20 Years gone by

I went to my 20 year class reunoin this past weekend. How fun. Its been 10 years since I saw most of these people. We opened our predictions that we filled out at the 10 year, for where we would be at the 20 year reunion. Mine was as follows:

Happily married with 3 kids. Check. How funny since I didn't have any kids at the 10 year.

Not working - homemaker. Check check.

Living in NYS. Check check check. We lived in Michigan at the time. See this proves that I always hoped we'd make it back. It just took a little longer and more moves than I ever imagined.

And lastly, happy. Quadruple check. My life is good. Despite the small crappy stuff. Like the fact that my computer crashed on the same weekend Andys car overheated. Now I'm spending my morning at the library using the computers with all the townfolks. And crap, my 30 minutes is almost up.

Got to run. Can't wait to see what the next 10 years has in store for me. I'll have to work on my predictions!

Say cheese

It was picture day at school today for the girls. And picture day at school means picture day at home, for me.

I'm trying to let go a little. And everyone knows, thats not an easy thing for me to do. Its all about baby steps. I decided to let them all pick out their own clothes for picture day. I could only overrule if the outfit was absolutely hideous. I won't name names but I had to overrule one outfit and the next outfit was much better. I should have taken a picture of the first outfit.

The true question is what will they look like when they actually get around to taking the picture. Libby should be early in the morning. Abby, on the other hand, was after lunch and recess last year so I'm thinking its even later this year. She has the least "mess-able" hair so we might be safe.

Hope you enjoy these pictures. When the real ones come back, we'll see if we enjoy those too!

College

I don't know what started this conversation in the back of the van on the way home from religious ed class tonight. It just shows how different my three girls are.

Libby says, "Do you have to do work in college?" I respond yes. "Oh darn, I don't want to go to college then. I don't like to do work. Its too hard." She has no idea how much fun college can really be.

Then Abby chimes in, "But the best part is you get to wear your friends clothes whenever you want." Leave it to Abby to bring in the friends. She will just love college.

And Maddy adds, "And you get to stay up as late as you want, whenever you want. Even like one o'clock in the morning. But if you forget to say goodnight to your parents on the phone, you can go get on a bus, go home, ring the doorbell, go in, say goodnight, and get back on the bus to go back to college." I can only hope she misses me enough to want to get on a bus to come say goodnight.

All this in a 10 minute drive. I can't even tell them that they have no idea what they are in for. And I don't even want to think about it. Maybe they'll be different from me. I can only hope!

Fall is in the air

You can feel it in the air. Fall is here. Which can only mean one thing..time to hit the apple orchards. Saturday was the perfect day to do that. And now apple orchards don't just mean pick apples. We managed to hit the petting zoo, bouncy house, giant slide, corn maze, hayride, and rounding up the finish with actually picking apples.

Here's a test for you..can you find the lost kids in the picture below?

They weren't actually lost but that is a giant corn maze. I'm thinking that I need one of those in the backyard. It could keep the kids occupied for hours, even days maybe.

The girls loved the apples. Which turned into my first apple pie of the season today. And I have to admit, it sure did taste good!

Love

Now that the girls are in school, I find myself with less to say. After all, I talk to myself all day long. But I didn't want to go blogless so I thought I would just mention a quote I ran across while reading a book.

"Love means you can never be apart."

What a great thought. Its what keeps our family and marriage together even when we're not together. But recently, it means that the girls can know that I am always here even when they are at school. And more importantly, that I know they are in my heart even when they are at school. Libby and I still have a routine in the morning. Ever since reading The Kissing Heart, I kiss her hand every morning and she mine. It makes her smile but I think it makes me smile even more. She is so adorable and truly believes that one kiss stays with her all day.

I don't know who is taking this separation harder. I can't even imagine the kiss goodbye when they head off to college, or move out, or get married. There's a thought..my three girls getting married. Who's going to be their king?

What am I doing?

Or should I say, "What did you do all day?" I've never heard that before....

I just finished day three kidless. And I have to admit, I look back right before the kids get off the bus and think, what did I do? I told Andy, I have an adjustment period before I can jump right into the list of things to do while the kids are away. He gratefully told me that I do deserve a one hour lunch..how nice!

I wonder how long it will take me to finish my never-ending list, in no particular order:

Clean out the entire basement (okay, impossible - we've moved five times in the last 10 years..do you know how much stuff we have accumulated?)

Clean out the garage so we can park in there before the snow comes (I did finally put away the slip and slide and giant water slide today)

Stop drinking during the day

Stop stalking the playground

Avoid the windows because I know no one else is home on the street

Organize and create photo albums (Libby is turning five and I haven't even started an album so I'm at least five years behind)

Exercise (I did run the last three days..beyond to the mailbox)

Laundry and cleaning (that will never go away - I question whether I should have gotten the lasik surgery. Now I can't say that I don't see the dirt and dust)

and finally...stop make more lists to do on my great little pad of today, tomorrow and someday!

Tomorrow is another day.

Second verse same as the first

The second morning of school was just as good as the first. Smiles, giggles, on time. But a little less chaotic. So, of course, I thought I would snap a couple of pictures.. This time actually seeing Libby get on the bus (yesterday she was too small in front of Abby) - and look theres my shadow taking the picture. One boy asked, "You're taking pictures again?" Get used to it - its only the second day. This could go on for a while.

I just hope they all come home as happy and excited as they did yesterday. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

The only question left..will I swing by the playground around recess time again today? Only time will tell. Maybe Andy is right, I do need a job!

This isn't the end, its just starting

And I quote, "Renee, this isn't the end, its just starting." Andy must be referring to all the fun we are going to have as they are grow up. Or maybe he was just trying to cheer me up. My babies are all grown up and in school. Today was the day.

Five years ago, Abby started kindergarten in Michigan and I thought that was hard. I didn't have any time to myself to think about it since Maddy was 3 years old and Libby was not even a year old. They kept me busy enough. Now my first born is in 4th grade.

Then two years ago, Maddy followed in her sisters footsteps and marched (or climbed) onto the bus in Massachusetts. She was going to do anything her sister did. Now she's moving on up to 2nd grade.

And now its Libbys turn. I can't believe its her turn. Who's going to keep me company? Who am I going to eat lunch with? And she thought only she had those thoughts running through her head. She told me I would be okay, and I will. And she will too.

My girls make me so proud. Andy and I must be doing something right because these girls are remarkable. And its just the beginning.

Like any good mother, I have to run. Recess on the playground starts at 12:10 and if I leave now I can spy on her. I just have one question, will you post my bail if I am arrested for hanging around the school playground?

** I'm hoping to have another slideshow to the right of back to school pictures in a few days so check back! I have the time on my hands to do it.

Did I ever mention I was French?

My parents went to Paris this Spring and brought back some berets for all of the grandchildren. Here are my girls sporting their French look...tres chic. Libby says "Bonjour" - thats all she knows. But she knows how to say hello, also in Spanish, Japanese, Hawaiian, and English. We like be multi-lingual in the King house!