back to school

Summer is officially over, but you couldn't tell by the temperature in Florida.

BACK. TO. SCHOOL.

And I'm soooo happy about it. It was a long summer, it really wasn't, just felt like it to me. Now the long nights of playing outside have led to homework and making lunches and having lengthy discussions with Rachael on what she should wear to school. These conversations with her are probably THE MOST frustrating ones I have ever had with my daughter. Not kidding !!

Erin started 3rd grade out on a good note. He seems to have a nice teacher, at least 4 days into it and I am still impressed, and I do reserve the right to re-visit the teacher situation as the year goes on.

Rachael started her middle school 6th grade year too. First year that I didn't walk her into school, first year she hasn't worn uniforms, first year she can wear flip flops to school, first year of switching classes, first year of needing to be accountable for her actions. And the most important first of all ... THE FIRST YEAR OF EDLINE ... I love Edline, it is an on-line-stalk-your-students grading system. Everything Rachael does in class, every grade is posted on line. LOVE EDLINE !! She is doing pretty good so far, she is enjoying middle school and looking forward to middle school sports!!

Like normal, we were in a huge hurry .... So I didn't even take a second to check to see if the kids had their eyes open ! ooopppsss ....

Don't they look good? Even Trevor wanted to get in on the action. That kid doesn't like to miss any of the spotlight!

Wordless Wednesday

Trevor found the Birthday Hat! What a silly boy !

ETA: Check out the book he was reading ..... Mia Hamm's, Winners Never Quit ..... I'm glad to see he on the right path !

Oh Thank Goodness ....

My boys are boys again .... FINALLY !!

Daddy staged an intervention and took them for haircuts !

I tried and tried, but it just wasn't in my schedule !!

ETA: Either is grocery shopping, car washing & cleaning Erin's closet....I really need to dedicate time to clean the car, and the closet. And just so you know, 10 minutes in the grocery store after work isn't cutting it either :)

birthday boy fun .....

Look how excited Trevor was to blow out his candle! He was so cute!! In lieu of a big party, we opted for something that Trevor would want. After all isn't that what a birthday is really about, doing what the birthday boy would love to do? Trevor's favorite place this summer by far is Adventure Island Water Park. He is now old enough to ride some water slides and definitely old enough for Splash Attack. We went with our dearest friends, Michele and her three girls!

Trevor loves to play in the water. Although he is only 3, he has the courage of a 10 year old. He never is scared of anything ..... but that scares me:)

And here is a picture of the all the kids. They all get along so well, probably because they have known each other as infants....and have grown up together. It wouldn't be a birthday without having these girls around to help celebrate!

Erin and Courtney have a very special bond. It reminds of a bond that twins have. When they are together they are inseparable. They talk the same, they finish each others sentences and they act like this ...

And here is Rachael .....GOOFBALL !

And Splash Attack ... Rachael, Alexandra and Courtney ....


We closed the park down. Left at 9pm, it was so much fun! Trevor was exhausted, but he had a great birthday.

And for the 4th we had a family BBQ at Erin's sister Sherry's home! Had another great day of fun. The kids swam until after dark and watched the fireworks from Sherry's pool. And after all the talking that Trevor did about how he wanted to watch the fireworks, he was a little scared of them and hid inside...but we watched through the window and he was very happy with that!

Happy Birthday To Our Baby ...

July 3, 2006

Born 7:26 pm

8lbs, 11oz.

Where did the time go? I honestly feel like this picture was taken yesterday. It is a strange feeling when you realize your last child is 3 years old! There will be no more two-year olds in our home again. It is hard to wrap my mind around that.

Trevor was born on July 3rd by my choice via a very smooth induction . He was the most beautiful baby, his skin was so perfect and his face was so full. My 1st son, Erin, was born on his due date and weighed in at a lofty 10lbs, 3oz and neither myself or the doctors felt like that is a record that needed to be beat. See Erin, was born naturally and my body didn't need a repeat performance of that. Trevor's due date was July 10th, he would have easily passed the 9 lb mark by then. With that being said, it was time for Trevor to receive his marching orders. The only date that was open was July 3rd and that would mean he would share his birthday with his Papa, and I thought that was a very cool thing!!

Trevor by far is the busiest baby we have had! There is a reason that the last baby is the last baby. Either that or I'm just so much older that I am exhausted.
So here we are, Trevor is three today. We have NOT mastered the art of using the big boy toilet. We are trying but as of today, we have not had any luck. But I must stress, we are trying. He loves to drink from a cup without a lid. I, however, do not like that. His vocabulary can rival any 4 year old out there. The things that child says sometimes catch me off guard. He rides a bike with training wheels, not a tricycle, a bike. And tackle football is a favorite, not because he enjoys football, but because he enjoys a good tackle.

So Happy Birthday to my baby boy. Can someone please invent the magic potion to keep him just the way he is??

Cabin Fever ....

It is totally possible to get cabin fever in the middle of summer ... TOTALLY ....

