Have you ever noticed how sometimes the people you’re most closely related to, you look nothing like?  But how you can randomly look just like someone else in your extended family?  Such is the case of Kathryn and her Grandma Love.  Even from the first ultrasound we saw that her build was similar to Nathan’s—long and lean, which means like Grandma Love.  When K was born her hands and the finger shape IMMEDIATELY reinforced this feeling.  To this day I have only had one deluded woman (bless her heart) tell me that K resembles me.  Everyone else says “She looks just like Corry!”  We’re fine with that, its kind of funny and sweet.  This morning its become all the more apparent though.  K has been begging me for 2 weeks now to cut her hair b/c her BFF H did “Locks of Love” and donated like 3’ of  hair.  With K’s fine wispy hair, styling has always been a battle, and we’ve bobbed it now and then.  Looks like today was the day to do it.  I will admit, it went a TAD bit shorter than I originally wanted, but it turned out good.  However, when I stepped back and looked at her it was like looking at a younger, shorter, more hyper version of my MIL (if that’s possible).  Check it out:

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I’m a bit stumped here.

How can it be that once ALL the kids are in school ALL day long, I am busier than ever?

Suddenly projects are looming before me with no end in sight.  This weekend has felt especially busy.

Friday I was frantically making cupcakes and trying to throw together something for a Fandango that we were attending (which was a lot of fun)

Saturday started out with Ryan’s bit 5th Bday party—which wasn’t super HUGE in comparison to some parties we’ve been to, but it was a big effort for me—entertaining kids here at the house and all.  After that I had a bit of a break then we were off to the Family Fun Carnival in Longmont where we were signed up to help run booths. 

Sunday—well, it was 90% wonderful, would’ve been completely wonderful.  It always frustrates me when people talk over you and turn everything into ‘me, me, me’.   I’m trying NOT to comment anymore in classes b/c I never get past 4 words—completely rude!  I DID get a nap (thanks fam!) and we had our awesome HT duo come over. 

Monday, I hit the ground running—well walking this morning.  Put up a shelf in the pantry, cleaned off the grill plates in the BBQ, ordered new heat shields for it,  made a cake & decorated it, took mini cupcakes into R’s kindergarten class (and forgot to bring my camera—ugh!!) during a downpour of course, took dinner to a sweet family that has had a hard day—don’t think I’m a saint, they had what we did—pizza.  And then grandparents came over for dessert (birthday cake) and we enjoyed a bit of a visit. 

So…the business has just been snowballing.  The normal cleaning and such continues because it must.  I started mentally making a list for the rest of this week—how did I EVER think I could go back to work?!?  You’d think I’d been huffing Eau de Insanity or something.  

One thing is for sure—I love seeing my kids come home, I just need to get a bit more organized so I can have projects wrapped up by that time so I can really interract with them. 

**WARNING—EMOTIONAL MEANDERING HERE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO READ THIS!!**

Today this little guy was driving me bonkers!  He just couldn’t focus and get going on his ‘out the door’ stuff, he kept playing with toys, messing around, etc.  He really is talented at it.  But when he was on the bus he looked out the window and just waved and waved and waved to me…until the bus pulled out of sight.  It so pulls at my heart to have my baby off to school like this—I’ve been so distracted with the whole birthday extravaganza that I didn’t think  much of the fact that he was in school.  And when he’s at school he’s happy and fine—he LOVES it.  His teacher said I was right, that he’s a ‘ball of energy’, and just has a great time.  Its just hard on `ole mom here when he looks out the bus window with that sort of sad look, b/c he knows I can’t come with him.  He must know that if there was 1 grade I would redo in a heartbeat, it would be Kindergarten. 

Ok, this is getting pretty meandering and making me emotional so its time for bed. 

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Wednesday night the kids were riding bikes outside, playing on our street, just having fun.  I was doing something(?) and looked up to see Ryan had his bike on its side and was unscrewing one of the training wheels.  Nathan then told me that he wanted to take them off.  I said that one was loose, but the other would need a wrench.  Colin ran in to get one.  I decided to get the camera.  By the time I found it and came out, Ryan was 1/2 way down the street, riding his bike.  Nathan and Colin stepped into my traditional role of pusher and then got him started, they’d push him down the street—holding onto the handle, or the seat—it was so cute!

I texted Jeff IMMEDIATELY to let him know—we’re both so amazed and excited!  Ryan is the 1st kid that I didn’t have to use dire threats to get him to ride w/o training wheels.  (Yes I am THAT mom) And he accomplished this 2 years earlier than any of the other kids.  Amazing.  Its so nice to have the kids all enjoying riding bikes now.  I’m thinking about family bike-rides in the future.  Once I have my own bike that is. 

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Thought I’d share a gorgeous sunset I caught on camera Tuesday night.

I love seeing the sun set behind the mountains, and watching the play of light, all the layers of ridges, etc.

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Earlier this week I realized I needed to get the school supply shopping done.  I’d put it off for a while, which wasn’t helping anyone.  Finally, I loaded up all the kids in the car and off to mega-store we went. 

First I will note that I had LOTS of supplies already—an extra packet of notebook paper, a few composition notebooks, binders, markers, pencils, etc.  However—it was nowhere NEAR enough for 4 kids.  $116.38 later we had 5 BULGING bags of supplies and I got to work with my sharpie labeling things and stuffing backpacks. 

Ryan’s pile consisted mainly of markers, crayons, pencils, paint, tissues, etc—just in double since he’s in ALL-DAY kindergarten.  Yippee!! About an hour later he and his little friend had snuck the bag into the basement and were busy exploring its contents.  Do you think its time for me to buy stock in Crayola?

This is Colin’s pile.  He was a hard kid to shop for.  Colin is in the 4/5 combo class so the question is:  which grade do I shop for?  All I could do was grab the ‘specialty’ items from each list and hope that we’re covered.  The result is that his pile of supplies is the tallest too.

One thing I discovered when cleaning out backpacks (yes, I had left them since May) besides the pile of homework and worksheets never turned in (ahem—Nathan!) were 2 brand new binders, in pristine condition that I sent with Nathan last fall.  They were on the list and he NEVER used them!  Why do they put things on the list if they don’t use them?  Like the zippered binder of last year.  NOT on the list, but it quickly became apparent that it was a NECESSITY as the kids weren’t allowed to bring backpacks to class with them.  Yeah…I was so thrilled to go back to mega store 2 weeks AFTER the sales were over and shell out $15 for one.  This year its still useable (barely) but I picked up 2 extras on sale just in case. 

It feels good to have all these supplies organized and ready to go to school—along with kids organized and ready to go.  I’d send them today if it was allowed.

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