Most of you know Maddox started school the week of August 24th. She is loving school so far and is excited to go each day. Eric and I got to know her teacher, Mrs. Gaspelin, at curriculum night last week, as well as learned a little bit about what she is going to be learning over then next year. So far her favorite 'subjects' are music and lunch!! HAH!! She loves the new music teacher ( the old teacher retired last year and had been there for like 40 years or something crazy like that) and has not had one complaint about the food. She gets hot lunch each day and is learning how to open all her containers and milk cartons independently now. She sits at a table in her classroom with 4 other classmates, one little girl named Avery who even lives on our street. She has 3 other classmates that happen to live on Judge Road ironically. It certainly has made the transition easier. We look forward to all the fun things she will do and everything she will learn.
Can't believe he has on a jacket on August 24th!!
Just in case Maddox got a little scared or sad while she was at school I drew a heart and a cross on each of her shoes. I told her the cross was to remind her that God is always with her and will give her strength even if she gets a little scared or sad and the heart was to remind her that Mom and Dad were thinking of her the entire time that she was at school. I honestly don't even think she needed it…as she didn't mention them ever again and came bounding off of the bus so excited to tell me about her first day! Oh well…it was a good thought anyhow!
Maddox with our wonderful neighbor Lori. She LOVES our kiddos and is kind of like a second grandma to Maddox and Kennon.
Waiting for the bus to come.
#13 is here!!! Our neighborhood alone fills one entire school bus. At our bus stop there are about 12 kiddos I believe. The big kids took Maddox under their wing and helped her learn the ropes on the bus.
Maddox eating her lunch on her first day. One of my friends is the PTA president so she is at school a lot and snapped this pic of Maddox on her first day. You can see she is very focused on something on her lunch tray :)
With that cooler stent of weather we had two weeks ago my roses took off…This bush is from Eric's mom and has given us beautiful sweet smelling blooms all summer. We ordered three more rose bushes from a company out of California. They will be delivered this week. Can't wait to see all the colors next Spring.
The blue Nikes that Maddox had on in the pictures above are a bit big and sloppy so I ordered her a cute pair of Asics which fit her so well!! She loves them and wants to wear them each day even if it is isn't a 'gym' day.
Kennon with his 4 year old preschool teacher Mrs. Brei at his 'unpack your backpack night'. She asked him to draw a picture for the wall and he chose to draw a picture of his family making Maddox 'pink'.
I think it is quite interesting how he draws his people.
Since Maddox is now gone all day, Kennon is my lunch buddy. He has taken Maddox's place by asking to watch 'The Foodnetwork' while we have lunch. He is starting to request the channel more than cartoons and is becoming a food network lover just as much as my other foodie…Maddox :) This is our favorite show…Barefoot Contessa with Ina Garten.
One of my favorite bouquets from the summer so far…..
Last Monday Kennon invited one of his buddies to go to Maddox's school to have lunch. It is very acceptable at Pleasant View to meet your child for lunch. They have a special place for the parents to sit with their kids. We invited Leo, on of my running buddies' sons. I thought they were so cute with their little lunch boxes. Maddox enjoyed having us there and even got to show us her playground equipment. Leo, Kennon and I got to stay for her lunchtime recess. The boys fit right in with the 'big kids' and helped themselves to all the equipment.
Maddox and Leo on the playground.
Maddox and Robbie ( another Kindergartner from our neighborhood) on the monkey bars.
Maddox and Avery. Avery moved onto our street this past winter and Maddox has become friends with her. She even sits at her table in the classroom. Mrs. Gaspelin was worried about getting the girls mixed up with their dark hair and similar build. But their personalities are quite different from what I've observed….so I bet she's doing fine keeping them straight.
Kennon and I are sure enjoying our solo time! We usually do an errand or two after I pick him up from preschool then head home for a late lunch while we watch The Food Network and then a little rest time/quiet time before we walk to the bus stop to pick up Maddox.
Maddox on one of her school mornings last week. I have started letting her wear necklaces to school and she is quite happy about this. Not bracelets…just necklaces….she tried to slip that one by me!!
