Week One is over!

So, the first week of school is over. It is always good to get that first week out of the way. We reviewed rules and expectations, practiced some procedures and learned some new games. Now the real work can begin. By Friday, I was EXHAUSTED, though. I was in bed each night before 8:00. I know what you are asking. How do you get everything done at home and get in bed by 8:00? Let's just say that I have an AWESOME husband who does everything within his power to make sure I have very little to take care of during the evenings. The kids are at good ages, too. They help clean up the kitchen after dinner and can help do other things around the house. When they start having homework it will get a little tougher, but we can do it. We just have to work together and I have to not get so worked up about having everything in my house "perfect" all the time. Why, yes, I think I am growing up. Thanks for noticing! :0)

I am back to getting up at 4:00 in the morning to go to the gym. I meet a friend/co-worker there and we work out together every week day. We even take a kickboxing class together on Saturdays. In the next couple of weeks we are going to start training for a half-marathon. We are running in December, so we are going to be on a 12 week training schedule. We run three days a week right now, but we are going to have to make one of our running days a long-run day. Also, right now we run on the treadmill at the gym in the mornings. Running outside is a completely different running experience than running on a treadmill. We are going to run outside on our long-run days. That way we can still run/workout in the mornings, but get some outside running in on the weekends. My goal is just to finish the half-marathon. I am, by no means, trying to compete with anyone but myself.

Football season has started and I am starting the season with a better attitude than I did last year. Hopefully my good attitude will carry me through November. This year it helps that Drew's school starts 30 minutes later than the elementary schools. He is able to take Addison to Miss Linda's in the mornings. This cuts my morning commute almost in half. I am very thankful that he is able to do this for me. It has helped out TREMENDOUSLY!

Those are just a few of my thoughts from this week. I am hoping to update at least once a week now. I don't even know if anyone reads this anymore besides my dad, but that is okay. At least he will know what is going on with us!

Oh, and for those who are counting down with me: only 267 more days until Summer 2011!

Another Year and Some Random Thoughts

Tomorrow starts another school year. I have always loved the first day of school. When I was little I had trouble sleeping the night before the first day. Now I just take a little sleep aid to ward off any anxious thoughts! :0) I love the promise a new year brings and I love that the kids are on their best behavior at the beginning of the year.

Bryson will start 5th grade this year and Jackson will be in 1st grade. This will be the last year Bryson is in school with me. I have enjoyed being with him each day and watching him grow as a student. It's not always fun being his PE teacher, but that's a small price to pay to have him at the same school with me.

Addison will be in school in two more years. She so wants to go to school NOW. She knows when she turns 5 she will get to go to school and have her own teacher and a desk. She says she wants to go to ballerina school, so I may need to brush up on some ballerina techniques to teach her in PE in a couple of years! I am so amazed at how fast time is moving. I know it just makes me sound old, but time just seems to go by faster and faster every day!

I didn't do a very good job making the boys read over the summer, so we will see how much they have regressed. I know, I know, I should have MADE them read a little every day, but we were just too busy having fun to stop and read! Judge me if you will, but we thoroughly enjoyed our summer. We may just have to play catch up for a few weeks. It was totally worth it! :0)

We had our No Technology Tuesdays for several weeks until Drew finished summer school. That worked out well. It was harder on me than it was on the kids to stay away from the TV and computer. We played games and actually talked to each other on those days. We even read some. Does that make me a better mom in your eyes? Oh, who am I kidding, you know what kind of mom I am!

This year I am planning on spending less time on the computer after work. I don't know how ofter I will blog. I am planning to clean one room every evening after work so we don't have to spend a couple of hours on Saturday cleaning the house. I will let you know how that goes.

I am going to try to have a better attitude this year than I did last year. I got really down and depressed last year. It lasted for several weeks and I don't want that to happen this year. It is no secret that football season is hard on me. Drew knows this and he tries to make things as easy for me as he can. Football requires a lot of his time and he is gone at least three nights a week. I am basically a single parent most of the time and that is hard. I don't see how my mom managed to raise two girls by herself all those years. I would not wish single parenthood on anyone. It is NOT a fun job. Anyway, I am going to work really hard on my positive attitude and see if I can make it through this year better than I did last year. I barely survived last year. It was BAD.

Hopefully, I will be able to report back in later this week and let you know how wonderfully the first week of school was. Until then, have a great week!

