Another one for the record books

Yep - it's another busy week here in one parent land.  We have made it 8 nights so far - only 13 more to go.  I am not sure Iz is going to handle going back to her own bed, we may have to make the switch sooner than later because she has her first day of preschool TUESDAY.  YAY!!!

This week is just as busier - if not busier than last week.

Monday - get Andrew off to school - clean house - Iz has a preschool home visit - Andrew OT appt
Tuesday - get Andrew on bus, Iz to preschool, run do some grocery shopping, pick up Iz, wait for Andrew to get home - Iz has dance
Wednesday - Andrew school bus, Iz to preschool, pick up Iz, wait for Andrew - then Andrew OT
Thursday - kids school - kids home - Andrew soccer
Friday - kids school - kids home

Thankfully my Fridays are pretty tame.

Eve has started standing on her own - as in just stopping mid crawl and standing up - so yeah - I know walking is near - real near.  and no - I am not ready for it - lol

I ALSO am not ready for whatever is lurking off the coast - right now it might or might not be here this weekend or later - yeah real specific huh?  I told DH we'll stay through a 2 unless it's supposed to be a direct hit - then we'll leave and head inland I'll have my laptop and cell and kids and we'll be fine.

She's In!

We hae been going through drama trying to get Iz into preschool this year.  I put 2 choices on the list, someone wrote in 2 more choices (wasn't me) so instead of a preachool in town they were sending her to the neighboring town for preschool - which if they were picking her up it wouldn't have been a big deal - but since I was having to drive there was no way I could pick her up, be back in time to get Andrew, then turn around and drive BACK to the other town for Andrew's appts and/or dance/soccer.  I was going to be spending hours onthe road every single day. So after a lot of calls, a lot of belly-aching, and a lot of prayers I got a call late yesterday afternoon that she was in and to go pick up her paperwork. 

Another bit of excitement - I got a new laptop - despite everyone telling me the Mac was the way to go - I just opted for a PC for around 500.  I really just need something for word processing for my classes - and right now there are other things more important that a super computer - lol - once I get my fancy schmancy Masters I might spring for a Mac as a graduation gift, but for now this one will do.

Disney Ketchup

Today Iz had her 4 year (I can't believe she is already 4!) Well Child Checkup.    She was 38lbs & just a hair short of 40".  I sure hope she grows that extra hair before we leave on the 23rd of Sept.  That way she can ride the rides she missed last time at WDW.  We are keeping her on Zantac for her reflux, Zyrtec and Singular for her allergies and discussed in the future getting her tested so we know what environmental factors we need to restrict from her.  (For example I am severely allergic to dust mites.  So I have dust mite protectors on my pillows and we no longer have carpet on the floors....and when I know I am going to have to stay in a hotel I make sure to take my Allegra.  I am also allergic to oak trees so I watch the pollen meter online for the area and when oak starts to rise I take my meds - otherwise I really don't take mine as much anymore.)

On the way home I was flipping through XM and stopped on the Disney channel.  Most of the time there are a lot of songs I don't know, but this time they were playing a lot of songs from Imagination movers, They might be Giants, and other Disney shows and movies.  Anyway - the Disney Ketchup song came on - yeah - like they remade the Ketchup song with Mickey in the lyrics etc.  The kids loved it, I thought it was pretty crazy.  The next thing they played was back to back toy story songs - Andrew was in heaven, Iz was confused and wanted me to flip down the video monitor so she could watch the movie...lol

So if you haven't heard the disney ketchup song - google it - listen - enjoy

Meet the teacher

Today was the Primary School's "orientation" or meet the teacher.  They had 2 time slots and Andrew had a OT appt in the morning so we were stuck going to the afternoon.  I have to say it is soooo different than when I was in school. First of all yes I do realize it was like 27 years years ago that I was in Kindy AND that I grew up in a rural area, but I do still remember some.  Andrew's teacher is Mrs P.  He is in 1 of 10 kindergarten classes (I only had one...and his all have at least 23 students in them) and his school is only k-2nd grade (unlike k-6th).  He has one girl in his class from his preschool class, but other than that I didn't recognize any kids on his list.  

We also got a few more things we now need to shop for - so it looks like we will be heading shopping later this week (hopefully early in the am when the crowds are less)

Overall - Mrs P. seems to be a nice lady, and hopefully a great teacher!

Bring on the caffeine - gonna need it this week!

I have a busy week - perhaps busier than normal this week. I am thinking coffee is going to be my new friend.

I usually don't drink coffee- no idea why.  Even when I do I prefer the milk and sugar with coffee mix rather than coffee with milk and sugar - lol.  I admit I will - if it's really cold out and I am up early - occasionally stop in for a flavored coffee - but not very often.   I did stop yesterday at Dunkin donuts after dropping DH off. I had been up since 5:30 and I knew it was going to be a long day with the kids, so I had a small cappuccino.  I have 2 free any drink, any size, any flavor that never expire from starbucks in my purse - I just get so frustrated there too many choices.  Back in Minnesota I liked the turtle mocha and the caramel high rise I guess I could check out Starbucks menu and see if they have anything similar.

