Back to school!

Today was Katherine's first day of school .... my baby girl is now a second grader ..... aaahhhh, it seems like every year at this time, I sit wondering where the time has gone.... How quickly the days, months and years are flying by. I really try to cherish each moment with her ... enjoying every moment of her smallness -- her sweet innocence -- her zest for life. She's turning into this amazing girl that I am SO proud of.

Every year, I make her favorite "reverse" chocolate chip cookies on the first day of school. It's a chocolate cookie with white chips and she'd eat a dozen if I didn't stop her! So while she was working hard this afternoon in school, Caleb and I whipped up a batch.

Here she is eating her absolute favorite cookie and enjoying a gorgeous afternoon with friends. (For some reason all the pictures uploaded backwards...)

Caleb with one of his best friends, Collin. It's funny -- today I went to the zoo with some neighbors (Andrea, Carolyn and Kristin), and as we were at the playground a lady stopped the boys and and asked them if they were brothers. Caleb just laughed and said "NO"!, she then asked if they were cousins, and again he laughed and said, "NO WAY! He's not my family, just my best friend"!

They boys in our backyard right after eating the cookies Caleb made!

My little Katherine.... a newly turned second grader.

Katherine with her best friend Olivia.

Just off the bus!!

This is one of the main reasons I love our neighborhood. These are the kids who get off at her stop, and there are several more stops in our neighborhood..... These are her friends. These are the kids she's grown up with since birth. These are my friend's children. When she remembers her childhood, it will be filled with many memories of each person in the picture. I can't express in words how special this neighborhood is ... how much laughter fills the air, how many great friends she has here, how much warmth and love exists here. We laugh about it, but it's true... this neighborhood is like 1950's America.

Getting off the bus!!

Caleb getting ready to grab Katherine off the bus. He couldn't wait to see his big sister!

I drove Katherine to school today -- I just had to get some "school" pics!!

This is Katherine in her classroom. She is super excited to finally get a desk this year! This girl is ready and eager to learn!!

This is her teacher, Mrs. South.

Putting things away in her locker.... Notice the lunch bag in the top shelf ... she won't even eat a hot lunch on the first day! LOL!!

See the heart pillow on the floor??? Her teacher asked each child to bring a small pillow that they could sit or lay on while they read. We found this little gem at Target and it's been quite the hit!!

Walking into school --

Heading to school! She was so excited about going to school this year!

Harsh...

This afternoon, before Katherine's regular gymnastics class, we had to run down to the gym to pick up the official invitation package for pre-team. This class is the bridge between the recreational classes and the competitive team. Katherine has always been in an "invite-only" class, but with this pre-team invitation, it's the first time she's been officially considered on the competitive side of the gym. She could not be happier!

When we opened the invitation package and I started reading, I almost couldn't believe the contract we have to sign. Oh baby ... it's harsh. No doubt about it -- they mean business. All of the fun and games are over.

The letter started by congratulating Katherine on all of her achievements thus far, and told her that they see great potential in her future. She has what they are looking for -- strength, flexibility and attitude. It went on to say that they have chosen her and want to work with her. In turn, she has to choose them. It is a great commitment on the part of her, us as parents, and them as coaches. We all need to be on the same page going forward.

Speaking of going forward... the letter then went on to say that this was an invite only class and that at the end of each trimester she would be tested. They expected to see progress in her gymnastics -- both strength and skills, and that at the end of each trimester they would re-evaluate her, and she would either be asked back, or wouldn't be.... Just this year, one girl only made it one trimester. UUUUUGH!

So we have to sign the letter, including a sheet of rules and regulations, and return it back to the gym if we could live with all of the stipulations. Katherine was ready to sign on the dotted line immediately, but I really wanted to sit down and explain to her *exactly* what this letter said. I told her what they expected of her and that any time she could be moved out of the class. Oh, and the conditioning -- it's a totally different animal now... 5 minute handstands against the wall, 5 laps around the floor of squat jumps, oodles of sit-ups, v-ups, push ups, wheel-barrows, pull ups, etc.... I didn't want want to sugar-coat any of it. I really wanted her to go in with her eyes wide open. She looked me right in the eye, and said, "Mommy, how would I get any better if I didn't get stronger"?

