First Day of School

Of course, I have pictures.

The whole family headed out to walk Bean to his first day of kindergarten! It doesn't seem like that big of a deal, since he did part-time Pre-K at age 3 and full-day Pre-K at age 4. He's good to go. After three solid months at home, I know he's ready for this adventure. He was thrilled to put on his uniform and meet his teacher.

His teacher seems like a sweetheart, Mrs. Q. I think he'll respond well to her, and I like what I know of her so far. (Though, she is much more lenient with candy than I'd prefer, but at least she's up front about it.)

Cooper was totally ready and Husband and I were ready. Of course, Moose sat down next to his brother and thought he was staying. He pouted when we left and all the walk home (despite us taking turns carrying him). I'd like to say it was because he missed his brother, but it's because that child hates to be left out of ANYTHING. He was SO happy to go to speech today - made him feel like he was at school too. He'll start his Mother's Day Out school September 1 - just another week, kiddo, you'll make it!

Home Sweet Home

Last week, Bean and I headed back to Texas. He did his last two days of school, and I closed on the house. We had a great time - one last goodbye to good friends and to the old house. Mrs. House of Toys was a great hostess.

Bean really enjoyed his last days of school, they had a water day and a fizzy foam day - you know, those last few days are packed with education :) He had lots of fun, though, and I'm glad I took him back for it. He also loved spending lots of time with his best buddies and enjoying their birthday party.

Closing on the house was easy. I mowed that huge lawn one last time (and told the property good riddance - I hate mowing that yard). A few signatures later and we're richer. The buyers only used about half the closing costs they were anticipated, so we walked away with $1500 more than we expected. We certainly won't complain about that!

We are settling into Louisiana nicely. We're only 20 miles from the Texas border, but it feels like a world away. I am loving Super Target and living within 10 minutes of nearly everything.

Bean made some friends today. There is a five year old boy two doors down one way and two brothers (maybe 6 and 7 or twins) and a little girl (4 or so) two doors down the other way. Best neighborhood ever :)

I brought home my potted plants from the House of Toys and have been arranging them around the house. I also have two big hibiscus plants that Mrs. House of Toys acquired from a mutual friend. Mrs. House of Toys doesn't care for the maintenance of plants (and escapes to North Dakota for MONTHS during the summer), so I rescued the pretty plants. I know they sell hibiscus plants in our area (I saw them at Lowes), but I haven't seen anyone with any in our neighborhood.

Our master bathroom has a bizarre smell that only ceases when we leave the window open all the flipping time. I stuck some indoor plants in there - particularly the fern. It doesn't seem to be helping. Maybe a bigger fern? We can't determine the source of the smell and no amount of air freshener freshens the room. Suggestions?

I am also very bothered to learn that the show Billy the Exterminator features a pest control business that serves my area. That means EVERYTHING I have seen on his show could very likely be in my yard or house - huge rattlesnakes, alligators, armadillos (which carry leprosy - yes, freaking LEPROSY), bats, etc. Ohmigoodness.

Oh, my birthday is Wednesday! We've been so busy that I haven't thought that much about it. My sweet husband had balloons set up (yes, already) when I arrived home from Texas, and I've received a few gifts in the mail :) Maybe I'm waiting to open them (but maybe not).

On the camera front, I narrowed it down to the Nikon D3000, Nikon D5000, and Nikon D90. I fiddled with all of them at Best Buy today and have decided on the D5000 - the features/options seem quite a bit better than the D3000 (justifying the price difference) whereas the D90 doesn't seem that much better than the D5000 (therefore, not justifying the price difference), so the D5000 it is. Now, I'm going to investigate a couple lenses and decide on one of two of those (probably just one, hot damn, this stuff is expensive).

Oh, the counter tops were tiled while I was away - they look much nicer than the burnt linoleum that was there before :) Husband also cleared out the courtyard and remulched the front. He also got a shepard's hook for our bird feeder - so far, I've seen a few finches at it, but that's it. I think food is pretty plentiful right now, so the birds aren't scouting out feeders right now. We have LOADS of squirrels in our yard. They haven't messed with the bird feeder, but I always see at least four running around the big oak trees.

