1st day of school...easy peasy

My little alarm clock who I will call, Harrison, woke me up this morning at 5am. My husband so kindly went to "shut the alarm off". He must have hit "snooze" because I didn't see him again for about an hour. In the meantime, I couldn't help but become restless as I thought about our day ahead.

I decided to get up, pour myself a cuppa and enjoy the peace and quiet. So that's exactly what I did, but then I started to panic. It was really quiet and I didn't know what to do with myself. I had this flash of my life passing before my own eyes. My kids are growing so quickly and there isn't a thing I can do about it. I went a laid back down in bed with hope that maybe Scott could talk some sense into me. He gave me this amazing talk that assured me that I have purpose, reminded me that everything is in constant flux, and I need to continue to embrace every moment.

It wasn't until Henry woke up that I knew everything was going to be okay. He woke up excited and ready for his new adventure. How could I not feed off of his energy?

After our normal Monday routine--laundry, coffee, dishes, breakfast, more coffee, more dishes, get dressed, YMCA, shower, lunch, and a quick change into clean school clothes--we were ready for our walk to school. We snapped a few pictures...

we were ready to go!

We had a great chat on the way to school about Henry's cool new (well, kinda new) shoes (second-hand chucks, do you dig em'?). He thinks they are awesome and make him run really fast. I reminded him that there are bathrooms at school, not to take food from anyone but his teacher (peanut allergy) and that I was going to take Harrison home to take a nap. I think the whole idea that Harrison and I were going home (across the street, literally) to take a nap assured him that he wasn't going to miss out on much and we were near him. I asked him if he had any questions and the only one he asked was, "What does my classroom look like again?"

I think my favorite part of the walk was when Henry said, "I feel kinda sad...because I am going to miss you." It's not that he was going to miss me that I so much appreciated, it was that he can recognize and identify his feelings. I think that's just so darn cute.

So as for the drop off--easy peasy. He marched right in as if he had done it a few dozen times. Checked out the activities set out and went straight for the toys. He was stoked to find an etch-a-sketch because it reminded him of his own. We exchanged hugs and after a quick snap or two of the camera, he went off and didn't look back. I was amazed at his excitement and admired his strength. I had this thought that if Henry can be so brave, I can be brave too.

One more thing...

This weekend we hit up the splash pad on Sunday afternoon for a picnic and some water fun. Thought I would share a few quick pics since they are just so darn cute!

GO VIKES!

It doesn't matter if you're a Vikings fan or not, what's not to love about a kid with a big foamy finger?

What happened to summer?

I keep looking at the calendar, thinking, "It's August what?" I can't hardly remember what I did last week, needless to say what I did in June, but the last three months have whizzed by. I'm unsure what's been accomplished besides a lot of play, several naps, and humidity that knocked us down and kept us inside.

For the past two weeks, I have slightly panicked thinking that I have so much to pack in these last weeks before school starts, which is another thing that is making me panic. So I started to make a mental list of "to dos" and attempted to start checking things off.

My favorite place to take the boys is a splash pad. We were only there a few times and I started to regret not frequenting it as much as we have in passed summers. So the week before last, I slathered on the sunscreen, packed some snacks and we headed out around 9:00 (leaving my camera behind). I have quickly learned that the sooner we can get somewhere, the fewer people we have to deal with. We were the third group at the pad and we played like we owned the place. By the time the masses were there, we had had our fun and were ready to go home for lunch.

On Monday, I thought as I watched weather report on the morning news, "Gee today would be a good day to go to the community pool." Only to find out that Saturday was it's last open day of the season. I was really bummed out because that meant that it's truly the tale end of summer and we didn't even get to the pool.

We haven't been to the zoo much this summer. Maybe once...I think...hmmmm....and it's on my list, but just keeps getting pushed farther and farther back. Mostly we go to the zoo just to hang out at the parks. I keep thinking, We have parks locally, so why deal with mobs of people to hang out at a park?

