Labor Day & School Begins

The weather cooperated and gave us a warm Labor Day so we spent our Labor Day at Spring Mill Pond with our neighbor Stefanie and her 2 kids. Tyler stayed home to work on the table which was fine since Stefanie's hubby stayed home to do some work as well. That meant that we got to talk to girl talk while the kids built an amazing sandcastle village and played in the water. We were there for about 4 hours with no major incidents so it was a perfect beach day.

The next day was back to school for Steven and Ben and the start of Junior Kindergarten for Lucy. All the kids were up early and excited for the day. I heard Lucy shout upon waking up, "Penny, it's school day!" They all got ready and even let me do their hair and take lots of pictures (I always think that it's funny that Ben likes his hair spiky and Steven likes his flat). There was only one tiny problem with the pictures- I totally made Steven's sign wrong. He is NOT repeating Third Grade- he is in fourth this year. I didn't even realize it was wrong until I was scrolling through the pictures I took. Super embarrassing. So I made a new sign after school and did some picture retakes but they didn't turn out nearly as well, he was much more grumbly about the redo.

For Lucy's first day, she only had a half day and they asked parents to come with them. Tyler worked from home so that he could watch Penny and take the boys to school. I immediately discovered that her new school, Country Oaks, is definitely not the same as Kurtz. Kurtz has a very organized drop off routine where the kids have designated spots to stand it, an older student that watches them and then teachers come to get them. Country Oaks was chaos. Everyone just gathers in front of the doors and rushes in when they open. It makes me very nervous for leaving Lucy. It might be awhile before I just drop her off into the crazy.

The rest of her day was pretty unexciting. They sent the parents off to a meeting where we were encouraged to donate our time and money to their school. While we were at the meeting she basically got free time to play with the toys in the classroom. Then when we, the parents, came back Lucy and I went around the school finding different important places (like the library, the cafeteria, etc). After that it was time to go home. 

Wednesday Lucy had a full day of school, Thursday she had no school and Friday was another full day. She has come home from school fairly indifferent, not upset but not excited. So far she has told me that they have learned to stand in line with their "bubble and tails." This means they close their mouth like there is a bubble in it and they put their hands on their "tail." She also told me that they had a nap time and it was really boring. Despite boring nap times, I think she likes school but I kind of wish she had more enthusiasm so I could feel better about sending her off to school at the young age of 4.

Ben seems to be off to a good start. He is way more confident about going to school this year and he seems to love his teacher and his class. It is so nice to see him improving emotionally at school because he certainly still has emotional melt downs at home. He also had no problems with pick up at the end of the day which has been a little unpredictable since Lucy's school ends at the same time. I can make it to the boys school, I just am pretty much the last parent in the car rider line. Tyler picked them up Friday and that was nice, I am hoping maybe he can continue to go to work early and do that but we shall see.

Steven also seems to be off to a good start in FOURTH grade (not third :)). He says his teacher is not strict (as others have told him) but when asked if she gets mad at other kids, I was informed she yells at at least one kid a day. So I guess he doesn't view her as strict since that kid is not him. I am just relieved that he seems to meshing ok with her.

I love this silly group of kids and weirdly enough, I do miss them and all the crazy they bring when they are home. It is really quiet with just me and Penny but at least I have been fairly productive with that quiet time. I have managed to pack some things like books and knick knacks, I have sold a few things on FB Marketplace, I have done some rooting through of cabinets and drawers...I feel like I have made some real progress on the moving front which is good since we aren't exactly sure when we will be moving. Apparently the contract just said that the sellers have to be out of the house by Nov 1 so we are not sure when they will actually be out. We close on Friday and they are supposed to have reached a decision by then. Moving stresses me out and not knowing when we will be moving stresses me out but I feel that this is the house for us so everything will be ok. Trying to think positive and remain calm :) 

Next week will be busy because I have a sub job Tues, the Property Manager of our rental wants to come take pictures of the rental sometimes so I have to pretty things up, then I have visiting teachers, plus we have to do another walk through of our new house and go in for closing Friday. SO I really need to focus on positive thoughts and remaining calm right now! Wish me luck!

Zoo Fun, Etc

This week started out rainy and no fun but on Wednesday the weather took a turn for the warm so we were able to have a fun day at the beach with friends. We were at the beach for almost 3 hours and I feel like we could've stayed even longer but unfortunately we had to get home so we could get ready for Meet the Teacher Night (which actually started early afternoon). The kids were having so much fun though- making sand castles, pulling each other around on boogie boards, finding cool shells and rocks and even finding a dead fish that they kept on re-finding, until someone finally threw it away.  

