It is that time again.... School...

Well for as much as I say I wish they were in school all year long, we have actually had a pretty good summer. One of the best in the most recent years. Not sure if it is because the boys spent time apart each getting to go to VA to stay with their grandparents or if it is because they are all older and we could get out more and do more activities. With babies/toddlers it is so hard to do in the summer with the heat. We spent a great deal of time at the pool of course but we also went bowling several times, saw some movies, went to VA a few times and of best of all just had our annual beach week. So looking back these 9 weeks flew by!

We went last night and met the teachers and saw who the classmates will be and I am pretty excited. Nikolas got a very sweet soft spoken teacher with 29 yrs experience, I know he will be in good hands and he has a few playmates from his class last year and from the neighborhood so he will feel good on his first day. Alex's teacher seems really nice, kinda hard to judge after last night as she was extremely busy. He, however, was thrilled to see that one of his best friends from Kindergarten and 1st grade was in his class again finally. He has missed Shelby so much. Alex was very sad before because his other best friend Lars is going to be homeschooled this year and Alex was very afraid he would not have someone at school to hang out with so this helped. So I am looking forward to 1st and 4th grade and the challenges...not the homework battles but hopefully it won't be too awful!

Lainie has a couple more weeks at home and then she will be gone 5 mornings a week!! She wanted to be in the PreK Class that Nikolas was in with Ms. Felicia. She is so excited! I am happy for her but also a little sad. After this, she will be off to Kindergarten... so at least this year I get her all to myself in the afternoon before the boys get home.

So what will I do you ask? I plan to still work a few morning a week like I was doing but that leaves me 2 mornings free...

1. I will most likely end up at the school one of those mornings, maybe every other week. Not sure I want to commit to weekly unless I feel I need to be around more.
2. I plan to start my running again, training for a 5K in the fall and maybe a 10K in the spring, I have a goal now I need to get off my butt and do it!
3. I plan to organize all their papers and art work from last year that is currently piled up in my closet.
4. Declutter this house a bit more and clean out some closets.
5. Try to work with Charlotte a bit more on training!

So that is my plan! Now on to school starting tomorrow!!

Finally....

Well as a friend of mine told me... I have waited ALL Summer for MY Summer VACATION!! We are finally leaving for the beach tomorrow and I am so ready for some fun in the sun, ocean waves and relaxation!! So hope everyone has a great week, will add pictures when we return!!

Some days are just tough

I know every parent (Mothers especially) have days that just feel like you want to crawl under the covers and not come out until the kids are grown and in college. Well that is me today! I have lots of things weighing me down today and I just don't want to deal with any of it or anyone. Sometimes I just wish life had a pause button!

Drama Camp and Luray Caverns

Well as I wrote in my last entry, Alex spent 2 weeks in VA attending a Drama Camp at a Dinner Theatre. We were not sure if he would enjoy it but he DID!! He loved it, even the singing and dancing if you believe that! He got really homesick the second week, he did not want to come home but he wanted us to come up so we did. We drove up on Thursday which enabled us to see his performance which we had not planned on attending at first. So happy that we were able to go back for it. He looked great up there! But he has always been a performer in one way or another. Here are a few pictures from his show.

Alex is the one in the middle with the blond wig incase you missed him. LOL

During one of the group singing numbers

Alex dancing!!

Shaking his booty!

This is Justine, she was his little girlfriend for the 2 weeks, she kissed him in Day 2

Then we went up the mountains with Kerry's parents on Saturday to spend the night and then visit Luray Caverns with Kerry the next day. It was a lot of fun (well the trip and the caverns was, me sleeping in one room with 3 kids..not so much!) They were so wound up, could not get them to bed! Anyway, I remembered visiting the Caverns as a child but it was even more interesting as an adult. So to all my VA friends and family, it is worth the trip back as an adult if you have not been since you were a child. The kids loved it! Then we came back thru the mountains for our 5 hr drive home and they thought that was really cool!! Much more scenic drive than boring old 85 to 95 like we normally travel.

Here are some pictures from the Caverns, they really don't do it justice though!

A pretty sunset

The kids just as we entered getting ready for the tour

The path way thru the caverns

They call this Dream Lake, the pictures do not do it justice. The reflections were beautiful

A family picture of course

This was looking down at a walk way below us

Such beautiful formations

These were called Curtains because they looked like ribbons

So pretty

Enjoying our summer so far!!

It has been a few weeks since I have written anything because we are not really doing anything too exciting! Well we did have some excitement but I was not here to write about it afterwards.

On June 29th, Lainie turned 4 yrs old!!  She had a very exciting and happy birthday. First we had a party at the pool with all her little friend. They swam and played, ate cupcakes and had so much fun. Then we came home and rested a bit and then we all went bowling!! I signed us up for the Kids Bowl Free at one of our local bowling alley's. They had fun!! And to cap it all off we then went to eat Japanese! Lainie loves their soup and the boys love watching the fire. We had a fun fun day!!

