We had a super fun outing this afternoon. On Monday, when it was nice and warm, we came up with a fun plan to invite a friend out for mini-golf and ice cream. Unfortunately by the time we made it happen, today, it was no longer sunny and warm! We had a great time anyway! I am pretty bad at mini-golf, but playing with these three goofballs was hysterical. And they made me look good! We had to stop (well, chose to stop) several times to let speedier parties play through. Each time the kids were happy to check out the fish or climb on the rocks or just goof off.

When we got done we were all chilly, but determined for ice cream nonetheless!

Lex and I decided to eat our ice cream in the car, while the other two crazies decide the frigid (well, 48 and windy) air was better. After ice cream we (they!) ran around on the playground, rolled down the hills, yelled from the hilltops (echo! echo!) and generally had fun until I said it was time to go home.

We stopped to drop our friend off and ended up running around at his house for another hour while the parents chatted. Needless to say the children feel asleep easily tonight! :)

When I took the pictures off the camera tonight I found I haven’t taken them off all month! Geez, we’re half way through the month already! I think this blog needs a new header too. We went on a great safari earlier this week and I have lots of pictures I’ll post soon. I’ve spent all of my “free” time this week working on a big project for school. I finally got it done tonight and submitted it to my teachers, at 11:24pm!, so now I am free to blog. Or start on the next school/work task to be done. :) But for now, it’s bedtime!

We spent the morning at the science museum today. We don’t go often anymore, but sometimes when we do I’m caught up in memories of the past. We have been going there since Lex was a baby and we always have fun. Actually, we’ve been going there since I was a kid! My kids have grown up there and when we go back it is a startling reminder of just how grown they are. The place today was filled with toddlers and moms with babies in carriers on their bellies. I remember going there when Lex was a 1yr old and Eve was still inside. One day he just wanted to go up and down the stairs. He was indecisive about where he wanted to be and I was “out to here” pregnant with Eve. I was exhausted by the end of that visit! We used to meet friends there on a regular basis. The kids would invariably want to play as far away from each other as possible and my friends and I would look longingly at one another from across the crowded room, but the kids weren’t big enough to be on their own yet. Sometimes the kids would cooperate though and stay in the little kid area for awhile, allowing my friends and I to sit and chat. Those were nice days.

Now they are big kids and they run all over the place, barely needing my attention, and I wish I had my friends around. Now we could all stand together and chat while the big kids roamed free. Sadly our schedules don’t coordinate as easily as they did in the baby days. So instead I hang out, check out the gift shop, explore the exhibits, and keep half an eye on the kids. Sometimes they want to play with me and other times they’re off doing their own things. All grown up.

This afternoon we went grocery shopping and the kids were super helpful. I can send them on “missions” (within a reasonable distance from me) to find items we need to buy. They can read labels and reach the middle shelves, though they still need help with the high shelves. :) When we got home they unloaded all the bags from the car, working together to get the extra heavy ones in.

Then we went to Grandpa’s for dinner. I no longer need to pack special food, booster seats, diaper bags, etc. I told the kids to pack an activity bag and they did, all on their own. I guess I should have packed extra clothes though since they were playing outside and fell in a puddle. Oh well. I was thinking about this blog post on the way over and about just how big they are getting, but then they both ended up crying at Grandpa’s house tonight, Lex ate no dinner (but quickly recovered in time for dessert!), and Eve nearly fell asleep in the car on the way home. She asked to be carried in and snuggled to sleep… so I guess they aren’t TOO grown up yet!

Seven and eight seem so grown up, but when I think about the grand scheme of things they are only just beginning. I have to remind myself of that sometimes! Enjoy the littleness of them while I can because it’s all so fleeting. And, I guess, enjoy the bigness of them too!

One more day until we get a week of vacation! I’ll be at a literacy conference tomorrow though, so vacation kind of starts tonight. Unless you consider the fact that I have to leave the house at 6:30am tomorrow morning and won’t be home until 5:30pm…. so maybe vacation starts tomorrow night.

Anyway, prepare for a rambling post. I am SO ready for vacation. Things seem to be falling apart around here. Coming apart at the seams. We are all pretty ready for a break. Unfortunately I have a Vaca To-Do list that’s quite extensive. Sigh.

