Back to School

Today Ava started third grade and Phineas went off to kindergarten.

I had trouble sleeping last night.  Last year was tough for Ava.  She really mourned the loss of her life in Sheboygan and struggled all year with feeling like the new girl and not quite like herself (not the fault of anyone else, by the way, just the label and awkwardness she felt at a new school).  We had so much transition with Christian joining our family, as well; I think it was just an emotional year for her!   I look forward to her third grade year.  She learned a lot about her emotions and how to process them.  I also LOVED third grade- it was my favorite grade ever, so I am excited for her.  Who doesn't LOVE memorizing multiplication tables and whippin' through flash cards...can't wait!

I can't believe Phin is starting kindergarten.  He is going full day and I know he's ready, he's almost six, but my heart felt the loss of time with him.  I lay awake at two a.m., mourning that I'll never again have him home all day (except summers) and I'll miss his spark of life around here.

Summer wasn't what I'd planned.  Christian really struggled after Marc traveled and that consumed the first half of summer.  It was important to deal with the regression correctly and I know he needed the time home and the extra attention.  Still, I mourned the plans I'd made that never came to fruition.  I mourn the loss of time I hoped to have with Ava and Phin.  Sometimes life just isn't in our control and I think I'll always struggle with that fact;)  They seemed to have a good summer and are excited for school, but at 3 a.m. I lay awake wondering if we laughed enough.  I wondered how I'd ever teach them all the things I want to with school years being so busy and summer being so short.  How will they learn to cook and clean and sew and fix things and do their own laundry...my mind was going crazy.  God was laughing, I am sure.  They are five and eight, it's not as if they are going to college tomorrow!

I was feeling emotional when the alarm went off far too early, but as soon as Ava ran into my room smiling ear to ear proclaiming, "TODAY I START THIRD GRADE!", I rallied;)

We got up dressed, had a good breakfast and packed our first lunches!  I'm done sulking, my kids are ready for this year and I will be too!

We had some prayer time for their day and school year ahead.

 All ready to go!

 I was about to write, "She looks older every year"....but that's how this growin' up thing works, isn't it?!

My photo bomber was feelin' like himself to say the least;) 

Ava and her teacher Mrs. Satre

Most of Ava's class...a great group of kids!

Phin wasn't even nervous, he went right in and hung up his bag so fast I barely had time to snap a photo;)

His teacher, Mrs. Janschek.

Ava was excited but nervous upon arrival and I THINK Phin was nervous too, though he denied it.  He was pretty independent, wanted a high five instead of a hug when I left and when I asked if he wanted me to come inside to get him or drive up in the car pool lane he was adamant that I do the car pool lane and let him come out to me;)

I picked them up after school...both were beaming about what a great day they had.  Chloe and Christian had special surprises to give them in the car;)

We ended the day like we end most big days...with a silly supper.

Happy First Day of School!

Classroom style name tags, apple plates, loose leaf paper silverware sleeves, erasers (strawberry wafers) and pencils (Cheese stick, summer sausage, and bugle)

Straw flags for the milk that said, "I love school", "Smart is cool", and "Stay Sharp"

Dessert #1

Dessert #2

Back to School Snack Mix (Scrabble Cheez Its, Alphabits cereal, Pretzel stick "L"s, and pretzel "M"&Ms filled

Our pepperoni clock

and celebratory pizza

I hope they never out grow the joy in silly suppers....

I go to bed certain I'll sleep better tonight...thankful for a day of celebrating the wonderful kids that I have and looking forward to all God has for them this year.  I end the day "laughing at the days to come" and knowing that the change in my heart is a gift from my Father.

*Printables for straw flags and dessert labels here.  

World Cup Silly Supper

Today the USA is playing Portugal in the World Cup.  It's been so fun to see Marc and Phin watching the World Cup together, so I knew a silly supper was in order.

 Before Dinner they all got finger puppet soccer players to color (they didn't know yet that they were finger puppets;)

 Our spread...soccer ball plates and table cloth and the napkins were "yellow flags".

I made the juice boxes into soccer players with applesauce heads and raisin feet.  I used green construction paper to make place mats (later to be used:) and we had red and blue berries as a homage to the USA and cups filled with popcorn.  For our main "entree" I made pigs in the blanket and stuck american and Portugese tooth pick flags in them.  The dessert was simply chocolate soccer balls and Pepperidge Farm cookies (which I planned on making into soccer balls, but realized it would take me forever so I quit after three- LOL)

Oh, yes and I used guacamole and sour cream to make another soccer field for our chips;)

After we ate we used the finger puppets and chocolate soccer balls to play soccer on our place mats...such fun;)

Simple meal and great memories...another silly supper success!  I do have to report that the happiness did end in tears when Portugal tied the game at the end...Phin was so certain we'd won that the tie was devastating to his five year old heart....life lessons.

Silly Supper- Olympic Opening Ceremonies

I got this text from my friend Christina at 12 noon yesterday.

I am thankful, because this time of year, getting motivated is sometimes the hardest step in my motherhood journey.  I love doing Silly Suppers and the truth is, at this point, I have so many different supplies in my cabinet and a folder full of ideas, not to mention a Pinterest board that I add to whenever I want to remember where something is online.  Pulling if off, really doesn't take too much work or money, just a bit of effort.

