School Days!

Hey Friends!  I know it's been too long since we've "talked" and I miss you!  Talk about hitting the ground running or flying . . . the last three weeks have been quite full!  To say the least!  So many things I'd love to share . . . you are just going to all have to come for a visit so we can sit and chat.  I've been trying to get this post up for like two weeks, waiting for pictures, but it's just going to have to do :)

After getting back from vacation, we jumped right in to two weeks of staff training.  Most mornings were spent together- sharing what God has been teaching us, learning some great tools to use with our kids, going over policy.  Afternoons were spent working on our areas (cottage for me) and getting ready for our kids. Then of course after working 8:30-4:30, evenings were spent hanging out with my kids, cooking dinner and trying to clean enough to keep our house together for the week!  Staff training ALWAYS makes me so, so thankful that I don't have to leave the house to work . . . those two weeks wear me out!  Thank you God for a stay at home job!!

 photo 016b_zps2502199e.jpg

Then on August 4th, the kids came back!  For us, that was just two boys . . . smallest number we've ever had, by far.  A third (returner) is in the works but seems to be taking the slow-road in getting here.  It was a good week, but also draining.  Boys were in school from 9-1 and with us the rest of the day . . . which meant mostly outside.  I normally love outdoors, but with this heat and being this pregnant, it's been horrible!  Our heat index has been near 100, which means I swell up like a balloon within 15 minutes of being outside.  Not fun.  But we made it!!!!

 photo 027_zpseff70037.jpg

And then Monday the 5th, our boys went back to school . . . and we started our own school year!!!!!!!!!!!!  Time will tell how "school" is going, we are actually not starting at a great time for getting into routines, but I"m just going with it and will assume that #1. life is unpredictable and "normal" may not be predictable and #2 we will figure out how to make it work!  That being said, we've had a good week.  One day Shannon's response was "Kindergarten is so hard" (because I made her finish something she started).  And the next day was "Kindergarten was so fun today!  It's not supposed to be fun, it's supposed be hard!"  When I told her that it WAS supposed to be fun, her little face got a huge smile on it, ha!  We'll talk more about school later, but for now we're working on making it a habit and figuring out how to make lunch, keep the house clean, work a full-time job, blah, blah, blah.  And about the time we get a habit, baby will come and we'll go back 50 steps.  But I guess that's life, too!

 photo 020b_zpsd5194a39.jpg

All the staff kids have started school- most are homeschooled, three started their public school Monday . . . check out this group of kids who are probably some of THE most loved kids in the world!

 photo 076-copy_zps67810033.jpg

Shannon also started gymnastics, our one "extra" thing we've added.  She loves it (big surprise there, ha), and has done very well.  It's amazing to me how hard they work the kids- it's the best gym in Orlando (they go up to "team" level including some kids who have gone on to pre-olympic stuff, etc.).  Shan is just doing recreational (and I can't imagine ever going to the team level . . . not really interested in sacrificing my child's body like that, spending the time or money!!!), but they WORK these kids at recreational level!  It's a solid hour of gym work, no fluff or prancing around.  Very neat :)

 photo 018b_zps4f6daeb2.jpg

Let's see, what else.  BABY!  34 weeks  today . . . let's see- gained 19 pounds so far, fundal height measurement is slowing down (didn't change in 2 weeks) but that's pretty normal- happened with both Shan & Forest, resulting in an extra ultrasound and of course babies were not just fine, but still average weight.  I told the midwife that and so no big deal for now.  Still dealing with an a-symptomatic UTI caused by GBS colonized in my system.  Not a big deal because there ARE no symptoms- just watching to make sure it doesn't cause pre-term contractions, etc.  And treating it naturally- piles of pills (cranberry, garlic, C with Bioflavinods, Echinacha, huge quantities of probiotics).

I managed to get the stains out of all Shan's baby clothes (well the few that I saved, mostly dresses and hats) by doing over-night soaks and washes in Oxyclean and then some major sunning outside!  So between those clothes and what we got at our shower, AND a surprise hand-me-down box, we are set for 0-6 month clothes!  Gotta do some organizing of them, wash some blankets and buy those piles of little "things" that are needed (wipes, pads for me, etc. etc.) but the big stuff is done!  Hard to believe she'll be here soon!

Comments

I've been missing you! Been thinking of you doing your school and balancing your crazy life. Can't believe how soon baby girl will be here!! Eek!

That school picture of all the kids is priceless! They posed so well .. it just cracks me up. Such a creative idea. Love the little signs for your kids too, and how much Shan is enjoying kindergarten, even on the rough days :)

The gymnastics class sounds awesome!!! What great endurance, strength, and skill she'll learn! I kept going back and forth on ballet classes for Soph, and I just haven't had a peace about it. I've decided that must be my "no." I really would love her to, but I've heard that the recitals include all the classes, there's a lot of risque dancing for little girls, and I think she's bound to see some of it even if she is just in a ballet class. I think we'll reevaluate next year, but for now, I feel good about the decision.

Okay! Hope your day is going well! Hope we can chat soon! Love you!

Popular Posts