Thinking...

I generally will say that "Thinking is dangerous."  As Greg likes to point out, thinking is addictive like breathing.  Start one thought and boom, you are onto the next. 

I have not updated the blog in so long, I'm sorry.  :(  Of course, I think of updating often... I'm pretty sure I say that almost every post! :) (Please don't check me on that...)

Since the last posting, Greg, Abi, and Mikayla have all started school.  We are finally settling into a routine, somewhat.  Greg is busy with lesson planning, paperwork along with helping with the Boy Scout troop and with Church council.  Abi is settling into 2nd grade nicely.  Thankfully, for us, Abi has far less homework this year than last year.  She still has the usual math facts, spelling, and reading every night, but the work seems more manageable than last year.  She is also in the midst of soccer season which she enjoys.  I don't understand any of the rules of the game, but, at this age, I don't really need to. :)  I certainly understand the objective is to get the ball into the correct goal... a task that is not always easy for this age group.  Abi has also started Girl Scouts this year.  She seems to really enjoy that and it seems so different than what I remember Girl Scouts being... I'm sure that has to do with my current perspective.  Abi's other newest endeavor is the violin!  Through the school, the students can start learning a string instrument in 2nd grade.  She was SO excited to start it this year.  She just 'earned her bow' this week, so we haven't had too much time playing the instrument yet.  I hope she has a better ear for music than I do, as I won't be of much help to her.  :) 

My beautiful 2nd grader!

Mikayla also started in the 4 year old class.  She LOVES it!  There was no doubt that she would.  She has been going to the preschool since she was 2 years old (only 1 day a week at that time).  It is a small preschool, but has a truly awesome program!  I cannot say enough good things about the teachers.  Mikayla goes 3 days a week for the 'regular' instruction and then goes another day for 'science enrichment' where they focus on science topics that are of interest to the kids:  habitats, planets, etc.  Mikayla is still doing gymnastics one day per week.  While she looks forward to gymnastics every week, I sure don't. :(  There are so many classes going on at that time of the day that the waiting area is just mass chaos in my opinion.  Thankfully, Greg usually takes her to gymnastics. :)  (willingly!)

My beautiful 4 year old!

Just because I don't think one picture is enough... ;)

 

I have lost steam... enjoy the pictures and hopefully I will find more motivation tomorrow to update again. :)

 

 

 

Swimming Lessons

Abi and Mikayla have been taking swim lessons for almost 3 weeks.  To see their comfort and confidence with water grow as it has is incredible.  Since I cannot swim, I feel it all the more important for them. 

Here are a couple of videos of Abi. 

New tent...

Girls camping in our backyard. :)

More Memories of Visitors

On July 4th, Greg, Chad, and Cy got to take in a game at Citi Field.  I purchased the seats online like normal, but apparently I did a great job on the seat selection.  All three guys were pleased...

The game was a matinee game against the Phillies... in July... during a heat wave.  The seats were among the "5% of the stadium not in the sun" according to Chad.  I think that alone should have made me a winner, but check out these pictures!

The entrance to their seats!

The part where the guys had access to an all-you-can-eat-buffet until the 6th inning then it turned into the dessert buffet

The traditional 'ball park foods' along with baked ziti, chicken teriaki, baked potato bar...

Murphy at bat

David Wright at bat! :)

Nice camera shot of Davy

 While the day was hot and the Mets lost, I think the guys had a great time.  Greg has said that I can be in charge of the seats from now on... Pressure!

Boilermaker 2012

Just a few pictures of the girls as they ran in the Kids Run portion of the Boilermaker.  This is Abi's 4th? race and has graduated upto the 1/2 mile.  Mikayla ran her first Boilermaker which was a 1/4 mile length for her age group.

If you would like to know more about the Utica Boilermaker RoadRace, check out Boilermaker.org for more information.

Pre-race hug!

Not to leave Elaina out... although I think she'd have preferred that. ;)

Mikayla spying me taking her picture...

Abi's turn...

Busy Month

I just checked the most recent post in order to guide me in what to say in this post... I feel as though I have been extremely busy as of late.  Part of that is simply because we had a houseful of visitors last week (more about that later) which meant I was either busy planning, cleaning, or attempting to declutter the house in order to make the week a complete success! 

Since the last posting, Greg has finished another year at Herkimer BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education Services).  He has been there for several years now and enjoys the work, but I still think he'd like to have a 'real' classroom of his own.  I have no doubt that he does an awesome job with the students he has though.  Many of his students have home-lives that I cannot even fathom.  I know that I could not do his job and am very thankful that he is so good at it. :)  (I am not at all biased!) ;)

Abi has also finished another year in school moving onto 2nd grade next year.  She continues to enjoy school and has developed quite the social group.  Every year I am more amazed at what she knows or what she can figure out.  She is so inquisitive and truly enjoys learning.  Now that she can read on her own, she is even more observant of her surroundings. 