Kennon had his first day of 4 yr old preschool last Wednesday. He had a great week and Mrs. Brei said he is doing well so far, 3 days in :)
Last Wednesday Maddox came home so excited to 'have' this book. When it is your child's birthday you can make a small monetary donation to the Pleasant View PTA in the name of the child. The money is given to the Pleasant View library and the child gets to pick out a brand new library book ( that hasn't actually been in circulation yet ), bring it home, read it for the week, and then put it into circulation at the library. In the front of the chosen book they put a plaque with Maddox's name and birthday and year the book was purchased. She was SOOOOO excited about this. She got to pick from several girl type books and landed on Aqualicious, which is a spin off of the Pinkalicious series. It is a really nice hardback book. She was so adorable, quickly handing her backpack to me to be able to reach in and grab out the book to show Kennon and I before we had made any progress down the sidewalk back to our house. She held the book open the entire walk back to our house from the bus stop, turning the pages and telling me the story, all the while weaving on the sidewalk as she literally had the book open in front of her face. Apparently Mrs. Gaspelin read her birthday book to the entire class so she already sort of knew the story and could tell me the highlights as she turned the pages. It was just the cutest. I was so excited that SHE was so excited!
Both kids are enjoying BSA ( Bettendorf Soccer Association) soccer. I am really impressed with this league in comparison to the Y. They gets TONS of 'touches' as the league coach calls it…WAY more than if they are playing an actual scrimmage. In this particular 'game' called Gold Diggers, the kids dribble their balls about the field at the same time reaching down to pick up 'gold'. They try to collect as much gold as they can ….then Coach Corbin ( in the blue and grey) calls out certain wild animals ( that might be present when you are digging for gold) and the kids have to STOP gold digging, while holding all their gold, and do certain soccer moves like a fake kick, scissors, and pull backs…. Then when he yells 'mountain lion' the kids have to hold onto all their 'gold' and dribble the ball while running back to the Park Ranger ( an adult helper). It is SUPER effective and Kennon literally has no idea that he is really working on his soccer skills, techniques and coordination. Maddox does the same type of games although she doesn't get quite as into it as Kennon. Partially because there are a TON more kids in her age bracket than in Kennon's and Kennon gets a lot of one on one time with Coach Corbin. In fact last week Kennon said 'Coach Corbin is my best friend and when I grow up I want to be a soccer coach like Coach Corbin!'. He is sooo great with the kids. They both have soccer on Wednesday and Sundays for 40 minutes each back to back. On Wednesdays they do these sort of fun games and then on Sundays they do little scrimmages like usually 1:1, 2:2 and maybe 3:3…so each kid still gets a ton of touches. I am really impressed so far and the kids are enjoying it. Kennon is in the red, white, and blue shirt…holding the orange 'gold'.
Yesterday we braved the heat and went out to the Orion Fall Festival. The kids had a great time. The rides are just the right size for a 4 and 5 year old and they feel like 'big kids'. I get to see some of my old high school classmates, we get a burger from the Orion Lion's Club and watch all the firetrucks and old antique tractors in the parade before we head home. A fun time for all parties!
Maddox and Kennon on the mini ferris wheel.
Maddox and Kennon on the spinning dragon.
Maddox on the motorcycle.
Maddox testing her balance on the Boy Scouts' Ropes Course.
A trip to Orion isn't complete without a visit to Grammy's box. We got her all ready for fall with pumpkins and fall colored flowers.
This video ( if it works) was on a day when Maddox was a school and Kennon entertained himself literally all day…coloring, playing in the basement with his toys, and just being by himself! It was the most refreshing day for me in a long while and I got a lot done around the house.
This is how Maddox generally makes her way from the bus stop to the house after school. She is so excited to see Kennon and I and starts to tell us all about her day. They are currently doing a 'letter bootcamp' where they make a hat that resembles something that starts with the letter of the day. She proudly wears her home on the bus!! ( I don't see any of the other Kindergartners at our stop wearing theirs when they step off the bus…that's my girl :).
Not sure these videos are going to work…I'm sorry if they don't. I wanted to get this post up and running before Maddox's big birthday weekend…when I"ll likely take a bunch more pictures and especially now that I'm working more. I've started training a new PT. Her name is Namoi and she is from New Jersey which has been kinda fun with her accent. She unfortunately doesn't have really any home care experience but she is a seasoned PT and is generally knowledgeable with the computer which helps tremendously. Last Friday as I rushed to get all three of us out the door to the bus, preschool and myself to work I thought 'why am I working!!??'…. but I'm hopeful as the 'beginning of the school year rush' settles down a bit and we get in a good routine, I think it will be a good use of my brain. Between soccer, school extracurriculars, and Awana and ballet that both start up this week I am finding that having as much organized for the week as I can helps tremendously…clothes laid out for the kids, meals prepped, backpacks and homework ready. I thought we were busy when the kids were both in preschool….hah…that was nothing!!
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