These first ones are from her pool party with her friends!! They all had a great time I think!!

I love this one of her, her ball would roll so slow because she would not let us help her so she would have to just stand there and wait...and wait...and wait.

The boys really enjoyed it!!

She LOVES the soup at the Japanese Steakhouse, she ends up drinking it to get every bit.

Then the next day I took all the kids up to Virginia to leave Alex for 2 weeks. He is attending a Theatre Camp there every day and then spending his afternoons and evenings with my parents or Kerry's parents. We were not sure if he would really enjoy this camp as it teaches all aspect of Theatre Skills (audition skills, stage props, singing and dancing). But he loves it!! We are going to go up next weekend and surprise him and watch his End of Camp Performance. He does not think we are coming so he will be so happy to see us. He has done it all and loves it!

Here are some pictures from our time in Virginia

Lainie enjoying another cupcake for her birthday!

Showing off her new Tiana Gloves and purse from Uncle Scott and Aunt Jeanette!!

The kids with their cousin Caleigh using Uncle Brian as a jungle gym!

Uncle Brian and Nikolas!!

So Nikolas, Lainie and I have been having a good time here, spending time at the pool and we went bowling again when Kerry had a day off. Nikolas did really well, even got a strike without using the bumpers! I was very proud of him.

Summer is about half over and it has been going by quickly...our beach trip is not until Mid August so I am counting down the days!! But as soon as that is over the kids go back to school. So I am going to try to enjoy the somewhat lazy days of July and early August!!

Hope your summer is going well too!!

it is so darn HOT!! Welcome Summer!

It is so hot, it is too hot to even go to the pool! I really hate this sort of weather. I love it here in April and May and September and October. When it is a nice 60 to 70 degrees usually, maybe some 80's, no humidity! AAAHHH! Why can't we live somewhere that stays like that all year round. Kerry HATES the cold, he would move to Florida if I would let him but I hate HOT weather so we had to find a compromise. Kerry is one to go out in this 95+ degree weather and stay outside all day. So we are stuck doing indoor activities from like 12p to 6pm!!

oh well, things could be worse I suppose... Happy Summer Everyone!

Wow, I am so tired!!

This has been a crazy few weeks as I alluded to in my last post!! Ever since Lainie' Dance recital it has been crazy with her End of School fun, Alex had his Scout Crossover Ceremony, then Alex's piano recital and Talent Show and then all the boys End of School stuff.... I am so happy that is all done!! It all went well, I am so blessed to have such talented, healthy, well liked, children! Of course I would love them anyway but they make life so enjoyable for us. Here are some pictures from the last few weeks of all our fun!!

Hope you enjoyed all those!! There are tons more for each event but these were some of the cutest! That last one of Lainie was just some good ole summer fun eating an ice cream cone and I could not resist sharing it.

I know I am slack...

Sorry I have not been posting lately to anyone reading!! It has been a crazy few weeks since Lainie's Dance recital, Alex's Piano recital, end of preschool, end of elementary school parties.... just nuts around here but today is the last day of school. Things will still be busy but hopefully not as much and I can catch back up and fill in about all the above!!

Reason to Run, Relay for Life Event

This was a very moving event for me. When my friend Tiffani and Sharon sent me the link I thought, I need to do this not only for myself as a suvivor but to put an effort in doing "something" to help the war againist cancer. As you have read in posts previous, a friend of mine in VA just lost her battle a couple of weeks before this event. I was not able to go to VA for her services so this event ending up meaning even more to me, as I thought of it as my way of saying good bye and honoring her memory.

Alex went with me, with him being the oldest, he has an understanding of what I went thru last year and he has seen effects of cancer and understands that it has many forms, some treatable and some not. At first he balked at going because it was hot out there but after he heard the opening speeches and the first hand testimonials from people fighting cancer... he "got it"! He understood why I had been raising money, he understood why it was something we needed to be a part of. He held my hand and we walked the first lap, the one dedicated to suvivors. Once we all got around, we released the balloons. Then they treated all the suvivors to a nice lunch (in the AC!!) and then I came back out and walked some more.

After dark he and I went back because I wanted to see the luminaries lit up around the track. It was a very moving experience, knowing all those bags were there to honor someone who had died or was fighting or who was a suvivor but all at some point had a Doctor say those words "you have cancer".  I will plan on participating again next year so I hope I will have support again when the time comes to raise more funds :)

Thanks to all who donated and helped me reach my goal for my part on our team!!

Delayed Mother's Day treat

Kerry kept asking me what I wanted and I would say nothing, don't need anything... but he came up with something I did need... TIME!! Now that I am working when Lainie is in preschool, I just don't have any "me" time at all anymore. So tomorrow, it is Kerry's day off, and he told my Mother's Day gift was the gift of TIME. I am going to get an hour long massage and then my hair highlighted and cut. I will be there for hours!!! Yippee!! And I need that massage after running 3 miles both yesterday and today!! LOL

So what would you do with a morning of free time?