Eleven Years Gone By in a Flash!

Life is certainly keeping us on the move these days. Brendan has a soccer game every weekend, Aiden is in preschool two mornings a week, I'm babysitting four days a week, Wellyn is busy at work and finishing up on the garage in the evenings, Brendan is in school everyday... All good things!

Last week was soccer team photos - right after the game! Not sure how that was planned, but our hot and tired boys went straight from the game in 85 degree weather to pictures. We get the 'official' photos next week.



With teammate and best buddy Mason.


On the 16th Aiden had his first 'real' day of preschool. He was there with half of his class since they stagger the first week to give the teachers a lower ratio. He was fine until it was time for us to go... and some of the other kids were crying... and then his tears started. I was pretty confident he would be fine once the class got going and when I picked him up two hours later the first thing he said was, "You were right mom - I had fun!" (Always nice words for a mommy to hear ;)

Our traditional first morning pictures:






Last Saturday, Wellyn and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. This year one of our good friends came to watch the boys for us and we headed to St. Paul for a night out. We had a great dinner downtown at a grown-up restaurant followed by the sold out Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts concert. It has been a long time since we've been to a concert - boy are they loud! Thinking back, the last one we we've been to at an indoor arena might have been Bon Jovi - also very loud. And, no, this isn't my actual photo, but one from the same night - I wasn't quite this close!


Brendan is doing very well in first grade - it's been a long few weeks for him adjusting to going everyday, but he's been bringing home 'Golden Tickets' several days a week for being a good example to the other kids. He has also been selected to participate in a Talent Development interest unit with a focus on literature. He and the other chosen kids will be working on writing their own book. The nightly homework also started this week... an adjustment for all of us, finding the right time to get it done. We've been doing it after dinner so he has some free time when he gets home to just relax and play.

Today was yet another busy Saturday with Aiden having his preschool Sports-A-Thon followed by Brendan's soccer game. The weather truly cooperated, the rain held off, the sun came out and it was beautiful - much nicer than expected. For the Sports-A-Thon there were different 'stations' set up around the track for the kids to try out activities and get their participation cards checked off. Brendan was terribly disappointed after we arrived as he wanted to see his pre-K teachers, but they were at a training workshop. He was able to see the preschool director and a mom of one of his friends from his pre-K days so the disappointment didn't last too long.

Aiden and Wellyn showing off their hula hoop moves ;)



Good practice for both of them before heading to the soccer game.


A family long jump!

Yeah, we know, he with the longest legs wins!


He shoots! He scores! (with an assist from Daddy)


Brendan working on his moves.


Aiden very proud of his medal for completing all the activities and thrilled to have gotten a snack to go with it.


Brendan showing off this new tattoo and painted arm.


Brendans soccer team won their game again... not a big surprise since the other kids on his team are so competitive and physical. I actually feel bad for the other teams we play and for the parents because I understand their frustration at having their kids slide tackled by ours. Brendan had a good personal game and best of all, he had fun! We played against a team with two other friends on it so it was fun to see the other parents and the boys liked seeing their friends out on the field. This photo cracks me up:

Labor Day and First Days

It has been a big week around our house! First off we celebrated Labor Day weekend in the Twin Cities - one of only two times we haven't traveled to MI for the holiday. With the amount of work we've been (and still are) putting into the duplex, Brendan starting soccer again, and both boys having school and preschool open houses during that week, we decided to stay put.

I started a new 'job' last Tuesday as well. Three to four days a week I'm watching a 2 1/2 year old little boy from 10:30am-8:30pm. He fits in really well with my boys and they seem to enjoy each others company.

Last Wednesday was Brendan's open house at school. He, Wellyn and Aiden got to go meet his new teacher, see his desk and see some of the other kids in his class. Last year we missed the open house and it was very stressful for him to not really know what to expect. We had arranged a tour, but it was a few weeks before school started so I think there was too much of a time lapse between the tour and the start of school.

