Back to the "Office"

The kids started at their new school today. They were both really enthusiastic after touring the campus and meeting their teachers last week. It is a larger school than Georgia previously attended, having 6 classes per grade instead of 3, but each grade has its own wing.
She has two team teachers in 3rd grade, which is a new thing for her. Brody's desk is right next to the LEGO table, which I am sure will reveal itself to be a good or bad placement. He was very excited about having his own desk, calling it his "very own office."
I think Kindergarten must have gotten harder over the years. When I drove through the pick up lane, I found Brody sitting amongst the kindergartners, slumped over and sleeping. I so wish I had a picture.

Move #4

Goodbye Illinois......

Hello Texas...

24 Hours

I have less than 24 hours in Illinois. It is hard to believe that 4 years have flown by like that. I came here with a 4 yr old that is now a very grown up 8 and thinks she is 35. I brought with me a baby that is addicted to legos and will be starting kindergarten this year.

I am thinking about how empty my house is starting to look as the movers take everything out to the van. I am sad for my kids that we are leaving a wonderful area where they have made friends. I am sad for myself that I won't get to see my fantastic mommy posse for anything and everything. I am grateful for these women who have supported me when it was so hard to be away from family, or when my husband went on business trips or when I jacked up my knee and couldn't walk on crutches and carry an 8 month old, or when I needed a shoulder or a hand or a drink, or whenever. I will miss them--and the girls nights out.

I am excited that I will rekindle relationships with old friends, get to know my niece, hug my sister daily if I want to and eat as much awesome Mexican food as I can take. I am ready to go home.

Wacky Hair Day 2010

Georgia showing off her wacky hairdo for school today.

Fashionable

A trip to the fabric store for patterns ended up with the makings for a dress for our resident queen of high fashion. Somehow I got talked into making an outfit for Georgia after she found a dress pattern. So I decided to show her the process from picking out fabric to pressing seams. She worked with me the whole time, learning that it takes a while and sometimes your mother sends you out of the room when she starts fighting with the zipper and doesn't want you asking questions or hear her say a few choice words.

Tiny Dancers

Georgia and two of her classmates, Brynn and Molly performed a Triangle Jig at a Multicultural Night held at a local elementary school. All were light on their toes and each performed their solos wonderfully.

Molly, Georgia, Miss Karen, and Brynn

Pumpkin Picking

Brody and Georgia carefully choosing their pumpkins.

I Was Running.....

Georgia was recently chosen to be on the 2nd grade girls Cross Country Team. This took me a bit by surprise, since she and my sister are alike in so many ways...including their mutual distaste for getting sweaty while participating in sports.
This afternoon, the had a meet at the school between the 2nd and 3rd grades and ran half a mile. I am not sure what place she came in as they will record the times and post on Monday, but she ran the whole thing with untied shoes.

Going Buggy

Tonight, the entire 2nd grade put on their musical "Going Buggy" in which Georgia was appropriately featured as a ladybug. She and her group stole the show with their song "No Way To Treat A Ladybug" and displayed plenty of stage attitude for her solo.

Fishing Derby 2009

The fish were really biting but not getting hooked this year, as both Georgia and Brody caught just one Bass each. Brody's was about 9 inches and Georgia's measured 15 1/2 inches.

Mosquito Project

Georgia and her 3D bug project for school, an Asian Tiger Mosquito.

First Day of Preschool 2009

Brody is now a big kid preschooler in the 4-5 yr room. He has moved up to Mrs. Wise and Mrs. Wallace, who taught Georgia three years ago. I was a little sad, but he quickly saw the Lego table, jumped in with his running buddies and wanted me to leave.

How does your garden grow?

gardening is good.
Brody is proudly showing off the 20 tomatoes that we harvested tonight.

When a Museum Isn't Really a Museum....

Our second day in St. Louis was comprised of a quick trip to the zoo and the City Museum, which isn't really a museum at all. It is the most creative place for kids and kids at heart that I have ever seen. Seven stories of fun kept us entertained for over four hours, although we could honestly have stayed longer. There are giant welded climbing sculptures, super-sized slides between floors, swings, hidden gerbil-like tunnels in ceilings, tree houses and even a complex maze of dinosaur caves. The kids had a blast and Chris and I challenged our older bodies to climb high and slide fast. Daredevil Brody was quickly trying slides by himself, and was eager to do the super-slide that goes from the roof and spirals seven floors to the bottom.Brody sliding by himself
Georgia and Ally navigating the stepping stones

Georgia in a "slinky" ladder into the ceiling

Georgia standing on a giant whale sculpture

Chris and Brody taking in a steep slide

Kacee in a rooftop sculpture

Now and Then

St. Louis Zoo, 2009

Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago 2007

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks

Georgia and her brownie troop

We headed down today for our first real look at St. Louis (other than driving through on our way to Texas) to attend Girl Scout Day at Busch Stadium. Georgia's brownie troop and hundreds of other scouts were invited to walk in a parade around the perimeter of the baseball field. They
waved and I tried to get some pictures with my zoom lens from our "penthouse" seats. And by penthouse, I am referring to the altitude not necessarily the luxuriousness.
















Chris and I were two of maybe ten people supporting the Houston Astros, who unfortunately lost 3-1. Georgia decided to go with the majority and root for the Cardinals.....traitor. Brody was happily entertained by his best buddy from preschool, Brandon, whose family came down with one of the other brownie families. They were much more interested in shelling roasted peanuts.
















Carlie and Georgia


















Chris and Kacee
























Chris and the kids from the stadium
view of the Gateway Arch

















Brody and Brandon

2nd Grade

Georgia on her first day of 2nd grade in Mrs. Ellis' class. she later said that her new teacher rocked.

Brody's First Harvest

Our little garden project gave us our first gift today: quite a few cucumbers, three zucchini and two small strawberries. The berries did not make it more than a minute after this photo. Brody says they were really sweet. I will have to take his word for it.

Last Call

Our visit ended with a sandbox. Four kids squeezed into 15 square feet and had fun digging while we talked and threw some things on the grill for dinner.
Georgia (7), Sam (4), Brody (3 11/12) and Andy (7)



It is great when you have kids that match in age and all get along. We miss our friends and were so glad that 3/4 of them could squeeze in a visit with us while seeing family.

Prairie Farm Visit

Brody, Sam, Georgia and Andy check out the chickens

Jessica, Georgia and Andy on the pond bridge

Brody's favorite, pink piggies

and not so favorite, geese.

the cutest baby ducklings.