I’ve applied for several jobs this week. I REALLY would like to get one of them, though I’m barely prepared for interviewing. One of my top vaca to-do list items is to prepare for interviews, on the assumption that I will indeed get one. Positive thinking, right?!

Eve is doing well, as far as I can tell, except I think she has two cavaties. We have a dentist appointment in June so we’ll know for sure then. Lex, however, isn’t doing as well and I’m hearing troubling reports in all areas regarding his behavior. We are working with him and trying to figure out what’s going on. Reports of anger, aggression, and just plain meanness. Not his typical personality! The guilty mommy in me thinks it must be because our schedule is a bit chaotic this year, I’m not as available as I have been in the past, we have long days, frequent daycare, and he’s on a bus every day. But the realist in me is trying to prevail and hold strong to the idea that maybe it’s not all my fault. :) Maybe there are other things going on, developmental changes, social structures forming, etc. We’re working with him. It hurts my heart though to hear reports of him being aggressive and mean to peers.

And I’m just so tired. I keep thinking, “It’s just for this year,” and Alan keeps saying, “We just need to get through this year,” but in the back of my head I know that if I get a job (which would be a good thing!) then next year will be even harder. Teaching all day every day. Being responsible for 18 little minds for an entire year without anyone else to fall back on. That’s a lot of responsiblity! And I just taught a disaster math lesson today, in front of my supervisor. She was nice and pointed out the good parts, but we both know it was a disaster. Ugh.

And I’m just so tired. So. Tired. Always.

On that note, it is after 9pm and I have to be up early (as usual) so I’m going to stop bitching on the blog and go drink a(nother) glass of wine, fold some laundry, chill with my hubby and Colbert, then go to bed. Tomorrow is another day.

Eve asked for ten more minutes before bedtime and since we had a really good start to our evening I decided to give it to her. So now I have a few minutes of time. I could go wash the dishes or sweep the floor, but instead I’ll ramble here for a bit. I haven’t checked the camera lately so I’ll have to rely on my memory!

Top on my mind is the job hunting process. One of my least favorite things ever. I’ve been fairly spoiled in the past and gotten many jobs quite quickly. I’m hoping the same applies here. I applied for two jobs already and didn’t get selected for an interview on either. One was a total long-shot though, so I’m not too disappointed. I just applied for another one today and I hear another is coming up soon. Either of these would be awesome to get. I really just want to get hired and be done, then I can focus on my school work again and start planning for the next step. I’m not a very patient person, you know. For now I’ll continue to tweak my cover letter and write my application essays and thank my mother daily for her advice and editing support. :)

The weather is starting to warm up and that makes me immensely happy. Any day that I don’t need a jacket and gloves, or sunscreen, is a good day! (Yes, I know I should be wearing sunscreen every day and blocking all those wonderful rays, but really that just will never happen.) The kids got out their bikes and scooters this weekend. Eve even tried riding her bike again. I’m hoping this is the year she’s back at it and we can take those family bike rides we were hoping for last summer. Unfortunately she is a very nervous rider and fell, scraping up her cold, bare knee. Not bad, but enough to make her even more hesitant to ride. Sigh. Lex, on the other hand, was flying! I think we are going to invest in new bikes this summer. Bikes that fit them properly and aren’t covered in rust and duct tape. When I mentioned it to the kids they both seemed uncertain of the idea. “But I like my red one,” said Lex about his too-small bike, and Eve asked why she couldn’t just ride her pink one, the one we got for free that’s covered in rust but has a basket on the front. I thought to myself, “Shiny new bikes, kids, why are you not salivating at this idea?!?!?!” but instead just said, “Ok, we’ll see.”

The kids’ school is doing a Artist in Residence program where they have a local famous artist come do a big project with a select group of kids. The project is going to be a big mural for the school and Lex is one of the selected kids. He’s pretty happy about it. The just got started last week but I’m eager to hear the details as they go along. They sent home a really nice letter listing the criteria for selection, which included creative, motivated, team player, etc. All nice things to hear about your kid.

That’s all for now. If you need to read a little more check out the adorable birthday party little Kate had this weekend. Wish we were there. :)

Off to put my own little birthday girl to bed. G’night all.

Action Adventure game on the XBox 360!  Yep, this just happened.  Hubby paid good money to Microsoft. Never thought I’d see the day. :-)