Riding the bus

Haylee has said, from the first day of school that riding the bus is her favorite part of going to school. Isn't it ironic that the bus is what I was most worried about? I knew she would be fine at school but my stomach would get sick every time I thought about her riding the bus. Turns out it isn't bad at all. The bus driver is really nice and Haylee has been sitting by a girl from her class everyday. She still doesn't know her name but Haylee tells me they are "best friends forever" its pretty cute.

 

That's Haylee waving, right above "NEW"

 

Have I mentioned her bus stop is at a bar? It makes me laugh. 

 

We have to wake up at 6:30, get dressed, do hair, eat breakfast, brush teeth, wake Maycie up and be out the door no later than 7:10 in order to meet the bus by 7:30. Its been easier than I thought it would be. There hasn't been as much screaming and fighting as I thought, but its still a challenge getting up early! We've been sleeping in for years now so it hasn't been fun for me when the alarm goes off. I don't think I've ever loved a weekend so much as I do right now!

 

Its been so hard for me not taking a picture of her everyday as she climbs on the bus or one of her standing out front with her backpack on. I want to take photos of every little thing she does! I still can't believe she is old enough to be going to school all day!

 

 

This cereal picture is because she ate half of her cereal and the cereal stayed on half of the bowl.

Loose Tooth!

Haylee finally has a loose tooth!! She's been asking when she would lose a tooth for over a year now. Now there is finally a loose one in there!! She couldn't be more excited!

 

She was jumping around like this all night squealing and laughing. It was the cutest thing! 

 

 

Here is the wiggly one!

 

As soon as she showed me it was loose she said "I have to call Camden and tell him!" Camden had two loose teeth while we were there visiting and Haylee was so excited for him. I thought it was really cute that she wanted to share her news with him

Monster University!

Before we left for our Cascade trip I took the girls to the movie. We saw Monster University and loved it! It was in 3D which the theatre failed to mention on their website. I wouldn't have gone if I had known that. The girls hate wearing the glasses on the whole time and I hate trying to hold them in my hands the whole time. It just makes the whole movie thing more stressful when its 3D. Am I the only one who feels this way?? Anyway, the movie had a lot more scaring than the first one. I'm not sure Haylee was ok with that or not. Maycie wanted to go home the entire time. She kept trying to escape but I made her sit on my lap... so it was miserable for her. But hey, who am I trying to kid?? I took the girls to the movie because it was the only way I was going to be able to see it!!! I LOVE Monsters Inc.! Its probably my favorite movie ever. I watch it every chance I get. I actually don't own it so I watch it every time I'm at my parents house. Well, Monster University was just as awesome! Hopefully next movie we go to will be a better experience.

Our wild tornado weekend!

Back in July we had a weekend full of tornadoes. It was very intense! We were under Tornado Watches and Tornado Warnings for days on end. A tornado watch is the alert that is sent out when the conditions are perfect for tornadoes to occur. A tornado warning is sent out after a tornado has touched down.  Bret was out on location so it was just us girls home trying to survive. We had talked about what to do if a tornado was to come in our area; I knew what to do I just didn't want to have to do it. The safest place for us to be is in a ditch. Literally. Since we don't have a basement our only options are get in our car and try to drive as far, and as fast, as possible to get away from the storm OR go to the ditch at the side of the property and hang on for dear life. Luckily we didn't have any tornadoes touch down near us so we didn't have to use our escape plan.

That being said, during that weekend I saw the sky do things I didn't know it was capable of doing. The way the clouds would fall apart and almost like having a vacuum, the sky would start turning and suck up all the bits and pieces of clouds. There were layers like thick quilts stacked on top of each other moving across the sky. In an instant the sky above us went from blue to completely black. All of the neighbors came outside so they could keep an eye on the sky and know when to run. While we were all outside watching the sky, the wind was SO bad we were being pelted with sand and rocks. I had welts and cuts on my legs from being sandblasted!

Hopefully we're done with tornadoes until next year. I think one weekend a year is enough for me!

Here are some pictures and videos that I took. They really don't do these storms justice. Its something you need to see with your own eyes.

 

This is what the sky looked like as I was driving home from the store. You can kind of see buildings along the horizon on the right, that's where we live. The really dark layer of clouds on the bottom is what the next few pictures are of. Even though it looks like just one layer, its not. Just look at the next pictures.

