public speaking in first grade

Yesterday we were invited to Henry's classroom for the children's presentations on community helpers. Henry gave a report on police. He had nervous jitters in the morning before school, but by the afternoon at the time of his presentation he was calm and did great. I absolutely would rather do almost anything than stand up and speak in front of people, so this crowd fearing mama is very proud of my first grade boy.

"A police is important."

"A police helps you when bad guys are trying to trick you."

"They drive special cars."

 

 

"Police go to special school for police. They research on bad guys."

"We like police."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

whatever inspires

Last Friday morning felt like a worn quilt. Comforting and warm and familiar. I don't work on Fridays and William doesn't have school, so we are both home together. We walked Henry to school that morning, he in his pj's and me in stretchy knits, and then we came home and I made another cup of coffee and declared a pajama day. We both needed one and it feels like it had been so long.
Howard obliged and slept soundly on William's bed while we put together puzzles and played superheroes next door in the toy room. We laughed because we could barely see him and thought he looked like
one of Will's stuffed animals.
At one point during our lazy morning, William grabbed my camera. I told him to strap it on and take pictures of whatever inspired him.
He did:

 

I traded with him when he was loving on Howard so I could steal a few pictures of the two of them. He loves his puppy, this little boy does.

I loved seeing the world through his eyes. His eyes where tractors, super heroes and his puppy inspire him most.

Happy Monday!

Wishing you a very happy Monday!

Under the big oak tree

Yesterday Patrick came home early. He was home when William and I got home from school and had a hot lunch on the table ready for us. I am ravenous after school and loved being served! After we ate, the boys decided to do something manly and set up this tent {a borrowed treasure from our neighbor Darrell} in the backyard.

They spread a quilt out on the grass and read Bible stories together. I loved watching them "camping" out together under the oak tree in the back yard in their little fort. Patrick reminds me to slow down and be present with the boys.

one of those days

Yesterday was just one of those days. I felt like that poor little Alexander from the book {Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day}.
For starters, I was having a harried morning {aren't they all on these school days?} and chopped off my bangs on a whim. They were a mess. I made an unplanned stop at the Hair Cuttery to have them fixed for $5. But they're still jagged and "severe" as the stylist said. 

Then a certain dog decided it would be a good idea to roll in poop.
Twice. And this is the day after he ate a small nylon sock/footie. He was really zero for two yesterday.

Two baths and four towels later. He was fresh and clean again.

Henry and Patrick were off to flag football practice, so William and I rode our bikes to the park where I taught him to ride in "figure-eights" until I was dizzy. Then we played tag and raced down the slide. That nearly made up for the rest of the day, until I fell off my bike pedaling down Oakland Avenue on the sidewalk at rush hour. 

 When we came home from the park, I gave William the bubbles I found on clearance for 30 cents at the grocery store that morning {always find the silver lining!}. He blew bubbles and Howard chased them, snapping them out of the air and trying to chew them up. We laughed and kept blowing and it felt so good to let go of the rest of the day.

I definitely don't have the hang of our new schedule, or even being back in a routine. I've struggled a lot these past few weeks to keep up with things and I don't like the feeling of just barely keeping up and being swept along by a rushing current. In the midst of the busyness I've been trying to grab my camera and even spend a few minutes sitting down here at my desk. It helps me to reflect on all of the good {and not so great} stuff that's happening everyday. It helps me to feel like I'm riding in the current and not just being carried away. It helps me to slow down and recognize what's most important. Not the laundry {that will never, ever be caught up here at this house again}, the bangs {as severe as they may be}, or even oneself's pride {ahem}. But my family. My two sweet boys that I want to send to bed each night feeling loved and important. The people around us, our neighbors and friends.

 And, a clean dog.

{Inspired by Erica}

Click here to view this photo book larger

Build your own high-quality photo books at Shutterfly.com.