The past five days have seen temperatures in the upper 90's with a heat index around 105-110. Insanely hot even for our part of Florida. And folks, hot isn't just hot .... there is summer in Florida hot, and then there is this past week hot ! Not the same ... trust me on that one.

This summer the olders, Rachael and Erin, have been home with Kasey until she leaves at the end of July. They were allowed to stay home with specific instructions that watching TV all day was forbidden and they need activities. Being it is Florida, I ask that they go for a bike ride, or scooters or a walk to the lake in the morning when the sun isn't as hot. But it has been far too hot to venture outside, even in a pool, the heat is just too much. We usually take the kids outside in the evenings around 6pm or so to ride bikes and use up some energy, but we can't do that either.

On a good day, we have lots of sibling fighting. During a week where they haven't been outside very much, we have a sibling war! OH MY GOSH ... We are fighting about Hot Wheel cars, of which we have about 150 of them. We are fighting about playing Animal Crossing on the WII. They chase each other and scream on the top of their lungs, they fight over who gets to put their legs on each couch cushion and don't you dare touch the others legs ... It is getting ugly ...

I am requesting a change in the upper level winds, a cold front, a low pressure system ... I am requesting anything that will make the heat go away and allow my kids to play - OUTSIDE ! PLEASE ! Am I asking too much ??

In the meantime the fact that they are so absolutely cute are the only things saving them ....

this is gonna be a long one :)

On Wednesday night Kasey graduated from High School. It was a beautiful ceremony, a bit long for Trevor, after all there were 505 students, but we all enjoyed the night and now we now have a college freshman in our family.

And this is a picture of Trevor holding the rose he was going to give to his sister. This was how it looked before the 1st of 505 names were called. Around name 200, he started picking off the petals one by one. It wasn't quite so pretty when he gave them to her afterwards. Good thing we teach our kids that it isn't the gift, but the thought that counts.

And yesterday was Rachael's last day of 5th grade, last day of elementary school, and last day at the only school she has ever gone to. After 6 years at this school, she made lifetime friends, had some very caring and wonderful teachers and said goodbye to a school that has made her feel safe and confident. She had a rough day yesterday. She cried .... ok, no she bawled !! And I cried too !!

And here is the 5th grade clap out .... Rachael's class is 1st coming down the hall. Her friend, Kara grabbed me for a hug because her Mom couldn't make it and she was a little more than emotional. The next little girl is Rachael and she walks right into my camera. You can't miss her!

And these are were her teachers this year !! They both wrote nearly the same thing in her yearbook, "Rachael, you are a wonderful student with a great personality. I will miss your smile everyday, but remember .... that smile can't get you out of everything! Work Hard!"

Yup, she uses that smile all the time to her benefit ... smart kid.

It was Erin's last day of 2nd grade. He was happy and for him it was summertime ..... nothing more to say on that subject.

During dinner before Kasey's graduation we were doing to graduation math. Kasey will graduate from college in the year 2013. Rachael will graduation from high school in the year 2016, Erin will graduate in the year 2019 and here is what scares me the most, Trevor will graduate in the year 2025 !!

SO LET THE SUMMER BEGIN !!

Wordless Wednesday

I may lose my mind ....

Before I start .... I love my Trevor. He looks like me, he is the only one does. He is so very darn cute. Let me say that one more time. I. LOVE. MY. TREVOR.

But ...

He is something else. He is now a little over 2 1/2 years old. Well into the terrible two stage. And really, until now, it has been a walk in the park. For the most part parenting Trevor has been easy, little bumps here and there, but easy. But the last few weeks, my son has turned into a little Tasmanian devil. A little tornado. A little boy with a big attitude. A handful.

Trevor's vocabulary is far beyond any of my other children at his age. I think it is due to having an 11 year old sister and an 8 year old brother. Trevor is polite, he will always use his please and thank you''s. And Trevor will tell you he loves you, he just follows it up with "punk".... "Mommy, I love you punk" or he will tell you he wants some juice ....."Mommy I need apple juice please butt head". He almost has the context down pat. Almost.

He has discovered that he can escape anything by locking the door. He can take Erin's toy and lock himself in the bedroom. He can take Rachael's lip gloss and lock himself in the the bedroom. And he won't unlock the door. Unless you tell him you have to go to the bathroom. Even if the room he locked himself into is a bedroom, it still work. Eventually, I will need a new approach, but for now he hasn't figured it out.

He can successfully open both locks on the front door. He escapes, alot!! Good thing for us, our front door is noisy. He has a growing friendship with the Florida lizards and he needs to look for them all the time .... it is more like a form of torture. There are many lizards missing their tails in my entryway!

Oh Trevor ... sometimes the only thing that saves him is this super cute face .....

Super Awesome picture taken by Beth ....

I certainly had a very busy week. I got through it, not sure how, but I'm here and it's Friday! A little tired, a little stressed, I little frustrated. But the weekend is here, and I WILL find a way to not do anything work or President related.