Last night we made it to a little kid concert in the park and watched Tricia and the Toonies perform some of their random acts. This was Henry's first puppet experience that either of us can recall and he had lots of questions. How do they talk? How do they move? Where are they going? Why do they look like that? It was finally when we scooted out a bit early that he was able to get a peek behind the scenes as to what really went on. He froze in his steps in awe of a man putting his hand up the behind of a puppet. The puppeteer saw Henry and the puppet then waved to Henry. Henry, still frozen, put his little hand up and waved back at the puppet. After that, all his questions were answered and he ran for the playground.

So today is Henry's official last day of summer. He doesn't know it, but today's the big finale. All those feelings I held onto as a kid when you realize that three months have flown by and homework, schedules, bedtimes, teachers, school clothes, backpacks, school lunches all starts again on Monday puts a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach.

It's not that I don't enjoy all of those things because I am a woman of routine and queen of scheduling. I think it's the idea that I am now a parent witnessing my young son's first experience in education. I am hopeful that these early years of education are great ones full of excitement, fun and lots of learning. I look forward to glittery art projects, being read to, field trips, volunteering, and school concerts. I don't know if I'll be sad when I drop him off on Monday afternoon, but I think I'll feel a bit lonely as I walk away from the building. I'm his mom.

Now I know it's just preschool, but it's the beginning of "his journey". I hold onto a lot of hope for Henry's future as a student.

Henry, I hope your journey is filled with lots and lots and lots of laughs. I hope that people want to be around you (as much as I do). I hope your quest for questioning and understanding never dies but is only challenged. I hope you always have teachers that inspire and never squelch your desire to learn. I hope you love to read. I hope you make your teachers smile (and laugh as little) when you are around. I hope you will come home and share part of your day with me. I hope that on the days when you don't want to share because you've had a bad day, you'll know that I'll be there to sit with you, hold you and wipe your tears. I hope you never have to use your Epipen. I hope our walks to school are fun and something we look forward to every day even when it's cold outside. I hope you love little notes in your lunch box as much as I loved them when I was a kid. I hope you know how much I love you when I drop you off on your first day, and how much I will be looking forward to picking you up.

Love, Mom

Here's to summer, and "another big one that got away."

Harrison and Papa

Henry and Makenzie (aka: our neighbor and his girlfriend)

Henry, Makenzie & Madison

wine & cigarettes

Last night I found myself scrubbing the floors on our main level after Harrison went to bed, and Henry and Scott headed to the park. Cleaning the floors is the kind of job that is too tough to do while kids are running around during the day. I don't mind cleaning the floors because I love how it feels when the job is done. However, while I'm cleaning the floors I hate every second of it. Mostly, because I see the filth that has crusted over in the tiny cracks and crevasses on the same floors my baby crawls around on and the floors that we apply the 3, 5, and 10 second rule.

So while I was cleaning, I had a fleeing moment of self-pitty that I was cleaning while the rest of my family was doing something more interesting. Like I said, fleeing moment because I appreciated the fact that time was created for me to do this job without interruptions. Which then lead me to think about what some of my favorite things are in life. Some of those things, which I will share with you in a second, are interests while some are tangible things. Then I wondered if those things are obvious to those that I live with.

A bit later when Henry had showered and was snuggling on our bed in-between Scott and me, I asked him, "What sort of things do I like?"

"You like, to beam me up." Translation: You like to chase me around the house. Then you like to hide in places and and freak me out by jumping out behind bushes.

"Umm...what else?"

"Ahh...you like to yell at me."

"Really? That's the best you've got? You think I enjoy yelling at you?" Translation: Yelling = talking in a stern voice that means business, which most of the time lately doesn't appear to scare anyone around here.

"Well, you like books, websites, Daddy, me, Harrison, wine...and cigarettes."

"HUH?!"

"Yea, you like cigarettes!" He says this with a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye because he knows he has me a bit fired up.

Okay, I have this moment of panic when I visualize Henry sitting at a table in his preschool classroom. He sits next to his teacher who is holding the pencil and filling in the blanks for Henry, who is sitting beside her dictating.

Mrs. Judd: Okay Henry, let's do a fun little Mother's Day project for Mommy! What is her favorite food?