 

Doesn't that picture remind you of an alien invasion?? Yeah, me too.

 

The picture above and the one below show that part hanging down low, it was spinning and I was sure it was turning into a tornado right in front of us. Pieces of the cloud would break off then be sucked back up. This was probably the scariest part of it all; having the sky twirling right on top of us.

 

 

First Day of Kindergarten!

I can't believe this day is finally here. It's more bitter sweet than I could have ever imagined. For weeks, months, possibly even years I have been looking forward to this day. I've dreamt of how nice it would be to have a child in school all day. I've made so many wonderful plans, so many ideas of things I want to make; all I've been waiting for was for this day to come. Now that it is here, I don't want to do all those things. I don't care about all this free time. I'm sure in a few weeks or months I'll be happy kindergarten has started but for now I'm not happy. I miss Haylee. Bret misses Haylee. Maycie misses Haylee. She's lost without her sister.

We decided to drive Haylee to school today because she had so much stuff to carry. The entire 25 minute drive I wanted to cry my eyes out. I knew if I did though, I would make Haylee nervous and possibly even cry. So I just sat there. I tried not to talk because I knew my voice would crack. It was the shortest 25 minute ride of my life. I didn't want to get to school. I didn't want to see my baby girl get out of the truck and walk away. I knew that once we left her there that was the end. From now on she's in school all day, every day, for the rest of her life. Next thing I know she'll be graduating and getting married.

Family, friends, even strangers have been telling me from the minute Haylee came home from the hospital to savor every moment. My grandma B has told me, almost on a daily basis, "Enjoy this time Shi, enjoy your kids being little because next thing you know they'll be grandparents and you'll be old." My parents have told me how much they miss us kids being little. To be honest, I thought people were crazy to be saying that! Didn't they know what it was like having two little kids. Suddenly, here I am, in the blink of an eye, wishing I could go back. I know this all sounds very dramatic but there were days, even last week, when I thought I would never have any free time. I thought it would be years and years before I was left alone when in the bathroom. Even last night I was told Bret that I can't wait for the day when I can eat a meal without having to feed a child or take one to the bathroom. Now, two seconds later I'm wishing I could take it all back. I'm not ready for this!!

Alright, enough sob story...we're onto pictures now!

 

Kindergarten list of school supplies:

1 box 24 crayons

1 box markers

1 4-pack thin expo markers

1 box pencils

1 pencil case

1 pair of scissors

1 pack of erasers

1 glue stick

1 bottle of glue

2 folders

1 paint shirt

1 towel

1 set of watercolors

1 box of tissues

1 bottle hand sanitizer

I container of baby wipes

1 pocket folder

Healthy non-refrigerated snacks (enough for 10)

Ziploc sandwich bags and gallon size bags

1 pair of shoes to be left at the school

Timer

Pipe cleaners

Small wrapped candy

 

The list of optional items is just al long!! It has things like play-dough, pom poms, fake food, board games, rubber stamps, books, etc.

 

 The girls each picked out their own backpack. Haylee's has Tinkerbell and Periwinkle (they're sisters) and it lights up.  Maycie wanted the same one but we told her she had to pick a different one so we wouldn't get them mixed up, so she got hearts.

 

6:20 is a hard time for a 5 year old to wake up! After getting dressed she just curled up on the couch, freezing cold, waiting for us to leave.

 

 

She had to find her name and her locker on back to school night. She was excited to show me where they were again.

 

Because it gets so muddy here, in order to keep the school clean, every child has to have a pair of shoes that they leave in their locker. They change into them when they first get there and then put their outside shoes on for recess.

 

The first thing she said was "MOM I like the bus! It goes super fast!"

 

I'm so happy that she had a fun first day. She said she ate all of her food at lunch and was still starving and she made new friends but she doesn't remember their names. I can't wait to hear more!!

 

 

 

 

P.S. Maycie starts preschool Sept 9th... wish us luck!

Back to school night

Haylee had back to school night last night. I can't believe she will start kindergarten on Monday!

 

 Her school is about 20 minutes away and its so small! There are only 8 kids in her class. She will be in school all day, from 8-3. Her teacher, Ms Bellikka, seemed super fun and Haylee really likes her.

 

I can't wait until Monday!

We're definitely back in Williston!

After driving through the night, we stopped at the grocery store to get milk and cereal so we could eat when we got home. Check out these prices!