A Little Snippet....

I figured its better to blog a little something.... instead of letting things go for another few weeks.  We are definitely back into the swing of things.  I'm chauffeuring alot, reviewing a lot of 4th grade math principals (polygons, rhombuses, parallelograms, and quadrilaterals), reviewing all my the kids 2nd and 4th grade spelling lists, reading nightly with the kids, etc.  I have to say that the one good thing that has come out of all this reading, is that Amanda and I have just finished the first Harry Potter book.  It was excellent and I think she really enjoyed it.  It is AWESOME to see her so excited to read the next book and we are currently watching the movie.  I think it is fun for kids to imagine what it would be like to live in a magical world with magical powers that stay hidden from "muggles" like you and me.  (Muggles are non-wizard folks :) Anyway.... here are a few things that have been happening around the house....

I came into the family room the other day to find this..... do you notice anything strange... that's good... I didn't see anything unusual either.... until I went to look for the t.v. remote...

Oh there it is.... in a Ziploc baggie... sealed up tight.... by non-other than Miss Gabriella since she was the only one home at the time...  Maybe she will have a future in forensic pathology one day.... she already knows how to bag evidence... she is careful not to smudge any fingerprints... she knows exactly where to find Ziploc bags.... what other credentials are there?  Now I will definitely be able to find out who has been watching t.v. at our house.  We have implemented a NO t.v. rule during the week... and it is AWESOME.  Now, the weekend is a little bit of a free-for-all, but it makes the week run much smoother.  The kids are reading, playing piano, playing outside, not complaining (as much), eating breakfast, playing cards.... it is amazing what you can do... when you don't have t.v. to make you BRAIN DEAD!  I hope this lasts.  We implemented the new rule about 2 weeks ago and things are going well.

Amanda showing off her new black boots... so stinkin' cute with rhinestones at the top.  She has been wearing them nearly everyday to school.

Gabby just began her preschool program concentrating on speech, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.  Here she is on her first day.  I think the kids were more excited to see her off than Gabby was to go to school.

See how attentive the kids are when they are not on the couch engaged in t.v. before school.  This is so much better.

Gabby plants a big, wet kiss on Nicholas first....

Then it was Amanda's turn.... Gabby has been doing really great.  The staff has been giving us lots of suggestions to help Gabby especially talking.  As the speech therapist tells me... I need to make things difficult for Gabby so she can request a lot of help and practice her words.  The speech therapist is AWESOME and she comes over once a week to work with Gabby.  It amazes me how she gets Gabby to say new words.  It is so cool and then we all cheer and clap.

 The kids have been dying to get out the Halloween decorations.  I said I wouldn't even think about it until Oct. 1..... however I did stop by the craft store and they made 3 projects this weekend... a spooky shack, a haunted tree house, and a spooky tree.  They are all out and on display... the rest of the decor will have to wait until next weekend!

Hot glue is the greatest invention ever!!!!  Amanda was careful not to burn herself and I gave a lot of suggestions and guidance that she didn't particularly care for... but she did it.... by herself .  The house came out really cute and didn't fall apart like when using Elmer's glue.

Just a great picture... and I see Amanda's arm wants in on the photo-op

Everybody gets a squeeze...... and says cheese!!! (That is one word Gabby can say!)

Well I'm off to the bus and tennis.  Until later.....

Total Randomness......

We had a great weekend...it was very low key.... those are the weekends I like the best.  Steve and I worked, Nicholas had a soccer game (he scored 4 or 5 goals), I grocery shopped, ran errands, and did some laundry.  The entire neighborhood was over to play at some time during the weekend.  I set up my I-pad, Steve fixed my I-phone, Steve took the kids to the tennis courts, I helped the kids with some homework... etc. Like I said.... very low key... and fairly relaxing. 

One of Nicholas's homework assignments was to bring in some photos of his family and friends.  Well... that was the perfect excuse to get out the self timer and pose the family.  The last time we took a family photo was when Amanda was entering 2nd grade and needed a picture.  It took about 6 attempts before Steve the natives were too restless to cooperate.  Here is one of our better shots. 

Squished a little closer.... I needed a photo for my gallery wall that was vertical so I turned the camera on its side this time.... I really wanted a good photo because I know we won't be taking another one for at least 6 years when Gabby enters the 2nd grade.

I wanted to try and get a photo with Gabriella smiling.  She would not give us a grin in ANY of the family photos.... I needed to have Nicholas nearby to give her a squeeze.  I just love this shot!

