All Over the Place

This week found Paul signing in from Block Leave BOOOOOO!! We did enjoy his month off in July but boy did it seem to just fly by to fast. We are now waiting to see what his training schedule will be like for this up coming year. We tried to get back into some sort of routine then gave up. I told the boys they could have until August 15th to have a super crazy summer time then we would be back to school schedule. If we don't go back to school bed times & wake ups- it'll make for a rough September for sure.
I took Jeremy & Jacob to a fun new park on Tuesday to explore with Banyan. They had fun on our outing and here are a couple pictures.

We also went to the pool a couple times this week and the lake. We are enjoying the sunshine as much as possible before it disappears again. Banyan started back with his regular field trips into town. He is doing well but has a few moments of not wanting to work just play. I blame myself as we where pretty slack in his training in June & July. His trainers where gone & dad came home so yeah my fault. Now I am trying to get him out and about again as much as possible.

I received the phone call from the High School about parent & student orientation later this month. I can hardly believe my oldest will be a sophomore & turning sixteen in September. The time sure has flown by so quickly. I have to get him out driving more. Ever since he finished his driver's ed he has had no interest in going driving, so strange to me.  But hopefully moving up to the high school and older kids he will get more motivated  to try again.

We entered Banyan in a Seattle cutest puppy contest as well. I let Jeremy pick the picture you see below.

Seattle Cowbelly Photo Contest

You can go click on VOTE for his picture to help us win a $200 Amazon Gift Card. We will take $100 of the money to purchase dog supplies for our local animal rescue/shelter. We are way behind but Jeremy wanted to try so here we go- hopefully with some help from family & friends we can WIN!

I started my workouts back in earnest training with one of my running partners . OUCH is what I have to say! My right should is achy from all the hanging pull ups I have done this week.Boy can I tell I have not done my hard training in awhile. I did 3 days in a row & by day three I was feeling it bad.

My self portrait after a really hard workout. I really thought I might puke!

 

Anyway we are ready to enjoy our Friday . It is suppose to be sunny so I am sure the pool is in our future again.  Saturday morning has our monthly Wear Blue Run to Remember in town lead by yours truly. Then I am not sure what we will do with the rest of our time. But I am so glad we still have one more week of laziness before I have to crack the whip and get back to school schedule. I hope everyone enjoys their weekend out there & stay safe.

 

 

 

Student of the Month

As many of my readers already know this is Jeremy's first year in school full time. I home schooled him up until this past September. Well today he was recognized as Student of the Month for his class! We are beyond proud of him! He has worked really hard even on days he really wanted to be at home. He misses school for doctor's appointments a lot but still loves to go back to school with a smile on his face. Today just reinforced that I made the right decision last year in deciding to let him start school. It was such a hard choice but he is truly blossoming into a wonderful young man. He was surprised today when he saw me in their gym. We had not told him he was Student of the Month so he could stay focused. Sheer joy & happiness covered his little face as they announced his name. What a moment! I so wish his dad could have been there. I know he will continue to do well & hope his dad will get to witness him receiving another award in his future. Words can't describe how I felt as he hugged me & said " Mom this is the first time I ever won a medal ever!". Tears almost fell- he is a very special young man.

Realizing HE was Student of the Month for his class

He is proof that God puts some of the greatest things in small packages <3 Love him so much !

I am EXCEPTIONAL

Today was the day , Jeremy headed off to school for a half-day. I was very nervous he was super excited! We arrived in his classroom right on time & he immediately asked for computer time- lol Once in his desk I asked if I could leave him for awhile & he responded "nope, I think you need to stay mom." so I did. We got ready to head to his first official school assembly called BOOT CAMP. He would sit & learn about Lackamas expectations of their students for the year. I was just praying he actually sat down through the whole thing. Well there was no need for my worry he sat right down & made a friend right away!

After they finished in the gym they broke into classes & toured the school grounds. They learned the rules for the playground,library,cafeteria,bathrooms,music, art room, & bus drop off.Half way through he informed I could leave now-haha I decided to just go back to his class since we only had one more hour for him at school. I helped his teacher a bit & waited. He burst through the door about 45 minutes later with a huge smile. He looked at me & said "can we go home now?". That was my cue, I knew he had been there long enough so we put our pencil away said our goodbyes & headed to McDonalds for a special lunch! His IEP is still getting finished so it works out well that he can only go half-days for the next week. I think getting use to a new routine slowly will work best. 

