Summer...where art thou??

I am so frickin' tired....and to think I have 184 more days of this horrible schedule. Okay, it isn't horrible-just incredibly tiring. It is Thursday and I am truly exhausted-right to the bone. And on top of it all, we have to be out for Elisabeth's bus at 7:35. Last year, I was barely awake by 7:35 and now I have to be up, showered, and dressed by that time. I guess I could go out without clothes but I think the kids on the bus might be a little frightened :) On top of doing all of that, I have to calm E. down about 10 times as she freaks out about her upcoming day and wrestle I. out of her pj's and fight her to shut off Calliou. You wonder what my darling partner is doing? Getting himself dressed :) It was so much easier to leave with both girls in the car, drop I. off at Bonnie's, and take E. to school with me. After school, I race out of school, grab I., and head home to meet E.'s bus. Todd does drop I. off 2 mornings a week and pick her up if I have a meeting.

Elisabeth is quite sure she failed her first middle school test. You ask what class it is?? WOOD!!! WHY, in all that is good, did she have to take a test on wearing goggles and earmuffs?? Who gives a sh*& about the grain of wood when you are making a PEG BOARD GAME??????? From what I hear, the dude teaching the class prefers boys, only likes those students that are into what he is teaching, and is basically a stuck-up retired teacher who had nothing better to do than come back to middle school and scare 6th graders to death. Elisabeth is quite sure she is going to fail this test, be sent to the principals office, and get a detention. Right now she is flapping her gums about this very subject trying to convince her father that she needs him to take her into school because she is so nervous. And to think I have to go through all this again in 9 years. UGH.

Bella has returned to her normal, adorable self.

Time for night-night. I can't even stay up long enough to see Big Brother.

Terrible Two's Times Two Thousand!!!

I don't know what has hit my darling baby girl, but she has become a little she-devil!!! I honestly considered admitting her into the psych ward of the hospital on Saturday night. She had been a nasty-ass all day and then when I thought she would finally smile and have fun with her friends at church on Saturday night, she cried so hard that we had to go and get her from the toddler room! She has always been the one to walk right into a completely strange environment and do fine. After wrestling with her for an hour and not listening at all to the message, we went to dinner where she continued with her stellar mood. By the time we got home, I was more than ready for bed (HERS and MINE) but thought I would be a good mother and gave her a drinkable yogurt. She took one look at me and dumped it all over the kitchen floor. Bedtime came quickly, let me tell you. I think she sensed she was in some major trouble because she never even whimpered when I went through the nightly routine in 30 seconds flat. This morning, she was in time out more than she was out and all she had to do was get dressed and eat her breakfast!!! She did break my heart, though, when she looked at me while eating breakfast and said, "No go Bonnie's house. Stay here at Mommy's house." UGH!! Talk about guilty working-mom feeling! Luckily she was an angel at Bonnie's and slept over 2.5 hours.

Elisabeth had a good day at school today and came right in after she got off the bus and started on her homework - some of which isn't even due until Friday! She starts soccer on Wednesday :) She is so patient and kind with Isabella. I am extremely proud of her attitude towards school and all of the changes she has had to face in the past week....

Happy Birthday, Lucy!!

My one-and-only favorite niece is 1 today!!!! Happy Birthday, Baby Girl:)

New hair, new school

OPEN your eyes, Elisabeth!!!


Elisabeth survived!!! On a scale of 1-10, her day was a 6. I was hoping for an 8 or 9 but at least it wasn't a 1!! She has already started whining she doesn't want to go back tomorrow. Whine away, babe...you're going regardless!!!

I got my haircut tonight....Katie Holme's style!! I also had my blonde turned bronze highlights colored red. I am a new woman...hear me roar!!!

Thanks to Sara and Lizzie for the beautiful "Happy First Day of Middle School" flowers!!!

Tears :(

This is Isabella taking a nap at 7 pm last night...thought she would sleep through the night but she woke up 40 minutes later and was up until midnight!!!!




No, not Isabella. Elisabeth. Poor baby is going to miss her mama!!! We (Isabella and I) dropped her off at her classroom-yes, I believe I was the only mother that walked her middle schooler into school, and she started to cry when she the classroom. Luckily the teacher and student teacher were very sympathetic - they hugged her and told her she would be okay. Just like the first day of preschool. I left her at her locker with Isabella saying, "Bissabiss crying. Bissabiss sad. Bissabiss miss Daddy." I did sneak by at lunch time and she was all smiles. We will see how the day goes when I pick her up at 3:15.

Indoor Play Park

On Friday, Cindy (my new best friend) and I took our kids to an indoor play place about 45 minutes away. It was so nice!!! It was not busy and the kids were able to run around and play without having to be constantly watched-except for the time Derek (18 months old) decided to go in the kitchen door and walk through so that he was outside the LOCKED play area. Thank God I spotted him in between the gabbing and drinking and eating we were doing!!!

