Kindergarten

I wasn't nervous about Rhett's first day, even though I was nervous for "mine." Rhett usually does well with new things, but then not-so-well once they're not new. So maybe Friday will be different. But I'm happy to report that Monday went great. The whole family walked him to school (after the mandatory photo shoot) and and then into school. We waited outside his door until the teacher opened it up, we all hugged him goodbye, and then watched him walk right into his kindergarten room. Eek!

Ollie and I had a bunch of errands to run and food to cook, so I was busy all day. This was certainly not my choice for my first "free nap time" in years, but I plan on making up for that today. I did have a mini-heart attack when the phone rang and caller ID alerted me it was Rhett's school. But fortunately there was no crisis: just a recorded message from the principal telling us that our kindergartners were doing well and learning and having fun without us. That did not make me feel good! Well, I guess it did. But it also didn't.

And then at 3:30 we were outside his door waiting to get him. Just like that, his first day of school was over. He couldn't tell me much about it (boy? five-year-old? combination of both?), but he did seem to really enjoy it. He already knows two kids in his class thanks to neighbors and church, so I'm pretty sure that helps. But like I said, we'll see how he feels on Friday.

Eating our "school lunch" dinner Sunday night. This was the first time the boys had tater tots. They pretty much loved them.


Putting the hand print on the shirt.


Wearing the shirt. I think it's still just a bit big. When compared to last year, his hand was a lot bigger!


The kindergartner!

Happy Back to School!

Last Days of Summer

Rhett starts school on Monday (and yep, it's full-day kindergarten, thanks to our very liberal Maryland), so we've been trying to have as much fun as a pinched-nerve-suffering mom can have. We've been to the library (using the bus--so I can avoid aggravating said nerve by driving), the splash pad, and the fair. I've kept Rhett out of quiet times because I'm already starting to miss him. Not enough to homeschool, but enough to make me want to enjoy our last special moments.

What's the Opposite of Juicy?

Sorry, but I got nothing juicy. Not a darn thing. This post is just random goings-on, pretty much the exact opposite of juicy.

I'm a little depressed about getting old and never having a body that feels 100%. (Note: I did not say that I expect to have a body that feels like a 19-year-old body. Just one that doesn't hurt. You know, one that can spray a can of Pam.) Doctors don't really know what's wrong, but I'm supposed to start doing some physical therapy. Sweet.

I'm anxious about Rhett starting kindergarten on Monday. On Friday we find out who his teacher will be. Already I have my questions: How does school lunch work? Where do we pick him up at the end of the day? You know, the usual first-time-parent-of-a-kindergartner things.

Related: Whatever am I going to do with Ollie all day?! Whatever did I do with Rhett at this age?!

I'm ready for fall. Last week's foray into fall-ish weather was so mean. Then again, the warmth today is enabling us to go to an awesome little splash pad place.

I bought some totally awesome trays that look like the trays school lunch is served in. We'll do a school-themed dinner on Sunday night. But what to serve? I'm thinking tater tots would be good. I must find individual milk cartons. What else? (None of this new-fangled local, organic school lunch ideas, please. Give me your best retro lunch. But tasty. Not meatloaf.)

Related: We made individual pizzas for dinner on Monday. It was so much fun. I got to have vegetables on mine. We might do this again just so I can have a pesto one.

Is anyone I know watching "Breaking Bad?" Man, this is one great show.

Funniest book we've ever checked out from the library. I'm still grinning about it.

Toaster Oven: Yay or Nay?

Among other (small) things, Chuck got me a toaster oven for my birthday because he knows I love tuna buns. (I believe "tuna buns" = "tuna melts," but I'm not sure. They were just called tuna buns in our house. Also, I grew up calling ramen noodles, "soba" because of the time my parents spent in Japan in the 70s. Scarred for life, I tell you.)

Anyway, we have yet to open the toaster oven because I'm just not sure it's worth it. However, I really dislike microwaves. I feel like we hardly use ours, and therefore it's just wasted counter space. So if I could just swap the two, then I'd be happy. But because I didn't grow up using a toaster oven (again, the scars! the scars!) I don't know that much about them. Does anyone out there have one? If so, how do you use it? Could it replace our microwave? And if we go with the toaster oven, do we need a toaster?

P.S. While we're talking food, any suggestions for lunch boxes? Ones that won't be refrigerated? Ones appropriate for picky kindergartners? (Not that I have one or anything...)

P.P.S. Sorry this is a boring post. Wednesday will be juicy, I promise.

