And They're Off!...Now What?

The day I've waited for and dreaded has come and gone! Look:

The three little cowboys have gone off to school. They walked into their new school on the first day together, and each one had a great day. In fact, pretty much every day so far has been a great day! According to Goliath, if "some dummy hadn't invented math, school would be just about perfect for me."

I was just as nervous as they were on the first day--maybe even more so. We had met all their teachers, purchased all their supplies, and ordered the backpacks they wanted. A side note about those school supplies: I finally wised up this year and bought the wrap packs. For the last four years I've nearly killed myself trying to recreate what I loved doing with my mom: picking out all of the school supplies and crossing things off the list and shopping for new clothes. With the boys, it was a beating. Boys just don't care. So I saved myself the heartache and frustration and just went with the PTA deal. It was the smart thing to do.

Where was I? Oh, yes. The first day. Not only did we start at a brand new elementary school, but Baby is a big kid now. My first thought when I woke up that morning was, "Today is our last first day of kindergarten." How did we get here?!?

He loves it. He doesn't seem to mind being away from me all day. He likes his teacher, all of the specials classes, and the playground. He loves the penguins that his teacher collects, the reading fort in his classroom, and his locker. He even likes homework (and he takes it very seriously). The only thing he doesn't care for at kindergarten is the kid that sits beside him because "he is not a good listener." On the 2nd day of school, Baby came home and announced that he had a new best friend at school. I asked what his name is, and my boy said, "I don't remember." Ha!

How about this guy? He's a proud 2nd grader. Get this...once upon a time, his teacher had ovarian cancer. That's no coincidence. Luckily, she no longer has cancer. Instead, she has a newt and some fish in her classroom, and that's all she needed to win Little Middle's heart.

And this one...my big 4th grader. Oh, the worry leading up to that first day! But turns out he needn't have worried much at all. He already knows several kids at school--one from flag football a few years ago, one who played on his kindergarten baseball team, and another little boy who he used to pal around with in preschool! He totally gets that God is taking care of him. His teacher couldn't be more perfect for him. She has a very cool, laid back personality, and from what Goliath reports, her classroom library is the best in the building!

So the boys are happy and thriving. Now what? The truth is that I'm having a bit of an identity crisis. Of course I don't sit around pining for them all day (well, I did on that first day, but I've gotten better), but it's so WEIRD. The house is quiet and still. There are no fights to break up, milk to be poured, or snacks to be fetched. All I've done for nearly ten years is have small people underfoot, and now I have all this T-I-M-E. I run errands. I grocery shop by myself (much easier and economical than going with the kids). I clean house and do laundry. Slowly, I am figuring it out. I have been invited to a mom's prayer group specifically for our elementary school. I have plans to have coffee with a neighbor who I'd like to get to know better. I have tried a few new recipes and last week I even went to see a movie! Maybe it's time to do a few Allyson things instead of a lot of Mommy things.

One of the things I love to do is teach, and not a moment too soon, preschool started back up yesterday! It was so strange to walk in by myself--I've had at least one little cowboy at preschool with me for the last eight years. The day went about as smoothly as a first day of preschool can go. I have delightful four-year-olds who are smart, curious, and a little noisy. I can't wait to see their eyes light up as they discover new things this year!

Baby really wanted me to have a good first day, so he helped make my lunch. Smile.

In other random H-family news, Abby Dog's 13th birthday quietly came and went. We didn't throw a big party, but her cousins Lucy and Moose were here visiting and we managed to make her feel plenty special. She is now 91 in people years--elderly by any standard. The boys occasionally ask me if she's going to die, to which I retort, "Of course not."

Little Middle hates spelling words, but still loves his Legos as much as ever! He nearly emptied his substantial Lego box building this skyscraper last week:

God and Mother Nature finally showed us some mercy here in North Texas with temperatures that were less than 100 degrees. On Labor Day, I took Little Middle and Baby out exploring in the "forest" behind their school. That water bottle Little Middle is holding contains a lizard that he caught. It is so gross and ugly, and right now it is in a box on my coffee table because LM was able to persuade me that he will get cold outside at night. Ick.

Goliath couldn't go on the adventure because he spent the weekend in bed with a lovely strep throat/sinus infection combination. And I would just like to say that no adventure compares with that of going to a pediatric urgent care clinic on a Sunday afternoon. Now, in spite of incessant hand-washing and mouth-covering, Hubby seems to have caught the germs. I'm trying not to inhale too deeply around here.

Now I'm off to get a head start on dinner. Ham and cheese pie is on the menu tonight. The only thing better than Southern Living is a good friend who reads it and passes along the best recipes!

Peace and Quiet

It's Saturday night. My little cowboys are in West Texas starting their summer off right with their grandparents. Hubby is watching the UFC fight at his brother's house. Abby Dog and I shared a Schlotzsky's sandwich and now we are catching up on my recorded DVR shows and enjoying the peace and quiet.

