Just Doin' a Little Self Promotion

Wow! This is the first time I've posted on Amy's blog. She's done a great job, hasn't she? I know I'm always impressed by all she does.

For those of you who haven't yet, check out my writing blog at joeaveragewriter.blogspot.com

There's also a link on the sidebar of this page. Comments are welcome, as long as they're honest.

--Jose

Pickles, Pigtails and Parades

At the end of August, Mom Anson came over for pickle day. I love her pickle recipe and so does Joseph. It was an all day adventure the was interrupted by taking kids to school, picking them up and a few trips to the grocery store. Brook and Ally had fun "helping." They were actually little angels and did a great job of entertaining themselves while we worked. Mom and I were both exhausted by the end, but there is such a feeling of accomplishment when you hear the seals pop and see your jars cooling on the counter. I felt downright domestic. Thanks, Mom.



During September we had our share of sick days. Now I know why my Aunt, an amazing mother of six, said that the words "stomach flu" strike fear in the hearts of moms with young children. Everyone got a turn this time, at least once. I am really ready to be done. What does this have to do with pigtails? It was one of those sick days for Sariah. Mom needed a change of pace. So, I decided it was a great day for new hairdos. Brook got her first set of pigtails. She looked adorable and she knew it. (Even when she was picking her nose. Sorry, Brook, I couldn't resist.)



It has become a Labor Day tradition to go to the Onion Days Parade. Usually it is a bit of a let down after the big 4th of July parade. This year we were pleasantly surprised. The parade was longer and better than it has been since we started going. The kids collected quite a pile a candy and flyers for everything under the sun. One group even threw out popsicles. We had a great time. We spent the rest of the day canning pears. We took a break for a barbeque at Mom and Dad's. Another long day but we enoyed the "fruits" of our labors -- literally.

Don't Hold Your Breath

Bedtime was a little crazy one night (more so than usual) and in an attempt to quiet them down, Joseph suggested they play the quiet game. Then someone said let's see how long we can hold our breath. I think Ally was the winner. She was so intense, we could not bring ourselves to show her the proper technique.

First Day of School

After much anticipation, the big day finally arrived. Yes, the kids were wired. It probably did not help that I fed them our traditional donuts and chocolate milk breakfast for the first day of school. We might need to choose a healthier tradition. Ally and Brook were almost as excited as the older two.
Sariah is now our big second grader. She loves her teachers and is making new friends in her class. She still makes her "visiting" rounds through the school. Last year she would just slip out of class and go to visit people. Popular stops were her speech therapist and her kindergarten teacher from the previous year. This year she likes to see her friend across the hall, her first grade teacher, her kindergarten teacher and Zac. We have had many talks about staying where she is supposed to be. Her teachers are very patient. Most of the faculty knows Sariah and they get a good laugh from her wanderings. Zac did inform me that one day they had to call over the intercom to ask her to go back to class. We'll keep working on that. She is doing great with her spelling and reading.

Zac looked forward to first grade all summer long. He could hardly wait to go to school all day and eat lunch in the lunchroom. When the moment arrived, he was a little nervous. He did great. He comes home excited every day to tell me what he has learned. He loves being timed for his math facts. Lunch is living up to his expectations as well. His little group of friends has fun "stealing"each other's food -- which they all find hilarious. So we had a little chat about lunchroom etiquete, including the fact that it is probably not a good idea to share bites of the same piece of pizza. No wonder they all get sick during the first month back to school.

Ally's wish to attend "real preschool" finally came true. She started school a few weeks after the big kids. She gets to go to Miss Laura's class just like Zac and Sariah. She loves it. On her first day, she asked me at least twenty times if it was time to get ready. 12:30 did not come fast enough. As I was helping her get her socks on, her nerves kicked in. She sighed and said, "Mom, I don't know if I'm ready for this." It was adorable. She has made fast friends with one of the little boys in her class. They collect wood chips from the playground (Ally's collection is in her backpack). Apparently, wood chips make great light sabers for their Star Wars games. What an imagination.



It has been an adjustment having just the two little girls at home. The first few days were long as we got used to each other and figured out a new routine. I really missed the big kids. I knew I would, but I was surprised at the actual ache I felt in my heart. Ally and Brook are becoming good friends and finding games to play together. Brook is a great pal when Ally goes to preschool. She likes to snuggle on my bed and watch Seasame Street. I love my Brookie time. The video gives a little peek into that first long day.