School...

Well, just got a call (voicemail message) from Tyler's Kindergarten teacher and she didn't mention Katie so I am assuming they are in separate classes.  I am OK with that - couldn't decide which I preferred anyway so we let them make the call.  I think it will be good for them academically.  It could be more difficult socially because I fear that Katie will make friends easier than Tyler and be invited to stuff that he isn't - especially since parents will probably not know that there is a twin sister/brother - but they will figure it out!  More updates coming soon - hopefully.  I can't believe it starts this week and it is pretty unbelievable how much I miss my "babies."  I can't wait until they are back home, and I am almost as excited about them starting school as I was when I started - I LOVED school and so hope they do too!

"Quick-cation"

Lance coined the term "quick-cation" this weekend and it is very apt.  We drove down to Florida on Saturday and stayed by ourselves while the kids visited with their grandma for a few days.  We drove home on Tuesday and they are still there and will come back next week.  I already miss them terribly and just worry incessantly even though I know it isn't rational.  They were both super excited to be on the beach with us when we first got into town, but were anxious to see their grandma so willingly went to dinner with us and then on to her house.  We kind of wished they were on the beach with us the next day too, but it was great to be able to completely relax and not have to watch out for anyone or anything but the waves and a magazine!

I am also super stressed because Lance and I are now both driving cars with check engine lights on.  He is going to have to get something new, but we have to figure out what is wrong with mine and keep it functional for a few more years.  Finding the time to take it in should be easier this week sans kiddos, but work is also pretty stressful right now for both of us so it is just something that is on the list weighing on my mind.  I am a ball of worry with school starting and obsessing over whether they will do ok in school, if they are truly ready, and if Tyler is going to struggle with fitting in at the new school too, trying to coordinate the kids getting to my dad's and then home (and trying not to demand that they come home now so I can see them), trying to find insurance with a tight deadline of August 1 now that the insurance at work is increasing yet again, etc., etc.  BUT, I know the kids are having fun and it is good for them to get to spend time with family - not to mention that we have no child care now or for the first month of school and I know they would much rather be swimming and playing than with us trying to figure out how to work and watch them!  My sister even took her kids over to my mom's and they all had a ball playing in the pool - and my kids really love their cousins and swimming so I truly am glad they are getting this experience.  Tyler even bowed to "peer pressure" from watching all of the other kids and his sister and started jumping in and ever since has been in and out of the pool with leaps and running jumps. I am so proud of him for finally getting up the nerve to do it and know that he is so proud of himself too!

I can tell all of my grand plans to get things done around here (cleaning out the garage, cleaning for real and maybe even doing some touch-up paint, convincing Lance to get real beds for the kids) aren't going to work out as expected, but I am holding out hope for the weekend.  I've gotta do something to keep busy to stop me from getting in my car and going to get the kids  :)! 

Summer Fun!

We have had a lot going on and things don't slow down anytime soon - but we are having fun!

Last weekend we (the kids and I and a friend of theirs from school) went on a Nature "cruise" - which was really just a pontoon boat around the Cumberland, but really fun and it was great to get on the water!

This is the kids last week at their school.  We leave in two days to go to the beach for a couple of days and then the kids are staying with my mom and then my dad.  So excited for a little beach time (my girls trip got cancelled this year and we can't do the usual trip in August because of school)!  Last week the kids were the "winners" on Tacky Thursday dress-up day (and Lance even played along when he dropped them off) and today is Super-Hero/Princess Dress-up day - they sure are going to miss preschool!  I still can't believe that when they get back from visiting grandparents they will start Kindergarten!  I am hoping to use the time while they are away to get everything in order - school supplies, uniforms, backpacks, etc.  Maybe if I keep busy I won't miss them quite as much - since as much as I look forward to a break and they look forward to seeing family, I still miss them like crazy from virtually the minute they are gone!

The kids have had swim lessons (and the final one tonight if no rain since they keep closing even the indoor pool when there is thunder) and are doing pretty good.  Still not swimming, obviously, but they are getting the hang of it.  Needless to say, their floaties are still an absolute necessity anytime they are near water! We, luckily have another month of weekend pool time to work on it even though summer break from school is almost done.  The kids told me today that they want to have a pool birthday party - don't think that is going to happen (sounds way too stressful), and I don't know that when their birthday comes they realize that they will have not seen any of their preschool friends for more than a month, and will have a classroom full of new Kindergarten friends, hopefully.  We will probably just do something with family, again, and try to get them an extra special birthday present.  Tyler really wants a bed with a slide (a loft bed), and they both want "big" bikes so if we can get some closings between here and then hopefully we can make that happen and that will make up for a lack of party!  Starting Kindergarten, turning 5, real bikes, big beds, learning to swim - I just can't believe that my little "babies" are old enough for all of that!

Mom Guilt

I am suffering major "mom guilt" right now.  Tonight we were working on sounding out words (it has been a while) and they seem to have forgotten a lot of what they once knew.  They were doing so well with being able to identify all of the letter sounds, upper and lowercase, and now just try to guess at the words when they see the pictures or the first letter.  I just have not had time to really work on it with them lately and I feel so guilty that I haven't been able to fill in the gaps left by them transitioning to a new class and that teacher/director knowing that they will be going to Kindergarten and not having a vested interest in their progress.  This is when being a working full-time mom really sucks.  I know that there simply aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done, and I know it will get worse when they get busy with school, and I just have to try to make the best of it and know that it will all work out.  They are smart kids, and I know that they will do fine and I am just projecting.  I know that because they will be the youngest (and probably smallest) they will be judged more harshly regarding their kindergarten readiness and I just have to realize that there is nothing I can do about it and be confident in my belief that they are ready for school and that they would have been going to school no doubt if not for an arbitrary date change. 

In good news, we finally have swim lessons scheduled!  Tomorrow night they will have their first semi-private (just Katie and Tyler) lesson.  They are so much more comfortable with water and seem to really want to learn like some of the other kids they have seen at the pool so I have my fingers crossed that these lessons will be more beneficial than the group lessons.  In the next two weeks they will have five lessons and I am hoping that they (or I) will at least learn something that we can build on to really get them swimming!  They just have two weeks of preschool left, then a week with my family, and then Kindergarten.  I really can't believe it - Tyler said tonight that he likes to still snuggle with us even though he is almost five and it is true, whether he knows it or not, that our snuggle time and time spent hanging out as a family out of preference is probably pretty short  :(.  I have to remember that when I obsess about developmental stuff, because I know that it won't mean much in a few years and definitely isn't worth worrying over! 

Happy 4th!

Well, none of our 4th of July plans came to fruition since it rained, and rained, and rained and is still raining!  We had a fun day, though.  We got our raincoats and rain boots on and splashed around in some puddles, went to see the new Despicable Me 2 movie (really cute), and spent the afternoon cooking ribs in the oven with the kids playing (and destroying the house) all sorts of pretend games, and actually playing really well together for the most part.

It is supposed to keep raining most of the weekend, so I am not sure what our plans will be but I kind of agree with Tyler - he was downstairs playing with Katie early Thursday morning and we overheard him say, "Katie - I am so excited it is a stay-home day - it's awesome!"  They woke this morning and Tyler asked if he was going to Kindergarten today.  I told him no, but crazy to think they only have two weeks left of preschool, will spend a week or so with my family, and then they are officially Kindergarteners!