Wow look out Kindergarten these boys are taking the school by storm. After having sent the girls off to their first days of school. It was time to take Thad to kindergarten orientation. OH boy! There is definitley a remarkable difference between the girls and their first days and Thad's. The girls were of course anxious and excited, scared and a little reserved, they were concerned with hair, make up, and clothes. But not Thaddeus he is confident, funny, full of life, and ready to conquer. As we approached the school doors and tried to get the 3 boys to take a picture before orientation this was as good as it got. Right after this great pose Thad broke into song. "Don't you wish you were a freak like me......" I started to laugh and prodded him into the school for orientation. I could just see all the other moms full of jealousy. I am sure they wished their kid was as good as mine. (Just as a side note I put his Dad's cell phone first on all the registration and contact papers.) I love this kid!
Left - Remington, Middle- Thaddeus, Right- Ethan
So the morning of Kindergarten orientation I phoned Callee to see what she was up to. She told me she was catching Ethan a praying mantis. Ethan really needed the praying mantes. Apparenty because Callee HATES catching bugs like that. (What a good MOM she is). We made plans to meet up and go to orientation together. I picked her and Ethan up at their house. Ethan came out to the car carrying his bug collector jar with a huge praying mantes in it. He was so proud of his praying mantis he told all the kids about it. Well after orientation we went out to the car and like a concerned mom Callee collects leaves to put in the jar. We all got in the car and was ready to pull out. When Callee from the back seat begins screaming "open the door!". I quickly hopped out of the van, swung open the door, out jumps Callee with the jar. I looked at down at the jar to find the lid cutting the praying mantis in half! Gross!!!! I guess when she opened it to put the leaves in in tried to hop out of the jar and it freaked her out. We laughed and laughed. It was very hard to gain composure til we looked in the back seat at Ethan who was very upset that he no longer had a praying mantis. Ethan said to Thaddeus "That was my pet." Everyday is an adventure. 
I am not usually very emotional, or willing to share the more caring side of myself but I can't help it just this once. August 14 would have been my Mom and Dad's anniversary. Especially over the past 2 days I have found myself in constant memory of them. As I was telling the kids yesturday about my Mom and Dad's anniversary they reminded me that for the first time in 9 years they would actually be celebrating together. (Mike also stated he was sure that even in heaven my Dad probably still forgot.) My mom was an amazing person. She was talented, caring, a good cook, devoted, cheerful, patient, and a good neighbor. I always admired her ability to make new friends. I admire her devotion to her callings at church and her steadfastness in the gospel. (She is all the things that I want to be, but am not.) There was no doubt that her test was long but she endured it well. I often wish she were here to give the advice I thought I would never use. I wish she were here to fill the lonely hours of the day. I wish she were here to be the friend that I would complain to when I've had a bad day. And I wish she were here to tell my kids all the bad things I did when I was little. My Dad was a hard worker. A dedicated husband and devoted to family. I miss hearing him play with the kids, I miss the 11:00 p.m. chats, I miss running him gas in the middle of the night when he ran out. And I miss his odd sense of humor. I share these thoughts today as a constant reminder to myself that someday my kids will know and understand how much I love them. I share this for my kids who wonder about the Grandma they never really met. And to remember their Grandpa who was so much apart of their young lives. For my sisters who all we have now is each other. And for my friends who wonder where the heck I came from. Don't blame my parents they tried. Parenthood is full of challenges, full of laughter, full of love, full of feelings you never knew you had, full of lessons, full of financial responsibility, and full of all the greatest things the world has to offer. I love being a Mom and I know that it will take me more than a life time to accomplish what my mom did in her short time. Thank goodness for parents!!!!!!!!!!!!
You know you live in a small town when your lessons in life come from Walmart. Today was the all too often family trip to Walmart. My 12 yr old ( I know everyone I know from highschool is thinking, really she has a 12 yr old. Yes I do. Let's face it we are getting old.) picks up yours and and mine KY Jelly, and looks at me and her dad and says ..... This is a wierd commercial I just don't get it. A small glance between Mike and I and I knew it was all over. Mike loves to tourment his children. And in a slightly elevated voice Mike starts to explain what KY Jelly was. I lost it, I was laughing so hard I was almost crying. Morgan, my eight yr old was completely humiliated and disgusted at her dad. Innocent bystanders were giving a glance of sincere pitty, or completely humored, and Micah, the best 12 yr old you will ever meet in your life sititng there taking her dads humiliation, says ok Dad thanks and like nothing ever happened we finished our shopping trip and went home. Though still sharing many jokes at Micah's expense. It is definitely an experience 12 going on 13, starting Jr. High, and knowing far more than we ever did at this age. For those of my friends who still have young children all I say is just wait!!
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