Pizza and Ice Cream

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Report about the first day of Kindergarten

As expected, Ben was not super chatty about his first day, but I did get some information out of him. His answers to his most favorite and least favorite part of the day crack me up. For those of you that spend a lot of time with him, you will get it.

For those of you that don't know him as well, know this...he is the most terrible eater so the fact that lunch was his favorite was astounding. He also loves being outside. He plays outside constantly. And yet the playground time was far too long for his liking.

He did say that he wrote his name a couple of times, cut a straight line, colored a school bus and went to art (something he does once a week). And he had PE. Apparently the PE teacher informed them of what happens when you get in trouble, but Ben wasn't forthcoming with what that punishment is. Hum?

He was so excited about his homework that he insisted I see it in the car before we left the school. He was very disappointed when the only thing on the "homework" was that I read a note and sign it. He wasn't pleased!

All in all, successful day! And now he and his brother are playing in the living room floor, sound affects and all.

Kindergarten

When you first bring home that bundle of joy, you allow your mind to imagine the day he starts school, graduates from school, gets married, gives you a grandchild... But when it really happens, you are never ready!
Today we all got dressed and ready in record time. Ben's excitement was infectious. The whole family walked the long sidewalk to his school, waited with all the other excited kids in their cute uniforms and then found his teacher and class. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 low, 10 high), he was maybe a 1 in nervousness and an 11 in excitement.
Benjamin, you have brought me so much joy in your first five and a half years. I am so privileged to be your mommy. I can't imagine God giving me a bigger blessing. You are always thinking of others first (unless it's your brother and he has the toy you want), you are an amazing helper around the house (unless it's time to clean up the disastrous playroom), you never miss anything (the piece of chocolate I snuck from the pantry or the fact that I moved a picture frame 6 inches) and I love trying to answer your endless questions.
You are so ready for Kindergarten and that makes me happy. I will miss you like crazy around the house, but I guess we both have to grow up a little today. I will always be your biggest supporter, cheering you on in whatever path your life takes.
I love you.
Mommy.

Supplies!

Special first day breakfast. (No, all those sausages weren't for him.)

Brothers and best friends.

Ready!

Enough pics already.

The three amigos will be down to two.

Big kid.

Father and son.

They will always be my babies.

Lined up with class.

Saying goodbye.

He had been in his class for about 10 minutes while another teacher talked to all the parents next door. So, I asked him if he had met the other boys at his table. With a sigh he replied, "Mom, it's just my first day!"

We are so very proud of you, Benjamin!

Monday, July 7, 2014

Lately

For those 1 or 2 people that follow my blog, but aren't on fb, here is a little overview of our lives lately. I am sure I am missing plenty, but at least you get the idea.

I ran my first 5K, the Color Run, with my friend Jodi. It was super fun and much easier than I thought. I still hate my treadmill though.

The boys played tball. Nate has his last game, a make-up game, this Thursday.

Working on the basics.

Ready position.

Always posing. Always.

The little brothers are great spectators when their big siblings play.

Master hitter, Ben.

He has the technique.

Love him.

We had church family camp. These friends are a silly bunch.

We found a dead bird in our yard. The boys insisted we bury it. So, we did!

They fry my nerves!

We had to say goodbye to some great friends that moved to THE OAKS Camps and Conference center in CA, a part of World Impact.

Our first scary wound. Here's how it went down:

I was at the office.

Ryan was at home.

I answered a call from Ryan to hear a screaming child and Ryan says, "Get home now."

I didn't say a word to the girl I was working right next to and jumped in the car and rushed home.

Thankfully, I had driven to work that day or I would have been a sweaty mess from running home. ha.

When I got home Nate was laid out flat on the kitchen counter with a paper towel on his head.

Ryan and Ben were both ghost white and very still.

Apparently, Ben was swinging his metal bat and Nate walked into it.

Our primary care was able to fix him right up with some purple glue.

Now it is all healed up, still red-ish, but he will be fine.

The boys play with their too-young-for-them playhouse in creative ways.

The coolest pjs ever from Mama D.

The Candidate Assessment Program, CAP, is a huge deal around here. We had four missionary-wanna-be's on campus for a week of intense assessment and orientation. I was charged with cooking for them - along with the 15 other people it required to carry off an event like this. I cooked a total of 16 meals and 8 snacks. My mom came to town to help with the kids since I was gone 12 hours a day. Ryan also taught three sessions as well. What a week! It was intense, exhausting and so much fun.

While I was busy cooking my mom and Ryan were able to take the boys to ride real live combines! It is a perk of living in the Midwest among staff that have family farmers. I was totally jealous I wasn't there.

Happy 4th from our crazy boys.

Carters take on Colorado

Ryan's dad and step-mom, David and Mary Ann, spend their summers in Durango, Colorado and their winters in Spring Branch, Texas. Ryan's brother and his family live in Hillsborough, North Carolina and are spending a whole month on the road this summer! We all decided to meet up in Durango and had a blast. Here is our fast and furious few days in pictures.

It all began with a 12 hour drive. 12 hours!

The boys LOVED the two mountain tunnels.

Nate even photographed one.

Ben's request on the first morning there - climb a mountain. So, we found a mountain and climbed it!

Unbelievable views

Then, we met up with Grandpa and Nana and they took us to a fish hatchery...

...and a cool/creepy museum at the hatchery.

The boys loved the pile of big rocks by the river. The grown-ups found the shade while they climbed.

While we let Grandpa and Nana rest up, we hit downtown Durango and got a little frozen yogurt treat.

They boys chosen souvenirs - Ben's first pez dispenser and Nate chose a jelly bean shaped container full of jelly beans.

Then, the Carolina Carters rolled in and we met up for pizza. Table for 14 everywhere we went.

Day 2 - Durango Mountain Resort.

Amazing fun!!

Nate LOVED the gondola and the Alpine Slide.

Cousins! The boys kept mixing up their names, so they would say things like, "the girl in the pink gave me this." haha. Six names were a lot to remember.

Nate and Mommy on the gondola.

Nate and I rode the Alpine Slide THREE times! He would tell me, "Go faster Mommy. Catch up to that guy. Push it down to go faster Mommy."

Here is our selfie while waiting in line for the slide. He is showing you the ring his cousin made for him.

The view from the Alpine Slide.

Ben was cautious, Nate was not, on their first go at the bungee trampoline. Ben kept getting braver and they both did it a few times.

Ryan did it too. Except he kept saying in a wavering voice, "OOOOOOH my goodness! OOOOOOH my goodness!" We laughed!

From the brochure, Ben decided the water ball was HIS activity. He wanted to do it so badly. As soon as he got in, he lost his balance and couldn't get back up. He almost immediately gave up. Crazy boy.