Moose has taken to calling everything "Maaaamaaaa" lately and in the most whiny voice ever. Oh, I love him to pieces, but those Terrible Twos are hitting hard.

Why So Quiet?

So, we have our orders. We need to be in Louisiana by May 31. It's, umm, overwhelming to say the least. I didn't expect to be out of here quite so soon. I was thinking more the END of summer, but no one who makes decisions cares what I think.

We've gone back and forth on a million different things but have decided to get a home on-base. Husband is already getting that paperwork together, so we'll be on the waiting list and ::fingers crossed:: have a home to move into upon our arrival. (The base housing there is quite nice we hear.)

We'll get Bean tested for the magnet schools. If they're full or he doesn't test into them, then we are sending him to the Montessori school for kindergarten. Should we get assigned to Shreveport long-term, then we'll move to an area near one of the better public elementary schools. To save some money, though, Moose will not go to the Montessori school for pre-school. We'll just place him in a church-type pre-school a couple days a week (he'll only be 2, after all). Luckily, a student loan that we're currently making large payments to will be paid off by the time tuition comes do - we'll just roll that money into the Montessori tuition instead of into another loan, as we had planned. So, actually, we won't even miss it. Thank goodness.

We met with the Realtor. I can't say the price is bad, but how much commissions and fees take is quite disgusting. We do all the hard work for years and these vultures swoop in for a few weeks and take a healthy chunk of it. BUT, I do like the Realtor. She seems very organized and professional. Personality-wise, we also mesh well.

Husband is wrapping up the guest bathroom and I'm packing. Husband has already lost his parking spot in the garage to boxes. I have a garage sale planned for April 10 and a chunk of stuff to take to Goodwill and to the base thrift shop. I also have some painting projects to look forward to (nothing huge, but painting is not something me or my husband look forward to - since some extreme painting at our last home, he actually hasn't painted a thing in this home). Also, I've noticed I have a thing for paint colors that name fruits. For example, Apple Green, Cherry Red, and Northern Pear Tree. The only other paint color I have recently selected is called Overcast - so it's not a 100-percent theme (BUT, Mrs. House of Toys actually picked it out, so maybe that doesn't count). (Don't worry, I didn't paint any room Cherry Red - just the mailbox and touch ups to the bench and flower pots.)

I finished our taxes today, and we're getting a nice chunk of money back! Thank goodness. We're just going to let it sit for now - in case something comes up with the housing inspection or we move without selling it and need some moolah on hand to make extra mortgage payments. What spectacular timing. If all goes well, though, it'll be the start of a new car fund! We have our eye on something with decent gas mileage, three rows of seating, and NOT a mini-van (I'm not so opposed to it, but my husband is dead-set against it). Husband is sort of liking the Chevy Traverse. Now, I love a Chevy, but the thing looks like a monster compared to my Elantra. I'm a small-car girl - a beloved Chevette, a not-so-beloved Escort, and the good-car-worst-buying-experience-ever-never-buy-anything-from-Butler-Hyundai-on-the-northside-of-Indianapolis-ever Elantra. Oh, but ROOM! Road trips will be so much more pleasant when we're not packed on top of each other - with luggage and snacks and entertainment shoved between. Only 12 hours to Orlando - we might make that trip a couple times a year!

My new thinking: It's just money. We'll get more next month. (My frugal friends are gasping - my apologies, but it's the only way I'm going to get through the next few weeks. I will resume my more frugal lifestyle once this house is sold and the move is complete.)

Telling People Off

The other night, some ladies and I were discussing instances in which we've told people off and whether or not we regretted it. I went so far as to say that I can't actually say that I've ever felt better telling someone off - oh, maybe momentarily, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not like it's ever made a positive difference.

Well, today I had the perfect opportunity to really lay into someone. Oh, it would have been glorious. I was fired up and ready to kick this guy's ass.

During pick-up time at school, the school sets out cones to block traffic from the half-circle that goes right in front of the school. Well, a man in a large truck decided that these cones didn't apply to him and he comes barreling in and comes awfully close to my baby who is toddling around. I shouted, "Don't you see the cones?" He comes out of his truck and says, "Yeah. I saw 'em." I said, "So, what they don't apply to you because you have a badge?" He mumbled something and started walking and I said, "Well, you must just like running over little kids." He's a fifth grade teacher at the school and parked like a total asshole (see his big, fat bumper blocking half the sidewalk that the kids walk on and his tire up on the curb) in a handicap spot.

