Catch-Up

Sorry!! Things have been hectic as usual, and we're all adjusting. As you know, I like to plan everything down to the last detail, and I'm having to learn how to go with the flow more.

Since I haven't blogged in forever, I'm going to play catch-up.

The first weekend in October we had our Halloween Outing for our camping club. It's always a good time, especially for the kids.

It was so warm that weekend, that the kids played on a inflatable waterslide that someone had set up.

Next was the Zoo Boo. We've been for the last couple of years and really love it. People kept asking if Emily was an anteater, really, who dresses like an anteater for Halloween??!! She was a horse.

Then, the days after the Zoo Boo, I got really sick. I got the flu and stayed sick for a full week. I was in bed for days! Myles had to take some time off work. Then, when I finally git better, the whole family got their flu shot for the year! lol So, now I'm really set.

Then came the real Halloween.

I gotta say, the time change really messed us up this year. Trick or Treating n the daylight is weird. But the kids loved it! Emily took forever1 At every house she said "trick or treat, thank you, have a happy Halloween!" At EVERY house! It took her forever, but it was really cute.

NOVEMBER

There was a Harvest Fest fundraiser st Aaron's school.

There were games, and a cake walk, and an archery game, a bouncy house, pony rides, lunch, and a game of "Are you smarter than a 5th Grader?", which was really fun to watch.

Aaron started gymnastics this month, and while he isn't really good, by any standards, he is really enthusiastic about it. I think we'll continue it, even though he lacks any talent whatsoever, lol!

Aaron also had an asthma flare that led to yet another double ear infection. Poor kid. I also have a conference with his Kindergarten teacher. He is doing well, and he is very close to reading on his own. His phonetic spelling in pretty on target.

Emily is still doing dance,and she started her first non-parent assisted swim class. She also is doing well. She is gaining confidence in the water every week.

As a family, we joined a church recently. Myles and I took a new membership class and will be welcomed into the church officially just before Christmas. I'm very glad to have found a very good m"church family" for us. I have really missed being a part of a church.

Last week, I took the kids to the circus at the Palace. Wow. I haven't been in years, adn I forgot how great it is. I couldn't really get any good pictures, but here are some elephants and the kids once the circus was over. They loved it, and I would love to take them back.

Lastly, I have been knitting my butt off, and loving it! Here is a scarf I recently finished for Aaron's teacher. It's wool and mohair, and it is beautiful. Very soft. I'm hoping to take pics of every project I finish. I'd like to be able to catalog my work.

Pics....

Lots of Pictures!

I'll come back later and post captions and stories, but I wanted to get these up now. I took quite a few pics this week, and I wanted to share them. I will have more of this coming weekend, too, and I will share those also.

See, I really am trying....

to be better at this.

This was a short week, but a busy one. Both kids started school this week, and it was firsts for them. 1st elementary and 1st preschool.

Aaron had a 1/2 day on Tuesday that I had to attend with him.


In front of his school on the first day. We are so proud of him, we could burst! Wasn't he just a peanut, like a minute ago??

He really liked it. We got to go on a scavenger hunt around the school, he got a snack, and we did some activities together. It was fun. After that. we went to lunch together. Aaron told me how much he likes hanging out with me, just the two of us. Isn't that just the cutest??

Wednesday we went to the beach, since it was beautiful outside, no one had school, and I have a feeling that we won't have too many great days left.



Aaron had a ball burying his legs in the sand, and then telling me we had to go to the hospital to get him new ones.


Ok, Thursday, the big day. Dun, dun, dun.....
Aaron got to take the bus to school. Honestly, he was SO excited, he was vibrating. So, as the parent of a kindergarten-er, I have to be at the bus stop for them to pick him up and drop him off. More on that in a sec. So, he gets on the bus, all smiling, ready to go to school. As the bus pulls away with my baby in it, I start to cry. Well, not so much cry and bawl my eyes out! My baby was on that bus. And it drove away without me!!! Ok, so I cried for a couple of minutes, and then got my OTHER baby ready for preschool.


Aaron getting on the bus


Emily, (she doesn't want to be Emma anymore, I was recently informed) did really good. It really helped that she was there all the time last year, getting Aaron. She is really comfortable, and that is great.

Emily at her preschool

Ok, remember about a parent meeting the bus everyday? Well, that really bothered me. I mean, really, why do I need to meet the bus twice a day?? What a waste of time. So, at 4:15, I go and meet the bus, and it comes down the street, stops and all the kids get off. Well, all the kids except mine. Yep, he didn't get off the bus. So the bus driver sees me standing there and Says "what's his name?" I tell him, he shouts towards the back of the bus, no answer. So, I was thinking, great he's still at school. So, the bus driver gets up and starts checking name tags. All the kindergartners have them, with their name, teacher's name, and the mode of transportation they use to get to school. Which, I now feel, is genius! So, the driver finds Aaron, apparently minutes away from the land of drools and dreams, and tells him this is his bus stop. So Aaron staggers like a drunk off the bus. Needless to say, I don't think waiting for the bus everyday is so stupid anymore!!! LOL So, even after that, Aaron loves school and can't wait to buy his lunch.
Fun times.

Getting off the bus, slightly woozily.




Ok, this weekend we're just hanging out. No big plans. Yard work and house work.

Parties, Power Outages, and More!!

