Tuesday, November 3, 2015

GramMo Visits, Homecoming and the Pumpkin Patch

Friday night (a couple weeks ago), GramMo came!!  
We were excited she came for a busy weekend.  We started our Saturday morning with the Mizzou Homecoming parade...
GramMo couldn't wait to get her hands on baby Quinn.  We were excited we got to experience her first parade with her!  
Cousin Megan was in the parade! 
After a quick lunch, we headed to the pumpkin patch.  It was perfect weather!
Lots of pumpkins!!
After a trip home and some quiet time, we took Cohan to get a new bike.  Since he had learned to ride, he outgrew his bike.  He is usually out riding nightly, so he needed a new one.  
Thanks GramMo for such a fun visit!

Monday, November 2, 2015

Cousin Wedding & First Cousin's Sleepover

After the Friday's Family Fun night, Saturday morning, we dropped off our kids at their soccer games.  They were going to have their first cousin's sleep over.  Uncle Mark and Aunt Beth offered to take them and they were SO EXCITED!!!!  They played hard and went right to sleep...
But were up and at them in the morning ready to play more.  
Meanwhile, Scott and I headed to Springfield for my cousin Mark's wedding.  
Family weddings are always so so so much fun....
When we made it back to Columbia, they were at the Heritage Festival.  The kids got to ride ponies!  
What a fun weekend for the adults AND the kids.  Thanks Mark and Beth for watching the kids!

Kindergarten Stories & Family Fun Night

There are so so so so so (get the point?) many reasons I LOVE having Cohan at school with me.  One reason?  He eats lunch at the same time my students go to specials (PE, Art, Music, etc).  That means on random days, I surprise him and get to eat with him.  
Kindergarten has been a tough transition.  
At least once a week, this happens on the way home...
Family Fun Night is something that New Haven (Cohan and I's school) does each year.  It is a fun carnival type event and the kids have so much fun.  It was fun to be a parent this year and watch Cohan interact with his friends.  Ireland enjoyed it too.
Cousin Megan surprised us and brought 40 volunteers from her sorority to help run the event.  
She is THE BEST!!!
Every year, I print this blog into a hard bound book.  This blog is meant to serve a memory book for my kids, I have to be honest.  I have two stories about Cohan's first couple weeks that are just too good to share.  

The first story was on day three of kindergarten.  Cohan was in music class.  The music teacher found me after the class to tell me the story.  She was having a hard time telling me the story because she was laughing so hard.  Apparently, there was a child that would not sit down after several reminders.  The teacher then ignored the student, hoping they would sit down.  The child didn't.  
She turned her back and heard Cohan say, "Would you just sit your ass down."
She had a hard time telling him about appropriate words because she was holding back laughs.  
She said it was very effective and the child sat down immediately. 
When I picked Cohan up that day, I had already heard about it.  I asked Cohan how his day was.  He said, "How was my day?"  He knew I knew.  We had a long talk and have had several laughs about it since.  We take full responsibility for his potty mouth.  :) 

The second story was a couple weeks into school.  There was a college student teaching a lesson to the class and apparently he just couldn't stop talking and goofing around.  After the lesson, Cohan was sent to the safe seat to fill out a think sheet.  This is his think sheet.  He drew pictures of what was happening and what he will do next time.  I love that in the talk bubble he wrote TLK (talk), then on what he would do next time, in the talk bubbles, he wrote NTC (Not talk).  When I picked him up from parent pick-up on this day, he told me immediately and was so scared to tell Scott.  We had a talk with him about being respectful no matter who was teaching and also making good choices about who he should and should not sit by.  

He's learning... that's what kindergarten is all about.  His teacher told me, Remember, he's 5.
Another thing I love about him being in my room before and after school?  His artwork he makes and hangs around my classroom.  My own students love it too!!  

My Baby Sister Is Getting Hitched

On the morning of the kids' first soccer game (that is how behind I am.. that was September 12th!!), I got the best Facetime call from my sister, FROM PARIS!!!  

I knew right away what was happening.  My baby sister, my best friend, the person I talk to about every little detail of life has found her forever.  I couldn't be happier for her.  I can't freaking wait for her big day!  Even more excited than me?? Ireland.  She can't wait to dance and wear a pretty dress.  
Even though he has been like family for a LONG time, we are excited to officially welcome Dujuan to the family. The kids are still confused because they say he's already their uncle.  Now, we just need it to be official.  We love you two!!