A Starke September

 After Megan completed her first week of Kindergarten, we took the fam to GattiTown (or is it Gatti Land? I always forget.)  They had so much fun but the place is a real waste of money since our kids don't eat much they have to offer on the buffet. They sure have fun playing the games and riding the little rides, and you can't forget the crap they get to pick out with the tickets they earn. Secretly, I like Gatti's better than Chuck but Chuck is probably better for kids like ours.

Matthew was very upset he couldn't ride the bumper cars with Daddy and Megan. Emily was just as upset, as you can imagine, but wouldn't show her fit of tears for the camera.

We had a little rain and the kids had new umbrellas so we had to go stomp the puddles.

FINALLY ...

The littles had their first day of Preschool at St. Francis of Assisi.  Matthew posed for the pictures and was all smiles because he didn't know what was coming. He has been going in and out of that building his whole life but he had never been left there. Imagine the poor kid's surprise when I sat him down at a table and turned to leave. It was heartbreaking to see his face melt from smiles (he got to play with his very own PlayDoh!) to screaming tears of fear with feelings of abandonment.  Poor kid. He survived the day but started crying again when I picked him up. At least he was asleep when I got there so I know he was comfortable enough to nap. I should mention that their first day was Thursday, September 12th, and after 7 days of school (twice a week) he goes in with a smile and no longer cries. I think he's trying to be brave but is still a little sad but he doesn't let me know it. He wakes up all smiles when I pick him up and even nods his head when I ask if he had fun.  Emily has a few of her friends from last year in her class again this year and she was so excited to see them again. She walked up to Joel on the first day, all grins, and started tickling him. Oh my! My 4 year old has a little boyfriend. Lord help us when she gets older. And, yes, that really is what she wore on the first day of school, crown and all. 

To be fair, she got the crown from her teachers when she met them the previous Tuesday. 

Kindergarten!!!!

Megan's first day of Kindergarten was August 26, 2013. 

 

This is how you pick your kids up from school! You have a sign to display with their grade, their teacher's name, and their name and the teachers put them in the car for you. Pretty cool and maybe a little weird. Definitely a pain in the ass when they're disorganized or if all the moms in front of you want to chitty chat with the teachers.

Megan waiting patiently for me, holding tight to her Thursday Folder.

A little bit of backyard fun after dinner that night. What lucky kids we have!

Day 2: Still smiling!

The Great State Fair of Texas!

Our trip to the State Fair has become an annual tradition. The girls talk about it ALL THE TIME and ask when we get to go. They don't understand that the Fair only comes one month out of the year. They also don't understand how freaking expensive it is!!  WOW!  $15 to park and never mind the cost of admission added to the cost of the rides. We discovered this year that with three kids riding rides, the cost adds up rather quickly. I'm glad I packed a cooler with drinks and a bunch of snacks. This year, we didn't arrive as early as we would have liked because Megan has started Sunday morning Faith Formation at church so we had to do that before loading up and heading south. We entered at the Midway and got straight down to business on the rides.

Well, we stopped to relax under a tree first.

This was Matthew's first ride ever! He rode with Megan and she was such a good big sister to let him ride in her car. She even took care of him getting out of the car and exiting the ride. He had so much fun and high-fived us all when he got off the ride.

Yes, my first three pics are of Emily. It just worked out that way. The purple tractor was an obvious choice.

Matthew's first solo ride! He was so excited and just giggled every time I waved at him on his way around.

The girls got to ride the bumper cars but Matthew wasn't tall enough for that one. He was very mad but then we found the swings that were only for kids his size. The girls were too tall to ride it so I think that cheered him up a little.

This one has been a favorite in years past. There is a mermaid in the middle that blows bubbles and there is actually water under the whales. They got a big kick out of all riding together. At 8 coupons per rider - do the math - this one ride cost us $12.

She already has the attitude of a 16 year old BA student leaving campus for lunch.

What?

Another solo ride for Bubs and another race car ride! He LOVED this one because around the turns, the cars drifted. Basically, they spun out and flung the riders around the turns. Brought out the belly laughs every time!

We ate lunch in the Midway instead of going to the Cotton Bowl food court area. Nachos, Fletcher's Corny Dogs, and icees all around, and a few peanut butter crackers for the weird kids that don't eat the yummy stuff. We walked over to the animal area and the kids had a blast feeding and petting all the animals. The piglets were by far the cutest things I have ever seen!! 

My favorite people!

We made our way back to the Midway before we left. The girls and I rode the log ride. It was awesome. Megan saw it at lunch and wouldn't shut up about it so we finally gave in. We only had enough tickets for the girls to ride but the guy at the front of the line putting us in the logs let me go for free!  WOOT! That was a free $5 ride for me. Yes, it would have been $25 for our family to ride it together. Really? We stopped in the greenhouse to see the trains, the walking tree and to decorate some pumpkins. Usually we stop in there for some A/C but this year it was just gross and humid and warm compared to outside. The girls love the "tree man" and Emily gave him a high five. Megan wouldn't go near him.

