First Day of School 2011

Today was Bob's first day back in the classroom with kids after a great summer vacation.



It was quite different than his first day back last year and his second first day back last year.

Kind of the same as two years ago, and kind of the same as three years ago.

I've written and written about not going back to school and don't think that I need to write anymore about it right now. (You're welcome.)

And some how in the whole swirl of things I've technically missed Etta's first day of school since she started yesterday. I don't think that I should really be calling it school - she is "just" hanging out in the Beacon pre-K/kindergarten room while I am teaching band. But the more I think about it - and talk to friends - the more it is really school. Pre-school. Or play school I guess. But school. I am not with her, she is in a classroom and she has to follow all of the same rules as the other kids. But since I am on site I hesitate to call it her "real" first day of school. That and the fact that little sister also gets to hang out with all the bigger kids too...those lucky second children...

And thanks to Aunt Molly for the AWESOME fireman boots. I think it will be all that she wears for quite some time...

Summer is Over

This morning Etta and I were having a discussion about how summer is "over" because Bob has to go back to work all day every day.

Etta: "Mom, I want you to go back to work".

Emily: "What would you do when I went to work?"

Etta: "Go with you!"

Emily: "What would sister do then?"

Etta: "Stay in the car!!!"

Outside

We have been having a fairly mild August from what we normally have in Lewiston. And I am a-okay with that!! A week ago it was even nice enough in the evening to just hang out on the lawn.

Mae is starting to not mind the grass as much.



Etta wanted her story time to be outside. Great!

Rainbow!

Etta has been observing "rest time" from 1:00-3:00 instead of taking a nap. She stays in the music room. Don't fear, she has all of her books, her trains & a variety of markers, crayons, etc. It has been working out pretty well. She has some self-directed play time and I have a chance to do some things by myself.

The other day she drew this:



(Okay, so I totally don't know why it scanned in like this...hopefully you get the "picture".)

She drew the rainbow all by herself with no help from anyone. Did the colors in that order because...she knows the order of colors in the rainbow I guess. I am very proud of her!

Hey You at the Computer...

GOOOOOOOOOOO VANDALS!!!

Bounty

Here are a couple of pictures of our "garden". Bob & Steve built the clothesline last spring for me and Bob "worked the land" this spring to get it ready for a gardenish plot. We have four big tomato plants, two sunflowers that have the potential to be HUGE, four pepper plants, a couple of viney plants that came in voluntarily from the compost we used and a plethora of marigolds. I love it!

Babyzilla

Whenever we meet someone new, or not, and they make any kind of comment about or to Mae, Etta says quite proudly, "We call her BABYZILLA!" Which then evokes chuckles. And yes, she is quite the Babyzilla. Always on the look out for something to to knock over or destroy. Mae ripped off the cover of every. single. magazine. she touched at my folks this summer. And one of her favorite modes of transportation is to put whatever toy she may currently have into her mouth and then crawl willy-nilly. Amazingly enough I was able to get a photo!