THE NIGHT BEFORE....

Tonight when he went to bed Camden said, "I wish I could make the night go faster so I could already be on my way to kindergarten."  Uh no.....I wish I could make the night go slower sweet boy.

Even though a couple of days ago I was feeling pretty cocky about my new station in life i.e. the freedom post.  Well what a difference a couple of days have made.  I have changed my tune a little now that the kinde eve is here.  Still only at 3 crying bouts but it is just under the surface at all times.  So thankful tonight that I had the opportunity to stay home with them during these years and so excited to see what God has in store for them. 

As if I weren't emotional enough, I decided to work on a little video tribute to my kiddos.  Make sure you turn your music on and grandparents and auntie you might want to have a tissue ready!! 

A GOOD IDEA

One of my friends does a "back to school" dinner with her kids and it has always seemed like such a great idea. Last year I forgot but this year she reminded her blog readers and so we did it tonight. We had a great time eating together, learning our family verse for the year, setting some personal goals and praying for the school year and for Mrs. Jensen and Mrs. Grutsch (especially Mrs. Grutsch since she will have Camden!).

Here are the details and pictures of our night......

OUR VERSE FOR THE YEAR

THE TABLE


THE KIDS WHO ARE GOING TO SCHOOL :-)



THE TOAST


THE DESSERT

Thanks for sharing your great idea Jenn!! What a great kick off for our year!

3,718 DAYS....

This one totally snuck up on me.......

Camden starts Kinde on Wednesday and I'm prepared for that...I really am. We have played hard this summer knowing that this day was coming. I have a list of all the things that I need/want to do now that I will have the time (painting, appointments, lunches with friends). School supplies are ready, uniforms are ready and there have only been two bouts of crying.

But this I was not prepared for. For 3,718 days (10 years, 68 days), I have always had to be in the pool with my kids. They have needed me to catch them, play with them, protect them from flying objects, and to help the lifeguards monitor them. Today that all changed.

Camden decided that he wanted to try jumping off the board and sliding down the slide himself (in 10 ft.). He did it....over and over again....for 4 hours! It was then that I realized that I no longer HAD to be in the pool monitoring.

Do you know how many times I have not taken my kids to the pool because I didn't feel like swimming or I didn't want to have to get ready again or I didn't want to get my hair wet? Do you know how many times I've longed to just lounge in a chair poolside and read my book?

Well.....now I can and you know what?

IT FEELS AWESOME!!!

Yeah baby you heard me right....It's great!! I love it!! Can't wait until next summer!! I'll be the one at the pool everyday, reading my book, chatting with my friends...Oh yeah!!!

OK...I'm actually a little sad about it but once I got to the end of the post I just had to go the other way. Not sure where that came from. Probably from the fact that I have spent every waking hour with them, by myself, for the last 7 days.

5 QUESTION FRIDAY

Hot or cold lunch (for your school-agers)?

What hot lunch did you absolutely have to have when you were growing up?

Favorite elementary teacher and why?

Least favorite elementary teacher and why?

When do you think school should start (date not time)?


School doesn't start until Wednesday but can you tell it's on my mind??

THINGS I LEARNED AT THE MAYO CLINIC....

A person can really get addicted to crushed ice and bendy straws!

I like bacon......a lot!!

All hotels should have curved shower bars!

Most of the people I saw receiving treatment/having surgery there were skinny?!

All hotels should be able to clean the crumbs off of the desk daily!!

It really works much better if the people who are wanting to get on an elevator wait for the people who are getting off to exit first!

I really like bacon....in fact I think it is my new favorite food! I'm trying to figure out a way to incorporate it into every meal!

Valerie Bertinelli is a big liberal.....HUGE!

There are no subways in the subway level of the hospital.......oh wait, that's what my sister learned not me!!

It takes about 1 hour to completely read a People magazine.

The old King of Jordan who died (sorry...can't remember his name) donated a really neat, mother of pearl case with the nativity carved on the front of it, which is displayed at the Mayo clinic.

If you sniff an alcohol pad it helps fight nausea.

There are some really caring people in this world (mainly nurses!)!

Did I mention how much I love bacon?

I know, I know.....DEEP!! :-)

RE-POST

Hate to be re-posting something but I had discovered this quote back in Oct. 2008 before the election. It is even more disconcerting now but eerily so accurate of how things are going in this country!

From William Boetcker (1873-1962)

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

--William J. H. Boetcker in 1916

5 QUESTION FRIDAY

1. What is the most bored you have ever been?

2. Best biography you have ever read?

3. If you admit to watching...what is your favorite Real Housewives edition?

4. What is your most noteworthy surgery ? (feel free to skip this one if it is too personal!)

5. What is the best thing about your children getting older?