Tonight is my Relay for Life ! Yahoo! I have signed on to walk my bootie off to fight cancer. My walk is dedicated to my Papa, who lost his life to Lung Cancer a little over 3 years ago. I am excited about doing this for him, and me and any of you who are survivors or who have lost a loved to cancer. Think about me tonight ...

In my unpaid position, it has been a difficult week. I wonder sometimes why people make decisions they do. I've taken on a big role, and while I feel that I am more than capable of doing it, I am starting to question the motivations of others that consider themselves unbiased volunteers. Not a fun end of the week, but it's my job now, so I will find a way to deal with it. Dealing with it may require a couple of adult beverages ... shhhhh.....

Trevor-ism of the day:

"I love you Mommy Butthead ....Thank you"

I'm not going to even discuss this ...... but if you're a mom you just know this was accompanied by a nice long time-out. And hysterical quiet laughing as you round the corner

Tomorrow is the big All-Star game for Erin. Yup, I'll be taking lots of pictures. He is very excited to play. I know he is going to do awesome. He is soccer star!

Rachael is a 5th grader this year! Yup the 5th grade class of '09 ! At our school, this is a big deal, they treat the 5th graders much like seniors in high school. They do many, many things, but the big thing is the 5th grade bash. The theme is Welcome to our Jungle. (the 80's girl in me wants to break out into a cover of Guns and Roses, Welcome to the Jungle)

She just received her 5th grade shirt ... So cute.. don't ya think ?? It was designed after the theme and by one of the 5th graders.

Sorry for the poor quality pics...my crackberry didn't want to cooperate at 6:30 this morning.

If I haven't said it 700 times before. My little girl is growing up. I'm hating it.

busy, busy, busy ....

I'm going to apologize in advance for my lack of posting this week. This is a busy one folks. I have a meeting tonight to diffuse some potential issues that may be rising. Erin has All Star practice for next weekends big game tonight and Wednesday night. I have a board meeting on Wednesday night. And this new exercise thing I'm doing, yup gotta fit that in to. Thank goodness Erin will be home this week & thank goodness for the new schedule. I hate being away from home so much during the week. I miss everyone so much .....

and....

my house is going to be a complete disaster. My poor house, it's not gonna be pretty. I'm sorry house for the beating you are going to receive this week in my sporadic absence. I completely promise to make you pretty again very, very soon.

This weekend was Erin's last regular season soccer game. Of course he has the All Star game next weekend, because he's a super, stellar soccer player, but this was the last game with this team. So sad too, they were awesome. They won every game, but of course winning isn't everything, right ??? I couldn't resist snapping some pictures ...

Erin and his friend .... together these two are unstoppable

Trevor learning to dribble at an early age

The last two were taken at the park for the end of season party and trophy ceremony! What a great way to end the soccer season. Oh wait .... we start spring soccer in two weeks.

remember me??

I've been a little MIA for a week. Not really sure why. My other job as Madame President Elect has been a little overwelming, taking up a little too much time. I need to organize my life so that I can have a life. How I'm going to do that remains to be determined.

Last weekend Rachael's team played in the Quarterfinals of the Region C Cup. They played so darn good..it was amazing!! However, in our teams true form, we didn't score. Not shocking, we never score. But we win alot. Because we never let a goal in. Many of our games have been won by direct kicks related to a foul of some sort. But, true soccer peeps would know, you cannot win every game on direct kicks. No, you can't. So the game finished in a 0-0 and went directly to post game penalty kicks where we lost 3 - 2. And there is where our soccer season came to a complete stop! Yup ... done. Rachael doesn't cry a lot over soccer, because she is an athlete and losing is part of the routine, but she cried....she didn't want it to be over. Don't tell her ... but I think I cried a little too :( She does have some tournament to play still and they are practicing, but the heart of the season has passed.

Trevor has taken a new interest in the potty. It is a small interest, but I'll take what I can get. I'll share a little secret with all of you. I have NEVER potty trained any of my children. And I'm afraid I may have to potty train this one!! My mom did the potty thing with Rachael while I was in the hospital delivering Erin. Two days...it was done. My daycare potty trained Erin. One week ...it was done. I'm scared! And by the way he still has his pacifier, which absolutely disturbs me. But there isn't a lot of fight left in my lately, and I really think he won't take it to college. I hope not .....

Little Erin is an All-Star!! Yup, my boy made the U8 All Star soccer team. I raise em' good !! He is a very good soccer player. I really attribute that to the fact he was given a soccer rattle in the hospital nursery. Or that he attended his first soccer game when he was a week old. Tonight he trains with the club trainers and next week he plays in the big game. He was so excited when Big Erin told him, he was jumping up and screaming !! Love him to pieces ....

Erin's new schedule is working out just fine. I think we are both adjusting. I think he is realizing how the kids are a little out of control since he is now home in the evenings. With his new schedule he is able to pick the kids up at school and they do not have to attend aftercare, they love it!! And Fridays are Daddy Friday ... he spends the day with Trevor! As I speak they are watching Blue's Clues. That's one lucky Daddy!!

And because I hate posting without pictures....Taken by Beth ....