It Never Fails

The start of a new school year means GERMS, GERMS and more GERMS! Before school began, I started pumping my kids with Vitamin C. Well, it didn't work. First it was Gavin...first week of school, he's sick to his stomach, throwing up and a head cold. He missed school the first week.

Next it was Luke. Fevers, coughs and sneezing. Then Dylan...again!! And baby + mucus = Pink eye! Gross!!! Then it was Sydney. Fevers, head cold, sneezing, etc. She has now missed 2 days of school. This does not look good! These schools are nazi's when it comes to missing. They will send truancy officers after you mid school year. I hate it!

Then I started running around the house with Clorox bleach wiping everything down and spraying Lysol all over the place. And guess what...now I have it! UGH! I felt like I was going to die yesterday. But my sweet hubby Scott, came home early from work, made chicken noodle soup for his sick girls (me and Sydney), unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, bathed the kids, brought me dessert and even put Dylan down for bed. I'm pretty fortunate to have a hubby that can cook but last night he went above and beyond. Thanks Scooter, your wifey loves ya!!! I needed the rest.

We've been taking the Vitamin C, but if anyone else out there knows of any other good immune boosting concoction, I'm all ears!!

#3 Starts Preschool...Double Hallelujah!!

Luke started preschool this week. For weeks I told him that he was going to go and he was insistent that he was NOT going to go. He would even cry and tell me he's too smart to go to school. He would point out colors and shapes and say to me "See mom, I told you I was smart, I don't need school, or "I already know everything, I don't need to go" (OMG, this already?? I thought this only came with teenagers in high school)

But then as it got closer and closer he was starting to get excited. He would tell me "mom we gotta get my school stuff together". He even wanted me to pack him a lunch. When I told him that he didn't need to bring a lunch because he was only going to be there for 2 1/2 hours, he was pretty ticked off. On the way to preschool that first day, he was excited but when Gavin asked what Luke had to bring, Luke abruptly pointed out "Yeah, but I don't get to bring food!"...The whole way there the first day he kept saying to me "what kind of snack am I getting?" "Can I pick out what I want?" It's all about the food with us!!!

This is the coolio vintage spider man backpack that I got him at Pottery Barn Kids for $12. I won't even tell you how that transpired, but let's just say "it's great to have connections!"


Because he has a reputation to uphold, he says to me, while taking his pictures that morning, "Mom, now take a picture of me with a mad face, like I don't want to go to preschool!"...OY!!!

Gavin wanted to go with us the first day to see Luke off. When Gavin walked in to the classroom, he told me later that he got all teary eyed. He said it looked so fun and that he missed preschool. I'm telling you folks, Gavin is going to make a GREAT husband!!! So sensitive and emotional but in a quiet way. Back to Luke: When Luke walked into the classroom, his eyes lit up. He couldn't wait to get started. He walked right over, sat down and didn't look back. His attitude: "don't let the door hit you on the way out".

I'm kinda sad that he's already 4 and ready to go off into the world but I can see so much Independence in him. A lot of folks ask me why I put my kids in preschool. Sydney and Gavin's birthdays are in September and November, so they missed the August cut off and were so much older than most kids in their class so I enrolled them in preschool. Both Gavin and Sydney have done exceptionally well in school and I owe a lot of it to them being older than most of their classmates and preschool. Luke's birthday is February so it probably wasn't necessary to put him in preschool, but I want to give him the same opportunity that Syd and Gavin had. I'm glad I did. He is so excited about preschool and has already mastered writing his name. But then again, it's only 4 letters.

When I picked him up after preschool, he ran up to me and said "That was fun!". Then he tells me that he didn't make any friends and that he asked a boy to be his friend and the boy said "No, I have a girlfriend". What in the world???? Scott told him to tell that boy (while looking at the girl), "Not for long!"...HA!

The second day I picked him up. He ran up to me really excited and said "Mom, I made a friend!" I asked him what his friends name was and he says "I don't know, but I asked him twice to be my friend". I then explained to him "Honey, don't look needy, one time asking is more than enough!".

The 3rd day I picked him up, he ran up to me and says "I know he's name now" and I said "who", he said "my new friend...he's name is Parker"...then I said to him "What's your teacher's name"...he hesitated and looked across the yard and yelled at the teacher at the top of his lungs..."What's YOU name again"...she just cracked up. "Miss Tiffany, remember?"...then he laughed and threw his head back "Oh yeah, I forgot!"

All and all, it was a good week and Luke is ecstatic about preschool! I think I'm getting him ready and giving him a jump start for school.

But man, preschool is EXHAUSTING!!!

Best and Worst Day of the Year

School's back in! I can't believe I took almost the entire summer off from blogging and we're already back to Day One of school. I say it's the best day and the worst day of the year because I'm SOOOO happy to have them back in school BUT, 6:00 a.m. comes very very early in the morning. Within about a month, I'll be done with this already and guess what...only 8 more months until summer break!! JOY JOY!!!

Well here's Sydney and Gavin off to their first day of 6th grade and 3rd grade. They wanted to ride the bus to school, which made me kinda sad. I always take them to school and walk them to their classes. This year they wanted to trek it alone. I guess I'm cramping their style now. My babies are growing up... sniff sniff :(

Luke ADORES his older brother but he ADORES Gavin's DSi more, so he knows once Gavin's off to school, the DSi is all his (for at least 8 hours, that is)!!!

Here's the infamous $40 bag that my daughter wanted. She obviously doesn't know that we are in a recession nor does she realize we have 4 kids...but of course I caved...she is my only daughter after all :) !

So long SUCKAS!

This little guy starts preschool next week. Pictures to come!

P.S. I will fill you in soon on all the things that happened to us over the summer! Stay tuned!

Mary and Doug Finally Have Their Sugar Plum!!!!

Mary and Doug left for China last week and today they finally...after almost 4 years...got their baby girl. Kailahni Xiu Gang. She is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! I can't wait to meet her when they get back. To read about their amazing journey (Mary is so awesome about journalling every single thing), go check out their site:

http://babygirlschneider.shutterfly.com/

Congratulations you guys...she was so worth the wait!