Back To School

Can't believe my girl is in 2nd grade.  She had a wonderful 1st week.  She is going to a school that she is learning Spanish.  She also had  math problems the 2nd night.  Thankful for grandma to listen to all the moans.

We go to McDonald's on the first day of school. Except we ate at McDonald's all summer for breakfast before camp.  

I dropped her off at school the 1st day.  I told her she was going to have two breakfasts that way I could drop her off at school.  I was waiting to hear from transportation.  She wants to ride the school bus.  I felt bad no other students were eating breakfasts. Ashley was on her 2nd.

We always get a cake on the 1st day of school.  At night we celebrate with cake.  This year the cake matched her dress.

Next year Sebastian says that I need to get a cake that says 2nd grade for him and 3rd grade for Ashley.

Sebastian mom took him to school today - I got him a new first day of school shirt from  Izzy B's - you can find her on facebook.  We love her shirts. Sebastian is going into 1st grade.

I had to beg Raphael to take his picture he is going into 10th grade.  He is so much fun right now.  I keep getting on him to make sure he is doing his homework.

I hope they all have a great school year.  

Summer Is Coming to an End

It's back to work tomorrow.  The summer went way too fast.  It was a great summer worked in the mornings teaching Driver Education.  I was excited to have my nephew Raphael in safety and BTW.

   Ashley and Sebastian went to Indian Acres in the morning for swim camp.  They also spent a week at the Y for camp.  Sebastian went to fun school for a few weeks and Ashley went to a few church camps.

I can't believe nephew  Raphael will be a sophomore in high school.  He is in band.  Ashley will be in 2nd grade at International Prep academy. Sebastian will be in 1st grade.  I will be starting my 20th year teaching at Franklin Middle School.

This is Ashley at the Rantoul pool and the top picture is of Sebastian going down the slide.  We spent our time between  the Champaign and Urbana pools and also Rantoul pool.  3 different pools - the kids loved them all.  Also the indoor pool on Saturday's cause Ashley and Sebastian have private swim lessons.

Before school starts we go to the lake for a Franklin get together - Some of the teachers have boats and jet ski's.  Ashley just keeps saying just go get our boat.  I am sure you can rent them she says.

Ashley loves Tracey Jet ski.  Ashley was jumping off Eric boat.  We found a rope that you could swing out on and jump off.  Ashley was first in line for that.

Ashley also loved feeding the seagulls.  This girl loves animals.

Can't wait to see what this school year brings.  Wednesday is the big day!!!!

Snow and Cold go Away

  I would love a day off work and no where to go except I do not like the cold.   I have my fingers crossed that my kids will not catch this nasty flu that is going around.  We all did get the flu shots.  Except you read articles saying that we have 3 different strands of the flu this year.
  We have been keeping busy with soccer, and swimming and we start indoor basketball again.  We are still taking piano but I need to get better on having  her practice.
   Tonight we have a 8th Grade Boys Basketball Regional Championship Game against our cross town rival Edison.  This year the basketball season has gone fast.
   We have a busy weekend ahead - soccer, swimming lesson, D has a birthday party and piano.....

No Moving Target December

     I had just read this post on Dec 1st at Hands Free Mama.  It's about not being a moving target.  When there is one more thing I could get done. When the day is so packed that my blessing get covered up.
  Our Saturday was just that.  I started hyperventilating about it over Thanksgiving at the Dells.  Just thinking what all we had to do on Dec 6th.  Except I would not have missed any of it for the world.
    First it was picture day at the Y.  Ashley has one more week of winter basketball at the Y.  She has improved over the last 7 weeks.

This is Ashley and her team.  She had wonderful coaches.

After basketball we went to lunch with grandma.  Ashley and lttle D love Station Six pizza.  I think they like it cause at the booths they have TVs.  I thought they liked the pizza. 
Then Ashley had a birthday party to go to a little boy from her class.  Ashley went for 1hour cause she had her big piano recital today at Parkland.

 

Ashley did wonderful.  When she plays it bring tears to my eyes.  I hope she learns to love piano and I hope she continues it for a long time.

You could tell that she was thinking very hard.  Her little foot was just a shaking during the performance.

When it was over I gave her some flowers.  Her eyes just light up - "For me" "Really" - made me stop right there and think - man "Am I missing really good moments in her life?  Am I a moving target?

The recital was the same time as little D - Forster kids Christmas party.  I am so lucky my good friend Tracey took Little D to the party.  I was excited our church hosted the party this year for the foster agency Lutheran.

Look at the beautiful cookies that were donated.  The church provided each family with a $40.00 gift card from Wallmart and $10.00 gift card from Jet's pizza.  Its funny Little D did not want anything to do with the cookies cause they had so many fun activities for the children to do.

