I'm Baaaccckkk!

It has been exactly one year since my last blog post and wow has it been a year!  I am not sure where to start.  My blogging last year was pretty infrequent too.  I will go all the way back to December 2014.  I got an exciting promotion with Enterprise.  I went from managing a team of 20-25 employees to managing six managers and a total team of 130-140 employees in as many as 19 different states.  So when I got to walk away from my computer at the end of the day, I was DONE!  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job, I really do!  I get to work with some outstanding people and do it all while working from home!  It is such a blessing.  During this transition, Jeff and I continued to look for a new house.  We were pretty picky in terms of the space we wanted for our growing boys and looked at a LOT of homes.  Fast forward to October 2015 and we put a contract on a new house for us.  Not new construction, but new for us.  We made the contract contingent on selling our current home and luckily it didn't take too long.  A contract on our house was signed on our 11th wedding anniversary, January 8, 2016.  Probably the best anniversary present we could have asked for!   We closed on our old house on February 28th and bought our new house on March 1st.  We were homeless and without a mortgage payment for 2 days!  Pretty exciting stuff! 

This is pretty much what the house looked like when we bought it - we called it the brown house!  Wow, it makes me realize how much work we have done to it in the last 8 months.  Another reason I haven' t been blogging - I have all kinds of excuses.  :)  Working full time, mom to 3 boys, wife, new house...I could go on and on but if you are reading you probably really don't care.  

With the new house I got my very own office space.  I am no longer in the basement.  I am on the first floor and I have a huge office with two walls of shelves (you cannot see the other wall as it is behind the door.  I sent Jeff this panoramic photo as I was unpacking thinking I was never going to get organized.  Honestly 8 months later and my office really doesn't look too different.  Eek!  The boxes are off the floor but it still isn't how I want it.  All in due time.  

This is the brown foyer with the 1983 light fixture.  So many 1983 "features" that we will get to replace and make our own.  

All my shelves to put books and craft supplies on!  Again, these shelves will eventually get updated but I don't even mind all the brown right now.  It's my own space! I can work.  I can craft (in all my spare time that doesn't exist).  I can sew (again in all that free time).  But it is my space!  

The boys like the bar stool counter with again...brown...countertops.  I wish I had a photo of the kitchen wallpaper or linoleum floor.  So amazing!  (insert SO much sarcasm here!) 

We took a break from moving to have a drink!  I love all my boys cheers-ing to our new house!  

I am pretty certain I am the luckiest lady in the world to have these 4 boys in my life!  

Moving from house #1 to house #2 was no small feat and we couldn't have done it without our family!   Everyone helped!  From cleaning to large item hauling it truly took a village!  We were and are so thankful for all the help!  

I will be able to hopefully update our last year over the next few days as I am in the hospital for a bit...more on that in a later post, but like I said it has been a wild year!  

Tyler's Halloween party

 Tyler's also had a costume parade but didn't get to witness much of it because we, the classroom moms, were getting ready for the party when they returned from the parade. 

The kids were waiting for pumpkin bowling.  

They had relay races to find the pieces to create the face of the jack-o-lantern.  

The kids got pretty into it.  

I loved getting to see the interactions between Tyler and his friends.  

I volunteer each Wednesday morning with Tyler's class for a program called Shine by Nine to help kids read but I don't get to see Tyler much so it is always fun to see his interactions.  He is maturing so much this year!  

Class pic!  

Site word bingo before snacks.  

Snack time.  Parents had brought so many treats that we saved the non-perishable ones for the following week snacks!   

I sure do love this handsome Superman!  

It was a great party!  

The South Point Parent Teacher Committee hosted a Trunk or Treat on Friday evening.  The teachers did a great job dressing up their trunks and welcoming the kids. 

The kids were excited to start their trick or treating!  

Grant was Marshall from Paw Patrol or Nathan's dalmatian as LOTS of people referred to him. 

Fireman Francis had all the equipment; his hatchet, a fire extinguisher and a walkie talkie.  Nathan LOVES his costume.  I am positive it will not be packed away but will be in the play clothes bin in the play room.  

Tyler was obviously Superman! :) 

It is impressive when after a long week of teaching and a REALLY long day with wired, sugared up kiddos that the teachers are willing to come back to see their cuties and hand out some candy!  We truly have the best teachers!  

I have the best boys! : )  

Nathan's preschool Halloween party

I got to join in on the festivities for Tyler and Nathan's Halloween parties this year.  Nathan's was up first. 

He was a little thrown off as to why I was at school. 

