Little Drummer Girl

My youngest jamming out with daddy and Mr. Dave.

She actually kept the beat pretty well. 

Something To Do

So, remember the dresser I said I bought at IKEA last Monday?  Well, that's what I did with my time last week.  If you are at all familiar with IKEA, you know what that means...

There were just a few pieces.  That's fine though.  I had a project to work on.  And UNINTERRUPTED time to do it! 

So, it took me 3 hours of uninterrupted time to get the above picture to look like this...

I told my 4th grade daughter when she got home that it took me all day to put this together.  She said, "all day?"  And I said, "well, 3 hours."  And she said, "that's not all day." 

*sigh*  It was all day to me. 

The next 2 days, I painted and then repainted the dresser.  Then I painted the knobs. 

This was a big, multi day project!  And I was not interrupted!  (If I had been interrupted, imagine how long it would have taken me.)

And now, it looks like this.  Ta Da!

(FYI, that rug next to the dresser is actually a really pretty green color, not the bugger brown it appears in the pic.  Camera phone/instagram)

Scroll back up.  Look at what it started as.  Now, look again at the finished product.  Yes, I'm proud of myself.  And I feel like I accomplished something. 

So, in summary, my first week of all my kids being at school was pretty busy (I did do more than just the dresser).  It was a good week.  I was not bored or even sad.  It was actually pretty busy. Next week all my exercise classes start up, the volunteer opps at the school pick up and Bible study starts sometime soon.  And then there's the cooking and the cleaning and the errands.  I'm pretty sure I'll have no problem staying busy.  

Here We Go Again

I'm back! 
Cause now all my kids are in school and I should have loads of time.  Maybe.  Sometimes.  For today, I have a few minutes.  Our hot water heater is on the fritz so I have to wait for the repair man to show up.  Sooo...that means I get to spend some time with you all. 

So, like I said, ALL my kids are in school now.  My youngest started kindergarten yesterday.  It was a bitter sweet day for me.  Fortunately, she went right in her classroom, all smiles, like she owned the place.  She has been around for a while, despite this being her first official year.  She's been countless times to eat lunch with her sisters, to help me volunteer at a party or something else in the classroom (even though you aren't supposed to bring siblings when you volunteer), been to carnivals, field days, and many other various school related events over the last 4 years that she's had a sister there.  But, the house is a little quiet.  It's just me.  and the cats.  and the turtle. 

Everyone keeps asking me what am I going to do with my time now that all my kids are in school.  The truth is, I don't know.  I don't have a big, grand plan.  That being said, I'm pretty sure I'll find things to keep me busy.  I'm hoping to be able to spend more time volunteering at the school (without a stow away).  I'm planning on getting my exercising done in the AM instead of putting it off until later in the day and actually doing it.  Maybe my house will be cleaner?  Maybe I'll become more organized?  I'll blog more? 

Yesterday, my first day, I went to IKEA.  I went with the intention of getting a chest of drawers for my oldest daughter's room.  It had been out of stock the last 2 visits,  so this time, I checked online before leaving and it said there were 10 in stock.  However, when I got there at 10:30 AM, there was only 1 left!  So, I snatched it up, paid for it and took it out to my car.  Then, I stopped and thought, "what else do I have to do?  why not go back in and do IKEA, WITHOUT kids??"  So, I did.  And that was most of my day.  I got home, ate lunch, straightened up a little (not too much.  I didn't want to set the cleaning bar too high on the first day), baked some cookies for the kids and then they were home.  It was a good day. 

This is my 3 darlings before school on the first day.  My oldest started 4th grade, the middle one (who is not in the middle in the picture.  She's on the left) started 2nd grade and my youngest, kindergarten.   Everyone was very excited. 

And what says back to school better than a picture of new shoes.  (although my middle child wore her nasty old tennis shoes from last year today.  I don't know why.)  2 of my kids opted for Toms this year.  My oldest went with classic chucks.  However, she has put in a request for some Toms of her own.

Getting off the bus, everyone was still smiling.  Always a good sign.

My oldest tried to escape my camera.  Does she think I'm new at this? 

And lastly, the pool bags have been replaced by backpacks on the back of the laundry room door. 
A little sad, but I'm ready for fall.  I know my hus can practically smell college football season. 

Another Blog

Check out my new photography blog;

http://mystorybookpictures.blogspot.com/2012/07/out-of-towners.html

A Break

Since it's been over a month since I've posted last, you may have already guessed that I am taking a bit of a break from Fish Out of Water.  I had hoped on telling you about our most recent trip to Disney (yes, we went again, and yes, I still love it) or my daughter's 5th birthday party that went off without a hitch, or about how it's been SO hot here and how thankful I am that we have a pool in our neighborhood, but I just haven't.  I've been otherwise busy.

As some of you know, I am a photographer.  Lately, I have been working on tweaking my photography business a bit.  So, I am posting now, to let you know that my break on Fish Out of Water will be extended.  I am going to be focusing on my business, which includes a blog of it's own.  I may, from time to time, direct you to posts on that blog from this one, but for now, you might not hear much from me.  Or you might.  You never know.  I never know. 
Thanks for reading. 

A Little Bragging

Gonna brag on my kids for a moment.

We just go their last report cards and CRCT test scores in the mail the other day.  (One kid was finishing 3rd grade and one 1st, in case you don't know/forgot). They did great.  They both got straight A's.  Actually it was straight 3's, but that's our county equivalent of an A.  On a side note, I am curious as to when they start making letter grades.  I thought maybe 3rd, but nope. 

Anyway, both girls also did great on the CRCT.  (The CRCT is the standardized test the kids take in the state of Georgia).  My oldest was one missed question from a perfect score in Math (she did not get that from me), and one missed question from a perfect score in Reading (maybe she got that one from me).  She also exceeded the standard in Language Arts and Science. 

My middle child who took a "practice" version of the test also did really well.  Since her version was only practice (first grade is not required to take the CRCT but our school has the kids take it so they will not be totally unfamiliar with it when they get to a grade when it is required), her results were not quite as specific.  However, she did exceed the standard in both Reading and Language Arts and was just a few points away from exceeding the standard in Math. 

We are very proud of both of them.  We have been very blessed as a family that so far, school has not been a struggle for anyone.  I know we have a long way to go and that may change some, but I think we are off to a pretty good start.

This picture was taken on the last day of school. 

Career Advice

My oldest daughter asked me the other day why do people at school keep telling her she can be anything she wants to be when she grows up.  I explained to her that not that long ago, women did not have all that many choices when it came to career.  I guess we've done a fairly good job of moving past that because in her 9 year old mind, in response to all these grown ups trying to be sure she knew she was a woman and people should be able to hear her roar, she was like, "duh." 

So my 4 almost 5 year old says she wants to be a cowgirl when she grows up.  Awesome.  And a cute cowgirl she would be.