I really did keep my cool. I didn't yell or curse or even get that snarky. What I wanted to do was get a baseball bat and bash in his windows. I wanted to rip his eyes out. He almost ran over my kid.

Some other moms were next to me while this was happening and told me he's known for being an old grouch, gave me his name, and offered to watch Moose while I fought him.

I went to the front office and told them about it. The secretary said she would pass it along, because the principle was out for the afternoon. I told her that I know people can have handicaps that aren't obvious, but the guy knows what time it is and saw the cones and he could have used A LOT more discretion with his speed and attitude. I told her I wanted to meet him on the playground. That's right, I don't care if he's a disabled veteran, I still want to kick his ass. She nodded and looked at me like this isn't the first time she's received complaints about this particular teacher.

So, umm, that was fun.

Then I had to vote.

I had every intention of voting in the Republican primary, because there were two races in that party that I was particularly interested in - the Governor of Texas or the State Representative in our area. For Governor, it's Rick Perry (incumbent), Kay Bailey Hutchinson (a current and long-serving Senator), and a whack job that probably spends her free time organizing Tea Party events. For State Rep, the current mayor of my town (who can't even run this town properly - our area boasts the most expensive cost of living in the state and it looks like a shithole) is running. I'm not sure who's running against him, but that's who I was voting for. For the record, I would have voted for Hutchinson out of the Governor candidates.

I was so disgusted over the whole parking lot thing that I couldn't stomach even saying "Republican" when I was asked what primary I was voting in so I said, "Democrat." The five white people quickly ushered me off to the hippie lady and the three black people. On their registry, I only saw three people with a "voted" stamp next to their name, and that was including me. How the hell did I get here?

I couldn't even remember who I liked out of the Democrats running for governor (because, come on, the Republicans have this state in the bag). I remembered that Felix Alvarado talked about creating well-regulated casinos in Texas to help provide jobs and provide more revenue for schools, so I voted for him. Then I was thinking, "Felix is a terrible name, maybe I should vote for someone with a more likable name?"

These are the big questions, people.

I've made my own mother so proud today with the curse words and imaged violence and left-leaning politics. I should just go re-pierce some body parts and call it a day.

I'm ever so thankful to just be home with my kids and enjoying tomato soup and grilled cheese for dinner and watching some Dora.

School Discussion

Since finding out that we're heading to Louisiana, there's been a lot of talk about where to send the kids for school. The area schools don't exactly boast a great reputation.

Bean has been through PreK-3 and PreK-4 now and is certainly ahead of where I was when I started kindergarten. I'm not a mom who brags about her kid being a super-genius, but I do think he's "ahead" (but I also think he's fairly average compared to all his classmates, nothing wrong with that).

I thought very seriously about sending him to the Montessori school in the area. It seems like a phenomenal place and I think the Montessori program is something both boys would respond well to. It certainly costs a pretty penny, though, and that cost would override things like vacations, a new car, my going back to school, my having to go back to work (and like for real, not just serving coffee). It's something we'd be willing to do, but it would come with some sacrifice.

Last week, I talked to a mom who lived in the area about three years ago. She said she that she would have homeschooled if they got based there again, and she doesn't even want to homeschool.

I met a mom today who is moving there in August. She has children, 9 and 14. She said she wasn't pleased with the general public schools, but she found the magnet/charter schools up to snuff. So, I looked into those today. Oh, and they seem like the most wonderful thing! FREE and UP TO SNUFF!

From what I understand, though, the kids must be tested before being accepted. What if my kid doesn't make the cut? Then what? Also, we've already missed the 2010-2011 testing dates (umm, because we don't even have orders there yet), so who knows if they'll even be taking kids by the time we get there. Then what do I do with him? I guess we could go ahead with the Montessori school, but - good grief - the price difference certainly affects so many aspects of our life. A new car is one thing, but having two parents working is a pretty big change for them.

So, till something actually happens, I'm going to continue to fret over over this.

