Private School

A conversation that took place in the car last week:

I said to Rusty: "Did you know Jessica is enrolled in private school?"

Callen: "Private school?  Is that a school where you can show your weiner?"

Claysen: "You want to see my weiner?"

Rusty and I busted up laughing.  We got all the weiner talk out of the way before we got to Jessica's house.  I wanted to make sure that there was no showing, playing or talking of weiners while they were there! 

Big Snow!

Last week we got about 8-12 inches of snow across the valley.  So pretty and so glad I didn't have to drive in it!!!

The kids had a snow day on Wednesday and we played outside for a little bit shoveling and throwing snowballs.

Thursday we got Callen outfitted with skis and boots, so he is ready for his lessons in January.  I am excited to share this with him.  Claysen seems excited to participate, so I may be taking him along a couple times too so he can start learning.

My little boy's growing up

I can't believe he is in kindergarten and I can't believe he looks like a little boy and not a baby.  Every day is better than the last because I have those to look back on too.  They make today wonderful.  I wouldn't change who he is, although I would change some of his behaviors!  He is 5 and that is normal.  He is doing well in school, making friends and learning lots.

Only 13 more years of these shots.  It seems so long and yet so short, 5 have already flown by.

Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween!  Claysen was ready to go "tweet, tweeting" all day, never mind the costume, he wanted to go. 

His costume, "A Lady Killer."

Bumblebee and Optimus Prime from Transformers

 We just took the boys around our small neighborhood.  Only 4 houses handed out candy and Nana and Maga gave them each a little Halloween treat.  Nice for Rusty and I that it was short and sweet and not so much candy to regulate later.

The Loot!!!

Relaxing fun

We've been trying to enjoy the fleeting warm days around here.  I always marvel at how in the fall 60 degrees seems so cold and in the spring 60 degrees seems so hot!  Doesn't seem to phase my kids.  They would wear shorts all the time. 

Callen has a kids cook book that was mine when I was little.  He wanted to make something one day with his mini baking pans.  So he looked through it several times and then decided on making bubbles.  So we did.

My boys... I love to see their bond, friendship and love for each other.  They also fight, but this moment was pretty precious to me.  After bath, one more minute of TV before off to read books.

Finally paying off and bragging about it!

Since I am a mother I think I have earned the right to brag about my kids, right?  Dare you to tell me no!

Callen came home today with this:

And to brag about Claysen, we have a little whistle, it is strictly an outside toy.  When he plays with the whistles at Maga's it is the same rule.  Well today, he got it all by himself and he went outside without being told.  Truthfully, I didn't know he had it until I heard him whistling outside. 

So proud that all that time I spend "yelling the rules" at them that it is paying off and showing through!!!

Soccer Mom!

People seem to say that, Soccer Mom, as if it is a bad word or a bad thing to be.  Mini-van, passle of screaming kids, hours in the car, you know that Soccer Mom.  Well I am begining to feel like that Mom, only I don't have the mini-Van and not a passle of kids, just my two.  I'll admit they do scream in the car and about the only thing that stops them from screaming is me screaming back at them.  Go figure! 

The thing is, I really like being a Soccer Mom.  I love to have the freedom to go where I am needed, when I am needed and not have to worry about the confines of a work schedule.  My only limitation is Claysen's nap schedule, which he is pretty good at being flexible at if need be. 

The result of quitting my job in August has been a lot less stress, a lot more happiness and pride.  I always thought I was proud of my job and didn't think I would leave it.  I had it sooo good, but this job is soo soo much better.  I am the boss and the employee.  I used to think of cooking dinner as a chore I had to do, now it feels a little more like an opportunity to impress my three fellas.  A place to succeed and improve myself.  It doesn't have the same measureable bar that my job did, but the satisfaction of doing good work is so much greater.  I feel so proud to be able to provide in a way I couldn't before.  Letting go of the stress and schedule of work as opened up so much for me at home.  I have only begun to scratch the surface of what I want to acheive at home.  The picture looks a lot different, and a lot more colorful.

 I am proud to be a stay at home Soccer Mom!  This is amazing, I am loving all of it!

Bounce!

Wednesday a friend of ours had a unexpected day off and called to invite us to go to an indoor playground with them and their kids.  Their little boy is about 6 months younger than Claysen.  I loved being able to drop what I had planned and go with them.  We went to Bounce!, an indoor playground with only bounce houses.  You know, those inflatable slides, castles, etc. you can rent for your backyard for a party or something.  The boys loved it!  They were both red and sweating and out of breath for about 2 hours.  Best five bucks I've spent in a long time.  Thanks Ty and Shelly!  We will be going back. 

Another feature they have at Bounce! is a velcro wall.  Ty put the boys in the velcro suits and stuck them on the wall.  It was pretty funny.

Cheap fun!

