Bennett Goes to School

I feel like I'm writing about Curious George... and I'm the man in the big yellow hat! I don't know what that means but this title reminded me of a CG book.
We're off to a good start at Jack P. Nix Elementary. Bennett's teacher is Mrs. Emily Chamberlain a second year, newlywed teacher born and reared in White County. Her whole family teaches. We didn't ask for her but we prayed for her before we knew her name. It's a good thing God is in control instead of us!
I was able to take the day off work and drive him to school, walk him in and take photos of the big event. He said he was glad I didn't have to work. (Gives me more reason to get out of work!!) The big girls got up with us and we had breakfast together... he picked his menu of biscuit, bacon and a smash-up egg. Good thing he's happy with cereal too for the days his daddy does the fixin'!
He was a bit apprehensive settling into his classroom. Mrs. Chamberlain and Mrs. Heather were both busy putting away supplies and meeting the kids who didn't come to the open house (hour) on Friday. We waited for a while before getting his ice-breaking coloring page. Hannah sits to his right and Demetrius to his left. Hannah finally told us in her deep southern drawl about the little pink bag she has for her ice cream money. She's very cute. He sits right next to the loft at the back of the room. We told him he has the best seat because he can see everyone. Of course, he can easily see out the door too so that may be a distraction later if he gets bored.
After school I tried to get some info out of him but he's very similar to his father... like pulling TEETH! I had a spy on the inside who told me about him lunch and who he sat with. Mrs. Heather said "He's very independant". I'm not sure how to take that! ;) But she said she tried to help him open his lunch items and he told her he could do it. He said his gym teacher gave them special spots and his is #4 by the door. Then she tried to confuse them but he remembered where his spot was. He informed me they didn't do much today and did not learn anything at all. They colored two pictures and read a book. Surely there was more to his day! He did have long phone conversations with Grandma and Donna & Dawn but I wasn't privy to those.
Tomorrow will be better. Everyone should remember where to go and they get to go to music. He said he's excited about music.


While he was gone the girls spent the day together playing, swinging, and running aimlessly about the house. I took some token pictures 'cause they're so cute!













Ruthie's "cheese" face.












Maggie's learning how to hang on the rings... but it hurts her arms too much to wait for me to get the camera ready and still smile.

And that's all I can think of for our first day of school. I'm sure more stories will surface and I'll have to add them later.

We have our very first Bennett-less playgroup in the morning. We've been going since he was born and it just won't be the same with just the girls... but they'll enjoy it nonetheless.

Good night!

Summertime!

I can't believe I haven't put anything on here since April! I do apologize to all those who ever come to read or see pictures. We have had a fun summer so far. We aren't planning on taking a vacation, although a trip to Pennsylvania is attempting to be squeezed in somewhere. Bennett starts school in 4 weeks so that's putting some pressure on too.
We have been swimming just once so far and to the spraygrounds just twice. It seems there's always SOMETHING to do. My never-ending mound of laundry, the constant pile of dishes (either clean or dirty, but always there), the toys strewn throughout the house. As one of our friends says... it's a blizzard, so stop shoveling! I try to make our days fun and catch up after they've gone to bed... which is about an hour each evening. It's not working! :) But at least we're having fun.
Ruth is finally potty trained as of May and Maggie is finally wearing panties to bed at night (thanks to several weeks with her cousin Briella). So our trips out for diapers have drastically been reduced. Ruth has SO grown up in the last few months, she's like a new child. She is now having conversations with whomever speaks to her. She plays well with the others too. Always playing Mommy/Baby. She is a constant source of laughter for me. Lydia is still scooting around like an army man, although in the last week she has discovered she can move up on her knees too. She will pull up to stand but won't take steps or walk. She'll learn soon enough but the front of all her outfits are filthy if she ever goes outside.
Back to Bennett... he starts school in a few very short weeks. He is very excited and is getting all his "stuff" ready. We found out his teacher will be Mrs. Chamberlain, a very young, second year teacher whom we have confidence in!! (I think) :) Would ANYONE be good enough for him? His brain is a sponge and he's filling it up. He can read his Dick and Jane books (if you pick the right story) and he can count to 100 (by 1's and 10's). It was funny to hear him understand that counting by 10's really IS faster. (Ruth tells me she can do it too... 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,30,70, I did!)
Ok, the kids are all awaks and my thoughtful time is over. Maybe I can add more later but for now this will have to do!

The Georgia Aquarium visit

We finally all got together and went to the Georgia Aquarium on Tuesday, April 25th. The Davidson 6, Lara and her 5, Stacy and the boys, Grandpa and Micah. It was a fun group and we had a great time. This picture... front row - Micah, Bennett, Titus, Briella, Tyler, Lydia & Maggie. Back row- Grandpa, Adam, Marci, Lara, Zack, Emily, Jared, Stacy, Curtis & Ruth.
Here is our crew heading toward the aquarium. Jared is the one in the back getting all ghetto on us. Micah, Lydia and Ruth are in the foreground.

The aquarium is big. Bigger than any other, they say. We spent several hours and could have easily spent more. It was pretty crowded when we got there at 11am but shortly after lunch the crowds visibly thinned and by the time we left it was easy moving from place to place.
We got to spend lots of time with the 2 great big Whale Sharks. They are about 16-18 feet long right now and are expected to almost double in size to over 30 feet long. They are HUGE! And the tank they live in is also HUGE. That is the tank the tunnel goes through and has biggest viewing window in the world. It has stadium seating and is 30+ by 60+ feet. I don't remember the exact dimensions but I'm sure you could find it at www.georgiaaquarium.com if you really wanted to know. ;)

We spent a little time oohing and aahing over the Baluga Whales too. They are on the other side of the aquarium and it seemed quieter on their side! There were 4 or 5 of them swimming together and it seemed like they were doing a ballet show for us. They swam in circles so gracefully and would squish themselves up against the glass as they came around. The pictures just don't do it justice, but I do have some squishing on video!

The kids especially enjoyed the sea lion exhibit. We were able to go outside and stand on an overlook of their habitat. They bark... which made the kids laugh and try to imitate the noise. I think Adam did the best job of barking (we have that on video too). It also gave us an opportunity to get outside for a little fresh air and rejuvinate before lunch.
The penguin exhibit was fun for the kids (and Grandpa) because they were able to stick their heads up into the middle of them and see them face to face. They have a bubble that you can crawl to and take pictures. Here's Stacy with Zack, Adam and Tyler. And then there's Lara with Ruth, Emily and Titus.











One of the kids' highlights was the Georgia Explorer part where they had lots of hands-on touching of creatures and also a tube playground and slide where they could expend lots of energy. The kids were able to touch the stingrays and bullethead sharks (?), horseshoe crabs, shrimp, and some other things that I can't even remember. The tube system went over the crabs and had a looky-loo thing where they could actually look into the water and spin the lens around to look up close at the crabs (not a parascope, but similar... what's it called??) Anyway, the boys liked that.
When we were done at the aquarium it was the middle of Atlanta rush hour so we decided to wind down a bit at the Centennial Olympic park across the street. It was an absolutely beautiful day and the adults enjoyed the park benches while the kids climbed and ran around.

After that the north Georgia crew stopped by the Varsity for dinner. We heard "What'll ya have" so many times the kids started repeating it. Our "hostess" made sure we all had hats to proudly wear and oogled over the kids. Within minutes of pulling out of the parking lot our Suburban was all asleep... except for Micah who was waiting to tell his Daddy all the exciting things he had just seen.