best, which involved a lot of squealing.  I don't think I'm going to be ready for a slumber party for a while...

 Lego offers lots of free downloads which is awesome so I took one of the printable invites and added all of my own text in Photoshop.  I also printed some of the mazes and coloring pages for the girls to do at the party.

 We've already established that I am not a great cake decorator so I went simple here; although I still about had a catastrophe trying to get the 7 to stand up after it fell off of it's base which was already embedded in the cake.

Little ponytail holder "lollipops" for favors.  The girls also got a small Lego set.

  We quickly constructed something to hold forks but the rest of the island was covered with her big Lego Friend sets as decorations.  Her smaller sets we put on the table for the girls to build.

The girls took over the dining room table and it was so cute.  Dakota requested:  chicken nuggets, macaroni & cheese, strawberries, blueberries, green beans and rolls.

I love these two girls.

I Chose a Swanky Gym Over Preschool

School is back in full swing here in TN and since I have a 4.5 year old people are constantly asking me, "Where are you sending Corban to preschool?"  Um...I'm not.  That's right, I'm not sending my kid who starts kindergarten in 2015 to preschool and I'm not even homeschooling him.  And you know what?  I don't feel guilty about it.  In February of this year I made the decision to pull him out of his 2 day program.  He loved it and I'm sure he was learning stuff but when he was sick for a day or we were out of town, I still had to pay and that hurt.  I hate throwing away money and at $30/day it wasn't just pocket change.  One of the big reasons I pulled him out was because I desperately wanted and needed a gym membership.  Not just any gym membership but a top of the line, feels like a spa, has it all gym membership.  It just wasn't really in the budget to do both preschool and the gym.  So I chose the gym.  Yes, I realize this could be seen as a selfish move but I think it was the best thing for our family and here's why:

-I truly believe this membership has helped me combat a second round of anxiety disorders.  After I weaned Corban in 2010, my hormones went crazy and so did I.  I was terrified the same thing would happen when I weaned Sage in April and I really believe that being active and getting out of the house daily has kept me from becoming another mess.

-This gym has a rock climbing wall which has allowed our family to do something we didn't normally get to do.  My kids love climbing and Jacob and I love our climbing "dates".

-The gym has a Kids Academy where Corban takes classes while I am in classes.  Today he did a school skills class and gymnastics.  Sage even got to practice tumbling and painting this week.  Some days he does sports classes or karate.

-I get a little break from the kiddos.  I love my kids but momma needs just a little time to herself.  Let's face it, a majority of parents send their kids to PDO or preschool to have a break, not because they really think their kids need it.  I'd rather just have that break while I exercise (or sit in the sauna - not that I've done that...yet).

So why am I telling you this?  I'm not trying to justify my decision (I know it was the right one) but rather I want to encourage other moms out there and let you know that it is ok to do something for yourself, even if it seems a little unconventional.  In the big picture of Corban's life, he's going to remember having a happy, healthy momma a lot longer than the cute preschool graduation ceremony he participated in.  So moms - if you are struggling with a choice between you or your kids - pick yourself every once in a while, it may be just what your kid really needs.

I'd love to hear some other examples...what have you done for yourself lately that turned out to benefit your kids?

Celebrate: Dakota turns 6!

This year we went with a simple ice cream theme for Dakota's birthday party.  Nothing says "summer" like a cold, sweet treat and well....we REALLY like ice cream in this family.  We may go through a few too many Kroger "party pails" at our house.  side note:  Kroger's cookies & cream in the party pail is one of the best cookies & cream ice creams out there!  seriously, get you some!  Anyway, we are in therapy for it and hope to kick the habit soon.  I did a horrible job at taking pictures this year but we had a great time celebrating our oldest child and the sweetness she brings to our life.

 Grammy and Poppy couldn't make it for the actual birthday party because they were closing on their beach house in Hilton Head (more fun beach adventures ahead!).  They came a week early with cake in tow and lots of energy to play.

