Nothing really new to post this week

It has been a boring week in our house. The kids are mostly settled into school and I'm STILL job searching. I do have 2 interviews next week. I am just hoping to get at least one of them. Wait and see is all I can do. I did get the chance this morning to take a few pictures. Since Anthony will only let me walk with him to the end of the driveway, I saw a Hot Air Balloon in the distance. I had to really zoom to get the pictures. I learned that Zooming in you need to be VERY still, I'm not one of those people. I was swaying,shaking and everything turned out blurry. I walked over to the van and propped my arms on there for stability and it helped. So outta 30 pictures I took, 3 turned out kinda good.





I am going to a wedding this weekend. Moms boss' daughter is getting married and Mom didn't want to go alone, so I got the "Will you be my date" call last month. Chris is coming over to the house and the boys are gonna have a pizza and movie night, only till Uncle Chris has to leave for work. Mom and I went to get a few wedding presents for the group of people there in her office. They decided it would be cheaper to all pitch in $25 each. I think after all said and done we had $150 to spend then others who pitch in today will go towards a gift card she will get this evening. It sounds like it's gonna be a pretty wedding. Her gift registry was outrageous. She had the top of the line Cookwear set only cost $599, and someone bought it. We did however was able to pick out a few very pretty things on her list. I think she will like. Better get going and get Andrew up for school.......

Chess is starting again !!!!

We bumped into AJ's Chess Coach last weekend at Subway and AJ asked him if he's doing the Chess League again. He was thinking about it, but it's securing a facility that will host it. Well, I got an email Thursday from Coach and it's all ago. AJ is beyond excited over being able to play again this year!! Last year they opened the league to anyone in District 49 School District. After seeing that was such a zoo, he decided to just invite the students from his youngest son's school and the Competitive team from last year back. AJ did REALLY well last fall. Out of 30 kids his starting rank was 20 and at the end he was #3!!!! He worked his little butt off for his place and has a really nice shiny Trophy to show for it. Daddy and I are VERY proud of him. I will be posting ALOT of pictures from the 26th till around February time frame. Coach's main focus is getting the Competitive Team to sharpen there skills and Tournament Prep. We did good a few tournaments last year. Let's keep up the great work kids!!!!



Anthony and his friend Philip after they got there Trophy's!!!!


Anthony's plate on his.....


The trophy before we has his crooked King replaced.....

Andrew's Back to School night...

Well, we went last night to his School and nothing really different then what we learned the 1st week. So needless to say it was boring. Afterwards we went out to Burger King with Uncle Chris, Caleb and Nanny. I think that was the highlight of the day. As we were finishing our dinner, we hear a few people talk about the rain we were getting. We didn't pay attention till one of the kids pointed out it was raining REALLY bad and about that time to hail started in. BIG hail was falling. I just wished that my camera was on me and not in the van :-( I think they said we got about 2 inches of rain in about 20 minutes time. Well, that caused MAJOR flooding in the streets and the parking lot. It was so bad that Burger King was taking on water. The kids Play area floor was flooded, the back door was leaking in and it went right up the the registers. It was bad. Once it semi slowed up we each took a kid and ran to the van as fast as we could. The water was rushing down the parking lot of fast that we had to carry the kids....EVEN AJ. I had flip flops on and lost one in the water. So I drove home with just one on. My Flip lost it's Flop. On a good note the kids finished there 2nd week of school. I was shocked how everyone was talking about Andrew and how he's a very well behaved kid....My kid....Are you sure???? There has to be another Andrew in the class then. Nope... they were talking about him. I guess he bottles it up all day and unleashes it on us.

Anthony's Back to School Night....

I was really upset about tonight. We only had an hour in which the Principal talked for over half of it. Then we went to the 6th grade area and there was NO teachers there. I swear they left after there were introduced in the opening information chat crap I had to listen to. She had to go on and on about the kids safety. I guess after last year and they had a total of 4 Bomb Threats, she had to calm some peoples fears. We only got to talk to 2 teachers. His Gym and Tech Ed teachers. We go and spent a good amount of time Pimping his locker. Also he needed some help with getting the stupid thing open. I wanted to see how he does it and see it he did it wrong and help. Well after the 3rd time helping he just blew up at me and decided to scream in my face. That set me back a bit but I also know what stress he's under this year, I kinda let it slide but also told him that was not called for. So far he is starting to come outta his shell and talking to some of the kids at the bus stop. I think things will get better but only with time.

