Nicholas's walks us through his Rube Goldberg machine he built in 6th grade.
Annnnd I'm Back.....
Does anyone blog anymore? Is it just Vlogging, InstaStory-ing and TikTok-ing? I know I am guilty of it too.
Today is just a short hello with plans to start writing again soon. I worked on some video editing today and documented Nicholas turning 12 (last year). He just turned 13 a week ago, maybe that video will make an appearance before he is 14. Then again, maybe not. LOL!
Until next time!
Celebrating 16 Years
16 years ago today I married the love of my life…
We have lived in 2 states
Built 2 homes
Adopted 2 puppies
And had 2 amazing boys
And we did it all together
Happy Anniversary Mike! Thank you for making my life perfect! I love you!
First Day of School - We Have a Kindergartener
Yes it is already time for school here in Arizona. We start a few weeks earlier than most schools. I think it will always seem crazy to me that they go back at what I think is the middle of the summer. I remember going back in mid-September when I was a kid. But we live in a school district that has a modified school round schedule, so we get to enjoy longer spring, fall and winter breaks. When I really think about it the worst part of the summer starts around mid-July, when the monsoon and dust storms pick up and we get hot days and humid disgusting weather. So really the kids don’t want to do anything outside any more than we do. Today was no exception on the weather front. Just plain yucky. But I digress.
Jackson’s pre-school class was moved to a different school, so now Mike has to go across town to drop off Jackson first and then race back to drop Nicholas off before school starts. I took today off to join him.
We started off with a mini photo shoot, with the best that I get in cooperation with pictures. He’s cute anyway!
Showing off his new Super Mario backpack that he picked out…
This was the best we were getting this morning of a shot with both boys in it. But what was cute was Jackson hugging Nicholas and saing “ohhh”. So cute.
Waiting for daddy to pull the car out of the garage.
Jackson wasn’t having the photo shoot with his backpack out front, so we improvised.
Heading off to class at the new school We found out he does not like the new backpack so we may need to revert to the old smaller one for the time being.
In the classroom now and we are happy. Jackson has the same teacher at the new school and she has the class set up almost exactly like the old classroom at the old school, so he was right at home. Good thing we went to meet the teacher night last week. They were running late and we had to get going to get Nicholas to school on time.
By the time we made it to Nicholas’s school it was a madhouse. We had to park across the street more than a block away and walk him to the play yard. We packed lunch on the first day and were so happy the school allows kids to bring peanut butter in their lunch, since that is all Nicholas will eat. Lunch is really the one thing we worried about most.
All set and we are on our way to school.
We hurried up to wait in the kindergarten playground. It was a bit overwhelming with all the parents in line with the kids. Nicholas was super excited to be there and get his day started. These are some of my favorite pictures of the day!
Finally in the classroom and settled at his desk we said our goodbyes.
We are so proud of how far this little guy has come and we know he is going to have a great time in kindergarten.
We picked Nicholas up after school and it was a little crazy. The kids all come piling out of the school at the same time. We were a little nervous because Nicholas is used to Mike signing him out when he was picked up at pre-school. So we did not want him to be scared if he couldn’t find us. It seemed like forever before we saw him. He was following a teacher out and I got this picture of him, before I got his attention. Our little boy just seems so big to me here.
Nicholas’s teacher is awesome. She called the house tonight to see how he was doing after school and said he had a great day. We believe it. He was in such a great mood when he got home and I was so thankful I took the day off of work so I could share this big day with him.
I realized as I was holding his hand walking into school and leaving this afternoon, that it probably won’t be that far away when he won’t want to hold my hand anymore when we are at school around his friends. That is the only thing that I teared up about today. I was so happy for him and proud of him that I could not stop smiling.
Where Did May Go?
I guess for me intention and reality have not quite aligned. I spent time transitioning my blog and getting it updated posted once and let life take over. What is up with that?
I love this song…I think it is going to be big this year
….I digress
I guess since I was last here we did a few things. We took the boys to Schnepf Farms to pick peaches, Jackson really got into it this year. He was much more cooperative than his big bro! 
I spent my Mother’s Day with my 2 best boys. we were working on our backyard so it wasn’t really relaxing.
I 
But the results made me happy, even if I had to spend a lot of time at my 2 favorite big box hardware stores.
We were able to get in the pool by the middle of the month. With the life vest, Jackson now acts like he owns the pool and is giving Nicholas a run for his money. I will be surprised if they aren’t swimming without them by the end of the summer.
We spent Memorial Day Weekend with Mike’s brother’s family. In between pool time there was lots of Apple friendly fun.
Nicholas had a couple of friends birthday party’s over the weekend so we had fun with the 5 year old friends at gymnastics and Peter Piper.
Jackson took over my iPad. The only way to get him to eat was to let him have it at the table. He looked like he was at Starbuck’s.
I took the last day of school off and took the boys to school. They had a fun last day with Miss Jacci.
We now have a kindergartner. So proud of this dude!
To celebrate we headed to Coldstone for ice cream before cooling off in the pool.
It’s officially summer in the Carr House!
Lot’s of time in the air conditioned house playing the Wii.
Jackson drew this yesterday, it looks like one of the characters in his favorite Nickelodeon show and iPad App from Team Umi Zoomi. Pretty good for a kiddo that needs a little therapy for fine motor skills.
He is so fun.
