First Grade Update

Oh my, it has been a REALLY long time since I've updated but,.....you already know that. This year is flying by. Things are going so well. Aidan is doing amazing in first grade.

First grade has been in session for 2 1/2 months now and I can't believe the difference. Aidan is REALLY enjoying school. His teacher is really engaged and truly has the kids best interest at heart. School doesn't come easy for Aidan, but he is trying really hard and is doing really well. His reading is coming along at an alarming pace. His class is involved in the "Book It" program at the local pizza joint. If the children read the amount of books that the teacher pre-determines for a given month, they get a certificate for a personal sized pizza. Aidan, despite having a week shorter than the rest of his classmates, due to a vacation, worked really hard and completed his 15 books last month and triumphantly presented his pizza certificate! We went for pizza earlier this week and had the best experience. The waiter made a huge deal about Aidans reading efforts and Aidan was beaming! He gave him a "Readers Rule" button for his backpack and he wears it proudly. He is well on his way to another certificate for November!

For the first quarter of the school year, the first graders operated on a pass/fail scale. The second quarter just began and this is the first time that he will be graded on the letter scale. So, we cleaned off our refridgerator to make room for all of his efforts. It has only been a week and we are already well on our way to covering every space on the door with A's and B's! We couldn't be more proud of our little man!

Hurry Up Days!

I can't believe that September is almost over - time just flies by! The days are busy and go by so quickly - but life has been good at our house. It has taken me a month, but I am finally learning to juggle the new school schedule. Aidan has settled into a good routine and I don't feel nearly as frazzled as I did those first couple of weeks. It was hard going from the "lazy days of summer camp" to the "wake-up-early, homework-filled days of the school year." Aidan is very happy with his teacher and so far is doing great!

Aidan really enjoys computer class and loves getting a new book out of the library on Thursdays. He is finally picking out chapter books, so as part of our routine at night, we read a couple of chapters from the book he picked out. He is on top of the world about picking out books himself.

He informed me the other day that Thursdays are "hurry up days." I asked him what that meant and he said, "we have to hurry and get to computers and then hurry and get to spanish and then hurry and get to the library.....first graders are busy, mom!" The way the first grade schedule worked out this year, they do seem to have alot of things scheduled for Thursdays, but luckily he likes everywhere he is hurrying to.

Today is the first school mass, dress up day and picture day. I thought Aidan would give me a hard time becuase I made him wear a tie to school. He was fine getting dressed, fine on the ride to school, fine walking into school. When we got to his classroom, he had a total melt down. He was going on and on about how ridiculous he looked in a tie. The teacher and I tried to console him, but he just wasn't having it. I thought I would get out of these conversations by having a boy.....ah, well. TGIF!!

First Grade Rockstar!

The first day of school has come and gone and school has kicked into high gear. It is going MUCH better than anticipated. Everything that the kindergarten teacher told us would happen, has. Aidan has grown up more than we realized.

Aidan seems to be enjoying school. He learned his first espanol song, in Spanish class, of course. He likes his new teacher and is thrilled to see his friends again. We worked really hard on his reading skills over the summer and it seems to have paid off.

We attended welcome back night where we got to meet his teacher for some one-on-one time. She is an older teacher and seems to truly love her job and the children and the children seem to respond to her well.

Aidan has his first test today, so I am anxious to pick him up and hear all about it. Overall, first grade is going GREAT for my little Rockstar!

The End of Summer

This is the final week of summer. I have been cleaning out closets and drawers, started my fall cleaning, and finished up the back to school shopping. This morning as I was driving Aidan to his final day of summer camp, I reminded him to have a great day, say goodbye to his friends and most of all, enjoy this final day at camp.

I spelled out for him that it was his final day of summer camp, he had four days off and then it was back to school....to which he replied, "Oh fiddlesticks!"

I couldn't have said it better myself!

I hope everyone enjoys these final days of summer bliss, the start of football season and all the BBQ one can stomach!!

Stay tuned for the First Grade Follies.....

