What a week. . .

This has been quite a week so far. Jaeden is loving kindergarten. He is adjusting very well and getting to know lots of the school staff-- even the nurse. He fell on the playground on Monday and had to go to the nurse for a bruise and scrape on his back and got a band-aid from the librarian on his finger! He decided that both the nurse and librarian are really nice.

Tuesday evening was filled with me going to parent meetings at both kids schools! First was Ms. Staffords parent night. What a gem she is!! Then I had to head over to Jaclyn's preschool parent night. Good thing I went-- found out class starts a week earlier than I originally thought!

Jaclyn had a play date with one of her best pals Ali on Wednesday. How cute to watch two 2 year olds play dolls and Dora together!

Today was a real treat. Jaclyn had a preschool orientation. She got to go to a 1 hour version of preschool with a parent. She is so excited to be going to school like Jaeden. Next we are off to take Jman to the doctor. He isn't feeling well- had his first sick day today. :o( Hopefully he will be himself very soon, we have a busy weekend ahead of us!

Nothing like a box to entertain the kids for HOURS!

First ride in Daddy's Wrangler this year.

Fun at the Engineering Fountain on Campus.

Princess and the Potty?

Well, we have successfully finished the first week of kindergarten. It has gone very well. Jaeden had just one breakdown the middle of the week, which I am going to say was the Third Day Tireds.

Now on to our next mission with Jaclyn-- Potty Training!!! We made great progress a couple of months ago, then took 3 steps back. So today we are at it again! Jaclyn is in her Ariel "big girl pants" and all systems are go. She is working towards this glitter ball she has wanted for months first. Then when she doesn't need pull-ups anymore we are going to go and let her pick out a necklace at Claires. Oh, the life of a Princess! Fingers crossed!!!!

First Day of School!

Well, today is the day. My little man started kindergarten this morning!!! He was so excited. It really seems like he should still be crawling around the house, not hanging up his backpack in the classroom.
Jeremy went into work a little late so that we could both walk him to his classroom. And so that it would be easier on Mom.( I am handling it just fine though!) Jaeden loves knowing that when Daddy goes to work he will be going to school now.

At his desk,ready to go. When I looked back as we left, he was just coloring away!

State Fair Time

You know it is almost the end of summer when the State Fair starts. This weekend, we headed down to the State Fair in Indy. It was the hottest day of the year- heat index of 100! But we packed our frozen waters and Gatorade and slathered on our sunscreen. We really had a great time checking out the animals in the barns. We watched a little bit of a beef show, sheep show, goat show, and horse show. It was fun to watch the kids try to pick the winners in each class. Then we headed over to The Little Hands on the Farm. This is an adorable thing where the kids get to pretend to be farmers- they have to gather grain, feed the animals, gather eggs, plant and harvest a seed, groom a sheep and try to milk a cow. For all their hard work they earn "1 Farm Dollar" which they get to use at the general store. Jaeden bought himself some orange juice and Jaclyn picked a cheese stick. Next we headed to the pony rides. Which they had been waiting for all day. Jaclyn was a little leery at first, but both really enjoyed it. We topped off our trip with a ride on the gondola. It was so neat to see the fair from high a top the gondola. Even with the heat, we had a Fabulous time!!

It was unanimous-- corn dogs were the favorite food!

The sheep were Jaeden's favorite animal.

Jaclyn loved the goats- especially the ones you could feed.

Jaclyn's favorite part of the farm was planting her seed and getting her vegetable.

Jaeden liked milking the cow.

Happy on their ponies!

High atop the fair on the gondola.

Trophies or Teachers?

Each day at nap time, I try to find a few minutes to go up to my room to read my Bible. I am currently reading the MOMS Devotional Bible, each day it gives you a devotional and some reading to go along with it. Earlier this week as I was reading through my daily devotional for the day I came across something that has stuck with me all week. I thought I would share it.

"Do you view your children as trophies or teachers? If we view our children as trophies, we will put their personalities and achievements atop our mantels, step back and take credit for who and what they have become. We will be inclined to pressure our children to perform in such a way that will increase their value as trophies- we will receive more praise.
If we view our children as teachers, we will submit ourselves to the lessons we learn from God at their hands. Lessons of patience. Of creative problem-solving. Of accountability. What matters in the end is that our children grow in their love for God and that they praise him with their lives. In this way, they become our teachers, drawing us closer to God and his ways as well.
So what is it for you? Are your children your trophies or are they your teachers?"

I don't know about you, but this totally hit home with me. I have been reflecting on all the things that my kids are teaching me each day. Sometimes it is Jaclyn saying, "Mommy, pray" before we eat our dinner. Or Jaeden relaying the bible story he remembers from his bedtime CD. I am going to do my best to open my eyes to all the little lessons I can learn from my family. I hope you will do the same.
This is Jaeden and Jaclyn on a sculpture outside Central Park. We told them to "say cheese" for their picture. Jaeden responded by yelling at the top of his lungs "I LOVE JESUS!" . Of course, Jaclyn followed in her little voice as well. At that moment Jeremy and I were so proud of the kids. And what a lesson!


"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child, will never enter it."
Luke 18:16-17

Pajama Prince and Princess

Yesterday morning the kids were upstairs playing while I did some things around the house. When I went up to check on them, this is what I found. . . The Pajama Prince and Princess!!

After dinner we decided to go outside and enjoy the BEAUTIFUL weather. The kids decided to ride bikes and scooters. Jaeden is a master at both now. Jaclyn is just getting the hang of riding the big wheel. She tries so hard to make her legs long enough to keep pedaling!

I think her helmet needs some adjustment.

Jaeden cruising along.

Jaeden has decided he loves to pop wheelies on his scooter now.

Trying to figure out how to push the scooter.

Taking some lessons from Big Brother.

The official Kindergarten countdown has started... 13 days!!