July-August The End Summer and The Beginning of a New School

Molly is 7
Ashley is 4 1/2
Emily is 10 months

Molly
She has started 2nd grade at a new school. It was a very hard decision for us. Would she make more friends? Would she cry the first day? Would it be too hard? The school has high academic expectations and we worried about burning her out and making her loathe school. Many different factors contributed to our decision, but the most important factor was we felt it was the right thing to do, even if we didn't know how it would turn out.

We knew she was extremely nervous, but to see her courage that first day was inspiring! I never knew I could be so proud of her. I'm sure receiving a Father's Blessing had something to do with it too. All summer long, she was nervous-to the point of tears, but the morning we drove her to school, she was 100% ready and excited to take it on.

So far, we have been floored by our experience. It is so different from what we were used to. Molly now comes home excited and full of stories. She enjoys her homework. The homework she has is quality-not just filler assignments.... She is enthralled with school. It is a stark contrast to our experience at her previous school.

Ashley

• After 4 1/2 years, Ashley is finally calming down a little. I love my little girl, but I have struggled so, so much with her. She has always had a very strong personality-one that I have clashed with often- probably because she is just like me, but with no filter. I am happy to say she is kinder to her sister, slower to anger and not as impulsive as before. Granted, she is still the same person, and we all have attributes we need to work on, but I have been waiting for this "Calming down" stage for a looong time.
• Something so funny she said recently: I want to be a mermaid when I grow up and climb under-sea towers. (Back-story is she had recently decided she wanted to be a tower climber when she grew up, but a week later decided she wanted to be a mermaid too, so her solution was to be both.)
• She learned the Pledge of Allegiance
• She spells CVC words now
• I am trying to convince her 1+1 does not equal 11.

Emily

• Hearing the Pledge of Allegiance makes her laugh and we will start reciting it if she's crying and she instantly begins to giggle. (Have I ever mentioned I have the strangest kids?)
• She is still the happiest baby in the world. She only cries if she's tired or we don't feed her fast enough
• She still looks nothing like anyone in our family
• She signs: More, Hi, Drink and claps whenever music comes on
• She loves salty things, just like Molly...Popcorn, crackers, veggie straws, BBQ baked beans...She snubs yogurt drops, and has started to refuse baby food
• Will stop everything and dance when we put on Sweet Caroline, by David Archuleta, Nunca Pense and Glorious by Archuleta, or the Peanut Butter Jelly Time song
• Dancing with her makes her happy
• She has three teeth and the fourth is almost out
• She crawls, but doesn't take her belly off the floor half the time...following in the Van Tienderen girls' trend of abnormal crawling  
• Loves watching videos with babies in them
• Loves opening cupboards and throwing movies all over the floor

Dan

• Back for his 8th year of teaching special education. I helped to de-clutter and organize his classroom towards the end of summer. It was a lot of fun and the girls love going to his work. He still has his dinky, little car, that has no AC, but he prefers that over riding his bike and taking the bus like he used to. He's a champ and never complains, as usual.
• Beginning to coach Molly's baseball team

Susi

• Learning to hold my tongue more. It has increased our family happiness (Imagine that!)
• Still learning to slow down or put aside work and LISTEN to my kids
• Learning to plan more fun for my family
• Learning to be more fun and spontaneous
• Given up on cleaning and laundry. The only reason clean clothes exist in this house, is because of Dan

Excited for

• Molly starting another season of baseball
• Ashley starting another season of soccer
• Ashley learning to read soon
• Daddy/Daughter campout in September
• Dan coaching his first baseball team. It's 6-8 year olds, so it shouldn't be too rough
• Getting rid of STUFF in our house
• Emily turning a year old and learning to walk
• LOTS of family birthdays

I love when I find my girls reading. This is not staged at all.

 

Since Dan speaks Spanish, he makes the perfect accent to read Skippy John Jones.

First day of 2nd grade at her new school.

One of our friends surprised Ashley with a Rapunzel braid she made.

The girls went on a date with Dan, and of course, had to dress up and wear their special "Daddy-date-tiaras" we got them for Christmas.

Ashley wore her Rapunzel braid for everything.

The girls were in a talent show. They recited a poem together.

Molly goes straight to homework when she gets home. She enjoys it!

The girls received a REAL Snuggle Bear. I always LOVED that little guy.

 

We started a tradition of having Snap Pea Parties. We pop them open and talk, or she asks me to give her words to spell or math problems to do. She initiated the teaching/learning herself, which I won't complain about, but we are still working on 1 plus 1 does not equal 11.

Emily absolutely loves books. She pulls them out, flips through them, and talks to them (or eats them depending on how many teeth are trying to pop through.)

What dads are for mainly.

Some days when Molly gets home from school, Ashley will find some "Homework" to work alongside with her, which is usually coloring.

I love my awesome family.