Also, a friend of a friend, who lives in my neighborhood, has a serious offer on her house. It's been on the market for 5 days! Was priced quite a bit higher than they had expected. Real estate is certainly looking up. I have an interview with her realtor (which was already scheduled before the big offer) next week. So, perhaps I will have some relief in that area :)

The Great Return

I haven't posted much recently, because I had a surprise on my hands. I'm terrible at keeping secrets and surprises, so it was best that I just avoided public proclamations until said surprise took place.

Moose and I got up to Chicago/Northwest Indiana this past weekend. We left Thursday morning and got back Monday afternoon. One of my oldest and dearest friends was having her baby shower - she's due November 11 with a little girl. She was quite surprised when I walked in - she looked and looked again and said, "What are you doing here?" I'm so glad I got to go.

Moose and I also made it to the apple orchard and did some shopping with my mom. We saw my cousins and my grandpa and my mom introduced me to Fish World on Facebook.

It was short trip. Hauling Moose, his carseat, and luggage around a few airports was not a lot of fun (I have bruises from straps), but it all worked out. Even our late start to the airport on Monday turned out flawlessly. Now, I have to wait till March before I return again. Which is just as well, I don't mind missing the cold up there!

Moose has a new trick. He shakes his head and mumbles, "Emm-Hmm." (Like "no.") Hilarious. He's not too keen on shaking his head the other way and replying yes to anything. While we were away, Moose really started to babble A LOT. His personality really shined through without Bean in the picture.

While I was gone, Bean had his first all-green week. He had a green day yesterday too. Bean had a great time with his dada while I was gone. Mrs. House of Toys picked him up from school Thursday and Friday, so Bean had a blast playing with two of his favorite boys. Mrs. House of Toys also got a taste of my husband's schedule ... like when he said he'd be there at 6 p.m. on Thursday and didn't get him till 8:30 p.m. STORY.OF.MY.LIFE.

Well, I have a lot of catching up to do today. My "to do" list is 2 pages long, and I just don't want to do any of it.

I Don't Want to Speak Too Soon

Thanks for your comments on my previous post. I know parents sometimes have the tendency to go all "mother bear" on their kid and tear down anyone who might be threatening their well-being. I feel like I'm not overreacting to this situation.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Bean had green days. To be fair, I took him to school late both days. I let him sleep till he woke up naturally and let him take his time getting ready. I think getting a good amount of sleep and not being "rushed" into the day helped.

After two tardy days, though, I thought he should get to school on time today. I woke him up and gave him plenty of time to get to school. He wasn't rushed around, so I'm hoping he's able to remember, "Be a good listener." and "Keep your hands to yourself."

Of course, you'll never believe this ...

Bean started going to Awanas three weeks ago. He's a Cubbie. For those of you unfamiliar with the program, it's a children's program run by Baptists churches on Wednesday nights. The kids sing songs, memorize verses, do crafts, and have gym time. It's something I did as a kid and really enjoyed. Anyway, guess who was helping in Bean's Cubbie Classroom? His teacher from school. Can you imagine the horror that must have run across my face when I saw her?

Anyway, she joked, "Oh, Bean is going to be sick of seeing me." I forced laughed and replied, "Umm, or vice versa."

Maybe seeing Bean outside the classroom and seeing him under an adult who has no problems with him will be a good thing for their relationship. (Bean's Cubbie leader, Shannon, is a friend of a friend. She and I are friendly and she seems to enjoy Bean. Her personality and approach with kids seems far different from Bean's teacher.)

Of course, I'm not opposed to having to call a meeting or asking for an observation day.

The teacher did send a note home with all the students the other day that said she knows she's been strict, but she wants to set high expectations at the beginning of the year so the kids know what to expect for the rest of the year. I get that, but I also get that the kids are 4 years old! I'd think you'd need to build trust and understanding with them before you really get into discipline. But what do I know, there are very valid reasons why I did not take elementary education classes or do not run a home daycare. (See: I don't, generally, enjoy other people's children between the ages of say 3 and 11.)