Mini vacation/business trip

One of the may things I am excited about this fall is the ability to accompany Rusty on short business trips with the kids.  We got to do just that this last weekend.  Rusty suggested that we go so the boys could stay in a hotel (they've been asking to do so for months) and swim in the pool.  Can you guess the exciting place we went?  Burns, Oregon.  It is almost as plain jane as you can get.  But we were together as a family and enjoying something away from home.  The boys and I got up in the morning with Rusty and went out to the ranch.  We saw 3 coyotes, 5 deer and 3 antelope while we were there, in addition to the 198 steers and the four trucks to haul them.  Callen and Claysen had their sorting sticks out and were "helping" as much as they could.  Claysen was very interesting in the loading chute and the truck, so I held him up so he could see the drive closing and opening the different compartments of the trailer.  We got done early enough in the morning to swim again before check out time.  The boys had a ton of fun eating in restaurants and staying in the hotel.  Callen missed one day of school to go, but we both think it is worth it.

What's the solution?

So we are a couple weeks into kindergarten now and Callen still won't get on the bus in the morning.  I have to admit I have sort of abandoned the idea that he will.  I think it is a combination of several things.  First, Callen is not a morning person.  He gets that from me.  Second, the first time we tried to ride it the bus just drove right past us as we waited.  Third, Callen loves his mama and doesn't leave easily.  He doesn't cry or cling to me when I take him to school, but he will often say, can't I just stay home today?  He doesn't like to walk in to school by himself he wants me to walk him to his classroom.  I encourage him to walk in alone, but he has only done that once and beg, beg, begs me to walk in with him. 

Callen loves to ride the bus home.  He gets to ride it home on three days a week and I pick him up two days for logistical reasons. 

What do I do?  Should I force him to get on the bus?  It isn't a problem to take him, it is only 2 miles.  Also we don't have to get up as early if I take him to school.  Plus for everyone. 

Speed. I am Speed.

Claysen loves Lightning McQueen from Disney's Cars.  I decided to make that the theme for this birthday this year.  He had a great time and totally knew what it meant to have a birthday and turn three.

This is the cake I made.  First one since my class.  Turned out pretty good I think.

The birthday boy!

Gift from Papa Fred the day before his party.  His new fishing pole.

His very own computer from Maga and Oil.

Blowing the candles out with unsolicited help from big brother Callen.

Happy birthday Claysen!

Claysen's First day of Preschool

Claysen has been SO SO SO excited to go to preschool this year.  For about a year now he as been asking to go to school since he has been along for the ride taking Callen to school.  Since his birthday falls after the cut-off for public school he will get to partake in 3 years of preschool.  Lucky for us it is free from Maga.  Thanks Maga! He is attending butterflies and bullfrogs preschool that my mom owns and operates from her home.  It is a bit of a drive for us, but the free school off sets the cost of gas. He was allowed to celebrate his birthday the first day of school too.  He was pretty excited.

First day of Kindergarten!!

Callen's first day of kindergarten was last Wednesday.  I took him to school and picked him up.  (Something I can do with my new position as SAHM!)  He did wonderful, no one cried, not even me. 

The tough part came when it was time to ride the school bus.  We were waiting very excitedly out front.  The bus came into view and drove right by...So I took Callen to school again, but he was to ride it home.  I was waiting for him when he got off at the bus stop.  He was very cautious and exited/crossed properly.  I immediately asked him how he liked it.  "I cried," he said.  My heart sank.  He cried, why?  I think he is so tender hearted that when he encounters new environments he is a little shy and it holds him back.  The third day of school we tried to ride the bus again.  This time they stopped.  Callen ran away from the bus, I caught him and he was kicking, screaming and crying.  I was struggling with what to do, do I make him go?  Could I physically make him?  I can't talk to him and convince him to get on the bus, there is no time, we can't make the whole bus late for school.  He did not get on it.  I also caved and picked him up. 

Today we saw a neighborhood girl get off the bus.  Guess what?  She is in Callen's class, maybe they can be bus buddies....

Claysen is pretty excited to go to school too.  He starts preschool next week.

To three or not to three

Check out these awesome pictures of Claysen.  He will turn three next week.
http://tammyhawkins.blogspot.com/2010/08/mini-session.html

Dream come true, relief, sadness, joy, uncertainty

We have made a huge decision in our lives.  One that changes so much, but that doesn't take anything away. 

