The real Emma Pillsbury

So remember this awesome counselor from your favorite tv show of all times? (Or at least what should be your favorite tv show of all times, if you'd ever watch it...Mom.) It's Emma Pillsbury from Glee.

So we when to Liam's kindergarten "testing" last week, and because we signed up for it a little late Liam was not being tested by his teacher (her testing time was already filled), he was being tested by the reading teacher. We walk into her classroom and the whole time Liam is being tested I'm trying to think, 'now where have I met her before?' And when I got home I finally realized...She is the real life Emma Pillsbury!

She was just as quirky and actually looks a lot like her, but talked just like her!! I've seen her a few more times since and it has taken all my will power not to go up to her and say something like "so they found out about you and Mr. Schuester hu? Is that why you've been moved to an elementary school?" But I don't know if she would like or even get that comment.

So now I just watch/stalker her when I take Liam to school waiting for her to clean something, or act even remotely OCD....

I just hope next Liam has a "Puck" in his life...I could use some eye candy ;)

After school

He made it home, safe and sound, back in his Mama's arms :). Liam said he loved school! He made "2" new friends, one named William just like his cousin!! He sang songs, played at the playground, got a drink out of the drinking fountain, played at play group (a gym type activity), but only got to eat half of his sandwich at lunch, because he "was too slow" eating :). He said he's teacher, Mrs. Peterson, is nice, and he likes her. He had to color two pictures, and write his name on them. One picture was of himself and the other was of anything he wanted to, so he drew an alligator.

And so it begins...

Today was Liam's furst day school. He was so stinkin' excited! He kept telling Emma, "I'll see you tonight Emma, after I go to school." I think he was a little confused on how long school really is. Although his kindergarten is full day kindergarten!!

I couldn't help but think, today is the first day of school life. Only 12 more years and Liam will be done :). Next year Liam will be in first grade and Emma will be in preschool...2 kids in school!! Life is going way too fast!

Anyways, back to today, Liam was extra excited, and extra cute :)

I know I'm bias, but you've got to admit, that's one cute kids.

Emma was not so happy about Liam going. She kept telling me, "Mom, I don't want Liam to leave me!" But now that we are home and she can watch whatever she wants or play with whatever she wants without any fights from Liam I think she's going to like it ;)

Liam feeling a little overwhelmed with all of the hundreds of kids lining up to go into their different classrooms. (He smiled right after this, I promise, he wasn't that overwhelmed), (and yes Fox is in a girl stroller...our boy one is in the back of the car that is with Tony :))

Liam being so brave and walking in line to his classroom. (he's the one with the giant dragon/Toothless on his backpack :)) (and yes, all of us crazy parents followed the kids in line all the way around the building...just like some type of crazy stalkers :))

He did so good!! He didn't even act nervous. He just followed in line and went in and that was the last I saw of him. Maybe I'll take an after shot to put up. My baby boy is growin' up!! :( :)

School shopping and astronomics

Yesterday I took Liam "back to school" shopping, just me and him. He's way excited (and I was too until his back to school junk used up all my play money...darn school)! He had a blast picking out what tissue box to take to school and crayons, dry erase markers, and glue sticks (he had to have 8!! wt?). Any ways on the drive home he was chatting non-stop and this is how our conversation went

L: Mom, Dad bought some stuff for the car (holding up a bottle of car wax that was in the back).

K:Oh yeah? What is it?

L: I don't know, car insurance or something (I didn't understand this comment until today when we were watching tv and a "progressive" commercial came on. He pointed out the "boxes" of car insurance for sale)

*a little while later*

L: Mom how big is the world?

K: Pretty big.

L: Bigger than a giant?

K:...yep...

L: Bigger than a REALLY BIG bug? (I don't know why we are comparing to things that don't exist but...)

K:...yep...

L: Bigger than everything?

K: Well, not bigger than everything. The universe is bigger.

L: (after thinking for a moment) Mom, if we got in a ship, our favorite rocket ship (little Einsteins), could we go into the universe?

K: Yep

L: Well, lets do that Mom!!