 Dakota and Corban helped paint the ice cream cones for the banner.

 Welcome to our ice cream parlor!  

sidenote:  I think we need to pressure wash the algae off of our front steps.  Just saying.  

I bought these cute ice cream bowls at Wal-Mart and grabbed a few paint pens for them to decorate their bowls.  They served as a party favor and dish!

 It had rained a little before the party so we made a decision to move it inside.  I always knew our ridiculously large foyer would come in handy for something other than collecting shoes and dust.  They decorated their bowls here and then headed to the kitchen to fill them with ice cream and toppings - which I failed to photograph :(.  Just pretend there is a picture of  ice cream with sprinkles, m&m's, marshmallows, gummy bears, whipped cream, nuts, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, Oreos, chocolate syrup, caramel, etc. :)  

 2 of the cute boys from Dakota's kindergarten class.

 Dakota really wanted a pinata.  They are classic and timeless.  The humidity was 100% and I couldn't get any good outdoor photos.

 No worries, Jacob had the black eye prior to the pinata.

 Happy 6th Birthday Sweet Girl!!

This year we collected baby food for a local food pantry; a need often overlooked when people donate canned goods.  Dakota's friends were so generous and the food pantry was so appreciative.  In the past we have collected coats and school supplies.

 Dakota started 1st Grade on her actual birthday, August 5th.

Miss Hartman made her day special with the "birthday rug" under her desk!

Kindergarten is Complete!

Kindergarten has come and gone and it has certainly been a mixed bag of a year.  I am so proud of how well Dakota did academically but we had our days that put me to the test.  This little girl was almost a perfect angel at school but some evenings she came home and ate.me.alive - like a little Jekyll and Miss. Hyde action.  I tried to be patient because I realized what a big transition she was going through (no longer taking naps, long days of continuous activity, new friendship dynamics, etc.) but I probably wasn't the best mom in the world this year.  I found out I was pregnant the day after she started kindergarten and didn't have Sage until 5 weeks before the whole thing was over; I was basically pregnant for her entire first year of elementary school.  I was also working full-time and studying to become a licensed architect - all of which made me a little exhausted and a little on edge at times.  All I wanted to do in the evenings was sleep, I certainly didn't want to explain the differences between a nickel and a dime.  Side note:  Dakota had perfect report cards except for 2 in which she just couldn't correctly name the coins and their values.  I'm not sure why it stumped her so bad but I'm thinking she won't be a finance major.  So, while I don't think I gave her the attention she deserved and needed this year, I am so thankful that we survived and that she still loves me unconditionally.  I am looking forward to 1st grade - I think she's got the school thing down and since I'm not working and pregnant (nor plan to be!) I feel like I will have the energy needed to be a mom of a school ager.  I'm not so naive to think that each year won't have its struggles but I think K will be marked as one of our tougher ones - that is until, gulp, puberty.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves though...there is a lot of summer fun to be had. 

The day before her last day her music class put on a performance of all of the best songs they learned throughout the year.  It was super sweet and I was really impressed with the music program and teacher. 

 BFF's

 Dakota with her Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Jones.

I'm proud of this girl.

Sweet Sage, you'll be in Kindergarten before we know it....

Celebrate: Dakota Graduates Preschool!

It seems like just yesterday that I popped this nugget of cuteness out...

...but today I watched her in her first of who knows how many graduation exercises.  If she's like her daddy, it could be a lot.  It was pure sweetness and my heart was proud.  I can't believe we start the big "K" in a few short months!  Sorry these first pictures are horrible but my camera wasn't liking the lighting and well, I'm no professional.

 Walking down the aisle to "Pomp & Circumstance"

"This Little Light of Mine"

"You're a Grand Old Flag"

 Proud Mommy & Daddy

Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Rene

Sillies.

p.s. Do I get a prize for blogging about something the day it happened??  That's an achievement for me!