Milkshakes

After

Two attempts at making ice cream

churning, churning, churning, churning, 

and still liquid

we settled for

milkshakes!

PLAN B

We have learned with two toddlers

always have plan B

So when we set out to make homemade ice cream

I should have known better.

I should have known to have a quart waiting in the freezer

But....I didn't

So, an after bed-time trip to the store

led to this scene.

We are trying again tonight, as I type.

The motor from a borrowed ice cream maker churns

and we shall see if it EVER stops.

The good news.....

two bowls of ice cream in ONE weekend!!!

PEACE

Up until the night before Open House, 

we had B signed up for K in two different schools.

It is a long story about the WHYS of it all

and we went back and forth weighing the variables

fixating on the little and big

and then.....

......PEACE....

a decision was made

and it was made for the good of our son, 

and our family.

We chose the BEST teacher. 

The one who will love him for more awake hours than we will have a chance to.

The one who babysat the Dad-O when he was little,

and made play-doh that could be eaten.

The one who sent us 5 pictures (these) the first day of school to help calm any nerves we may have.

And I could not be happier with the decision

So, we may not have sent him to the school that seemed the obvious choice

(location and tradition)

but, we chose the best place for our boy

and I already know, 

after just two days,

without a doubt,

we made the right decision.

First Day of School

I used to be little, but not anymore

Today I got up and walked out the door

I went to school, it was my first day, you see

{candlelight breakfast made by Dad-O}

{Mommy reading "The Kissing Hand}

{B with his new K teacher Ms. McW}

{checking out the coolest pencil sharpener...EVER}

It's great to be big, I'm so glad that I'm me!

A conversation

MOM:

"Ben and Emme, what happens to people when they die?"

BE:

"They go to heaven to be with Jesus"

MOM:

"That's right, who else do they see"

BE

"All the people who died before them"

MOM

"Guess who got to go see Jesus and all the people they love that are already in heaven?

"Nana"

B

"But I didn't give her the walking stick I made?"

MOM

"You know what is so cool, she doesn't need one anymore. She can walk and run and play tennis and golf now"

B

"Does she bleed in heaven?"

MOM

"No, and she doesn't feel any pain anymore"

B

"What about when she falls?"

MOM

"No, no pain and no falling anymore"

BE

"Why is Dad-O crying?"

MOM:

"Because we are sad that we don't get to see her anymore"

{cue Emme crawling onto Dad-O's lap to stroke his neck}

Dad-O: 

"Because Nana was my Mimi"

B:

"Is everyone sad?

MOM:

"Yes, you will probably see Papa and MiMi cry too. Nana was Papa's Mommy. But we are happy that Nana gets to be with Parker, her husband. Ben, you probably don't remember him, he went to heaven when you were very little."

E:

Is that where my middle name came from?"

MOM:

"Yes, baby"

B:

"Are they sad like when I broke my flip flop last night?"

MOM:

"It's a different kind of sad, but yes, they will be crying"

BE:

Can we talk to Nana again?

MOM:

"Yes, just like when you talk to Jesus. It's just like praying. You can talk to her anytime you want. She will listen but she won't talk back to you."

BE:

"Like talking on the telephone?

MOM:

"Yes, but you won't hear her voice talking back"

BE:

"Will Nana come back as a little kid?"

MOM:

"I don't believe that she will, but some people believe that. I believe she will stay in heaven. But, when you get older, you can decide what you believe."

E:

"I'm not sad that she died"

MOM:

Why aren't you sad?

E:

"Because I am happy she is heaven" 

Basketball Camp

As we approach Kindergarten, I find myself asking the same two questions

Where did the time go?

and

When did he get so big?

The latter question went through my mind the entire

time I took these shots

BBall camp with Coach Ray

8-9am for one week at the Y

We are inching in to the bigger stuff I guess?

But I feel it would be great if that was always the only summer commitment we had to sports.

He seemed to like it a lot, and in one week's time, he grew a tremendous amount

with his Bball skill set

and maybe an inch two as well?

Swim Lessons

The littles had a two week boot camp o' swimming lessons

given by one of my closest friends

She is amazing, and I would say that even if I only knew her from her teacher reputation.

This summer was a changing summer for us all in reference to the concrete hole full of chlorinated water.

Ben started the summer sitting on the side of the pool stating in his planner attitude

"I'd rather not swim today"

He got it in his craw that he would not be swimming until he had his first lesson with Miss A

Luckily for me, teach is a good friend, so we scheduled a water intervention

....at 8pm

....the night before she went to Mexico for a week

....while she had another family living with her after the tornado

'cause she is awesome like that.

And in less than 30 minutes

after telling me "not to get my hopes up"

the boy grew fins

as I knew he would , in her hands

'cause she is awesome like that

And the munchkin started and finished the summer like a champ

jumped in like she's been doing it her whole life

you'd think homegirl swam out of the womb...

She definitely gets it from her father.

It has been a great summer of swimming, and the fun is not over....

and to those of you wondering if you will ever get a break with your smalls swimming,

I actually sat by the pool and watched from the shade several visits to the pool....

Never thought that would happen after last summer with two wet and slippery bodies hanging off me every time we were in the water.

But I let those wet and slipperies hang off me still....

'cause I'm awesome like that.

The Fourth

Oh! What a night it was!

Em decided quickly that the pink smoke was just about all she was interested in, and after the "45 seconds of pink smoke" firework, she went inside and left it to the boys.

Ben was a pro, and Dad-O and Papa were so very pleased to watch him work the punk

He learned from the frog spitting fire that staying back was a good idea

even after all the warnings from Mimi and the gang....

so our boy ended up observing from behind the porch posts

and I think the pitter patter of his excited heart would tell you 

that was just fine with him.

Dad-O Birthday

It was a month ago today.

But what a month it has been.

This blog is to document our lives, so I want to continue to do that.

Even it if it does not happen on a daily basis, 

even if it isn't always a clear picture of what is happening right now.

Even if it means writing about it a month later.

They each took 5 dollars to the dollar store to choose gifts for him

they were so proud of their choices

and my commitment was that I would not sway their decision in any way.

Emme:  popcorn bowl for movie night

shelf liner (?)

a card with a cupcake on it

mustard for sandwich night

can't remember #5, but that is real life

Ben: a dad-o pop coozie

a grill brush

a new glass for his water

a hat to wear while mowing the lawn

a happy face ballon

Dad-O was so fun to watch open the gifts, making a great deal out of each one, producing proud smiles from each little. What a great man!

Happy birthday love