FIRSTS!

Today was the first day of school for the kids. So I felt like it's a good time to get started on my blog, it's not my first post this year but my first post in a long time. I know I should blog about our fun summer, filled with friends (Tenley and Eden Reck) and swim team, the pool (lots of trips) swim lessons, the pool, the lake the water park, children's museums, ice cream...but I'll save all of that for a day I feel like catching up. Today is about our 1st day of school....

Kate is such an amazing little girl. She never ceases to amaze me. She popped right out of bed this morning which is pretty hard when you aren't a morning girl and was excited to get ready for her first day of 1st grade! She loves to learn and loves school and has missed it over the summer. Her teacher this year is Mrs. Stang. We met her briefly and the open house last Friday. When I asked her what she liked most about first grade today she told me she liked seeing Mrs. Stang again. She has a great mix of kids in her class, and Kate is excited about meeting new friends.

Lydia was a little shy about going into Ms. Sue's class, we stayed out in the hallway for a few minutes while she warmed up to the idea of going in. Brock had no problems heading right into the classroom! Once Lydia got in, she didn't want to leave. Ellie was there, and they played with the sand, play dough, red books, put stickers on her journal. I'm so excited for Lydia to have this opportunity to grow. She is my very clingy, yet mischievous child. She loves to be independent and to explore. She does get in to a little trouble. Today she spent most of the day singing. Just songs she makes up. It brightens my heart, I don't say anything because if I notice her singing she'll stop. So I just listen, and I love it.

Brockman, such a happy little boy who must be busy all-the-time! He has just grown up so much these last few weeks. He talks so well, and  I find it so cute when I ask him a simple questions like, "do you want to go outside" and he looks at me and shakes his head and says "NO" how come this simple word is so cute from a 22month old! He was so fun to watch in Ms. Sue's class today, sitting and acting like a big boy. I guess it won't be too long before I"m sending him.

I like bloging. I think I will do this more often!

Family Day

Wow, cant believe we spent the day as a whole family, all day, with no where to go. It didn't start out that way, we had 2 events planned for the day. The first things we did was got up and went to the Primary activity, pajamas and pancakes. Kate insised on wearing her nightgown with the unicorns, she wanted to look her "best". And Lydia who typically cares the most about clothes didnt just wore an old pair of jammies. The girls did great at the activity, sitting with their class and meeting their new teachers. They played a couple of games and  it was so cute to watch them get into it. I loved the smiles on their faces. It was really cute seeing Lydia sitting next to her big sister. Those two girls love each other so much, it warms my heart to see them together. They have such a bright future together, all my children do. We got home (actually this was the only part of the day we didn't spend all together since Daddy stayed home) Brock was building a fire, he loves building a fire in our firepit, any chance he has he's building a fire. So we spent most of the day outside since it was 63degrees in January. I was suppose to leave and take Kate to a birthday party, but we were having so much fun as a family and Kate and Lydia were loving on each other so much I couldn't break it up. So in the moment I decided to spend the day with my family outside.
Brockman was so cute just toddling around, this is his first real time outside since becoming a big independent boy. He loves being outside. And I love a baby boy that loves being outside. He loved "helping" with the firepit, eating marshmallow, hotdogs. It's so cute to listen to him walk around asking "what's this" one of his favorite little phrases.
I was a little stressed at one point because I had so much to do during the day inside the house. If I take any time off the house chores pile up fast. Dishes, toys, laudry, it gets out of control fast. The floors needed cleaning from the kids tracking in mud. I snapped at Brock that I never get a day off, and I don't  have time to sit around. Kate-6 years old- over heard me and stood at the back door. (I swear I will never let this memory leave my mind) She looked at me with her hands held outwards and big smile on her face and said "momma I heard you mention you needed a day off, I 'll give you a day off, what do you want me to clean" It was music to my ears. What an awesome kid I have. I told her to pick up the toys and vacuum the floor, which she did, she pulled the vacuum out all by herself. She then mopped the floor. Neither one of these things she did a great job at. I still need to redo them. But I love that she was wanted to give me a day off. It made me stop and realize that the house isn't what is important, that can always wait, there will always be a mess. I need to spend more time with them. I love my family, every single one of my children was sent to me for a reason and I'm learning so much from them.