Whirlwind September 07

Wow! It's been almost a month since I've posted. I just realized that today. It feels like a whirlwind since we started school and it basically has been. Tad started a new job, he has to go to an office now and he doesn't get home until around 7pm every night. But, bigger and better jobs take time and long hours in the beginning. The girls have settled into school. Tad says I basically work there for free, which lately I would have to agree with him. I am sitting on the board this year, chairing 3 committees, I've started a school lunch program - so yeah I basically live at the school. I just keep promising myself that once this month is over things will calm down - if it doesn't I think I may have to quit, or at least cut back!! You haven't lived until you have a group of kids ranging from 3 - 9 helping you cook lunch for the whole school.

We had a nice Labor Day weekend. Kim kept the girls in Augusta while I went to the game. They had so much fun and I so appreciated it. The girls love Kim and Heather. We spent a relaxing 2 days at the lake. It was nice being with Rick, Kelly, Beamer and Laura-Kate again. The girls really miss them. It's always nice to see Tommy & Connie too - they are always so sweet to open their home to all of us. Shopping at Rue 21 with Kim and Kelly was a hoot!!

Last weekend was my birthday and it was a good one. The staff and board of the school had lots of gifts and surprises for me all day long on Friday -which ended with an amazing cake and b-day song sung by the whole school at the school picnic. I got lots of wonderful cards and gifts from family all last week too!! I was overwhelmed, I am so blessed to have so many friends and family who are so kind and thoughtful. Saturday was fun too. Most of the girls that used to tailgate (but since have become mothers and therefore can't attend games anymore) came last weekend and we had a blast at the tailgate spot. Julie made the cutest cake ( it was pink and brown with a Georgia G). The actual game was well, disappointing - but oh well what are you gonna do (scoring a touchdown would have been something but we couldn't seem to get that done). Apparently Sarah-Grace was so upset after the game she was crying. Jeannie tried several reasonable explanations for helping her understand that sometimes your team loses - she finally had to move to plan B which was "you're five and you will get over it". We thought that was hysterical.

Charlotte keeps informing everyone that when she's 5 she will get to go to Kindergarten - a result of her big sister getting to stay at school all day. I'm so proud of both of them and so happy that they love school. Sarah-Grace is working very hard everyday. She's reading more and more each week. She still loves math (I think it's her favorite). She LOVES the bank game (which is basically addition in the thousands) , she's getting into multiplication and division and she still loves practical life - sewing (she threads all her friends' needles thanks to spending time with BeBe) and all things arts and crafts. The primary classroom consists of ages 3-6. This allows each child the opportunity to be the youngest (1st year), the middle (2nd year) and the oldest (3rd year). This year Sarah-Grace is a 3rd year student and so she gets special privileges and gets to give lessons to the younger students. She is really enjoying this. She's "adopted" a little girl Natalie in the class and helps her with everything. She gets a chance to be nurturing which is such a huge part of her personality. I think she may be a teacher one day.

One of the cutest stories over the past month occurred last week. Charlotte has been bit 4 times since school started - and last week she decided to do the same to one of her little friends at school. We were very upset and disappointed (not surprised) but we still had several discussions about it over the weekend. She and Sarah-Grace were talking about it with Julie. Well ,actually Sarah-Grace was tattling to Julie about it and informing Charlotte she really needed to use her words when she was upset. Sarah-Grace told Charlotte she really needed to talk to her JuJu because JuJu was a teacher and could help her "with these things". Julie and I thought this was so funny.

Well, that's all for now. I have a couple pics Megan took from the picnic of my b-day cake (the whole thing was edible) and my new haircut (she didn't take any of the girls, although you can see the back of Sarah-Grace in the second one)...