P.P.P.S. Now I have to invent something juicy. Sigh.

O Canada, Avec les Pictures

Okay, okay. I'll do a Canada post with pictures.

Niagara was my hands-down favorite of our week-long trip. Per Rhett's usual, he loved it as soon as it was over (and the danger was gone).






While I was gone during the day to my statistical conference (you know you all are jealous), Chuck took the boys to the insect museum...


...and these super cool gardens...




...and a science museum...


...and a hockey hall of fame.




We all made it to this church.




And we ate a fancy French dinner.


On the way back we stopped in Hershey, since it was right in our way.


Fin.

See, Mom? I remembered some of my high school French! Also this: Ou est la bibliotheque?

O Canada, Sans les Pictures

Our trip was okay. My body continued to hurt and only got worse. But the boys gallivanted by day and (mostly) slept at night. For me, the highlight was definitely Niagara. But since typing is still pretty painful and I have not yet uploaded pictures from my camera, this will be a short, words-only post, in the form of a quiz.

Quiz
1. You are driving on a Canadian highway. The sign says Montreal is 412 km, how many miles away is Montreal?

2. You are now getting gas in Canada. The price is labeled as 1.335 Canadian dollars per litre. How many U.S. dollars per gallon is this?

3. While still on the way to Montreal, you pass a sign that gives the population of Hamilton, Ontario as 519,949. How many people in America is that?

P.S. Uh, why did none of my loved ones give me this as a baby shower gift? It almost makes me want to have another baby. Sike.

When the Kids are Away, the Mom Will...

Due to some recent staffing changes at work, I've been asked if I ever see myself returning to full-time work. I put on my fanciest work voice, smooth my hair and clothes, and say, "DUH. Are you crazy?!" Do you know how they reply? "But what about when the boys are in school? You might get bored."

Bored?! BORED?!

Let's remember that I work two days a week. And maybe, just maybe, I'll pick up one more day from home. That leaves only two days. Already I have them so planned I don't know how I'll fit it all in. Here's the list I have so far for everything I want to do when the boys are at school (in no particular order):

Grocery shopping
Laundry
Volunteer in the schools
Prep meals
Clean the house
Lunch with friends
Service
Sewing
Church calling stuff
Exercise (bike, swim, run)
Other: _________________ (Please tell me what I'm missing)

I mean, do they expect me to do the laundry on my family's time? I don't think so. And if I work full-time and Chuck works full-time, when are we doing the grocery shopping? The house cleaning? I just don't understand this. Plus, there's the whole, "I want to be home when they get home from school" thing, even if it is only three days a week. Full-time work is for the birds, I tell you (and them, but maybe they get it in a more professional delivery).

Ollie Turns Two

Friday I was fortunate to be able to work at home. So before I logged on in the morning, we had a short birthday breakfast celebration. Then during lunch, we had his mini-party, complete with pizza, rice krispie cake (shaped like a "Big Rock Candy Mountain"), and presents. Success! And now I have a two-year-old again. Hallelujah.






P.S. Why the Big Rock Candy Mountain? Well, once he learned the song, he would say, "Big Rock Candy Mountain" about anything big or mountainous. Let's just say we heard it a LOT while driving in Utah. We may even hear it if his pasta seems particularly peak-ish.

All About Me Week: Things I Made

Even though most nights I want to be asleep by nine p.m., I've been able to get a couple of projects done. Like these Santa napkin holders. We had some growing up (although ours looked more like this), so of course I have to have my own now, right? Tutorial here.


Instead of just letting my medals turn into toys and then get lost (like my first Ragnar medal), I thought I'd make a little holder. I painted it, cut the vinyl, and put in the tea cup holders. And because wood projects are not my forte, I'm pretty pleased. Now to run another half just for another medal. Copied from here.


My mom requested a bag to go on her handlebars for when she's biking. You know, to carry her wallet in case she sees anything at garage sales. Re-created from this bag.


And Ollie's birthday shirt. I love the turquoise. (I re-created this after seeing something similar on Etsy.)


A friend at church is having twin boys. She also happens to love riding motorcycles. So even though she's having a diaper shower, I had to do something else. It's not much, but still fun, right? (I re-created this after seeing something similar on Etsy.)




And finally, another friend is having her second baby. She and her husband, who needs to blog more, are the champion baby wearers, in my opinion. So I knew child #1 had to be able to wear his own. And wear his own he shall. Tutorial from here.