Night at the Mansion

Last year at this time, Madie went to this event at the mansion in town. We stumbled upon it and signed up. She came home that night with a basket of goodies and so much to tell us about! They got to dress up in period costumes and do a bunch of stuff all tied to the late 1800s. She loved it so much, we made sure to look for that event again this year and signed up both Madie AND Noah. It's for 8-12 yr olds and they only take up to 10 kids, so it's pretty special to be a part of that group. :-)



This was Noah's first time alone with his diabetes since his diagnosis. He went to a concert last month, but ate before he went. This was the first time he was away for dinner. I was a little nervous, but I knew he would know what to do. We packed him a lunch and sent snacks in case and he did a fabulous job! Gave himself the right amount of insulin and everything. :-) He also snuck in a couple of snickerdoodles that they were serving, but that was ok. He was fine. You can see from the picture that they were very, very excited about going!

When I came to pick them up (it's a 4 hr event), this is what I found. :-) How cute are they?!! Noah was the only boy there and this uniform fit him perfectly! Madie was dressed as a servant girl. I loved it!! They got to do all sorts of things, from making a quilt pattern (Nana T. would be so proud!) out of scrapbooking paper. They used a real quill pen with ink. They cooked up an old-fashioned dinner of venison stew and skillet cornbread. They planted flowers and picked some herbs to use in the stew. They got to see an old Toll House on the I&M Canal. They got to explore the mansion and hear stories of the war. All the adults there are dressed up as well, so it's a really neat historical experience for them. Livie was very sad she didn't get to go, but I told her as soon as she's old enough, we'll send her! Want all my kids to be a part of this annually. They do new things every time. And, as much as I love history, I want my kids to love it as well.

I remember last year being so impressed at the stuff they got to bring home and this year was no different. Madie got this big basket full of stuff from homemade popcorn to a beautiful little embroidered hankie and a silk fan. Noah got this bucket with the popcorn, some cookies, recipe cards, and a piece of brick from the chimney that broke off when it was struck by lightening. Between that and all the other goodies in there, they walked away with one really terrific experience!

My First Day

Today was my first day of work in a decade! First time since I became a stay-at-home mommy I've had a job, other than volunteering. I won't lie and say I wasn't nervous, but once it got rolling, it was fine. I have big shoes to fill, so I think that's why I got nervous. It was almost that excited nervousness that comes before Christmas morning. Like I was waiting to unwrap something really special. :-) The kids all seemed to have a great time, especially for their first day at school. That's a pretty big deal for 2 yr olds! Some came in a little hesitant at first. Some came in crying. Others came in ready to go! They all show different emotions when starting something new at that age. But, I think they all left with smiles on their faces. :-)


I have an 8:30am class and a 10:30am class. We do the same thing for each class. Each day we'll have new things for them to do, but the schedule will stay the same, from storytime to center time to music. It's all lots of fun and meant to keep the activities moving along for them.

The water table today was a hit with the 8:30 class! This is the science center and will be filled with different things each week, but today it had water and measuring cups and spoons. Messy, but fun!

I've discovered that playdough is always a fav. There has not been one time that any of these kids have had playdough in their sight that they didn't swarm the table to play with it!

We even got some time to do some fingerpainting. They made some really neat pictures! It was a really fun first day and I'm so thankful to get to be their teacher! Doesn't hurt that I have a fabulous co-teacher that has been doing this class for years and can guide me when I need it. :-)

Bring on the Tapping

Today was Livie's first day of dance class this year. She was very excited, because she gets to take tap! She's been wanting to take tap since she began 2 yrs ago. :-) You'll notice the footwear. She found those in IN this past weekend. They are her Yeti shoes. They are actually slippers, but she insists on wearing them everywhere. Who am I to argue? Here's to a great year at dance!!

Picture Day

Today is Picture Day for the kiddos. I am usually OCD enough that I plan a full week in advance what they will wear. I was so behind the ball that I put something together last night for Madie and Noah and something this morning for Livie.




I think it turned out ok. :-) They look super-cute and ready to have big smiles for their pictures. Madie hated her hair in last year's picture, because it was too poofy. So, this year she wanted it straight. Think she made a good choice. It turned out nicely.

After taking that picture, Livie said to me, "If the teacher lets me, I'm going to look like THIS in my picture" and she proceeded to make a monster face. She told me last night when I was getting outfits together that she wanted to dress up like a Yeti. Guess she figured since she wasn't allowed to dress up like one, then she could make a face like one. :-)

Not Simply a Gingerbread Man

When emptying the kids' folders after school yesterday, I came across this very mad gingerbread man that Livie made. When I asked her why this gingerbread man was so mad, she said, "Because it's a vampire. Oh, and a ninja too. It's a vampire-ninja." You see my daughter, with her long ringlets hanging down her back. She wears lip gloss and little dresses and she draws blood-sucking, black-wearing, Chinese star-carrying gingerbread men. Nice.

Down to the Trolingers

After we saw Ted, Suzy, and the kids, we headed up to see Nana and Papa T. We got there around suppertime and managed to have some daylight to play outside.



We made lots of chalk drawings!

Noah's really into hurricanes right now, so he drew Tropical Storm Lee and it stretched all the way to Nana's front door!

While we were outside making the chalk drawings, Uncle Andy and his family showed up. Allyssa got to play with that now infamous flubber until bedtime. They came at just the right time too, because it got really yucky outside, with lots of thunderstorms and rain.

When we got back from my parents on Sunday, Aunt Jill and her family were there waiting for us. Once again, out came the flubber! Do you see a pattern this weekend?? ;-) Allyssa was there too and she played with it again, as did Trevor, Ty, and our kids.

I thankfully went to "Once Upon a Child" with Em on Sunday and bought the kids some warmer clothes, because the forecast was calling for it to be in the 60s. Heck! It was in the low 50s! Glad I got them when I did! Pete or Adam or someone lower the basketball hoop, so we played out there with that for a while before heading to over to walk the Greenway. Madie kept shooting the basketball backwards and made quiet a few shots like that!

Like I said, I'm glad we went shopping on Sunday, because we got Noah this jacket and hat and Livie her pullover. They were getting ready to pump up another basketball, so they all could play.

After a few rounds of basketball, we headed over to the Greenway. We always like to walk on this, because it's really close to their house.

But, as you can see from the picture, it was really cool and windy. I wasn't complaining though! It's my kind of weather!!! :-) Let's hope fall is right around the corner!

The kids always look for something special while we're there. This time is was wooley worms.

We found these two right at the onset. They found a couple more at the end of our walk too. I've never seen a blonde one like that before. The black and brown one was black on both ends and brown in the middle. That should mean that we have a bad winter at the beginning and the end, but a mild middle. We'll see!

Daddy was trying to make Livie warm by the lake!

Once everyone else got to the house, the boys stayed outside and played basketball. I think they lowered the hoop for themselves, so they could dunk it and not really to help the kids. ;-) Pete and Adam played a couple rounds that afternoon.

And, gee, what could that be AGAIN?! Yep. Flubber. I think my list of flubber-wants is up to 10. :-)

With all the grandkids there (with the exception of the little boy still in Francy's tummy!), we had to take a picture with Nana. Getting 6 kids to look at you and smile is a feat in and of itself, but I think we managed to sneak out a couple good ones. :-) it was a really great weekend and we loved seeing everyone!