1st day of school

Avery started 1st grade yesterday, and say started VPK (preschool). Sage goes from 8:30-11:30 5 days a week, and the YMCA. They both had a wonderful first day. Avery's teacher is Mrs. Richards who we have been friends with since we moved to Lake Wales almost 9 yrs ago. I am thrilled to have her teaching Avery this year. Sage has Mrs Shanta who was also Avery's preschool teacher. I am happy with both teachers. It should be a really fun year.

Sold

We sold our house!!!! Well I guess it's not sold yet, we signed a contract to sell it. But the lady who is buying it was preaproved so it should go smoothly. The plan is go close on Oct 20th! We are super excited, and have already began to look for our new house.

So far we haven't found anything already built that we like. The prices seem to be the same if we buy old, or build new. So I think we're going to build new. We have been talking to several different developments and pouring over house plans........lol We go talk to someone again on Wednesday. We are leaning toward one area right now because the lot we like only has neightbors on one side and is open on the other 2. Plus the sunsets are beautiful from the top of the hill.

We aren't set in stone about anything yet. It's all just a process. But we are having a lot of fun with it.

So say prayer that it all goes smoothly and I'll be able to pack everything up in the next 8 wks.

One more week

One week from today I will have a 1st grader, a child in Pre-K and one still at home with mommy. Where did the time go. As a child I always wanted to be a mom. But I always invisioned myself as a mom of babies. I guess I never really though past the diaper stage. Now I am still in the diaper stage as well as the preschooler stage and the "classroom mom" stage. I guess I'll find out what it feels like soon enough.

I have mixed emotions about school starting up again. I have loved this summer. It was just so fun going places with the girls, seeing family, and just hanging out. But at the same time I am looking forward to the routine that comes along with school. By the end of the year I will hate it and be ready for it to be over. But now I am looking forward to dropping the girls off at school, going to the gym, going grocery shopping with just one, and having the girls in bed by 7:30 every night (that we can). I am not looking forward to the rushed schedule of getting Capri to nap between picking up Sage, and picking up Avery. The driving to Winter Haven for gymnastics, dance, and church. Plus doing homework, and bath time all before bedtime.

I am however excited because I loved going to school when I was little. I love the small of crayons and elmer's glue. I love seeing all the backpacks and lunch boxes in cubbies. So I am excited for the girls, because so far Avery has loved school as much as I remember liking it. Even better because so far she hasn't come home crying over anything (like so and so won't play with me). She enjoyed every day. And I am sure Sage will too. Plus I get some great one on one time with my sweet baby Capri who is growing up way to fast.

So like I said, I have many mixed emotions. :)

Thank you

I went on a walk last night feeling sorry for myself. I was feeling unappreciated which I am sure all Stay-at-home mommies feel frequently. Being a SAHM is a thankless job. Capri doesn't say Thank you for me changing her diapers, Sage doesn't say thank you for taking her to weekly gymnastics classes, Avery doesn't say thank you for me teaching her hot to read, and Nick doesn't say thank you for me washing his clothes (or at least not as much as I would like).

I then proseeded to make a mental list of all the things that I do, to validate my feelings of unappreciation. I cook, clean the whole house, grocery shop, change diapers (and wash them since I colth diaper) do all the laundry for 5 (washing, folding, and putting away), take care of the girls and do fun things with them...... The list goes on. Also while having 3 small kids at home all summer and entertaining them, I have had to keep the house as clean as I can because it's on the market. Which has included frantically cleaning to show the house (which I have done several times). I could keep making a list, but I am sure you get the idea. ")

Then I realized I was being selfish. I WANT to do all these things for my family. I WANT to be a SAHM. Which lead me to some guilty feelings. Do I tell the people in my life thank you for all that they have done for me. Have I told my parents thank you enough for all the things they did for ME as a child. Do I tell Nick thank you enough for working so hard and supporting our family so that I CAN stay home. Do I tell my friends thank you enough for listening to me on a hard day, do I say Thank you enough to my friend Tammy for the countless hours that she has watched my children for me.............. No I don't. So why can I whine about feeling under appreciated when I have made others feel the exact same way.

At that moment I stopped at the top of a hill along my trial. It's a point in my town where you can look down apon part of the town and see a play park, a skate park, a soccer field, a baseball diamond, and a running trail that goes around a lake. I saw families playing games, dad's pushing their daughters on the swings, a bunch of teenage boys playing touch football, and some teenage girls watching the boys at the skate park. :) I also saw the beautiful sky, the clouds, birds, flowers, and a beautiful pink sunset. It's at that moment that I realized even more important that forgetting to tell my friends and family thank you. I often forget to tell God thank you.

I wouldn't be a SAHM, have a family, have friends, or have the trillions of other blessings in my life if it weren't for him. What a humbling moment. God created all of this for me at that moment. God loves me even though I forget to say thank you. He continues to bless me even though I don't deserve it. Wow!

So today I encourage everyone to say Thank you to God and to all of the people in your life both past and present.

Psalms 9: 1-2
"I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High."

The last days of summer.....

We have had so much fun this summer. We've been to the movies, the mall, the park, Bok Tower, the Orlando Science Center, the beach, been to playdates, pool parties, birthday parties, church activies, had family visit....... Lots of fun stuff. But I still can't believe it's August and school will start in just a few short weeks. We are all prepared. Avery went to "Blast off to first grade" last week. We've gotten new clothes, backpacks, shoes, socks, and school supplies for both girls. They are super excited!

Avery will be going into 1st grade at Hillcrest Elementary. She loved kindergarten and is even more excited for first grade. She spend most of last year in the 1st grade reading class because she was reading so well, and completed the book, so my guess is that sometime after school starts they will move her into the 2nd grade reading class.

Sage is going to VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarden) at the YMCA. She goes 5 days a week from 8:30-11:30. She is super excited about going to school for the first time.

So it's just me and Capri at home in the mornings. I am going to be sad. I've had fun with all my girls home this summer.

My drop off/pick-up schedule looks like this:
7:45 Take Avery to school
8:30 Take Sage to school
11:30 Pick-up Sage
Hopefully Capri will take a nap during this time
2:30 Pick-up Avery from school

Wed nights we have Awana for both girls, Thursday nights we have Gymnastics for Sage, and some night we will have dance for Avery, I don't know what night that is yet.

I'm going to be busy..........