I was so impressed when I saw Erica's post and her beautifully put together photo book on her blog on Sunday. Putting our pictures together in a way that records our family's memories and tells the story of our every day lives together is something that both excites and haunts me. I love taking pictures and capturing little moments from our life. But I'm overwhelmed by the task of putting them together in a meaningful way in a photo book. Inspired by Erica's book and prompted by a free photo book coupon in my email inbox, I decided to throw a quick one together this afternoon before the offer expired. It's our summer, my account from my Instagram pictures.

It's not perfect; I had far more pictures than I could fit on the 20 free pages {or in the free time parameters I had this afternoon!}, so I resorted to "auto-fill" on most of the collage pages. Some of the pictures I love are small and I'd rather them be bigger and more front and center. And some are cut-off, like heads and bodies. But it's done and I can't wait to have a hard copy that my boys can hold and we can read together and retell stories and memories from our summer together.

{If you read this before midnight tonight and you want to throw one together too -- the promo code for a free 8x8 photo book is: SUMMERBOOK!}

William's first day of preschool

William started preschool two weeks ago{and just before the installation of our new front door mat, ahem, pardon the nasty front porch}. I'm so proud of him. He has been cheerful every morning while we are getting ready and always happily and confidently marches into his classroom. He smiles and says "good" when we ask him "how was school today". We have a deal worked out on the ride home from school where I tell him all of my 'scoop' and then he tells me his. So far, I've learned that they sing a weather song, take a bathroom break and once played outside and drew with sidewalk chalk.

My heart was heavy that first morning when I'd kissed him goodbye and left the building. Tears welled up before I could open the door to my car and were pooled in the rim of my sunglasses when I turned on the ignition. I wiped them and started to drive away. The silence in the car and emptiness in the backseat only caused them to erupt more and more. So I prayed that he would be courageous and brave. I prayed that he would feel loved and would feel happy. And when I picked him up, he was happy and I know he'd felt loved. I'm proud of the courageous little learner he is and my heart is so happy that he is able to make friends and attend school. He has an entire story to write of his own and my mother's heart will stretch and grow watching him as he is such an important part of mine.

Little round table

The truth is: I love a bargain. There's nothing in my mind that can't be made beautiful -- or at least a little bit prettier -- with a few cans of spray paint. 

Take this little round table. It was in Patrick's parent's attic. They brought lots of boxes and furniture out of their attic to donate to our garage sale last month. I'd been wanting a round table to put in between the couch and loveseat, and thought this one looked perfect. So I scooped it up before it could be sold at the sale, and his mom let me have it for free. The best bargain is free!

 I was armed with spray paint and gave it a little makeover.

{One coat of primer later.}

{Glossy, creamy goodness.}

And now we have a new table in between our couches!

Meet Howard

Howard Bucket Vance

{August 10, 2012 -- the day Patrick brought him home.}

 

It's still funny to me that Patrick Vance has a dog. If you'd told me last year that we would have a dog, I wouldn't have believed it. Sometimes I still don't believe it, but then I see him chewing another sock or ripping the stuffing out of one of William's beloved stuffed animals and then I realize that it's not just a dream. It's true! In fact, all of the stuff people tell you about puppies turns out to be true. They are busy, playful, active, chewers that need to go outside {a lot} to walk and be trained and even go out during the night to use the bathroom. This particular one eats bugs, tending to favor cicadas and crickets. And it's gross and I don't like taking broken wings and crunchy pieces out of his mouth. 

But he's woven his way into our hearts and into our family. I love watching my boys love him. Henry is so kind and tender toward him and William is his constant companion. They both offer to help walk him and scoop food into his dish. I like that having Howard is teaching them responsibility and empathy and kindness. Howie helps them love and care for something other than always thinking of their needs first. Of course, they are children and their needs will always come first to us {we haven't become the crazy dog people yet}, but I like that having a dog helps them learn selflessness. 

I'm still not completely savvy in the dog community and got scolded on one walk for not letting Howard sniff another pet owner's dog. "Smelling butts is their way of shaking hands" she told me. But we are doing this whole dog thing our own way, and I love having a sweet puppy in our family.