After showering off all the sand, we went to meet Lucy's teacher first at Country Oaks. Going to a new school for a school event is always an adventure because schools never seem to be equipped for a large amount of people to visit. When we got there (and we were about 10 minutes early) there was absolutely no where to park. We ended up parking in a field by the road in front of the school. Thankfully other people followed suit so that means it must have been allowed, right? After parking we had to stand in a line and wait for the doors to open and when they did, they only allowed a single file line inside so it took a bit to get inside. Once inside we had no idea where to go and there was no one to direct us so that was super fun. When we finally found her classroom Miss Lucy was super shy with her teacher but so excited to see all the fun things in the room and her new teacher seems super nice. I recognized her teacher from subbing and I really feel like she'll be good for Lucy. She was even excited to find out that I sub and wrote down my name for reference.

After meeting Lucy's teacher, we headed to the boy's school. We had absolutely no trouble parking there which was a relief and there were plenty of people to direct us to their classrooms- even though we didn't need it. Ben has the teacher Steven had last year. She was really excited to have him (maybe because she doesn't realize how much more challenging Ben is) and she even sent me a text to tell me how happy she was. I, on the other hand, am a little nervous about Ben having her. Her class last year was chaotic and I am not sure how Ben will do in a classroom like that. This year she has less kids though so maybe it will be better. I am trying to think positive. 

Next we met Steven's teacher. She is one teacher that I have never really met and I have heard very mixed reviews about her. The gist I get is that if you are not on her good side, it will be a very bad year. Steven is wiggly and chatty so I am not sure he'll be on her good side, so I'm a bit nervous for him.

Wednesday night, we went to the Hess home and watched "Aladdin" in their backyard. The kids had a blast and surprisingly the girls stayed up for the whole movie. It was such a long day between the beach, meeting the teachers and the movie but it was so full of all those things that make for a perfect summers day that I can't complain.

Thursday was spent recovering from Wednesday and then on Friday we went to the Zoo with Laci and her kids. We got their early for once so we beat the crowds which was nice. I feel like for once we didn't overdo it at the zoo. A lot of times we go and we do too much so the walk back to the car is a nightmare but today we did just the right amount and there wasn't too much complaining. It'll probably be our last zoo day for awhile with school starting soon so I'm glad we ended on a high note.

We also found out this week that we got the final approval on our home loan so we are officially going to be home owners. I am slightly terrified but excited too. I just wish we could teleport all our stuff into the new house because holy poop, 6 people's worth of stuff is a lot of stuff. When I think of all that's coming my way- moving and then going to AZ for 2 weeks and then Christmas it completely stresses me out so I am trying to take deep breaths and listen to calming music so I don't have a panic attack, ha ha! Wish me luck!

Penny's Birthday, An Eclipse, Etc

Miss Penny turned 3 this Sunday! A little bit ago someone gave us a cat cake pan and when I asked Penny if she wanted a cat cake for her birthday she was immediately sold. She also insisted that it be a "mink meow" (pink cat). Tyler obliged and made it for her the night before her birthday(pic on the left). The next morning Lucy helped Penny sneak some frosting from the meow cake, they even washed their hands to erase the evidence (pic on the right shows all the spots where frosting was snitched).

As per tradition, Penny opened her presents when she woke up. She had both boys flanking her, ready to help open presents but she is perfectly capable of doing it all by herself now. The grandparents spoiled her with Paw Patrol which she was super excited about. We got her a Pepa the Pig Train and a Water Wow. Not her favorite gifts but I got them for super cheap so there, ha ha!

I can't believe that Penny has been in our family for 3 years but then again it's hard to remember our family without her. She has definitely come with her set of challenges but those sweet hugs, kisses and smile make it all worth. I love her lots and I think it's safe to say that between being spoiled with Paw Patrol toys and getting a meow cake, it was a good birthday for her!

Monday was the Eclipse and it was pretty cool. We didn't get a total eclipse here in Michigan but it was still neat to watch the Sun get covered up by the moon until it was just sliver. To the kids it was like the sun had become the moon. We only had one pair of Eclipse glasses (Steven randomly found it mixed in a candy bin, we were a little late to jump on the bandwagon) but we were all able to get a chance to look through them (with only a little bit of fighting).

On Wednesday the boys were invited to a Nerf War at someone in the Ward's home. It didn't go so well. Steven was trying to be bossy and one of the kids got frustrated and yelled at him. While I don't think the other kid should have yelled at him, I also don't like that my kid was causing problems. Honestly my kids don't seem to mesh well with these kids which is a bummer because they are new and I know they need friends but unfortunately I just don't think it'll be us.

