Tuesday, August 30, 2011

A!

Here is my little artist painting his letter! He is so proud to know it! (In the time I've written this, he's made three more in different colors.) I think that jealousy of Joel getting to go to school may be nearing its end, as Asher remembers how fun it is to be home alone with Mama catering to his (almost) every whim.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Friends.

I love that my boys are such good friends.

This picture is at the playground at Asher's school. It's nice and close by, and Asher is thrilled to call it his after two years of it being Joel's. Today is the last day of three staggered start days for kindergarten, so Joel starts school again tomorrow. Asher's meet-the-teacher day is next week, and it's hard for him to wait!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

First soccer game

This morning we are at Weller Park for Joel's first soccer game. It is very cute. There is a mass of 5 year old boys running up and down the field.

We felt as though we were joining a club (cult?) of crazy soccer parents as we drove in. The parking lot is jam packed with about 500 minivans, many of them hawking spots.

Joel is so excited to be playing! Look closely at the picture for his name on the number 6 uniform.

Friday, August 26, 2011

It was a good day!

As predicted, he loved it! Since I shed no tears today, I will save them for graduation.

First day of school!

First day of school!

Waiting for the bus...

We just saw the bus coming!

Here comes the bus!

First day!

Here's Joel getting on the bus! Such a big kid!

Super Chief

Joel with his fire umbrella, fire rain hat, AND fire helmet on. He is patiently playing while asking, " Is it time for school yet? Can we eat lunch now?" every 5-10 minutes. I don't think he realizes that lunch and the arrival of the school bus are not cause and effect. At least by being a fire chief now, he can have an excuse to wear his backpack (as an air tank).

I have an underlying sense of nervousness that is completely irrational. I loved kindergarten, and he is excited, and I know he is ready and is going to love it. But my stomach is mildly fluttery (with one more hour to go). I guess mothers will be mothers, beyond all sense of reason and rationality.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Kindergarten meet-the-teacher night

This is Joel in his kindergarten classroom! I asked him to go to his favorite part of the room so I could get a picture of him, and he chose "near the weather". Sweet little scientist! He is excited (and overwhelmed, I think - it was pretty chaotic in there tonight!) for Friday!

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

At the zoo

Spending this gorgeous day at the zoo!

Monday, August 08, 2011

Salad people for lunch

Today we made salad people for lunch. Here is Joel with his, an owl. As soon as he ate the first tomatoes "eye", he proclaimed it a pirate owl.

Friday, August 05, 2011

Asher fighting fires

Here is Asher (minus the phantom flesh, thank goodness) fighting the "fires" at the Sharonville Touch a Truck.

The Touch a Truck in Sharonville is our favorite one, I think. Today there was a rescue helicopter, at least 4 fire trucks, two ambulances, all manner of city vehicles (snow plow, backhoe loader, street sweeper, baseball field-smoother-outer, etc), two hazmat trucks, the Ohio Cat people (who, along with their backhoe loader brought a huge cooler filled with bottled water - they are super high on our awesome list!), 2 SWAT vehicles, the mounted division of the county parks, a few police cars and other police vehicles, a Hummer limo, the Metro bus, a school bus, 4 or 5 Air National Guard vehicles, a tow truck... I know I'm missing a few. It was huge.

The kids also came home with a giant pile of swag that I'm trying to figure out what to do with. (A wooden airplane kit, rulers, stickers, pencils, folders, coloring pages and books, new badges, and more - yikes!)

We had such a lovely time - we were there for three hours. This is the third year we've been to it, and we come away looking forward to next year!

Fighting fires at Touch a Truck

This is Joel (and my hand - sorry about that!) today at the Sharonville Touch a Truck event. The fire department has a wooden board that is cut and painted into a house, with little cut-out fires on hinges. They get out a fire hose and let the kids "fight" the hinged fires.