I did get a few pictures in that time. Ones of him and his locker. Mom and I found some really cool bling to add to his locker. I did go back to target today to see if they had a Magnet Disc ball with light. Last time I went they only had it in pink, but they were out today. I will try and go to another Target to see if they got it. Well, Not mush more to write, for now at least till Thursday night. Andrew's Back to School Night............

Anthony's Tech Ed Class....They are going to hand build Rockets in next few weeks....


A YOU ROCK and Spongebob Magnet.... What more could a boy ask for!!!


Full view of the Blinged out Locker!!!!


See!!! If they curl him up a little, they can fit him into the locker...Ha Ha!!!

Andrew's 1st day of Kindergarten

Well....He's in school. He went right in and sat down at his seat. They did a few things like Attendance, Lunch Orders and then it was Carpet Time. His red group was the 1st ones that got to go to the Carpet. After about 2 minutes he yelled, " You can go home now Mommy!!" Gee did I feel the love. So I turned in my papers and left like I was instructed to. As I was leaving, I ran into Ms. Curry, the school Guidance Counselor and she asked how he was adjusting. I told her I guess he is 110% ok. And she asked how I was doing, and I couldn't lie.....I was sad :-( So I got into the car and cried a few minutes. After waiting for him to start school so he would get out of my hair, I now miss him. Even Marshall just mentioned to me he's board. He said, " I think by noon we will be holding each other wanting the kids to come home". I said then when they do get home the will start fighting and we will change our minds. Marshall is starting to have separation anxiety like me. He knew it was going to be quiet around here, but it is a eerie quiet.

I'm Offically a Mother of a 6th Grader!!!

Well, We did it!!! Got up at 6 am, which is hard for me. I am NOT a morning person at all. 7:10 am walked down towards our Mailboxes, that's where the bus stop is for now. And around 7:20am here came the bus.




He was very nervous, but I think he will do good. We did go last week to find out where his classes are at and if he can get his locker opened. I realized then that I haven't opened a locker in a LONG time. I finally broke down and had to find a janitor to help us. Then everything was fine. I could get it open but he still is struggling. At his school they have half lockers (Top and Bottom). He was lucky and got a bottom locker this year, since is a little on the short side.






Today the 6th Grade only will be at school and then Tuesday just the 7th and 8th Grades will go. The Offical first day is Wendesday the 6th. Andrew has a Tuesday night Ice Social/Meet the Teacher night. Then Wendesday, Kindergarten has a 1 hour bring in school supplies and get to know each other better morning. So I will be totally without kids Thursday morning Andrew's Offical 1st day.I will blog more then......

Our trip into the mountains....

We decided since Nanny took Thursday off to go and do something fun. School starts next week, it will be our last chance for a while. We went to Marshall's Doctors appointment around 1:30, then we were off to the mountains for the rest of the day. Our first stop was to Green Mountain Falls. One of Nanny's favorite places to visit. They has a wonderful little lake with a Gazebo right in the middle. The boys were more interested in the Playground that was there. We were able to pull them away for a little bit.



After about 30 minutes we got back into my van and off to Pike National Forrest we went. This part was called Manitou Lake. It was a place Chris and I have been to many times when we were younger. We had some laughs,remembered some old memories of when Mom and Hank dated and how we would spend the day up there having a picnic and fishing. So it was bittersweet for some of us. On our walk on the trails we noticed a few little chipmunks running around. The boys got excited and scared a few away. But this one little guy just was happy to see them. Marshall went up slowly to see him with the boys and Caleb got a kick outta him. Anthony decided to call him Chippy. We then continued our walk and ended up about half way across the lake. All till I heard my mother scream. Andrew was running around Marshall in a narrow boardwalk that went over parts of the water and some grassy areas. Well, Andrew fell over the side right into a swampy mud area. But the mud was so soft he was starting to sink. Marshall and I grabbed him and pulled him up. Man was he a mess. Good thing I brought him some pants and his sandals. His sneakers were all covered with mud, the seat of his shorts were a mess and his shirt. UGH!!! So we quickly walked back to the van and got his new clothes and took him the the water spicket to wash him up a little. After that scare we decided to just head back to Woodland Park and find a spot to eat. We stopped at Pizza Hut of all places. We enjoyed ourselves. We got back home and those boys went straight to the bathtub. Man, I have never seen such dirty water before in my life.....