On Thursday Penny had her 3 year well check up and continued with her tradition of crying and screaming the entire time. I had tried to talk to her about it the night before and I really thought it was going to be better but apparently not. She didn't even have to get a shot this time. The little stinker is just traumatized by doctor's for life I suppose.

Thursday afternoon Tyler's work had a picnic at Central Park, per his request and planning. He told me that me and the kids were all invited to but there were literally no other kids there and only a couple other spouses. Apparently he didn't advertise the open invite well or people just couldn't make it. Thankfully it was at the park so me and the kids just spent most of the time at the playground. I guess it was nice to finally put some faces to names though.

Friday we spent the morning at the park with friends and the afternoon swimming with another group of friends. The weather was actually pretty chilly and I was surprised my kids actually wanted to go swimming (I think it was maybe 70 when we got there) but they did and though they didn't last super long in the water, they did get in. Brave children! They also then spent a LONG time under the hot water of a shower there trying to warm up after swimming, ha ha.

Also, Lucy got an adorable haircut this week. I was going to try and grow her hair out but I ended up just telling them to cut it. She always pulls out ponytails or things I put in her hair and honestly, I just like it better short on her. Maybe someday I will grow it out.

Only one more week until school starts. Unfortunately teacher placements came in yesterday and I am not super excited about who either of the boys got. Neither one got who I was hoping for and I am starting to regret my decision to keep them at Kurtz and wondering if it's not going to be worth the commute. Ugh. I hate being a grown up and having to make big decisions. For now we will try to place the worries aside and just enjoy our last week of summer!

Summer Fun

This week has been a pretty good one, filled with all things summer and *mostly* well behaved kids. The first summer fun thing we did was a Cub Scout swim at the Hines pool. Their pool was brand new and super fancy- it had a perfect shallow spot for little ones, a diving board and a slide- the kids had so much fun! What made it even better was that an older sister there that helped out a ton with the girls. Also, added bonus, the water wasn't freezing for once so I actually could go in it :)

Wednesday we did a beach day with friends. I have found if we play with the right friends, the kids have enough fun that they forget to fight with each other and it makes my life easier. These were the right friends and it was a good time. 

Thursday was rainy so we went to The Commons, an indoor play place. When we first arrived at The Commons the kids were super whiny- there's too many kids, this is boring, blah, blah, blah... After about 10 minutes we ended up at the indoor field and then they started having some fun. We played soccer, played catch, played with a giant bouncy ball. It was good times- minus the baby who kept stealing things from Penny and another kid who kept kicking the soccer ball super hard at the boys. I had fun playing soccer with Ben and actually being able to block a few shots and make a few shots- pretty pathetic when doing better than a 7 year old makes you proud of yourself, I definitely need to work out more.

Friday the weather was perfect for a zoo day so we met up with some friends there. It was mostly a good time minus whining over walking. Sometimes I feel like I just need a massive stroller for all the kids. Or maybe we should just get a 6 seater golf cart?

This morning we went kayaking with Laci & Mark. It was a belated birthday request to go on a kayak double date. It was super fun! The weather was 70's with a breeze and we basically floated around and chatted, very little paddling involved, ha ha. I really need to get my kayak out more, I always enjoy being out on the water. I am excited for the lake privileges will be getting in our new house!

A Birthday, A Paddle Board & Milford Memories

This week started with our home inspection. The biggest problem they found was that the house has a "fatigued" septic system. This means in roughly 5-10 years we will be in for a pretty expensive fix. There were a few other smaller issues as well so we decided to offer them $5000 less for the house. They accepted our new offer so now we are on to the next steps- home appraisal and securing a loan. Super fun grown up stuff. I feel like at this point we pretty much have this house so I'm getting more excited and starting to plan.

On Tuesday I turned 32. Since 32 isn't exactly anything exciting I celebrated by being pretty unexciting. In the morning I went to the park with a friend. In the afternoon I dealt with Ben having an emotional breakdown and then for dinner we went out to the Olive Garden. The kids are doing so much better with going out for dinner so it was actually really nice. Afterwards Tyler bought me some Sanders carrot cake (just like my dad had for his birthday). It was yummy! So yummy that the next day I found half the icing had been eaten off by a certain little girl named Lucy. 

Wednesday night I went out for cheesecake with Laci. It was so nice to get out and not have to deal with the bedtime routine for a night. We stayed out way too late chatting and it made me realize just how lucky I am to have such a great friend.

