Out of the Mouth of Will

Two frequently heard phrases in our house are
1) You're distracting me and 2) You're getting on my nerves.

You'll be surprised to learn that they are not most frequently said by me!

The other day I was doing who knows what, but apparently it was irritating Will because he said to me, "You're distracting my nerves!"

Well, okay!  I'll try not to do that =).

Easy Weeknight Dinner

We have entered into the world of extracurricular activities with weekday practices.  Jack has swim team practice on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30-5:15 and soccer practice on Tuesdays from 6:00-7:30.  So on these days, I need to have meals that are quick to prepare and to get on the table, because let's face it, experience is showing that I am not organized enough to get my meals prepped in the mornings.  Blythe (mom to 3 boys ages 4 and under and works full time) was here a couple of weekends ago, and we were sharing easy-30-minute-or-less-prep-kids-will-eat-it meal ideas for those busy weeknights.

Here is a recipe I forgot to share with Blythe, and it is too good to keep to myself.  The boys call it Honey Chicken and both of them love it!  It has to be a fantastic recipe for Will to endorse it, and since he had seconds tonight, I will consider that his stamp of approval.

Glazed Chicken

 serves 4

• 4 Tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 c honey
• 1/4 c prepared mustard
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 lb chicken tenderloins or thinly sliced chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 350.  Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.  Place chicken in a 9x13 casserole dish.  Pour sauce over chicken, being sure to coat each piece.  Bake for 20 min (or until chicken is no longer pink) turning once during cooking.  Serve chicken over rice, and spoon a little of the yummy sauce over the chicken.  Enjoy!

We had the glazed chicken & rice along with the Sesame Green Beans for a quick and easy dinner.

What's Wrong with Velcro?

  Bad news, friends.  There was a note on today's Daily Log from Jack's teacher saying that the children needed to practice tying their shoes.  Nooooooo!! 

See how they mock me!

Is it really necessary?  I mean, on a scale of 1 to 10, just how necessary?!?  Can't I just continue to triple knot his laces and then his future wife can teach him to tie his shoelaces?!?!

So because I try to be a good mother, we started practicing this afternoon.  For all of about 5 minutes, before we were both about to kill each other, and I thought it best to postpone the practice session before I strangled said child.  Jack complained about having to practice and wondered several times why he couldn't just wear loafers.  And it just flew all over me that he wouldn't even put forth a little effort to learn...he would purposefully mess up, all the while giving me that "you can't make me do this" look.  I tried to be mature and impart some motherly words of wisdom, but I think what actually escaped from my mouth was "Don't look at me like that!  I already know how to tie my shoes!"

Because I am so helpful like that.

This is why I don't homeschool.  Could you imagine me trying to teach long division?!?  Brent would come home and find one of us laid out dead on the kitchen floor...and my money would be on me! 

So we'll continue to practice (aka beat my head against the wall), until I break down and pay a little kid in his class to tie his shoes.

Will's First Day of School

Today was Will's first day of school!  Yay!!  He was very excited to go to school today, although you couldn't guess by this picture.  And this was the best one of the bunch.  He was miffed because he wanted to carry his lunchbox to school and eat lunch at school.  He is such a stinker!

I walked Will into class this morning because he missed the Meet & Greet Day last week due to a fever.  He wasn't the least bit concerned that he didn't know his teachers; he saw a Buzz Lightyear toy out on the table and went right over to start playing.  There were several other children crying and protesting about being at school, and mine didn't even have time to say goodbye.  I laughed and thought either I am doing something very right or very wrong...some children didn't want to be at school for one minute, and mine was mad because he wasn't going to be able to stay long enough to eat lunch!

Will's report of his day:  they had circle time and Mrs. G read them a story, he painted a school bus with yellow paint and his bus driver said "Sit down! I'm driving the bus!", they went to Kindergym (his favorite!) and played We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Red Light Green Light, they played on the playground, Will was the snack person today and brought yogurt, bananas, and mini Nilla wafers, and he got a special ribbon for bringing the snack!  I felt like that was a pretty good amount of sharing for a 3 year old.

When Will got in the car during carpool, he was excited to get into his school bag.  Mrs. G had given each child a bag filled with goodies and this note to explain their meaning.

Welcome to my class!  A treat from Mrs. G for completing your 1st first day of school.

In this bag you will find:

A pencil to make your mark on school

An eraser because EVERYONE makes mistakes

Smarties because I think you are soo smart

A penny for good luck

And a kiss because you are well loved!

It will come as no surprise that Will had devoured the smarties and Hershey's kiss before we got out of the parking lot!

And there was also a special poem for the moms:

To a Preschool Teacher

I bring this eager child to you 

And leave him in your care, 

To learn and grow and prosper

Why do I feel despair?

How can you know the secrets about him?

They do not always show up on his face:

You have so many more to care for,

Will this small one be sure to find his place?

Will you recognize the gentle streak within him?

Will you nurture it or miss it all together?

Will you see his stubborn chin hinted meanings?

Will you notice his wet feet in rainy weather?

