October 01, 2009
We've had a fantastic weather week! Lows around 50 and high's were at 80. Being able to have the house open and fresh air blowing through encouraged me to get the bed sheets washed, refresh the patio plants and do some general Spring cleaning in the Fall.
I'm waiting for that really windy day though when I can open a few key windows and all those hidden clumps of dog hair will come out of their hiding places. I'm not in the mood to go searching.
Our patio is my favorite place in the house. On Tuesday afternoon we were outside from the minute I got home with the girls until it was time for bath. We played out there, we cooked out there, we ate out there and then we played again. Actually after I got home from volunteering Tuesday morning I was out in the yard until I left to pick up the munchkins. I really do love being in the yard, planting and generally fiddling around out there. I've come to believe our house can never have enough wind chimes or bird stuff. It's so big out back and I still see so much potential! Thankfully Mark has a very easy-going personality. Madison is becoming my little nature appreciation girl. She's starting to pick up caterpillars, even daddy long leg spiders, and when we can't find her, she's on the patio "watching nature" as she says. Both girls love the bird/butterfly garden we did.
Since the plants in there are all new, it's not that filled in, but next summer....look out! The birds already go nuts over there and I have yet to look over there and not see butterflies flitting around. Well, I should take that back. I was out on the patio at 4:30 this morning having my coffee and I didn't see any.
Madison is enjoying school a lot more this past few days. Her class however has gone through a lot of changes for little guys. The original teacher, as you know, went out for maternity leave. Then they had a sub that was supposed to be there for the 6 week duration, but she was offered a full time permanent position at a different school, so her last day was last Friday. No loss at all in my book. I don't usually like to judge teachers because they have a very tough job and honestly I've never walked in their shoes, but I judged her as terrible for teaching a first grade class. She'd be better suited for high school, or maybe a prison guard. A new sub started this Monday and she is fantastic! She is so much like the original teacher and the kids warmed up to her almost immediately. She has a son in first grade and she doesn't take her job too seriously. I think that's very important if you're teaching 6 and 7 year olds. Have fun people!
I know I'm her mom and I'm biased, but Madison is really a good girl in school. At home is a different story, and a different Madison, but at school, she's a serious little student and a smart little peanut. The first day the new sub was shadowing the old sub was last Thursday and I was there volunteering. She came up to me and commented on how helpful Madison is and what a great reader she is. I didn't care what she said, I cared that in one day she seemed more observant than the other sub did in 3 weeks.
Madison is doing much better this week and I'm looking forward to going in to volunteer today since I won't feel like I'm walking on egg shells with the drill sergeant.
My girls are becoming little divas too. Both girls love looking pretty, having hair accessories and wearing jewelry. Madison is a lazy fasionista though. She won't pick out the outfit but she wants me to make her look cute. Chloe on the other hand not only tells me what she wants to wear, but she always matches quite well. She'll search her drawer until she finds socks that match her shirt and she'll only wear the shoes that look good with whatever she's wearing, even if it's just shorts and a t-shirt, her shoes matter to her.
Chloe wanted to wear this hair scarf thing and would not leave the house until I found the missing dress that it went with. I had a different outfit picked out that went just fine with the scarf, but nooooo, it had a specific dress and it had to be found. Thankfully Madison saw it a few weeks back hanging in the extra closet in Chloe's room. Right now that closet is storage and a few random dresses are hanging in there, but I have a feeling Chloe is going to want to claim both closets as she gets older.
Well, I'm off for another morning of fun at Madison's school and then groceries and cleaning. The cooler weather has me inviting people over again so Madison's teacher is bringing over her new little girl tomorrow for a playdate and Saturday we're having a cookout with my friends Melissa and Wendy and their families.
Good stuff!
Posted by Amy at October 1, 2009 05:42 AM