I went on to tell her that I always wanted her to have fun in the gym and that when the day came that she wasn't having fun anymore, we could explore other activities. At this point, she laughs at me and says, "Mommy, it is FUN when you get better, and to get better, I need to work really hard and get stronger. I'm not afraid of anything in that gym". Needless to say, when Matt got home, he sat her down and had a similar conversation with her to make sure that this was REALLY what she wanted.... and of course, it is! She just looked at him and laughed in delight most of the time!

That's my girl. She loves gymnastics and is willing to practice harder and longer most other girls her age... which is why she's landed in the spot she has, at one of the best gyms in the nation. She has more heart and soul than anyone I know. She is determined to succeed, and truly grasps what sacrifices she'll have to make to reach her goals. Regardless of where this crazy gymnastics dream takes her, she's learning valuable lessons about life. Hard work, determination and finding a goal worth sacrificing for will get you anywhere in life. She's mature beyond her 7 years. She "gets" what many adults still don't. AAAHHH, I'm proud of her!

Congratulations to Katherine!

Shortly after we arrived at church today, I got an email with "Congratulations to Katherine" in the subject line. It was in all bold and from from Chows. Li (Chow's wife) was writing to officially extend an offer to Katherine to join pre-team. I didn't say anything, just handed my blackberry to Katherine and let her read it. Her eyes got as huge as saucers and she started jumping up and down. She has worked so hard for this, and I could not be more proud of her.

It's a well known fact that any of the girls in her current class could go to any other gym in town and make team. She could compete this year. In fact, every girl that got "cut" from her class is going to be competing this fall for other local gyms. However, Chow doesn't believe in level 4 gymnasts competing. It's not worth the time or effort on his part and he doesn't want to burn the girls out early. He takes them along VERY slowly, and drills form into them. As a result, Katherine is very strong for her age and size, and what she does, she does it well. On pre-team she'll be perfecting her level 5 skills and then competing either next fall or the following year. It just depends on how quickly she perfects her skills.

She has worked so hard for this. It's something she's done all on her own, and I am so proud of her dedication and persistence. There's been so many days when most kids would have quit, but not Katherine. She truly loves gymnastics and is willing to do what it takes to make her dream come true. I love that about her. I really do.

Oh, and in other news..... Friday night I got a call. An older girl on team had a bar (the gymnastics variety -- sorry Danyel!) and was looking to sell it. She called to see if I was interested.... One thing led to another and we currently have a gymnastics bar in the basement. Oh man ... she LOVES it. Most girls her age dream of dolls. Katherine dreams of gymnastics equipment. LOL!!

LCB

What is LCB you might ask??? Oh, it'd be Caleb's new nickname -- courtesy of Matt, and a VERY poor choice on Caleb's part....

Caleb isn't a kid who makes snap decisions. He thinks things through, analyzes all options and considers all possibilities before rushing to judgement. He's a kid who totally grasps "delayed gratification" and doesn't follow the crowd. Which is why I was totally shocked at his decision tonight. UUUUGH. Part of me wanted to scream at him, and the other part of me had to conceal my laughter...

Matt and I decided to take the kids out for ice cream. On the way home, Caleb asked me if I'd like some lip chap. I said "no thanks" and took some out of my purse and put it on. He was all the way in the third row seat of the Sequoia, and it was too far to throw a tube of lip balm back and forth... Several minutes later Matt made a comment about being able to smell lip chap. I told him it must have been mine. How wrong I was!

When we got home, I opened the door to let Katherine and Caleb out of the back seat. One look at Caleb, and I was immediately horrified. He used the ENTIRE tube of lip chap and rubbed it all over his face (including, but not limited to, his cheeks, nose, forehead, chin and ears), arms, hands, legs, feet and neck. He was so greased up that he couldn't even hold his cup without it slipping out of his hands! And his face ... it looked like he stuck his head in a bowl of whipped cream. Oh my heavens... I about blew my top. I couldn't let him walk into the house by himself, because he decided that the bottom of his feet needed a little "lip chap pedicure" as well. I was furious! I carried him upstairs to my bathroom and lectured him the entire way. It was straight into the shower for him!! But of course he needed to use the bathroom first. When he got off the toilet, I threw him in the shower only to realize that the toilet lid and seat were totally greasy! UUUUUGH! So there I am, fuming about Caleb's wonderful decision to lube himself up with lip chap and scrubbing a toilet. It wasn't pretty, I assure you!

