Day 212

Jack had his first dentist (or "tennis" as he has said all day) appointment today. If you remember this post then you remember what a hard experience E's first dentist visit was.  So this time with Jack I was prepared....I had a purse loaded with the best bribes possible. I had chocolate m&ms (his fav), spider-man fruit snacks, and a few of his favorite toys hidden away but on standby for the predicted rejection of the big chair. Why I thought it was a good idea to bring chocolate and sugary fruit snacks to the DENTIST is beyond me.  Thankfully I did not need them...and will save them for another time-probably at Publix later today when he decides he needs  every balloon on display.  He did a fabulous job and charmed the scrubs off the sweet hygienist. We learned that he has a chipped front tooth (when did that happen?) and an overbite (start saving now) but no cavities. He got to put his name in the no cavity drawing for a Coldstone Creamery gift card (maybe they don't mind chocolate after all) and pick 2 things from the treasure box -he picked 2 microphones so he could "be Eddie and the Boss at home"  awwww....we've brainwashed him well.  Here's Jackson Ford cranking up the charm factor in the dentist's chair......

Day 211

Lunch date with my favorite 5 year old

Day 210

One of my favorite times of the day...bedtime!  My kid love books, love to be read to, and would listen to stories for as long as we'd let them.  I saw a link on a blog not too long ago with a good list of read-clouds or read-togethers for young elementary kids.

  

I remember reading most of these when I was young, and loved all of them.  I can't wait to experience them with my own kids as well. Jerry and E have always had story time in our bed before bedtime- always. I can clearly remember her shouting 2 for 2! and 3 for 3! meaning 3 books for her 3 years old when running down the hall in her dipe to get another book.

 Awwww......

She also REALLY wants to read 'chapter books' on her own in her bed.  I remember my dad paying me 10$ for each written book report done for him on books I read. I wonder if he's still offering?  

Day 209

We had a super fun time at our friends Molly and Raylee's 2nd birthday party!  

this was a dangerous situation....

E was super brave on the slide...backwards head first! 

popsicle?

love my Maggie

aren't they precious?  future couple ;)

cupcake time

precious baby Lucy. I really wanted to kidnap her!  

the birthday girls!  

Day 208

E picked out her new backpack for 1st grade today...I think that is our last official 'back to school' purchase for a while. I usually hit my 3 favorite consignment sales in August/September for fall/winter clothes so that will cover it!  Now I will try to relax and enjoy the last 2 weeks left of summer vacation. I hope they go by REALLY slowly....

Day 206

Hot slide, mama! Poor thing...even at 6:30 pm the slides are too hot at the park.

Day 205

Fun in the sun! It is h-o-t.... Even the pool feels like a bathtub. Luckily, the kids don't seem to mind....

Day 204

E and I did a little back to school shopping this morning for some school supplies. I would be a personal shopper for school supplies in a heartbeat.  Apparently, so would she. She had her clipboard and sharpie in hand, marking off the 1st grade supply list.  I had to strategically navigate the cart around the backpack isles. I'm going to force the monogrammed non commercial character backpack and white keds for as long as possible.

Day 203

SLIME!

 Jack and I went to the McWane Science Center a few days ago, and one of the things we had fun with there was slime...so I decided to make my own today with the kidlets.
You only need a couple ingredients:
4oz Elmer's School Glue
 (regular bottles are 5oz-I used clear so my slime would be clear but you can use white too)
1 tsp Borax (use it in my laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent mix)
Food Coloring (optional but who doesn't want green slime?)
1 1/2 water divided
Really cute helpers (PJs at 10am optional)

 pour 4 oz of glue and 1/2 cup water into mixing bowl

 dissolve 1 tsp of borax in 1 cup of water

 add food coloring to glue/water mixture

 add borax/water to glue mixture and it will instantly start to solidify. Here you need to squeeze and squish/kneed it a few minutes until it starts to really gel up...don't do it too hard or it won't separate from the water as quickly.  Then pour out the excess water that hasn't been absorbed.