I remembered my fourth of July picnic goods I bought this summer that remained unopened because our house flooded that afternoon (I don't even remember what we ended actually eating on the fourth, I memory blockage of that day!).  They are patriotic colors and I thought, I'll just do a patriotic picnic and be done with it...and then I checked Pinterest.  Man, are there some FUN Olympic themed party ideas;)  I almost went off the cliff and planned a Russian food buffet, made of foods I've never made before.  Yes, I almost fell prey to the danger of Pinterest, people.  It sucks me in and makes me start thinking crazy things are good ideas...I mean some bloggers take really amazing photographs...really amazing and they make me think, I need to do THAT!

Thankfully, I snapped out of my Pinterest trance and I reigned it back in.  I reminded myself that it was 1:30pm and my kids are all under 7 and would never appreciate Borscht for dinner.  (Yes, I do expect a pat on the back for this one, I am proud of myself.  Reigning it in=GROWTH for me!:)  Hot dogs and Hamburgers are all American...and more importantly already in my fridge.  I quickly made gold medals and a torch, got my littles up from nap and went to pick Ava and her playdate up from school.

We had a fun and no stress evening;)  The truth is, the kids just love anything that I put effort into.  If I make an atmosphere of excitement, they jump in with both feet;) Russian food would have made cool, refined, elegant blog pictures (trust me or just look here;), but wow, am I glad this is my reality.  Silly, bright colored, grill fare- totally my speed right now!

Left over birthday streamers, in the Olympic colors and the Olympic rings made of fruit (Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Pineapple, and Grapes), I had left over gold coins from Saint Nicholas day, so I glued wrapping ribbon on them and made them into gold medals;)

I saw Cheetos torches on line, but I kind of though Doritos looked a bit more torch-like.  (Phin was supposed to have a friend over for lunch and he wanted to make sandwiches so we actually had a variety of chips in the house;)

I found these cute free  Sochi Printables from Creative Dee so I amped up my straws and made flags for my dogs and burgers

I made a Torch out of a paper towel tube and red and orange tissue paper and we had the kids relay with the torch on their way to the table;)

Our future Olympian, perhaps?

The older girls were great sports, as well;)

Ava, being oldest, got the honor of bringing the torch to light the cauldron...ie. bringing it to the table.

The official torch is lit- let the ceremonies (dinner) begin!

I used the Forth of July baskets, hot dog holders, and condiment cups and we had hot dogs and hamburgers with our chip torches.  It was our American meal in support of Team USA!

Our drinks- 7up with Olympic rings (gummy life savers at the bottom;) (They don't melt in case you are wondering.  I wondered when seeing the idea on Pinterest;)

They wore their gold medals while they ate....and though I didn't get a picture, ate them for dessert alongside ice cream cones (another nod to the torch).

Awaiting opening ceremonies, they watched some figure skating from the previous night while eating their cones (no food in the family room, means, we use this half wall as a bar whenever we want to eat and watch;)

Only Ava was interested in the opening ceremonies program.  Phin thoroughly enjoys the sports, but the opening ceremonies was not of real interest.  The youngest three went down stairs and played.  He did want to stay up for the lighting of the cauldron, but alas, they all had to watch it this morning...sleep is too precious a commodity.  We let them stay up until our athletes entered the stadium and then it was nighty night.

Thank you Christina for giving me a nod to my own strengths and helping me find joy in the day.  It's easy to get lost in "to do's" right now.  I can't remember the last time I did a silly supper.  Felt a little bit like myself...and it was wonderful.  Yippee! for another bit of normalcy that is returning as we adjust to four!  Next week is Valentines Day...I am already excited!

Back to School Silly Supper

 Summer flew too quickly for me.  Before I knew it, school time had arrived.  My heart began to grieve a bit at the loss of time as the school year approached. My little girl will now be in school all day five days a week.  How we will miss her around the house!

Ava, of course, has no sense of grief;)  She has been counting down the days to first grade.  I determined early last week that we would make the most of our last week of summer break and decided I'd plan a Back to School silly supper for the night before her first day.  Soon, the kids joy at the fun activies and Ava's excitement about school caught like wildfire to my soul.  It was a week of celebration and my heart is full.

Here are some photos of our Back to School Silly Supper;)

See that jar of Chalk?  It's edible:)

 



Found these accidentally in the candy aisle at Walmart and I instantly became giddy at their resemblance to chalk;)



Decorating this one was SUPER fun for me (obviously).  The color red just makes me happy and so do school supplies;)



 

I made ballon apples for the chairs.

 

 

I got this super cute "Reading is Fun" banner for 88cents at Walmart and it will migrate to our playroom reading corner in the near future.  I used flashcard boxes to house the silverware and got old fashioned writing strips to write names on just like teacher did on our desks when I was young.

 

Our fare was ABC & 123 pasta, I made pencils out of a bugle, cheesestick, and cube of ham.  We also had letter Cheezits, and apples.

 





 

Ava had a bit of a headache (allergies!), but didn't let it ruin her fun.

 

Dessert was again a pencil, made from a covered roll of Rolos, a strawberry marshmallow eraser, and a Caramel Hershey kiss tip.  I also make an eraser form one of those square marshmallows Kraft is making;)

 



We LOVE marshmallows 'round here;)

I love that my husband and kids love silly suppers as much as I do;)

 



Me and my precious Ava.

 



This is the smile we'll miss during the day;)

 



I love how excited the kids were about Rolos, because they remind me of my mom- she loves them;)

 



My little guy was deterined to get "these chalks" to work- ha ha;)

 

 

It was another fun evening a memories and definitely a Silly Supper we'll do every year!