That's how we roll

May the force be with us.

Here are my Star Wars pancakes.
Double spinning light sabers, yoda, and Captain Rex (or Commander Cody, I'm not sure), and blasters that look like hairdryers.


Here is Mommy's "force."

Quick update

John is starting slowly to get used to school. I think he is starting to realize it is inevitable. He rides everyday with friend Henry, so that helps. He doesn't like the bus ride after school because it's too long and because he doesn't like the bus driver's voice. I think because she is one of those friendly ladies who is brash and loud, which of course makes her the perfect bus driver! He prefers taking his lunch but sometimes buys at school. He likes P.E. He now has a daytime Bee (an old blue one from his baby and toddler years) and a nighttime Bee, "just like Christopher." He occasionally says, "I have a new rule." So far the two new ones have been lining up on a certain square when you are waiting to go to the bathroom. Fortunately the new rules don't last longer than the time it takes for him to tell them.

Christopher is really enjoying talking. He is starting to string more than one word together at a time. "Mommy watch" and "Sit chair" are frequently heard. He likes to try saying new words. He is also adjusting to his new toddler room. He still cries on parting, but that's normal. He's always happy when we pick him up.

First Day of School

Today was finally John's first day of "real" kindergarten at the public school. I can already let you know that I will not do this momentous occasion justice, but I'll try.

School starts at 8am, a full hour before we are used to for pre-school, so there was some concern about John getting in gear on time. (Christopher is usually up by 6:30, no worries about Mommy and Daddy oversleeping!) Anyway, I opted to go extra late (leaving the house at 7:50, the school is 4 minutes from our house w/o traffic), instead of trying to join the rush of overeager, overanxious families who get there at 7:45.
The herd had definitely thinned out by the time we got there, but I did have to pull up on the grass to park so I could walk John in. However, were were in the building when the tardy bell rang. ["Tardy bell," those two words have not entered my consciousness together since high school!]
We fast walked to his classroom, and the teacher's assistant took custody (grabbed his arm at my instruction), while Christopher and I fled. I think I said "I love you have a great day see you soon," but I may have imagined it. I did not wait around to see if tears started, and when I asked John after school if he cried, he said he didn't remember. I score that under the success column!

When he got home (riding the school bus!), I baked refrigerated cookies and grilled him about whatever I could think of.
Did they sing songs? No.
Did they play outside? Yes.
Did they go to the gym? Yes.
Did they say the alphabet? No.
Did you learn any rules? Yes.
What are they? There were three. The first one was "No running" and he couldn't remember the other two.

He did volunteer quite a lot of interesting info.
There was a boy in his class named Christopher.
His friend Alex from preschool found him at recess, and John said that there was a monster in a nearby vent and so they ran away.
In gym they "galloped, skipped, ran, and walked" over and over in a square on blue lines on the floor.
The afternoon snack was fruit rollup.
You can only buy OR take your lunch, not a combination of both. He bought a grilled cheese sandwich (a favorite), peaches, and chocolate milk.
He did not have a good time today but he thinks he will like school.

Whew. I am relieved that milestone is in our rear-view mirror now. Which is how I usually feel about life's "Hallmark moments."

Christopher also moved up today, into the toddler room. He only has 5 other kids with him, down from 9 or 10 in the creepers. He seemed to be fine when I picked him up, but I didn't think to grill him.

Here are some pictures. These are the only ones I took.
Here are the boys eating their special "first day of school microwave frozen breakfast sandwiches." Jack Sprat (John) eats the egg, cheese, and croissant, and Mrs. Sprat (Christopher) eats the sausage only. It's a beautiful relationship.




Here is the money shot of John walking to school. About 5 seconds later, he said, "I'm tired of walking." Mostly because we were racing to get into the building by 8am, and because of his 10-pound backpack.



The last two are of Christopher and I eating our free Chicken with Egg and Cheese on a Sunflower Multigrain bagel at Chik-fil-a. It was too early to drop him off at school after I dropped off John.

Trip to Knoxville Part 2

On our recent trip to visit Grandma Judy in Knoxville, we also went to a state park with a nice shaded playground...

Trip to Knoxville Part 1

Last weekend we travelled to Knoxville to visit Grandma Judy. The hotel had a pretty cool fort...

...John like playing with the telescope...

...Christopher made it all the way to the top!