My little scholar

We had a crazy week! I thought I would have more time for things with Jack going to Pre-K, but NO SUCH LUCK! I spend an hour taking him back and forth for 3 hours of school every weekday. Despite the time it takes, I am SO thrilled that he is excelling like he is! His teacher instructs only 8 children during those 3 hours so she can tell me in detail how he is progressing. In the 5 weeks since he began, Jack can already write his name, without even copying it!

On Thursday I attended a Thanksgiving Luncheon with Jack. I got to sit in his class for a few minutes while the kids sang songs about the letters they have studied so far (L, I and T). Jack was not singing and as we left the classroom his teacher said "Jack, why didn't you sing? That is your favorite thing to do!" I guess he was just being bashful since I was there.

We had our meal (of course Jack only ate the rolls!) and I got to look at the writing and drawing journal that they kids use twice a week. He had several drawings in there - an octopus, fish in a pond, an ice cream cone - and they ALL looked like what they were supposed to be! This kid has been holding out on me! I never knew he was so artistic!

The other day I had him sign a birthday card for his Aunt Holly. He wrote his name and then I asked him if he wanted to write Holly's name on the envelope. I wrote it on a piece of paper for him and he copied it perfectly! Then, this afternoon, he came running upstairs to me and showed me he wrote Aunt Holly's name again - he remembered it and wrote it all by himself! Maybe it's crazy to be so proud, but I just can't help it! He's too smart for his own good! uh oh!!

Babysitting Duty

I've had the priviledge of babysitting my gorgeous 1 year old nephew, Lukas, the last few weeks while my sister works. He is such an easy-going kid and just a total HOOT!

He climbed under my dining table and got stuck the first day or two he was here. My table is a counter-height table so he can walk under it standing straight up. It didn't bother him in the least; and once he saw me with camera in hand, he hammed it up! He likes to chase my two cats, too. They aren't as excited about it as Luke is!

He's really picked up a lot of things from my boys already. He started rolling a truck since he's been with me and he loves to dance just like his cousin Joey. I play music on the way to take Jack to school and while Joey jams on his air guitar, Luke claps and bobs his head to the beat. I think we've got a rock-n-roll future with these little guys!

Last week my boys were running around the kitchen table before school and Luke joined the parade. He was screaming and laughing and having a blast! Jack crashed on the floor playing "dead" and Luke, who LOVES to wrestle, attacked Jack. Not to be outdone, Joey followed suit. I was laughing so hard I could hardly stand it. These boys are going to provide plenty of entertainment over the next 12 months!

Fun with Friends

I was so lucky to enjoy a visit over the weekend from my dear friend, Kathleen, from Hawaii who is living in Alabama now. (Her husband is also deployed.) They arrived Saturday night and, needless to say, we spent a LOT of time talking! I can't remember the last time I stayed up all night chatting with a girlfriend! Kathleen and I would spend HOURS on the phone in Hawaii. She was my lifeline over there while our husbands were deployed to Afghanistan. Her kids are Bethany (7) and Clyde (8). They all played pretty well together and they, too, had time to "catch up". Bethany was a little "protector" of Joey; when Jack and/or Clyde would leave him out, Bethany was the one who would go read Joey a book, or play cars with him (she won't even THINK about playing cars with her brother!).

On Sunday afternoon we took the kids to see Madagascar Escape 2 Africa. All the kids loved the first movie so we were all looking forward to seeing the next one. It was really good and full of "adult" humor as well! I think I got up 4 times with Jack to go to the bathroom! I don't think he goes to the bathroom 4 times throughout a normal day!! Oh well!

We took the kids to Fort Knox to see the Patton Museum. They all enjoyed running around outside looking at the tanks and other military vehicles. There was even a helicopter on display. Inside the museum were more exhibits like a piece of the Berlin Wall, and a couple tank simulators.

The evening after the museum Kathleen and I experimented with some fall cookies. They were in the shape of turkeys and pumpkins and filled with chocolate chips and marshmallows. The dough was pie crust. They were pretty easy to make but not as sweet as you would like them to be. The kids liked them. Next time I'll have bigger cookie cutters and I think it will work better.

It was so nice to catch up with Kathleen. I wish we still lived close to one another. There you have the up and downside to being "married" to the Army - you meet the best friends you'll ever have but you eventually have to leave them! But you find out how true their friendship is when you stay in touch even though you are far away. I am so blessed to have a few of these such friends! I look forward to visiting with Kathleen and kids again soon!

Can the weather just make up it's mind already?!

I hate the way the weather changes so drastically from one day to the next! It was 70 degrees last week and now dropped to 40s this week! No wonder we're all sick. Jack had the worst of it with the sinus drainage, coughing, etc. No antibiotics necessary, but that mucus stuff is just gross! I'll be glad when he learns how to "take care" of it properly; he just swallows the junk and it makes him throw up - not fun, for him OR me! Then Joey started with it. I had it the whole time, but at least I know what to do to take care of myself. We were all doped up on Robitussin, Sudafed, Mucinex, etc. (not all at the same time, of course!) Both kids wouldn't sleep all night and would end up in bed with me or on the living room couch because they got up coughing their heads off.

One night Jack even fell asleep sitting up. I told him how laying propped up would help with the coughing. The exhaustion overcame him and he was OUT! Hopefully this isn't a sign of the rest of the cold weather season! It will be interesting spending an entire Fall and Winter with traditional weather! But with Joey's tubes in his ears now I'm hoping we won't have ear infections to deal with. Guess we shall see!

Election Day

It's official - Sen. Barack Obama is the next President of the United States. I am certainly glad the election is over. Now the commercials and annoying recorded phone calls can stop! Whew!

When I took Jack to school this morning, I got to watch his class say the Pledge of Allegiance. They were so cute, all standing there with their hand over their heart. One of the kids holds the flag and they all recited the Pledge with minimal assistance from the teacher. By the way, do public schools still do this? I just don't know....

Today my Mom took Jack with her to vote. They are really encouraging kids involvement in the election process. Jack's teacher told Mom when she picked him up from school that all he talked about all day today was going to "vote with Grammy". lol! Mom even made him a ID card so he could show it at the booth! He is so proud of that card! (He even insisted on showing it to the Wal-Mart cashier!)

When Jack was "voting", Mom was reading him the selections. One issue on the ballot was whether they should require helmets for motorcycle riders (it's currently not required in Kentucky). Jack said "oh yeah, they should!". That's my boy! ;)




In any case, this is a day Jack will remember forever! God Bless America!