K: Well, Liam, we can't do that. Not everyone can do that.

L: But I want to.

K: Well then you have to become an astronaut.

L: What's that?

K: Someone one who goes into space.

L: Why?

K: To study it.

L: How do I be one?

K: Well, go to school and start learning about outer space, and then one day when you go to college you can study astronomics (I don't even know that thats the right thing to study...or if it's even a word...I just wanted to impress Liam. Why do I want to impress a 5 year old with my fake wordage? I don't even know. But it sounded like a good idea at the time :D) and then you can be an astronaut and go into the universe.

L: oh, okay.

At least it ended about going to school...that's good right? Mission accomplished ;)

PS. I just googled "Astronomics" turns out it is about astronomy and outer space. Looks like I'm smarter than I think. ;)

Chicago

A few week ago my little bro, Tommy got married. Lucky for us that meant me and the kids got to fly out there for the wedding (plus a little play time before and after :) ). We flew out of Chicago, which is about three hours away from our house. We left a few hours early so we could check out the sites of the windy city.

When we first saw Chicago (it was taken in the car...not the best picture, but still pretty impressive)

sky scrappers of Chicago

One of the great lakes...I just don't know which one

Of course while we where in Chicago we had to try some of it's famous cuisine!!

Liam and Emma waiting for their first taste of Chicago (Liam ate all of his...Emma didn't touch hers :) go figure)

Our delicious Chicago dog!! (dog, pickles, tomato wedges, relish, mustard, peppers (which I didn't eat because they made Tony and Dan cry...I didn't think I could handle them :))) They have a no ketchup policy in Chicago...they won't even put it on your hotdog if you ask, you have to do it yourself :) mmmmmm, my mouth is watering just looking at it!! It was delicious!!

The Willis (aka Sears) Tower

See those little dots? Those are people standing out on the observation deck at the Willis towers! Yikes! We thought about do it but then realized the $12 per person cost...we're too cheap. But it was cool to look up at. :)

Liam smelling the flowers and the Willis/Sears tower

Fox smelling the flowers...or more like trying to eat them

Emma looking pleasant. (she had a rough day :))

Then we ate an early dinner before we headed off to the airport.

Dan hiding behind the enormous Chicago deep dish pizza. It was huge! I could only eat one piece! (and Liam caught in the middle of chewing and looking awesome!)

Emma eating a yummy breadstick

After Tony and Dan dropped us off at the airport they went to the...

So yay! After an awesome 3 week vacation in Utah, I am home and ready to start posting again. :) Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of our adventures in Utah because in my excitement to get all the pictures I could of Chicago I gave the camera to Tony, who called me after I had gone through all the security at the airport and told me it was still in his pocket. There was no way I was going to go back through all that junk with three kids, so while we went to Utah the camera stayed in Iowa. :( We did all sorts of cool stuff in Utah. Like pirate island (awesome!) The peppermint place (yum!) the Hogel zoo (yippie!) Grammy Pugh's carnival (it was Liam and Emma's favorite!) Tom and Sophie's wedding (beautiful!) Seeing how to train your dragon (I'm buying it when it comes out!), Shopping (my favorite), swimming (Fox's least favorite...crazy kid), and playing lots with cousins and friends!!

We made it.

Alive

I don't want to clean.

I don't want to clean.

I'm nervous/excited about the airplane ride I'm going to be taking in four days.

The kind of shake-your-leg, can't-hold-still nervous/excited. (I get that from my Dad :) )

My house is a disaster area.

But I don't want to clean.

So I'm writing a new post

...mostly to waste time.

I get to go on an airplane in four days.

Something that I haven't done in six years.

And I get to take three small children with me.

By myself.

And all of our luggage.

By myself.

I'm nervous.

I get to see my family!

I'm so excited!

I miss them.

Especially the kids.

I'm excited.

But I don't want to clean my house.

I wish someone would invent a teleporter.

That would make life so much easier.

Then I could visit all the time.

And not have to drive three hours

to get to an airport

and go on an airplane

with three kids

by myself.

...

I'm going to go clean my house now.