First Day of Kindergarten

My baby started school on Tuesday. She woke up happy and excited to go. We put her first day of school dress on and took some pictures outside with her backpack. Adam decided to go to work a bit late so he could see her off too. We got to the school and G happily marched down the hall with her entire ridiculous family in tow :) We get outside the classroom and she refused to go in.

Refused. 

Crap. 

So I kind of pulled her into the room where Mrs. S was comforting a little boy who was sobbing. All those other little angel faces were just sitting on their carpet squares with wide 5 year old eyes. Then G lost it and was clinging to me and wouldn't let me leave. So Mrs. S had to kind of take her hand while holding the other little boy and told me to go. I walked out with tears in my eyes.

Not the best start.

I then went to my parents to get diapers for the twins who were spending the morning at Aunt Nicki's because my parents very old dog Molly was sick and was probably going to be put down that morning. I quietly said goodbye to her as tears rolled down my face.

I then got a text from Adam saying we never fed G breakfast. OMG. I suck. She is probably starving to death on her first day of school. I cried half way to work.

Mom fail.

But tomorrow is a new day. We will do better! And we did. According to her teacher she stopped crying pretty quickly. She got off the bus that day at my parents and was so excited to see her sisters! She had no tears the rest of the week. Happily went to her room and was excited to see what fun things they were going to do. She has a few kids from her preschool class that she knows and plays with at recess. Another cute little Grace B. that her coat hook is next to. Her cousin Alexis was able to walk her to her room without me on Thursday and today. They are so cute, holding hands with their same color ponytails swinging down the hall.

Huge sigh of relief.

Here is my beautiful girl the first day of school.

Organizing My Spices

I have had some anxiety about G starting school. I am a pretty self assured person, not a lot gets me going and when it does I communicate my displeasure pretty effectively and then I move on. I have never been one to "hold it all in" lol.

Having children changes you though. It is like having your heart walking around out there all exposed and vulnerable. When I am anxious about something I do something my mom calls "organizing my spices". Its basically spending time and focusing completely on some inane task that has nothing to do with what is really bothering you. Controlling the controllables if you will.
About to have a baby? Cleaning the kitchen floor on your hands and knees at 2 am would be considered "organizing your spices". Does the baby care if your floor is clean? Nope. Is it really necessary to do it at 2 am? Absolutely not. Nesting? I don't think so. But by scrubbing that floor spic and span RIGHT NOW you feel as if you are controlling something when you are not in control of others.
For me organizing my spices usually includes cleaning. I obsess over my house being picked up and clean. I also shop. I have been obsessing over the girls fall and winter wardrobe. Got the totes full of clothes down from the attic and went through everything to take inventory and supplement where needed. Meanwhile it is still 85 degrees outside :)
How do you organize your spices?

Labor Day

We spent our last days of summer soaking up the sun and doing summer things. I have been really bad about taking pictures lately. I have been trying to enjoy the moment and not always having to preserve it in pictures. Be present and part of the moment instead of just photographing it. I love having pictures to look back on but I think it's important for me to strike a balance there.

Friday night we took the kids to the Hunt Club for dinner and played in the game room. Saturday and Sunday we spent at the lake. Monday we started the day at the park, lunch at Wendy's, swimming at the Huff pool for G and daddy, and capped it off with a dinner picnic in the backyard.

Sounds lovely, right? Except Lyla cried nonstop through the whole picnic and refused to eat. Well, with 3 kids chances are someone is gonna be crying. Here we are trying to have this special family moment and we can't help but laugh at our failed attempt. Whew, those twinies. They are very clingy with the mama. It's exhausting sometimes! I used to go to bed early to get through a full day of school and 5 hours of practice. Now I go to bed early to be able to tackle the force that is 2 year old twins. This is harder :)

Speaking of going to bed early. Its was back to baths and books and lights out routine tonight. School starts tomorrow! Pictures to follow....


