First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school. Yes, I know it is early. When I attended school here, we usually started around the second or third week of August. This is the earliest I think they have ever started. The good thing is the last day of school is May 22, if the weather cooperates and everything goes as planned. They also get almost two and a half weeks off during Christmas break.

Hannah started Second grade this year. Will started Kindergarten. Since it was the first day of school, Mike and I walked the kids into the building. Will went right into his room, sat down at his desk and started coloring. He was such a big boy. We then walked Hannah to her room. She wasn't really happy about that. In her words, "I know the way and can do it myself. I'm a big girl." When I went to kiss her good-bye, she told me not to. Of course, I did it anyways. The weather wasn't that cooperative on the first day of school. It started raining about 15 minutes before we left. It rained most of the morning, with a few strong showers mixed in. We haven't had rain in about a week and it rains on the first day of school. Oh, well.

The afternoons will be busy. At 2:30 p.m., I pick up Nathan from school and take him to day care. (The school system decided to end busing to day cares this year, even city-run programs, because it has started their own after-school care for students at most of the local schools.) After that, I head to the kids' school to pick up Hannah, Will and Gracie. After school this year I am keeping Hannah's friend Gracie until her mom gets off work. She lives around the corner and Alicia works just up the street. They do their homework (which will start next week) then they can play to their hearts content or dinnertime, whichever comes first.

Below are some pictures I took before the kids left for the first day of school. Hope you enjoy them.

Please, no more pictures!!!

Hannah's friend Gracie

Andrew

Hannah and Will on the first day of school

Hannah and Andrew

Andrew, Will and Hannah

Andrew, Will and Hannah

Happy Anniversary Rich and Mich

Today is my brother-in-law and his wife's anniversary. Mike and I both hope you have a wonderful day. We love you!!!

Happy Birthday Mich and Happy Anniversary Joe and Sharon

Today is my sister-in-law's birthday. Happy birthday Mich!!! I hope Rich and the boys make today a very special day. We love you!!!

Today is also Mike's aunt and uncle's anniversary. Happy Anniversary Joe and Sharon!!! We hope you have a very special day and may you have many, many, many more to come!! We love you!!!

Hannah's Second Tooth and School Teachers

Hannah lost her second tooth tonight. Her right front tooth has been bothering her for a few days and tonight she finally got it out all by herself. She was sssooo excited!!! Now Hannah has two big holes in front. She likes that because now she can drink out of a straw without opening her mouth. Below are some pictures we took to commemorate this momentous event.

We also got to meet the kids' teachers tonight at Open House. Hannah will have Mrs. Wolfe while Will has Mrs. Kicker. As luck would have it, Hannah is on one end of school and Will is on the complete opposite. Thank goodness Hannah will be meeting Will at his classroom when it is time to head home. I can only imagine where Will would end up if he had to meet her.

Pictures

Here are a bunch of pictures for your enjoyment:

Dick, Daphne and the grandkids

Mike, Dick, and Daphne with the kids

Mike, me and the boys with Dick and Daphne
(Hannah took the picture.)

Andrew after eating a Suzy Q

The new addition to our play set courtesy of Dick and Mike

The backside of the play set

The new and improved play set

Our new living room

Another view of our new living room

Happy Birthday James!!

Happy Birthday to Mike's nephew James!!! He is turning 14 today. Hope your birthday is a great one!!

I'm Back!!!

Sorry for not posting anything lately. My in-laws were in town this past week and left Saturday afternoon. Needless to say, the most I did on the computer was download my e-mails every now and then and do a quick check for anything important. It was great having Dick and Daphne here. We really enjoyed their visit and hated to see them leave.

Dick helped Mike by working on the kids' clubhouse. We have one of the wooden play systems in our backyard and Mike has been wanting to expand it by adding a climbing wall, monkey bars and a curved slide (my Dad found it for us a few years back). Mike had to work this week so Dick got working on the new parts. By the time he left, most of the work was done. Mike had to finish the climbing wall, attach the slide, finish one of the ladders and work on the railings. As of tonight, the railings are the only thing left to do. The kids have had a blast playing on it. I'll post some pictures of it when it is completed.

The temperatures here have been killer. During the day, it has been 99-102 degrees with heat index between 102 and 112. Even at night, there is no relief. Last night during the 10 p.m. newscast, the weather man said it was around 96 with a heat index of 100. Winter time is looking awfully good right about now.

I have pictures of our living room (it is finished!! YEAH!!) and of Dick and Daphne's visit and I am going to try to download them this week. On Sundays, the Women's Ministry circle I head up works with the baby/child dedications by taking pictures and giving the child a gift. We have had dedications for the last three Sundays. When I get a chance, my first priority is downloading those pictures, getting them cleaned up and e-mailed to the parents. After I do that, I will post more pictures on here. I PROMISE!!!

I have to brag on my dad a little bit. He came up with an ingenious way to make a hide-a-bed a whole lot more comfortable to sleep on. He took some plywood and cut it to fit the inside of the bed frame, allowing room for the bed to fold. He drilled holes along the edge of the plywood and used zip ties to attach the wood to the bed frame. The mattress fits on top like before. You don't feel the bed frame in the middle of your back anymore. Mike and I slept on our hide-a-bed while Dick and Daphne were here and could tell a major difference after adding Dad's idea. The bed is a little harder to fold up the first couple of times but eventually it gets better. Our couch even sits a little firmer too. Daddy did this for their couches at home and in their camper and recommends it for anyone who has a sleeper sofa. THANKS DAD!!!