Back to School Week !

IT'S OFFICIAL!  We are  back into the swing of the new school year! It was a week of  new schedules & new teachers. It was a week of incessant rain as well. Beginning with the  first day- making my new First Grader late! I thought I had left my house in more than sufficient time to account for the wet weather and the mob of parents dropping off their kids on the first day... apparently I under shot!  There we were waiting helplessly at the nearest intersection to the school with a serious traffic jam heading straight into Ashton's hectic parking lot.  I was already hyperventilating at this point ! We knew we were for sure late when we opened the van doors and heard the familiar  school bell chime. Making me sigh 20 more times over. I detest being late! In fact, I am NEVER late!!! lucky for us, we were among many many other car riders & bus riders also tardy.  Moriah's new teacher  Ms. Valentin  was smiling when she finally made it to her new classroom, and was waiting to greet her. That instantly made our outlook of the day better. Because of the wicked rain, we were unable to get our yearly pictures outside, another reason to GRRRR.

My sweet Maddy, who is my new Pre-Kindergartener (Gulp!?) Is now going by the name Madelyn. 

She marched confidently into her new school on that first day... she was not late do to the downpour subsiding. Thank you Jesus!  She gave her Mommy a tight neck hug and kiss and said goodbye and did not turn back. That's one thing about my kids, they  do not give me guilt trips when we part ways. So very glad!! I have a hard enough time  trying not to think about their bigness!!!  Needless to say, Madelyn will be at school a full week this year, but for 3 very short hours that the teacher packs a ton of great stuff into!-Including Bible!  So 11: 00 pick-up came  rather quickly. Enough time for my little boy & I to eat a delicious breakfast among many friends at Yoders!  I'm thinking we will frequent there this school year!

        

This is Moriah's  Big kid desk ; cubby for some workbooks and her new dazzling pencil box that holds fancy schmancy pencils and  cutsie folders this  year. All big kid stuff. I told her she was to keep her work space very tidy, that she should be a neat nick! Her handwriting is already First Grader like! Her teacher has taken note of her colorful papers and has written"lovely!" In her new classroom are many friends from her kindergarten class! and she has a couple of class pets!! One being a hamster named Speedy and fishes named Diamond & Sparkle. Indeed, the perfect class for this girl! ( avid animal lover!)

This is Madelyn's class at Sarasota Christian. This is her teacher Mrs. Smith. She comes into her class and hangs her adorable butterfly backpack that says "Madelyn" on a little hook. and then she heads to a small table to begin writing and coloring. I have no doubts that she is a smart cookie! She also colors very neatly in the lines and I know that she has already amazed her teachers!! ( she had great teachers last year that she learned so much from!)  Her little brother Garrett does not want to leave with mom. He would rather stay and play with many fun toys in the centers-including kitchen, dress-ups & a train table! 

Not to mention the playground that she informed me on the first day  could not play on due to the rain. 

The duration of the week  was not raining at the time of recess so she was happy to tell me about the tire swing she loves! If I pass by the school at around 9:30 I can see her class out there!  She is in for a fantastic year! So glad God led us to this option for a season. The school year will fly by like the last, I am sure!

And the highlight of my week was when Moriah asked me to bring her lunch at school on Friday, like old times!!!! Many more lunch dates to come!

All- in-all, a great First week! Reassuring me of a terrific school year up ahead!!

Shoe Shock!

 It's not that this mom is  asking for much- and no, I'm not difficult to please. It's just that I want nothing to do with the word ORDINARY when it comes to new school shoes.  ( or other school things such as backpacks, lunchboxes)... you get it. I like unique.When my kids need shoes, I go into whine mode. Two local malls, no children's shoe  department in either . One locally owned Stride Rite with a measly selection and an owner that  could give 2 hoots about selling childrens' shoes ! My goodness!!!  So I figured a short jog over the skyway to Tampa International Plaza would cure the school  shoes blues!  The kids and I spent a good part of the day trapesing  both levels of that glorious mall, finding   many things we liked, none of them being new school shoes.  I was not being impossible,but our   mission to find SOMETHING  worth wearing--- was truly becoming mission IMPOSSIBLE. I was  still in an insatiable mood regarding, ahem, school shoes. We drove a couple blocks down   to the next  hopeful  mall. It really worked out to our benefit, because like a typical male,  Garrett got a bit bored and decided to shut his eyes for a bit. The girls and I  stopped at the  Starbucks for  a small treat before heading down the mall's corridor.  Two major department stores and  a few other stores in between and still no luck! Now, I said I am not crazy, but  honestly, I was more determined than ever at this point! This was quite ridiculous!!!
      ..... Loading up in the van once again more shopping bags, the 3 kids- none with new shoes .
 We got back onto 275 and I just could not get over the fact that a day in Tampa without luck.   impossible!!!   knowing  the possibilty  of finding shoes in Sarasota  was  far less.  Without sigh  or complaint, my 3 shopping buddies & I we stopped in Brandon . For those of you  in
suspense , our search was over! The Dillards  there had the best selection -so many choices! and we left happy! If it would have been any less of a  mission, it would not have produced the  perfect pair of sneakers designed for Moriah herself! and the cute  tennies Maddy chose and the  deal I found on Garretts' kickers . I was indeed a happy mom. Drowning in school shoes bliss!
            
