More Pictures from Auburn

Some Things Never Change

This past weekend we had the wonderful opportunity to go to Auburn for the weekend and go to the game thanks to some wonderful and very generous friends. We were able to take all 3 kids with us as the very generous friends just so happened to have five tickets to the game. They were also on the 40-yard line. Plus we got to see several dear friends, one who lives there and one who wishes she did (you know who you are). Doesn't get much better than that.

So I began composing this post in my head while I was in Auburn. It won't be nearly as eloquent now since I've forgotten most of it. We had a fabulous time. The kids were great, we stayed in a suite a couple of blocks (!) from the stadium and got to walk around my old stomping grounds. (The kids were none too pleased with the amount of walking we did.)

I must say that lots of things have changed since I've been at Auburn: there are a ton of new dorms, they've re-routed roads, there's a new arena, a new parking deck (where the old athletic complex used to be that burned down during a football game which I attended and saw smoke and flames rising just above the student section), and plenty of new buildings that house various schools and colleges. They have done a great job in keeping with the look of the campus, not putting up some hideous building that doesn't go with anything else around it. So it sort of looks the same if you ignore all the new stuff. Make sense?

Anyway, one thing that never changes is the atmosphere in Jordan-Hare Stadium. It's been four years since I've been to a football game and it felt exactly the same as it did when I was there. The scoreboard is different and they've added some seats but it's still got the same feel, the same electricity that is Auburn football. When I took S to his first Auburn/Alabama game, I knew he would never look at football the same way and it's very true. The fans are still just as passionate about their Tigers, I still love seeing Aubie and his antics (which was, by far, my kids' favorite part of being at the game), I still love watching a game in person. And it's one of those things you have to experience yourself to truly appreciate it.

I believe in Auburn and love it!

My Brain is a Ball of Mush

It's true. These days my brain really is a ball of mush. I guess working on top of being a mom will do that to you. Well, that and a broken washing machine. It just quit on me Friday in the middle of a load. So I had to empty the water on to the back porch, wring out all the clothes and take them to my in laws' house. Let me just say that I never realized how much laundry I did until I had to take it elsewhere. Our family of five generates some dirty clothes! Praise the Lord for the in laws; otherwise I'd be going to the laundromat.

We're still getting used to the school schedule which seems to be going well but it's hard to get the kids to bed earlier. While it's nice for S and I to have a little more quiet time in the evening, losing just 30 minutes is a lot!

The job is going quite well even though I have H with me in the tiny school kitchen. It's really a pretty good deal except I'm on my feet all day. As long as there is plenty of food for him, H stays out of the way and even helps sometimes. The only issue I've had is the sweet little first and second graders who come through to heat up a lunch they've brought from home. If there are 10 kids who have to heat their lunch and I only allow them one minute to do so, that's 10 minutes that kids are standing there heating things up. And here are a few examples of the questions I hear over and over:

1. How long do I heat this up?
2. Do you have a plate?
3. How does this microwave work?
4. Do you have a spoon?
5. Where is the trash can?
6. This is too hot.
7. Can you open this for me?

I honestly would love to help all of them but I can't seeing as I'm slightly busy handing out the 120 lunches that were ordered. It's craziness I tell ya! I had one 11th grader tell me that she was never again bringing something to heat up. Granted, there is more than one microwave but with the shear volume of children coming through to heat things up, it feels like there's only one.

So here's a recommendation to you parents who send lunches that need to be warmed up: don't. It makes life easier on everyone. But please know that your children are sweet even if they aren't old enough to work the microwave. Maybe I can teach a class on microwave use while I'm waiting to pick up L. Sounds good to me!

First Day of School 2009

It has come and gone. The first day of the 2009-2010 school year, that is. K is now officially a second grader and L is a kindergartner. I was slightly choked up when L went to her classroom and began her work. She did exactly what she was supposed to do without having to be reminded. I thought I would be okay but I was a ball of mush. It doesn't get any easier with the second one.

I have found my return to work to be exhausting. It's been almost 8 years since I've worked outside the home and it's tough even though it's only a couple of hours each day. The nice thing is that the day goes by quickly with the rush of lunches and kids and teachers and kids and food and all sorts of other stuff. Last night I crashed at 9:00 and woke up at 6:00am having not moved one bit. I'm pretty sure I was tired.

