Inside Out French Braid and Bows

I  have found a new little hobby. I have started making hair bows. I think they are so fun and I love that I can make them match outfits. My first ones are definitely the first ones. I am learning and really starting to love how they are turning out. My first set that I made were these purple ones. I loved them when I first started but now I think they are terrible but it was so fun to put them in Allison's hair. I also love that I was able to do an inside-out french braid on her. I just adored her hair all day with the braids and the bows.

My Little Tiger Cub

I didn't have any idea about cub scouts until I got called to be a den leader over the wolves and bears in our ward. I have been there for almost two years now and I think it is so fun. Matthew and Allison go with me each week and Matthew sort of thinks he is one of them. I started thinking that I really enjoy cub scouts and Matthew would love to ACTUALLY be a cub scout. Now that he is a first grader he has that opportunity through his school. We signed him up and he is SO excited about that. He may not be the only person that is super excited about it. I just hope that his meetings aren't on the same night as mine so that I can go with him.

My Little Princess

We never refer to this little girl as our princess. Many other people do but not us. She is our sweetheart, or sweetiepie or little girl, or little miss, but she is not a princess. She says she looks as pretty as a princess which is fine, I just don't really like the stereotype of a princess, 

(though Kate Middleton makes it look normal)

However, she looked so cute this day. Allison was invited to a Princess birthday party this week while Matthew was at school. We bought a present and then we bought a tiara to put in the bag also. When I got home the tiara wouldn't fit in the bag with the other present so I just decided since Allison didn't have a tiara, I would just let her have this one. I wasn't completely sure she would actually like it but yep, she does. I did a corn-silk in her hair so it made the tiara sit perfectly and stayed there. Allison got to wear her tiara, princess dress that isn't scratchy and her dress-up shoes as well as taking her wand. It was really fun for her and I thought she looked so cute with her tiara.

She had a fun time at the princess party.

Matthew's a First Grader

I think I have been more excited for Matthew's school to start then he has but he was ready. I don't really like someone else being in charge of my little boy but I am excited for all the different experiences that he will get in school.

We were not impressed with the principal at Henderson and we are learning how much a principal can really affect the teachers. Matthew's Spanish teacher quit teaching at that school in that dual language kindergarten class after 22 years of being there because of the principal. There were at least 3 other teachers that left because of her. 

We were going to move Matthew to a new school during the school year last year since we moved in January but decided to stick it out so that his English teacher didn't get in trouble for another student leaving, though students weren't leaving because of the teacher, but because of the principal.

Anyways, Matthew is at one of the best schools in Bryan, a National Blue Ribbon School - for numerous years. I met with his new principal and she seems so nice and helpful and excited to have us join their school. I felt very welcomed by her.

 His favorite thing right now is Ninjago. 

We let him get a Ninjago shirt that he could wear the first day of school

I am excited that we get to walk to take Matthew to school again. Johnson Elementary is only 3/4 of a mile from our house. 

On our way to school in the morning we have one bike, since Matthew can't ride his bike without training wheels, we just bring one bike and Matthew and Allison take turns riding. Then Allison gets to ride home.

In the afternoon, Allison and I both walk to pick up Matthew and then get to walk home with him. Allison is getting quite a workout either walking or riding 3-4 miles a day by the time we go to the gym and coming home after dropping Matthew off and then again to go pick him up. She doesn't complain too much and I am getting a little exercise also which is definitely what I need.

Matthew is a first grader this year and he has Mrs. Taylor. She seems to be such a nice lady. The second day of school she told me how excited she is to have Matthew in her class and she loves his thought process. It makes me feel good hearing that from her. I am really liking her already and Matthew is always so happy to go to school and he likes Mrs. Taylor so far as well.

In my mind Matthew was fine the first day of school and I just dropped him off and nothing was wrong. Later in the week, he told me that he had first day gitters but I had no idea because he didn't act like it. He said he had gitters because he didn't know anybody and it was a new school. My sweet little boy was so brave apparently because he seemed cool with everything. Every day he comes home and tells me fun or funny things that Mrs. Taylor said or did that day. I love the walk home that I get to have with him because he tells me so much of his day during that time.

The funniest thing that happened that first day was that after we dropped off Matthew, and as soon as we walked out the door of the school Allison said, "No more brotha, just me and mommy!!"  She loves having her brother to play with but, she definitely loves her one-on-one time and it is fun to have that with her.

I am thoroughly enjoying my time with just her and being a stay-at-home mommy and having more time to spend with my family.

I am really enjoying our new routine right now.

Every night when Matthew comes home from school we always want him to write in his "journal" or notebook. He needs more practice with his handwriting so that is what we try to do. It is usually such a LLOOONNNGGGG drawn out process but ever since I started timing him to write his lines and alphabet he does it so quickly. Most of the time it is so nice that he enjoys getting timed to do something because then there is no messing around and he just focuses and gets it done, and then he has time for other fun things.