          
            
          

Vacation Memories

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A fun week indeed! When I stop and consider what is most important to me,my answer is quite obvious~ Family togetherness . Which is why this trip will be remembered in my heart forever. Not only my family, but Grandpa &Grandma, my Dad & Mom & my 3 siblings and nephews all together. What a HUGE blessing! 4 generations who love each other !

If you would ask the kids what they liked best about the vacation, they might say," mini golfing, or hiking or playing in the creek..." If you would ask Chris what he enjoyed most he would reply," sleeping in until 10 each morning, or being one with nature..." and for me I mostly just appreciated escaping everyday duties, being together with my own family and laughing with everybody. We had such a great time. So much to put into writingbut again many unforgetables written in my mind and heart. I am so very thankful!

Not Just For Today...

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” Romans 12:1 TM
 This verse is so  completely convicting to me personally.  To keep myself in check with my purpose for why I do what I do and who I am serving. My desire is to pursue God  every single day, no matter what  . 

Summer Fun

This summer is going so very fast! So  few plans, yet finding plenty to keep us happy! That's my favorite kind of summer! June went by in a whirl! It started off with a week of dance rehearsals leading up to an amazing recital for dance. Both Moriah & Maddy  did a fantastic job! Then the following week we enjoyed being leisurely, hanging out with friends, swimming and going to the beach. We also went to High Seas VBS  which Moriah loved being with both friends  from our church & school  buddies!( she is our social butterfly). Our own VBS at  our church was awesome!!!   Joseph's Journey through Egypt  was amazing !   Chris and I, as well as Kristi and Greg were all leaders for "Egyptian families" .Those kids had an over-abundance of energy, enthusiasm and fun! Truly memorable! Can't wait for next year! God worked in so many young lives that week including Moriah   giving her heart to Jesus!  There is really no greater joy !
 We had a GREAT 4th of July! Different from most years in that we spent it with the Emrich's. We  ate and ate and ate the best 4th of July food possibile, nothing quite compares to Yoder family cooking! and then we got an amazing view of the city fireworks on top of  a parking garage downtown! Fun times! What's not to love about  celebrating our nations Independence!!!
So hard to believe we are half way through the summer, with so much to look forward to still! I love having my children  at home being silly, being  friends and for sure lots of memories being made in this small home!
                                                      

Kindergarten Days

Oh where did the school year go?
Looking back to last August I thought this Kindergarten year
would last FOREVER, I suppose! I was so full of excitement for
Moriah. For the may adventures Kindergarten would bring her. It seems
like a fleeting moment though now. The first weeks turned into months,
then Christmas Break & after that we were old school pros! We flew through
January, February, March & April. Maybe we skipped a month or so
in there! It sure seemed so! We have so much to love about this year!
Kindergarten is one of those years that both Mommy's
& their children cherish forever.



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There's a Light at the End of this Tunnel!

     Wanting to give a speedy shout to say 13 days to...
     - me waking at 6 am
     - somehow managing to get 3 kiddos  dressed & fed & out the door
       (and happy by 7:25)
     - pushing two little ones down the Ashton path to kiss my big girl
       goodbye for 6 hrs
     - dropping Maddy off at Preschool
     - running from one end of SRQ to the next doing what I love to do!
        coffee with friends, errands, playgrounds with G.... and many other
        activities
      - Back into the mom van to pick up Maddy and Joshy
      - come home and scarf lunch just in time to hop back into the van
      - geesh! is it really time to pick up my Missy already???! whahoo!
      - and given the day we have many extra curricular  activities we have
         managed to plug into our hectic schedule,
        because we love them all!
       - Can't let the kids go hungry so we  head home for dinner ,
           family laughs  and baths, HOMEWORK!
           yes!  even in kindergarten!
       -and finally, sigh! bed time! ( yes, even for one tired mommy!)
  
             I am so amazed at  the year we have  lived, survived, loved and
          now get a serious break from!

        Thanking God for giving me  HIS strength & HIS grace to  get by ~
         day to day!
    
        Can't wait to share many summer adventures or  leisures we will
         enjoy!