11.11.11

Now that we're getting settled, I hope to be blogging on a more regular basis.
The past summer was so stressful and anxiety provoking that when I did have time to blog, I didn't feel like it. Looking back at recent blog posts, I miss reading about the day to day details of living with three extremely bright and active children. We are still playing a game of catch-up of sorts, but we are all living in one state now (in addition to chaos) and I have a little more wiggle room to do some things I enjoy.
Caroline will start school on Monday. She is looking forward to it, but I know she is a little anxious. She was tested for reading, writing and other things and we were told she was way ahead of the game (as we thought). Schools in Maryland, by law, have to treat children that are gifted as exceptional and accommodate them like Special Ed kids. Here she will get to meet with a reading specialist once a week and her teacher will be able to work with the G&T Office and let her set her pace and keep us better in the loop so we can work on things, too. I am grateful for this. I was pretty sure it wasn't "normal" for a five year old to read "The BFG" on her own - but it's good to have more support coming from school now.
Sam has really been taking all this change on the chin. He is a boy that needs routine. He has a very specific vision of how things "should" be and has difficulty diverging from that. So this summer has been *ahem* a challenge. He and Caroline have been best buddies and worst enemies this past week (and able to move between the two in less than 60 seconds). I think he'll settle down a bit when Caroline starts school and he can get some extra attention. We need to look for pre-school for him down here - but I'll be honest - I hate to loose him at home, even if it is for only a few hours a couple days a week. It will be good for him, he was a new (and much improved) man once he started at OLA. Since we've moved here, his Worcester accent has gotten stronger - it's hysterical to hear him say "I live in Walkersville, Maryland." It sounds more like "I luv on Wulkasville, Murraylind".
Nate is everywhere and into everything. When the movers "unpacked" us, they took everything out of boxes and left it on the floor for us to put away. With a whole house to put together and three children under the age of 6 - you can imagine how slowly this process is going. To top it off, our tot locks for the cabinets in Worcester don't fit the cabinets here. Nate's favorite new pastime is to empty the contents of whatever cabinet or basket I have most recently arranged. He also has been feeling a bit punky (new teeth / croupy cough) and has been an utter K/cling-on. I say K / cling-on because at times he has the disposition of Worf when he attaches himself like a ball and chain to my leg (especially when I'm cooking dinner).
We went to Gettysburg today for Veteran's Day. The kids didn't really get why we were there, only that it was a day to say "Thank you". When I asked them what we saw when we were adventuring, the reply was "Statues!!" Oh, well. It's not like we won't be back there. Caroline got her packet to start working for her Junior Ranger badge there, so we'll have to go back. That girl simply won't rest until she finishes it. =-)

Sam got hold of my camera. Apparently he sees no need to hold it right-side-up.
Caroline thought this lady was a princess and I didn't have the heart to correct her. There are worse things, I suppose.
On our adventure to the Battlefield Hospital.
Posing with Abe.
At least they're kind of looking in the same direction...

Grumpy.

I think that this July may go down as the worst month for blogging ever.
I can assure you that the reason is NOT what my usual reason for not blogging is. I have my hands full enough as it is. Shame on you for even THINKING that!!!
And it's not for lack of wanting to blog or trying to blog. The pace of life seems a bit more frenetic than usual. Even for here.
We got back from our vacation tonight. This is probably why I'm a bit grumpy. I just want to go to bed - but the cats are sooo happy to see us, Caroline won't sleep ("I don't like it at home. It's boring. Can I go live with Nina & Pops?"), I'm a bit anxious about work tomorrow and (as hard as I'm trying not to) I'm worried about my Grandfather who feel and broke his hip this past week.
My parents were super troopers (not to be confused with these), keeping Sam and Caroline while helping to manage Sugar Bear (who fell Monday) and graciously maintaining an open door policy for any family that needed/wanted a place to stay/eat while Sugar Bear was in the hospital/rehab.
As tired and grumpy as I may be, I really think it's them that deserve a vacation to recover from their vacation.
Jim, Nathanael and I did have a good time in Washington & Baltimore. It was so hot down there that 80 degrees felt downright chilly when we got back to Worcester tonight!
I hope to put up more pictures later, but I'm not sure when that will happen. I want to put together a scrap book from this past week for the kids. This is a major undertaking for someone as un-creative (really? Is this a word) as me. We'll see how it goes...
Here are some pictures...
Look at these sheisters...it's a wonder anything gets done around here!

Here's how we kept cool before leaving for vacation. And yes, this does prove that Caroline regularly does have "jazz hands", that Sam will NOT get wet in the sprinkler and that Nate is one chunky monkey!


We went to the Natural History Museum in DC JUST to see the Herkimer Diamond display. And yes, again, I grabbed a group of total strangers and game them a five minute dissertation on Herkimers. They tolerated me very nicely. I think I saw Jim like this, though. =-)


We also did a quick trip to the Air & Space as well. I was having fun with satellites until I saw this:

Seriously? Slighted by even the Smithsonian?!? No wonder we have a complex here in Worcester.

And because Nate was an "only child" for a few days, we were able to get some really, really cute pictures of him. Nina & Pops got some great shots of CJ and Sammy as well, but I'll post the ones of Nate tonight...




And that will be all...I'm toast.