Anyway back to being busy - my week (so far) looks like this
Monday - Andrew appt & Andrew open house for school
Tuesday - Iz appt
Wednesday - Andrew starts school & Andrew has appt & I start school
Thursday - Andrew has school then soccer practice
Friday - Andrew has school - then nothing ...thankfully the weekend is empty too.

So today in preparation for the chaos that is soon to start I am declaring it PJ day here - all the kids are still in PJ's (well except for Eve - she kept trying to crawl and was getting really mad because her feet weren't staying in the legs - so she was essentially crawling inside her PJ's- so she got changed to a onsie)

We are doing nothing but watching TV, reading books, surfing the internet, playing wii, and eating whenever we are hungry (I might even spring for pizza tonight).  Just a lazy day because they are becoming numbered :(

OBX

So I mentioned Mike is retiring.  We really have no idea where we will end up next, so we discussed doing some of the touristy things around the area just in case we move, because depending on how far we move away we may or may not be back for several years and there are things we'd like to take the kids to do or see.

So far our lists include the aquariums and zoo's of the area, a few of the historic places (pepsi museum, tryon palace, lighthouses, forts, etc) and a few yearly festivals.

Our first adventure will not happen though till October - mainly because it is this will be the first chance we will get because of previous obligations we have.  Hubby is on his way to SC for 3 weeks of fun in the woods, and he texted me suggesting we head to OBX for columbus weekend (for those who do not know, OBX is the outerbanks).  We have been twice before - once just hubby and I went camping (we were dating) and once when Andrew was 8/9 months and my parents went up with us for a day trip.  This time we are planning on leaving after Andrew's Saturday soccer game and travel out and find a place to camp (ok really I will find a place and reserve a spot before hand) then check out the lighthouses (Bodie, Hatteras, Currituck, and Ocracoke) and the Wright Brothers National Memorial, as well as the aquarium, coast guard museum and of course the beach (and I will have to find the house used in the Nicholas Sparks movie and take a photo of Serendipity aka the Inn of Rodanthe).  It should be fun - We have never camped with a baby - but Eve is a pretty flexible baby.

So that is our first planned adventure - stay tuned for more :)

it's been a while ... part deux

ok - time for an update on me -

Soon I am going to be knee deep in soccer/dance mom mode.  Between school, soccer, dance, and maybe preschool I am going to be running the road constantly.  I also am going back to school in the Fall - my classes start Aug 25th - I am FINALLY going back for my Masters in Emergency Management and Homeland Security.  I will be doing my classes online (all 3 of them) so finding time to get them done will be interesting.  I am looking into getting a netbook with my cell phone provider so if I am waiting on kids appts or dance/soccer I can still get work done if I need to.

I guess that brings us all up to speed - well except one thing I forgot to mention yesterday - Mike's retirement.  Yep - we are getting much, much closer - as in his "official" date is May 31st, but with his terminal leave, etc we are looking at mid march.  We have no idea if and or where we are moving, nor do we really know much of anything except that we are kinda stuck in "hurry up and wait" mode.  In the current economy we aren't being too picky as to where we go - it's kinda where can we afford and get a job.  After all it's much easier to find a job where you want to be if you have a job to support you while you are looking.

Well its time to get off here and decide what's for dinner - Im leaning towards a ribeye and some fresh garden veggies....

It's been a while

The other day my husband and I watched Julie & Julia - he said hey - you used to blog - but I never see it anymore.  I then realized I have been neglecting my blog.  SO in the spirit of the movie I am now going to try to get back on the blogging wagon. SO right now I will update everyone on the Allen house.

Andrew - starts school next week, he has orientation on Monday - where we will meet his teacher - (Ms P.) and see his room etc.  He will be riding the school bus and has informed me that he wants to ride the bus on his first day - so assuming everything goes ok for orientation I guess I will let him.  He also is insisting on bringing his lunch the first day.  Maybe once we find out what's for lunch he'll change his mind, but I doubt it.  He also starts his 4th season of soccer in September - Mike is coaching his team again - so our Saturday's will again be filled with soccer games.

Isabel - may or may not go to preschool - some lovely idiot when processing her paperwork put her into a preschool in the neighboring town - (one that was NOT in my choice of schools) instead of the preschool in our town.  So we are still waiting to see if she got a slot or not.  She also missed the date to play soccer by 10 days (the cut off was Aug 1st and her birthday is on the 10th) - so instead she is taking ballet/jazz/tap on Tuesday nights.  She is very excited about this, and if she does not get into preschool I will probably enroll her in gymnastics on Monday nights to make up for missing out on preschool.

Evelyn - is growing like a weed, and doing everything short of walking.  She loves her big brother/sister, and has started making all sorts of letter sounds.  She also has 4 teeth and 2 on the way.  on top however she is missing her right front tooth and instead had her canine on that side, so she looks a little vampireish.

Mike - is leaving soon for 3 weeks of fun in the sun (aka field exercises) - I know the kids are going to miss him (ok I will miss him too) and once he gets back we (him and I) are going to Charlotte to see the panthers play the bucs.

as for me to be cont......