Anna's First Day of Preschool!!

It was a very busy time in our house with school starting. Gabe started Kindergarten and then Anna started Preschool the next week.

She just LOVES going over to preschool!! We had a conference with her teacher before school started. She got to meet Mrs Harms, even though Anna knew her from last year, and she got to do an activity paper. She even got to make a small craft while we all talked. She did great, but she was more quiet and reserved than normal. I was thinking, "Where is my usual outgoing, crazy Anna?" But, towards the end of the conference she was more her normal self. I guess even Anna can get a little shy!

Before Gabriel went to school that morning, he gave Anna and Zoey some pointers about preschool. After he was done he said, "Oh yeah, and just have fun." He is just a sweet big brother. The girls were just so excited to go they kept asking me if it was time yet. {Zoey, the little girl I babysit, also started preschool. She gets her about 7:40 each morning. Well, that morning she had her backpack on and didn't want to take it off. So, that meant that Anna then thought it was time to go. It was a long hour before it was time to get ready} I told them we would get shoes on, then take pictures, then it would be time to walk over for preschool. They were so excited, you would have thought I told them we had just inherited a candy store!

We got over to school after the normal first day photos. Anna dropped her backpack on the floor and ran to the tree house. Needless to say, I had to remind her of the process...hang up your backpack and jacket, then you get to play. She is still learning!!

Both girls are tired by naptime so they both take good naps on preschool days. They both go on Tues and Thurs. Twice week for 2 1/2 hours I have quiet time around the house. {Luke, Zoey's brother still takes a morning nap.} It is nice, but I am glad when they get back. Anna loves to tell me all about her day and show me her papers. I can't wait until she tells me that she climbed out the window to get home. I can just imagine her face!! {The preschool is in the basement, so they have a window that can be used in time of emergency. They practice going out it the beginning of each year.}

I am glad that Anna is in preschool, but I am glad that she is only gone 2 1/2 hrs at a time. I am not ready for both kids to be in school full time!! I forgot to mention that Anna thinks it is very neat that she has Leah's backpack from when Leah was in preschool. I must be old because that doesn't seem that long ago!

Gabriel's First Day of Kindergarten!!

Oh my, who can believe that Gabriel is ready to start Kindergarten?!?!? His mom sure can't!

Before school started we had a conference with the teacher. That gave us time to meet her and tell her a little about Gabe and our family. Gabriel also got a chance to put away all his school supplies and even got to pick a desk. It was so nice to be able to do that before school started.

The first day of school was a bit chilly, so we had jackets on. That is really wierd for me!! I am used to starting school when it feels like the dead of summer and you sweat so much that you slide off your chair. Although, I remember how miserable that was, and I am glad that Gabe didn't have to deal with that. It may happen towards the end of school though.

He did a great job that first day. We walked in...you know I had to get pictures...and he put up his backpack and found his desk. Then he was listening so intently to his teacher that he didn't look at me for pictures at his desk. That was good though. He was also listening so well, that he didn't even say goodbye to me. That is fine too though because I would rather have that than him crying that he didn't want to stay.

Now, for my part. I did fine in the classroom, but I cried when I got back in the car. My little guy was growing up and in Kindergarten!! When I got back home, Doug had the nerve to laugh at me. I had to punch him..after I got the hug I needed.

Gabriel seems to like school. We have only had one problem and that was this past Friday. He is used to having Fridays off with Daddy, so he wasn't happy to hear that he still had to go to school. But, we got him going and he had a great day. It was nice out so we walked to school in the morning. Then, I picked him up on the bike. The other kids thought our 2 person bike looked so cool.

He is tired when he gets home and a couple nights went to bed at 7p. Other nights he just has to take some rest time in the afternoon or he is not so nice to be around. We still love him though, he just gets crabby from being tired.

Dancing Anna

As I mentioned, after the Jail and Bail for Doug, we had to hurry to get to the Talent Show on time. Anna has graduated to dance class without us and is doing just great! And, she LOVES it! I think it may be the fact that she gets to wear ballet shoes and pretty dresses, but she loves it just the same.

This was her first appearance and she did just fine. It didn't seem to faze her that there was an audience. Like I said she did great, with a little help from the bigger girls. She was in the back row so she could watch the bigger girls. That made it extremely hard to take pictures, but I managed to get one salvageable shot. All the other ones were just a bit too late and she was behind someone. I did get a cute before and after shot though. Oh well, she will have other performances this year for me to photograph.