My Kids <3

While watching the House of Boys boys for several day, Bean became quite an expert at Mario Kart. This is his "Luigi Time!" pose:
This is him attempting to head butt his dad:Here is Moose. Later in the day, he would get kicked out of the church nursery:Here is Moose rampaging the potato basket. The potatoes did not survive: The House of Toys boys are back in full action. There was a big group huge when Bean reunited with R. and C.

I'm missing Bean being at home. You sort of get used to waking up a little later in the morning with no strict agenda for the day. Also, Bean is a huge help with Moose - something I didn't really realize over the summer. Even when it was, "Talk to the baby for a minute." You know, he kept the baby happy and occupied for a little bit and that let me finish whatever I was working on. Luckily, Moose has napped a little. I try to get the housework and crafting done during that time. When Bean gets home, he entertains Moose for about 40 minutes, so I can get all my computer stuff done.

Bean is doing well at school. He did have a "blue" day on Wednesday, because he was talking during "carpet time." (FYI, green is the best color, blue means three warnings and a time out, yellow means three warnings and a time out and a call home, red means all that and a trip to the principle's office ... or something like that. Let's hope Bean never makes it past blue.) He's made several projects and the teacher went on and on one morning about how well he did with his scissors: "He was having a tough time, but he just kept on with it - even through snack time. He did it all himself. Most the kids gave up." Way not to be a quitter, Bean! (But, Bean, just so you know ... if you ever join the school band - not that I'll encourage such a thing - I'll let you quit any time you want. Seriously.)

Oh, and, yes, Moose was kicked out of the nursery at church. I went to Family Night at House of Trees' church. Moose was in the nursery for about an hour and screamed the whole time. They thought he might start throwing up. (He was hysterical.) "He wouldn't eat a cracker," they said. What horror! Anyway, clearly, Moose's evening anxiety has not been resolved. The nursery had, what I thought, a few too many kids and Moose was amongst the youngest and certainly one of the few not walking. Poor kid.

I think Bean will continue with Awanas (which they have during Family Night), but I'll be that mom who drops my kid off and leaves and comes and picks him up. I don't think Jesus really cares, so I won't worry about it.

First Day & Warm Boat

Before the walk to schoo:Bean and Moose inside the school. (I do have pictures of Husband, but he has his eyes closed or is looking in a different direction, so I think he's OK if I skip them.):
Lately, Bean likes to get out all the cushions and pillows and create his "Warm Boat." This is the biggest one he's built today:

Day Two

I interrogated asked Bean about his day yesterday. He reported that he had rest time and played outside. He mentioned a few friends' names. He also said that his fruit "fell on the ground." I noticed I only got the lid back on the fruit container, so I'm guessing it slide under the table and he didn't think to get it. Also, he forgot that his water was in the bottom on his bag, so he had nothing to drink. Geez.

Today, I made him watch while I put a Capri Sun in the bottom of his bag. Somehow, I think he'll remember today :) A couple days of Capri Suns to spark the memory, then he's back to water.

I asked if he liked his teacher ("Miss WOOK-is," as he calls her). He said, "Maybe not sure." I can only imagine that the poor woman was pretty frazzled yesterday - 22 four year olds and only her and an aid. Bean did say he liked Miss Toney, the aid. She does seem super-fun. I'm sure he'll warm up to Mrs. Wookis soon (Its Mrs. Lucas, in case you don't speak Bean).

Moose had two shots yesterday. Not sure if it was the shots, but he actually went to bed at about 8:30 last night and slept till 7. This is the first peaceful night we've had in a couple days. Lately, he will only nap on me and won't sleep till 10 p.m. and often wakes up screaming around 1 or 3 or 5. Yeah, umm, it's been loads of fun.

Yesterday, I also created a "Chore Chart" for Bean. It has a list of things for him to do in the morning (marked with a sun) and a list of things to do after he gets home from school (marked with a home). It has things like Brush Teeth, Make Bed, Eat Dinner, Hang Backpack, etc. All the chores also have pictures next to them. He loves it! Yesterday afternoon, he would walk up to it and "read" it and ask, "What we do next, Mama?" I can only hope this enthusium lasts into his teenage years.

Wild Weeks

School starts Monday.

YEAH!

Bean and I went to Meet the Teacher on Thursday. Once again, he seems to have a very nice and competent teacher. There are four kids in his class from his class last year. Also, our neighbor's (House of Trees) little girl is also in his class - that makes things convenient!

