First Day of School

Wow!  I've been in my quiet house about ten minutes, and it feels pretty weird.  I kind of want to cry, but I've held it in so far.  I don't know that I'm necessarily sad that it's both Corben & Cianne's first day of school, but I've just got all these jumbled emotions and thoughts that I don't know what to do with.

First of all, here's a pic of the cuties; just look at the excitement on Corben's face:

I don't feel like I had a lot of idealistic expectations for our first day.  I just wanted it to be pretty simple, but things never go quite as planned.  Cianne got mad that I wouldn't let her fix her own hair.  Corben started throwing a fit when he had to go back upstairs to brush his teeth and put on his socks and shoes.  I'm not quite sure why that triggered tears, other than that was just his way of dealing with a major change.  (He inherited this lovely aversion to anything new from his dad; to Corben's advantage, his daddy is very understanding in such situations.)  Of course, breakfast didn't suit either child.  All they ended up eating before leaving for school was blueberries and bananas--probably not going to last them long, but at least it was fruit.

I have to say I was pretty disappointed with our school this morning.  I pulled up ready to let the kids hop out of the car to be shown to the appropriate places since I was under the impression that's what the teachers preferred.  However, as they hopped out, no one even spoke to them, until they realize that I'm waiting there and backing up the drop off line.  I finally decide that I'm going to have to park, and Ben and I are going to have to get them to the right place before the safety patrol sent them to the playground where 2nd-5th graders are supposed to go.  Ben helps Cianne finds the Pre-K bench,  and she sits excitedly with her class. We end up having to walk Corben through the building to where Kindergarteners are supposed to go.  I'm not sure if they just assume that most of the Kindergarten kids have done Pre-K and are familiar with the building or what, but this is our first time, folks.  I guess the important thing is they both made it to their classes before the tardy bell.  I'm sure everyone who passed us rolled their eyes at the obvious "newbies."  The one teacher that spoke to us assured us that tomorrow would be much better.  I hope so.

Before they left, Ben and I did get a chance to sit down with them and pray about their first day of school.  My mom always sat down with us the first day to give us a Scripture and a prayer to start the new year.  This year we read Proverbs 9:10 with our kids.  We explained to them that they would learn a lot of great things in school this year, but more important than reading, writing, math, science...anything is that they learn to love and respect God.  That's the wisdom that outlasts and outshines anything else.    I'm so proud of who they are already and hope they have a great year.

Now what to do with myself for a couple hours...preferably something to numb all these weird feelings...laundry, chocolate (a little early in the morning), nail polish change, vacuuming, ice cream (I am eight months preggo in August)...on second thought, I think I'll go hit my knees...again.

Summer Travels - Part II

Sorry for the absence, but life is full and good.  I thought I'd pick up with trip #2 for the summer.  Perhaps there is a more specific reason I've delayed posting on my blog.  Kind of like when I knew I had to address the fact that I was pregnant, I must now address the affect that I am 30.  June 27 was the big day.  Never thought I'd be pregnant and turning 30!  Having a summer birthday, I was always one of the babies in my school class.  I married someone a few years old than I am, and I think I always secretly relished my "younger" status (I know, it's ridiculous).  I started telling Ben over a year ago that I was going to do something fun for my thirtieth.  More specifically, I was going somewhere, and as much as I love him, he probably would not be invited.  Haha!  So all my 30th-birthday dreams came true in New Mexico.

Three fabulous friends, shopping, hours at an outdoor mountain spa, delicious food (this baby loves green chiles!), movies, walking...so many of my favorite things.  Take a few minutes to travel there with me in your mind...

On our way...lots of potty and coffee stops...and the Cadillac Ranch.

One observer's take on this attraction (be sure to read this in your best west Texas accent with as little emotion as possible), "Well, this is the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

Tonya's amazing house--Thanks for hosting your Okie friends!

We went to a Salsa Under the Stars concert outdoors at the art museum.  They even made the four of us do a salsa lesson down front before the concert...awkward but funny.

Ten Thousand Waves spa...I know I look pretty gross here, but I'm so relaxed that I don't even care!

Gourmet dinner at our Santa Fe hotel...still very sleepy and relaxed from the spa.  

