sorting memories

I am finally trying to sort all the photos from the summer trips. I want to make a photo book so need to get cracking while things are still fresh in my memory . . . and I saw an ad in one of my magazines for a company that makes these type of books. It is fun to go back and looks at how much we did. When I saw this photo of Colin,
I immediately thought about my first trip to Paris in May 2001 with Sean.

Any recommendations of a company that does hardcover photo books?

First Day Hooray

I can't believe my sweet black headed baby boy is in 1st Grade! He was so excited but nervous too. My 'issues' have calmed a little too, LOL. Here is a photo of first day of Kindergarten (left) and 1st Grade (right) . . . hasn't he changed?


Last week he told me that I could just drop him off at the car line but when we arrived he changed his mind and decided that I should walk with him . . . all the way to the classroom door. It is the only day of the year that the school allows parents to take their kids to the room. We get to the door and I am about to pull out the camera when he turns and jets inside . . . he acts like he doesn't even know me so I take it as a sign to leave the camera in my purse. I am not sure I like the fact he is growing up . . . he did have a little fun being silly for some photos before we left the house!


I can't wait to pick him up at the end of his day even if it is a traffic nightmare!

first impressions

First impressions can be tricky. When I had a regular classroom, I always had an idea what type of year it would be after meeting the kids . . . some years better than others. I think you just sort of know. Tonight was 'Meet the Teacher' at Colin's school.First let me complain that the state has decided to start a major road expansion project in front of the school that will make entering and exiting a total nightmare. Of course me being the worry wart that I am, it is driving me crazy! It is suppose to last 10 months which probably means 15 months. Anyway, back to the meet the teacher. Last year when we went to meet his Kindergarten teacher, I left thinking it would be a tough year and that she was strict. It was, she was but he learned. Tonight I left concerned and worried. I don't know why but I did. She seemed sweet . . . oh she is very young and think her third year of teaching . . . oh I remember how energetic I was back then . . . and nice so it is nothing personal. I also noticed how organized and neat her desk area was . . . some of you know how that excites me, LOL. Maybe it was just watching some of the other kids that will be in the class? Or the parents? I don't know. None of the kids that Colin was friends with last year are in his class . . . there are 3 other kids in there but none he ever really talked about. There are 18 kids in his class and when we were there 7 boys and 1 girl . . . again we are in a boy heavy class so maybe that has me worried too? I hope I am wrong but of course I will over analyze this all year. I am certain that I am going to try and weasel my way in to volunteer so I can keep a closer eye on him . . . he informed me that he did not want me to walk in with him on Monday. I had a stack of paperwork to fill out and a list of things to make sure Colin knew where they were located around the room . . . one was his locker number . . . can you believe the number of his locker?

Please don't let it be the jinx number for the year! Here is his new teacher . . . looking at her makes me feel OLD!
So here's hoping for the best . . . and yes, I am sure I will have lots to write about in the next few months.

catch up

Colin is finally home and we have started the get ready for school routine! I would like another few weeks at home to do nothing but hang out but that isn't going to happen. I jumped back into school/work on Monday; it is going to be one hectic year as I have a ton of students and my list continues to grow daily.

I always plant a garden but since we were gone most of the summer I did not want any thing that required too much work for my dad. I planted a couple tomato plants and basil. My dad wanted to experiment and see if melons would grow in my area.

. . . I would say so. We have had two 'big' small watermelons and about six cantaloupes. One of the watermelons have decided to become friends with the tomato plant.
And we have two kissing cousin melons too . . .

Our grape tomatoes have gone crazy and are so sweet and yummy! I find myself outside just picking them from the vine and eating on the spot . . .
In other exciting news (at least to Colin), we are now a house of three . . .
. . . what was I thinking? It was a reward for a great summer vacation . . . any bets on how long it survives?

Why

Seriously why must the battery back ups of my smoke detectors decide they need changing at 1:30am? I could not stand the beeping so went outside and got the ladder. I knew I would be paranoid if I did not change it immediately. Oh and the refrigerator is not sounding so lovely either.

and now . . .

We rejoin our regular programming . . . we are back! If you did not read where we have been the last 7 weeks, feel free to follow along here . . .

I missed my bed!!! I have already been up for an hour and a busy little bee. I predict a nap by 10am.