Organizing

I'm not the most organized of people. I don't own a personal labeling machine or a special book that keeps record of all of our appliances and the service done to said machines. I guess you don't need to be one of "those" people to do a little tossy tossy to things like:
*medicine that expired in 2006
*baby lotion that I received at Mackenzie's baby shower 7 1/2 years ago
*the disposable medicine dispensers that I think I can probably use again someday
*etc. etc. etc.

All in all I ended up with two large garbage bags of crap that I found underneath our bathroom and kitchen sinks. I can check off another chore from the list that I made to make better use of my organizational time while the kids are at camp.

I could be writing about more exciting things, like how my son decided to announce to a number of parents as well as his own father that he got kicked in the nuts by another kid during children's church or our family trip next week, but I chose to keep it low key. That's what this summer is all about. Low Key. I heart summer.

A Memorable Year

Remember that book All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten? I had that book in mind while thinking of what to write in this post. I couldn't let the end of the school year go by without acknowledging all that I learned right alongside my Pre-K kids. My job this year was a total God send. Two years ago if you had asked me if I would ever go back to the classroom I would have emphatically answered NOOOO! This job came along and I had always felt drawn towards this 'sweet little pre-school', so I jumped on it. And I am so thankful that I did. I felt like I was a five year old again playing school with all my little doll students. I never thought that I would find a teaching job that I enjoyed so thoroughly. Praise God! I found it!

So, what did I learn?
1. Every kid comes with different baggage, so I have to handle each child accordingly. Duh, right? I knew this but never really thought about it. Until I was faced with a discussion with Ethan's teacher. She pointed this little tidbit out, and it hit me.
2. It's preschool-no worries. I wasn't there to teach them the multiplication tables or how to write in cursive, people. It's ok to play.
3. Spring Fever is an actual occurance amongst 5 year olds. This was a shocker!
4. I can get pretty crafty when I'm forced to! (I heart the Crafty Crow! Google it...)
5. You can convince a five year old that there is an real K (for Kindergarten) on his forehead and it will go away if he doesn't behave.
6. Timing is everything. Next year, I will be sure to start the 15 scrapbooks for the kids ASAP!
7. Teaching is fun and enjoyable when you have parents that support you and encourage you along the way. What a concept! They were our cheerleaders. Go Moms!
8. Having your own child at the school is fantastic, BUT if said child is a mischievous little imp you might want to hide when you see his teacher coming your way.
9. My time with these kids knit my heart to theirs in a way that I never thought possible. I will NEVER forget these precious 5 year olds and my first year in this sweet little preschool.
10. Matt says that there has to be a #10 on my list. I'll leave this one open for next year... Learning never stops, right?

So I went to an Awards Ceremony at Mackenzie's school this morning. Since I needed to get back to school as soon as I could I figured I would watch her, clap a lot, blow her kisses, and run out the door as inconspicuously as possible. I did all that, and just as soon as I was ready to dash I saw her come off the stage and stop at the prize table. She could choose from a necklace coin/key holder, a pencil or the most dreaded one, the school bumper sticker. As my butt got ready to lift itself off of the bench, my head was telling it to sit back down and at the same time, was sending Mack subliminal messages. Get the coin holder, get the pencil, but stay away from the BUMPER STICKER!

(Let me interject something here. I like the bumper stickers that say 'My jack russel (or insert another breed's name) is smarter than your honor student. Some people like to arrange their kid's star student stickers in a cool arrangement. I don't want to. I'm weird like that. So I continue...)

For some reason, Mack's brain always mixes up my messages, and she picked the sticker. Crap! I've been hoping for the past couple of years that the sticker would hold no interest for her. But what first grade girl would pass up a giant sticker? I figured we'd deal with it later so my butt was allowed to get up again and the dashing began.

Fast forward to the car line at dismissal (4 days left, BTW). We talked about her award and how exciting that was, and I casually inserted how cool her new sticker was. She promptly corrected me. Here's how the conversation went down:

M: It's a bumper sticker, mom.

K: Nah, you put that on your bike or on your desk or something.

M: NO, it goes on your car.

K: No, I'm pretty sure you put it on your handle bar.

M: Not convinced and not budging

K: So, it will look nice on Daddy's car.

M: No, it's supposed to go on your car because we go in it more often.
AND, it's really sticky so it won't fall off. AND when Ethan starts at my school next year he'll get one too and we'll each have one on your car.