• Made my breakfast
• Packed some extra clothes for the kids for Meet the Teacher night
• Took my staff shirt to school to wash it because I forgot to wash it the night before
• Took Addie to Miss Linda's
• Met me for lunch and had my lunch waiting for me when I got there
• Drove back to my school after he was already home because I accidentally left my car key in the bag he took home for me
• Went to WalMart after I got home to pick up some "stuff" that I needed DESPERATELY
• While at WalMart he picked up some things for school that I mentioned needing
• Brought home some ice cream (Blue Bell Blackberry Cobbler in case you were wondering!)

These are most of the things Drew did for me on Thursday. I don't know what I would do without him.

Perfect Day

I think today was about as perfect as a day can get. I went to my kickboxing class this morning without having to take the kids to the kids club at the gym. While I was gone, Drew cleaned the house, changed the sheets and did the laundry. When I got home I took a long, hot bath~by myself (Yes, this is rare! Usually, Addison has to join me and that is anything but relaxing!). Then Drew went to the store to get our groceries for the week. We stayed home and ate lunch. After eating lunch, I took a nap on the couch while Drew rubbed my feet. Then he made homemade salsa and fajitas. Oh my goodness, it was SO yummy! Now, we are waiting for it to cool off a little bit so we can all go for a walk in the neighborhood. It doesn't get much better than this!

It's back to work on Monday, but I won't think about that right now. I don't want to ruin my perfect day.

Oh, yeah, only about 286 days until Summer 2011!

More Pictures!

Pily is here for the weekend. She had an interview this week in Fort Worth, so she decided to stay the weekend and hang out. She and Addie have had a great time playing together. Pily is starting to see Addie's personality shine. She is one crazy girl! (Addie, not Pily!)

Friday we went to NRH2O for the day. I only got two pictures while we were there. I was too busy playing and trying to spend time with each of the kids separately. We had a good time. I hope to go back one more time before we have to return to work. I just wish Pily was here all the time to help me out!

Addison is becoming quite the little fish in the pool. She is essentially teaching herself how to swim. She can swim about 6-8 feet underwater by herself. About 3 weeks ago she realized she didn't need to be afraid of the water. Since then she has done great swimming. Of course, I am right there to help her if she needs it.

Last week we ventured up to Oklahoma to "The Pond." A couple of my cousins and their kids were there for a few days with us. My Aunt Pat was there, too. I did get some pictures of her, but she told me not to publish them! She was in her swimming suit so I totally understand. Just trust me that she was there with us!

This is a picture of my grandmother and Caitlin (my cousins' oldest daughter) on their back deck.

Grandmother and Addie.

Saturday we went to Broken Bow Lake. It is about 30-45 minutes from the pond. The water there was COLD! It is spring fed and was pretty chilly. It took us a while to get in.

Once they were in, they were good. My cousins' wife, Jo, swam around with the kids while I took some pictures. She was so good and patient with them. Maybe because her two kids had been with Nana all week! :0)

More swimming around.

Jackson

My grandmother hanging out at the lake. I think she had a good time watching the kids swim. We packed a cooler and had lunch out there, too.

Jackson caught a grasshopper. That will always make a little boy happy!

The water was so cold Addison didn't want to get in much. She spent most of her time playing in some water we put in a plastic tub.

The Relaxation Station!

Jackson and Cameron hanging out. They thought they were pretty cool with their shirts off!

Addie and Granddad. He read Cinderella to her over and over again. She loves her great-granddad!

Addie and Jackson fishing at the pond.

Jackson.

Addie.

Homemade ice cream! Yummy!

Hi Ya! Jackson being silly as only Jackson can be!

Taste test. Bryson is almost as tall as my grandmother. When did this happen?

Addie waiting for some more ice cream!

Drew. I'm sure he was happier than he appears in this picture. Why wouldn't you be happy at the pond?

My country girl.

Bryson climbing the rope. This is one of their favorite activities.

There, that's more like it!

My cute little girl posing for the camera.

Jackson and Grandmother on the four-wheeler. He can drive now when he has an adult with him. This is his absolute favorite thing to do. He feels so grown up when he is driving.

Addie, again.

Jackson climbing the rope. He wasn't too happy here. He made it to the top and got scared. We told him he had to find a way to get himself down. He made it, finally.

I just love the way Addie is looking at her daddy in this picture. I wish I could have known what they were talking about.

Fishing on the dock.

See, I was there too. Don't you just love my necklace Addie made me. I wore it proudly!

CHEESE!

We have had such a fun summer and I am sad to say that it is almost over. Why does it have to go by so quickly? We have one more week before we have to officially be back at work, but I'm afraid I am going to spend this next week gearing up for it.

Summer, you were great and I can't wait until we meet again in 296 days. But, who's counting!?!