More Firsts...

It was a happy/sad week for me. Isaac and Leah started preschool and a new preschool at that. This is Isaac's third preschool and he is only 3. He doesn't remember his first one so I at least have that in my favor. The good news is that he was really excited about his new school. And so far he continues to really like it. The classrooms are nice and big and all have windows along the entire back wall. I think the brightness and cheeriness of the rooms is a big plus for him. He is such an outside kid, I think he needs to feel as close to nature as possible. The lead teacher is a grandmother and though she has high standards she is kind and patient. The mothers at the school have also been very welcoming to me too. I don't know anyone either so I told Isaac that we both have to try and make new friends. It has been a nice transition. Leah's first day was a little rough. She wasn't happy to leave me and then it turns out she spent a good portion of her morning being mad. Mad b/c she had to share, children kept taking her babies, or her snack or she couldn't wait her turn to go down the slide, etc. She has a strong will and it doesn't help that we all give in to it at home in order to avoid the screaming. That's just the way it is with 3. Isaac on his first day wore his soccer shorts, new shoes and awesome new Captain America backpack.

On Leah's first day she also wore her backpack like Isaac. It was so damn cute and everyone said so. She kept saying "bacpac" to everyone who looked her way. Isaac's and Leah's rooms are directly across the hall from each other which Isaac loves. He adores Leah and is so happy to be close to her.

Here Leah has to have a pillow on the sofa just like Isaac so they can watch "Crocodile Hunter" together. Which is the only show on the planet that Isaac will watch.

A mean game of driveway field hockey. Not really. But they do love to play and Isaac can actually hold his own fairly well.

Here Leah decides to help. I had to get her out or she would surely take a stick in the face.

July and August Catch-up Blog

I haven't blogged in forever. Yes- I am busy, but I am guessing you are too. My biggest issue is that I don't download the pictures off of my camera and iPhone except for maybe once a month. Anyway, we have had a fabulous summer and I am truly sad that it has come to an end. Our lazy days of sleeping-in and choosing amongst a variety of fun things to do for the day are over. I think that is one of the reasons we sent Grace to a 1/2 day Kindergarten last year- I just loved our freedom and I wanted to be with my kids as much as I could before real school life started. And so it has. Up at 7am (big BIG deal for the Mitcheners!) and Grace is home by 3. I miss her terribly. She is the leader of the pack and such a huge helper. But now is Isaac's time and he is fulfilling his new role well. He adores Leah, and she him, and they play well together. Honestly, they play better than when Grace is home. So I guess that is one of God's ways of letting me know that this new stage in life is going to be okay. His other way of making this transition better is that Grace loves her new school and has had absolutely no problems adjusting. It's as if she has gone there her whole life. She does know 3 other girls in her class and went to VBS their for a week over the summer, so the campus is fairly familiar. Anyway, I am blessed and though mourning my old responsibilities of a stay-home mom with three kids am looking forward to embracing life with only two at home now.
The photos below are not in chronological order- so beware.
This was taken on Friday. Leah grabbed a kiddie shopping cart at Harris Teeter before I could scoop her up. She was so excited I couldn't take it away. We only had a few things to buy, but we were in the store for about 45 min. She was by far the cutest shopper there!

Sid's 20th class high school reunion was last weekend during Hurricane Irene. The reunion was in Atlanta so the weather was fine. Interesting is all I can say. I was feeling a little intimidated. I knew a lot of these people from our 5 years of living in Atlanta. And back in those days I had a good job and was climbing the ladder...and now I stay home with my 3 kiddos (which I love) which is technically a job that anyone with children can do. Of course I would like to think that I am very good at my job, but that is not something that you explain to old friends. Anyway, turns out that reunions really are as superficial as everyone thinks they are. No one cares if you used to have a job or not, they care about the surface level things...I'll let you figure that out.

Also taken last week, Isaac and his best friend Evan, and another friend Chase all flex their muscles at a local park. Oh and of course they had to take their shirts off too. Lord help us.

So the week before Irene we had a terrible storm that took down major branches from our neighbors tree. If you could only see the hundreds of old, tall trees in our yards, you would know it is a miracle that there was no damage. Oh and then two days later we had an earthquake in DC and the aftershock was felt all the way down in Raleigh. My first earthquake ever. Then a few days later Irene was headed for the Carolinas. Phew! We are blessed that we are all safe with no damage.

August 24. Grace is headed out for her first day in 1st grade. She was so excited that she hardly slept. This is her uniform, khaki or navy skirt or shorts and a solid color polo style shirt. Easy! Thank you Jesus! I WISH our public schools would wise up and do this. So cheap. I bought 4 skorts at Old Navy and 6 polos. Total cost was $40. Seriously.

On August 13th we did Leah's Baptism at Janice's church in Albemarle. Here Janice is with her cousin Jane, Grace and Isaac. Leah is in the row behind them.

Aunt L and Uncle Craig were there too. Pastor John did the ceremony and just did an amazing job. Leah was actually perfect, but by this point just tired of pictures.