I deserve some peace and quiet, if you don't mind my saying so. We bought a new house and moved. Preschool ended and I watched my Baby graduate. I kept on dragging Goliath and Little Middle out of bed and to school every day, long after every other school district in Texas was done. I had a less-than-enjoyable doctor visit (I am fine.). Finally--FINALLY--Summer 2011 is here! I usually am not a fan of summer. It's way too hot and there is a little too much quality time with the kids. But this year, I am more than ready.

The last day of school was tough. Because of our move, the boys will attend a different elementary school next year. I have done everything possible to get them excited: We visited the school book fair and bought--what else?--Star Wars books. We took a tour of the campus and met the counselor and the principal. We admired the playground. But I know that none of those things make it easy for my sons to leave behind their friends and favorite teachers. There were tears in all of our eyes when we walked out of the doors of their school for the last time.

We celebrated the end of school by heading straight to the pool. The first swim of the season was great! It's already 100+ degrees here. You know what they say about Texas...we have four seasons here: Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer, and Christmas. Anyway, Baby was triumphant at the pool when I showed him that he is finally tall enough to touch the pool bottom in the lazy river, and that he is tall enough to go down one of the big slides. Victory! Now if we can just get him swimming confidently like his brothers...

We love, love, LOVE our new house. It is nearly twice as big as our old one. Each of the boys has their own bedroom, and they are really enjoying having their own space. I have a huge bathtub, a kitchen with two ceiling fans and more than enough cabinet space, and a laundry room that is an actual room. That hasn't endeared me more to the laundry chore, but it makes it a little easier to keep up! We have nice neighbors and fruit trees in the backyard. Our own little piece of paradise...aaahhh. Of course, no experience in this family is complete without some sort of mishap. We had lived here almost three weeks when our washing machine went berserk and we had a flood. The water in the laundry room was deep enough to cover the top of my foot when I was standing in it. Even worse, the Gain-smelling river ran straight into the hall where we have wood floors. I ran around town like a crazy person before I finally landed at Home Depot, where I rented a wet-vac and made friends with a sympathetic old man with chewing tobacco in his back pocket. With a little help from my good friend Momma Wolg, I managed to suck up the water, but not before it damaged the flooring. The silver lining: My feet smelled nice and felt super-soft from all that sloshing around.

Things have been pretty quiet here in CancerLand. Back in the spring, I went to M.D. Anderson in Houston. MDA has been on my radar for a while, but I haven't felt well enough to make the trip for quite some time. My reason for finally going was two-fold: One, I wanted/needed to get a second opinion about "what's next?" and two, MDA is renowned for their clinical trials and experimental drugs to treat cancer. Having been assured that cancer will forever be a threat, I want in on that action! I spent nearly a week there and during that time, I had every test and met with every specialist imaginable. At the end of the week, I was informed that without a doubt, cancer is not currently present in my body. I worked out a plan to return for scans and to remain under "surveillance" by the staff there. And, I asked about and gratefully accepted a prescription for a drug that I hope will keep cancer at bay for a while. The drug is an anti-estrogen--theoretically, the less estrogen that my body produces, the less chance there is that cancer cells will be able to feed and grow. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but it would be silly and irresponsible for me to not explore any and all options.

My news about MDA was not greeted with the enthusiasm I had hoped for by Dr. M here in Dallas. In spite of that, he will be performing yet another surgery on me next week to remove my chemo port. I can't say that I'm excited about surgery, but I will be thrilled to have that thing out of my body! Hopefully I won't need one ever again.

With the little boys out of town for a few days, I've had time to explore a new obsession: Pinterest. PandaMom gave me a few pointers, and I am well on my way to digital organization! It makes me feel all artsy and crafty, which I am NOT in real life. Still, it's nice to imagine that one day I might be able to bake a pink heart into the center of my plain-Jane cupcakes or make a wreath out of crayons for Teacher Appreciation week.

Every year I buy Little Middle a new pair of flip flops, and every year he wears them for just a few weeks before he breaks them. Every. Single. Year. When I went to his class party on the last day of school, he was barefoot because his shoe had broken. So I gave up and I bought him a more solid, pricier pair. If they don't last him the rest of the summer, he's just gonna have to wear tennis shoes. That might have sounded heartless when I said it out loud when pulling out of the store parking lot, but Baby assured me, "You're the best mommy we could ever have." Little Middle retorted, "Yeah, but that's 'cause she's the ONLY mommy we can ever have."

And on that note, I'm gonna go enjoy my peace and quiet. Happy Summer!

Frog Baby

Preschool is back in session! Baby and I have both enjoyed our time alone since the two big boys went back to school a few weeks ago, but we were both just as ready to get back to our beloved preschool. My boy is a Frog this year--at the top of the preschool food chain. It is so hard for me to believe that next year I will send him to elementary school with his brothers!

So handsome on his last first day of preschool!

Baby and his pal B. They have moved up through the program together, and are the best of friends. I was feeling a little nostalgic, so I pulled out this picture of the two of them from a couple of years ago. They were, and still are, so very cute!

