p3

we had xander's birthday party last weekend...sept. 29th. a pirate pizza party, with pizza (duh!) cotton candy and a treasure hunt. (i think) fun was had by all, even the party planners....but most of all, xander was thrilled with it.

xander's been tagged!

one of xander's friend's "tagged" him to answer some questions about things he likes and does right now at age 4! (thank you mikayla! i think he actually enjoyed the interview and he LOVED hearing your answers!)

(all answers are xander's. mom's honor!)

eye color: blue
what color is your hair: brownish, reddish
favorite movie: "camp rock" (he just finished watching it!)
tv show: backyardigans

happy birthday my baby boy!

okay, so not so baby. but i just can't let him grow up. i don't think my heart can take it.
four years old yesterday....
and tuesday night he says to us "today is my last day being three. i'll never be three again." (now, my child is pretty smart, but he didn't come up with that one on his own. he had help from his teacher.) but it broke my heart.
nope, he'll never be three again. i'm really going to have to say goodbye to the baby.

his birthday on wednesday is officially on "national talk like a pirate day". so for school he brought in a "cupcake" cake that todd had made, frosted with a picture of the jolly roger (the pirate flag) and he wore his pirate hat to school.
that night we had breakfast for dinner, tons of food!
his presents consisted of books, puzzles and dress up costumes- superman, batman, and a cowboy hat & cowboy boots. he put each costume on and did both puzzles, read one of the books and way quite the happy camper with his 4th birthday.
next saturday we will be having a pirate pizza party complete with treasure hunt. pictures to be posted after the event!

new pictures, no new news

okay, not much has changed over the last two weeks. cassidy has been walking more, and in the last few days has started standing up by herself, without pulling up on anything. so that is news. but other than that....i am still struggling with my pre-k class. they are really having a hard time listening. keeps me wondering if it is me? and i am training an assistant at the same time. hasn't been the easiest venture there either. i forget that she doesn't know, and i just expect her to know or at least to follow my lead...but it has only made things more frustrating for me. so i am trying to over-analyze, over-communicate, over-my limit is what it is. i am tired! not complaining, just the facts.
well, as i mentioned here are some new pictures. picking up my kids from their classes at the end of the day and giving them a hug is true therapy!

some free time

okay, so it really isn't free and it is only for about five minutes, but the kids are occupied with xander's remote control lightning mcqueen and todd is out in the kitchen with them, so i seem to have found a moment to write something.
these last few weeks have been crazy. i have stayed really busy with school and getting things done for school. i think i could use another week in my classroom to get everything just right. i am training a new assistant at the same time as i "train" my class, and it has been interesting. i have quite a class this year. very strong personalities. i like to joke that i would feel much better if we could fast forward the first month of school, to when they know the routines. I'm not giving in, and sometimes i am mean but i tell them i know how i want my class and i'm going to get my way.
some cute stories about xander and cassidy....
*when you say "hello" to cassidy she holds her hand up to her ear, like a telephone
*she dances, and usually it is just a head tilt or bob to the right paired with a little bouncing as she bends her knees
*she has words for "xander" "daddy" and "rachel" and they pretty much all sound the same, but she knows the difference
*she is just beginning to walk on her own, to get to something she wants
*she is fascinated with putting paper in her mouth
*she signs "more" for "i want" and it is fun trying to figure out what it is that she wants. usually to tell you "no" she does a head tilt to the right
*she can blow bubbles with her spit (what is it about my children and their talents)

*now xander has discovered "joseph and the amazing technicolor dream coat" and has been singing it for days
*he loves newsies and high school musical 1 & 2
*some of our conversations recently have been about marriage....xander wants to marry me, and strongly disagrees when i tell him i am already married to his dad. he protests for another few minutes and then insists that he marry cassidy. when i tell him that it doesn't work that way and that he can't marry cassidy his response is usually something like "mom, i need a girl to marry!"
*he is obsessed with giving me married kisses and i can't help but laugh as he knocks me to the floor and his little freckled face comes at me with his eyes closed and his mouth already puckered up. (one of these days i need to get a picture of that face, cause it really does make me laugh)
*he knows when his birthday is, and tells everyone that he will be 4 on sept. 19th
*he still loves sports
*protests going to school each morning when i wake him at 6:00am, but generally has a really good time in class
*he earns the coveted stars in his class. they are hard to come by, but he manages about 3 a week for good behavior
*great memory and great comprehension
*gave a talk last week in primary "how the holy ghost strenghtens my faith in jesus christ"

my free moment came and went and now it is 9:30 at night and i have work i should be doing. off to color, cut, paste, put together something for pre-k.

photos to please

it's been too long, i know...
so to appease the masses that read this blog here are some pictures from this weekend until i can find my desk to actually write something.

school starting = sarah's gone crazy

i've been a nut case all week. i don't think i have talked to todd in the last three days, or played baseball with xander, or listened to cassidy laugh!
why you ask?
school starts tomorrow!!!
(okay, technically today, since it is 2am! face it, i never learn!)
good luck to rachel. here first day as a LEAD TEACHER!