Thursday night was Brendan's second soccer practice for the fall. He is on a very experienced and competitive team this year. I'm so glad his best buddy Mason is on the team with him so he has someone he knows. It should be an interesting season... games start next Saturday.

Friday was one of the best days we've had in a while. Wellyn took the day off from work and we took the kids to the Minnesota State Fair. It's been five years since we were last there! The kids had a great time and so did we. The weather was sunny and hot, the food was great and there was plenty of things to see and do. Of course the highlight for the kids was all the carnival rides. What amazed me and Wellyn the most was how serious they were - absorbing every detail and making big choices about which ride to go on.

The race cars were about the first thing we saw when we entered the fair grounds and they couldn't wait to go for a spin! Poor Aiden, still just a little too short to do some of the things his brother could do. He had to be shotgun with his dad... maybe next year he'll be tall enough.



From there it was a trip down the Wild River. They ended up with wet butts and shoes ;)


Then on to one of mom's favorite stops - Sweet Martha's Cookies! Aiden enjoyed them too.


After some proto pups it was off to the Kidway!



Brendan really wanted to do this ride, and I must say, I was really worried he would get up there and freak out. Going up!

His 'scared' face.

The 'it's not so bad after all' face.


Aiden ended up on this whale ride since he was too small to do an airplane-type on - thankfully the tears didn't last too long.


A little ice cream break to cool off.


Then back to some more rides!




Some of the over 155,000 people who attended the same day we did.


A long holiday weekend spent here wouldn't be the same without us doing some type of project! This time it was continuing to work on the garage... previously started and put on hold in order to rehab the duplex. With the wires all ran, it was time to put up the insulation.


Aiden getting chance to help his dad!



This was picture-worthy since it never happens, all that is left of the insulation! Usually we end up going out to get more of something because we ran out or having a ton left over. Not so this time!


While we were working in the garage the boys played out in the sand with one of the neighbor kids. They worked/played for four hours straight out there and were bummed when I said they had to call it a day and head in.



Sunday afternoon we put up some of the drywall in the garage. Hope to have the rest up after this weekend. Monday we had a babysitter over for the morning so Wellyn and I could head to the duplex to finish some things up. We've been showing it consistently and are waiting on background checks for a few people. I painted some windows I'd previously scraped and primed while Wellyn worked on fixing some screens and patching the wall where we ran wires for a doorbell. A very productive time!

We went out that night for new school year haircuts. I know, nothing like waiting until the day before school starts (and a holiday, no less!) to get it done, but that is the way life has gone lately. Aiden charmed his way into this ladies heart - she thought he was just adorable!


Brendan was very serious about the whole thing, some before school nerves!


All done and ready to go out to dinner.



To keep in the spirit of the season, I searched the web high and low for a school-themed blog background, but couldn't seem to find what I was looking for. Except for one, and I couldn't make it work! So, I figured a fall theme was close enough ;)

And then the day that always seemed so far away came, the first day of First Grade. Brendan was pretty nervous and edgy in the morning, a result of the anticipation and stress, I'm sure. He did let us snap some photos of the big day!







We met up with one of the neighbors to walk to school and that really snapped Brendan out of his stress - it was just like old times! By the time we reached the school and lined up with his class out front he was ready to go - yeah! I always dread tears and not wanting to go. Really helped that one of his friends from kindergarten is in his class this year; also helps he's one of the nicer little boys!





This year Aiden starts preschool so it was a busy week of parent orientation one night for me and then of classroom orientation for all of us. Today half of his class of 16 kids went in with their parents to hang out, fill out papers, meet the teachers and other students and kind of get them ready for their first full morning next week. Aiden goes back and forth about wanting to go, most of the time he says he wants to stay home with me because: 1. What if there is something he wants to tell me while he's there 2. Because he will miss me 3. Because he never gets to spend time with me - okay, seriously????? Today was good since I was able to stay with him, a very good way to start if you ask me.

Walking up with his new backpack ;)



Aiden with one of his teachers... the other he's decided (before even meeting her!) he wasn't going to like... we'll see about that!