After the piano recital we run off to Mahomet to Raphael's - Warm your Tummy Chili supper for his Boys Scout troop.  Raphael worked at it all day.  I also had to run Raphael to Mahomet after basketball this morning.  Raphael did not want to smile for me.  I hope his understands it is a great accomplishment that he is still in Boys Scouts as a Freshman.  I have loved going to these over the years.  I am really proud of the man Raphael is becoming.  I sure hope he is enjoying high school.  If he ever needs anything I hope he knows his family is here for him.

 

Then after the supper - Ashley had another birthday party to go to.  Yes two parties in one day.  This one was at the Y for swimming.  She had a wonderful time.  I can't believe my daughter is out till 8:00 pm.

 

I am so blessed to be Ashley mother.  I don't think the rest of our December Saturdays are this busy.  I know I am going to try real hard not to be a moving target.

 



Veterans Day

Today we were off school to celebrate Veterans Day.  Above is a picture of my Dad when he was in the Navy stationed in Washington DC.  Ashley loved learning about Veterans.  Her school yesterday had assembly and she sang a song in Spanish.

Daycare had a day of in service today so daycare was closed.  So I took Ashley, Little D, Sebastion and London to the indoor playground at our church.  London is my cousin daughter.  We babysat today since daycare was closed. Grandma brought pizza and we had apples and snacks to eat.  Indoor picnic at the playground it was great!!! Ah I just start hyperventilating thinking about my children growing up. One I don't want to get older and I don't want my mom to get any older.  Ashley said at dinner tonight the best Veterans Day ever.

 

This afternoon we still had a boys basketball game at home.  We played Kingsley.  Our 7th grade lost but our 8th grade won.  Tomorrow night we play our cross town school Edison.
After the game we went t eat at the local Mexican restaurant Dos Relas.  I sure hope Ashley has found memories of her childhood.  Not memories of her mother yelling at her or being upset with her.

Birthday Parties

   

 

 

   Ashley turned 7 in October.  Ashley wanted a Minecraft party.  Ashley is obsessed with the game minecraft.  Grandma was nice enough to let us have the party at her house. I searched pinterest for weeks.
   I wanted to have a bounce house - I thought I can just rent one from a local store and put it up with no problem.  When I went to rent the bounce house.  They told me make sure you have a truck.  I made sure we had a truck.  I went to go get it and the bounce house was so heavy.  We about never got it out of the truck and into the side yard.  You needed a army to move it.  They really should not rent this bounce house to a single mother.

 

Except the kids had a wonderful time.  All the work was worth it. 

 

We had a great minecraft cake from ricksbakeryurbana.com/cakes

 I also won a party from Kona Ice it's a shaved ice truck.  We followed the Kona Ice truck around all summer.  Ashley was so excited to have the truck at her birthday party.  It is also at Illini home football games for street fest. The kids loved getting shaved ice.

I love this picture of the group - we are so blessed with great friends.  Little D in the middle melts my heart.  He enjoyed the day also.

Kona ice was so sweet.  They gave Ashley a birthday bag and a t-shirt.  She looks so big in this picture.

I think they had a wonderful time at the party.

Ashley was so happy at her birthday party.  Ashley is so full of life. I can't wait to see her grow up into a beautiful young lady.  I sometimes wish I had a crystal ball so I could see into her future.

I need to step back and remember -

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you" declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.

I LOVE YOU ASHLEY TAYLOR SAVELEY!!!!!

November

   

 
 I can't believe it's November!  Where does time go?  How did Ashley turn 7 in October?  How is she in the first grade?
    Another Cross Country season is in the books.  My girls XC team made it to State. Baseball made it to the regional championship game first time since baseball started 9 years ago at the middle school level.  We are finishing up another season of girls basketball at Franklin.  Just starting Boys Basketball season.  8th grade is off to a 3 and 0 start.  As 7th graders they finished 2nd in State - so the pressure is on.  U of I Football is 4 in 5 with 2 games to go.  Lots of tailgating this season.

 

    Little D and Ashley been involved in swimming lessons.  Ashley is playing Y basketball on Saturday mornings.  She is so fun to watch.  Ashley piano recital is coming up Dec 6th.  I have gone into practice practice mode with the piano.
    We had a great weekend.  Friday night we stayed in.  Saturday morning we had basketball in the morning at the Y.  Then we went with Grandma to the indoor market at Lincoln Square.  Then Ashley and grandma went off shopping for shoes.  Later in the afternoon Ashley and I went off to skate land.  They had Olaf and Elsa there from Frozen. You could skate with them and also have your picture taken them.  Ashley loves skating.