What we've been up to...

It's been a while since I have posted anything and even though I haven't included any pictures with this post, I hope you will like to hear what we're up to anyway!

I have been working quite a lot on the weekends, so Travis has been taking time to go and do fun things with the kids. This works well as I sleep during the day and that doesn't go very well with noisy kids! Last weekend, Travis decided to take the kids up to Shelbyville to see Aunt Connie. The kids LOVE Aunt Connie! They had a great time. The stopped in Columbia on the way home and went to the Mizzou Fan Fest. It was a hot day out on the field and they didn't stay very long, but Sophie loved seeing the cheerleaders and Truman!!! I really missed the kids being gone. It was hard not to see them before I went to work!

It has been an adjustment for Aiden and I not having Sophie home during the day. He tolerates shopping with me and usually goes hoping that he'll get a new toy while we're out. So far I have given in to a Transformer and a Nerf Dart Gun. I took him to the Magic House last week and we had lots of fun, but I know that he would have rather had Sissy there to boss him around. He's such a man.... complains about the bossing and nagging while it's happening, but knows deep down he loves it and just can't live without it!!!

I finished up my summer semester and now have just 3 more semesters to go. By this time next year I'll feel like a free woman!!!

We took the kids to Grant's Farm yesterday. It was hot but we had lots of fun. The kids got to see and pet the animals. Sophie liked feeding the goats and Aiden liked the guinea pigs. We also watched the animal show while we were there and got snow cones.

Sophie LOVES kindergarten. She has made some new friends. It has been really exciting for her to go to different classes like art, PE and music class. Mondays are library days and she gets a new book every week. She is being super responisble and making sure that I sign her behavior sheet every day so she won't miss any recess. Every week they choose Lady and Gentleman of the week. They are students who work hard and have good behavior all week. I bet you can't guess who the very first lady of the week was!!! Ok, maybe you can! Sophie was so excited. She got a bracelet making kit from her teacher and we were able to make 3 bracelets that she wears all the time.

What's coming up--

Tuesday is picture day. I'll be posting those pictures as soon as I get them. She already has her dress picked out and has been practicing her pose and smile. (Like she needs to...)
Awanas starts in a couple of weeks and Travis is going to take both the kids this year. Aiden gets to start Awanas this year and is excited.
School starts back up for me in a week. I plan on being busy!
Tile samples come in the mail tomorrow...I'm confident we've found a backsplash. I'll keep you updated.
We're planning a road trip over labor day weekend... not sure where yet, but if you have any thoughts, let me know. We'd like to go somewhere we've never been, but it has to be close. Sophie thought Africa sounded like fun and Aiden wants to "go on 'cation' tomorrow!"

Until next time...

p.s. Happy birthday Grammy!!! ("Wow. That's old!")

Silly Cousins

The kids would most likely tell you that one of the best parts of going home to Wichita is getting to play with their cousins. They are so lucky to have such great cousins!!!

Family Photos... just a bunch of goofballs!

Here are some pics of our family. The first one is "nice" and the rest of them are a little silly....which is a little more in character for our family!

Teeth and Sprinklers

We were in Wichita last weekend for a wedding. We got to spend a day with my family before moving on to Travis' family. Right before we left home, Sophie asked me to pull out her other loose tooth. The tooth fairy was able to find gramma and pappa's house even though we didn't get there until midnight and little Miss Sophie "just couldn't sleep." The tooth fairy wasn't able to visit until well after 1 am...he was very sleepy!

The kids got to enjoy some time playing in Gramma and Papa's sprinklers!

Sophie's First Day of Kindergarten

I know you've all been waiting patiently for updates. So here is the first of many for today! Sophie's first day of Kindergarten was July 16. She has been waiting for this for quite a long time now! These are some pictures of her with her Cardinals backpack that she picked out. Daddy was so proud!!!

She also picked a Hello Kitty lunch box to go with her backpack. I think it's so cute... she's 100% girl and 100% Cardinals fan. I love it!!!

We all walked her in to her classroom even though the teacher told us not to. Apparently, they don't want parents walking their kids in because they think they will cry more and cause a problem. I didn't care. I wasn't going to miss this for anything!!!

Here are some of the other things that happened that day that I'll want to remember:
1. Halfway to school, Sophie told us she had a tummy ache. Poor girl. She gets her nerves from her momma and gramma!
2. Aiden asked me nearly 10 times "We go get Sissy now?"
3. Aiden won the award for most tears when we dropped Sophie off. Mommy and Daddy did better than expected. Sophie had a couple of tears, but overall did great!

Shopping for School

As you all know, this is a big year for us. Sophie is starting Kindergarten this year and since our school system is on a weird, year-round schedule, that means school starts a week from tomorrow! That's right! July 16 is the big day. The day we have been talking about for the last year is finally around the corner.

Sophie picked out a new pair of sneakers (Skechers Twinkle Toes.) They are only sort of cute, but she loved them enough to agree to do laundry to get them. At $40, they are the most expensive pair of shoes I have ever bought one of my kids. Heck, I rarely spend that kind of money on shoes for myself. This is a special occasion, though. Right?

We also got our school supply list and headed out in search of the perfect supplies. Not a tough job, or so you would think. We're still short 4 bottles of glue and 1 pack of markers. I can't believe how difficult is is to find exactly what's on the list. I heard one of the schools around here gives an option to send $50 to school with your kid and they will get the supplies for them. That sounds like a great deal!

I have spent the last several days explaining to Sophie why she won't be riding the bus. I'm going to take her and pick her up. The school is only about a mile down the road. She would rather ride the bus and I guess that would be ok, but I have found out that you learn everything you need to know in kindergarten and you learn everything your parents don't want you to know on the school bus. Therefore, I have chosen to deliver her safely to school by means of her booster seat in the back seat of my influence-free Toyota.

Pictures of our first day will be coming soon. I'll keep you all updated on how she (and her parents) are doing with this big change. We have all-day kindergarten, so I think the biggest adjustment is just going to be so much more time away from home. I can't say that I'm ready for that yet. It's one of the reasons I only work 3 days a week. I'm just not ready to give my baby up yet!

Whitewater Rafting

Here's the pic of us whitewater rafting. This was Aiden's favorite part of vacation and I have to say it was one of my favorites too! Shortly after this picture was taken, a thunderstorm moved in. The wind picked up and it started to pour. Thunder and lightning made us all a little nervous, but the guide said it would only last for 5 minutes and we were glad that he was right! We were soaked through, but it was still a blast.