Back To School!

It seems very appropriate to have a back to school background because of Aaron's occupation, BUT this year it is also back to school for Alexis, who started preschool the Tuesday after her birthday. SHE LOVES IT! Not only does it give her time to have experiencing a school setting, but it also gives me time to have with McKenzie and Elliott.

This year in preschool (for Alexis) will help her learn what to do in new situations, experience being away from home, allow her to make new friends outside of family and church, and will help her learn things like the calendar system, pledge, and talking about the weather. They also go through a letter of the week, but for Alexis this is only review. She loves her teacher, and talks about how she gets to be the helper. (they all take turns being a helper in different areas ie: pledge, snack, etc.) On Thursday of this week (September 9) Alexis got to celebrate her birthday with her preschool class. We made and frosted cupcakes, and the entire preschool day she got to be the ONLY helper and do everything! I'm glad that the teacher thought about the fact that her birthday was just before school started and didn't make her wait to celebrate it with everyone. Being 5, the excitement about her birthday was still VERY much a part of everyday since her birthday.

McKenzie has blossomed this summer! I went from being so worried about her speech development to knowing that there isn't anything to worry about basically overnight. She is my TALKER! She talks as much as, if not more than, Alexis. She loves to say ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. I think the cutest thing is when Alexis will ask me a question, and McKenzie will answer, with out even thinking about it, the answer is usually yes. Alexis is ok with this, she knows that McKenzie answering is not the final answer, and it only bothers her when McKenzie feels the need to repeat the punishment or 'no' to her after I have talked to her. :). She loves to help, and loves to love her little brother.

Both girls LOVE Elliott. They enjoy just making him smile, and will do ANYTHING for a repeated giggle. Elliott also LOVES his big sisters. Every time I take him out of bed, he doesn't snuggle, or look at me, he turns instantly to the door and starts to look for them. (this is usually because he heard them and that is what woke him up) He loves to be on the floor with them and play with them. His favorite thing right now is Lego's. He loves them. He loves the bright colors, as well as the sound they make when he pulls over the container, and the sound they make when he hits them together. They are also a toy that he can play with and I don't have to worry about them getting teeth marks or being too small.

Aaron is enjoying a new year, although budget/funding cuts have put a damper on everyone. He is doing his best to still have a full functioning program, the hardest is that they have canceled his ability to take his students to festivals or competitions, which alters his spring curriculum significantly. BUT we still have a job in a wonderful community that supports the arts and we recognize that EVERYONE has experienced the bad economy, and it most likely is only going to get worse. This is his 'senior' year, and has been so exciting for him to see his freshman class enter their senior year. His concert band numbers are the highest they have ever been, and he is enjoying the challenges that come with more students.

This year I have set some wonderful goals. It amazes me how most people's years go from January to January, but ours go from August to August. We have had school a part of our lives from the very beginning, so this is just how it goes. Anyway, because of this, I find that my 'new year resolutions' come in August, not January. This year I have decided to dedicate to wellness...physical, spiritual, and emotional. I am in the process of setting a daily schedule that allows for me to succeed in each of these areas, and still have the majority of my day with my children helping them to learn, grow, and succeed at their goals. The hardest part of this I have found is JUST DOING IT! It sounds so simple when I put it on paper, but then the morning rolls around, and with a later night than 'planned' neither body or mind have any desire to jump out of bed at 4:30 in the morning and exercise. BUT by approaching the final goal with achievable steps, I have come a lot closer. It isn't 4:30 yet, but I have had success at 5:00 and I will get there.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but something I have realize as a mother of three, if I don't have me time before my children wake up, then me time doesn't ever happen, and then I feel bad the entire day because I am not succeeding, and I feel down on everything. Even now while writing this blog post, Elliott is asleep, and McKenzie and Alexis are playing an educational game together in the living room on Daddy's computer, and I am feeling guilty about not being in there with them.

Aaron's first football game was last night, and because of this commitment he had to wake up at 2:30 this morning and travel to Boise for a National Guard Band performance at 8:00. He loves it though, despite all the traveling back and forth, it is giving him performance experience, and he loves it...and that is all that matters.

I am working on a project that I will hopefully have pictures up of soon. My RS has quilt classes about 4 times a year where we learning something new and put it in a quilt. I missed the first one this summer, so I REALLY wanted to participate in this next one. I'm not sure how much I am learning, but I am enjoying making the quilt and having an excuse to get out of the house with my sewing machine and create something. Me being me, I took the pattern that was presented, and altered it just enough to challenge me, and create a lot more work then the original pattern. They are created for beginners, and I am not a beginner sewer or quilter, so I do what I have to to still love what I make, the 'teacher' thinks I'm crazy...I look at my fabric pattern and I can't see anything else being as cute. JUST WAIT 'TIL YOU SEE IT! It really is adorable and I am very happy with the added work.

My next post will include pics that you've all been waiting for of children, etc...PROMISE!