Aidan Funny

Aidan had been on a field trip on this particular day that I picked him up from summer camp. They had been on a boat ride down the river and then had a picnic in the park. On the way home from summer camp we had the following dialogue:

Jenny: So, how was your field trip today!
Aidan: It was great mom! Did you know there are fish in that river?
Jenny: Really? Did you like seeing those fish?
Aidan: Yes!

after a few minutes....

Aidan: Mom, Connor and I were hungry on that boat.
Jenny: They probably have rules about eating on the boat. Did you get to eat in the park afterwards?
Aidan: Yes, but we were hungry on the boat. (his tone getting angrier) They wouldn't give us anything to eat. All they gave us was grief!

It must be rough being six!

Aidan Funny

I desperately need to update this blog and catch everyone up on kindergarten graduation, summer camp and everything in between, but I owe my cousin, Charles (probably my sole reader at this point), an update. Here are a couple of Aidan funnies from the past few days:

Tonight, we were driving home from dinner and Aidan was singing "put your hands in the air like you just don't care" in the backseat and......
Paul: Where did you learn that song, Aidan?
Aidan: A girl at school.
Paul: Which girl
Aidan: An older girl.
Paul: What is her name?
Aidan: I don't know her name.
Paul: Do you like her?
Aidan: Sure
Paul: Would you kiss her?
Aidan: Ewwwww...NO! I don't like kissing girls.
Paul: Why not? Moms a girl. Are you saying you don't like kissing mommy?
Aidan: Dad! We like kissing mommy. She's our wife!


Can you feel the love?


Earlier in the week, Aidan and I stopped at Meijer on the way home from summer camp/work. As we were loading our car with groceries, getting ready to leave, I could smell someone (not anywhere in sight) smoking a cigarette and....
Jenny: Shew! (not really conscious of what I was saying)
Aidan: Oh, that smell is that lady back there.
Jenny: (beamed back from the unconscious) Aidan!
Aidan: Mom, you said something stinks and it is that lady back there. She has one of those smoking sticks.
Jenny: Smoking sticks?
Aidan: Yeah, you know.....those smoking sticks that people are always sucking on?!


You gotta love the innocence!


My dad, Paul and Aidan went to the driving range this past weekend. My was told my dad that he (referring to himself) needed to practice and....
Aidan: I need to practice
My dad: Me too!
Aidan: But grandpa, your're good!
My dad: Well, if I practice, I can be even better
Aidan: Well, if I get better and you get better, together we can be really good!

I'd pick him for my team any day!

Well, there you go Charles (and anyone else who hung in there). I hope you enjoyed these. Just think, in a little over a month, you'll have your own funnies to tell about your own bundle of joy!! We can't wait to enjoy the ride with you!!

Aidan -- the next Yogi Berra?

The other day Aidan and Paul were playing Aidan's deer hunting video game. (It's basically a toy gun that plugs into the TV and your character walks around to hunt deer.) Well, Aidan shot a deer and the game asked if he wanted to save it. Because it was small, he decided not to save it. Then, he turned to Paul and said, matter-of-factly, "Even if we don't keep it, it will be dead for the rest of its life!"

Happy Birthday, Aidan!

6 Years ago today, we welcomed a perfect baby boy into our world. I have so many wishes for my baby boy, but tonight, I'm dedicating this song to him.

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,And each road leads you where you want to go,And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.And if one door opens to another door closed,I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything,My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,You never need to carry more than you can hold,And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,All the ones who love you, in the place you left,I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,And you help somebody every chance you get,Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,And you always give more than you take.

This is my wishI hope you know somebody loves you! May all your dreams stay big!

We love you.....Happy 6th Birthday, Pumpkin Pie!

Spring Cleaning

From the time Aidan was born, Paul has taken him to his parents each Wednesday for a visit. Aidan LOVES visiting. It is just one of the many benefits of living close to family. We wanted Aidan to have a close relationship with his grandparents and in that, we have succeeded!

