Having Three Kids...

makes my head hurt and my heart happy. Every day is messy (figuratively and literally) and chaotic and overwhelming, but at the same time filled with so much happiness. I stress about the chaos, but I need to embrace it more. I'm still adjusting to three...and hopefully will get there.

I love our latest art installation (especially the artist), and love seeing these three faces as I walk into their rooms.

Even though it causes me to want to drink wine and eat lots of chocolate, I am so very grateful for the craziness and love that these three kiddos bring me every day!

End of Year Party for Addie

The last day of preschool for Addie was a water party at school. It was a slightly cooler day, but that didn't stop the kiddos from getting wet. They had a lot of fun hanging out one last time.

Last time at The Raleigh School!

Snack first, then playtime...

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Examining a ladybug...

The class auction item that someone won...

And a final group photo...

 

  

 A final hug from the teachers...and then goodbye!

 

I will always look back on Addie's 2's class with fond memories. Now on to a new year and a new school!

Class Photo

Cute class...not-so-cute class photo! How can not one child be smiling on picture day?!?

It was so rough in fact that I came home and took a better picture of my child so she could have a cute "official" portrait from her 2's class year...

More proof that these preschoolers can give a big smile...Addie and Amelia excited to hang out at gymnastics.

And now on to the last day of preschool!

Air Show Disaster

No planes crashed, thank goodness. But there was lots of melting and crying by little girls who were having no fun at all. Air show disaster!

It was probably all my fault. Brian had wanted to take Collins to see the "very cool" show at Seymour Johnson Airforce Base in Goldsboro. But then I got to thinking that the whole family should go have this cool experience...no big deal to take everybody, right? This is where my husband usually talks me down from my unrealistic dreaming, and he did...but he also wanted us all to be together and to see cool planes. So off we went!

The drive down there was no problem as the girls were enthralled as I read them the chapter book, "The Magic Treehouse". But once we arrived on base, we had to take a hot bus ride to the show and then walk around with a million people in the blazing sun and wait in long lines to get inside the planes. In theory, Brian was right- it was VERY cool. The planes were enormous, and it was extremely interesting to walk inside one that transports military vehicles across the ocean. BUT...not for our 6-year-old and 3-year-old that day.

We finally gave up on the heat and the lines and were heading for the exit when out of no where a jet whizzed by right above our heads. The noise was deafening (literally it was like a bomb going off) and the girls immediately burst into tears. I have to say it scared me to death too. I don't think they should have loud planes that close to pedestrians- even at an air show. It was just too much.

So after everyone calmed down and we made it back to our car, I asked the girls if they learned one new thing that morning, and Collins responded, "Yes, that I never want to go to an air show again." :)

 

 

 

After the show, we had planned to go to Brian's favorite BBQ restaurant, Wilber's. Well, as we were heading in the front door, somehow my finger slid across the edge of the "Open" sign on the door and got badly cut. It started gushing blood, and then I started worrying about cutting it on a metal sign. We ate lunch, Luke started crying, I was bleeding....like I said earlier, disaster.

So turns out, I did need a tetanus shot when we got back to Raleigh. Sigh...it was just one of those days. This is what I get for never wanting to miss out on a cool experience. It gets me into trouble sometimes, and that Saturday, it definitely did!

Addie's Last Helping Child Day

Addie didn't know it at the time, but she recently had her very last helping child day at The Raleigh School. We have decided to switch preschools for her in the Fall, and she and Luke will be going to our church preschool, Hayes Barton.

We have had some really great experiences at The Raleigh School, and it was a hard decision to leave. But we felt like Hayes Barton would better prepare Addie and Luke for public school where TRS is better suited for kids staying on in their elementary school. I feel good about our decision to switch, but we have spent five years at this preschool and I was a bit sentimental this last time in Addie's classroom.

Addie's class this year has been my all-time favorite at TRS. They are an adorable and smart bunch, and they were led by the fabulous Ms. Escuti. I'm so glad Addie had the chance to have her as a teacher!

For her last helping child day, Addie's wish came true- she got her Mom AND her Dad as helping parents! :)

  

The helping child has to count out the kids in circle time...