K: (in my head) Aww, crap - and that's when I heard the gavel hitting the wood. The judgment had been made by the 7 year old in the backseat.

Of course, Matt had to remind me that I did want to Mom My Ride. I just have to make sure my car doesn't end up looking like this one.

Dramatics

Last weekend the kids participated in our church's Children's Musical. It was called "The Rock Slinger and His Greatest Hit." Ha! It was pretty funny. Mackenzie loves the musical. She has a memory like a steel trap, and she enjoys learning the songs and all the choreography. This year was Ethan's first experience with the stage. When he had his surgery I wasn't sure if he would be up to performing, let alone able to do it. So, one week before the show he told me he wanted to do it for sure, and the preparations began. I knew that he would add a little flare to the show, but I was still more than a little nervous about what to expect. Poor Ethan! He never fails to amaze me. Not only did he know all the songs he also knew all the motions that went along with them. He delivered his lines with spunk (and one leg in the air?), and he didn't disappoint his audience. He served up a big dose of the much anticipated flare that only E can give.






Mackenzie did a great job! Her love of the songs really showed while she was on stage.





Of course, I continued to hear the songs for a week after the show was over. While we walking out of the church after the last show, Ethan asked when they would start practicing for the next show. I nearly fell over. So now you know who their drama queen is.

Happenings

I have been focused the past week. Focused on getting Mother's day projects completed. Focused on the growing piles that have been spreading throughout my house. Focused on Matt's family in Tallahassee. Focused on the words and actions coming from my kids.

So tonight my brain feels a little fried. The Mother's Day projects were given out at our Mother's Day brunch at school today. A lovely time was had by all, and it was a great to see the smiles on all the mom's faces. The students were absolutely adorable, and this made all the preparation worth it.

The growing piles were shifted to my room, which is okay. Don't ask why. I can't really give a good reason. I think it just feels better to have them out of sight in the living room. (Out of sight=out of mind. Until school's out, that is a-ok with me.)

We're still focused on Matt's family in Tallahassee. His grandmother (Grandma Rosie) passed away yesterday afternoon. She turned 93 on Monday, and while her health had been declining in the last couple of weeks, it still feels surreal. She had been living with Matt's parents for the last few years.

I'm still especially focused on the words and actions coming from my kids. Why is it that they hone in on my weakness when I feel like a deflated balloon by acting out like a couple of nuts? When I am feeling weak (whether mentally or physically) I just want to throw up my hands and give up. That would be today's reaction. Hopefully a good night's sleep will recharge my batteries, and I'll have a better attitude about life tomorrow.

And my spirits can't help but be lifted when I think about the treatments I'll get from here. My hubby did good! Pedicure here I come!!

Guilty

Guilty seems to be my feeling of the year. And since I was just called out in someone else's blog comment about my photo posting laziness, I thought I'd pay up. :)

The hosts with the most


Colby was smiling because he was so happy to be a part of the McCaig family.


Aunt Kim and the kiddos


BFF


Beautiful Hunter


It was so cute to watch Carter when LeeAnn first brought home Colby. He made sure to give him lots of attention.


Colby was wiped out from all the attention.


Cartier


Parky Pants


Ok. So this trip happened back in late December, and I'm a little late posting pictures and sending them to LeeAnn. Now I'm going to log on to Snapfish and upload all of my photos and send them out in a very un-promptly manner. :)

I'll give you three clues...

So I got a haircut this weekend. I got all psyched about Mack's new do that I thought I'm gonna get me one of those, too! You know me...I can't go all nuts at the salon without a picture of what I want. (How many times does one have to blog about a stupid hair cut?) I got a hair cut alright. I dont' really want to talk about it. While my coworkers complimented me on the new look, I did get one comment that stuck. I was likened to a particular Nickelodeon cartoon character. I won't tell you who, but I'll give you three clues.....







This wasn't exactly the look I was going for...




But I guess if I must look like Dora (until my hair grows out!)I might as well be working at a preschool.

On the Mend?

Our boy is home, tonsil and adenoid-less. I'd like to think he's on the mend...but we did have to take a trip to the ER for Ethan to get rehydrated. He doesn't want to eat or drink because it hurts. This also means that he doesn't want to take his pain meds because he doesn't want to swallow it. The vicious cycle. I still feel like we made the right decision to go through with the surgery. He is breathing so much easier. No snoring. His voice even sounds different.