I have a new profession.  I am so excited about it and enjoying it so far, a week in...I am now a Stay at home Mom.  I have always wanted to be home full time with my kids.  This was my dream before I was even married.  It is always something I felt we were working towards.  Rusty has been very supportive, especially now that he feels like we are financially able to lose my income and benefits.  That will be the saddest part for me, losing those extras, and my relationships with my clients at work and my sales partner.  But as I look forward and think about looking back, what will be most important to me?  My kids, my husband and the time I get to spend with them.  I won't remember or care if I sold a certain amount each month at work, or if we had the best money could buy.  Over the last 9 and a half years, I have made some incredible friends through my job and during my last week that really showed.  I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from a very loyal vet clinic, a friendship bracelet from a co-worker friend, and a generous spa gift certificate from my partner at work.  He and I get along great, the best I've worked with during my tenure there.  I will miss all of them.

Just this week the simple things made me the happiest.  Like making play dough for my kids and watching them play with it day after day.  Canning a few jars of pears I got for free from my mother-in-law with out any help from the professional, my mom.  I have plans to make bath tub crayons and volunteer in Callen's class, scrub my house that has been neglected a bit.  I also hope to have a little time for me.  I want to catch up on my scrap booking, card making and general crafting.  I have even pondered selling a few things I have ideas for on Etsy.

The Truth!

I just read this and it could not be more true.  I felt like she was describing my house.  I can only imagine if I had more children to contribute to the chaos.

Maxine has been called and on her way.

Callen discovered he had a loose tooth last Thursday.  He showed everyone and today he got it out!  He asked if he could tie a string to it, who knows where he got that idea.  I told him no.  Today at lunch he was complaining that it hurt his tooth to eat.  Sometimes I never know if he is just making an excuse to not eat or if it is really the truth when he says these types of things. 

Later in the day I was cleaning out some of my stamping supplies, readying them for a garage sale.  He came to find me to show me he had pulled out his tooth.  There was a bit of blood, but it didn't upset him at all.  We put in it in a little snack ziploc bag and wrote the date on it and "Callen's first tooth."

He is so so SO SOOOOO excited that the tooth fairy is coming tonight.  When I asked him what he thought the Tooth Fairy would bring him, he said, "a present."  Hmmm, money is a present isn't it? 

You may wonder why I call the Tooth Fairy Maxine.  Because that is her name, but I'll tell you why....  When I was a kid that was what we called her.  It stems from a story that involves the Muppets and all the major holiday characters, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, etc.  At this meeting of characters they all call each other by personal names, and the Tooth Fairy is Maxine.  If you know of the book/story please let me know where I can find it.  Another great tooth book is this one.

Callen lost his first tooth!

Brace yourself, there is a lot!

Rusty dislikes celebrating his birthday.  He is a Scrooge for sure!  But the boys just enjoy celebrating any birthday so much.  I remember when I was little we would decorate the house with streamers and banners for everyone's birthday, just because we wanted a reason to do it.  I even convinced my mom we needed to have a birthday party for our dog, Sassy.  I can see myself rolling my eyes now when Callen will surely ask me to do the same someday.  I wonder what was going through my mom's mind when I asked!  We are a lot alike, so I think I might know. 

Anyway, we had the cupcakes by accident, I was taking a cake decorating class, so the boys wanted Daddy to blow out his candles.  We used the last on Callen's birthday cake so we made do with match.  That is more masculine anyway, so I think it was appropriate.

In June we went to Silver Creek Plunge, near Crouch, on a one night camping trip with my friend KayCee and her family.  The boys loved the pool so much! 

Their next favorite thing had to be the campfire.

I remember finding a stick and putting it in the fire until the tip was burning and then taking it out and watching it burn until it when out and then doing it all over again, and again, and again....so did the boys!

We've tried to enjoy the summer as much as we can, going to play dates, movies and the water park with friends and family.

Rusty and the boys relaxing before bedtime having a favorite snack, yogurt tubes.  Claysen likes his frozen (froyen yoyee) and Callen likes his not frozen.

We've been fishing a couple of time around home.  Claysen was pretty proud of his first fish.  Don't look too close, it is just a clump of moss on his line.

The one fish they did catch!

Another trip, more sucessful too!  Claysen was not nearly as brave about touching it has Callen was at this age.  It is fun to see how they are different and alike.

I love this picture of Callen.  It makes me think of Huckleberry Finn or Thom Sawyer.

Here's Claysen ready for Preschool (pcool).  He is SOOOOOOO excited to go.

The final project for my cake decorating class.  It was fun, a lot of time and effort but I learned a few things.

Callen on the last day of his swim lessons.

Claysen giving a little 15th birthday hug to his cousin Samantha. "My Mantha" as he calls her.  He also sings Happy Birthday to you.  It is more like Happy to you, Happy to you.  Even better if you ask me.  That sweet little voice.  I wish he wouldn't grow up!

Callen giving Grammie Weiser love on her 86th birthday up at Crane Creek last weekend.  You he wasn't there just for the hug, he wanted to blow out her candles and have the first piece of cake.  But love her and Crane Creek he does.

I will try to stay more up to date, I promise!  Maybe some big changes coming soon........