Doug in Jail!!

As part of the Murray County Fair, Doug went to "Jail" for a group in town. He was raising money for the Early Childhood Initiative. Unfortunately, at about the same time he was to "turn himself in" we got severe weather. So, they moved everything inside. He still got the orange shirt, but didn't have to be behind bars. And I barely remembered the camera to at least get a picture of that. As you can see, I didn't get one from the side. It was just crazy that afternoon. After we got back home from him being released from jail, it was time to eat something quick and get Anna ready for dancing in the talent show. More pictures to come of our little dancer....

Off to Sioux City, IA

We started home from NE Wednesday Aug 6 in the morning. We stopped in Sioux Falls SD for some shopping on our way. So, we didn't get home until that evening. (I didn't have my babysitting kids this week since the Mom was on vacation.) Thursday mid morning we rented a cleaner for the carpets. So, I started that huge task. And I just did the living room/dining room, but it took forever and was hard work. The carpet really needed it though and it looks great now!! During this process my brother returns Doug's call for the day before. (Doug had called to ask if it was a sin to have Christmas trees and decorations out by Aug 6...hahah) Anyway, Lyle casually mentions they are going out of town that weekend...to Sioux City IA. Doug informs him that they will only be 2 1/2 hrs from us. So, long story short, Friday afternoon we get in the car again and head to IA.

We met them for supper when they got into town and then visited at the cabin they had rented for the weekend. The kids enjoyed playing on the playground and then down at the swimming lake. Needless to say, the kids were drenched, but had a blast. They had to wait until we got back to the hotel to get jammies on. Saturday we visited them again and got to do a little hiking. We saw the herd of elk they have at the park. It was such a nice weekend...not too hot. After lunch, we said our good byes and headed back home. They had to get to their party, which was the reason they were there anyway....we were only secondary. hahah

On the way home that afternoon we stopped in LeMars IA. It is the "Ice Cream Capital of the World." It is the home of Blue Bunny. It was a neat little museum and interesting. Then we had to get back in the car and finish our journey.

It was nice to visit with everyone, but it was GREAT to get back home! We were all sick of riding in the car.

Visit to NE

The beginning of Aug, we headed to Columbus, NE to visit some friends - Sarah and Kurt. Kurt is a Pastor there and we hadn't been to visit yet. Sarah is pregnant with twins so we wanted to see them before their world got extremely crazy! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of Sarah and Kurt or Sarah's baby belly. She is very cute as a pregnant lady, but she is getting uncomfortable already...the blessings of having 2 in there.

We were able to take a trip to Omaha to the Zoo even though it was really hot. We were not prepared for the upper 90's temp. It was 102 while we were driving the day before, so at least it cooled down a little. The zoo was so neat and had a lot of inside stuff. Thank goodness or none of us would have lasted!

We got to visit and the kids enjoyed the park near their home. We also took in some mini golf, but didn't even attempt to score it. Gabe and Anna have decided they like their way of playing -- hit the ball, then pick it up and put it right next to the hole, then hit it in. Works like a charm every time!!

We were so happy to get to visit them and see their new home and all the fun baby things. I think Gabe and Anna traumatized the cat while we were there, but they were just breaking him in for the fun yet to come with the twins.

Swimming in Lake Sarah

After our visitors from TN were on their 2 day journey back home, we headed back out to Earl's. I forgot to mention Dad and Debbie stayed there, so we needed to take the clean laundry back out. Anyway, we thought it would be fun for Gabe and Anna to experience lake swimming.

What a hoot that was!! Needless to say Anna is like me and prefers the nice clean water and smooth concrete of the pool. She was not a fan of the rocks, but could have gotten used to them had there not been lots of grass and yuck floating in the water and touching her legs. Doug even tried to show her it was just grassy stuff and that it wouldn't hurt her, just feel funny. She wasn't buying it. She did a lot of jumping and screaming until she got herself back out of the water.

Gabriel was just as funny. He wasn't a fan of the floating stuff either, but after he freaked out and jumped and then FELL into the stuff, he was fine. I guess he realized it just felt funny and it wasn't going to hurt him. Then he was out to explore and watch the boats and jet skis.

I'm not sure if we will do that again or not. We'll have to see what next summer brings!