Yard Sales, Motorcycles, and More

What a busy Saturday this has been! We started our morning bright and early and went to several yard sales. Eli and Bella like looking at the toys, Mom likes looking at everything, and I usually end up looking at children's books. Today, Eli got a scooter. Not the kind with training wheels, but a two wheel Razor. He loves it!

I have no idea why he is riding in his undies. Eli just really likes being in his undies.
Mom found this wicker patio furniture. I think it looks great on the back porch!

Next, we made our way to, well, we really didn't have an actual destination. We just knew we wanted watch the Trail of Tears ride by. We began to drive down 565 and exited close to the Space and Rocket Center. Mom asked a lady at the light, "Are they coming?" The biker chick told us that they had already been by. Ugh! Knowing they were going to stop in Madison, we made our way there to look at all the motorcycles. Eli really enjoyed seeing all of those motorcycles in one place. It really was something to see. Poor baby Bella just seemed to be along for the ride as she still wasn't herself. This pic was taken yesterday. She hasn't been feeling well, but she was better today than she has been the past couple of days. After we were told the bikers would be heading out "in about thirty minutes," we decided to drive down the road to find a place to sit and watch as they rode by. So, we drove a couple of miles down the road, found us a nice spot, opened the back, had a snack, and waited.
We blew bubbles and waited a bit longer. The kids played in the field, and yes, we continued to wait.
Where in the heck were the motorcycles?! Realizing that when the bikes did begin to pass, we were going to be stuck in that spot until the entire group had passed us, we decided to move to the other side of the road. As we began to drive down the road, we saw the line of bikes turning left, onto a road about a mile down from where we were positioned. Thankfully, we had not missed much, or we would have had two very disappointed children, not to mention Mommy and Grandma! We pulled over, got out, and watched the line of bikes drive down the road. Eli was very excited! He and Bella both had fun watching all of the bikes pass by. Eli did ask me why they were not throwing candy. Ha!

After that, we went to eat as Casa Blanca. When we were leaving, Eli said, "I have to go poop." Mom was going to take him back inside the restaurant, but he said, "No, I want to wait until I get home. I only want to poop at home!" Stephen, you have to know where I'm going with this. He is JUST LIKE Stephen in so many ways, including this one!

This evening, Bella helped me prepare Grandparent's Day gifts. I don't know why I thought Grandparent's Day was tomorrow. I'm slacking! I thought the gifts turned out so cute... The directions for preparing the soup are on the back. I actually made a pot of this soup for dinner tonight. I was quite yummy!


Eli figured out he could actually be like Spiderman and climb the wall. "Look at this, Mommy! I can climb the wall." He's such a little monkey!



Side note...
Eli and Bella both received post cards from Stephen last week and wrote him back (dictated letters to me) the other day. They are both just so precious. Eli's cracked me up. I know they both miss Stephen, as do I. I am so thankful to be here, with mom and dad while he's gone! I could not ask for better parents, or grandparents. Nine more months and our family will be back together FOREVER!



Shoot stuff?? I have no idea.

A Day at the Garden...

On Saturday, we ventured to Botanical Garden for a day of fun, a very HOT day of fun, with Grandma, Michelle, Sophia, Melanie, and Savannah. This was the first weekend the scarecrows were on display. I did not imagine we would see scarecrows like this...

It's a good thing there were sprinklers, wading pools, and showers there. These kids needed to cool off!



For some reason, after being drenched with water, Eli and Bella decided to roll their wet bodies in sand.
All of the kids really enjoyed playing in the tree houses. The pirate ship tree house was really cool. We will definitely be going back in the fall.

Beach Day

Eli and Bella had "Beach Day" at school one day this week. After talking about it for a week, they were both so excited when the day finally came. That morning, Eli woke up and started getting his clothes ready. I thought he was picking out the clothes he wanted to wear after the water fun was over. No, that was not the case. When Eli asked me if it was going to be a long drive, I replied, "No, we're just going down the road to school." He said, "To the beach??" Oooohh no. Poor baby. He thought we were actually going to the beach. He was so disappointed when he found out we were not going. I felt so bad for him. I guess I need to make it up to him by planning a "real" beach day soon.

Bella's class was the first class to go out for beach day. I love the next two pictures of her.

She had fun playing, but was cold and wanted to get dressed. She wanted to sit on her towel and wait for her popsicle.


When it was time for the class to go in, Ms. Kristie had all of the kids hold onto this stick. They looked so cute walking in like that.

When I left, Bella, once again, made the sad face she makes each time I take her to school. She has been doing good about not crying, though. She holds back her tears, but this face just looks so pitiful...
Eli's disappointment was short lived, when he started to play in the water and the bounce house.

Where Does the Girlfriend Sit?

Eli has had a love of motorcycles for a long time, getting excited each time one passes us in the car or we see one parked in a parking lot on our way into a store or restaurant. This evening, on the way into church, there was motor scooter parked right along the sidewalk. Well, that is what Eli called it, "Look, Mommy!! It's a motor scooter!" "It sure is, baby." Standing there, I could tell he was thinking about something. The seat on this motor scooter wasn't nearly as big as the seat on a motorcycle. So, naturally, his question would be, "Mommy, where does the girlfriend sit?" Laughing, I told him that the girlfriend could still sit on the back. Then I suggested, "Maybe it is a girl who drives that motorcycle." Aunt Kathy has a motorcycle, did he forget that? He must have because the next thing that came out of his mouth... "It's not a girl's job to ride a motorcycle, Mommy." "It isn't? Well, what is a girl's job?" "To be a Mommy."

Off To School We Go...