Today we hung around the house and ran some errands-which included buying a new toilet seat. Fun, fun! I made Elisabeth go over to a friend's house for fun (she wanted to stay and play Game Cube all day) and now, at 9 pm, she doesn't want to come home!!

Tomorrow we are off to church if we can get our butts out of bed!!! Elisabeth wants to go listen to more "holy" music :)

Funny Isabella

Me: What color is your CHOCOLATE lollipop?
Bella: Bue (blue). No, it's geen (green).

Upon arriving home with Elisabeth's chocolate covered marshmallows...
Bella: Bissabiss (Elisabeth)!!! Nook (look)!! Bella has mahs mallo (marshmellows)!!!
Elisabeth: You have my marshmallows?? WOW!
Bella: Thanks!

Bella: More Taiyou (Calliou)!
Me: Calliou is all over....
Bella: How 'bout Dora?
Me: Dora is over...
Bella: How 'bout Woner Pets (Wonder Pets)??
Me: How about bed???
Bella: (SCREAMING) NO BED! NO BED!!

Elisabeth's Back to School Night

Elisabeth had her 6th grade Locker Night...I think it is called that because all 300 kids were completely freaking out that they wouldn't be able to unlock the combination lock. And more than half of them were right!!! I think it took Elisabeth 10 times and then she was a pro! We met with her teacher and student teacher (who we know) as well as the rest of her teachers she will see throughout the day (art, music, gym, German, tech ed, family and consumer science, and math). About 20 minutes into the 2 hour evening, she had her arm around her best friend and they were skipping down the hall. I remarked in the car how God was really looking out for her...she replied, "Yeah, I turned some holy music on in the shower and prayed it would go well."

I would post pictures but she told me I couldn't take any :(

Going to Bonnie's.....

was like Isabella had only been away for a few days. She walked right in, hugged and kissed Bonnie, and got to playing. She didn't even look over when I got up to leave and begged her to cry just a little bit so I know she would miss me! I looked like an idiot screaming, "Bye, Bella!!! Mommy will miss you!!! Mommy loves you!!!" I think the kid took pity on me because she eventually looked over and gave me a half-hearted, "bye". She peed on the potty all day, went for a walk, ate applesauce and eggs for lunch, and then climbed into her sleeping bag WITHOUT A PEEP and slept for 2 hours. UH?!?!?! All I can say is that she has me all figured out!!!

Off to work tomorrow....YUCK!

We spent most of the afternoon outside-as you can see ;) Elisabeth and friends Megan and Matthew concocted their own water slide park. They hooked a hose up to the slide and put the slip and slide on the bottom. I am pretty sure their bums will hurt a bit tomorrow. (Sorry about the sideways video!)

Isabella has decided she doesn't need a nap anymore but will lay down for an hour or so. Two days ago she decided to pluck all the dried cranberries off my wreath. That little stunt landed her in her own bed-where she stayed awake until I finally saved her. Yesterday, we didn't even try for a nap but she ended up falling asleep on the way to dinner. She was out...O U T. Nothing would wake her up-even laying her across the table while we ate! Today she played on her bed for an hour and 5 minutes before I went in to get her, she fell asleep. It was 4:30. I don't think so, pumpkin!

Tomorrow I have to be at school around 9:30 (I should be there at 8 am but who is going to miss me when there are more than 800 staff members crammed into 1 hot gym?) so I will drop the baby off at Bonnie's around 9. Elisabeth doesn't start school until next week so she still has plenty of playtime left! Lucky girl :)

Fun in the sun

Today we spent most of the day outside after taking Elisabeth to the doctor for a 2nd round of antibiotics. We have awesome neighbors who live directly behind us so we can yell at eachother from any back window in our houses. C's kids are 1 and 3 so Isabella loves them both. Elisabeth takes great care of all 3 of them so C. and I can sit and talk and drink Diet Coke. We will miss just hanging out when I go back to work next week :(

Last days of summer....

First of all....do you LOVE my new blog look??? I thought it needed a little make-over and I think Jenna at Serendipty Designs did a fabulous job!!!! Thank you, Jenna!!!

One week from today, I will be back at work :( Two weeks from tomorrow, Elisabeth will be back at school :( :( Middle school :( :( :( :( :( I am sure she will eventually LOVE it but for now she is terrified. The sweet thing wants me to drive her and WALK her in the first 4 days. I am sure that will end eventually. We did find out that she has a wonderful teacher, is in the class with her best friend (unbelievable because Elisabeth is now going to her 'home' school and will not know a single student except for this girl!), and the year long student teacher is someone we know and love!!! God is taking care of this kid-whether she wants to admit it or not!

We spent time at the pool last night and went to Spring Creek Park today with Elisabeth's best friend and her sister. Then we went school shopping-$60.00 later our folders, note pads, pens, and pencils all match perfectly. Wal-Mart has some really cute designs!!!

Prayer Request

Please pray for Sadie...she is in the hospital with a high fever. They are not sure what is going on but are giving her intravenous antibiotics. We will hopefully know more tomorrow.

A trip to Eddie Bauer with Sadie ;)