Another graduate...

We had a little preschool graduation for Rachel and her friends last weekend. She was super excited to have it be "her" day...especially after all the attention Daddy just got. I made them their little hats and they got a diploma and an award. Rachel was given the "Good Character" Award for always being happy and silly. Then we celebrated with ice cream sundaes and a movie of all the pictures and videos we took of the year. We gave her her own graduation card (she saw lots come in the mail for Daddy) with some money that she got to take to the bookstore and pick out a new book. She loved it!
And now for my dilemma...I just learned a week ago that Rachel really could be done with preschool! I found out that the New York State deadline for kids entering Kindergarten is December. Here in North Carolina she misses it so it was never an option to consider and now she easily makes it. It has been weighing heavily on my mind (like I don't already have enough to think about). But what a big decision this is!! I need help! I need your advice, opinion, experience to help me consider things that I may not know. I know in the end it will be our decision but I just need a little guidance. If you are a parent and have gone through this before, or you personally were oldest or youngest in your class, maybe you could shed a little more light for me. Here are some of my thoughts:

Going this year
Pros

• I feel like she's intellectually and socially ready
• She's been begging to go to school for a long time
• It would be free...preschool is astronomically expensive
• Good schools in New York
• I would have 2 kids most of the day, instead of 3
• She would make lots of friends

Cons

• She would be the youngest in the class...especially when we move out of NY
• I don't think I'm emotionally ready to give her up all day, and expose her to the "world"
• Her and Tommy would be 3 years apart in school
• Getting her to and from school will be a hassle
• She would leave for college a year earlier
• She would miss out on New York activities/experiences
• We would have less freedom

Going next year
Pros

• She will be oldest in the class
• I'll have her for one more year (now and before she goes to college)
• Her and Tommy will be 2 years apart in school
• We would have a lot of freedom to play and experience New York City

Cons

• Most of her friends (kids her age) will be in school
• She might not be as challenged as much next year
• Figuring out what to do for her education/activity for the next year...and how much it will cost!
• 3 kids is a lot to handle

The Duke Grad

Last weekend we went up to Durham for all of Jake's graduation festivities. To begin all the celebrating we had lunch at Nantucket Grill. (My dad flew in the night before to join us and we met up with one of Jake's high school friends who is currently training in Fort Bragg). Untraditionally we had dessert first. Rachel thought it was the coolest thing. Their cakes are famous here and we wanted to make sure we had room to enjoy them. The waiter was really confused when he came out with our lunch. Really funny.
The cakes are huge and were meant to share but I think she inhaled this strawberry shortcake in a minute flat!
We were enjoying our cake and company so much that Jake was late for his graduation...there he is dead last in the march :) He made it just in time.
The Cross-Continent MBA Graduation in the Cameron Indoor Stadium
Entertaining the kids and keeping them quiet during the long ceremonies was quite tricky (and exhausting) but it was fun to hear them cheer, "go Daddy, go Daddy."I told Rachel to draw Daddy and I thought she did a really great job.We're really proud of him!!What Rachel waited so patiently for all day :)...What is it about hotels?...They were so giddy they didn't get to sleep until at least nine that nightThat evening we went to a class reception/party. Not only were we the only ones not drinking alcohol but also very under dressed. Oh well. Jake had to live up to his award given to him that night, "Best Dance Moves" and you can't sweat in formal attire, right?

The Duke University Commencement...I felt like I had the only kids in the entire stadium. I've never received so many dirty looks in all my life. I didn't think they were that bad.It's official...the diploma. Wahooooooooooo!
The Duke ChapelAfter we squeezed in some church we visited the campus gardens. Absolutely beautiful!I think this picture is classic! It really depicts how the kids were that day. Late night, and no naps...too be expected. Rachel kept saying, "this is not the greatest day ever!" And Tommy just couldn't sit still.
My dad was suppose to cut off my feet in that shot ;)

A "Fairy Tale" Ending

Today was my last day teaching preschool...and probably my favorite day all year. It was all about fairy tales...namely Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs and The Gingerbread Man.