Henry: Wine and cigarettes

Alright, perhaps Henry didn't give me the answers I was searching for when I asked him if he knew what my favorite things in life happen to be. But I didn't expect him to make up some random answer. I clearly know where the cigarette answer came from. Translation: he watched me pick up cigarette butts near playground equipment earlier this week, so Harrison wouldn't put them in his mouth. And while at the park earlier in the evening with Scott, they threw away an empty pack of cigarettes that someone left laying around. Cigarettes are on his mind.

(BTW--If you are the one smoking in the parks and leaving your trash laying around, figure out where the trash it, please.)

So...here's my top 20 list. A compiled list of things that please me in no particular order and as they come to mind. As many of you out there can identify, this list continues to change and grow. If you are too young to read, maybe someone can read it to you. Maybe that someone's name is daddy.

1. clean bedsheets

2. a good pair of shoes

3. pedicure

4. the laundry baskets are free of clothes, both clean and dirty

5. mascara that actually works the way it is suppose to work

6. wine (I'll pass on the cigarettes, please) white in the summer, red in the winter

7. a sweaty workout

8. hunting for good recipes

9. eating a really good meal

10. a good find (of any kind)

11. couponing (not as good as some people, who shall remain nameless)

12. uninterrupted sleep

13. nap time

14. getting a nice tan

15. going some place tropical to get that tan

16. date nights

17. knitting

18. happy boys (kids & husband)

19. girl time (that means solo & with my besties)

20. coffee made perfectly with a bit of creamer and a bit of skim milk,

a lesson in the proper way to eat

During lunch today, Henry was crunching rather loudly on some dill pickle chips.

I looked at him and politely stated with my lips curled in disgust, "Henry, don't eat like that."

He finished his chip and looked at me and stated matter-of-factly. "You gotta enjoy your food."

Where's the rewind button?

UGH! I am frustrated!

I have spent hours trying to give my blog a facelift without having to pay a "surgeon" to do it. In my attempt to be a do-it-yourselfer, I totally screwed up and had to go back to my original template, which pretty much brought me back to square one.

Guess it's not all that bad, I really didn't like the direction I was headed.

Craaaap. Can anyone out there help me?

I feel trapped in a box.

Ok, now I am laughing....

I am thinking about all the times in my life when things didn't turn out the way I wanted. There wasn't a rewind button like there are on most tv remote controls to get me out of the trouble I found myself in.

I remember the time...

I bought a wax kit to start waxing my skin at home. Well, when the wax malfunctioned and I applied it to my eyelids anyway, I ended up with scabs on my eyelids and demanded a refund at the store. I walked up to the counter and asked to return the kit. The lady said, is there anything wrong with it?" To which I replied, "Yea, look what happened to my face."

OR

The time Scott decided to build our retaining wall and I chose the most complicated pattern for him to put together. After spending several hours in attempt to build this wall, we gave up and humbly paid two high school seniors that the patio company sent over to build the wall. The funniest part--we paid them a portion of their labor mid-project so they could afford to take their girlfriends to prom.

OR

When Scott asked me to trim behind his ears with his hair trimmer, I didn't realize the guard was not on. I scalped a two inch strip right behind his ears.

OR

When I was pregnant with Henry, I pooped my pants in Kohls.

OR

When I was pregnant with Hudson, I pooped my pants in Kohls.

What is it with pooping my pants in Kohls? In my defense, it was uncontrollable and both times I was on my way to the bathroom.

OR

That moment in the classroom when I said something I probably should not have and held my breath that I wouldn't get a phone call.

OR

That moment in life when your child repeats something he heard you say within the confines of your home.

Oh well, there is no rewind button while attempting to watch this reality show I call "life". So I'm starting this blog design from scratch. At least my writing was salvaged and that's what's important here, right?

Crap.

WoRdLeSs WeDnEsDaY--Vikings Training Camp

http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x1778830400/For-true-Vikings-fans-its-all-about-loyalty

Yesterday I spent some much needed time pruning Hudson's Memorial Garden, which is located on the side of our home. After I was done, I thought it was picture perfect. So I got out the camera and snapped a few pictures to share with you. When the garden is in full bloom, I cannot help but stop and appreciate all the effort that was put forth by our friends to organize planting day. Thank you. Your efforts help us remember and honor a life well-lived.