My brain feels a little mushy right now. I went back to school today and came home to a sick boy. So I'll leave our story at that. Here are some pictures:

The hospital we were at was fantastic! (Mackenzie lived there for a month when she was born.) There were toys at every stop we had to make. Ethan enjoyed playing with all of them. (It definitely kept his mind off of things.)


We had one brave boy on our hands. He was willing and ready for everything the nurses brought his way. He looked awfully cute in his puppy dog hospital gown.


Say 'ah'-I did try to take a picture of his throat testicles, I mean, tonsils, but this is what I got.


This is when I stopped taking pictures and started getting nervous about his surgery. Notice his eyes? The silly juice had started working and he was feeling woozy. This was around the time that he told me he saw another eye on my cheek.

Goodbye Tonsils!

On Monday morning Ethan will have his adenotonsellectomy. FINALLY!!! His tonsils are the size of golf balls and he breathes like Darth Vader. He has to go through umpteen cups of milk to get through a meal because it's so difficult for him to swallow. I didn't want to be the one to decide that he needed surgery. (You know, because I know so much better than the doctor. HA!) After going to the ENT on two other occasions, my plan was to march in there and give that doctor the what's what. That's right! No more 'nose spray, soy milk and saline drops business'-cut them out! But before I could rant and rave, he told me what I wanted to hear. Okay, then. So his surgery was scheduled and here we are. He went for his clearance appointment today. All is well. We have prepped him with library books about hospital stays (like Curious George Goes to the Hospital and Goodbye Tonsils!) I have a surprise bag of goodies for him to enjoy while he's there (he has to stay overnight). The house is stocked with soft foods and LOTS of ice cream. We even made a Goodbye Tonsils cake for us to enjoy tonight. While I'm nervous about him "going under" I know that this surgery will make things easier for him. Please pray for him and for our family as he goes to the hospital on Monday morning. I'll be sure to post more after all is said and done.

The Week is Over Already?

What a great Spring Break I've had this week! The time off from work was much needed. I needed a time of renewal and relaxation. We cleaned and did laundry. I would have liked to make it to a water park and our pool, but our GORGEOUS cool weather didn't permit that. However, we did make it to the beach today with Bobbilee and Shannon. Here's what we did this week:

An airboat ride through the Everglades:
This native Floridian has NEVER been on an airboat before. The shame! There was alot of talk about the Seminoles and the Gators, but not the ones I'm used to. We saw one alligator in the water, but it was a pretty chilly day so the rest of them were hiding. It was a cool experience, and the kids really enjoyed it. Being a Florida resident seemed to have it's advantages because we got us an Annual Pass for FREE! Woohoo!!








A trip to the Palm Beach Zoo:
My parents and our clan met up with my sister and Livi at the zoo. We've been there a number of times, but it was Matt's first time at that location. It was warm enough for the kids to play in the big water fountain, and that was their favorite part of the trip. Then on our way back we made a pit stop for dinner at our favorite Cuban restaurant, Las Vegas. Yum! (No pictures to show for this one because I forgot my camera at home. Dummy!)

Fun in the sun at Hollywood Beach:
I met up with some friends and their kids at Hollywood Beach this morning. When we arrived there were people scattered around. Then an hour later I turned around and saw a wall of people EVERYWHERE! Needless to say, there were lots of kids playing in the sand and the surf. Our kiddos had lots of fun.








This weekend my sister and her family are coming down for Easter. It will be fun to see Livi egg hunting with my wild animals. I'll post pictures of that sometime before the 4th of July. (Well, I am going back to work next week!)

Spring Renewal

Mackenzie wanted a haircut...she needed a haircut. She has never cut it short before, and when we have wanted to cut it shorter we (i.e.-I)chicken out. But she wanted it short, a bob-style (more specifically-'like Zsa Zsa's'). So we ventured out here, and she went from this....



to this....


So cute! We can't stop looking at her and thinking how cute she looks (and neither can she.)

The Bunny Got Tired

I had my class Easter party on Friday at a local park. The weather was beautiful. There were the usual frivolities-egg hunting, yummy food, Easter treats, the Easter bunny showing up in a covertible. You know, the usual.



He got tired from having to jump all the way from school to the park, so we helped him out a little.

