August 5, 2013 By 9 Comments

First Grade

It’s official.  Summer is over and school started back this morning.  How can I have a 1st grader…it’s just not right.

She ate breakfast and we combed her hair and we took pictures and we packed her backpack and lunch and her get-to-know-you homework and Ms. Flowers first day of school gift.  Every teacher deserves an apple on the first day.

My voice got all quakey and tears started to brim as I began praying out loud for her day…her new school year…her new teacher…her new friends…as we drove closer to school.  We talked about how loving Jesus and loving others is the most important thing.  We talked about being kind and loving and generous and compassionate and respectful.  I reminded her that I am madly in love with her tender heart and that she is so very good at loving on people.

She said she was excited to meet new friends and see what kind of fun 1st grade would be.  She said she didn’t think she would be as excited if she hadn’t gotten Ms. Flowers for her teacher.  She said she would miss me and playing with the boys during the day.  I think she’s going to have a really grand year.

I gave her multiple kisses and told her one last time how proud we are of her.  She’s going to rattle the stars for sure.

The morning has been slow and dragging with brotherly fights and grassy feet which means grassy floors and computer troubles and I just miss her.  She’s my sanity…she’s my girl.  Me and her, we have to stick together because clearly we are being out numbered by the male kind.  And now I’m trying to think of the most perfect afternoon “Happy First Day of School” snack and I cannot wait to hear all about her day.  She’s an observer, so I know there will be lots of details involved.  Cannot believe the school year has begun…so excited to see what all God has in store.

Happy Monday.

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October 26, 2012 By 6 Comments

Some Firsts

Harper had her very first kindergarten field trip today.  It was super cold and then it rained, but the rain held off just long enough for us to have a bit of fun.  It was super nice being with just Harper and her little classmates are all dolls.  The kindergarten teacher in me did start to come out during lunch when it was a bit chaotic, but her classmates were all cool as cucumbers.  Super sweet kiddos.

We accidentally grew our first pumpkin plant.  Apparently you can completely not take care of a pumpkin plant and it will power on through to become a pumpkin…despite your unknowing and lack of effort.  Hardy little guy.

I ordered our first ever coloring thank you cards and I could not be more excited about my kids writing their thank you notes now.  My dear sweet Dana at Lifelines Design designed these 5×7 cards just for the wee Kelleys.  They’re pretty awesome.  {You rock Dana.}  I think she should totally add them to her store.  What about you?

And next week will be my first ever Random Acts of Kindness birthday week.  I’m turning the big 3-0 and originally wanted to do 30 acts of kindness on my birthday day, but then I had to get real with myself since I have one small wee Kelley who is quarantined from the outside world and all its germs.  So I decided to make it a birthday week full of kindness and divide my 30 kind deeds up between the week…6 kind deeds every day…Monday-Friday…6×5=30.  It took some strategic thinking, but I think I have it all worked out perfectly.  Including a giveaway for you guys too.

Next week is going to be a grand week.  Enjoy your weekend.

Happy Friday!

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August 20, 2012 By 4 Comments

Back-To-School + Banner

Today is Harper’s first day of school.  I cannot believe I have a kindergartener.  She was so excited & honestly, I was too…but with some tears attached.  I’m a bit weepy today anyways…9 months since Mom died, school starting, a big doctor’s appointment for Amon and a few other big life kind of things going on.  Just one of those “heavy-on-the-heart” kind of days.  But I decided yesterday, that today I was going to be brave.  And Harper was just so excited, so I wanted to be excited right along with her.  It was full on game face in the classroom, but once I stepped out into the hallway I let myself have my cry 🙂

But it’s going to be a great year.  I just know it.  We love her teacher already and Harper is really beyond thrilled to finally start school.  And of course we took Ms. Bruno an apple on the first day.

Since the boys started school last week, Harper, Amon and I had 2 days last week when it was just us.  Harper always wants to do crafty things and with the boys away, I knew just what we would make.  With school finally starting, we decided to make a Back-To-School banner.

Super easy and super fun.

Here is what you will need:  Watercolor paper, watercolors, pencil, fine tip Sharpie or pen and scissors.

To start we brainstormed about things that remind of us school…pencils, crayons, backpacks, lunchboxes, rulers, markers, apples, books, letters, numbers, glue etc.  Then we set to work.

First, we drew our pictures in pencil and next we traced them with a fine tip Sharpie or pen…either works.

Then our favorite part, we painted each drawing with our watercolors.

Once they were dry, we cut the pictures out.

From here, I simply ran all of our drawings under my sewing machine to make the banner.

You could easily glue them to ribbon or use mini clothes pins & twine…there are lots of different ways to finish this project out.  Whatever you choose, it will be fantastic.

My personal favorite was Harper’s Mo. 2 pencil 🙂

And now we’re ready for school.  Can’t believe this day is here.  It’s a bit hard on this Momma’s heart, but it will be such a good, good year.  Happy Monday!

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August 15, 2012 By 2 Comments

School & Groceries

Yesterday the boys started mother’s day out.  Huddy went last year, but this is Sol’s first year.  They were so crazy cute getting ready.

We did all our school shopping before I left to go get Amon just in case everyone started before I got back.  The boys LOVE their backpacks and picked out their own lunch boxes, thermos’ and folders.  Back-to-school shopping, although a little stressful at times, is one of my favorite shopping trips.  It’s just fun!

Harper still has not started school.  Our county is still working out school budgets, so none of our county’s schools have started yet.  Yesterday it was just Harper, Amon and me!  Harper was super stoked to have Amon all to herself.  We celebrated such a rare day with doughnut holes.

After doughnuts we took Amon on his first grocery shopping trip.  Turns out life doesn’t slow down one bit with your 4th kiddo 🙂  Harper was excited to pick out all our cereal on her own.  We eat a lot of cereal.

Harper is completely smitten with Amon.  She absolutely adores him and wants to do everything for him.  I have yet to pick out his clothes…Harper picks out all his outfits and PJs.  She gives him his bottles and gets out diapers and wipes for me.  She just loves him…like really, really, loves him.

My kids are totally normal kids in most areas.  They fight, pitch fits sometimes, talk sassy, don’t always share, won’t eat all their veggies, but some how, some way, they did not receive one jealous bone in their little bodies.  The boys adore Amon just as much as Harper.  They all love to give him his bottle, but Sol has a complete big, teary meltdown if he doesn’t get to give him his bottle first.  We have been really blessed with wee Kelleys who adapt well to new siblings.

So yesterday was a good day.  The boys LOVED school, Amon was a piece of cake at the grocery store and Harper relished in her time home alone.  It was definitely a Sonic happy hour kind of day.

Happy Wednesday!

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