First day of school!!!

The 23^rd of August came pretty quick. During the couple weeks we were back and before school started, we hung out with friends, enjoyed the sun and moved Reggie in to the “office”. It was a mellow couple weeks, but went way too fast.

The week before school started, we found out who Reggie’s teacher was. To my surprise, it was one of the Kindergarten teachers from last year. She is teaching the combo class (1/2 1^st graders, 1/2 kindergarteners). I was a bit surprised and a little disappointed that he would be in the same place (there is a separate building/play structure for the kinders). Reggie was super excited because he knew the teacher and would be in the same classroom setting (he is very reserved in new settings, so we got to skip those nervous feelings this year!). This option had never even crossed my mind, but, once I started thinking about it, I realized it will be a really good thing. The kinders go home half-way through the day, so he has only 12 children in his class for part of the day! He has absolutely loved it so far and has ventured out to the big playground to find his friends on recess and at lunch. For me, it has been a little adjustment. Last year, we were overloaded with information and this year, we don’t get much, just drop the kids and go. I'll be volunteering in his class this year, so I'll get to see how it all works :o). Reggie’s friends are scattered in other classes, so it is more difficult to hang out and visit with mom’s, but we are figuring it out.

We’ve been exploring with lunches…today, I sent teriyaki chicken and rice. Those thermos’s really keep things warm. I made a deal with him that if he eats his vegetable, he can have a small treat and so far, he's mostly been eating them after school. I don’t think his friends will be wanting to steal his lunch anytime soon….they probably wonder why he is eating a spinach salad with croutons! It is always interesting to see what is left at the end of the day. He is a good eater :o).

There are 2 boys in his class from last year and they have an interesting dynamic, so we are learning about bullying and how to pick your friends wisely. Some of the conversations we are having seem crazy for 1^st grade, but Reggie is doing the right thing and being more confident in standing up for what is right. Reggie asked if we could call one of the boys mother’s to explain something that had happened in the classroom, so we did and she was very appreciative.

We haven’t been doing much extra activites because we’re still trying to get into a routine, but we’ve had fun biking to school and playing with friends on the playground after school (except the the several days that were over 100 degrees!).

The 12 first graders:

Ainsley and I have been very productive while Reggie is at school. We’ve been grocery shopping several days, thrift store shopping, cleaning, doing laundry, etc. Ainsley is very good about playing by herself, so I’ve been able to get caught up on a lot of stuff (she is having a tea party as I write). We did take one day last week to do something fun and it about killed me. We went to pump it up and I was her friend, so I ran around with her for an hour and 15 minutes! I finally had to ask her if she was getting tired or hungry, but her response was no!!! We went down one more big slide and she decided she was hungry :o). It will be nice to have some time with her to work on letters and play babies.

Ainsley started school on Sept. 8th and is having a bit of an adjustment period. I think she has a bit of social anxiety. I’ve been noticing it more and more, starting at her birthday party, now church, gymnastics and school. It is pretty obvious she’s nervous because she puts her hands together under her chin. As time goes on, she relaxes, so I’m hoping this is just a phase. Reggie was very similar, if not worse and he is much different now. I just don’t understand how both of them are like this. I’ve asked myself if it is something I am doing and her teacher assured me that they are the way they are, but it is hard to watch her struggle :o(. Time will tell….I’ve seen just how far kids can go in just one year :o).

Signing in:

We just started homework this week and so far both kids love it! I have several workbooks that I was hoping to use someday and I’m finally using them! It is a bit tricky for me to work with both of them, especially keeping Reggie on track because he loves to “help” Ainsley. She is doing great with her writing and starting to learn letters/sounds. If we keep this up all year, she’ll be reading by Kindergarten! Reggie has already noticed an improvement in his reading and that is giving him a desire to read more!!!!! Cross your fingers that this lasts more than a week......

Last summer post-Visits with friends/family

We sure made the rounds again this year! Reggie had a few playdates with his pals Kellen and Abby. We did the Boeing tour this summer and learned lots about the history of Boeing and how airplanes are made today. I can’t wait to fly overseas in one of their new planes. They sound so cool...changing the inside of the plane to look like night/day to get you acclimated to the time zone you are traveling to and having pods to sleep in (although I'd never be able to afford this). CRAZY! Reggie’s favorite part was feeling the airplane and going in the cockpit.

We also had a couple visits with grandma Pam. She came to the lake for the day and played with the kids and we tasted some nice focacia bread my mom whipped up :o). Reggie wants me to make it, but it is a little too involved for me. We also headed to Issaquah for a visit at her house. The kids love to check on the chickens and run in her yard. We celebrated Ainsley’s birthday a little early with cupcakes and presents!

I got to visit a few of my friends this year too! Jill, my college friend, and I have been trying to get together for a couple years! It was a great visit and fun to see Peyton (who is now almost 3!) and the girls. Peyton was 24 weeks old when she was born and is a bit of a miracle and it is amazing to see her now, perfectly healthy and just beautiful. Jill and Ryan are such a fun couple and it is too bad we can't see them more often. Hopefully, Ryan can join me next time. He was able to join me when we visited Jane and Mark. We headed there after working on our house in Kirkland and had a nice time seeing the girls and having a drink. Lilly was a bit disappointed we didn’t bring anyone for her to play with! There’s always next year :o). I also got to see my friend Trina, who was back visiting family in Bellingham. They moved to China a year ago and God brought us together by a fluke, but He has really used each of us to minister to each other. It was really great to hear face to face all the wonderful things they are doing in China for God’s glory :o).