Just Eat It

<
There's a little voice calling me everyday when I walk in the door after school. It's not Ethan's or Mack's. Could it be...

THE MOUNTAIN OF REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS in my fridge?


If you know me well enough, you know that this is my candy of choice. Actually, if it has sugar and is coated with chocolate, it'll do. But my fave is a Reese's PBC. Last week my school celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week. At the beginning of the school year I was asked to fill out a Wish List of the things I like. So throughout the year at gift-giving times, like Teacher Appreciation Week, the parents would know what to get me. I must have been hungry at the time and I listed a bunch of favorite food items. *Note to self: next year, list things that I can't put in my mouth.

You better believe there was a party in my head as I received the first few bags of PBC's.


By the 7th or 8th bag, the party in my head was winding down. Packing up and hunkering down for the mad sugar rush that was bound to come soon. Don't get me wrong! It was a great feeling to get the most adorable cards of gratitude from my students. They were so proud of their artwork and the yummy treats that they came bearing to give to their Miss Kim. I'm really going to miss these little ones. Not to mention my room mom who put together the letter and informed the parents of my favorite things. Thanks Tracee!

So, shout out moment aside, I'm still faced with the looming mountain of luscious peanut butter chocolate love. What's a girl to do?? Why, google fun recipes and pictures of all things Reese's, of course!


Every Reese's lover needs a Reese's PBC rubber ducky!


I thought this lovely tote might come in handy whenever I find the need to carry Mt. Reese's outside of the house.


Perfect for carrying my PBC flavored lip gloss and maybe a mini Reese's or two.

But on a more serious note, I thought this and this looked good enough to eat. And how can you miss out on this one? Bring it on home Paula!

So after my journey through the valley of Reese's I have come to the conclusion that I must share the love. That means no greedy thoughts or growling at the children if they come near my stash. And I think I'll be making a batch of those PBC brownies to bring to my class Easter party on Friday. It's all about giving back, right? All I know is this:

THIS GIRL


PLUS

THIS PILE


EQUALS

School. Gymnastics. Church. School. Scrapbooks (15 to be exact-and not even for my own kids!). Throw in a little trip to DW a couple of weekends ago and a camping trip this weekend. School. Breathe. School. I am so ready for Spring Break!

I have started thinking about what I'd like to do with the kids this summer. In the middle of the chaos I take a little space out break to dream about a random trip on the Tri Rail, a children's play at the local theatre, free movies, trips to fun water parks. But then I am yanked back into reality and I fear this might be me:




Don't get me wrong! I still love my job. But just in case you were interested, there are 7 more days until Spring Break and 38 more days until Summer! (Not that it matters or anything.)

Sunday Wishes

My boy never fails to make me laugh. The kind of laugh that brings tears to the eyes (which can be dangerous if you're driving). And as you know, Ethan's best material comes during our local drives around town.

We were on our way to church and Mackenzie was reading aloud from the book Where the Sidewalk Ends. She was reading the poem "Lester", and this one is all about Lester and his many wishes. So I asked them what they would wish for if they were given three wishes. Both of them wished for toys they already had...these kids need more toys like a hole in the head. I told them to think of things they couldn't play with. Here are their wishes:

Mackenzie:
1. a trip to Wannado City (this one is do-able)
2. snow in South Florida (I'll be watching for flying pigs)
3. a chance to play outside every day (Poor child! Her momma makes her stay indoors on school days.)

Ethan:
1. a pet - more specifically - a dog (keep wishin' kid)
2. a job (Like McDonalds or cleaning my toilet?)
3. an extra eyeball (His reason: just in case the other one pops out - these are his exact words)

So there you have it. The one thing I forgot to ask him is where he would keep the third eyeball. Knowing him he would shove it in the cargo pocket of his shorts along with the rocks and candy he's put in there too. Where does he come up with this stuff??

Google Pictures

I like to surf Google for weird pictures. I was just going through my picture files and I came up with a few good ones. Why would one post these pictures on the internet? Writers block. I'm waiting for Ethan to come up with better material for me.


Mental note: When the kids are driving me beyond crazy, just put them on the hood of the car and floor it.


The Fro Hat. So classic.


If I remember correctly, this guy tried to rob a bank or something. He didn't have a "panty" to put on his head. (Raising Arizona, people! Keep up with me!)



I don't know what to say about the pit sniffer. Matt refuses to do this for me.


??? Speechless.