Snack table.  The parent bring the treats for this one...sugar, sugar and a little bit of salt!  

Nathan's snack choices both involved icing..lots of icing.  

The cutest firefighter I have ever seen! 

Hadley got really into the mummy game - wrapping her friends with toilet paper.  

Other games included: bean bag tic tac toe, decorating monster rice krispy treats, pin the eye on the monster, and a pumpkin toss.  

A highlight of the morning was the costume parade.  

Ms. Liz led the parade...

The little politician dressed up as a fireman. :) 

Hadley Anne as a butterfly.  

Ms. Angie with some princesses.  I guessed the wrong princess a lot...apparently I don't get enough princess exposure at our house. ;) 

I thought the Strawberry Shortcake was so cute! 

The other classes then parade through their classroom so everyone can see everyone all dressed up in their costumes.  

After several takes, this was as good as it got for the Hadley Nathan photo op.  

I am so grateful that I was able to spend time with Nathan and his friends for their party.  He had a blast!  

Next up...Tyler's Halloween party!  

Tyler's 1st Day of Kindergarten!

Our first born baby started kindergarten today!  I am not sure where the past 5+ (almost 6) years have gone!  Tyler was so excited and taking his new school year pretty seriously.  He even told Nathan this morning that he couldn't play swords "because I am off to kindergarten."  

I was nervous!  I didn't have any tears come out but they welled up at one point walking down the hallway to his classroom.  I was not nervous about how he would do.  I know he will be an excellent student!  I think I was so nervous because this is when our parenting is really put to the test...have we taught him to play nice, share, listen, be respectful, use his manners, etc?  I think we have done a pretty good job but that letting go part sure is tough.  

One of my co-workers sent me a message that said "he will be off to Mizzou in no time!"  My emotions were all over the place with that one...#1) M-I-Z!  #2) holy crap...that would mean he won't come home at the end of the day!  Let's just get through the first week of kindergarten. :)  

As you will notice, I documented lots of moments before we left for school this morning!  

I thought about strapping the chest harness that holds the GoPro to him so I could witness his whole day...make sure kids were nice and he was nice back...that he ate his lunch...that he got on the right bus to come home...you know all the stuff a mom wonders about during the day.  I am joking of course.  I wouldn't really do that but the thought did cross my mind! :)   

Tyler should graduate in 2028 (doesn't that sounds like forever from now!) so I plan on taking his photo in this XL shirt each year and share the photo progression at his high school graduation party!  

He was really excited! 

Another one mom, really?

Nathan was so excited for Tyler too.  

Cute story: Tyler started crying yesterday before his last day of preschool saying "Nathan is going to miss me at preschool.  ...and what about Hadley?"  I assured him that Nathan and Hadley would be fine together with him at school.  I am just glad we got the tears out of the way yesterday...for Tyler anyway. :) 

South Point Elementary! 

He marched into his new class without any hesitation.  

He found his name, hung up his backpack and sat down to start coloring.  No hesitations, no questions.  At one point he looked up at me like "Mom, what are you still doing here?"  

Well, Tyler, I am obviously here because I am going to continue to take photos. :) 

Tyler and his Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Volkerding.

My last glimpse at him working nicely at his seat as I walked out his door.  He didn't look back at all. 

I am so excited for his year and all the fun things he will learn and friends he will make.  

He came home on the bus before he starts YMCA care after school next week.  He was really excited about riding the bus too! 

He got off the bus and told me "Mom, I had a great day and I want to go back tomorrow."  He told me that he had 2 recesses and had art with Ms. Potter and he is going to learn about lines and shapes in art.  He said he didn't like the lunch, a "chicken hamburger " which I translated to a chicken patty on a bun, but did pick out Purina Farms chocolate milk. (We NEVER have chocolate milk at home so this was quiet a treat!)  He also told me that they didn't do enough reading.  I heard WAY more about his day that I ever thought I would.  Glad I strayed away from my idea of sending him with the GoPro strapped to his body. ;) 

  

I liked this prayer I saw and thought it was worth sharing.

Speaking of prayer, Pastor Sue gave all the kids marbles at church this past Sunday.  She had the congregation pray over them and bless them and told the kids to put the marbles in their back packs to remind them of a wonderful God who loves them very much and a church full of people who love them and are cheering them on!   Nathan and Tyler both have marbles in their backpacks and then know exactly what they mean.  I love that they have a tiny reminder of God's love even in a public school! :) 

Note:  I thought I would be caught up with at least one post.  I still have LOTS of backtracking to do!