On Thursday we had a beach day with some friends. One of our friends had a paddle board and all my kids absolutely loved it. First Laci paddled all my kids plus her two around and then Steven decided to go by himself and about got stuck in the middle of the lake because he couldn't figure out how to come back. After that fun drama I let Lucy "paddle" all the kids around near the shore. It was kind of a hectic beach day for me but I think the kids had fun.

Friday was the first day of Milford Memories so we invited some friends to park in our driveway and we all walked over to the kid's tent. They all had lots of fun doing free crafts and playing free games and earning silly little prizes.

As we were walking back home from the festival the kids saw these crocodile toys that they just had to have. I told Steven if he mowed the lawn I would give him $5 for it. He grumbled at first but then he did it and when I gave him the money I think it dawned on him how easy that was to make. He then wanted to mow the neighbor's lawn for money too (which he later did- we have sweet obliging neighbors). Ben and Lucy picked weeds so that they could earn money too and then when dad got home we all walked down to the shop and got all the kids their hard earned crocodile toys. It rained on us on the way to buy them but the kids didn't mind, they were just so excited to have them!  

This morning we ran some errands and cleaned the church and then this afternoon Steven and Lucy walked the whole festival with me. It was a lot of walking but they were troopers. We saw lots of fun arts and crafts to buy, they sprayed the fire hose, they played some games and did another free craft. To reward them for their good behavior we got a snow cone. Lucy is only grumpy in the snow cone picture because she wanted a spoon but they had given her a straw. 

A walk, a house, a Riverfront "Emergency"

Monday was our last full day with Grams. Since she loves to walk, that morning we walked to the library. On our way o the library kids hid some painted rocks and they also found a couple too!Ben was most excited about the sparkly rock he found :)

Monday night we took Grams with us to look at a couple of houses. The second one ended up being a bust but the first one was great and Grams liked it a lot too. We ended up putting an offer on it and they ended up accepting our offer! We offered asking price and asked them to help pay closing costs. At first we were weary about asking for too much for closing costs because we didn't want to be rejected but I am glad we asked for 3% instead of 2% seeing how they accepted. It is not a perfect house because I don't think that exists unless you have an amazing budget but it is the perfect house for our budget. I think Grams was our lucky charm! I really wish she could be here for the inspection Monday because we need that luck! I am hoping inspection goes well and we can plan on moving in Nov 1st!

Tuesday Grams left us and it was tough to say goodbye. I spent the rest of the day cleaning and grocery shopping to distract from being sad. With the way time has been flying, hopefully November will be here before we know it and will be in AZ with our family.

Wednesday we went swimming with some friends. These friends are fickle about inviting us to stuff so it was nice to be on the invite list again. It seems like usually when we go swimming at least one of my kids suffers a melt down but for once we had a pretty great time. Only a little fighting between brothers at the end but that was not out of the ordinary. Fighting seems to be the definition of their relationship these days.

Thursday is a day I would rather not relive. Our fickle friends invited us to go to the Detroit Riverfront to an event called Reading and Rhythm. It was a fun idea in theory. They have music and then someone reads a book then you get a free book, a free carousel ride, make a bookmark and you can go play in some fountains. However, it was hot and humid day and the boys complained frequently while we were listening to the music and books. Then we had to wait in line for the carousel ride. The ride was nice and cool though and the kids enjoyed picking out a free book and making bookmarks afterwards.

But after that we had a much longer walk then I anticipated to the fountains. A walk in which Lucy walked like a sleepy zombie and we got super left behind. But that wasn't the worst of it. The worst came when Ben face planted it and got a bloody nose and fat lip in one swoop. It was a horrible mess that involved at least a half a pack of wipes. Ben was also wailing at the top of his lungs which led to a crowd of kids gathering around us. The crowd of kids alerted security that something was wrong so they called the EMT's. I tried to tell him that it was not EMT worthy but he informed me that they were already coming. He also said that he had called an ambulance. An ambulance!? For a bloody nose and fat lip!? I immediately told him to cancel. Honestly, I just wanted to disappear but there was not a single place nearby for me to do that at. It was super embarrassing and I wish Ben could understand that while it's ok to cry, you DON'T have to cry SO loudly. *sigh*

After that crazy experience we had a very low key Friday. The weather really cooled off Friday so we spent lots of time outside riding bikes. Ben learned how to ride his bike without training wheels this week so he has had a lot of fun doing that. He was the first kid that I helped teach how to ride without training wheels so I am proud of that. He still weaves every once in awhile but he's pretty much got it down. Ben also lost his last front tooth yesterday. It has been a very big week for Ben.