Saying Good-bye

May 22nd

We said Goodbye to Miss Sherry and Goodbye to daycare.

 

Isaac got to wear his special goodbye shirt and celebrate a final year in an in-home daycare setting. 

 

We have been so thankful for Sherry and her care for the past 4 years.

 

This was a decision to toil over... and over... and over...

 

but it was time. 

 

 

Isaac is ready for Preschool and new friendships and new adventures... Here we go!

Prom 2013

Getting Ready

 

How do you get these things on?



Taking notes...



Totally in awe of his big brother...



Picture with Dad



and one with Mom too....

 The Date Arrives

Pinning on the flower



This one is a bit scary!  Visions of the future.... Oh my mommy heart be still! 



If we are being honest - Isaac got asked to Prom by Jacque FIRST!
When we decided it would be past his bedtime by the time dinner was over, she asked Chris instead.



Chris and Jacque
Prom 2013

Date Night

We love being able to get out together (sans kids) but it hasn't been easy.... until now.

 

OUR CHURCH is AMAZING!

and the Youth Group has become something very near and dear to my heart.

What a great group of young adults!

 

They are raising money for the National Youth Gathering...by offering a PARENT's NIGHT OUT once a month!  Hallelujah!

 

We have only done it once for Chad's Birthday - but I can guarantee you.... it will happen again.

 

We missed it this month - so we caught up on a lunch date!

 

Amazing what conversation can take place over a meal without children present!

 



Isaac-isms

Oh my - Isaac was in rare silly form tonight.... here are just a few of the silly things he had going on. 

I was talking with him at the table...

(m): What's an Isaac? 

(I): It's like a boy (insert cute smile) like a man.  yep like a man! 

(m) oh really 

(I) mmhmm Isaac is a person mom (said with that "come on you know that mom" tone)

(m) so what's a Shawn? 

(I) he's like a boy

(m) oh I see.... and what else 

(I) a boy with a horse head (insert hysterical laughing from everyone)

(m) what's a daddy? 

(I) a horse head man too

(m) you are so silly! 

(I) laughing

(m) What's a mommy 

(I) a geerul (girl said with a cute 3 yr old twang)

(m) so Mommy is a girl? 

(I) yep

(m) what's a mommy do? 

(I) flushes the potty and flushes it again.

(m) what about Chris?  What's a Chris? 

(I) (trying to say home-worker) - he's a homewrecker

Everyone cracks up again....

Oh my - the things that boy says sometimes!

The High School-er

Chris has finished his 2 years of Middle School. 

He went out with a bang... mostly in good ways so let's focus on that! 

The first weekend of May was Chris' Confirmation. 

He celebrated and professed his faith in front of the confirmation, reaffirming his baptism. 

Pastor Z and Pastor B

The whole group of confirmands - (I was confirmed in a group of 2 - big difference!) 

Chris also had his last band concert.  

He plays the barisaxiphone. 

I cannot believe that we have a child in High School.... a Freshman! 

Lesson in Parenting - Life goes fast....really fast.....SOAK IT UP!!!

Track and Field

 I love my kids.  I love watching them enjoy activities.  I love seeing them be active.
I love sitting on the sidelines and cheering them on.  I love meeting other moms who
are there to do the same thing.

I learned a new lesson on Friday however.
I do NOT love Track and Field.

Don't get me wrong.  I still love seeing my kid on the track and having fun but the whole idea of sitting around waiting nearly an hour for him to run the hurdles for 10.26 seconds, while trying to entertain a 3 year old who doesn't understand why his brother won't play with him.... is hard and rather boring really.

 Nevertheless - Chris did great - Don't really understand the "enjoyment" of the sport but hey - Whatever floats your boat I guess.

We will work on his form for the hurdles though!

 



Pushing through to the end!



 Thankfully, we also got to enjoy a 7 minute mile run.   (Yep - a little sarcasm there!)

In 2nd Place

Run Forest Run!
(We were laughing at his hair in this picture!)

There he goes.

He finished in 9th place overall for the mile run.  I think he would have done better overall had he not shot to the front in the beginning and tried to keep pace with the leader for a lap and a half.   But I can't run a 7 minute mile so he major steps ahead of me!

So Proud!!!

So -

Last weekend, I began a new adventure....

Solo Parenting

Chad began working the weekend shift (Friday - Monday) last weekend so I in turn became a solo parent.  Not single parent b/c we are still very much married it's just that he is not AS available as he used to be on the weekends.

Lo & Behold...

Shawn comes home with a HUGE project to do ... by March 5th... last weekend!

We got off to a GREAT Rough start (he and I didn't have the same "experiment" in mind)

We worked all last Sunday on the project by completing the experiment and taking data. 

Then today.... We put the project together!

Shawn did a great, no... super... no.... FABULOUS job! 

Here is the final product -  

Now we are off to enter it into the Science Fair at school on Tuesday!

So Proud of You SHAWN...

(Lesson in Parenting.... Weekends.... yeah - they no longer belong to you when you have kids!  Especially ones that are in school!)

Lessons In Parenting #2

TEENAGERS HAVE ATTITUDE...

and some acquire it long before the "teen" years....

Like this kid

Holy Cow - The ATTITUDE is flowing tonight! 

One good thing about this is we have an actual Teenager.... who has prepared the way for him.

Lesson in Parenting.... GOD GIVES YOU PATIENCE when you need it, and just enough FRUSTRATION to test you along the way.  For that I guess I can be thankful!

Things I have learned in parenting #1

So - I decided that this might be a series, or it might not... depends on my motivation!

As the kids grow, so do we (Chad and I).  Thought it might be nice to write down what I have learned, ya know, in case I forget that childhood and parenting is a never-ending "class" of sorts.... only we are both the students and the teachers all at the same time.

S0 - For tonight....

Lesson #1 -

When you have the crappiest day EVER..... the simple words "I so happy to see you mommy" out of a 2 year old's mouth, with a big squeezy hug (our words at home).... suddenly makes the day all better. 

Not sure who needs who most at this stage of life but one thing is for sure.... Life is Good with him in it!

Thank you Lord for my precious baby (not-so-baby-anymore) boy.  He makes me smile!