Bean is excited about his new McQueen lunch bag and thermos. I can't believe he'll actually be eating lunch away from me five days a week. Weird.

We had the boys from House of Boys here for four days this week. They're good kids, but I'm glad that gig is up. I am flipping exhausted. We went to the playground twice, to the waterpark, and made several trips for Sonic's half-priced slushies. Yum.

Moose is continuing to grow, much to my dismay. He's crawling faster than ever and seems steadier and steadier when he pulls up - we might have a walker by 15 months again. I could do without that.

Moose is also excellent at steering. After watching four boys play many hours of Mario Kart, Moose is well aware of how the steering wheel works. Cute stuff.

Husband's job continues to be very demanding. I don't even know where the week goes, and he's probably wondering the same thing.

Hosted another craft night last night. There were only three of us, so we had ample room to spread our stuff and also ate lots of cookies :) Good times.

We went to lunch today and stopped by the pet store and a music shop. Not to worry, we didn't buy anything. We are looking for a piano, though. Every few days a few more pop up on Craigslist, so I think something will work out soon. Oh, we did buy something, we stopped by the Farmer's Market downtown and bought two delicious cantaloupes, some onions and potatoes, and a peach and a tomato. You know, I always read about what a great deal the Farmer's Market is, but I easily spent TWICE as much there as I would have at the commissary. What's with that? Should I have haggled? I love the idea of eating local and supporting small farmers, but DOUBLE the price doesn't make it a very economical choice. Just a thought.

School

In less than a month, Bean will return to school. He'll be in PreK-4 all day this year. That's 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Seriously, all day. I have mixed feelings about this. He loves school and learns a lot and really thrives in that sort of group environment. He will be totally fine ... probably better than fine. I, on the other hand, am used to having all three meals with him. I'm used to having him around for most hours of the day. Even when I worked part-time, I was still with him more than I will be starting in August. It's like he doesn't belong to me anymore. Not completely. Not anymore. Part of me is happy about that - he's well-adjusted and happy and smart. It's a compliment to me and Husband ... we've done well enough with him to send him on his way. Geez, this is only PreK-4, not college!

I'll still have Moose at home with me. Maybe. Husband and I are considering putting him in pre-school two days a week for five hours each day. It's only 10 hours a week. I'm a mom that needs her alone time. There are moms that can go-go-go with their kids all day everyday, and I'm glad that works for them, but it doesn't work for me. It's only 10 hours a week. I'm not a bad mom for wanting that.

My Movie Star

Bean's teacher, Mrs. A, posted a video of Bean on her classroom blog. For some reason her type and background are white ... so, in case you can't read the description, here it is:

Sometimes we practice counting, sorting, and patterning with our snacks at school. (At home I'm a stickler for not playing with your food, but at school its a great opportunity to practice our math skills!)

Children are like sponges, they just pick up on certain things and take them in a whole new direction. So, this video is ALL [Bean]. He called me over to his table to show me his pretzel letters. Awesome! It didn't take long before the rest of the class began to write with their snack. Hey, whatever works!

Click here to view the video.

He Really Is Delicious

It's come to my attention that my blog is eating up pictures of Moose. Seriously. I noticed it the other day, but I just assumed it was my computer. I was helping my friend from House of Toys yesterday with her blog, and I noticed the same problem on her computer.

So, it's confirmed, Moose really is delicious.

I'll see what I can do to remedy this, because I know we all need our Baby Moose fill of cuteness.

In other news, Bean's class was the top collector of BoxTops, Campbell's Soup labels, and Tyson A+ labels for PreK-3. I think a good chunk of that was a donation from my MIL :) So, please keep sending BoxTops, Campbell's Soup labels, and Tyson A+ labels (the entire label, not just the A+ box) ... they really do make a difference. Each year Bean's school gets THOUSANDS of dollars thanks to these silly things. I remember my school earning new playground equipment in the first grade thanks to Campbell's. You can also feel free to donate to your own school, of course :)

I took Moose for his 6-month shots today. They were out of one, so he got just got the oral and two shots in the leg. He didn't even cry! Guess having legs the size of tree trunks does have its perks.