Just Aubs being Aubs

I was taking pictures of the kids' rooms (I want to do a house post to show family our new home, hopefully get to it soon), and I caught Aubrey in a goofy mood. I liked the pigtails and ribbons she chose that day. Just recently she decided she's ok with hairstyles other than her classic "little ponytail."

Honey-do

After two soccer games and after changing the brake pads on the van, Greg finished hanging all our bikes in the garage with these nifty pulleys AND was able to pull his car in next to the van! We had a goal of getting both cars in the garage before the bad weather hit, so we're way ahead of schedule. As you can see, we still have a lot of work to do getting things organized (need to build Greg a work bench and some shelving), but at least we were able to scratch the bike task off the list. Do you like my use of "we?" Really, it's mostly Greg. He even got a bunch of random things done like hanging hooks, sconces, a mirror--all things on the house to-do list. Thank you, my love! :)

Doesn't it look hilarious to see six bikes hanging from the ceiling? It's a beautiful sight in our eyes.






















The other accomplishment of the weekend was getting the stripes finished in Grant's room. I didn't realize when I started (weeks ago) just how much work painting stripes can be, especially when you want perfectly straight lines with no leaking paint spots...and when you're painting your one-year-old's room who only naps well in his own crib and goes to bed by 7pm.  I spent a lot of time fixing every little stray speck with my tiny paintbrush, but it's finished, and I like it!

In the groove (barely)

The start of the school year combined with lots of soccer made me a little crazy for a couple weeks. There were several other contributing factors, but basically, I wasn't prepared for the mayhem. I thought I was geared up for it, but I wasn't. Our home was in various states of chaos at all times, and there was very little peace around here. Thankfully, things have settled down a bit. Problems at Greg's work, which have been plaguing him since his trip to Ireland, finally got resolved. I got more organized at home, and the kids are finally settling into routines once again. Things still feel crazy sometimes as we try to wolf down dinner so everyone can be out the door by 5:15pm for soccer three (or more) nights a week, but most of the "extras" that come with the start of school are done, and it feels doable. It also helps that the kids are now riding the bus to school in the mornings, (it's the last stop, which is great) and that my friend, Christine, and I are taking turns picking up kids (thank you, Christine!).

Joel is loving kindergarten. He seems to really enjoy having something all his own to tell us about each day. He is also really enjoying soccer this year. In fact, he shocked us by scoring two goals in his first game! Our kid who literally only touched the ball a handful of times last year has become a decent little soccer player! What a difference a year makes.


Going for it...



fighting for it...













got it!













and he scores! (I was cheering at this point and forgot to take a picture of the ball going in.)











It took a couple weeks for Kari to get used to all the newness of second grade. We had a few tears over confusion with homework and expectations, but she's figured it out, and is now enjoying her class and teacher. Her teacher's son is on Joel's soccer team (that Greg's coaching), and her daughter is on Kari's soccer team, so we're seeing a lot of Mrs. Jones, and she's seeing a lot of us! :) Kari is also enjoying seeing a lot of her good friend, Ellie, as they are in the same class this year and on the same soccer team again. Kari's playing at the next level this year with all girls, which is pretty fun. She's a go-getter on the field and runs hard and fast! She's got a competitive streak. :)






















We have another month and a half of soccer fun ahead of us! It really is fun, even if it feels overwhelming at times schedule-wise. Taking photos is difficult this year because of Grant. It's a full-time job keeping him off the field and out of trouble. :)

Just Aubs

Quote from Aubrey while waiting to pick Kari up from school:
[Sigh] "I wish Kari would just ride the bus so we wouldn't have to wait in this stinkin' long line!"

Yes, it is a "stinkin'" long line, and I'm working on figuring out a more doable carpool plan with a friend, but until then, Aubrey, you just have to have patience.

(Right now I'm taking kids to school at 8am, picking up my kindergartner at 11am, and picking up my 2nd grader at 2:30pm. It's the afternoon pick up that's the killer. The bus ride is 35-40 minutes, so we're not doing that every day, not when we live one and a half miles from the school, and she could be home that much sooner.)

Sometimes Aubrey seems to be 3-going-on-13, but other times she does three-year-old things (like throwing tantrums) that remind us she's still so little. I need to write down more of her "isms." She often adds an extra past tense to her verbs. Yesterday I heard:
"Ow, I accidentally brushed'ed my ear!"
"Mommy, I pooped'ed!"
"Someone moved'ed my tent! Must have been the Grant-man."
I realize all three examples have exclamation points, but that's how she talks. :)
.........................................................................
The video is kind of random. Aubrey's singing the planet song G&G Moffat taught all the grandkids in Sunriver this summer (had a space theme for the week). She sings it often, and I finally got it on video.