Emma had dance classes this week. She LOVED it! I even signed her up for next year. It's beginner's ballet. I'm sure you're all going to be hearing about it later in the year, when I invite everyone to her 1st recital!

Aaron had his first "friends" birthday party at Chuck E Chesse. I was worried it was going to be a chaotic mess, but it went well. Of course Emma was there too. It ended up being 11 kids. It was nice that so many could make it.

We also has relatively major power loss this weekend. Friday at about 5pm the huge storm blew through and caused the tornado sirens to go off in Milford. I guess one touched down in Oakland County and Livingston County. As the rain was coming down, our laundry room flooded because the storm drain couldn't keep up with the downpour of water. At about 5:45, the power flickered a few times and went out. Myles got home about 7, and the storm stopped. We drove around town, to get Myles dinner and to see how much of the town was without power. All of Milford was out, from M-59 to GM Road and Milford Rd. We went to bed and at about 1am, there was huge sparking and a HUGE boom in the backyard. The transformer in the back corner of our yard blew up and caught a tree on fire. Myles never even woke up! We had police and firefighters in the yard within minutes. The houses across the street now had power but we didn't.
So.......DTE kept saying it would be until Sunday afternoon until we got power back. Sunday, while the kids and I were at the Farmer's market, Myles called me to say that the power line in the back had fell and was arching and spitting all over, and touching the fence. Then it hit a tree and exploded it. So, the fire dept was here again. And DTE this time. The line was fixed and we got power back Sunday afternoon.
We had an interesting weekend, huh???

This week, both kids went for their well checks at the doctor. Both are doing well and are healthy. Emma actually cried because she DIDN'T need a shot. That girl is a trip sometimes. Aaron is due for a pretty huge growth spurt very soon, so the doctor suggested I wait to get him school clothes. I totally agree and haven't done any shopping for him yet.

Aaron's new elementary school (I can't get used to that!) has an open house this week, that we'll be going to , as does Emma's preschool. Then this weekend, we're off camping.

Gave a good week, everyone!!!

Emma's ballet

Emma got pink highlights for her birthday
She likes 'em

Chuck E Cheese partyCake for breakfast on her birthday
Pink highlights for Emma, blue gel for Aaron
Aaron's breakfast cake. With no electricity.

Quickie

Ok, I only have time for a short run-down, so here it is:
Aaron has Safety Camp for 2 weeks. They taught him all the stuff I had already taught him. Stranger danger, what to do if there is a fire, how to call 911, don't pet strange dogs, etc. He had fun. We went to Milford Memories, the beach, the near-by Catholic Fest, and the Howell Melon Fest




The beach
Face painting at the Catholic Fair
Kids craft tent at Milford Memories
Watching the Melon Fest parade in Howell

Myles tried to give Emma a "Flock of Seagulls" hairdo

Wow!

Where has the summer gone?? I can't believe that the kids are almost 3 and 5! I'm in shock!

Ok, here's what's been going on with us lately.

July 13 the kids and I went to the zoo with some friends. We got out membership renewed, and we are set for another year.

On the train

I LOVE this picture

Sunday July 15- Myles had a golf lesson. I had bought him a gift certificate for Father's Day. He loved it. I hope that he'll hit the driving range more often. We also steam cleaned the carpets.

Tuesday July 17- We went to the zoo again with Eva, Emeric, and their daughter Lucie, visiting from France.

Monday July 23- Myles had the day iff and we spent it with Eva, Emeric and Lucie again. We went to the waterpark in Waterford. It was a blast. They have a huge wave pool and an area for smaller kids with slides and sprayers. We were there until 3 and then we came back here to let the kids nap, and then we all helped get dinner ready.

Tuesday July 24- Ok I've got a weird story for you----Aaron's right ear was really swollen, red and bumpy. So I called the doctor and they wanted to see him, the same day. SO, I took him in, and the doctor looked at his ear and said that we had "retained bug parts in his ear" EEEWWW Basically, Aaron had a sore or bug bite on his ear, and then another bug landed in the same spot. Then Aaron, swatted at the bug, and some bug "parts" stayed on the sore. Then, his body formed a scab over those body parts. Isn't that the grossest thing ever???? So the doctor scraped his ear and prescribed an antibiotic for 10 days. I guess he could have gotten pretty sick from it. He's totally fine now, but I call that ear his "bug butt ear".

Before the doctor

Friday July 27-29 We went camping with Eva and her family.

Sunday July 29- Myles was supposed to leave from camping and go to Ohio for work, and I was going to stay at the campground for another day. Well, on Sunday evening, we went to start his car and it wouldn't stay stared. So after a while of trying, we left that car there, packed up took the kids and me home, and then he left for Ohio. So, I had to call a tow truck on Monday and get the car taken care of. Needless to say, I was without a car most of the week. We got it squared away, and now the car is fixed, $500 later. We picked it up almost a week later on Friday, August 3rd. Kind of a bummer to be without a car for a while, but we survived.

Saturday August 4- We left camping early and headed home. On the way we stopped at a local Farmer's Market. We got fresh eggs, salad greens, cukes, and green beans. Yummy. We got home unpacked,and immediately left for the beach. It was a beautiful day. We came home, everybody took a nap, had dinner, and then we went to a fair. It was fun. The kids played games and went on a bouncer, and got their faces painted.