Camping 2009

Just posted pictures from Camping 2009.

We had a lot of fun - can't wait till next year.

First Day of School

Scout's First Day of School Pic! Needless to say he did NOT want to pose! BUT.... Jersey sure did! When Scout and I left the house for Quad Care, Jersey sobbed and sobbed.
Here is Scout loading the bus at Quad Care heading to Woodside Elementary School with his new friend Louie (well I don't know if you could call him a friend, but it was someone Scout could sit with on the bus!) I never thought about Scout sitting alone on the bus and when I did, I asked Louie if he would sit with Scout! Thank God for Louie! I took off from here and headed to school for the day, while Nancy picked up the remainder of our Sting Operation - "Operation follow Scout!"

Scout had a 4th grade "Buddy" named Morgan that got him off the bus and to the designated K4 area! Even though Scout would not hold her hand, she never lost sight of him.

I was very nervous because he wouldn't get his hands out of his mouth!

Once Scout was safely inside and waiting to load bus #2, Uncle Chris called me to give me an update (I am not sure if Chris even realized that he was part of the Sting Operation - probably better he didn't or he may not have called. He spotted Scout but made sure not to go over by him in case he would start to cry.
Scout is making his way onto Bus #2 heading to Willow Springs....

HE HAS ARRIVED!! YEAH - I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO THANK MY MOTHER FOR TRACKING SCOUT'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! SHE HASN'T EARNED THE NAME "POPARAZZI(SP?) FOR NOTHING!!"

When I asked Scout if he saw anyone he knew, he said Nana was there. I asked what she was doing and he said "I don't know, Hanging out." And then he said, "Oh, and she had he camera with her too!" I cried a lot on the way to school, but thanks to my mom for the 5 minute updates I felt better when he got there safe and sound!

Scout was upset when I told him that he didn't have school on Sunday or Monday this week - so that is always a good thing!!

I think when Jersey goes to school she will be screaming bye the entire way not wanting anyone to follow - I can only hope!

Back to School!!

O.K. - The first day of school is tomorrow ~ and I CAN'T stop crying!! I have all of the "I am sending my first child off to school on a bus" fears and I am hoping that if I write about it now, then I won't cry tomorrow. I am planning to sit at Quad care with Scout tomorrow morning until his bus comes to pick him up.
1. He has to go to a new room at Quad Care with bigger kids and a teacher he is not familiar with - and needless to say he doesn't want to go in this room. That makes me sad.
2. Who is he going to sit with on the bus (makes me sad)
3 What if some kid is mean to him or won't let him sit with them (like forest gump) - that makes me sad and now I want to beat up a kid that hasn't even done it yet!
4. What if he gets lost transitioning between buses at Woodside (I have a call into Chris to see if he can watch out for him since he teaches there!)
5. What if the bus driver is mean or crabby (Maybe if I bring him/her some cookies on the first day they will be nice to him - I am all about making bribes!)

I spoke with Quad Care today about how this is all going to work (and I cried) and I spoke with the principal of Willow Springs today (I held back the tears .. I didn't want to be one of "THOSE" parents!)

Since I am most worried about him getting lost, my dear friend Kelly suggested I purchase a GPS tracking device for humans - I guess you can have a micro-chip placed in your child or you can go the cheap route and get one that you can place externally on your child. I think I would like to go that route but I have to talk this over with Jason first!!! :)

My mother (god am I lucky to have her) has offered to "track" the bus from Woodside to Willow Springs and I graciously accepted.

But..... after all of tears, a call to Ann Marie (she went through the same thing), and a sick child at home (Jersey is running a temp and is miserable) - everything has been put back into perspective - My Mother is now going to stay home with my sick child and nurse her to good health while I let Scout be the big boy he is and make his way to K4 -

O.k. - now I am crying...time for me to suck it up and go to bed - maybe I am tired or it is the hormones!!

The photos below are when Scout and Jersey played "going to school" Scout got lucky with the Spiderman Backpack and Jersey has "The Hulk".

Summer 2009

I can't believe that I haven't blogged in so long! I have been busy setting up my new classroom, a classroom blog, and getting Scout ready for K4!! So much happened this summer so please check out a few of the thousands of photos that I took! Some major milestones occurred this summer:
1. Scout learned how to rider his bike w/o training wheels!! (Jason and I were working with him for a week or so before heading up north. He learned up north in about 10 minutes .....when I was gone!)

2. Scout learned how to swim this summer with a floatation device (again I was working with him, along with Jason and Christa). He learned one night when Christa decided to take Scout and Ramsey swimming at my parents without Jason or I. I miss another one....maybe I am bad luck!

3. Jersey grew up SOOO much - she became more independent, loved riding big wheels outside, and finally learned some new words: NO, Dout (a.k.a. Scout), Nana, ba (Pa). Daddy, Mama, BaBye, Bum (we obviously were out and about to often that she learned that! and a few others!!

4. Jersey pooped on the front porch (she obviously ripped her diaper off) and we had to turn it into a "teachable" moment. Scout wasn't quite sure if it was bird poop or Jersey pooped but he came screaming. Needless to say with all the diapers being pulled off, we are trying to potty train! Jersey loves going - but only when SHE wants too!

Now that summer vacation is over I only wish I had it back!! Hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, mini-vacations, the zoo, fairs, walks, and much much more that we have to look forward to next summer!

Up North with Aunt Colleen!!!

Scout and Jersey with Aunt Colleen in the paddle boat! Aunt Colleen sure is brave!

Scout is SURE he is going to catch a fish!!

Kailyn and Courtney are trying SO hard to get a "friend" for Scout's little fish - the little fish is swimming in the blow up boat with Scout.

Jersey hanging out looking like a DIVA!!

A boat ride with Uncle Corky and Aunt Janet..and Kailyn and Courtney too!!!

Super HERO SCOUT!!

Yes - I have been told that in the Great North Woods many people learn how drive. So, why not Scout!! Thanks Corky!!

Scout had to "man" the fire!!

While Corky built it bigger!!

Walking with Courtney to Janet and Corky's cabin. It is so funny how fun it looks in the photo!

Courtney is so good at reading books to us!!
Aunt Colleen dressed Jersey up as a nun - I am thinking that we may have skipped church for too long ~ and we were hoping that Jersey could give us communion!

Jersey LOVED being in the blow up boat and having Scout pull her around!

Out on the lake ~ thanks Courtney for helping me paddle - my legs couldn't have done it alone!!

Colleen was teaching Scout how to cast his line before heading out to the lake.

Colleen is SO PATIENT!!

Scout's BIG CATCH!!

And do you think Colleen would stop there - NOPE - she had to be sure that Scout caught a TON of fish!!

One of the fish wasn't doing so well - so Colleen and Scout had to let it go!

And let's just say it didn't last long!!



Here is Scout catching a fish off the pier after he caught the other fish!! This is what life is all about!