had to show this to you

i just had to. lex got home from her trip before the boys got home from school. when they came home, she wanted them to come find her. when they did, WATCH OUT! and here's the pic to prove it.

SHE'S HOME!!!!

i can't even begin to explain the joy i felt when i saw my baby. she was sitting in the back of the bus, so, of course, it took even longer before i could hug her.
she had a great time! stories upon stories and i'm sure that there are many more to come ... oh and such dirty, smelly laundry. guess what i'm going to be doing in a few minutes?? ...

thanks to all that prayed for a safe trip. my love to you all!
nic

209!!!

i know most of you probably don't really think that bowling a 209 is something to 'write home about' ... but it is kind of a 'big whup' to me. just recently, i changed my whole style of bowling ... (about 2 months ago) ... i went from throwing a straight ball to a hook ball. i went from bowling conventional to fingertips. so, bowling this well is pretty exciting to me.

now, on a more serious note ... MY GIRL COMES BACK TOMORROW!!! i can't wait!! i've missed her so much. i can't wait to hug her and kiss her face. i can't wait to hear all her stories and things shes learned. i will try and convince her to write some of them on the blog.

thanks for reading,
nic

she's gone for a week :""(

Here is a quick slide show of the night before and the morning of the day lex when away to Camp Hi-Hill, an outdoor science camp. what a growing experience for both of us. i WAS NOT going to send her. really now? 4 nights/5 days without any contact with her family? with kids and adults i don't really know? WHERE DO I SIGN HER UP?! yeah, right. this is a trip that from the beginning she was not going on. then came the 'backs up against the wall' pressure from her teacher and the principle. ok, ok, i'll go to the presentation to hear what the principle of the science school has to say but she still isn't going.

well, after hearing what this guy had to say and after talking with some mom's that have sent their kids in years past ... i caved. obviously, she went. my issue's with this camp was not ...
- will she eat
- will she brush her teeth
- will she miss me
- will she shower
- will she go #2

... but my concerns were (and still are) ...
- what about the down time
- who is going to try and influence my little girl
- who are these councelors that i've NEVER met
- and what kind of influence will they have on her
- and i have major issue with the kids NOT being able to call home if they feel they NEED to ... what do we as parents teach our kids? NO MATTER WHAT, IF YOU NEED ME AT ANY TIME CALL ME AND I WILL BE RIGHT THERE. YOU CAN TALK TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING AT ANYTIME. that security was completely striped from her. ok, i may be being alittle extreme, but that aspect just doesn't sit well with me. oh well, she'll do fine and will be more independent because of it. when did she grow up?

nic

Jackson's 8th bday

what a day. the party was pretty laid back. he had a very exclusive list of people he wanted here. "just family" and those friends that we consider family out here. jackson was very easy to please this birthday. you couldn't go wrong if it had anything to do with Star Wars or Lego's.

it is always great to see Kiara. she is so fun to be around. i know anna and damien only live an hour away, but we don't see them nearly as much as we should (or want to). Kiara takes awhile to warm up to us, so by the time it's time to leave, she finally is cool with us. this, of course, excludes the kids. she loves the kids from the second she sees them.

well, i am off to buy MORE school supplies.

nic

1st day of school

here's some pix from the kids first day of school. i couldn't be happier with the teachers each of them got.
the morning ran so smoothly ... too smoothly if you ask me. the kids got up and dressed and served their own breakfast, all before i was even dressed - i guess they were excited about going to school.
tony prayed the night before that he wouldn't miss me so much that he would cry. well ... he held out until he saw me when i picked him up. (actually, as i sit here and write, i think he told me he cried during the day but no one saw him ... so many stories i heard tonight, i can't remember them all) ... anyway, he made it through, really liked his teacher and was happy that some of his closest friends from K were in his class.
jackson said that he liked his class and teacher but it was way too easy. that they did "an addition only math sheet. mom, can you believe it. it was like i was in kindergarten again." i assured him it would get harder. he really enjoyed getting back to playing tether ball.
lexi said that her class was all work and no play. sorry, kiddo, get used to it. she really likes her teacher. she says he is "really nice and lets them talk even when they are doing work." but when he says "some phrase" (i can't remember it now) all talking is to stop. i guess that works. good for him, maybe i should find out what that phrase is and try it at home, LOL!!!
my first day with all the kids in school full time ... well, i worked. i worked out. took a shower and picked them up. very productive.

... til next time ...
nic