While I'm scrubbing him down in the shower, Katherine and Matt gather to watch the little show. I asked him what on earth he was thinking and why he'd do such a thing, and he answered me in this sweet little voice, "Mommy I didn't want my forehead or legs to get chapped". At this point, I had to walk away. Part of me wanted to snap back, "if you do this again, you better save some for your rear because I assure you that WILL be chapped"! and part of me had to bite my tongue to stop from laughing. As much as I tried to keep my game face on, my anger quickly turned to laughter. But I couldn't let him see me losing it. Katherine caught me and immediately joined in. In no time, we were all laughing. He was so innocent. He thought that if it worked on lips, it should work everywhere, and while I'm sure it would, I can assure you, he won't be given another opportunity to find out!

So what is LCB??? Lip Chap Boy. That's my Caleb.

My heart melts....

It's been a whirlwind last couple of days....

Each summer, Andrea, Julie and I get *dozens* of ears of corn.... shuck them, cook them, cut the kernels off the cobs, and then freeze them to eat during the long Iowa winters when these lazy carefree days of summer have long passed. It's such a treat, and the kids .... well ... they love it. So yesterday, we spent several hours working on the corn and chatting while the kids played and swam in the backyard. They had a blast, and truthfully so did we!

Now -- one thing about the corn that truly deserves mentioning. (Especially for my friends who don't live in Iowa)... When you live in Iowa you NEVER buy sweet corn in the grocery store. No... you buy it either at a gas station or bank parking lot, from a guy in a pick-up truck, who picked it fresh that morning. And you NEVER buy it a day ahead because that same guy will be there tomorrow with fresh corn. It's soooo much better than anything in the grocery store. Totally yummy!

So while we were working on the corn project, Katherine and Jenna decided that they wanted to have a slumber party later that night. So after we got home from gymnastics, Jenna came down, and within minutes the house was filled with Barbie dolls, dance music and laughter... oh the laughter. How I love it! Proof positive that they were having a wonderful time together.

They finally went to sleep after watching a movie and eating popcorn in the basement. I assumed that they'd (actually Jenna) would sleep in after a full day of swimming, playing with friends and an exciting sleep over. No such luck! When Andrew woke up at 6:15, Jenna was already up and playing Barbies. Katherine was still sound asleep in bed. In Katherine's world, 6:15 am might as well be sometime in the middle of the night. It's WAY to early to be awake and among the living. She'd much rather sleep in! (Yet another reason why she is sooo my daughter! LOL!!). In any event, we were all awake by 6:45 am, and I was showered and ready for the day! Typically, my kiddos don't wake up until sometime after 8, and it could be as late as 8:45!

I made them pancakes for breakfast, and then it was off to spend the day at Adventureland with Matt, Jenna, Nate and the Launderville's. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The kids went on tons of rides, checked out the new addition to the water park, saw lots of their other friends both from school and Chow's and cooled off by eating ice cream at the end of the day. Andrew got to ride on his beloved train, and he was screaming "CHOO --CHOO"! the whole time we were on it! He LOVES trains, and was in Heaven the whole time!

When we got home, I laid Andrew down for his nap and Katherine and Caleb wanted to chill out and watch a movie. A few minutes later, Katherine came upstairs and we read together. After a while I told her that I was going to check on Caleb. She immediately told me that he was sleeping. I still wanted to make sure he was OK..... I found him curled up in his favorite chair sound asleep just as Katherine said. But what I saw absolutely melted my heart. Katherine had put a pillow under his head, covered him with a blanket and tucked him in. It almost brought tears to my eyes. She was so thoughtful, so caring, such a wonderful big sister .... all without being asked. She did it because she loves him with all heart and wants to make sure he's taken care of. It's in these small moments that I realize I've done something right as a parent. And in ordinary moments like this I realize she's an extraordinary girl.

Tomorrow morning, we're off to book club. The moms sit around and discuss the book (and lots of other things) and the kids swim in the backyard. Then, Matt and the kiddos are heading to LeMars and I'm staying here. It's going to be a quiet weekend for me -- scrapbooking, spending time with good friends, and relaxing. I'm looking forward to it!!

Slumber party!!

Today hardly seems like a Friday. I don't dare say it... but it really feels more like a Saturday (which thankfully it is not)!!

Matt had a work dinner last night, and when he's gone on these type of work outings, he usually doesn't get home until 10 or after. Last night he pulled into the driveway at 7:15. He looked horrible, was running a fever and super achy. Needless to say, he went right down to the basement and stayed as far away from the kids and I as possible. The rest of us don't need to get sick! I brought him down some Advil, water, and saltines, but other than that, the kids and I kept our distance.

