first day of school

Today Jack started the first grade. Something about him having his own desk and eating lunch in the cafeteria made him suddenly seem so grown up. He was so excited to go back to school. A kid after my own heart. I loved elementary school. The homework, the school supplies, the new outfits come September.

The day was so quiet and calm (especially my morning with Cash in preschool as well), and I found myself continuously looking at the clock wondering what he was doing. How did he do in the lunch line. Did he make friends at recess. 

For most mothers who would be craving the time apart, I found myself a little homesick for him and realizing it was an end of an era. 

Cash's first day of school a few weeks back: 

a camping we will go

Ryan took the boys camping this weekend for Father's Day with his Dad. They couldn't have been more excited. Here are a few shots of their adventures so far... both landed their first prize fishes. Victory!

 Brothers rule.

Cash was very excited to tell me he helped gut the fish with dad and it was "so cool". Gross.

 

  (I love that Jack took is sketch book with him on their nature walk. This is one of his pictures he sent me afterwards.)

one weekend

A snapshot of the weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

jack's art

Jack is our little artist. I want to scan this spring drawing he brought home and make it into a big poster (translation: In Spring the birds came back adn the flowers and the trees come back). I love the bird flying down and the blossoms on the trees. He's really into how things grow and I love how he included the roots for the flowers.

The other drawing made me melt. He has "journal" time in Kindergarten every morning before school starts, and this is what he did yesterday. Such a sweetheart. The best part is that he drew himself wearing a darth vador shirt... red lightsabor included. Awesome.

just so I can remember

This post is mostly so I can remember.

For most of Jack's life, he has had a side kick. Always by his side - every nap, every car ride, every scraped knee... "Bear" was in hand and ever loyal.

Now that Jack has grown older, I have seen with some sadness, the final end of the era of Bear. Jack's posse has officially added on others - or he has out grown most all together. And while Bear was once the favorite, I now see him left behind on the bed each day, as Jack bounds off on his adventures.

For so long Bear was Jack's world, and I am some what sad now that those days are officially gone. I will miss my little man's once sweet little voice, with thumb in mouth, uttering that one word that would solve all problems: "Bear." I will always see the age of Jack's innocence and childhood every time I look into the ratty love-worn face of Bear. 

I don't know why, but I still make the bed with a prime spot for Bear on the pillows. But that is where he will stay all day - and most likely will be pushed onto the floor at night, no longer part of the adventure.

I know it's lame, but I'm sad for Bear.

hello, I'm still here

Max is back to sleeping... thank the heavens and everyone in them. A combination of not liking regular milk (I just took him off formula) with the teething made for an insane couple days.

I hope to see you all tomorrow night at the Lower Lights holiday concert. It is going to be fantastic. 

Saturday Jack is hosting a gingerbread house decorating party... any excuse to have friends over and gobble up candy. Here are the invites I made. Most the kids started trying to eat them... I can see my design efforts are totally lost on 6 year olds.

 

 

 

I fell of the face of the earth

Somewhere I disappeared. When I logged in to my blog this morning, I couldn't believe it had been a month since last entry. What have I been doing all month? Being pregnant I suppose... I'd rather nap then blog at this point.

We found out we are having another boy. Whenever someone hears I am having another boy they start laughing - which I don't how to interpret, or they ask me if I was sad it wasn't a girl. Ryan and I weren't the type to get pregnant till we had a boy and a girl and whomever came in between. We just thought we wanted more kids... and here we are. I love my little men. They are monsters, but so much fun, and I'm excited to add another to this already motley crew. I would have been just as excited with a girl. Although, I think the grandmas would have been a little more excited that they got to go by cute new girly clothes. So sorry grandmas.

Jack started school. It was hard to be too sad about my little man being all grown up for school because he was so excited to go. We got the backpack, some new shoes and sent him on his way. This has only been his first week, but he loves it. I love all the little art projects he comes home with. The papers of him practicing his name. It is so cute. I also like having the one on one time with the Cashman. Being the second child, you don't really get that. And number three will be here before we know it, so I'm trying to spoil him just a bit before that happens.

I wish I had more to report on for a month gone by... but that is it for now.
Hopefully August will prove a better month for blogging, or at least what is left of it.

ouch Jack. very ouch.

Jack has finally become aware of the power of words.
His new favorite thing to say to me when he doesn't get his way is:
"Mom, you are no longer my best friend."

Which ever of the cousins taught him that is going to get it.