Here are some more random photos... Mom and Dad stopped by on Tuesday evening bringing along this package.  I am really enjoying the wrapping paper... Mom is getting much more creative and crafty now that she has retired.  I was hoping for some balloons or confetti drawings but I have to admit the gift wrap was personalized and came with directions!  What could be inside this fragile package???

One of my FAVORITE things... bumpy-tea cake!!!  Now that my birthday has passed and I have been 37 for a week... I have to tell you... it feels a lot like being 36....

I took this photo sometime this summer....

Gabriella looks so cute in her braids.  I wonder if she will be just as cute when I cut her hair later this week.  I think the time has finally come... after 2 years and 5 months... she is going to get her first haircut.  Her hair has been unruly... she hates to comb it.... she pulls out pony tails... she pulls out barrettes....and cream cheese has an affinity for her hair... it's time!

Trying to get the three siblings together on the couch... not bad!

That's more like it!!!!

 

Further randomness.... This was Steve's birthday in July.... check out the wrapping paper... courtesy of Mom and Dad.... instead of directions he got a smiley face...

Finally.... I don't even want to explain why I took these photos... let's just say Amanda talked me into a crazy endeavor and she needed some head shots... these are the photos we took in about 5 minutes.... Here she is looking serious..... and so pretty....

Her smiling, happy, self..... (when she gets her way of course!)

Changed the hair-do.....

Amanda was done taking photos... this was another serious shot.... her eyes looked beautiful in this photo... it is hard to tell from the small picture...

 Most of our shots looked like this.... goofing around....

 

Hope everyone has a good week.  This is our first full week of school so let's keep our fingers crossed that everything runs smoothly.  Until later.....

The First Day of School 2011

Yesterday marked the beginning of another school year.  Everyone was up early, got dressed, ate breakfast, and was ready to go in no time.  I wonder how long this will last???  I predict this non-complaining-everything-running-smoothly-morning will last for a day or two... then the novelty of school will wear off and the realization will hit the kids like a ton of bricks school books.  They are going to have to do this until June.  By Monday morning I'm sure I will hear, "I don't want to go to school....." but I would love to be proven WRONG!

Here are the first day of school photos.  I always try to get the kids on the way out the door.

Showing off their new outfits... Amanda in high-fashion, purple leopard this school season.  Nicholas in a boyish-jock-football hoodie...

This is what it looks like to be a second grader close-up

Here is my 4th grader.... looking so stylish.... and so much older... 

I always try and get a back pack shot.... no superheros this year.... just a plain (yet oh so cool) gray and red number....

Amanda making the trek to the bus stop....

Followed closely by Nicholas.....

And let's not forget about Gabby... making up the rear.... she is so excited to be outdoors before breakfast... she is glowing!!

The kids wonder why I have to take soooooo many pictures on the first day of school.  I told them because when they graduate... I'm going to display EVERY SINGLE first-day-of-school photo next to their fabulous graduation cake!

And another year begins......

Well... I'm off to wake Gabby from her nap and pick the kids up from school.  Until later.....

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me! I'm blogging from my new present. An iPad ! Wowieeeeeee!

The Piano RULES!!

So.... on Thursday afternoon the kids finally began piano lessons.  I had been asking them if they would be interested in learning to play the piano for the past year.  I had tried to show them a few notes and the keys.... but you know how that goes.....  I have always loved the piano and hoped that they would enjoy it too.  Steve's side of the family is very musically inclined, so I hope some of those genes got passed onto this generation of Herdoizas.   I decided to start lessons with the beginning of the school year.  Well...... the kids absolutely loved it!  Nicholas came out of his lesson saying it was "AWESOME" and I think he even gave a fist pump.  He was grinning from ear-to-ear.  Amanda loved it too!  She couldn't quit talking about all the songs she played, how to hold her hands, and all the extra homework.  This was great.... especially coming from Amanda... it takes an awful lot to get her THIS excited.  I hope this lasts in the months to come.

Here is Nicholas.... doing his "theory homework."  As soon as he got home he couldn't wait to play and do all the pages in his book.  Here he is coloring sets of black keys.

Amanda couldn't wait for everyone to hear her songs.  She gave us all a concert as soon as she walked in the door.  I had to set the timer so the 2 kids would take turns over using the piano.  CRAZY!

This picture was taken a couple weeks ago.  Steve's parents had been here visiting and I was in the other room hanging out with Mom and Dad.  All of a sudden I hear this loud music coming from the other room.  When I walked into the living room... this is what I see.  Gabby had climbed up on my piano bench... opened up the piano... and began playing a concerto by Bach... (ok... all of that was true except the concerto.... it was more like rhythmic banging on the keys.)  I loved it!  I hope she will love the piano one day too.

Hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend.  Until later....