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Dawson Details

• J & L love to sing. They wake up singing. They sing in the car. Lyla probably has the better voice but Jilli has more passion


• Grace has taken to illustrating stories. She is actually an amazing little artist and tapes all these pieces of paper together. This means I run out of tape a lot but who am I to impede an artist's process


• Jillian and Grace are like the same kid. Same sweet temperment. Same stubborn streak. Then there is Lyla. Adam claims she is all her mother :) I personally think she is going to run the world someday.


• Dress up is in constant play at our house. It usually involves tutus and leotards and lots of accessories


• I played stay at home mom after my wrist surgery last week. Epic fail one day as I locked keys in the car, had to be rescued by a police man, Jill scraped her knee, and they fell asleep in the car and wouldn't take naps when we finally did get home. Props SAHM. Mad props. I was a hot mess.


• The twins never stop moving and getting into things. They are the definition of chaos. ALL. THE. TIME.


• Grace loves the show Good Luck Charlie. I do too. It reminds me of Full House. Sure beats Doc McStuffins on repeat. There is no getting that theme song out of your head.


• Grace has been invited to join the preteam at gymnastics. And so it begins.


• Potty training starts in September. Physically I think they are ready but they don't want to sit on the potty. Training 2 should be an adventure.


• I have some work travel this fall. I always dread being away from my babies. But its good news for our company and job security to have these type of meetings


• In September Adam will have worked a full year without being laid off for the first time in 3-4 years. Newsflash, the economy has sucked. Hoping we can keep the trend going.


• In Ocober we will celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. I am thinking a trip back to East Lansing would be a pretty awesome way to celebrate


• We are hoping to visit the mouse this Spring. We have been promising G since the twins were born we would go back to Disney when they were 2.5. Save Save Save.

Decisions Decisions

Nobody ever said making a decision was my strong suit. I am one of those people who have to know every other option out there before I make a decision. I tried every wedding dress on in the tri state area before deciding on the ONE. I research, make lists, think about it, and talk it out. Ultimately I usually go with my gut but not before driving myself and everyone around me crazy.

Deciding where to send our children to school has been no different. I feel as if I am making a decision for all of them and their future. While still making the best decision for G right now. I have done visits, and met with principals, talked to parents, and talked to teachers. I went back and forth between Queens, Western, and Concord and finally decided on Concord for a few years and then Queens when the twins start preschool and everyone will be in the same place. We are hoping to have saved enough money at that point to sell our house and move into a bigger one. Who knows what time will bring though, if this past year has been evident I reserve the right to change my mind 6 more times :)

It is pretty cool that Grace will be going to the same school as both her grandparents (Adam's parents) and parents. She will be walking into the same kindergarten classroom as Adam and I did 27 years ago. She has been assigned a wonderful teacher who I know she will love. She will ride the bus to nana's house at the end of the day and get to spend her afternoons with her sisters. She will be a part of a small, close knit community and while that sometimes has its drawbacks it also has it perks. If she gets sick, nana is 5 minutes away. If I have an issue, this school and the people in it know me and I will be heard. I feel at peace about that.

I am not sure what kind of time warp I am living in that my baby will be starting kindergarten a week from today. Everyone says you blink and they graduate high school. Sometimes I want to press pause, tell time to slow down. But time marches on and we enjoy this journey called life :)

Five5

Five years ago today you took your first breath.

Five years ago today I held you in my arms for the first time.

Five years ago today you looked into my eyes and knew I was your mama.

Five years ago today I was filled with love and gratitude.

Five years ago today I realized more than ever that God lives.

Happy birthday Grace Elizabeth!! You are our angel girl and we love you so much :)

Summer Loving

Summer photo shoot with my lovies.

Cousin Fun

My brother Mark visited this week. Sadly, we do not get to see him and his family much since they moved to Kansas City. We had a great week while he was here in Michigan packed full of quality family and cousin time.
I really enjoy being around my siblings. They make me laugh and love me for me. My big brothers are pretty darn awesome. Successful, hard working, funny, loyal, and they love with their whole hearts.

I am always the annoying family photographer and this time was no different. They complain during but appreciate the end result :)
We enjoyed a couple of family BBQs

A day at the zoo

Time at Duck Lake

And a cousin photo shoot

It hurt my heart to see them go. It really sucks that they are so far away.