 "Four green and speckled frogs, sat on a speckled log"...

Ms. Escuti is so gentle and engaging with the kids...

 

 

TRS added a new music teacher, Ms. Long, and the kids love her...especially when she sings "California" as Addie calls it ("This Land is Your Land").

   

 

And the parachute song was a big hit...

Loved their expressions...

 

I tried to do a special "butterfly" snack for the last day...they just did a unit on butterflies and watched them hatch from a chrysalis.

 

Since it was the final regular day of the school year (their last day was the EOY party), they got to take home their birthday crowns that they decorated and wore the day they turned three...her class was Jacob, Locke, Ruby, Drew, Amelia, Declan, Cassie, Henry, Kenzie and Addie. A great group!

 

Ms. Escuti always sings with them before it's time to go home... ("The More We Get Together")

And my favorite part of every school day was when she came bounding out of the door and ran into my arms... :)

It was the perfect final helping child day, and I love that we got to be in the classroom with her on the last regular day of class. A great way to end our experience at The Raleigh School!

Celebrating Mom at School

 I have loved going into Collins' classroom this year. She has such a cute class, and I like seeing her in action. The Moms were invited to the class the day after Mother's Day for a dessert party. I got to see Collins's portrait of me...

and read her thoughts about me. I LOVE that I am 25 years old in her mind! I do love chocolate, but don't know that I am so good at cleaning. And snuggles do make me so happy!

Loved being with her that day!

Mother's Day in Hickory

My one wish for Mother's Day was to celebrate the holiday in Hickory. We had not been to Hickory since last summer (no kidding) because of the timing of the baby so it was way past time for a visit. I was really excited to spend time there with my family and introduce Luke to my hometown!

Luckily, Collins happened to have a teacher workday that Friday so we got an extra day in. We started out our weekend with a fun trip to Hickory's newest "pocket park". It's a small park that takes up one city block downtown with some really neat features including a splash pad (totally not necessary that chilly day), a huge climbing sphere, and some bricks with Collins, Addie and Luke's name on them- thanks Mom!

On Saturday, we relaxed at Mom's house...

 

and then headed back to downtown Hickory. The girls had requested to paint pottery. Addie did a pretty heavy coat of paint on her monkey, and Collins made a butterfly that was quite fancy. They really took their time with this activity which meant they were really into it (and I'm pretty sure Alli, Mom, and I were just as into it with our coffee mugs and olive plate). :)

What was cool was how "happening" downtown Hickory was...after pottery, we had a tasty lunch at The Station and then wandered through their very cool Farmer's Market. I found Hickory quite charming!

After lunch, the weather turned and it was beautiful outside. So we sat on the deck...

 

 

and then decided to go for a practice "hike". Brian and I had made plans to take the kids to the mountains over Memorial Day, and he wanted to see if they could handle an actual hike. Well, how convenient was it that Mom has a forest right down the street from her house that leads to another neat park? So we hiked through the woods and over streams to Glen Hilton Park and back. And turns out they passed the hiking test...

 

Before dinner, we had to go check out Baba and Mom's garden...and introduce Luke to Aunt Kristy.

 

On Sunday, after doughnuts (thanks Brian) we went to my home church for the first time in a long time...Baba shows off pictures of her great-grandchildren to her friends at church all the time so I thought it would be special for her and Mom to have them there in person. I was nervous about how Luke would do (he's never been to church before), but sweet thing fell asleep in the stroller as Brian took a tour of the St. Stephen's grounds. :) The girls were also really well behaved in church so it all actually worked out!

 

Spending time with Mom and Baba in Hickory on Mother's Day was so special. I loved every minute of it!

We also got to spend some time with Dad and Heather before heading home. Dad is growing one impressive garden this year! The girls got some good slinky time in with Nana before we hit the road for the worst road trip ever. There was a bad traffic jam, lots of screaming from Addie and Luke, a pull off the interstate, an emergency Frosty treat, and some fried nerves by the time we got back to Raleigh. Not fun, but our awesome weekend in Hickory was totally worth it!