I have some sweet pictures of the girls on their first day, complete with new backpacks but I haven't uploaded them from the camera. That's mainly because I'm lazy and won't go downstairs right now to get the camera so I can put pictures on the blog.

It's been well worth it, though, to be around my girls all day and to see the kids in the school. They are a great group of kids and I'm having fun getting to know them even if it's only for a moment.

So Here's What's Going On

I have been neglecting this blog all summer long. It's hard to find the time to sit down at my own computer and write about, well, nothing. But that's why I started this: to have a record of my children's life and to get out all the things in my head. I would love to be more faithful to this blog (I feel like I've been cheating on her) but life has gotten in the way.

We got back from a trip to my hometown on Tuesday. It was wonderful and we were able to extend our stay one day because S had to work. He had too many conference calls on Monday to be able to sit in a car and try to work while 3 children were creating background noise. He went with us since he can work from just about anywhere. That was certainly a blessing for the car ride. It's always easier than being the lone adult in the car for 5 hours.

We got the chance to ride a real train while we were there. There's an antique rail not too far from my hometown so we went with Papa and PJ and rode the train. It was so much fun. There was an outdoor car and an air-conditioned indoor car. H thought it was a little loud while we were on the outdoor car so we moved inside about half-way through the trip. The air felt good since it was 90+ outside. Even with a breeze in your face, it was still really hot.

So what else is new? Well, I'm officially a working mom. I've taken a position at our school, coordinating lunches, organizing them, and handing them out. No, I'm not the lunch lady. I'm the lunch coordinator. I do get paid (not much) but I do get a really good discount on our tuition. And that makes all the difference in our economy today. Plus, whatever I make gets deducted from the tuition so we're not going to have any monthly payment. Oh, and H gets to go with me so there's no need for child care. And I get Fridays off. It's win-win. While this isn't my ideal job, it's a great way to ease back into the working world.

So that's the news from the 3m's Mama house. What's new with you?

Summer is Winding Down

As we move into these last few weeks before school starts, I must look back at what a wonderful summer we've had so far. I remember the last day of school in May, thinking that we had so much time this summer, it was going to be long and what was I going to do with three children at home all day with nothing to do?

The answer didn't come right away. We had to find things to do, take short day trips, host friends, play with family. We had several guests stay with us including Sporty Mama, had a big birthday party for L, and hosted S's sister for 2 weeks. Her four children stayed at the grandparents' house and took turns staying with us. We had a fabulous time with all of these people, ate really good food and laughed a lot.

The girls are getting excited about school starting (that will eventually fade so I'm trying to encourage it for as long as I can), especially L who will be starting Kindergarten. I know I'll be a ball of mush on the first day of school and must remember to have tissues in my purse that day. We've purchased school supplies, new backpacks and Gran surprised the girls with new lunch bags which are really cute. I think I need to have them monogrammed.

Now summer isn't totally over. We're heading North to visit Nana, Papa & PJ at the end of this week. We have a few more day trips planned, a few play dates with friends and possibly a day trip with Daddy who was gone for most of the month of June. He also went on a last minute trip a couple of weeks ago and has been holed up in his home office ever since. While he is technically home all the time, we still miss him.

I'm very thankful for the time I've had with K, L and H this summer. We've had some wonderful times and we've had some difficult times. Tempers flare a little more easily when you're together all the time. That being said, I wouldn't trade my life for anything.

Five

At five, L seems to me to be smaller than I remember K being. While L is smaller physically, she has personality to spare. She loves to be in the spotlight and puts on shows for us regularly, our living room her stage. She wants to be a rock star when she grows up.

She's feisty and fun but knows just the right time to cuddle. She still has remnants of the curls I so loved when she was around 18 months old. She gets the worst cases of bed head. She sleeps on her stomach with her arms wrapped around her pillow. She loves to play with her brother unless he has something she wants. She knows his buttons and K's too. She's athletic and can hang with the boys all the while in a princess dress. She looks just like her father.

She can do anything she puts her mind to yet she surprises me sometimes with her shyness. But she doesn't hold back too much. She told me just the other day that she liked a boy (I've spoken of him before). She said, "Mommy? I really like H." "I know you do, baby," I replied. "No, Mommy, I really like him."

I think we're in trouble.