So, each Wednesday night they leave the house for a visit and I do one of many things.....veg on the couch, scrapbook, veg out on the couch, shop, veg out on the couch.....you get the idea! Last night, the weather was around 50 degrees and I had an extra spring in my step. I was so excited about the nice weather that I set out for a bit of shopping. It felt so great to go in and out of the stores without having to trudge through dirty snow. I went to several different stores before I decided I would stop into Bed, Bath and Beyond as my final stop before heading home. I figured I would buy a new flowery smelling candle, to ring in spring. I was side tracked by one of the many infomercials they have playing in that store. I ended up buying a steam mop.....a far cry from a flowery candle. Ah, well....I guess being cooped up in the house all winter does strange things to people. I also stocked up on the soft scrub, tilex, bleach, windex, etc. Spring cleaning here I come! Needless to say, our house is in tip top shape! The base boards are clean, every inch of dust has been washed away, the floors have been steamed clean (thanks to my new purchase) and the bathrooms have been scrubbed from floor to ceiling.

As I flopped onto the bed, relieved that the last dust bunny had been layed to rest, I flicked on the television. The news was forcasting the weather. Tonight we are expecting......6 FRIGGIN' INCHES OF SNOW!!!!!!! UNFREAKIN' BELIEVABLE!!!!! All of that spring cleaning and I don't even get spring!

Oh well, when spring does decide to visit us, I will be ready!!

Curse you snow!

Mrs. Liverty

Mom: "Aidan, what did you do in school today?"

Aidan: "Nothing."

Mom: "Nothing?! You sat in your classroom all day and didn't talk about anything?"

Aidan: "OK (clearly annoyed at my pushing), we learned that Mrs. Liverty is from Yew Nork City."

I should have stopped at "Nothing."

The final countdown!

Although kindergarten has been a rougher year than I had hoped for, we are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Kindergarten will be over on May 29th....but who's counting? We have noticed (and the teacher has reported) a difference in Aidan. He is now able to make it through a day without bouncing all over the place. He is able to sit still for "rug time" which seems like a small feat, but it is a REALLY big deal for us and he can make it through an entire week without a time out. WOO-HOO!!!! Gosh, I can't believe that this paragraph is about my child. It makes it sound like he is a really difficult kid. He is NOT. He is actually a great kid, it's just that kindergarten has been a real struggle. A traditional school setting has been a bigger adjustment than I really expected, but he seems to be getting the hang of it. Over the weekend, my sister-in-law asked me if he had a bad teacher. I explained that she is not a bad teacher at all, she is just not a good teacher for Aidan. However, the school is working with us and even though it has taken nearly the entire year, it is all working out.

Aidan is looking forward to summer camp where he will be able to swim twice a week and go on 1-2 field trips a week. The rest of his days will be spent outside running with his old preschool pals. This is a much easier environment for Aidan and his unending amounts of energy. We have the option of sending him for a reading and/or math tutor during the week as well. While he doesn't necessarily need to be tutored because, academically, he is right where he needs to be; we are considering signing him up just so we don't lose momentum from the great strides he has been making over the past several weeks. We have alot of work to do on being able to focus and we will do whatever is necessary to make this happen for Aidan. In the long run, it will make his life alot easier.

A (very delayed) update on the 100th day of school

This one's for Maureen. Many of you have asked how the 100th day of school went and it went very well. When I picked Aidan up from school that afternoon, he was very excited. I asked him how counting to 100 was on the speaker and he proclaimed "Mom, I tried it and I liked it."

I was so very proud of him!

100 Days of School

So today marks the 100th day of school. Apparently, this is a big deal in schools today. I've heard co-workers and friends discuss all of the many projects their children are completing for this milestone event.

Aidan doesn't often talk about school, so when he does, I am all ears. Last night, he was quite anxious about the 100 day of school event that the kindergarten class has planned. Today, the class will count to 100 over the "speaker", as Aidan calls it, to the entire school. This doesn't really seem like the type of thing that would bother Aidan, but he was really distraught about it last night. I played it up big, explaining it was like a radio and the whole school would think it was really cool and nobody else was going to get to do that, etc., etc., etc. He didn't say much after that, so I thought he was OK.

However, this morning, he complained of a stomach ache, feeling like he was going to throw up, etc. I told him he would be fine and sent him off to school. I warned his teacher that he was really anxious about it. However, I feel terrible about it. Mostly, because I know EXACTLY how he felt.

