Little Things In Our Week

Well for some reason this week felt like the REAL first week back to school.  Mainly because the calendar was full and the routines were all in place.  I found myself once again preparing dinner at 9:30 in the morning.  Man, much of my existence is food.   Planning, listing, shopping, putting awaying, cooking, cleaning... and then planning again. phew!  Anyway with a ton of cooking it seems and the regular things of like this week flew by.

I tried something new this week.  I actually took pictures using my phone camera.  I'm usually lugging around the big camera at all times.  But I thought I'd give it a try.  So just a few snapshots from my phone on a busy day like today.  And some little things though out the week. 

Friends who adore adoption as much as we do have two beautiful girls the same age as our girls. Just works out perfect. We love this family and the friendships that they have. Last weekend at a playground...



Big sisters helping little sisters



Baked Manicotti last night... yum!



After some frustration while she was practicing this is Anna and I trying to come up with a plan to hit all of the teachers and orchestras and lessons and ensembles she's in this year. It's now typed and laminated on her music stand and the tears and frustration are gone.



Just so I'll remember her littleness lined up for first grade on a random day.



This week I got a call from the nurse. Abigail had been there with a tummy ache three times in one day. It's her missing mommy September thing... trying to get home. Boy, September can be rough emotionally on all of us! So I went in a few times this week for lunch with my little girl to help her through.  I always just want to bring her home with me after.  Like mother, like daughter, it aches to see her walk out to recess down the hall. Sigh..



Anna and I at the pediatrician this week for a swollen foot from a bug bite. I thought it was infected since she could barely walk on her foot... thank goodness it wasn't and that is almost all better now.



Man, we used to cuddle and talk, now all she does is read.



Weekend homework is way better with a little pot of tea.



Charlotte's Web... I tried counting how many times I read it aloud. Once to each class always in the fall (9 years), Anna told me I read it aloud to her 3 times. And now it's Abigail's turn. I could read it every fall for the rest of my life. Oh that nurturing, that sweet girl Fern, and all of the love a spider has for a pig. Yes, that's 13 times I've cried reading it.



And there ya go... I'm off to pick up the girls and go to tennis! Happy Friday everyone!

This Week

I miss my girls today. A lot. I'm glad it's Friday so that we can be together this weekend. I have a photo shoot on Saturday but then I'm parking myself on the floor with them to play, or maybe ride bikes, or sit around longer at the dinner table, or play with dolls, or read that chapter book I started with them (Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm) I can't wait!

Here's a peek at our week. I picked up my camera lot this week and boy... it felt good! Now if only I can find some time to scrapbook these memories... I'd feel on top of the world.

Muffins to bring for the Raffi Concert car ride



Tulips popping up



Color everywhere



Building with daddy





Morning



Something must have been funny in Harry Potter



Extra large coloring books





Breaking the shoes rule



But I guess after that long blizzard winter you just gotta feel the warm grass on your feet!



Oh the lips





Another one bites the dust (tooth that is)



Lets get a close up on that new hole



A Kindergarten teacher next door to Abigail got engaged. Love that bride and groom.



She's changing fast... right before my eyes



And oh my goodness... my favorite from the whole week.... Abigail and her very first viola teacher. He was actually a student teacher, and this was their last day together. He sure had a lot of patience for this little student. I love his smile.



She sure came far this year.



And let's end this week (or start this weekend depending how you look at it) with this. Oh love!

Pulled

(A few fall pictures from long ago mixed in here just for fun)

Around this time every year it seems my neat little 'plan for the school year' sort of feels like it's unraveling. Scott and I carefully chose the 'extras' our girls would be allowed to do. And yes, they do a lot outside of school. We are both okay with 'a lot' outside of school. It means for sure that the TV is hardly on in our house and that when were are home we soak it all in. But, when I scheduled viola, group viola, Irish step, church school, art school, and tennis lessons I wasn't counting on before school fifth grade orchestra and after school Monday school instrument lessons. Some days I feel like it's the straw that broke the camels back. All I can say is thank goodness that I'm still 'home' to be able to handle everything else for our family. I really don't think I could do it any other way.


(Anna age 2 September)

Still missing my girls during the day. I'm super busy but once in a while I get that ache. Like when I'm in the supermarket shopping and I wish that Abigail was in that cart seat right there with me. Sure, I can go a lot faster with them in school, but I miss their voices.


(Anna age 4 apple picking)

And then this morning. I was sitting reading books to Abigail outside the auditorium at their school. Anna was having her school lesson (before school). We were frazzled and rushed getting there but I felt oh so blessed to be able to bring Anna that morning, to wait and read to Abigail in the hallway. So glad that I can do that because I'm not working.  Sitting there in the hallway reading fall books to Abigail was wonderful. 


(Abigail age 5 months pumpkin hay ride)

But the sweet moments are so mixed with the hurried ones, aren't they? When Anna came out I took her viola, handed her her lunch box and reminded her to walk Abigail all the way to her kindergarten room. "Mommy, I have a tummy ache... I have to use the bathroom right now! I have sharp pains" (sorry for the details) But the bell was ringing and Abigail wanted to start walking to her classroom. It happened so fast but somehow Anna said something like, "come on Abigail, I'll walk you and then I'll go after."

I didn't really think about it until I was grocery shopping and then I worried about Anna and her tummy.  I know she's a fourth grader and quite capable but I wished I scooped her up and let her hang out at home with me all day in cozy clothes.  Instead she was taking care of her sister, dealing with an upset tummy, rushing off to class, and holding a million things.  Gee, I'm glad I put a lot of love into that lunch box! 


(Abigail visiting Anna in Kindergarten... the same classroom that Abigail is in today!)

Life is busy;  Life is sweet.  Life is all of that mixed in. It's all good. 

Dinners are all planned out for the weekend.  Looking forward to some good cooking, a stay at home date night with Scott, cuddling with my girls, and lots of family time.  (mixed in with the weekend crazyness too) 

Just some pictures from my purse camera. 

Regular Days

My "Regular Days" posts are my version of instagram.  Since I have a 'dinosaur' phone I use my little point and shoot for my regular days.  Drag the pictures into picsa, create a collage, and wala... I've got my own instagram post!



baking for vacation to Maine (we have to bring all of Abigail's food whereever we go... amazing... there was a study that just came out stating that raising a child with EoE... her disease... is very stressful... no kidding)
yes, that's what my wedding ring often looks like since I'm always in the kitchen
hanging with cousins for the day
at the air and space museum
together at the pool with cousins
cousin emily passed the deep end swim test... so she could go off the diving board and slide... yahoo!
licking the beater (man, I think that's been every time I do a regular days post)

Have a happy week everyone. I tried to redo my comment section so that it would be easier to leave a comment. Let me know if it's any better... hope it is! :)

Regular Days

Yes, we spend a lot of time at the pool and tennis club
abigail loves her tennis coach
anna sees a friend from her viola group classes (they've been playing viola together since they were 5)
anna brings a special friend to the pool for the day
they both show off their "i passed the deep end test" bracelets
secrets by the pool
tricks in the pool
abigail napping in the shade
girls waiting for their duck to hatch... but it takes 48 hours
abigail licks the frosting off the beater before breakfast
regular summer awesome going too fast days

Regular Days

making pizza with daddy
summer learning... math
wearing bitty baby
going for a walk
cooking with mommy
anna reading, reading, and more reading
marigolds lining our walkway, romantic
all 'suited' up for the pool
hula hoop lessons as the pool club
my favorite summer cookbook
memory with anna