And the eating continues...fabulous breakfast at Pasqual's.  I could not get enough of the green chiles they put on everything in New Mexico, especially with eggs.  Before pregnancy, I couldn't even eat eggs; now I can get enough of them!

Why start counting calories now?  My introduction to Five Guys burgers...

We did a little shopping.

It was awesome! Happy 30th to me!

Summer Travels - Part I

I've had two great trips so far this summer.  First, Ben and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary a little early, since we'll have a three-month-old when our anniversary actually rolls around in January.  We spent a week in Bermuda.  The beach and water were gorgeous.  All I wanted to do was sit on the beach and alternate sleeping and reading all day.  It was fabulous!  Ben likes to see sights, so I did cover my swimsuit  a couple of times in order to visit a couple towns and famous sights around the island.  But then it was straight back to the sand for me.  I read six books in seven days.  I didn't even have to leave the beach for food...a dream come true!

With my pregnancy body image issues, this is the most you'll see of me on the beach. :)

My true love and his classic crooked grin...

Air Show

Until this weekend, my kids primarily associated Ben's workplace with flu shots.  Cianne's had no desire to visit Daddy's work since we got our free vaccinations on base earlier this year (another really embarrassing moment as a mom--think lots of screaming in a mostly empty movie theatre).  But Saturday the whole family went to Tinker for the Star Spangled Salute Air Show.  We went for a few hours and got to see a few of the aerial displays, including the awesome Thunderbirds.  The kids loved it!  I cannot describe how hot it was though.  We bumped into our new friend Christy, and she gave us a first-hand tour of her E-6 Navy plane.  We now have a great new set of memories for Daddy's work.  Of course, I got there without my camera (I know...I'm a disgrace to bloggers everywhere), but thanks to the iPhone I did get a few pics of my sweet family.

Pride Cometh Before a Fall

So last week, I decided that I should be grateful that with a ponytail and tank top I can still be mistaken for under 20.  Only two days later, I was brought back to reality.  We had a funeral for my great uncle last week in Wagoner, OK.  As I got out of my car at the cemetery, an older man walked up to me and sadly greeted me.  I didn't recognize him, but that's not uncommon at large gatherings of extended family.  He then asked, "How are you doing, Jolynn?"  I told him I was actually Sada, Jolynn's oldest daughter, and he looked like he had just seen a ghost (maybe also heightened by the fact we're at a cemetery).  He stared at me with wide eyes and just said, "No..."  I assured him that yes, I am not my 50-something mother, but I am her not-yet-thirty-year-old daughter.  He slowly processes the information and followed with, "Then I don't know you."  Awkward...

If I had a dollar for every time I heard "You look just like your mother," my husband could retire.  Good thing I like her...A LOT.

I suppose I should be flattered

Edmond has an awesome public library.  As long as I can remember, they've had a summer reading program to encourage kids to read.  I've always been a book nerd (emphasis on the word "nerd").  When I was a kid, I would max out the number of books you could check out at a time--we're talking like 30 books every two weeks!  I would read, swim, and then read some more all summer long.  Then when I was a teenager, I volunteered at the library for the summer program.

So I was feeling a little nostalgic as I approached the table to sign up my own to kids this week.  I'm standing in the children's line with my four- and five-year olds in tow, when the kid running the teenage sign-up line waves me over to his side.  I think, "Oh, good he's going to help us over there so we don't have to keep waiting."  But no!  He thinks I'm there to sign up myself.  When he realized that I wasn't there for me, he hollered at a fellow volunteer to help us sort out which card we needed to fill out for C & C, and then she comes over and hands me a teen card too!  I know that should be flattering, but I find it more on the ridiculous side that I'm days away from my 30th birthday, pregnant, dragging around two preschoolers at the library, and they both think I'm still a nerdy teenage reader.  I just had to laugh.

My First Apple Pie

What a fun weekend!  We had so much fun with family and friends.  I described it all to my sister as "happy chaos."  I attempted to bake my first ever apple pie for our Q Group cookout Sunday night.  Why do I always try new recipes when entertaining?  The funny thing is it makes my husband more nervous than it makes me.  My friends made me feel so good about how yummy it looked.  It wasn't the best-tasting apple pie I've ever eaten, but that didn't stop me.  :)  Here's the proof: