OtterPops: Back to School (and work)

1st day of school!

Well...You read that right. Back to school. Already. We had such a great summer and prepared in every way that we could for gearing up for school. We purchased the items on our school supply lists, purchased and planned out outfits, attended a back to school breakfast at Jocelyn's friend's house to help us practicing getting out the door in time (for moms and kiddos-super cute and fun way to end summer!), checked class lists, packed lunches and read The Kissing Hand. Yet, the back to school routine slammed us. Jocelyn had a very rough first morning (including threatening to throw up all morning) but was fine by pick-up and has seemed fine since, thankfully.

Both girls were in mourning because their close friends were not in their classes. In fact, it seemed they were all spread across both grades- Each in a different class! Jonas has had a rough time going in the morning and has been pretty tired in the afternoons. I had a "they are growing up too fast moment" and sobbed all morning after dropping them off at school. I thought I would distract myself and reward myself with going grocery shopping with just one child but ended up parking in the grocery store parking lot crying. I called Jared for some consolation and he had to calm me down, telling me "Remember we still have Jocelyn at home for another 10 years?" I kept Emma close and loved on her all day, took her to library story time and was saved by a friend who took us out to Jamba Juice. I don't know why it hit me so hard this time around. Probably because I am not quite ready to have Jonas gone all day, and having a 3rd grader seems so old! Emma has done pretty well playing independently, coming to work on a project or toy with me when she needs but she definitely says (sometimes by 11 am): "Is it time to pick up our brother yet?" or asks "Where are my sissies?"

Jocelyn 1st day of 3rd grade

Lillian 1st day of 2nd grade

Jonas 1st day of TK

I helped out a friend who was in charge of the Teacher's back to school luncheon by making a salad, lemonade, picking up some sandwiches, decorating and setting up the staff room. It was fun to work with the other moms and it seemed to be a huge success! They also requested that Jared make them a chalkboard banner to use throughout the year for various teacher appreciation events. Because he's amazing like that :)

Staff room for the back to school teacher appreciation lunch

I also have a random picture of me out with friends one night for Jody's birthday. Her husband was in the middle of taking the bar exam on her birthday so we got a sitter for her and took her out to pizza. My Dad has been working in San Jose the first half of every week so we get to host him and share our dinner leftovers as he works crazy hours. Picture below of Grandpa and Emma one night before bed. Kindly, Grandpa has even stayed home with sleeping kids so Jared and I can sneak over to Home Depot and Lowes to pick out backsplash tiles and further our home-improvement project efforts late at night. Thanks grandpa for allowing us these date nights! My mom came with him this week so it has been really fun (and super convenient) to have her stay with a sleeping Emma, help me accomplish things like catching up my blog ;) We also went to my uncle's house for dinner one night this week to be able to catch up with them after a crazy summer. We were able to see my cousin and his wife who were in town from their post in Hawaii.

Out to dinner for Jody's birthday

Grandpa and Emma before bed

Dinner at Grant and Jody's

On Fridays (now that kids are back to school) Jared has been working from home which means he has helped the girls bike to school and can stay with a sleeping Emma while I go ride my bike to bring them home. So fun! I wish we could do that all the time-if only we didn't have the two youngers and the staggered school times between Jonas's school and the girl's school. Maybe next year when he is in kinder at the same school we can make it happen more often!

Last weekend we were excited to have Jared's Dad and brother in town for the "Escape to Alcatraz" swim. Both of Jared's younger brothers participated in the race wherein a ferry dropped them off at Alcatraz and they swim back to San Francisco. It sounded like they finished well and had a blast! We didn't feel like piling everyone into the car at 3 am to go cheer them on so we gave them some gatorade and clif bars and wished them luck! They came home so we could all have victory dinner together and go swimming at Greg and Maren's apartment complex. Grandpa spoiled the kids, took all his boys to see Mission Impossible 5, and out to Mr. Pickles. Jonas wore his Shark shirt in honor of his uncles. We were sad to have to send them back to Utah after a fun weekend.

Greg and Jeff "Escape from Alcatraz"

Visit from Grandpa Gary

Last spring I decided that I needed to buckle down and lose the weight I had never dropped after having Emma. She was, after all, 2 and 1/2 years old...I bought the 21 day fix exercise CDs and have been following (loosely) the food program and have stayed mostly on track for the last 5 months. It has been slow going but I have rarely missed a day of exercise, not gotten too off-track and am only a few pounds away from my goal. I think the most rewarding part of it is that I am eating a lot cleaner and do not have the energy slump I used to experience in the afternoons. I am trying to get myself to bed at decent hours so I can get up and exercise with no excuses in the morning. Emma joins me more often than not with her "weights" Here she is doing the ab workout with me. I also worked a bit this summer for my former boss on the Foster Care Education program. My mom generously watched my kids so I could help Cherie finish some year-end work. This fall for the first time I felt like I could take on more than my house maintenance and mom work load so I will continue to work for her on a few odds and ends. Keeping up the database, some editing and helping where needed. I do enjoy working with her and this is a perfect pace right now. Just a little to keep me on my toes and make sure I am not bored while kids are at school (haha!)