The end of what I have know for the past 8 years

Moments like this are what I will miss...it's not everyday that Captain America or Bumble Bee emerge in the mornings from the bedrooms!
 
Today is my last official day of being a stay-at-home mom and the end of what I have know for the past 8 years.  Tomorrow I will report at 7:45am for new teacher orientation meetings.  Even though I have spent many hours at my school trying to prepare for the new school year, I have yet to let the reality of what is about to hit tomorrow morning when my alarm goes off at 5:30am become a reality. I have spent the past few weeks trying to figure out how in the world I am going to balance both a career and motherhood.  Will I be be able to be good at either one with so much on my plate? And those thoughts usually end in tears so I have just avoided them all together.  I'm truly looking forward to teaching and coaching again but can't let go of the guilt that is surrounding me of not being at home and on call for my family 24/7. More importantly, I don't want to see my kids struggle or miss out on anything simply because Wes and I are too busy with our own doings to notice. I feel truly blessed to have been able to make the last 8 years at home work. Financially, at times it has been tough (really tough), but I wouldn't change anything about my time at home with my kids. I know in time, the new schedule will begin to feel "normal" and we will all adjust appropriately... On a more positive note,the kids have enjoyed the last remaining weeks of summer and are looking forward to the start of school and meeting their teachers tomorrow night at orientation. The kids all received little "Back to School" cards from Aunt Charlene in the mail...so cute! Levi thinks going to Kindergarten is big time!
 

 SonWest Round-Up VBS Week A fun filled week of Bible stories, crafts, snacks, singing and dancing! We were the first group to utilize our brand new building at church, so that was very exciting for all those involved. The kids put on a great performance complete in their cowboy/cowgirl get-up to close out the week!
 
Addy had her very first dance performance at Starlite Theater in Branson this past weekend as an ending to her summer dance classes. Her ballet group was the pre-show for the Branson show, Cirque Montage. She used her birthday money and paid for her dance class summer session. The classes consisted of ballet, tap and lyrical jazz. She loved every minute! For the performance she had to wear her hair in a bun and full make-up. The stage ready make-up was really out of my element, but I think I followed the print-off instructions I received well and she was just BEAUTIFUL! Beautiful, yes, but she sure didn't look seven!
Addy had the opportunity to leave the audience seats and be on stage during the Cirque show for an act and because of her stage presence and outgoing "Gangnam Style" reinactment we were approached by a director of a Christmas play in Branson wanting her to come audition for a part in the production.  I have since been emailed the script to look over and the part she was interested in Addy playing is a main character, if not the main character!  Did she somehow not hear me when I mentioned that Addy doesn't really have any acting or stage experience?? :)  Regardless of the outcome, we think we will let her audition as it will be a good experience for her.  On Monday, we were out running some errands with my never ending list of things-to-do in tote, but decided to completely ignore that list and instead spent an entire afternoon at Incredible Pizza. Yes, we are living on the edge! Ha! Levi and Reid have never been and the girls only a time or two so it was a treat for them all. Levi is already planning that his 6th birthday party will be celebrated there!
 
Addy had a big night at gymnastics! She climbed the rope all the way to the top! It took some coaxing from several watching as she wanted to quite about 3 feet away from the top, but she made it!


One of the last days of summer vacation was spent with one of Jaidyn's friends from school. They are both in the same class again this year. I do have several cute letters that he wrote her last year in class that I have saved and I think I will add this picture to my stash. You never know when they will come in handy! :)

Hot July Sun!

It's been several years since I have had some fun in the sand!  Wes and I couldn't have asked for a better "kid free" day...good friends, volleyball, food and beverages perfect for beating the heat! We, Team "Scared Hitless" was 3-2 on the day and in my opinion not too bad for our old selves!


 

The kids enjoyed a full day of Grandma all to themselves. :)



Nana kept our kids for a couple of days and it gave Wes and I a chance to go out and celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. It was in June, but we'll still take the chance to celebrate a month later! I did my best to experience sushi at Wes's request and ordered a vegi-roll crammed full of cream cheese. It was "good" but honestly would be nothing that I crave! Just thinking about adding raw fish inside the rolls is just YUCKY!



Nana had a FULL agenda planned for the kids...picking blueberries, Pool, Storytime @ library with local weather anchor, and a Burger King play gym all to themselves!
 
Another weekend at the lake! So nice getting to spend time with both of my siblings and parents. I love these days of summer!
 

Summer Happenings!

June is in the past and I forsee July being the same way...and in August I will be busy with my own back-to-school!  Yes, I am going to be teaching junior high Physical Education and coaching jr. high Volleyball in the Fall.  I'm still not sure how we will juggle it all and am sad that I won't get to spend long days at home with Reid (he will probably be glad as he is a Daddy's boy) but am looking forward to the change.

We are having so much fun with the kids and they continue to do some great things making us very proud of them.

Jaidyn attended a 3-day volleyball camp put on by the high school coaches and players.  She came home with the "3rd Grade Camper of the Week" award and a baggie full of goodies.

 


Addy is continuing to enjoy her new dance class and comes away from each class telling me how awesome it is (or rather how awesome she is). Ha!
 
Levi enjoyed a "Wild West" summer camp at Wilson-Rutledge Farms with several of his buddies. And while it was a lot of driving for the week, the rest of the kids and I enjoyed hanging out with several other moms for some great playtime fun in the morning hours. Levi enjoyed riding one of the farm horses, but told me that they walked really SLLLOOOOW. He was a little disappointed that they didn't gallop with him on like he was anticipating.
 
And Reid continues to push his siblings buttons most of the day whether it be destroying a newly built train track or whacking them in the back of the head with his plastic golf club. The golf club spends most of its day up on top of the refrigerator and out of his reach. However, we all can't stay mad at him for long...he's just too dang cute!
 
A couple of weeks ago we had very high straight line winds blow through while taking with it our two lone trees. Now the kids will no longer have a tree with branches low enough to swing from, a tree to sneak peeks at spring time baby birds and Ray has lost his front yard shade and will now probably resort to digging down deep in to the dirt of our front flower beds.
 
Addy and Levi had received movie theater gift cards from friends for the birthdays back in May and they used them to go and watch the long anticipated Monsters University.

 We finally found a decent morning at the lake to get Jaidyn out on the water to test out her new skis. She made it up a couple of times for a few seconds but after many more attempts she decided to just ride out her time on the knee board. However, she is determined to figure it out before the summer's end. The 4th of July and the days surrounding it were low key and we stayed close to home, but nevertheless we enjoyed it to the fullest! Getting a new dishwasher (after washing a week of dishes by hand) was also part of that enjoyment! Taking in a Springfield Cardinals Game
Enjoying hot days at the neighborhood pool
  BBQ with Friends
  You'd think it was Halloween the way the kids were dressed!
 
The kids had a blast setting off our big combined driveway firework purchases of $40 total and being up on a high hill in a neighborhood allowed us to see big fireworks miles away in several directions.

Super quiet around my house today!  I wonder if Papa & Nana can say the same?  They were already out bright and early this morning picking blueberries and if the weather cooperated were headed to the pool this afternoon.  They (Papa & Nana) should sleep well tonight!