End of summer

 So this is what Big E is looking like these days.  Pretty dapper eh?

 The cousins got to ride the car.  They were kind of crazy drivers and I'm thinking they should hold off getting licenses until they can at least stay on the road, or in this case, on the sidewalk!

 We went to this place called Great Wolf Lodge.  Lots of fun.  We let Sprout crawl on the bed naked for a couple of minutes and then paid for it later when his eczema flared up with fury.

 They had so much fun, they crashed in the car.

 In the forest lives the wild....lop eared bunny??  There were two.  Shame on whoever released these domesticated bunnies into the wild.

 Seeing double?

 Someone had an owie...and someone was just looking too cool.

 Family all together at last.

 The Lodge.

 The falls.

 The ride I want to go on someday.

 The hugs!

 Good bye hugs.

Birthday celebrations.

Learning to read

So Little Dude has been to kindergarten a total of 5 times.  But he's been paying attention.  Tonight as I put him and Munchkin down to bed he asked if he could have a train under his pillow.  (Both he and Munchkin are HUGE Thomas and friends fans), I agreed to one train...which morphed into having Thomas and his coaches Annie and Clarabel under his pillow.  He started with only Thomas and Annie and was complaining that he didn't have Clarabel.  I asked how he knew he had Annie, maybe Clarabel was already under his pillow!  So he told me he looked at the letters (their names are under the trains) and there was an A so he knew it was Annie.  Watch out, this is one pre-reader on a roll!  He told me again tonight that he didn't want to go to school tomorrow.  :(  He really does enjoy himself in class so I'm not sure why he is still saying he'd rather not go.  We've made a deal with him-he HAS to go until Halloween and then I'll ask him if he wants to stay home or if he wants to go to kindergarten.  I'm hoping a month of going to class will be enough for him to feel comfortable and he'll want to stay.  On the other hand, if after a month he STILL doesn't want to be there, then home he will go.

Working Mamma

So, I started my new job this week.  I've done two job shadows and yesterday was my first time sailing alone.  I'd shadowed this particular presentation in a perfect class with perfect students who had the perfect number of volunteers.  No hiccups at all.  Today I did a presentation in a class that was not so perfect, with some 'interesting' students and only 2 volunteers!  That the teacher was pleased with the result (especially impressed with my puppet handling skills..haha), and really seemed to like it will have to be enough to quiet my inner perfectionist who insists on pointing out all the things I did wrong.  (Mismanaged the time a bit, so no story at the end.  Didn't modify the first activity enough for the big group and so it was a bit crazy, yada yada yada.)  On the whole though it was a lot of fun to do and over time I'll get better at the presentations.  I do this same presentation next week, so more practice coming up!

We have also rented our abode that we had to leave in order to move to the big city.  The people seem very nice, but it's been a bit bumpy and I'm sure I owe various body parts (arms and legs) to plumbing, heating and cooling, and the gas company.  They started moving in and the town turned on the water only to discover that the break we thought had been fixed at the end of last winter, wasn't.  Water gushed everywhere and the town had to turn off the water again and we called the plumber.  Then we called the gas guy because the furnace wouldn't start.  He got it started, but had to turn it off because there was a gas leak.  Called the plumber and added that to his list.  The plumber phoned me when he got there to tell me that he couldn't fix the leak because it wasn't in the line, but the leak was in the actual gas valve and it would likely need replacing.  So we called the heating and cooling guy who came and fixed it.  The furnace is now working and I'm waiting for the bills.  Big E is down fixing window locks and it looks like we'll be calling the plumber again to find out why we can't get hot water for the tub.  Want scalding water to wash your hands?  No problem.  Need a HOT bath....uh, nope.  I keep hoping that once we get all this fixed, that will be the end of things.  We'll see.  As long as they pay their rent on time, I'll be happy and relatively stress free.  Maybe I should take up yoga.  

First day.

This was Little Dude's first day of Kindergarten.  He was excited and a little nervous.  His teacher said he did GREAT, it was like he'd never missed a day.   :)

Things we will miss

 Maybe this post should be labeled "things I will miss"!  I'll miss someone else who is willing to take command of the camera and shoot pictures for me...OF me!  (Although, where is that special photoshop button I've heard of that takes 50lbs off of anyone who needs it??  HMMmmm??)

 Fun at the spray park in a little town that means you almost always have the place to yourself.

 Hanging out with Poppa B.

 And getting him to push you on the swing!

 Eastern storms.  Lighting, booming thunder, oh the excitement!!

 Relatives with cool talents!

 Relatives that play!

 Uncles that snuggle.

 Relatives with pets!

And pretty pets.  :)