First Day of School!

(Updated 8/15/08 - Pictures of Nicole and Riley at the bottom.)

I wasn't ready a week ago, but I've adjusted. It's good the kids go back when they do. It's always just in time before I lose my sanity. Okay, the summer wasn't that bad, but I was running out of ideas to keep them busy. I was also trying to work, and that isn't very exciting for anyone. It was a great summer and we were very busy.

I'm so glad my kids are good students. Nicole (8th grade) and Riley (7th grade) are in advanced classes and Nicole even has three classes that count for high school credit! Jared (3rd grade) is reading beyond a 7th grade level and Sarah (1st grade) just loves school and learns everything quickly. I hope this year is fun for all of them, and me too. Next year I'll have a high schooler...that makes me nervous. I don't know if it's because I have to be pretty old to have someone in high school, or because of seminary, or because she'll be closer to driving, or what. I'm just nervous.

I got pictures of Jared and Sarah leaving for school, but my brain wasn't all the way awake when Nicole and Riley left. I'll have to get pictures of them coming home from the first day. I promise to add them to this post.



Notice how the first two pictures look a little hazy and the third one is clearer? I cleaned the lens of the camera. It's amazing the difference it made. I don't know why it's constantly dirty... Also, Jared got a haircut last night. I think his hair was two inches long. Now it's a much more manageable 5/8 inch. Yay!

Nicole and Riley came home from school very happy. I didn't expect them to be thrilled about school, but I had hoped they would be able to get by without too much trouble. They were both sooooo excited about their teachers and friends. I was very surprised at their enthusiasm for this year. That sure makes things nice for everyone. Middle School can be hard and I hope they continue to enjoy this year.

I think Riley was too anxious to get inside to smile. I took several pictures and this was the best I got. Oh well, he said he had a great day.

Haircut

Sarah takes really good care of her hair. We had let it grow really long, but it was constantly in her face. She doesn't like to wear many things in her hair. She's okay with headbands, but her hair was so heavy they would always end up on her forehead. I told her it was time for a cut. It takes so long to brush it and school was starting soon, so it was a great time to make the change.

She's really behind all that hair. She was really patient with me and was actually okay with me chopping about eight inches off. I wish I was trained even a little bit in giving haircuts. I had all these great ideas of what would be cute, but I just couldn't do it. I was too nervous to do what I wanted to try and mess it up completely. So she got a straight cut and I actually did have to recut the next day because I'm not very good.

It turned out very cute and now headbands actually stay inher hair. I'm glad that she's still got nice hair left on her head after my inexperienced haircut. She's getting so big and is such a good girl.

Dogsitting

This is Jedi. My friend needed someone to watch her dog for 10 days. We weren't going anywhere, so I offered to help her out. I will admit I was nervous because I know dogs like to mark their territory. I knew I had to keep him on a pretty short leash for at least the first few days. I also decided that since he was kept so restrained I would walk him three times a day. He loved that. We took him out in the back yard a few times, but he's so small that he could get right under our gate. We found that out the first time we left him unsupervised out there.

After I was comfortable that he wouldn't use my house for a bathroom, I let him loose. Guess where he wanted to be most of the time? He was almost constantly under my feet. I guess he noticed who fed and walked him. He followed me everywhere and I almost tripped over him multiple times.

Oreo and Jedi got along great, although Oreo wanted to play rougher than Jedi did. Those two dogs have opposite personalities. Jedi just lays quietly and Oreo is constantly jumping up whenever anyone comes close. Oreo growls and Jedi just takes about anything. Oreo is black and Jedi is white. I'm glad it went so well or that 10 days could have been very very long.

Goofing Off

The kids had my camera the other day and took some pretty goofy pictures. Here are the two boys looking like monkeys. They already act like monkeys, why not look the part?

This is Nicole in case you couldn't tell. She looks like she's supposed to be in the Middle East somewhere. Or else in a really cold snowstorm. Since it was about 100 degrees outside, and we have always lived in North America, I'm guessing she was just being silly. Thinking more about it, she kind of resembles a certain Sesame Street character who loves cookies.

I bet you didn't know I had gangsta kids. Jared can barely keep the smile off his face and Nicole can't pull it off in that pink hat and shirt. The look could almost kill though. (Don't pay attention to the picture on the wall. I have no idea how it got that way.)

Sarah had to get in on the action too. Look at that dazed expression. Is that how you're supposed to look when you're wearing two hats and your hair is too long and in your face? I don't think she quite pulls off the gangsta look either.

Okay, poor Oreo. Isn't it bad enough that he's a dog, let alone a male, and forced to wear human accessories? The fact that they're pink is pure torture! I don't think he looks like he appreciates it very much. I'm surprised he let them get away with this in the first place.

I'm glad the kids had fun with my camera. Thank goodness it's digital! They were taking pictures all afternoon and most were unusable. I'm glad they got these. They make me smile.