So Sorry!

Well, I'm kinda' hanging my head in shame - I have neglected our blog and I apologize.  As with everyone, it was a rough winter....we had tons of illnesses (over and over) and then the blizzards really had us in turmoil.  But, no excuses!

Lots of stuff going on right now...the Ladies Night Out, Market Day, the upcoming Basket/Vera Bradley Bingo, the crab feast, a happy hour.... fun stuff!  Of course a very special (though not Mother's Club) event coming up is the Father/Daughter Dance.  Our house is in a flurry of excitement....dress ready to put on, flowers ordered, sparkly shoes all shined up and ready to slip on.  We've talked about hair styles and pictures and I'm probably as excited as everyone else.  I can't wait to take pictures of them on Saturday night!

The Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the Christmas season.  I hope this nice, long weekend was a good one for you and that you had a chance to spend some quality time with your family, friends and loved ones.  I also hope you had an opportunity to reflect on the blessings in your lives.

As we move into the Christmas season, I get so excited.  I love the sights and smells of Christmas and I just love the excitement in our daughter's eyes.  Even at 9, she still loves to see the lights and decorations, and she still believes (although this is probably our last year for that).  But, even with all of that, I am finding that this might be a stressful season for many, including myself.  The economy has had a deep impact on many in our community and this will change how they celebrate the holiday.  It will change it for us as well.  We've all had to tighten our belts.  We've decided to go back to a simpler time and make some handmade gifts for people.  My daughter and I are making candy for the first time this year and we'll give that as hostess gifts or as part of a gift to friends or family.  It helps us save a bit of money, but more importantly, it gets her involved in the process of sharing.  She is working at something that she'll share with others.  She'll also make her gifts for her grandparents and for us. 

So what are you doing this year to make Christmas special but not break your budget?  Please share, we'd love to hear from you!

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

Time really does fly. I find it hard to believe I haven't posted since late September and it's already mid-October, although it does feel a bit more like January! There are tons of things going on - Harves Festival, preparations for Halloween (we haven't picked a costume yet!) and thoughts of upcoming Holidays.

On top of that, kids are starting to get sick. I've heard from several parents in our school and from teachers in the district in which I work, that kids are getting the flu. I hear that if a child has the flu now, it must be H1N1 because the seasonal flu hasn't started. So, being a worrier by nature, it does have me a bit concerned about my daughter and we've decided to get the H1N1 vaccine. Our pediatrician assures us it is safe and the inactive ingredients (the ones that can give people side effects) are the same as those in the seasonal flu. Since she's done well with the seasonal flu, my thinking is that she'll do fine with the H1N1 as well. But again, being a worrier, it is a decision we've struggled with.

So, the question is "To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?" What are your plans - especially with the announcement about the nasal vaccine being given at school. Are you going to sign off and have your child or children vaccinated? If so, what was the deciding factor? If not, why? Please share your thoughts with us.

Getting into the Groove

So, we've made it through the first full week. A week that included a science quiz, spelling test and vocabulary test. Phew - I'm exhausted just thinking about it! But not the kids. They are taking it in stride. My daughter seems to have a new found desire to study and work hard. I don't know if it is maturity at work or if her end of the year math grade from 3rd grade woke her out of some state of study lethargy. Whatever it was, though, I'm grateful for it.

How was your first full week? Are your kids adjusting and getting back into the groove of school? And how about our new kids - are they learning the SUS ropes and making friends.

Share your stories. We'd love to hear from you!

The First Day!!

I can't exactly say that today snuck up on me, but it seems like it did. I woke up in terror thinking we had forgotten to get school shoes and any supplies. Once I emerged from my nightmare, I stumbled to the shower, only to hear a faint tapping on the door. It was my daughter, up and ready to get moving an hour before her alarm clock was set to ring. It was a happy surprise because last night she was desperately trying to get me to say "Oh, forget it. You don't have to go back to school. Let's just stay on vacation forever!" But I wouldn't budge (mean old mom!). So between her excitement induced early rising and my realization that we were fully decked out for today, the day was off to a pretty good start. Breakfast was gobbled and I was prodded out the door a full hour and 15 minutes before the bell would ring. She wanted to get there first! We arrived on the parking lot at about 7:15 and sat in the car for a while and then moved to the drop off lines. It was such entertainment for me to watch her greet her friends as if she hadn't seen them in 20 years. There were hugs and smiles along with bookbag comparisons and hopes for who the teacher would be. And then, the bell rang and they started to move into the building. Somehow she got near the front of the line and disappeared from my sight. I was so sad that I wouldn't get to even wave much less get a kiss or hug. But then I saw it - she turned and looked for me. Once she found me I got a thumbs up, a wave and even a blown kiss. Not bad from a new 4th grader! And not bad for "mean old mom!"

I hope you got your hugs and kisses from your kids today on this wonderful first day of school. Let us know about your child's first day. We'd love to hear from you!

Fall? Really?

It happened today with no notice - no warning - no discernible sign. Well, ok, maybe I ignored the signs. But here's what happened. The family decided to have a last family weekend before school starts. They packed up the car and headed to Hershey for a long weekend. They stayed in the grandparent's RV and had an action packed, family oriented weekend. The togetherness and closeness was wonderful. The daughter and husband had so much fun on the rides and everyone laughed a lot and it didn't even matter that it rained for most of the weekend. There was marshmallow roasting and smore making along with stories by the campfire. Yahtzee and Catchphrase were played and enjoyed by all. Sunday morning..... a campground pancake breakfast and packing up, then home. As the family pulled up in front of the house, the mother was mortified to see her beautiful dogwood, you know, the one that greets summer visitors with bright green, glorious foliage, was now no longer green. No, it was reddish-green. The daughter thought maybe it was just the reflection of the sunlight. The mother turned away in horror and said, "No, sweetie, it's fall" as a lone tear dripped down her face.

Ok, so maybe the tear is a bit of an exaggeration, but the horror was real. I couldn't believe that the tree was starting to turn red. I know there were other signs that summer is coming to an end. Buying uniforms and new shoes. Packing new bookbags with fresh supplies. Finishing summer book reports. The pool hours changing. Public school kids going back to school. I knew it would happen to us too, eventually, but just not so quickly. Don't get me wrong. I love school, love SUS. But I really, really love summer! I love the relaxed atmosphere and the time spent outdoors. I love seeing the kids tanned running around with no cares. I suppose, though, it wouldn't feel so special and magical if it weren't something we earned throughout the rest of the year. It is like a reward for a job well done for all of us.

So fall isn't so bad, and school starting is really a good thing. Its a fresh start and an opportunity to learn more and meet new people. It is the opportunity to work hard and begin to rack up those bonus points to be used sometime in late May when summer comes again and the reward is granted to us one more time.

Firefly Night

Tonight was a firefly night. We waited until it got dark and took a jar outside to catch fireflies. I guess they are smarter than they were when I was a kid because they stayed pretty high and flew fairly fast, so we only caught one. But, still, it brought me right back to summer nights that seemed so far away. Running down the street catching the little lights that twinkled in the bushes and trees. Filling jars with grass, thinking the fireflies needed a snack while we hunted their kin. Watching the jar in wonder as whatever magic it was caused the little insect to light up like a fairy out of Peter Pan.

But it was hearing my daughter laugh that made tonight such a nice evening. She ran up and down the sidewalk after one firefly and then another, laughing as she'd reach out to to try to catch it. But no luck tonight.

"Oh well" she sighed.

"We'll try again another night" we told her. And as we let Freddie the Firefly flit back into the night air I could hear myself echo in her giggles. She knows that there is still more summer to come. More August firefly nights. More laughs. And so do I.