Seven Year Blogger Block

According to my Blogger dashboard, I haven't written in over two weeks which may be a new record for me. Also according the dashboard, I am about to hit the SEVENTH anniversary of this blog. It was started on 8/28/06.

You should go back through the archives sometime when you're bored, it's a wild ride.

My lack of of insightful blogging can be blamed on a few things....the ease of Facebook mobile uploads, working on my home business, and the fact that I don't own a computer to myself so I have to wait for Jeremy to be done working if I want to type something reallyreallyreallyfast.

Seriously, I'm a crazy fast typer. Using my iPad, however....I'm like an old lady with shaky skeletor fingers.

Also sometimes I wonder what else I have to say. It seems like things have changed a bit since when I first started blogging so long ago. People are so overloaded with pictures on facebook that they get tired of looking at them, and every stay at home Mommy seems to have a blog like mine on which they try to offer somewhat sage advice about how living with a toddler is like living in a frat house.

So I get blogger's block. But I'm still here. I won't give up.

See, look. Tessa lost a tooth! Two teeth in fact. That's important information!

Here are some other random facts about our life right now:

Tessa begged to take her training wheels off and hasn't ridden her bike since. 

Jeremy is getting closer and closer to getting his pilot's license and has a big exam at the end of this month sometime. One of these days he is going to be cleared to fly solo, and then I'm going to hide somewhere and pray.

Charley is addicted to the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and asks to watch it almost every day. 

The kids are still sharing a bed and switch the pillows every night so they can take turns sleeping by the window. If one has to get up and potty, they wake the other one and drag them along. They wake at the same time and go to bed at the same time. They are like a two person sleeping team. 

Hayden now takes doggy drugs for his bad heart and begs anytime someone is opening any prescription or vitamin bottle in the house because he thinks it means he gets a piece of cheese. 

Starbucks is starting pumpkin flavored beverages next weekend. It's fall. 

Tessa is getting ready to start her fifth year of dance and is now in the older class where they have to wear black leos, pink tights and their hair in a bun. The cute tutu days are over. 

Jess and Mike are coming next weekend! I'm not sure that Mike has ever visited the Midwest. I think he'll notice how cool it is here, especially when we take him down to the farm and go shooting. 

I've been updating my makeup supply with some fancier brands and spending too  much time at Sephora. I think my collection is now complete and I'm very happy with it. Urban Decay is where it's at.

I just remembered that I haven't yet consumed any caffeine today. Yup, that's about it for now. 

Start of School and Changes for Mommy

On Wednesday the kids started the school year. Tessa in First Grade and Charley in Pre-K. Best part, at the same school! I cannot express enough how awesome it is to have them in the same place. And assuming we continue to be happy with this school, they'll be there until they graduate high school.

They were both ready to go and have positive reports from the first week. We're pretty lucky that at least at this age, both kids love going to school.

Charley will go three mornings a week, meaning I have approximately 10 hrs to myself. I'm hoping that it works out that on Tuesday mornings I do my allergy shots and other errands, on Wednesday mornings I exercise, and on Thursday mornings I do some sort of personal enrichment like bible study.

It sounds really anal when I map it out like that doesn't? I know, I can't help it...I like to plan and schedule. It keeps me sane as well as the other members of my household. And also, I want to make sure I don't always use my time for watching Games of Thrones on my iPad.

Not to say that that won't happen, because it will.

What is strange to think about is that next year Charley will be in all day Kindergarten and I will suddenly have tons of time on my hands. I can't even imagine it.

I don't plan to ever go back to a full time job, but I've successfully started a home business that brings in some extra dough and gives me something to do. And basically...I'm open to whatever God has in store, including more babies. I just don't know for sure.

What I do know for sure is that I'll pick them up every day at 3pm and will continue to spend as much time with them as I can, doing my most important job.

Sous Chef

Tessa has expressed some interest in learning to cook. You know...really cook, not just stir up cookie dough for me. I think she's old enough to be safe so I told her she can help me cook dinner a couple of nights a week.

I reminded her that that meant as soon as she was done with homework I would put her to work instead of letting her watch TV. And she was okay with that. Apparently she's not as lazy as I am cause I would always choose the second option.

Tonight we had sloppy joes and she browned our ground turkey at the stove and added the sauce. Big time stuff for a six year old. And yes, she's wearing a nightgown and lipstick.

She's way ahead of me. I didn't learn to cook until I was like 22 years old and married. My  husband taught me and he's still a WAY better cook than I am. But I've come a long way, baby.

Charley helped too...by helping Jeremy open the wine bottle and then smashing a bunch of peas into the counter. And that's why four year old boys aren't sous chefs.

Sunflowers are High and Summer is Over

The sunflower seeds that Tessa planted back in early April have grown tall and bloomed out beautifully, a sure sign that summer is almost over.

Of course the summer season isn't over for some time yet, but since we start school on August 7th, I'm going to go ahead and start calling it fall. 

Tessa is ready to start 1st grade and Charley will be going to Pre-K three mornings a week at the same school. It will be awfully convenient to take them to the same building rather than playing chauffeur like last year.

They both met their new teachers and saw their classrooms on Friday night and both seem pretty positive about starting school. We've had a fun summer but after 10 weeks, I think we're starting to get to that point where we're a little bored. Tessa had a playdate last week with two kindergarten friends and I think it reminded her how much she missed seeing them.

And Charley....well, I'm not worried about him adapting at all. He walked right up to his new teacher and said "hi, I Charley and dis is my class'. Yup, he'll be fine.

Last year Charley did gymnastics once a week while Tessa was in Kindergarten, and since her normal dance studio takes a long summer break...I told Tessa she could give it a try this summer too. Needless to say, she's in love. She's done so well that we've decided to let her continue in the fall (after some budget considerations).

That took a little tweaking of our weekly schedule to fit in, mostly because I'm a little anal about having 4 evenings a week completely free from obligations. But we worked it in just fine.

Yesterday we took down the kid's 'summer school' charts and celebrated with a final trip to Ella's frozen yogurt. They did pretty well considering they didn't always want to do it....the promise of frozen yogurt can make kids to crazy things. Like read.

Tomorrow I am taking the kids to the State Fair as one final horrah for the end of summer. We really have had a great couple of months, but summertime is up. Onward to fall!

Summer Tie Dye

If you were to ask....why tie dye?, I would say two things. First off that sounds like a Dr. Seuss book. Secondly, if you have to ask then you clearly haven't spent 10 weeks at home with a 4 and 6 year old. For cheap entertainment and something to do, that's why!

I've never tie dyed anything before so Tessa was our guide. She did it both in Kindergarten and at camp.

We did tank tops, Charley underpants and a pair of white leggings for Tessa (ps- nylon does not absorb fabric dye well)

Ta-da! Beautiful new underthings and pajamas. Just cause, that's why.