I was talking to Paul this morning about it. It was really hard for me to tell him it would be OK because that is exactly the sort of thing that WOULD have made me throw up when I was in school. Paul just laughed and said, "I can sympathize with him, as well....you're talking to the boy who purposely misspelled words in the spelling bee so I didn't have to go on." LOL....this kid is doomed!

New Year's Resolutions and other stuff

OK, OK, I know. I just can't seem to get this blog thing together. No matter how I promise myself (or my readers, actually) I just can't seem to get myself to update regularly. For that, I sincerely apologize.

The truth is, my life just isn't that interesting....and I like it that way. Since the last time I updated this blog a little over a month ago, not much has really happened. We had a fabulous Christmas and a wonderful New Year. We are still trudging through the kindergarten year. Aidan is playing winter indoor football. As much as I say our life isn't that interesting, it sure manages to keep us busy.

Santa brought Paul the Nintendo Wii for Christmas and we have all been enjoying it. We recently picked up Madden Football '08 and Paul and Aidan are really getting into it. I refuse! I can handle bowling, tennis and even golf but I draw the line at football. I don't understand the sport in real life and I'm not gonna even try to bother understanding it in video game form. Needless to say, I find myself watching way to much TV. I'm not sure why, however, because TV is really bland right now considering the writer's strike. So, I've been doing alot of thinking. And, as usual, my thinking typically turns to scrapbooking.

I've been really bummed out about scrapbooking lately. I have not been very motivated at all. I've gone through periods of this before, but this is the worst it's ever been. The last several times that I've scrapbooked with my cousin, I really haven't scrapbooked at all. I use the excuse that I enjoy spending time with her new baby. And while there is alot of truth in this (I mean who can resist those chubby little cheeks!), it isn't the whole truth. The truth is, my pages are all starting to look the same. I am completely disorganized and am so far behind. I have great ideas in my head and when I sit down to scrapbook, my thoughts get so jumbled and my pages turn out a mess. So, in an effort to be the completely supportive husband that he is, Paul declared this the year to reclaim my scrapbook room (and our basement, but I'll leave that for another blog entry).

You see, when Aidan was old enough to move to his big boy bed a couple of years ago we moved him into the bigger bedroom and I took his nursery over as my scrapbook room (and it is still decorated as it was for the nursery, but it is nothing a little paint can't fix). While it was somewhat functional at the time, it has since turned into the local dump and has become a catch-all for, well....everything. Paul was determined to get my scrapbooking room back, as well as get rid of all of the clutter and crap that has piled up in that room. And now that I think about it, it is probably the latter that was his motivation, but I'll take it. So, this weekend, we purchased a bunch of organizing cubes and a nifty new craft desk and Paul went to work putting everything together. Bless his heart, he stayed up until midnight assembling everything on Sunday night, so that I could start organizing on Monday. I had Monday off of work for Martin Luther King Jr. day, so it was as good a time as any to get started. I sorted and cleaned and organized and threw out so much stuff that I didn't know if I would ever see an end to the daunting task. I have so much stuff that I even talked myself into creating a sort pile of stuff to sell on ebay. (yet another blog entry, I'm sure).
In the end, I got my scrapbook room back and am now more motivated than ever to start scrapbooking again! I LOVE my new space!! I am so thrilled that my tools are organized.

The organizational cubes are VERY cool! There are some with 4 smaller drawers for ribbons, brads, eyelets, embellishments, etc. There are some with 3 drawers for misc. tools. And there are a couple with shelves for paper, albums, idea books and so on. They even have a slot on the front to label what is in each drawer!! Now, I just have to start printing off my pictures. Luckily, my digital camara software has already organized those, so all I have to do is print them. I am SO THRILLED!!!!!!!

The desk is awesome!! It has an additional pull out work space if the current space isn't enough. The back wall of the desk has an area to hang scissors and misc. tools. It has a great light and additional plugs to plug in tools such as my heat tool for embossing! It is the perfect desk for a scrapbooker!! Well, gotta go....I've got about 2 years of scrappin' to catch up on!!