Don't mess with me today!

I was ahead of schedule. Got up at 6:15 and took a shower, put my make-up on...hair even though I know is dirty looks good for one more day in a pony tail, and went to wake up the boys - now it's 6:40ish. Nate left for a dentist apt. at 7:00am so I'm in charge of delivery of both boys to school - I'm ready!
7:00 both boys are dressed and eating a good breakfast - sausage and biscuit with strawberries and milk (I'm getting prouder of myself by the minute). Ian says he has to 'poop' which usually throws life off by about 20 mts. but this time he feels the urgency of the morning and does his thing quickly - no doddeling (if you knew him you would know that that was a miracle in itself). No one got food on their clothes - shoes are on - I packed Eli's lunch box - got backpacks ready -
7:10 (did you see that time??? Oh yes!!) We are walking out the door...
Eli gets in the van - "Mom, where's Ian's car seat?" Me - "WHAT!!!!" Eli - "It's in Daddy's car, remember?" Me - "Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Neighbors are waking up at this point and looking out their windows.
7:13 I call my friend and get her husband..."Jeff, are you taking Braden to school today?" (my nondirect way of saying - will you take Eli please?) But no....his mother is for some reason????
So, I tell him my situation (situation - I have to get Eli to his school by 7:20ish - not going to happen now - in order to drive across town to get Ian to his school by 7:55 - not wanting to take a risk without one child in a booster seat - darn those state laws to keep us safe!)
Back to Jeff...he tells me he has an extra booster seat - so we high tale it (I did watch for crazy mom van drivers on the road since Eli was not in a booster seat) - make it to friend's house - grab the booster - screech out of his driveway and head back to main road for Eli's school...
7:25 at this point - thinking maybe I can have everyone to school on time but not sure; I take deep breaths - Eli (my anxious one) worried he'll be late but I reassure him that no, he won't be late but right on time it's his brother who will probably be late...Ian hears this and not to my surprise seems fine with the fact! Oh I love them! hee hee
We drive through CRAZY MTSU STUDENT FIRST WEEK TRAFFIC - I'm giving dirty looks to thug looking teenagers who just rolled out of bed trying to take up the roads while my minivan driving self is on a mission - EXCUSE ME@@@@@@
7:39 - Eli gets out of van and walks into his school - probably 1st child to get to his room but didn't have to go to 'early duty' which he is very excited about.
Now the real race begins - I screech back onto CRAZY MTSU MAIN DRAG WITH CRAZY COOL DRESSED (PUT SOME MORE CLOTHES ON) SORORITY GIRLS...and get back onto the quiet hwy. 96 that takes me to Ian's school out in the country! I'm not speeding (Mom and Dad!) and peel (oh, did I say peel?) into Ian's school at 7:56 - maybe we can make it.
7:59 -"Ian please run!" I say in a calm but crazed voice as we enter the school.
I get stopped!!! 8:00 on the school wall - sign in late please!
8:02 I'm finally signing in and no I won't put a reason for my babies tardiness to school thank you unless you want me to write an essay! So I grab the glowing white note so all can see what a 'lazy mom' I am that I obviously didn't get my child up in time for his education of the day - and we start walking down the hall.
Now what???? 8:04 lady runs down the hall behind me saying "mammmm.." me- "yes?"
Her - "You can't walk your child to class anymore - Mr. Duke said yesterday was the last day to do that!" Me - shocked and about to either punch her (not really) or burst into tears - says "Oh, ok..." (as I look at all the parents walking past me to their kids rooms - what's the secret I wonder?) I look at my little baby who might I mention doesn't turn 5 years old until this coming Sunday, with his giant book bag weighing down his back - and I say "Ian, baby, you have to walk to your room, ok?" He looks at me and smiles and says "ok!" (HE'S SO BRAVE!) So, he starts the lonely trek to his room - looking back over his shoulder about 5 times to make sure I'm still watching - and waves bye to me as he enters his room (about 50 feet away).....
8:06 - I'm biting my lip and blinking profusely! I make it out of the school and burst into tears.
Might I add - this is the first time I have cried since he started school so it was over due people!
And I don't even want to but I will (b/c I can laugh at myself thank you) - I'm going to help his class water paint and then eat lunch with him in 30mts (9:30) so I know I'm absolutely ridiculous - no need to write it to me, thanks!

What? It's 9:00am and I'm blogging?

I've waited (is that the right word?) 7 years now to have one full day at home by myself with no preschoolers/babies fighting for my attention and the day has finally come. Of course it is only 2 hours into that dreamed of day and what am I about to do, after blogging of course, go to a quick MOPS kick-off to visit some friends and then rush off to volunteer in Eli's classroom. Am I healthy? Rather am I nuts? I should be rushing off to get a pedicure or take a nap - not exercise (something us mothers always joke that we'd do once we didn't have kids at home anymore) - but don't give up on me too soon....I'll come home after eating lunch with Eli (I packed my lunch box already!!!) and then I'll have a total of 2 hours to do what I want....hummmm??? I'm already thinking I need to buy crickets at the pet store for Eli's newest pet Gecko 'sleepy' to eat. And I do need a need battery for my cell phone that keeps dying. Sarah!!!! What about reading in the lazy chair and taking a nap???? Oh, but this is just the first day of my short found freedom; I'll have two months until I start all over again with baby girl!
Oh and I promise not to blog about what I'm doing on my free days each new day - I don't want to make anyone too jealous! hee heeeeee...... but hey, if you need a babysitter, friends, while you run to the doctor or get some groceries call me - I'm sure I'll be free! Love you all!

