The Long Awaited Weekend

The holiday weekend is almost here.  Just a few more hours and it’s all mine!

Work has been a little busy and stressful this week.  Mainly because my cohort has been on vacation since Wednesday.  I’ve been picking up some of the slack and, honestly, it’s been a really great learning experience.  I feel pretty comfortable as to where I am work wise before going into the long weekend.  Our office is closing at 3 today and as long as my other co-workers can get their stuff together, we should be able to walk out the door early!

I’m picking Grace up from school as soon as I get off.  Then we are hitting the grocery store for weekend snacks, getting Layla from the babysitter and heading home.  I planned to have us all packed for the weekend before today.  The kids were with their dad on Wednesday and Thursday, but I just couldn’t really find the motivation to pack.  It really is only a day and a half we’ll be gone.  And, with the exception of Layla, the kids are old enough to pack for themselves.  Sure, I’ll help make sure they have appropriate clothing, but Lord knows if I tried to pick out their clothes for them, I may never hear the end of it.  I don’t think it should take long to toss a few items in a bag and call it a night.

Once we are packed and the car loaded, I’m hoping to snuggle in for a movie and an early bed time.  This is our typical Friday night anyhow.

Tomorrow morning, we are headed down to my grandpa’s house in the country.  We pretty much go every Labor Day weekend.  I’m actually kind of wishing I didn’t commit to going, though.  I have very low expectations that the weekend is going to be relaxing in the slightest.  I just hope we don’t try to kill each other physically or verbally, especially since we will be without cell/wifi service for an entire day!  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that maybe this year will be better than years passed.

I am however looking forward to the drive from the country house to my sister’s house.  It’s all back roads through the Ozark mountains with nothing but blue grass on the radio stations.

Sending up prayers for a relaxing and safe weekend away.

8 Years Ago

I was trying to come up with something to write about today.  It seems like most of my posts have been a catch up for the weeks prior.  I am trying to get back to writing about nothing as opposed throwing some picuture on a page as a "look what we did!"
 
Sure, the pictures are great for my overall goal of this blog....a place the kids can go to when they are older and see their lives/our lives from my perspective.
 
In an effort to write more, I was looking for some inspiration.  I typed today's date into the search bar of my old blog Life From the Fort. 
 
Here's what I found!
 
First of all, I just have to say that the kids now start school a full week earlier. 

Eight years ago, Grace was beginning her first day of first grade.  That would have made Alex 2 and Eva 5 months old! 

We’ve come a long way in those 8 years. 

Coming across this jewel of a post makes me want to go back and read that old blog.

Maybe it’s time to bring back SnapShot Saturday?  Or get with the new trend of Throwback Thursday?  Maybe something different all together?

Who knows!  My only hope is to contribute more nonsense and everyday moments.  And maybe not focus on Grace quite so much, because…jeez…that girl has been all over this blog as of late! 

Check out this comparision, though!  Then I’ll give one of the other kids the limelight for a day or two!  J

Back to Life, Back to Reality

All the kids (with the exception of Layla) are back in school full time now.  It was a stressful week leading up to the start date.  I had trouble sleeping at night and when I did, I had vivid dreams of being late for school and other traumatic events revolving around the new schedule.  It felt like I was physically imbalanced by the looming start date.  Looking back now, I don’t know why I was so stressed!

I spent  the weekend prior to  Alex and Eva’s first two half days and Grace’s three day orientation trying to get re-organized.  I have been looking to buy a house, but haven’t found the right fit yet.  The summertime did a number on our small little house.  The basement is pretty much unusable now.  Even with the clean-up from the spring flooding, no one wants to be down there.  I attempted months ago to clean it up and organize a room for Alex.  He spent one night there and decided he hated being down stairs.  The summer consisted of kids sleeping mainly on the couch or wherever they fell asleep.  I knew I needed to remedy this prior to the start of the school year.

I went into clean out mode and filled three trash cans to the top…and that was just re-organizing the kitchen, bathroom and hall closet.  We added a bed to the little girls’ room for Alex, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten.  I still have dressers and closets to clean out and a TON of clothes I’m hoping to sell somehow.  Christmas is coming fast and the extra cash could really be useful.  I just haven’t figured out where to start on this, though!

The kids are back with their dad this weekend, so I hope to get some type of organization going with all the clothes.  Some will be passed down to younger cousins and some will be donated.  My hope is to select a few good conditioned outfits and try to re-sell.  More research still needs to be done on this, however

All in all, though, the first week back at school has been successful.  The kids are sleeping better at night in their own beds!  Well, except Layla.  Getting that girl to sleep at all is a project for later in the fall!  We’ve had fewer melt-downs and the food seems to be lasting longer than in the summer time.  And last night marks the first night I’ve slept peacefully through the entire night!  Man…that felt GOOD!

Alex did forget a majority of his books and homework on Monday night.  And Grace lost her structure sheet and pencil case at school on her first day. Oh…and she went to school today with a senior because of “late start Wednesdays”  and managed to forget her lunch and gym bag.  Of course, today was her first gym class and it only happened to be the first class of the day!  But with my superhuman powers, I was able to send Aunt Laura to her rescue.  In 20 minutes, she made it to my house to gather her forgotten items and to the school.  When I got the text “crisis averted”, I was able to breathe a little easier. 

I know things will get easier as the school year goes on…but I also know things get a little more laxed then too!  We have been craving structure and routine for about a month now.   Back to school is welcomed by all!

Now for the official Back to School Pictures:

Freshman

5th Grade

3rd Grade

No school...but she's cute!