I have been blessed to be able to return to preschool as a teacher. My great friend Shannon (B's mommy!) and I have a class of the most darling 3-year-olds you ever did see. I love, love, LOVE my job, and I love it that I get to be close to my boy during the day.

Baby and Mommy goofing around before class.

Baby has three of the most spectacular teachers for his final year of preschool, who also happen to be a few of my great friends. We are looking forward to a fun year with Ms. Maureen, Ms. Michelle, and Ms. Dee!

NCBE: First Day of School

First Day of School!

Little Middle is going to first grade.

Goliath is going to third grade.

Little Middle is proud of his new backpack!

Brothers and best buddies.

Ready to go into his classroom--too big for Mom to go with him.

This little guy also told us that he didn't need us to go with him to his classroom.

"I can do it all by myself, Mom."

I couldn't bear to let him go alone...maybe when he goes to high school.

The cowboys had a great first day! They both like their teachers and have lots of friends in their classes. Baby loved his first day, too, because he got the Wii all to himself!

Welcome back, School Year. I have missed you.

The Peapod Goes to Preschool

Baby is a Peapod! He had his first day back at preschool yesterday. We are thrilled that his teachers from last year moved up with him--he LOVES Ms. Renee and Ms. Gloria! A few of his best pals are in his class, as well as some new friends. We are looking forward to a great year!

Back to School

I welcomed the first day of school with a mix of relief (it's FINALLY here!) and sadness. Today I sent two of my babies off to school...Goliath to second grade and Little Middle to kindergarten.

They were SO excited!

Ready for 2nd grade

Ready for kindergarten

Showing off their new backpacks

Sweet brothers

The first day of school is always a family affair...everyone was up early, dressed, and ready to go in plenty of time! We took Little Middle to his classroom first. He had no trouble opening up his locker, hanging up his cowboy backpack, and finding his seat. He got right to work, pausing only for a quick photo op with his new teacher.

We left Little Middle happily gluing Cheerios at his desk and walked Goliath to his classroom. He is an old pro at school by now, and settled quickly in his desk and got busy! I suspect that it may not be as cool to have your parents linger in your classroom when you're in 2nd grade...so I took one picture of my first-born and made my exit:

Both boys had a fantastic first day! I asked God to pave the way for my boys today and to make school a fun, exciting place where they want to be. He must have heard my prayer, because when I asked Little Middle this afternoon if he liked kindergarten well enough to go back tomorrow, he answered, "I think I do!"

No More School, No More Soccer

In the last few days we have bid farewell to first grade and finished out our first soccer season!

Goliath's class ended their year with a fun classroom party. Goliath received an award for "Best Attitude." He has done really well this year!

Goliath and his teacher, Mrs. C

Best buddies

Goliath and Sydney, his choice for "the prettiest girl in the whole first grade!"

Little Middle has really enjoyed his soccer season. He played Upward soccer, and it's been a terrific experience. Nearly everything about a group of Pre-K boys playing soccer is comical, but the boys never knew they were anything less than winners!

Praying before the game

Action shot...Go Falcons!

Taking a break on the sidelines

Little Middle and his teammate Andrew at the awards ceremony

And now...we can take a deep breath, sleep late, and head for the pool. WELCOME, SUMMER!!!

Goliath the Goat

Goliath made his theatrical debut tonight as a gourmet goat in the 1st grade production of "Barnyard Moosical." He did a great job (even with only one arm)!

The Goat Song!

First Day of Preschool

Big day around here...Little Middle, Baby, and I all had our first day of preschool! Our weekday program operates as a ministry of FBC Lewisville. The preschool area is dubbed "The Everlasting Seed Company"--get it? We're planting seeds of faith that will last for eternity. Thus, each room has a garden name. This year, Little Middle is in the Bluebird class and Baby is in the Strawberry room. I teach the Carrots.

We picked out our clothes, packed our lunchboxes, and packed the new backpacks last night. The boys were so excited! I thought it would be a good idea to get a few first day pictures...

First day of preschool, Take 1

First day of preschool, Take 2

First day of preschool, Take 3

Obviously, they were not too interested in having their picture made! We gave up and settled for a semi-cute shot of the three of us:

Here is Little Middle with Ms. Robin, Bluebird Teacher Extraordinaire. Goliath was a Bluebird 2 years ago, and he keeps telling Little Middle how crazy and noisy and FUN Ms. Robin is!

(He was being shy, so pretending to be asleep in the picture made him feel more secure...?)

And this is Baby with his sweet teachers Ms. Gloria and Ms. Renee. Little Middle was in their class last year, and he ADORES them. He, too, has been an encouraging big brother. I am so excited that my little one is with these ladies!

The boys are off to a great start! It's good to be back!

First Grade...Finally

First grade got off to a great start last week! Goliath has learned that God cares about first graders, as Mommy's prayers were answered for a great teacher and special friends in his class. He was thrilled to find out that his best buddy Chandler is in his class! We're struggling a little bit with getting up early, but so far so good......it's gonna be a great year!

Some first day photos:

Ready to go

A little nervous........

Settled in......and doesn't need his mom!