Ian's class meeting

Nate and I go to Ian's class meeting last night and it dawns on me that my baby is going to real school soon! He got into "Kindergarten Readiness" or as some schools call it Developmental Kindergarten, Pre-K, etc. All the kids in his class have July, Aug, Sept. birthdays (turning 5 just now) so that was cool to me. His teacher was lovely really: older, many many years of teaching actual kindergarten and treated all of us parents like we were her kids. I like that!
Bad news? Principal stated he felt like by August 26th we shouldn't walk our little ones to their classroom anymore. (What????) Did I mention this school is huge and the kids have to go into the gym altogether and find their row with their class and then wait on their teacher to come get them? That freaks me out! They'll have to block me from walking into the gym at least - maybe by the time baby girl comes in Oct. Iwill feel confidant he won't get lost from the car to the gym row! I'm so silly. Between Eli and Ian, Ian is by far the one who won't be scared to walk in by himself. Eli still wanted me to walk him in after the first day of school and I'm so mean I said that was silly and he was fine! Did I really just admit that on my blog?
I know Ian will do great in school...I'm more anxious for him getting into trouble because he seems to have a problem listening and following directions. As my common question to him is "Ian, what did I just tell you to do?" where as he responds all angelic like "I don't know..." But I remember getting into trouble for that in 6th grade! "It's in his genes teacher, he can't help it!"
He starts next week on Wed....I'll post more then!

First Grade

The day before Eli started first grade he blurted out in the van to Nate and I that 1st grade teachers had mean faces and weren't as nice as kindergarten teachers. I assured him that wasn't true although I had heard his teacher was pretty serious compared to his past kindergarten teacher who grabbed every child and squeezed them morning and afternoon, gave finger hugs ALL THE TIME and told everyone she loved them. Plus she looked like a 7 foot barbie doll - bless her! Eli said he thought he had read that in a book...
So, then we walk in his class Monday morning and what do you think happened? Sure enough he walks up to his teacher, I'm sure expecting a big hug and welcome, and she tells him (very seriously) to find a desk and get seated. My heart fluttered as I left the room thinking all the kids looked like deer in headlights! "THIS AIN'T KINDERGARTEN TOTO!"
But when I picked him up (in car line mind you - I didn't even walk in to get him) his teacher made a point to wave goodbye to him until he saw her as the van door was closing and then he looked at me and said "I have the best 1st grade teacher! She has tub toys and the other teacher doesn't and she loves to go outside and play on the playground...we went outside twice today!" I was so excited for him!
It's Friday and he still likes 1st grade, was motivated to do his homework (yes, homework!) because his buddy Eli Cr. turned his in on Tuesday (it was due Friday - thanks Eli Cr.), and he even was given a trading card from a buddy this afternoon in car line and thought that was the coolest (now we have to go buy trading cards.....ughhhh)! But all in all I couldn't ask for a better first week experience at Campus School!

A reflection of a wonderful summer vacation

Summer 2008 is ending this week...school doors open on Monday, little Ian soon starts full time school (although he is pretty mute on the subject), tans will soon fade and long hair is getting cut off (that would be on the boys not mommy). But as I look at my summer pictures and pick some that display the best memories I haven't already 'posted' on my blog I am filled with happy memories! Going home to Curve to visit Nanna and Bob-Bob with our cousins will always hold a special place in the boys (and mine) hearts. Top things we did there this summer...visiting the Mississippi River creek bed and digging up clay only to return to the house and 'mold' bowls to take back home! Swimming, gaining confidance, and learning new tricks at the pool in the field! Climbing those huge pine trees in the back yard with only swim shorts and no shoes! Pulling out all the farm junk we could find and making 'houses' only to have to put them all back!

The boys first boat ride with great friends was another great day we had. They got to ride a sea du (sp) along with their pregnant mommy, get pulled in a float and swim in the lake. That was great fun! Thanks Loughry's!

Riding the Rover - if you live in Murfreesboro and haven't done this - shame on you! I admit last summer we did it almost every week but this summer we made it on their once and walked to the library (maybe Mommie's big tummy had something to do with it).

I have really had a great summer with Eli and Ian but honestly I admit I'm glad to see it come to an end. We are all getting a little tired of so much together time and squables seem more frequent between brothers then ever before. So, good-bye summer days of freedom, late sleeping, laying out by the pool, hanging with friends and eating too much McDonalds!