7, 9 and 5

Where did summer go? It seems like yesterday when I made "the" phone call and sobbed hysterically on the phone over where Mckenna was going to sit at school. I can't say that I haven't cried since that day but I've tried to fill each moment with something to do to create memories which also included trying to make the time stop and avoid the inevitable.

We, or I, tiled our back porch, we celebrated a graduation, participated in All Stars and sports conditioning, more wisdom teeth removed, spur of the moment trips, signing up for college classes, purchasing items for college and lots of playing. No time for blogging and recording all our fun. I am certain I will have plenty of time in the near future.

Time didn't stop and the inevitable has finally arrived.

In 7 days, Mckenna will start Kindergarten, heart wrenching, she's a big girl now. 9 days after that we will take another trip, across the country to take Jessika to Idaho. 5 days later we will fly back to Florida and leave Jessika behind, in her own apartment, heart wrenching, she's a big girl now.

Life. Will. Be. Different.

I try to imagine how my days will be filled after September 8th. I will have 6 hours and 15 minutes to do WHATEVER I want to do. Alone. I am not going to lie, some tiny little part of me is a little excited, but the bigger part is just plain sappy. Sad and happy all at the same time.

Life. Will. Be. Different.

My house will stay cleaner. The house will be quieter. I'll be able to finish a project without being interrupted by playing games, being told a story or telling a story, watching or listening to Nick Jr.. I will be able to be more efficient when I shop. I will be able to save money because I will have the time to look for better deals and use coupons. I can go to Home Goods, Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls and look as long or as little as I want. I can go to the gym and workout as long as I want. Mike and I can go out to lunch when he's in town. As I am running errands during the day I'll be able to listen to whatever radio station I want to listen to without looking for a "girl song". I'll be able to keep up with my blog. I'll learn what Skype is and how to use it so that 2,446.09 miles won't seem that far away. Yes, that is exactly how far it is from our front door to Jessika's front door.

As heart wrenching as the days ahead will be I have convinced myself that life. will. be. just. fine.

Seat Assignments and Storing Supplies

That's all it took to bring me to tears. Pathetic, I know.

In 5 months, Jessika will go off to college and Mckenna will start kindergarten. Perhaps I should buy stock in kleenex. The last couple of weeks I have mastered how to cry, actually sob, keeping all the tears in my eyes. I decided yesterday that I would add to my list of places to call, the dreaded elementary school. I can't get time to stop so I might as well just go ahead and register Mckenna for school. Somehow the school that was the last on my list (that I have had for a week) suddenly became the first on my list. I called the school and was happy to hear that we missed Kindergarten roundup, only to save Mckenna, Mike and myself the humiliation of not being able to keep my composure. The nice lady on the phone gave me all the information that I needed to bring to the school to register Mckenna. I think the list of documents has grown since I registered Cody 10 years ago. I asked her if there was going to be another open house. I was so proud of myself up to this point since I was able to keep my composure. This nice lady quickly informed me that on the day before school starts there will be a meet and greet where she can meet her teacher, get her seat assignment and see where she will store her supplies. She continued to talk but I have NO idea what she said. I cried so hard I couldn't even talk. It was all I could do to be able to get out "thanks". Luckily I didn't give her any information so that she would be able to identify me. I asked my dear friend Amy to pick up the packet for me so I wouldn't have to step foot in the school. I know if I would have gone into the school it would have been a dead giveaway that I was the pathetic mother on the phone. However she may get a clue when she sees my truck sitting outside of the school all day waiting for the school day to end.

The other pathetic part of this is just as I started sobbing, Jessika walked into the kitchen to witness my patheticness. (yes I just made up a new word) As I hung up the phone she asked me who I was talking to. I told her, she offered me some comforting words, "mom you should be crying because I am leaving, at least you have Mckenna around the house for another 12 years!" Thanks Jessika!

Having another baby is not an option because they just grow up and leave, besides the fact we already have 7, so I am thinking I need to find a hobby quickly!

Shopping

Mckenna LOVES shopping and anything to do with shoes and clothes. She loves looking at all the clothes taking them off the racks and holding them up to her to see if they fit.

While at Target today Mckenna made this observation:

Mckenna: Mom look at this dress! Isn't it pretty!

Me: Yes, Mckenna it's beautiful!

Mckenna (in a not quiet voice): Well mom it's too big for me and too small for you because I am 4 and you are 40 and you have to be 8 to wear this dress!

Not just yet.....

While at Busch Gardens today, Mckenna and I rode on the Stanley Falls Flume ride. I usually don't do anything that resembles a roller coaster, but being the good sport that I am took Mckenna on it since she thought it would be fun. In the ride you have to get in a log (not really it just looks like one) and float around and go up and down a couple of "hills". Mckenna was fine on the first two and then on the last big "hill" she really didn't like it and was really ready to be done. This is the conversation we had after we got off the ride:

Mom: So Mckenna was that a lot of fun?

Mckenna: No, not really.

Mom: Why not?

Mckenna: Well, I thought I was gonna die on that last one!

A Partridge in the Pantry

December started out to be a fun month for 2 of the kids. Jessika had 2 of her wisdom teeth pulled out, she only has 2, so they both came out. She was a very good patient even though she was very nervous since she has never had any kind of surgery or medical procedures in her 17 years of life. She doesn't remember the drive home, going through McDonald's, what she said to the dentist or the long talk we had on the way home. Just kidding she wasn't talking and it's evident by how drugged up she was. The jury is still out on what she said to the dentist while she was under.