Do not dimiss my doubts as foolish dribble:

This child is mine and loved in a special way!

I charge you: Keep your thumbprints thoughtful

As you mold this special piece of clay!

Dorothy Beecher Artes

I have never had one of the boys' teachers acknowledge in such a meaningful way just how special she realizes each of our children are.  It made me cry, right there in the parking lot!

I think we are both going to love Mrs. G!

JPEG(s) of the Week

The butterflies, dragonflies and bumblebees love our lantanas!

Wild About Me!

During the first two weeks of school, Jack's class has been doing activities on friendship in order to
discover why each child is special and different and to develop positive self concepts.  One of the activities was a “WILD ABOUT ME” bag of items relating to themselves. Each student was to share about themselves using photos, games, books, toys, trophies, etc., so that the class would get to know each other better.

Jack's presentation was today!  When he got in the car this afternoon, I asked him how the presentation went, and my normal man-of-little-information just spilled forth with all the details.  I thought I better record this historic event, so the next time my man-of-little-information is tight-lipped about his school day, I can remember the time when he told me verbatim about his WILD ABOUT ME presentation.

The narration is all Jack and the bad photography is all me.

This is my favorite mini figure.  His name is Mr. No Head.  My favorite Lego's are Lego city.

This is my great grandma MiMi, and she was holding me.  This picture was after my baptism.

Just for accuracy, this picture wasn't taken after Jack's baptism but the previous month.   I think he had baptism on the brain because just before we looked at this picture of Jack and MiMi, we were looking at some adorable pictures of Jack riding back to Honey and Happy's house after his baptism when he was just laughing and talking with his mama.  And we both agreed that he was just the most precious thing!

But this picture of Mimi and Jack is one of my favorites.  Brent, Jack and I were staying with Mom and Dad for several weeks while Brent studied for the Bar and Grandmother came down to help with the new baby.  Jack had colic as an infant and we discovered that he did best when he was on his tummy on someone's chest.  So here he is taking his afternoon nap on Mimi, and she refused to put him down because he was sleeping so well.  We had to prop her arms up with pillows because they were getting so tired and falling asleep on her! 

This was my first day of school when I was only 1 year old.

 Picture day for the toddler class in Mother's Morning Out; Jack's first experience with school.  Oh my!  If he got any cuter, I think I would explode! 

This was last year's swim team trophy.  I've been swimming for 3 years and my favorite stroke is backstroke.

And he is mighty good at backstroke, too!  Won 1st place in 3 of his backstroke events this summer.  Proud mama =).

 

Saving the best for last.  I've been planning this since the first day of school, and this is  my coke bottle.  {YAY!! from classmates}  I got this before the first day of school when I went to the World of Coke with my Dad.  My favorite drink was The Beverly. 

Jack and Brent went to the World of Coke one afternoon this summer, and he has not stopped talking about it.  It was 3 hours of Coca-Cola trivia and he soaked up every minute of it!  Brent said they watched a movie about Coke during the tour, and The Beverly drink was mentioned over and over during the show.  So in the sampling room, they had to try The Beverly and Brent said it was just awful!  But Jack thought is was great!  Wonder if that has something to do with both of his grandmothers being named Beverly?!?!

It was an interesting experience for me to see what items Jack selected to share and hear how these things related to his vision of himself. 

And for the record, we think he is one A-MAZ-ING kid!

Home Bound

We have spent alot of time at home the last few weeks. Although I am a homebody by nature, I am starting to get cabin fever. We are in the process of remodeling our foyer and powder room, and since early August, we have had a steady stream of contractors (painter, artist, tiler, electrician, plumber) in and out of the house. A bit of artwork will round out the remodel and then I'll share pictures.

Then Monday evening, Will started running a fever. I am certain I know where he picked up this latest bug...a couple of days earlier I heard Jack, from the backseat of the car, exclaim, "WILL IS LICKING HIS SHOE!!!" Yes! Ewwwww, Gross! Boys! So unfortunately, Will missed visiting his new classroom and meeting his new teachers this morning, but we have enjoyed being lazy.

Jack is enjoying First Grade.  He has conquered 2 spelling tests and tomorrow is his first math test.  He is doing swim team again this year, and let me tell you...swim team gets serious starting at age 7.  Practices last for 45 minutes and it is pretty much straight swimming.  He is hanging tough, swimming the entire time and not complaining too much.  We have also added soccer to the activities this fall, which was a complete surprise to Brent and me.  Jack's only experience in soccer was the 3 year old Kiddie Kickers, which really didn't excite him at the time.  I think his motivation to play soccer this fall is purely social, but that is fine by me.  The Blue Tornadoes had their first game last Saturday and won 10-3, which is always a great way to start the season.  Jack was a pretty good little defensive player!  But if you ask Jack, I am sure he will tell you that the highlight of the game was the Coke-Blue Raspberry swirled Icee at the end of the game!  Whatever it takes to motivate!

We are gearing up for football season in this house!  Miami and FAMU play tomorrow night...Are you ready for some football?!?!?!