Apple Picking!

We are all off this week for Fall Break. We decided to head up to the North Georgia Mountains to go apple picking with our friends. There ended up being over 35 kids, 12 cars, going up!
These are the kindergarten girls from the neighborhood that rode in my car up to the orchards. All I can say is they can get very loud!!

This is Braden with his best buddy Spencer and Spencer's little brother Collin. When they are together it is trouble!!!

While we are at the orchard there was a small brush fire, it was controlled by the workers but the fire department did come. All the kids were so excited to see the men come and use their hoses to wet everything down.

The Firemen gave all the kids hats and stickers. What a great treat for them all!

The wonderful thing about going up to the orchards is that we are on the mountains, and it is a beautiful site.

Braden was so determined to get his own apples. He would not let me pick any and put them in his bag!

He would dig into a tree to pick the perfect apple!

Caitlin with her good friend Ellie. They were in PreK together and now they are in dance together.

B testing out an apple!!

I tried to get the 2 together a few times for pictures.

My sweet boy! He is such trouble!!

This is just a small portion of the kids that went with us.

Caitlin and her friend Zoe.

Summer Times

We spent yesterday at the Rego's house for Isabella's fourth birthday. Braden had fun playing in the fort that Uncle Jim made for the kids.
The birthday party was at the dance studio that the girls take class at. The girls dressed up and Braden insisted to dress up too, thank goodness Sam had a costume for him!

Caitlin and Emily love playing together! Emily was so good and took care of all the little kids.

Braden said that his costume needed a sword. We had to take it away at one point when all the princesses got here.

Princess Bella! Happy Birthday!

Caitlin loved dressing up and dancing.

Both kids has so much fun in Columbus, they love playing with their cousins.

Braden and I are at the same school this year, Transfiguration. He loves going, a complete change from years past. He actually asks to go and does not cry!! And he is learning so much, it amazes me!

We had the fire department come and talk to our classes. The good thing is that all the three year old classes go together so B and I get to see each other!

There is a new skating rink in Cumming. They had a grand opening day and we took the kids skating. Caitlin is just amazing, she can do it with out help from James.

Braden wants to wear all his hockey gear when he skates, such a difference from his sister!

Both kids love skating and keep asking to go back!

This is my pretty princess!!

Fun Times

We went to our friend Riley's birthday party the other weekend. My kids have grown up with Riley and her big brother Noah. They were so excited for the Cowboy/Cowgirl party.
Both kids had fun riding around the back yard on the pony.

They had lots of farm animals for the kids to feed and pet. Those animals were so good to the kids. They were picked up, squeezed, dropped and never bit the kids.

Now that Caitlin has started kindergarten we have homework!! Notice I say that We have homework! One of the assignments is to do different activities with her sight words. So on Monday I let the kids use shaving cream to write the sight words in. Caitlin surprises me everyday with how much she is learning!!

Braden is doing his "homework" along with his sister! He is learning a lot listening to her.

This week has been busy but fun. I started my teaching job and I realize how much I miss teaching. I have 10 3 year olds who are very sweet but very busy!! I only have them for 3 hours but I am so busy during that time! I have a wonderful assistant, I am blessed! We work very well together!

First Day of Kindergarten

Today was one of the hardest one for me as a mother. I did not know how I would react sending my baby girl to school. She has been so excited about school and riding the bus, I have fed off that. I took her shopping to get a new outfit for school and boy was that a different experience. I kept picking up cute dresses and she would look at it and turn up her nose. She wanted some sparkly and more Hannah Montanaish, that is what she said. James is so in trouble!!
She had a hard time going to sleep last night, I think she finally fell asleep at 10. She kept coming down asking questions about school. She got up at 6 and was ready to go. I was fine until I saw the bus pull up, that is when I lost it. I kept telling her I was just so happy for her.

So, my good friend who has a daughter in kindergarten too, and I decided to follow the bus. Yes, we know a bit crazy but we had to. She did a great job staying right behind it the whole way.

You can tell from the picture below that I was a bit worried. I wrote down on her hands her bus number and teacher number. Caitlin is so shy I was afraid she would not tell the person when she got off the busy who her teacher was. Well, thanks to Kara that was not a problem. She did not obey the rules (thank goodness) and pulled into the bus section. We both immediately jumped out and watch at the kids got off the bus. The AP was right there and I think she said we were "Those Moms." I never thought I would be either, but I never was on this side of things! Ok, the picture below is her getting off the bus, I was a bit far back but I was determined to get a picture. She and her friend Zoe held hands into the school. It was very cute. Kara and I both yelled to the girls as they walked by and we got a quick "hi."

I know that I should be so glad she is happy to go to school, not kicking and screaming like a little boy will probably do, but I would have liked a bit more acknowledgement.

We also, conveniently did not let them take all their material in, we were afraid they could not carry them all!! So of course we had to walk them into the class. Caitlin was so serious, listening to the teacher getting everything placed where is should be. I was so proud, and a bit weepy!

Her teacher is Mrs. McMichael. She is very sweet and Caitlin all ready loves her. She came home and was so excited about her day. Though I could not get a lot from her about her day.
She asked me if she could go back tomorrow. I think/hope it will be easier for me!

And one more sweet thing. Braden and I went to our school so I could get my classroom set up. We spent the entire morning there. When we got home Braden said he wanted to go get KK. I told him it was not time. We had to sit outside waiting for the bus for over an hour, he missed her so much. He was so excited to see her! He adores his big sister!! (and I do too!)