Notice how sunny it was in the background when we drove through McDonald's but by the time we got home it was pouring down rain. So dear old dad came to the rescue with an umbrella to help her stumble, um I mean walk in the house.

Sorry Jessika, we had a good time at your expense.

Our next big event was Cody and his braces. He has had them almost 2 years. It was a memorable day for us because it was Jessika's 16th birthday. Because he has followed all the orthodontist's instructions he was able to get them off a little early.

It took me a few days to get used to not seeing all that metal in his mouth. He was so happy that he was finally able to eat his favorite meal -- chicken wings with bones. He also has made up not being able to chew gum for the last 2 years and has chewed gum I think everyday since he has gotten his braces off. Personally I am happy they are off because he chewed on EVERYTHING he possibly could the last 2 years, pens, cups you name it he chewed on it!

Our next event was a few Christmas concerts. Danielle's school chorus performed at an open mall. Although it wasn't cold and didn't feel like Christmas, the kids did a great job getting us in the Christmas spirit. Dani got to sing a solo again this year! She loves to sing and has a great voice.

The next week Jessika had her last Christmas concert. Her and I both are counting the first of the lasts of her senior year. I can't believe that my little girl will be graduating high school in a few short months.

Mckenna loved singing Christmas carols. She made up her own words to some of them until she memorized the right words. Her favorite Christmas song was A Partridge in the Pear Tree no matter how many times I told her what the real words were she said "No mom, it a Partridge in the Pantry!!" (annoyance emphasized) All the other kids were unfortunately not amused by her and Danielle's singing but the two of them loved it and that's all that mattered.

Since we were headed to Utah for Christmas this year Mckenna was really concerned that we weren't going to be home for Santa to leave her presents. I tried my best to convince her that Santa would be coming to Utah this year. One day as her and I were baking Christmas cookies we had a conversation that went like this:

Mckenna: Mom, um how does Santa come in the house? Does he come in through the chimney?

(This was fun to answer this one because this is the first house that we have lived in that there is a fireplace -- all the other years Santa has to come in through the front door)

Mom: Yes, he sure does.

Mckenna: Well, if we go to Utah he won't know where we went.

Mom: Sure he will we will leave him a note under the tree and he will bring your presents to Grandma and Grandpa's house and leave them under the tree.

Mckenna: Well Grandma and Grandpa don't have a tree.

Mom: Yes they do.

Mckenna: No...Mom they don't. I saw it there last morning when I was there.

Mom: They have a Christmas tree I am sure.

After going back and forth about them having a Christmas tree but Mckenna reminded me several times that it wasn't there this summer I asked if she wanted to call and ask. She of course said YES!

Mckenna: Hi Grandpa!

Grandpa: Well hello Mckenna how are you?

Mckenna: Grandpa do you have a Christmas tree?

Grandpa: Yes we do.

That was it she was satisfied that Santa would be coming and she stopped worrying about it. Mind you she doesn't get on the phone much and just talk but to make sure that Santa would come it was well worth it!

Boys Campout

Since it was cooling off Cody and Michael decided that they wanted to camp out in the backyard. The funny thing is that when we were camping last summer, ok we were in the RV but it was still camping to me, they wanted to sleep in the tent outside of the RV. They tried once and ended up coming back into the RV because it was "too cold". The truth of the matter was they were just plain scared.

After promising that there would be no pranks in the middle of the night we agreed. Of course they agreed to no pranks, but we didn't. About 6:00 they went out and started setting up their tent. They built a fire because they wanted to cook their own dinner (yea) and not to mention it was going to be 45 degrees Friday night. I guess Mike and I really do trust them or really didn't think about 2 teenage boys being unsupervised in the backyard with a fire all night. But I am happy to say that they didn't do anything that they shouldn't do and they didn't throw a WD40 can in the fire either. (More about that story later)

So with their boxful of hot dogs, buns, water and condiments they were set for the night. They said their goodbyes and headed out to the backyard.



After some fireside chatting and eating their dinner, they must have come in the house every 15 minutes or so. We tried explaining to them if they were truly camping they couldn't keep coming in the house every few minutes.

After coming in the house the millionth time, Mike invited them to go and watch a football game at a friends house that started at 10 pm. They quickly jumped at the chance of getting out of sleeping out in the cold, um I mean being able to spend some quality time with Mike watching a football game. When they returned at 1:30 am they went straight out to their new room, um I mean their tent to follow through with what they had originally started out to do.

The survived the night, even though it was cold and we decided that we would be nice, for now, and didn't scare them.

Mckennisms

Mckenna and I were watching TV one day she has this new found fascination with commercials and the things they are trying to get young kids to want. A particular commercial came on with a doll.

Mckenna: OOHHHH mom I wanna buy that.

Me: Do you have any money

Mckenna: No, well (long pause) daddy does.

Me: Ok but do you have any money?

Mckenna: Um do you have money?

Me: Yes

Mckenna: Well I will buy it with your money!

Me: Mckenna it's my birthday today.

Mckenna: It's your birthday AGAIN? How many birthdays do you get to have?

Me: Can you give Mckenna her medicine?

Mike: Well sure, I'll just hop right to it (dripping with sarcasm)

Mckenna: Well dad can I do it with you?

While taking a walk with Mike one day....

Mckenna: So dad, when you get to be small like me, will you chase lizards with me?