We reenacted Goldilocks...here are the bears eating their hot porridge. I made real porridge too. (My kids much prefer oatmeal over cream of wheat and I had to get rid of it. Sadly none of them even tried it to test the temperature)
"This chair is too hard"
"Somebody has been sleeping in my bed!"
"...there she is!"
It took them a while to get into it but once the got it, they really took over and knew what to say.

We decorated a gingerbread man before lunch time and "put it in the oven." After lunch when we went to go check on it...he was gone! Curiosity and a little bit of fear came in their eyes when they realized he "came alive" and ran away. We searched all through the house following the "notes" that said, "run run as fast as you can, can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread man" followed by a clue of where he might have gone. They LOVED it!
We found him! Dylan says, "That was naughty of him to run away!" Rachel says, "I hope this gingerbread man doesn't run out of my hands!"
The Gingerbread Man may be fast, but not as fast as how fast they devoured it...

For our craft we made puppets for the Three Little Pigs. I performed a simple "puppet show" for them while they ate their lunch and they got such a kick out of it. I think they've got it down. "open up, open up, let me in...not by the hair of my chinny chin chin...I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!...who's afraid of the big bad wolf."
All day Tommy has been saying, "Woof, a door...scary."
It was such a FUN day!!! I'm hoping it'll be one they never forget :)

"The best day ever!"

What a great day I had celebrating the fact that I have these two wonderful kids in my life!Last Monday Rachel and Tommy played in the rain and Rachel claimed it as "the best day ever!" I love the simple pleasures this girl enjoys in life.
There was one day this week that Jake "worked from home." During quiet time I slipped away to go grocery shopping and I came back to this. Daddy and Rachel made hats together. Jake: "I'm a seashell" and Rachel "I'm an apartment!" I had such a good laugh.
"Mooooooommmmy.....moooooommmmmmy."
I wish I could follow this kid around all day with a video camera. He is just too much!


I love them more than I can describe. I am so very blessed. Jake took me on a treasure hunt this morning with clues going through our journey together starting back at BYU and ending up at my "treasure" which was becoming a mother. They truly are my treasure.

Tommy's 2

Tommy turned 2 last Tuesday!! Despite having just arrived back from Brussels 10:30pm (4:30am) the night before we had a pretty successful birthday. Luckily I was on top of it enough before we left to have bought and wrapped all of his presents. I typically make my own cakes but I made an exception and bought a "truck cake" at the grocery store. That morning when Tommy woke up I brought him in to our room and we sang him the birthday song. He listened and when we were done he says, "cake!"

Rachel was more excited about the presents than Tommy...obviously. It was hard to keep her from opening them all.






He got some books, puzzles, a lawn mower and lots and lots of trucks. He was in heaven! We literally had to pry his fingers from the lawn mower to put him to bed and as soon as he woke up the next morning (or should I say middle of the night) he was saying, "airplane, fire truck, lawn mower!" over and over again.
Here's some things for the record about my cute little man:
He loves to eat and when something is especially good you will hear, “Mmmmmm….yummmmmm…mmmmmmm…..mmmmmm” as he chews. His favorite foods are yogurt, oatmeal, orange juice, apples, blueberries, mangoes, broccoli, cucumbers and green spaghetti (pesto).

He communicates really well and a lot, has a big vocabulary, repeats anything you say and speaks in pretty good sentences.

He knows colors although he doesn’t get them right all the time.

He thrives on routine and makes sure we don’t forget anything

He gets along well with Rachel and will laugh at anything she laughs at

He loves pushing things…strollers, lawn mowers

He’s obsessed with with cars, trucks, planes, “hacadiders” or helicopters, ambulances, tractors, etc.

He never needs to be told or reminded to put his trash in the garbage

He’s very independent and will say, “no, Tommy do it!”

He LOVES his Daddy and loves to be thrown all around (just not up in the air)

He says, “hold you, Mommy” and will lay on our shoulder when he’s tired.

When he gets hurt he likes his “blankie star” and to sit in the rockin chair

He’s very sensitive and sweet…he will get Rachel her blankie when she cries, is good about sharing (most the time) and whenever you yawn he’ll say, “Mommy…tiderd?”

He’s very good at asking for what he wants with “please”