School Days

 First day of preschool.  It's so cute to see Annie's little clothes laid out on her bed the night before preschool.  Annie and Apollo love to choose their own outfits.  Last preschool, Apollo came out with blue sweatpants, a brown polo-type shirt with a floppy collar (with a clip-on tie attached to one collar side), and light brown boots.  Right now I let him do whatever he wants.  I've heard that if you let them make decisions now, they are better able to make decisions later.  I'll have to figure out my strategy when kindergarten comes.  Annie asks me if she looks pretty in some of her funky outfits, and (not wanting to lie) I say, "YOU are pretty Annie."  She did a great job today (her second day) and on her first day with her clothes.  I have to admit, I teared up taking Apollo to preschool.  My boy is getting big.  I love my kids and love being with them.  I will miss him when he goes to kindergarten.

 Annie was soooo excited for her first day.  She was chanting 1...2...3...Creative Academy! that morning.  She wanted to go when Apollo went (his started a week or two earlier than hers).  She told me she would talk and chat with the kids and make new friends.  When we got there, I asked Matthew (another student) what his name was.  He said hi to Annie but she was just quiet.  The only indicator that she was nervous at all was before we left she said, "I will be sad when you leave me."  I made her a foil heart and put it in her pocket and told her that if she was sad she could think of me and know that I loved her...that I would be back soon, and she could have a fun time.  She had no problem, as she was playing with playdough when I left.  She looooooves school and comes home so excited to talk about it.





 Apollo loooooves school too!  This is the first time I haven't run the preschool or done a coop preschool.  I wanted him to be in a classroom with a teacher he didn't know before entering kindergarten.  Apollo can be slow to warm up to new things so I read about other kids like this and tried to do things to make his beginning successful.  I packed a surprise in his lunch and told him he could only look at it at lunch time-we picked out a fun lunch-I gave him his own heart and have him the same spiel I gave Annie-we talked about what would happen and that I wouldn't be there-I wrote him a note and put it in his back pack.  When we were home, he asked if we could go back yet.
 




 We love getting our Halloween stuff out every year.

 Apollo's soccer.

 Apollo's fans.  For fun, we wore face paint to support Apollo.  Annie liked taking pictures with the camera.  I don't know if she's watched much of Apollo's practices, but she enjoys playing with the soccer balls, climbing the trees, and playing.

 Michelle's Wedding.  
Family Barbeque the night before.

 

 The day of...

 Mommy and me preschool.  Since Annie goes to preschool one day a week (and Apollo two) we do our own thing that day.  She helped me bake.

 The kids have been working on their own projects painting a bird house, Thanksgiving corn, Halloween decorations, etc. while I got ready for my Halloween "BOO"tique.

 The kids did great on their bake sale.  We sold out of our cream cheese frosted pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  We'll be making more for Thanksgiving time.  They're saving up for "a Lego set and a puppy with its house."

 SeaWorld.  We have a "Fun Day" Monday where we have field trips, do projects, etc.  A fun social thing Apollo and Annie can do together.

Happy Birthday Grace!