And so it begins...
Today was the first full day of school for Eli and Bella. Well, a full day for them- three hours.
Our morning began at 3:30 a.m. when Eli crawled into bed with me. It took me a long time to finally go back to sleep. After finally falling asleep, in walked Bella, who stood next to the bed crying (in her sleepy, raspy voice), "Mooommmmy, Mooommmmmy." Somehow, I ended up in the middle of them both. Once again, I could not go back to sleep. I finally crawled out of bed around 5:30, somehow managing not to wake either of them from their peaceful slumber.
Whew! I really wanted their first day to go smoothly, and that starts with a good night of sleep. Side note... Yes, Bella is wearing Eli's pjs. She really likes wearing his pjs... and his undies.

When Bella woke up, I immediately started pumping her up for school as I knew she may be a little apprehensive. In a way, I think I was pumping myself up, too. I was not excited about taking both of my babies to school! It made me sad. We have fun together. I knew I was going to miss them. Bella helped me make a yummy breakfast, and then we went to wake Eli. This is very rare. Usually Eli is the one who wakes up before anyone (except Grandma).

After a good breakfast, they both got dressed, brushed their teeth and were ready to go.


They were both so excited when I told them we would be walking to school. What a fun thing to do! I was so glad we left early since the .4 mile walk took us 25 minutes. That was okay, though. We talked about what they might do at school today and sang songs as I urged them to stay out of the wet grass and on the sidewalk.


Eli and Bella held hands, tossed their backpacks in the air, and were just as carefree as ever.

All of that changed for Bella once the front doors of the school opened. She immediately glued herself to my leg. As we walked to her classroom, the sobbing began. I told her how much I loved her and that I knew she was going to have a great morning. I assured her I would be back and then had to peel her off of me and hand her Mrs. Kristy.

Mr. Eli was a different story. As we walked up to his classroom, he put his backpack on his hook and began to walk into the classroom. "Wait a minute," I said, "Can I have a hug?" He hugged my leg for a quick second, let go, did not even look at me, started walking and said, "I can go by myself, Mommy." I don't know what I expected, but it definitely wasn't that. I wanted to cry right there. Instead, I gave him a hug, told him I loved him, and let him walk himself into his classroom.

On the way out, another mom shadowed me as I inched past Bella's classroom. Her cries were silent, and I could not let her see me pass by her room. As I walked out the front door, Lyla in hand, and made my way way home, alone, I thought a lot about my sweet babies and wondered why they have grown so quickly. It made me so thankful for those years I have spent with them, doing things together each and everyday. We will still have our Friday mornings together, and Bella only goes to school two mornings a week. No matter how old they become, I will always see them as my little babies...

Bella's First Day of "School"

Yesterday, Bella and I had a conversation about going to school today. It went something like this...
Bella, are you excited about going to school tomorrow?

No, I not excited.

Ooohhh, you are going to have so much fun at school! Your teacher, Ms. Kristie, is so nice. You are going to like her.

I don't like Ms. Kristie. She is not nice.

Oh goodness...

But, this morning was a different story. She was excited and ready to go!

I honestly think she was so excited because she was finally getting to wear her cute backpack. She really associates backpacks with school. I know she felt like such a big girl.

Seeing my sweet little Bella with her backpack on, ready to go to school, but really not knowing what to expect, reminded me so much of Eli's first day of Mother's Morning Out. He was so little. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. How can he be old enough for PreK? Oh me, that post will come next week when Eli starts school. I feel tears coming just thinking about it.

I remembered this picture Dad took of us on Eli's first day, and I asked Eli to take a picture of Bella and me. This is how it turned out...
Uh, at least part of Bella's head is visible? So much for a first day shot of Bella with Mommy.

As we got to school, Bella's cries were also reminiscent of Eli's cries the first several months of school. As the three of us entered her classroom, spoke with Ms. Kristie, and met the other children in her class, Bella wanted nothing to do with any of them. She knew I was going to have to leave, and she wanted me to hold her. After trying to get her to talk to some of the other children, play with the toys, dress up in a costume, do a puzzle, etc.. I had to kiss her, tell her I would be back, and then hand her off to Ms. Kristie. The entire time, she was screaming and reaching for me. It was as if I could feel her little hands pulling me toward her. Walking out the door and feeling so very sad, Eli and I continued down the hall to the room where we would have orientation. Halfway down the hall, Eli shouted, "It's okay, Bella! School is fun!" I needed that laugh. I love that boy! After a few minutes, I could no longer hear her cries.

After the orientation, when I went to pick her up, she was drawing at the table with the rest of her class. When she saw me, she bypassed Eli, ran to me, and clung to me for dear life. Sweet baby girl! Ms. Kristie informed me that after sitting on her lap for 45 minutes, Bella was fine. 45 minutes? I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

This is only the beginning of many first day of school experiences, my sweet little girl. Daddy and I are looking forward to each and every one of them.

Sweet Boy

Today, Eli made his bed without even being asked. He closed his door and told Bella he didn't want her in there. A few minutes later, Eli came out and said, "Mommy, come look." My thoughts? Oh goodness! What did he do in there? But, when I walked in, he said, "Look Mommy. I made my bed." I, of course, praised him. Grinning from ear to ear, he was so proud of himself. I hope it continues. He actually did a really good job.


Over the past week, it seems as if Eli's feet have grown a lot. Today, we went shoe shopping. After visiting three different stores, we found the Spiderman shoes he wanted, the coolest shoes he's ever had, so he says. He was so happy, excited, and most of all appreciative. It makes a mommy happy when she hears her child use good manners, like please and thank you. I always try to make sure Eli and Bella are polite, but to see and hear actual appreciation, that really makes my heart melt. More than once since getting home this afternoon, Eli has thanked me for his shoes. "Mommy, thank you so much for getting me my new shoes. I really like them." I LOVE THAT! While looking through pics on my phone, I found this picture Eli snapped.