2015

A lot of my FB feed today is about the end of 2015. There are reflections, fond (and not so fond) farewells, and hopes for the new year. It feels a little...off...odd? I don't know. It feels strange to not be doing the same thing, and yet, I don't want to.

I think more than anything, I am somewhat leery of the new year. 2015 has not been all that bad to us, so I don't exactly wish it to end. The lows haven't been too low. The highs have been relatively frequent. I have been less stressed, less overwhelmed. I kind of like that it was quiet and generally non-eventful.

While the year itself isn't necessarily the reason behind the calm, I don't have the desire to go changing things...you know, in case.

Sigh.

Ahead we must go, however, like it or not.

So bring on 2016. I'll cautiously step aside and let you do your thing.

I'd appreciate it if you'd be nice while you do it.

It's Been A While!

It's been a while. I hate it when I let the time go too long between posting.

Things here are in their usual crazy state, but not alarmingly so. This is, of course, overwhelming (because when is life not) and underwhelming (crisis free is so...CRISIS FREE! A girl could get used to this!) all at the same time.

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In a little over two weeks from now, the big boys turn eight. I could go on and on about how this blows my mind, but I think we all feel that about our kids. :) While this time of year is usually a minefield because of the events surrounding their birth, I had thought I was doing well this time. I remembered but didn't dwell on everything, and frankly, I was feeling pretty good about how I was handling things. Then FB reminded me that this is the date that my water broke eight years ago, and Bam! It all came back.

Sigh.

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The big boys are in second grade this year, and things are going very well. I got to the point of regularly pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming, it was going that well.

Two weeks ago brought the first issue - a big one, actually, that brought my mama bear out in full force. Just as that was resolved a new, equally significant issue was discovered. The second issue is resolved for the time being, but the whole thing has left a sour taste in my mouth.

~~~

We have started the process of refinancing our home loan. We will consolidate the second loan we got to pay for baby making while we're at it. I am wildly excited about the whole thing, as it will save us quite a bit each month. Yay.

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I have been blessed with a student teacher this semester. It took us a bit to click, but at this point I'm feeling really good about having her in the classroom. (Now, remind me of this when I give over "full control" in a few weeks. That will be the hard part for me!) It's exciting to be a part of a new teacher's journey to their own classroom. :)

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In July we put out a few milkweed plants in the hopes that we'd be able to "raise" some monarch butterflies. I can't tell you how much fun it has been to watch the monarch cycle. We have the whole shebang going on right now - eggs, caterpillars, and even chrysalises. We've had caterpillars eat several plants down to the stems, and we've bought just as many new plants to feed our caterpillars while the other plants regrow. There are monarch butterflies that will come to our plants even when we are right there.

I love how calming it has been for all of us. Each day we head out to check on our caterpillars. We find the new eggs that have been laid. We search for the caterpillars who have left, sometimes finding their chrysalises, and sometimes not. The boys often go over on their own and talk to them. Fun!

We love it all so much that we got my mom her own milkweed plants for her birthday. She's now just as hooked as us. lol.

~~~

I don't know if anyone is still around any more. I hope so. I'd love a wave if you get the chance. :)

#MicroBlog Monday - The Same But Oh So Different

The school is the same. The aide is the same. The kid is the same aside from some minor maturation ten weeks can give a 7 year old.

The teacher is new. The class is much more challenging. The expectations are so much higher they aren't even really on the same continuum.

And yet, the experience is oh, so different.

If you would have listened to the teacher from last year, he should be falling apart, not thriving. She made it clear she thought I was delusional by suggesting he was bright. (I can't tell you the pleasure I get from knowing this must be annoying as hell to her.)

If you would have listened to the teacher from last year, the picture painted of my boy would leave you thinking there was little hope.

I fought back. A lot.

Thankfully, someone who could make decisions had listened. And we were blessed with another amazing teacher.

One who pushes. Expects. And more importantly, one who cares.

It has made all the difference.

Everything has changed.

I've always known that teachers can make or break the experience for a child, but now I know. Living it made me feel it in a way I never had before.

Go to Mel's for more #MicroBlog Monday posts.

The Eve of the New School Year

Can you believe it is already that time again? Summer is over.

The boys start the new adventure of second grade tomorrow. Clothes are picked out. Lunches are waiting in the fridge. Backpacks are filled with supplies. The sign is ready to capture their first day excitement and looks...

But we're not ready.

We are not ready to go back to school and schedules and early bedtimes and homework.

We are definitely NOT ready for our summer to end.

I'm not going to lie. There was a little bit (or a lot) of sad mixed in with the excitement as the boys headed off to bed.

We're not ready because we've thoroughly enjoyed this summer.

While we've done quite a few things this summer, in reality, our summer has been fairly unstructured and relaxing -- something I think we all really needed, something we're not ready to give up.

So yes, we are going to really miss the summer.

We learned today that the boys will have our desired teacher next year. She is upbeat, energetic, and caring, exactly what you'd expect an elementary teacher to be and the complete opposite of what we had last year.

Please let this be a better experience this year. (I don't think it could get much worse.) Fingers crossed!

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

He can't quite figure out how to do it without trying to drown himself.

Man, I love this kid!

#Microblog Monday - Car Trouble

After I had the boys, I searched and searched for a car that would be roomy enough for us as a family but was still comfortable to drive. When I found the SUV I currently drive, I knew right away that it was the car I wanted.

It drives like a car, yet it has got the room of a larger vehicle. It is higher so I can see over the other cars around me. It has heated seats and individualized temp control for the passengers. I love my car.

With Is,aac doing more and more with the boys (school drop off and pick up among other stuff), he is driving my car more often, which leaves me with his car. There were even a few weeks there toward the end of the school year when I had not driven my car at all. Sigh.

I hate driving his car. It is low to the ground, which gives me the feeling of riding in a low rider. I can never get the seat to adjust right (and I do try not to move stuff too much because it is his car), so I am always uncomfortable. I also hate not being able to see what is happening on the road ahead of me.

I suppose it makes me a spoiled brat to get this frustrated over not getting to drive the car I want. I do try to be understanding to a point, but I can't quite get over the feeling that he is getting the best of both worlds here. In fact, if our financial situation was better, I'd have him go find his own car to drive that would accommodate all three of the boys and their car seats, too, so we could avoid car sharing all together.

Is.aac says he doesn't get what my problem is. It's just a car. And it is...but it's not.

What do you think? Would being forced to drive another car in this type of situation bug you, too?

Stop by Mel's for more #MicroBlog Monday posts.

#Microblog Monday

On Friday, we got our first official notice from the boys' school about next year. I opened it, glanced through it, and quickly put it aside. I am not ready for school notices already. Then this weekend, I saw the first advertisement for a back to school sale. I imagine if I actually looked, I would find the aisles in the store dedicated to school complete with signs happily declaring it the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

In this area, we have only been out of school for 18 days. Some schools perhaps a week longer. Still, no one goes back until the end of August.

Why is it almost unthinkable to sit back and enjoy the moment? Why must we rush to the next milestone on the calendar? What is the hurry?

Sigh.

18 days into summer and I have read (gasp!) two books already--definitely not as many as I'd like but a luxury nonetheless. It's glorious I have to admit.

The boys have declared their boredom and then moved off to find something else to do.

We've started working on the backyard. We have cleared an area for a large inflatable pool. We've started working on a garden box for planting some veggies.

I don't want to rush onto the next big date.

I don't want to think about the end of summer.

I want to relax and every moment of the time we've been given.

In fact, I'm planning on doing just that!

Stop by Mel's for more #Microblog Monday posts.