 Jack was NOT too sure about the kneading!

 Slime!

 this stuff is WAY cool. It is solid, gel, will conform to any shape but isn't sticky. You can stretch it, break it, rip it, bounce it, etc. Jack loved tearing into pieces then putting it back together like a puzzle. SO COOL!

Day 202

Our neighbors across the street had a princess birthday party today with Cinderella in attendance. Jack's expression is too funny.  He was such a good sport at a princess party.

Day 201

We are having a little preview playtime after scheduling E's birthday party.... Can't believe she'll be 6 in a month!

Day 200

I finally forced myself to go through the enormous box under E's bed that had alllll the work (like virtually every work product she's brought home) from preschool through the end of Kindergarten. I was able to narrow down what I should keep into 2 binders- one for pre-k and one for K.  OK I understand that I won't want 13 binders by the time she's finished, but it's a start!

Day 199

It rained all day today...so we finally ventured out after dinner to burn off the cooped up inside energy that was beginning to erupt in my living room. This picture gives Jerry  hope that one day, in the not so distant future....he will not be the one pushing the lawn mower :)

 We are signing E up this week to play soccer this fall. Remember my dance recital pledge?  Oh I keep my promises..... So let's get the soccer ball warmed up!

 I hope we get a REALLY good coach......because here's what most of my pics look like....Bless her. I think she got all of my athletic talent. Which turns out to be none.

Day 198

Choosing some books at our weekly/sometimes daily trip to the library.....

Day 197

Remember that can of Rustoleum Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze I used to re-do my doorknobs?  Well I got brave and got rid of the other GIANT shiny brass place that glares at me with ugliness each day...the fireplace!  This is still the same can!

Day 195/196

We had a blast today at the Cullman Aquatics Center. I am thankful for a great group of friends from church to go with. It was perfect weather and we had so much fun!

Day 194

Friday the 13 is starting out REALLY lucky for us.  Our family was able to make a long awaited reunion that we had given up hope on.  Murray and Greg Wiggle have been reunited with the rest of the Wiggle-Smith family!  Jack has a small collection of wiggle paraphernalia....and of ALL things to lose, we lost 2 of the 4 guys!  I had given up hope, yall.  Jack was showing signs of moving on from this obsession, probably due to only half of the group being present in his bed at night. I was kind-of o.k. with that....since I've been watching the same Wiggle DVDs for about 5 years straight.  E loved them too, but not to this extreme. I've seen them in concert twice---they are part of my family somewhat.  So you can imagine my excitement this morning when I lifted up the storage part on Jack's bike to find the red and yellow wiggle!  We immediately had to rush back inside and have a reunion.  Jack is over the moon...as you can see in this pic.

Day 193

Fun in the rain!  I love Jack peeking over the top of the deck :)

Day 192

We finally finished the kids' room redecorating! Here are a few before/after pics. BIG BIG thanks to my mom aka Nana for helping me SO much!

                                              I forgot to take pics of E's room before.....

Day 192

I have a big basket of magnetic letters and numbers that we inherited when Nana retired. I keep this basket up high and out of sight/reach.....my kids LOVE to play with them, but they end up allllll over my house, and I have to hear the endless "MOM!  I can't find a (insert any given letter)!" Jack spotted it in the closet and I was talked into getting it out.

 Jack is my little letter/number obsessor---he loves making the words he can spell and wants to know what EVERY.SINGLE.WORD is that he passes in the car.  Thankfully E can read, so I've put her on sign duty in the car. Ha!

 E was very concerned about having to use capital letters in the middle of her name. "Mrs. Colburn would NOT like this, mommy!"

Day 191

Oh ya'll... I am so not ready for the sassy mouth girl. It is rapidly going downhill in the Smith house tonight. E just interrupted my correcting her with a "blah blah blah". Ummm after i picked my mouth up off the floor her hiney got to know my hand real well. I am still in shock and gotta hope this gets nipped in the bud. Wowzers. At least she brought me this note after the fact.