Back to Work

This past week I got a small taste of what the new school year will be like for me. I was up at 7:00 every morning, spent 7 hours in professional development training, back home to spend time with the family, and in bed asleep before Jay finished his monolog. I say a small taste because when school actually starts back on the 11th of Aug, I'll be getting up at 5:30am and I'm guessing I won't even be awake at night to see any part of the 10pm news!

This will be a huge transition for the whole family as my kids are late sleepers too. In fact, this morning I had to get them up at 6:30 (this will be what time we LEAVE during the school year) so we could help a friend move and all Isaac kept saying to me was that he wanted to go back to sleep! It was pitiful! Maybe he'll start napping again though!

This coming week will be the last official one of summer though, since teacher meetings start on the 4th. Of course I have training on Tuesday, a meeting on Wednesday, and I leave for MN on Friday. . . Life is never dull around here. That's for sure!

Kiddie Konversations

Monday, when getting ready to go to my sister's community pool, Isaac was running around her house like a mad man. He had his swim trunks on, and was waiting for the rest of us to be ready. Suddenly he stopped and declared. . .

"I need my scum-scream! I can't go swimmin' without my scum-scream!"

I guess we've taught him well. . .

Kid Stories -- Part 2

Isaac being only two is still just trying to figure out his world. This makes many of his observations hilarious and it makes him very easy to trick. Here are some of his latests. . .



Story One

Isaac LOVES the moon. If we are ever driving at night he has to find it and watch it. He has a "Moon in my room" nightlight in his room that we have to turn on every night. He loves the moon. When we left Target the other night, it was pretty late and the moon was already up. However, we must have just had a new moon, because on this particular night the moon was just a tiny sliver. He had this to say.



I -- "Mom, where's the moon?"



A -- I pointed it out to him



I -- "Oh no, the moon is broked! I think it's not a circle anymore!"



I tried to explain, to no avail, that it wasn't broke. When we got home I did show him that his room moon could look the same (it goes though all the phases).



Story Two
This story involves the latest in trying to kiss Isaac. Click here for a refresher. He still doesn't like them, but I still can't help but kiss him all the time, he's just so darn cute! So the other day I kissed the top of his head and told him "Ha! I stole a kiss!" Instead of sceaming like he usually does, he got rather indignant, grabbed my face between his two hands, kissed me on my lips and said, "There I stole it back!" I'm sure it will just be a matter of time before he realizes that I am getting double the kisses this way, but as long as he still falls for it, I'll take what I can get!

Kid stories -- Part One

After reading so many cute kid stories on some of my favorite blogs, I have been trying to write down some of the cuter things my kids have said or done so I could share it with you. Here are some of Kalista's latest instances. . .

Story One
(A little explantaion first -- Kalista has always been our "deep" thinker coming up with comments pertaining to events that happened day or weeks before. This conversation occured while watching the Cardinal game at Busch Staduim last Saturday)

K -- "Mom, remember that mommy-taking show?" (The 60's show in Branson where I was "taken" up on stage.)

"Well, they only take the really pretty mommies, so I think the next time we go there, you should only look kind of pretty."

A -- "Oh, okay. How do I usually look?"

K -- "Really pretty, so next time just be kind of pretty and they won't take you."

Story Two
Same day after the ballgame we were at Target buying some new organization tools (I am always reorganizing something -- it drives Erin crazy, but he humors me!)

We happened to be in the little kid bedroom aisle looking for one of those fabric covered cubes for Isaac. Kalista had of course found all the Ariel bedroom stuff and was oohing and ahhing. As we were turing to leave the aisle this is what happened. . .

A -- "Okay, we're done with this aisle. Let's move on"
K -- "Yeah, you guys start walking and look that way."

So Erin, Isaac, and I turn the corner to leave the aisle. Erin turned to make sure Kalista was following and saw her running to catch up clutching a set of Ariel sheets. She immediately starts gigging hysterically.

K -- "I got you! I tricked you!"

Branson Vacation

We all had a great time in Branson last week. Each day was packed with just the right amount of activities and rest. Here's a breakdown of the week. . .

Saturday -- We arrived and threw our stuff in our condo and took off for The Dixie Stampede. The kids really enjoyed the "horsie show", but not the food (no surprise there) Then we headed back to the resort for unpacking and sleep.

Sunday -- Made a quick run to the grocery store for donuts and staples, then went swimming (as least the kids did, it was cloudy and a bit chilly). Mom and dad arrived in time to go to dinner and walk around Branson Landing. Then back to resort for more rest.

Monday -- Breakfast at Silver Dollar City where the table we sat at didn't fully cooperate. . . Rode all the kiddie rides (Isaac was on his best behavior and didn't get kick-off once). We then all decided it would be warm enough to ride the taboggen ride, thinking it was kind of like the log flume, just a splash at the end. We thought wrong. It was instead like getting thrown in the deep end of the pool. Since we were already drenched we then rode the Lost River, getting even more wet. The rest of the day there was spent seeing the new Veggie Tales show and drying out. One small note. . . While having riden all the rides previously this spring and having no problems, Isaac declared many of them too scary for him and refused to go on them. We forced him on the Swinging Ship (notice me covering his eyes in the pic), and both water rides. Weird.

We left SDC about 3 and went back to the condo for a brief rest. We then went out for dinner and a round of putt-putt. Erin won, of course, beating my dad by just a stroke. The kids a blast also. Kalista actually got 2 hole-in-one, while Isaac would put the ball an inch from the hole, putt it in, and then declare "hole in one!" at the top of this lungs.

Tuesday -- Slept in late, swam with maw-maw and paw-paw at the condo pool, then got cleaned up for the show "#1 Hits of the Sixites". It was your typical Branson music show with one major exception, this one featured the d'ebut of yours truly. Yes, I was pulled up on stage to perform all the major dances of the 60's. I, of course, was fabulous. . . My son, however, thought some guy was stealing his mommy away and cried hysterically until I returned to my seat where he climbed into my lap and wouldn't leave until the show was over.

After the show we went to dinner and then Celebration City for more fun and games. . . .

Wednesday -- This day was spent at White Water were we all had a blast going down the various water slides and splashing in the pools. Afterwards we had a late lunch, a little bit of shopping, and then a long nap (for everyone!)

That evening my parents had given Erin and I the night off, so we went to The Track and rode go-carts and played laser tag.

Thurday -- Shopping Day at the outlet malls. What else can I say about that. . .

Friday -- Mom and Dad leave early in the morning. We went back to White Water for a few hours and then to the movies to see Wall-E. The kids both loved it (even though Isaac fell asleep half way through)

Saturday -- We were going to go back to SDC, but rain changed our plans, so we just headed home to unpack and do laundry!

All in all it was a great trip. Now we just have to settle back down for our last few weeks of summer before school starts back up again. . . .