Lucile McCall July 14th and 15th

Here they are finally! Pics of us visiting Dave's Grandma in Goodland, KS back in the middle of July. It was so nice to be able to go visit her! The last time we got to see her I think was when Carter was a baby about two years ago when Mel brought his Mom out here to stay for a visit. She was recently put into an assited living home at the beginning of the summer for health reasons. I was a little apprehensive about going there because of my experience going to one in the Springs a couple times growing up, that one just felt like a hospital. So I was very pleasantly surprised when we got to visit Lucile! She has a very nice room all to herself with a little fridge, sink and microwave as well as a bathroom and some of her very own furniture, even her own t.v. She also has lots of pictures of her family and friends which we helped to add to. A couple of pictures we took the first day of our visit we went and developed them, enlarged them and put them in two frames for her. We really enjoyed our visit with her and I'm especially pleased that when the boys see the pictures we took that they even remember going to see Great Grandma! Carter was just telling me a few minutes ago when I first put these pics up to post who everyone is including Lucile! He said, "There's you, me, Daddy and Brendan with Great Grandma!" Hopefully we'll get to see her again soon, much sooner than two years. She's going to be 90 this November, so even though she is now in assisted living she seems to be doing fairly well! Thanks again Mel and Joyce for helping us to be able to go see her! Sorry it took me so long to post them.

Bestest Day Ever!

I decided to wait a few days to tell you all how Kindergarten started for Brendan. That way if anything exciting happened on day 2 or 3 I could just write it all at the same time. The first day was great for him, he was so excited! He went in with a smile and came out with one. What more could a parent ask for? Nothing in this case, nothing! :)

Well, when Carter and I picked Brendan up on Friday, he revealed to me that Friday was the bestest day ever of Kindergarten. When I asked him why, he told me that the 2nd day he was a little nervous and somehow the 3rd ended up being much better. I'm not sure why and even now he says, 'I don't know'. Oh well, I'm sure he'll get better at explaining these things as he gets older. Mostly what they did their first few days was listen to the teacher read, learned a new song, danced, played outside and got to know their classmates. And he has a folder he brings home every Friday with paper stuff for us and returns it on Monday. I probably spent at least a good ten minutes or so trying to figure out the symbols for the PSD school schedule so I could know when vacations are and parent/teacher conferences and in-service days that the kids don't have to go! I'm sure once the year gets going we'll get the hang of it too and I'll forget I was even confused about it in the first place.

So all in all, he had a great start to his elementary education and we get to go this Thursday to Back to School Night. The PTA provides childcare for the kids so we can go to his classroom to hear from his teacher about the curriculum and what the kids will be learning this year as well as ask any questions we may have. This is such an exciting time for all of us! Dave and I are even looking forward to Thursday. :)

Our Excited Kindergartener and Wannabe!

Well Brendan is now officially a Kindergartener at O'Dea Elementary School! He was so excited that yesterday at the school picnic and walking to school he kept chanting, "I'm gonna like school, I like school!" It was definitely much easier for him than it was for us, even Carter (the wannabe kindergartener) had a little hard time understanding why he couldn't stay with brother to play because they both went to preschool together last year. Just driving on the way to school I felt like crying, thankfully I held off for his sake but I was probably very clearly teary eyed. They let the parents stay for a story before we had to tell our kids bye one last time. It's called The Kissing Hand and is a very heartwarming book for parents and kids starting school!

I am finding it hard to concentrate right now and get some things done before we have to go pick him up again and constantly am chanting in my own head what time I need to pick him up so I don't forget, also the fact he will be 5 days a week now instead of 2! But I know we'll get used to it quick, I'm just used to the schedule for preschool and now need to adjust to his new school schedule. I am also so excited to find out what he did today and how he liked it and what friends he will make! I think he'll do great. He was practicing his name yesterday so he could get used to putting his B in uppercase and all the rest of his name in lowercase and that was just getting him even more excited!


Walking to school from where we parked, sometimes we'll actually walk from home and the days Carter has preschool we'll drive him.


In front of his classroom door and the school in a shadier spot


B in front of his cubbie


B at his desk! Carter took the one of him smiling


Then here's our little wannabe which Brendan took a picture of.

Carter and I will be leaving here in a bit to pick Brendan up and we'll post again to let you know any pertinent first day information I can get from our new Kindergartener!