I finally finished the family room drapes. Love that Jackson was admiring them.
That is our past month. Looking forward to seeing my family and going to an Angels game this month, and hopefully I will very soon paint my bedroom. The boys are in summer camp in the mornings and for the first time since Nicholas was born, Mike has a few hours alone every morning.
Have a great week!
Week in the Life - Sunday
Sunday, July 31
In Photos:
In Words:
Day: Sunday, July 31, 2011
Wake: 6:20 a.m.
Sleep: 10:50 p.m.
Weather: 108 degrees
Work: No thanks, hanging out today
Plan: Dinner at Garcia’s with the Carr grandparents
Eating: Pancakes & bacon for breakfast
Drinking: Lots of water
Exercising: Oops,I forgot
Listening: Silence, 4 kids in the house are now asleep
Watching: I wasn’t watching, but there was baseball
Feeling: Refreshed after a good night’s sleep
Thinking: About interior design
Doing: Measuring rooms; and, swimming before the storm
Wanting: To redecorate most of my house
Needing: Money to actually do it, ha!
Loving: Watching the Carr cousins bond
Week in the Life - Saturday
Saturday, July 30 In Photos:
In Words:
Day: Saturday, July 30, 2011
Wake: 5:21 a.m. (thanks Marti)
Sleep: 10:35 p.m.
Weather: 106 degrees with a mid-day storm
Work: House chores most of the day until 3:00 p.m.
Plan: Jon & girls coming for the week
Eating: Subway subs for lunch
Drinking: Pomegranate lemonade
Exercising: Day off
Listening: Mario Kart on the Wii in the background
Watching: Tori & Dean on the DVR while scrapping
Feeling: So hot today and sticky today
Thinking: Nichols is obsessed with the Wii
Doing: Organizing my scrap room & the coupon binder; hanging a shelf in the laundry room & new posters in the boys room
Wanting: To create a “Cool in the Pool” mini album
Needing: A shower every time I come back inside from the heat
Loving: Nicholas so excited for his cousins to get here
Week in the Life - Friday
Friday, July 29 In Photos:
In Words:
Day: Friday, July 29, 2011
Wake: 5:28 a.m.
Sleep: 1:05 a.m.
Weather: 108 degrees (or 103, but it is hot!)
Work: Arrive – 9:05 a.m. Depart 6:05 p.m.
Plan: To not work late tonight
Eating: Oregano’s Grandma G’s Rosemary Chicken Potato Pizza– yum!
Drinking: Ice Sparkling Water
Exercising: Yoga & Stretching
Listening: LOAD & Paperclipping Podcasts
Watching: Did you Hear About the Morgans?; Hawaii 5-0 & Tori & Dean on the DVR
Feeling: Free from some clutter
Thinking: About new work assignment – a fun challenge
Doing: Cleaning & organizing my scrap room
Wanting: To re-decorate the guest bathroom
Needing: A good night’s sleep
Loving: Extra time spent with Nicholas & Jackson this morning
Week in the Life - Monday & Tuesday
I wasn't going to join the Week in the Life project this week. I decided Monday morning to go for it and just approach it differently than last year. It ends up being the same week I documented last year when I took tons of pictures every day and wrote tons of details. This year, I am taking a cue from Kelly Purkey's class at Big Picture Classes and doing a quick summary of my day, mostly from my perspective with just a few photos.
Monday July 25
Day: Monday, July 25, 2011
Wake: 5:35 a.m.
Sleep: 10:50 p.m.
Weather: 101 degrees
Work: home sick today
Plan: first day of pre-k for Nicholas
Eating: tilapia tacos
Drinking: Landshark beer
Exercising: yoga & stretching – calves very sore
Listening: quiet house after boys are asleep
Watching: Tori & Dean re-runs on Oxygen
Feeling: achy, hot and tired today
Thinking: about losing weight
Doing: setting up school archive boxes from pre-school to 12th grade for both boys
Wanting: to purge the excess in the house
Needing: to get some extra sleep
Loving: the box of memories Dion brought this weekend
Tuesday July 26
Day: Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Wake: 5:35 a.m. - after being licked by Marti
Sleep: 10:30 p.m. - in the family room chair
Weather: 106 degrees
Work: arrived - 9:45 departed – 7:15 home – 7:45
Plan: first day at new preschool for Jackson
Eating: awful Healthy Choice frozen meal for lunch
Drinking: iced tea
Exercising: yoga and stretching
Listening: Mike’s radio station when going to sleep
Watching: Hawaii 5-0 on the dvr
Feeling: so much better than yesterday – back to normal
Thinking: behind. I am too busy at work right today – too many meetings not enough work time.
Doing: volunteer training at Nicholas’s school
Wanting: to get home earlier at night
Needing: preservation spray from Michael’s
Loving: how excited Jackson was after getting his new outfit on for school & taking his 1st day photo shoot
Happy Friday and Cosmo Cricket Class
In a few short hours it will be Friday. I am looking forward to a weekend hanging out with family and brunch on Sunday for Mother’s Day. Hanging out with these little guys.
A while back I took a Cosmo Cricket class at my LSS, Paper Vineyard. I never shared the layouts and cards we made so I thought I would share them today, since I still haven’t finished my CKC post. I took 3 classes and 2 of them used the newest lines Salt Air and Upcycle. The third focused on CC’s fabric and the new Glubers.
Have a great weekend!
