September News - photos added

I really can't believe that this is already September. I have lots of things to share from August and no time to sit and write. I guess I could sit and write after the kids are in bed... but then my brain is a bit slower and my eyes a bit heavier. The big kids have had an entire month of school and so far things are plugging along. Ruthie got her "clip moved" twice the very first week... but has since settled into the routine and is learning to be still and listen. :) Bennett even has had a few issues with listening to instructions and doing what he's supposed to. Surprising to us... yet, not really. He has a difficult time doing what we tell him here at home because he always has a better idea, reason, plan, distraction, etc. And... much to my surprise, Maggie has been the perfect little student thus far. At least as far as we know. :) Surprised because in the past two years she has been the one to bring home the notes for misbehaving. Maybe she's growing into a fine young lady.
This past weekend we had our first bout of real illness. Curtis was home alone and ended up at the doc's office... with strep in the middle children. I was away with the ladies in our church at the Women of Faith conference... and he was home with febrile girls. I'm thankful he doesn't get all worked up over things like that. And I also didn't have to worry that they weren't being cared for and medicated as needed.
Speaking of WOF... we had a great time. It was a new group of ladies... well, a lot of new faces. With a church the size of ours it takes something like this to meet new people and learn a little about them. I don't get to go to the women's classes because of my own involvement teaching Sunday school, Cubbies/Puggles, helping with preschool choir, working, etc. This year, though, I have given up ALL responsibilities at church and maybe I'll get to do some of those "grown up" things again... at least for a year. :)
I have some fun photos to get loaded here... sooner or later. My Mom went with me again and it's always fun to spend some time away from the kids with her. As a GRANDMA she can't say "no" to them... so when they interrupt our games and conversations.... well, it's good to be away.
She got to meet Sandi Patty in the elevator of our hotel. SP was often a visitor in our home growing up... on the LP, CD, and tape players. I was "tortured" by having to listen along at the conference... :).
Steven Curtis Chapman also sang at the WOF conference. He's always good, but this year he displayed a more emotional side (with the loss of his daughter) instead of the stand up and dance songs. I have video to insert here -->Both his boys were playing on this tour... bass and drums.

Soccer is now running full swing. All 4 practice on Tuesdays and Thursday but soon Bennett will start playing games on Monday and Saturday... making for a very busy few weeks. But before we're ready, it'll be over and we'll once again sit at home wondering where we can go and what we can do. :)
More soccer pictures here -->

Must go nap for work... will load pictures in the next day or so, but not right now!!

BTW... both kitties now have new homes. Yeah!

A Whole New View

The big girls and I went last week to get our eyes rechecked. It's been a year since Ruth and I got our glasses and it was time to reassess. Maggie has also been complaining about everything being blurry and had many school induced headaches last spring. We were checked and the doc said we all needed new scripts (of course). Mine haven't changed that much, but I could tell they weren't quite right as I wore them so I'm happy to pay for new lenses! Ruth, now that she's older, can verbalize her level of blurriness a little better... so her lenses are actually worse, but only because she knows how to tell him what she sees better. Maggie has a reading issue and hopefully after a couple years, will grow out of her lens need. She also needs to train herself to sit with her reading further away from her face.
We picked up Maggie and my glasses last week but we had to wait a week for Ruth's to come in.
Here's the picture of the girls tonight... mostly for Grandma. :)

School Begins Again...

We started school on August 7th... a Friday. It wasn't "real" school, as the girls informed me later that day. REAL school didn't start until Monday. I tend to agree with them on this one. Bennett is now in 3rd grade and started a new school... the Intermediate School, which houses 3-6 grades. It's a new experience and so far it's ok. Our very next door neighbor is a teacher there and is a good resource when we need information. His teacher is the "wicked witch" of 3rd grade. Her words, not ours! We heard from many people that she was the one to challenge and grow the kids. That's what we wanted for Bennett. His 2nd grade year was a bit, um... well, less than challenging! We've got some ground to make up. We have high hopes for him. He has many of his same friends in his class again this year. It seems they many travel in this group for a while. His boy friends that we like! :) Ethan, Nick... soccer buddies too and the ones who came and played in the mud at the beginning of summer.
Maggie is in 2nd grade and we have a new (recommended) teacher for her. Another of the more structured teachers at the primary school. Maggie is pleased and I'm thankful for stuff to do with her at home. She is suddenly reading quite well. I put on her goals for the year to become a more fluent and animated reader, as opposed to the Dick & Jane cadence. Then she sat on the couch tonight and read a couple books to her siblings and it was like she was on stage and was telling a story. It surprised me. So now I'm sure her teacher thinks I'm a dork for not knowing she can read so well. It was sudden I tell ya!! :)
Ruth started Kindergarten... FINALLY!! She's been waiting forever to get to go to school. She wants to do it all alone, buy her lunch, walk in alone, ride the bus, etc. She's going to be bored soon. She has a great, sweet teacher that we met during spring soccer season. Her daughter was on the same team as Ruth's and is now in the same K class together. They meet up each morning to say hello and check what's new. Ruth wants to be Ruthie at school so I'm trying to get used to writing that on all her stuff. She has already gotten in trouble twice this first week, had to move her card to yellow. She quickly confessed as she's stepping onto the front porch when she got home. After a few questions and many explanations... she's finished her work and is playing while she waits for her classmates. But she's blaming Dixie, another little girl, for causing her to play and talk. Then she grins and I'm supposed to stay serious and discipline appropriately. I was glad Curtis stepped in because he can keep a straight face when necessary. She's terribly cute!
So, the first week has been successful for the most part. Homework was mostly completed. Reading was mostly read. Lunches were mostly eaten.
Bennett also started soccer practice so fall running has begun.
I love it!