What made me smile the most today was during the assembly. The principal informed all the kids that they where "Exceptional Kids". Well the Army calls Jeremy our "Exceptional Family Member", so of course he raised his hand & asked "how did you know that already?" I almost burst out laughing because he was so serious & whispered it to his teacher that he was called that all the time at Madigan where he see Dr. Jodi. Anyway we both survived today & I will keep praying that next week goes just as smoothly as today. I hope everyone has a very blessed weekend.

Jeremy at his desk

First school Assembly 

 

Just Keep on Running & Running

"Holy Smokes Batman" was the last thing I remember hearing last night as I fell asleep in my husbands comfy chair around 9:45PM. Yesterday was a day where I literally ran from one activity to the next with only minutes in between to check in with my husband so he knew all was well. I knew ahead of time it was going to be a crazy busy day, but it wiped me out!

I took our oldest to the Orthodontist, dropped him off ran to Rite- Aid to pick up medicine refills for kids. Then headed to the Post Office to mail my man his care package & three other items filled with books I was swapping. I found a great site called Books Free Swap  but that is a whole different post in itself.  From the Post office I ran to Safeway with all my coupons in hand & list ready to shop. I made it through Safeway in record time & saved $53.48 I believe on my groceries- YAY ME! Then I ran back to pick up Hunter from the Ortho & headed home. Got to the house had boys help unload the van & we all changed into our swimsuits. We headed to the pool for an hour to just try to relax. Then we ran home showered, ate & headed to the Junior-High for Orientation for the older two boys. Hunter my oldest is still considered a Freshman but they stay at the Junior High until 10th grade which is fine with me. Much easier having two kids in the same school then across town from eachother.

I really thought we would be in & out of orientation in thirty minutes like last year- boy was I WRONG! They had total CHAOS going on when we arrived. I even came early! Unlike last year there was no real direction so we ended up in two lines that we shouldn't have been in until last! Finally my friend Sam who was volunteering stirred us to the front of this super long line to get the boys ID cards they use for everything. An hour & a half later we left ,UGGG! I raced home to get the youngest fed,dressed & out the door for soccer practice. At this point I was DONE! Just ask my older two. I was "that" mom who totally embarrassed them when two girls tried to cut in front of us in one of the really long lines- yep I told them to GO TO THE BACK NOW! I am pretty sure my head spun around backwards as I said it too! The boys where like "NO MOM!!", I so DID NOT CARE! I laughed later as I recalled all the girls who looked like they had spent hours preparing for that one afternoon of orientation. Make-up, hair, & inappropriate clothes ruled the day. Only to have almost zero boys pay any attention as the giggled & tried to get their attention. About 80% of the male population where to busy high-fiving each-other  & comparing schedules to even notices the girls-LOL Anyway, back to running out the door to soccer.

Headed to soccer where at least I was able to sit down & breathe for an hour. I met another nice set of parents & chatted the practice away. After  we left & headed home I was more then happy to let the older two boys go spend the night with friends. I knew the house would be super quiet with those two out of the picture for the night. I snuck out to the little community store at our front gates & bought some yummy ice cream for the little guys. I let them make a fort in the living room & fed them ice cream. I finally got a quick chat in with my husband as the kids watch old TV shows. Batman & Robin was the last I remember hearing. I woke up around 10PM turned off the TV & made everyone go to sleep. What a day to say the least! I knew it was going to be a crazy day- but I had no idea how worn out it would make me feel. So glad today is gym time for me & the pool with the boys if the sun pops out. Nothing else at all! Saturday I am looking forward to the day spent hiking around Mt. Rainer with my friends family & my boys. I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend & get's to rest.

Now for the picture I took before orentation so my husband could see how much both older boys had grown. They are both taller then me now & it's a little strange for us all.

  

My Freshman in the white & my 8th grader in purple. Where did my babies go?