Abi has recently started to show an interest in sewing.  Santa brought her a sewing machine this past Christmas and she is determined to put it to good use.  :)  So far she has made a few pillows, a purse, a case for her new iPod (which she has saved and saved and saved and saved for!), and even a sleeping mask.  Some of the things she has made are hand sewn and others are machine sewn.  Either way, I am looking forward to introducing her to a simple pattern for a skirt or dress and help her through that process.  I have always thought it would be neat to make her a prom dress one day... but perhaps she'll be able to do it herself! 

Mikayla is enjoying the summer by spending as many hours as possible outside.  She LOVES going to the park, even if only for a few minutes.  We try to go every "Mommy-day" (meaning the days I am not at work).  She is currently going to Zoo Camp at the Utica Zoo and having a great time.  The focus of the week is 'animal coverings'.  Each day, they cover a different type of covering and are introduced to several animals.  Today was "Slimy Day" and she was able to touch a toad and a frog.  She has also touched a chinchilla (which she reported was VERY soft) and a few other animals.  She also will be taking part in Safety Town soon.  With all that she is being dragged to of Abi's, we tried to get a few "Mikayla" things for the summer. 

We still hope to get some camping in this year especially since we didn't get to go last year at all.  The girls think it is so fun to go camping.  How could it not be?  They get to eat outside EVERY meal and spend many hours discovering nature, swimming in a lake, or building our next masterpiece of a sand castle. 

Back to the company...  We were visited by my college friends, Chad & Melissa and Cy & Alicia along with their kids.  All-in-all 9 additional people stayed in our house.  I was nervous to find comfortable space for everyone to sleep along with having different sleep patterns in the house.  Our house is large enough for that many people to find a space to sleep, but not necessarily for them to sleep as long as they like or at the 'right' times.  For instance, my girls tend to go to sleep around 7:30 and are awake by 7.  They are also not always quiet in the morning so I was worried all of the late sleepers (or those that sleep to a normal time, but are used to it being an hour earlier) would be rudely awakened by my sweet angels. :) 

All of the 8 kids in the house are 7 years or younger.  How did we handle this?  We were blessed with beautiful (albeit hot some days) weather.  I don't believe we had any rain the entire time they were here.  All of the kids had a great time with each other, I think, and the girls were sad to see the friends go home.  I suspect that all were happy to be back in their own place though.

Here is our troop... (Abi is in the back in case you were counting).

Most of the group after climbing up Bald Mountain.  

 I thought it was a great week and cannot believe it has been so many years since I graduated from VCSU.  I so appreciate that my friends were able and willing to make the trek across country to see us.  Old memories were shared.  New memories were made.  I look forward to another adventure down the road. :)

Mikayla has finished her school year and had her moving up ceremony today. 

Here is the video.  :) 

Elaina...

Hannaford Field TripAbi

I got to chaperone a field trip with Abi and her classmates to Hannaford grocery store.  You would have thought we were going to an exotic tropical island with as excited as the kids were to go... the biggest thrill?  or perhaps I should say the biggest chill?  Going INTO the walk-in freezer!  :) 

The kids were able to see each of the departments, learn about what they do, try out a few goodies, and even 'cashier'.

Touching a lobster

Cashiering... 9 years and this joy can be hers! 

Abi with her friends Brigid and Jaine

On the bus ride back to school... think she had fun?

Kitchen creations

Abi loves to cook.  She has long been creating her own 'recipes' and is slowly transitioning into real ones...

The other day I bought her a pouch of muffin mix (just add water variety) to see how she would do at interpreting the directions and give her the independence of doing the preparation herself.

Showing off her blueberries she wanted to 'add a little extra'

Look at THAT smile!

Showing Mikayla how to properly measure the muffin mix into the liner

The girls and I also had a chance to make krumkake!  YUMMM...  Here is our first attempt...  Definitely a hit in our house. :)

Mother's Day Tea

Our preschool does an amazing job!  When we were considering preschools for Abi, we got lucky!  Greg and I each had heard good things about the school from different sources, so decided to go for it.  I have since realized that perhaps we should have interviewed the school, observed a class, or some other formal assessment of the school... but we didn't.  It was no matter though as we got extremely lucky.  The teachers are phenomenal and do their job for the love of the children.

One of the special things they do is host a Mother's Day tea.  The kids escort their mom (or special person) to their seat that has been specially set for them.  The kids then sing us a song and serve us food and give Mom's a gift.  A simple ceremony, but one that swells my heart with love.

Softball 2012

Abi has started her newest sporting adventure: softball.  She has been in gymnastics since she was 1 and 1/2 years old or so... has been in soccer for the past few seasons... She has a GREAT time doing them, but is not the next Shannon Miller or Mia Hamm.  She has yet to figure out the sports are competitive to some.  She has a smile from ear to ear when she is tumbling or playing, which is what Greg and I would prefer.

This past spring, a tee league of softball is available for Abi's age group.  She has been playing a few weeks now and so far, so good.  She has an awesome coach that clearly loves the game and wants to improve the girls skills.  The coach reminds me of my brother, in that regard.  The coach is assisted by the high school girls softball team which is great too.  They bring a positive, hard working attitude to the field which is awesome for the younger girls to see as well.