BOOTS

He has long admired his daddy's cowboy boots,

see the joy on his face now that he has a pair of his own...he has been clippety clopping allover the house, now all he needs is his horse.

Now what??

What will I ever do with ONLY two at home?????

SCHOOL

Here they were last year's first day of school

8/25/2008 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

Anna will be in fifth grade, Emma third, and Jakob first. They all woke up very excited and a bit early. I made them monkey bread, which Emma informed me is okay once in awhile since it isn't a really healthy choice. I was happy that I was off the hook for cooking for the remaining 9 months, cereal anyone? not such a morning person lately.

The kids are on bus 8 this year, and we were excited b/c apparently the dirver of bus 8 is a fun lady that decorates and stuff...the school redid all the routes this year, and I should have suspected something when the bus was 20 minutes late...different bus, same Mr. Tom from last year who many times drove past the house and never stopped, even at drop off. Hopefully he will get better as the weeks go by.

I hope they have a wonderful day!!!

HAIR

This one doesn't want his haircut, because he wants to look like these guys:

Maybe people are right when they tell me Sam is such a cute little girl, so we

cut off 2 inches, not really Samantha anymore

Was not sad to say goodbye to the stache!!

The girls and I like to look at hair styling blogs, though it is not my talent...maybe it is Anna's?? Here are a few of her MANY styles she created on Emma.

thoughts

Today I feel very pregnant, and I realize I still have 10 more weeks (or more) to go. It wasn't too happy about that. What am I going to do? And is this feeling uncomforable easier than taking care of a newborn, I still need to potty train Sam, the kids will be in school, Chris will be gone on interviews, it could very well put me over the edge. I will have to look VERY deep inward to find some strength, Lots of prayers needed!!!

The kids begin school in 1 week, they got their teacher letters and next week we will get backpacks (no school supplies as the school provides them :) and get a little more organized (I hope!!)
What I will not miss when the kids are back in school:
a million popsicle sticks all over
LOUD
a million band-aid wrappers from the war wounds
LOUD
LOTS more laundry especially from the hundred beach towels that are so large I am wondering why one small child may need 5 or 6 of these to dry off with
A very MESSY house
Bickering amongst the children and me with them
Chaos
unfinished craft projects, glue, paint, and other concoctions that make a MESS
sweeping, vacuuming, etc about 10 times a day


but I will miss playing in the backyard, eating outside, their plays and productions, watching them be kids, their help with the little two monsters, staying up late watching movies (olympics), sleeping in, Anna's pancakes, playing chase, crafts, going to Hershey Park, NO activities to taxi them to, and just them.

For the last two summers we have committed to nothing, no classes, and it has been great. because they are only kids for such a short while and during school year we are so busy, I am sure we will not be able to do this forever so I am trying to enjoy the small and sometimes far between sweet moments and hope the kids will have happy childhood memories.

And I am thinking I love white, maybe because we have usually lived in a smaller house and white is clean and stuff, but I think I will need to get a wash on my kitchen cabinets or something because they are disgusting, it could be the dirty feetprints from climbing up the cabinets or my kids cooking projects. I am SO excited to move into a bigger house in the near future, I almost don't believe it is going to happen. I would like to think you (I) can be happy in any circumstance, but I think I might be a little happier in a slightly larger home with a bit of privacy. Maybe my house won't look so unkempt also if all my stuff was in a bigger place??

the Nursery

Since Nolan and the baby girl will be sharing a room, I've decided to do a Dick and Jane vintage retro theme room, not too much with matchy bedding...just some gingham and dots sheets, ric rac trim added to a solid bedskirt maybe. Nolan loves his crib so I will be on the lookout for a second one. He already has a chenille bumper which will go nicely, but the curtains will be this fabric (above). I am going to paint my changing table green. I have a peg shelf to go above and am wondering what cute things to put on it. I saw a cute little red wagon, any other ideas? I am thinking of painting the walls a buttery creamy color, so do not know if the fabric I get should be the white background or off-white? Also, will order a Dick and Jane calendar for a couple of prints to frame to put over where the glider rocker that is on my wish list. The room is fairly small so I cannot put a bunch of stuff in it.

I finally sewed some curtains for Jakob's closet today (there are no doors). I've had this fabric (9 yds of Waverly Wild West )for about 3 years and now we will make some cornice boards and the room will finally be finished in the cute cowboy theme.

Wish I would have gotten my house all decorated before I had 10 months to enjoy it. Still on the lookout for a shower curtain for the bathroom. If you have any cute ideas, pass them on please!

road side stand

Since we did not learn from last year, and planted too many vegetables again this year...our kids had their first road side stand. Selling the veggies for 50 cents...a two day total over $30. They did not stand out the entire time as we just let people come and take what they wanted....although a family stopped by to buy the radio we had out there for the 50 cents. I thought it was funny. They are not into selling, but we still ahve plenty of tomatoes if interested!