Saturday Morning at the Library

 Happy Labor Day Weekend!!  What to do without school for 4 days??  Yesterday we hung around the house and took it easy.  We all got rested up from four full weeks of school.  Today we went over to the Clarksville Library in the morning.  There is a fun area for little ones to play - lots of toys and board books!  Aidan, Emmy and Aoife had fun playing with Declan but also thought it was cool that they had freedom to wander through the stacks and find books.  We only stayed for an hour or so.  It started to get crowded and the kids were getting hungry for lunch. I'm running out of things to do that are inside and local and good for ages 1-8.  I wish it would cool down already!  I'm really tired of 100 degrees!!

I'm a Writer??

I guess I HAVE been writing this blog for almost 6 years now but WOW something very cool has happened!  I decided to ask the company that I work for (Military Child Education Coalition) if I could write a few blog posts for them.  The blog on their website consisted mostly of press release type posts but the potential for posting about really important issues was huge!  They have a  big audience and since they also have Facebook pages for each Parent to Parent team, their reach was considerable.  I wrote a sample and sent it to my supervisor - this was NOT a polished draft.  She liked it so much that she sent it on up the chain and it got approved!  It actually took a few weeks for them to publish it but it's up online (there are some typos since I never got to finish proofreading!).  Here's the link!  So exciting!!

http://www.militarychild.org/blog/catching-up-on-your-childs-academic-portfolio

Birds at Dunbar Cave

 On Saturday we went to Dunbar Cave with Gramma and Daddy Jim to see some birds.  They had a red tailed hawk and a tiny screech owl.  It was really cool and the kids even got to pet the owl - amazing!!  The cave itself is closed because the bats have some disease but the air still pours out of the mouth of the cave into a half covered entrance area.  It was in the high 80's but the 55 degree air coming out of the cave made it really comfortable. It was pretty neat and the kids asked to go back.  I can't believe we haven't been over there before. There are lots of paths and places to explore as well as lots of guided nature walks for kids.  It would be fun to bring a picnic and go on a nature walk one weekend!

The kids, Gramma and me at the entrance to the cave.

Declan - very excited to go on a walk!

 The girls found lots of feathers:

 Aidan is getting tired of me taking pictures:

 Aoife exploring:

 girls!

 Checking out a spider:

 Aoife wants me to lift her down:

 Emmy:

 Gramma and the kids watching the birds:

 Cooper - a red tailed hawk

 looking at Gizmo - the tiny screech owl:

 Cutie pie!

Golf Lessons

 Aidan has been taking golf lessons for the past month or so but I haven't been able to get any pictures!  Today, while I had the girls at soccer with Declan and my Mom, Daddy Jim took Aidan to golf and got some great shots!!  They even went back to the driving range on Friday and again on Saturday.  Aidan seems to really enjoy it!!

Day 2 of Soccer Practice

 The girls did awesome today at practice!  It is still really really hot but they were troopers and battled through the heat!  They both seemed to have a great time!!

First Day of Soccer Practice

 Today was the girls' first day of soccer practice!  They are on different teams but practice at the same time. It is great but the only small problem is that they practice on opposite sides of the athletic complex.  Daddy Jim came with us and he and I alternated watching each team while Gramma stayed home with Declan and Aidan.  I can already tell that this isn't going to be as relaxing as Aidan's practices last year! 

Aoife's First Day of PreK

Aoife started PreK on Monday morning.  I have a very different perspective this time around.  I remember when Aidan and Emmy went to PreK and it seemed like an exciting and momentous day but I had a different feeling today.  

Today Aoife's life changed. As we waited in line for her teacher to take her to class, I couldn't help but feel that she was standing on the cusp of her life, just waiting to take that first step into the fray.  Today, with that single step through the gate she started a journey that won't end for another 16 or more years.  Days of school and friends; who to sit with at lunch and who to play with at recess.  Balancing between staying true to herself and being part of the group. Days full of classes and sports; nights full of studying.  Years and years to come.  First success, first failure, first win, first loss, first crush and first heartbreak.

At drop off I looked around and saw the parents of oldest children fighting back the same hot tears that I remember vividly from years past.  This time around I was doing the same but for a very different reason.  While their hearts were breaking with the fear and excitement of letting their precious child into the world, mine was overjoyed to introduce the world to my precious child.  To know what is before her is thrilling and terrifying all at once.  

Now she will spend as much if not more time with her peers and teacher than with me at home.  She will begin to break away, tiny bit by tiny bit.  It won't be noticeable at first; she'll still want to hold my hand and cuddle on the couch.  But one day she'll want to do her homework without my help and then she'll want to read to herself before bed instead of pressing her small warm body onto my lap and asking, "Can we read just one more story, Mama?"

But today isn't that time quite yet. She still wants to wear hairbows and cute dresses and play with stuffed animals.  We're on our way, but this time I get the pleasure of enjoying each moment.  The pleasure that only comes from the knowledge of how quickly they pass by.

Aoife before school - new outfit and new Keens!

 The gang before Aoife's first day:

 Waiting in line with her friends:

 Very excited to go to class!

 Sitting in line with her classmates!

 Heading off into the fray:

 After school with Hudson:

 She had a great day!

 Showing me her folder - she's been waiting AGES for a school folder!

 My friend and I took the kids for a picnic at the park after school.  I didn't get any pictures of anyone but Declan - they were moving too fast!  Declan sat and ate for about and hour - ham sandwich, blueberries, goldfish, raisins, milk!  Growth spurt!!