Here I am with crazy Isaac and sweet Leah.

Proud Nana with her grandbaby. Leah wore the Lentz family Christening gown. Perfect since Leah's middle name is Lentz. Grace wore it as well about 5 years ago.

Here she is in her gown with her fruit snack.

Leah and Grace love dressing up.

Leah and her sweet pink bathing suit with tummy and her Nana.

Grandpa was in town in July for Grace's birthday. One day we headed down to the lake at Blue Jay Pointe.

Isaac and Grandpa had a grand time throwing objects into the water and getting their shoes wet. Well, maybe it was just Isaac whose shoes were getting wet.

July 13 was Grace's 6th birthday and also the big day for ear-piercing. I, being the overly safety conscious mother that I am, took her to our pediatrician to get them pierced.

And round one did hurt a little. Yikes!

Happy 6th Birthday Grace!

For Grace's party we hosted a Luau. It was a lot of work but a ton of fun and very colorful. We had leis and grass skirts for everyone and that made it even more fun!

Of course we had to have the fun cups and straws and the menu consisted of turkey/cheese sandwiches, popcorn, BBQ chips (rather than BBQ pig), pretzel stix, cheese cubes and fruit kabobs. For spirits we had a delicious Hawaiian lemonade. I can email you the recipe if you are interested.

The deck was adorned with tiki torches, Hawaiian lanterns, newly planted colorful flowers and Grandpa who was in charge of videoing the happenings as well as monitor the slide...which was quite a job at times.

By far the best part of the party was the entertaining 16' waterslide. Here is Grace and some of her friends from Kindergarten waving.

Aunt L and Isaac enjoy some refreshments. Isaac gets some much needed TLC since big sister is celebrating her birthday. It was an absolutely perfect day with temp in the 80's and a nice breeze. We were outside the entire day.

What Luau would be complete without the Limbo?! I downloaded some great Limbo inspiring music off of itunes and we were set. Turns out Grace loves the CD I made- I should have made copies for the goodie bags for the guests. Oh well.

Nana and our neighbor Lauren fill up Leah's special fish cup for the party. Leah napped most of the party...by design.

Grace's super awesome Hula girl cake that I did not make.

Here she is about to blow out the candles...

And the party cooperates for a photo.

After everyone had left Daddy goes down the waterslide breaking the 175 pound weight limit.

Isaac follows in suit- Later when the owners of the slide come to pick it up Isaac immediately tells them that Sid went down the slide. hehehe

Leah in ocean

So this is how Leah was in the ocean every single minute of every day. No matter where we put her on the beach she would run full speed back into the ocean. It was quite exhausting. She never got tired or scared of the crashing waves.

Leah in the Pool- June 2011

Ocean Isle and Sunset Beaches- July 2011

We returned last week from our best week at the beach yet! This is the first time I have been to the beach without a baby or being fairly pregnant...so even though we were juggling three kids and some sleep deprivation- we all really did have a great time. Nana came along too - she got to sleep more than we did. Though I think Isaac did get up a few times complaining of leg pains... and conned Nana into some Tylenol. He also enjoyed waking up his sisters first thing in the morning. We actually stayed on Ocean Isle beach and when we arrived on Saturday afternoon we headed to the ocean for a proper hello...and to see the look on Leah's face. She was in love.

On Monday morning, the 4th of July, we lined up on Second Street for the Golf Cart parade. The kids caught lots of candy and even a few popsicles. We rented a golf cart for the week and it was a blast. Going to and from the beach was a piece of cake.

Here is Nana, Grace, and my finger on the beach digging for shells.

One gorgeous day (we had amazing weather while we were there) the Kizakevich family picked us up on their boat and we went for a ride. Then we anchored on a little beach and let the kids swim. We had a couple of jelly fish join us, but Paul scooped them up in a bucket and put them ashore.

The girls were happy just to snack on the boat.

Several of the days we went to Sunset Beach as the beach is longer, flatter and leaves these wonderful tide pools when the tide goes out. Perfect for crazy baby Leah!

Surfer girl...not afraid of a thing. And she really did have great balance on this.

We even let Nana take a turn keeping up with Leah in the ocean. I am posting a video in the next blog with Leah in the ocean...so you can see for yourself how busy she is.

We also had a blast riding our bikes all over the island.

One day we drove into Myrtle Beach and visited the Alligator Adventures- Isaac loved the huge turtles.

Here is Leah on the 4th of July. Everyone stayed up late to watch fireworks.

Here are the kids on Ocean Isle Beach working on a drainage system for the beach.

The work got very serious.

Me and the big kids on Ocean Isle Beach.

The house we rented again had a dock. Sid and the kids love to fish and turns out Leah just loves fish.

Here she is holding her prize fish for me to see. So happy with the fish.

Mean Daddy took the fish from the baby.

One morning Isaac and Nana went down to the dock to fish. Isaac waited patiently with his net in the water for a fish to swim by and....bam! He caught one!

On our last night we went to Cinelli's for pizza. We sat on the balcony in 100mph winds. It was fun?