Aubrey planet song from Andrea Moffat on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today is Dad's birthday, but we almost never celebrate it with him because he escapes to Alaska every year just before it rolls around. We celebrated last Friday evening with dinner at my parents' house (their real house is getting closer to being done--probably sometime in October).
He had lots of help opening his gifts.
Giving the appropriate response to the hand-drawn "card" from Aubrey.
You can't see her face, but she looked so proud!






































Brian was having fun with the little guys as they ran by.
















Hope you're having a great day up there, Dad. Love you!

Joel's first day of Kindergarten

Joel LOVED his first day of kindergarten. He said he didn't miss us at all. There was no drama with his drop-off. We walked him in (still can't believe I dropped Kari off at the curb on her first day of K. Never should have listened when they told us not to walk our kids in. I was a "newbie" parent then but know better now! I will ALWAYS walk my kids in on their first day, as long as they still want me to); he put his stuff away on his own, sat down, and started coloring the paper at his seat. We said good-bye, gave hugs, and I walked out. It was great. I didn't even have any tears. He is so happy to be going to school that I can't help but be happy for him.

Uh-oh, I paused in my writing, started thinking, and now I feel a wistful twinge of sadness welling up. Better stop writing. Now. That's what I get for sitting down and relaxing after a hectic day.

Joel-boy, even though it hurts my heart a little to see you so independent and "old," I'm proud of you and so glad you get to go to school and do big kid things like you've wanted to for so long. I know you'll do great this year!

Wildwood 2011

We sure had a fun time up at Wildwood on Labor Day. It's become a bit of a tradition, one last "hoorah" before school starts. We had great weather for it this year.

The kids helped build a rock wall in the river to make a little pool to play in. It worked well.
















The water was COLD, but the kids didn't seem to mind!
















I like this one of Leah and Miles.

















Grant's expressions were cracking me up. Such a little imp!

















Aubrey was being very serious about her food. All the other kids were in a separate area eating, but she sat by herself and intently ate her two hot dogs, grapes, chips, and watermelon.
















Grant wanted so badly to get in the water. I finally gave in and got my feet in the frigid water to let him play. Greg took over for me for a bit so I could take some photos. Grant did not appreciate Daddy's grip to keep him close.
















"Ha, ha, Mommy! I'm going to go around these rocks where you don't want me to go!"
















Here's Kari getting ready to go down the mini swimmers rapids. A couple of the guys did it a few times before they took kids down and then eventually let bigger kids go down by themselves. Mike J. spent a lot of time in that water helping kids!
















There she goes! (I had the wrong camera setting on--bummer it's blurry)

















Caught by Mr. Wilson. Andy stayed at his post at the bottom for a long time, too. I'm sure his feet were totally numb. The current slowed way down just a few feet beyond where he was standing, so we knew that if he didn't catch them as they came down, they couldn't go far. He didn't miss any though. :) Kari did it a few times and loved it!

Another gold coin

Joel lost his second tooth just a week and a half after his first one! He requests that the tooth fairy please leave the tooth for his collection (he wrote a note last time). We have a very obliging tooth fairy, so his collection is growing.

Rocky start, smooth finish

Kari woke up early to get ready for her first day of second grade. She had the usual first day "butterflies," but I didn't realize how severe it was until I tried to say good-bye after walking her in to her classroom and helping her get settled. I had to peel her arms off my waist and leave her in tears. Oh my. Very uncharacteristic of Kari. I prayed all morning that she'd recover quickly and have a good day. It was VERY chaotic at the school in the morning, probably due to a last minute teacher hire (Friday afternoon) and classroom switches, and Kari does not do well in chaos. She is still in the same class, thankfully, but it added to the anxiety levels and made the first day a little bumpy for everyone. I felt sorry for the teachers. It certainly wasn't an ideal start, but oh well!

She was all smiles when she hopped in the car at pick-up. Second grade was "way better" than first grade and is going to be "way easier" because it goes by faster and is more fun. I asked how long she was sad, and she said "maybe two or three minutes." :) We sat and enjoyed some cookies and milk while she told us all about her day. Normally, we have to pry information out of her, but today she was giving it out freely, it being the first day and all. I'll take it!