All day today he's been feeling horrible. Fever, achy, chilled ... the works. If he doesn't feel better by tomorrow, it's off to the doctor!

So anyway... Libby came to clean today. Oh man... it was perfect timing! She cleaned our room first, and then Matt went up there while she cleaned the rest of the house. That way the "germs" can be contained, and the rest of the house can be sterilized.

Since Matt and Andrew would both be napping at the same time, I took Katherine and Caleb to Despicable Me in 3D. We stopped and picked out yummy treats and enjoyed the show. They loved the movie. I'm not sure if it was the actual movie that they liked so much or just going. In any event, it was a huge success!

Olivia, Katherine's best friend, had planned to spend the night tonight, so as soon as we got home I called over to her house and she came running! The girls have had a blast! We ordered pizza, they played American Girl Dolls, we went to the park and there were tons of girly giggling and outright laughter. Love it!!

Oh man... it was so hot and humid out tonight that as soon as we go to the park they were ready to go. They wanted to keep riding their scooters to keep cool. So away we went! (I had Caleb and Andrew along since Matt was sick). They rode and rode... The sky kept getting darker and darker. Finally, I insisted that we head home and as we were pulling in the driveway, I could feel a few drops. I walked in though the garage door, looked out in the backyard and it was down pouring. Literally, it was coming down sideways! Caleb has been laughing all night that we made it home just in the "nick of time"!

The girls are finally in bed ... chatting away, giggling up a storm and making plans for tomorrow. I love that! It's so great to see Katherine developing friendships and really growing into a wonderful girl. I fondly remember those days, and I'm so glad that she's enjoying every minute!

Oh, great news!! I was called for jury duty starting next week, and as much as I want to fulfill my civic duty and understand the importance of it (after all, I was a breath away from going to law school when fate took my life another direction), I wasn't overly thrilled at giving up a week of summer vacation to do it. I am juror number 480. In Polk County, you are instructed to call in Friday after 5 and they will tell you if you have to report. They only got to 285, so for now, I'm safe. I need to call back in on Tuesday night (to possibly report on Wednesday), but my neighbor who is one of the district attorneys, says that several trials, including his, for this week were moved. So maybe, just maybe, I won't be called!

Oh, and as I type this... I still hear chattering and giggles! Katherine and Olivia are having a wonderful time!! I'm just hoping they get a little sleep!

Going .... going .... gone!

Last night, an unexpected, and huge thunderstorm rolled in and rocked our little corner of the world. The winds were howling and it was it was raining ....errr... down pouring. It was blowing so hard, I could hear it howling around the house and when I looked out the window the rain was coming down sideways. UUUUUGH....

When I woke up in the morning, the news channel was reporting 70 mph winds and 1.5 inches of rain. Holy cow! I walked downstairs and Matt shot me a look. "Look out in the back yard" he tells me.

There I see Katherine's most beloved trampoline. It has been transformed into a heap of mangled metal bars. The protective netting has been ripped away and the rods holding it up are now bent beyond repair and touching the ground. Oh... it wasn't a pretty sight!

Immediately, and without discussion, we decided to buy a new one. After all, Katherine is on that thing every day ... literally, and practicing her gymnastics. I feel so badly for her. When she walked downstairs this morning, she came and cuddled on my lap. I told her to look out in the back yard. The poor girl ... immediate tears. We assured her we'd buy a new one, but it just broke her heart...

We (read Matt) spent the better part of the day taking it down and trying to decide how to dispose of it. Oh, but get this.... Matt had it anchored into the ground with huge steaks and a metal chains around the legs. The clasps on the chain held, but the winds were so strong that it literally pulled the links apart. Holy winds!!

So now we are on the lookout for a new trampoline. Matt found one he liked on the Internet, and he's going to get a new system to secure it into the ground. Hopefully this one lasts a little while longer than a couple of months!!

In other storm news... Our neighbors in the back lost a huge tree. It came crashing down right through our next door neighbor's fence and took over a good chunk of their back yard. Two other huge trees also came down on the street causing quite a bit of damage. It was crazy around here this morning!!

Andrew has been under the weather lately. He's had a stuffy nose, breathing problems and a low grade fever, so Matt took Katherine and Caleb to church while I stayed home with him. It was a perfect excuse to spend a little time snuggling with just him and them we took off to survey the damage. Let's just say, that given the damage I saw around here, we got lucky!