Hatching Out

I had to laugh today when one of my Pre-K students told me about his cousin that is pregnant. He told me that the baby is going to "hatch out" tomorrow morning. Kids do say the funniest things!

TGIF!

Yeah it's Friday! In a few hours my family will be home for the weekend! I have pizza dough risng (hopefully) in our bread machine. I'll have the house all cleaned for them and then we can relax and spend time together. On tap for this weekend... Ron is going to fix a leak I found in the basement. He says its the bathtub drain and should only take an hour -we all know what that means! Tomorrow night we're off to Anna's art auction at CCC. She's so excited to have her artwork in a real artshow. Sunday morning we teach Anna's class at Sunday school and then Ron is going on a last kayak expedition with my dad and brother before wrestling season kicks in and he's busy every weekend :( Anna and I will have to plan something girly for our special time together. Oh, I can't wait for the weekend to begin!

Happy Monday

Well another week is underway. Anna had a rough start at drop-off time this morning at CCCK and then again on the way to kindergarten. Nothing much, just a little tearful and needing her Mommy. I snuck in her "Zero the Hero" Rice-Krispie/Cheerio treats that I made last night. Hopefully that will cheer her up. I can't wait to hear all about it! I made homeade roasted tomato sauce today and will boil up some pasta and put garlic bread in the oven to go with it. Maybe a nice salad too. Dessert is homeade apple crisp. A nice comfort meal on an early Fall, rainy day. All I need now is my family to come home and share it with me.

Zero the Hero

Anna had her first homework assignment last night. She enjoyed completing it and had no clue that in a matter of just a few years, she'll feel very differently about it. I have a homework assignment too apparently. In Anna's kindergarten class they count each day that they have been in school. In "honor" of the special math concept that happens every 10th day, they celebrate "Zero the Hero". A special visitor comes dressed up in a cape and they sing, count and find all of the 0's all over the room. I will be the special "snack provider". I have to secretively come up with a zero-shaped or round-shaped snack for the class to eat that day. I drop it off at the main office and all of the children think that "Zero the Hero" brought it in for them. Being that this is my first homework assignment, I'd like to make a good impression. Any suggestions? I'm willing to go all out on this one.

Turning the Page

So beginning today, Anna will be going to school everyday. Last week was orientation and the kindergarten was split into thirds so the children and the teacher could really "get to know one another". Anna was assigned one of those three days to go in. Today however, the entire group begins going regularly. Its an adjusment for me. First I'm used to working full-time and now I'm home by 12:30. Also, Anna has pretty much been with me 24/7 since she was born. Ron works so hard to provide for us and usually leaves the house at 6:45 and doesn't get home till 6:00 at night. When wrestling season is going on, he's gone even later working every Saturday and Sunday too. The summer is a little more laid back but he works several weekends then too and picks up a couple of nights. So aside from the occasional playdate or babysitting from Grandpa, Anna and I are together most of our days. And I love that, she's my little best friend. Being home now without her is harder than I expected. I'm keeping myself busy decorating for Fall, changing summer linens to warmer ones and getting more involved in cooking than usual. But finding things to do is kind of work for me right now rather than my saying "Look at that, where did the day go???". I'm sure I'll get into a routine eventually -that's what Ron says. I think what makes it hard too is that I always knew in the back of my mind that when the second baby came around, my mom would be retired and we'd do all sorts of things together. And that's not happening now. While I have grieved a lot over the past year and three months, I did have a full-time job to kind of keep me in check and now, having all this time on my hands has given me more time to think which isn't always so good. I find myself wanting to ask her what she did with her time when I began kindergarten. Her relationship with me as a child was very similar to the one I have with Anna -inseparable. So I know she would've had many of the same feelings. She too was expecting at that time. I just think it would be neat to have that conversation with her.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Cool 60 degree temperatures, football on tv in the background, pot of chili on the stove, corn muffins in the oven....Fall is here early!

Kindergarten Here We Come!

Well, we did it, and I say we, because it was very tough to let her go. Anna did great though. She woke up early and remembered today was her big day. No tears, no anxiety (she doesn't take after me) just excitement and happiness. She's been there now for almost an hour and a half. I can't wait to go pick her up and hear all about it!