I had to ride this coaster with Megan last year.  This year, that honor went to Emily. She had such a timid look on her face while they were in line but she LOVED the ride. I may have someone to go on the rides with me at Six Flags someday.

Since Bubs couldn't ride the coaster he got to ride the little safari train by himself. Every time he came back around, the girls jumped up and shouted, "BOO!". He loved that.

Our final ride of the day. It was a good one since they all got to ride together. The girls had their little balloon spinning around so fast I was worried Matthew wouldn't be able to walk straight when he got off. He really had fun on the rides this year and I know next year will be even better for him. We better start saving now. Emily will be well over the 42" limit that kept her off of some rides and Matthew will be more willing to hop on anything. Megan was able to ride whatever she wanted, without us, so next year she may want to do some of the big rides. God help us!

Boosterthon Fun Run!

Someone out there is an absolute genius!!  Instead of selling cookie dough or wrapping paper or candy bars my kid had to beg for money (pledges) and run to earn it! I LOVE this idea because I didn't have to sell anything and the kids really seemed to have a great time the whole week the Boosterthon team was at the school. Megan came home from school with new stories every day about their Boosterthon experience (and asking me to beg for more money). They taught them health and fitness as well as friendship. It is sort of a "don't get fat and don't bully your friends while you make money for your school" type of thing but it seems to be a winner and I really hope it sticks around for the rest of our time in Frisco ISD. Who knows ... if we end up moving maybe I will bring it to our new school because it was that awesome. I have no idea yet how much money the school raised but they got $140 from Megan.

The run was at 8:30 last Wednesday  morning at the park between our neighborhood and the school. I decided not to actually volunteer because I had the littles with me. They were bored and wanted to go to the playground. Even though we were just watching, from outside the course, at the park NOT on school grounds, I had to drag them into the office to sign in and get a badge. I never signed out. Wonder if they're calling SWAT in to search the halls for me yet? 

The DJ was loud and Matthew has to do everything Emily does. 

The Kindergartners doing their warm up before the run!

Megan's in the back with her little friends. So cute!

Run, Megan! Run!!!

The goal was for each child to run 35 laps. The course was supposedly 1/16 of a mile but I'm pretty sure Megan didn't run 2 miles. They weren't out there long enough OR they totally blew my mile pace away. Kinder and first grade ran at the same time, followed by second and third, then fourth and fifth. If we are still here, and they're still doing it, I will have to be out there for 3+ hours to see all my kids run when Megan is in 4th grade.  Fingers crossed for great weather on whatever day that may fall on in 4 years.  

We went to the mall that day after school to play and have an early dinner. Megan was still wearing her Boosterthon Fun Run shirt and a few other kids commented on it. One boy asked when their run was and thought it was just cool that she had already done it. Another boy said he liked her shirt! My 5 year old was the most popular kid at the mall!  :-)   She was so excited but those boys need to stay away.

Great Wolf Lodge - July

The girls LOVE Violet. They were so excited to see her! We actually bought little stuffed Violet dolls this time (as if they needed anymore buddies). 

Megan is tall enough to go on all the slides. 

So we did.

Airplane!  I saw it first!! I win!!!

Our day in the Cabana at the outdoor pool. It may have been 100+ outside but this was the best day because of the cabana. Money well spent!

We hit the 1000 ticket jackpot on our first game in the arcade.

Matthew liked playing the driving game. It was nice that they had a few games for the littles in the arcade. 

I don't know if James was really trying to beat her but Megan WON!!

We take this picture every time we visit. The girls love the "sugar bear" and the sweets this shop has to offer!

Naps to happen at Great Wolf. 

I could have taken a few myself.

My guys!

Matthew and the Barbie Bandaid!

He had a skinned knee already but when he fell in the parking lot, the scab came right off and there was SO MUCH BLOOD! It wouldn't stop and he was screaming and he wouldn't let me put a bandaid on him. Oh the mess and the chaos, right outside the front door of the lodge. That night, it happened again at the elevators. The blood was just flowing down his leg. I finally snuck a bandaid on him under his PJs and I think he decided it wasn't all that bad.

Megan didn't want to sleep on the top bunk. I don't think she was afraid of the "top" part but there was dust in the corners between the mattress and the frame of the upper bunk and she didn't like that.  (I have no idea what that was all about, really.)  So the girls shared the bottom bunk and this is how they were sleeping in the morning. Too cute!  Next time we will either get a roll away or another bottom bunk.