We had a nice BBQ with Ryan's family for his birthday. Holly has 3 dogs, so Ainsley was glued to us and I’m not sure if she even spoke a word the entire time! She saved it up and chatted all the way home! Grandma Gloria brought her little dog and Ainsley has been talking about her ever since :o). It was also fun to watch Jamie on Komo 4 T.V. She was in a Powderpuff football game to raise funds for kids and she threw a touchdown pass! Unfortunately, we missed Kim/Shane, Danny/Jeanne and the cousins, so we’ll have to catch up with them at Christmas.

We had a surprise visit with Grandpa Geno and he looked great! Ainsley had an allergic reaction to a bug bite, so I took her in and decided to stop by and see Grandpa. Somehow, he knows more about what goes on in the family than anyone! I got all caught up and had a few candies too :o). Ainsley was very patient, so she got a few candies too. She has asked a few times to go back to visit Grandpa Geno and try some more chocolate candies:o).

We finished the summer with Ainsley’s birthday party! We saw many of the friends and family that were at the 4^th; Jim/Ruth, Lacey and kids, Jenisa, Aunt Jana, Aunt Sue/Uncle Rich, Cathy, Michael, Kellen, Laura and the crew and the Rhinehardt’s of course :o). We had a fun time and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the loft, where all of our childhood toys are, as well as some new ones. It looked like a tornado ripped through. Big thank you to Laura and Lacey for helping navigate that clean-up effort!. It was our first rainy party for Ainsley…luckily mom and dad’s new kitchen and dining room accommodated the large crown very nicely. We had a nice BBQ and an awesome cake. Thank you Aunt Sue for making such a lovely Barbie cake for Ainsley…..it was amazing!

Welcome baby Rowan!!! We got to meet baby Rowan on our drive back to California. We stopped in Vancouver for lunch and had a great time seeing, Kirsten, Ben, Uncle Al and Elizabeth.

The summer seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye! I’m glad we got to see as many friends and family as we did :o). A big thank you to mom and dad, who put up with us all summer!

More Summer Fun-A picture is worth a thousand words!

All dolled up:
Grandpa and Reggie (and Kona the cat) enjoying the morning, pondering life:

The art of applying chapstick:

Finally, Reggie holding Spencer!

Loving the nice warm sand:

Floating with Grandma

My swim co-pilot...grandpa did much better this year, staying where I could see him. Only had one close call with a pit bull chasing me, but I don't think he could keep up-I think the kids were pretty worried, especially Ainsley.

Party boat :o)

Had to get a picture of this...the house under the stairs. All 3 cousins would try to cram in and play house with dolls/babies or whatever they felt like taking out of the loft:

Spencer...you are missing all the fun!

Jaunt in the woods:

Such decisions...who should pull who?

Working quickly to make a pool in the sand:

Grandma's work picnic. This was talked about all summer and we had to wait until the very end of our trip to enjoy the face painting, bounce houses, pony rides, kid games and food. Poor dad, I talked him into going this year and he ate something bad and was throwing up that evening. Thankfully, no one else got sick (maybe he just ate too much-it was free!).

Ryan and Reggie did the 3 legged race which was pretty comical. I somehow deleted the pic :o(.

Pooped after the carnival.

The evening ritual....show time. Everyone was enjoying Charlotte's Web :o).

Building a volcano. Reggie did this over and over all summer. One time, something went a little haywire and the stuff was blowing out 5 feet into the air. He was loving it!

Watching the bears at the Woodland Park Zoo. This is always my favorite and we got lucky again and we got to watch them swim. It came right up to the glass and Ainsley smartly backed away.

Grandma Peggy took the kids for a couple outings, once to the children’s art festival in Mt. Vernon and another to Friday Harbor. They did some art projects at the art festival and Reggie colored a top that he played with all summer. They went to their favorite place for dinner, McDonald’s! When I picked them up, Ainsley told me she had ice cream for dinner :o). My camera was broken, so no pics :o(

Ferry Ride. Both the kids thoroughly enjoyed the ferry. Reggie told Grandma Peggy that he wanted to live on the boat! Ainsley loved to watch the water crashing off of the boat while they were moving and Reggie enjoyed watching the ferry dock. Of course, they came home with all kinds of goodies and were stuffed from treats. It was good for them to spend the entire day with Grandma and enjoy seeing a new part of Washington.

Raspberry picking. They didn't like these berries as much as the tiny ones at the lake:

Nothing seemed to be off limits this summer. The kids were into everything and Ainsley found grandma's nightgown and decided to put it on.

Helping grandma make a pie crust. We enjoyed the best berry pie!

Buried Reggie. It is a good thing Maggie is strong!

Entertaining each other:

Passed out at Aunt Liha's. We wore Ainsley out this summer.

Slipping and sliding at Aunt Liha and Uncle Wade's:

Paddleboarding at the lake. This is a pretty good work-out and so peaceful :o). I did take a spill once due to gigantic waves...

Just finished some sweet treat:

Rough having Spencer duty:

Uncle Wade entertaining the kiddos:

Critters at the lake! The kids have seen more wildlife inside the house than outside, thanks to the hunters, Maui and Kona. They didn't do a very good job of killing and eating, although Kona loved to eat her kill in our room. Animals we saw in the house include: rabbit, mouse, chipmunk (several of these), and lizard (one with just the head that was still moving....fascinating!).

This little guy was crawling around the kitchen and decided to make its way behind the fridge-notice he is missing his tail. What fun!Chipmunk on the loose in our bedroom. It was quite the comedy to catch it. We had a mouse in the house for several days and Ainsley was in the living room and said, "Mom, the mouse is here." I put a tupperware over the top and caught it. Those are the lucky ones that escape. Sometimes, we just smell the dead smell and have to track it down that way :o(.

Pump it up: