No school for us today...

Well we took our first day off of school since we have started. I know, I know it was only 5 days. Thats a regular week for school kids and teachers. Anyhow I am really just trying to cordinate McClains no shcool days with Clint's no work days. It should work out most weeks, at least when we have no doctor appointment weeks. There will probably be a 1 day of classroom school during Clint's off days, but thats not too bad, we can work it out. But I could just not get up and get moving out of my own way today. Not a good nights sleep and tuckered out. And besides that, I was waiting on my weeks lesson plan, since the first week was just fly by the seat of our pants week, I was looking forward to a real lesson plan from our ES. Well that came a little late and was a little confussing for my foggy brain this am. So again a no school day seemed like a good idea. We still worked a little thoughout the day, our letter sounds, the Pledge of Allegiance (we are now on part 3), patterns, smaller than, less than, counting all that good stuff. But I am looking forward to getting into that lesson plan a little more and getting organized for tomorow a back at school day...

O-ya and Ashton, well he is still trying to fight with me over eating lunch and dinner, my least favorite fight of all. Why won't my kids eat, good, all the time? I know, cause they are kids...Why don't I eat good all the time? I know, cause I am the mom and I am too busy trying to get my kids to eat. O-k totally off track. Buy anyhow this poor kid is so me. I mean he falls and crashes, like what seems to be a zillion times a day. He runs crazy laughing the whole way, he talks jibberish all run together. I hope he grows out of all that, I sure never did. And can I just mention or rather reinforce this, Ashton, it is not funny when you pickup things to put in your mouth and try and hide and run away from me, it's not funny, it freaks me out. So drop the bark, rocks, grass, and plants, and go play, with a toy. Ok...

Ashton, Ashton, Ashton....

O-my goodness, Ashton. How can someone so cute and sweet be such a bugger? Ashton will wake up in the morning so yummy and cuttle and then he gets his little num-num, he gets awake and and he is off and running and getting into trouble. He will climb on anything he is not supposed to, run across the couch, jump on the beds and laugh through all of it. And when you take him outside forget it, he runs down the sidewalk full speed ahead and never looks back, he throws bark from the planters all over the place (Clint loves that), he will put the bark in his mouth and bite it in between his teeth and show me, just to panic me (he will do the same with a rock) he will eat mud. And if you try an stop him from any of it he will throw himself back in a tantrum. He is such a bully too. He will so push his brother around when McClain has something he wants, he will pull another kiddo off a toy that he wants to ride. The other day Toys 'R' Us he totally pushed another little boy just for pushing the button on a display box with Mickey Mouse dancing, just because he was there first. I have to admit, it is pretty funny to watch, well most of it, I don't really care for the putting bark, rocks and mud in his mouth. And as far as the bullying goes, well someone has to be the tuff guy on the playground, right? And by the end of the day, and its time for nite-nite, he is back to my sweet, little cuttle bug all yummy and huggy. And after a good nights rest, he will be up and back at it again tomorow.

A success....

Well day 1 of Kindergarten a total success. We all made it to the Hemet Library this morning by 10:00 (for those of you who know me, that's impressive). We took our time browsing the children section of the library, looking for just the right books for the next few weeks of school, we made some new friends (McClain started up a conversation), and even played a little educational computer game on one of the computers they have set up for the kiddos. Around 11:15 I told McClain it was time to pack it up and head for home, for break time, snacks and then SHCOOL... So we headed up to the desk to check out our books, the most difficult part of the whole library experience. There is no longer a nice little old lady who checks your books for you, and gives you a little card to remind you when to bring your books back, no there is a big 'ol monster machine that you scan your card and books through and it prints a receipt. This thing was trying to give me a hard time, and I was not happy about it, carting around 5 books, a movie, a purse, Ashton and a trailing McClain behind me. There was some old man next to me who was scanning through his stack like a pro, I on the other had was sweating. Finally some nice library lady, came over to give me a hand, I was doing it all wrong, shocker I know. So anyhow, after making it home, and attempting to shelp all of us and our bags and new books into the house, I walk up to the front door, only to hear my house alarm going off. So like a total idiot, I open the door, turn off the alarm (boys are still in car), decide well that was stupid and run back to the car start it and lock me and the boys in and call Clint. I know real genius move on my part, long story short, The dog set off the alarm because I forgot to put her outside when we left and Clint talked to the alarm company before the police came out. After all that excitement, McClain watched his new movie had a snack while I gave Ashton his snack and gave him a bottle for nap time. So around noon we actually got to working on our first day of Kindergarten. I went surprisingly well. Very little back talk and direction for Mr. Bossy himself. During school time I am known and Mrs. Mom and I am the boss for those short hours at least. So even though we don't have our books or lesson plan yet, we kind of winged it, we practiced letters A and B and writing them and their sounds, we practiced our numbers 1-9 and writing them and using them, we did an art project, read and book and talked about it, did a problem solving page and a kindergarten writing start up. It was actually fun, and really easy, I know its going to get harder as the work gets harder, but it was a great start to our new adventure. Ashton napped all through school time, he was only awake and having his lunch while McClain finished up his problem solving page. After school we were all just able to watch movies, play and chill out, I promised the boys I would take them out to play in the water when it came down to 100* but it only came down to 104*, but we were able to go check out the fire truck friends that came by to visit the Burns family then after dinner we were able to go back to the Burns' house and play in the front yard with the girls until Dad came home. All in all a really great day! A total success!!

Ok, can I really do this...

OK, can I really do this? Good question, and I'm not totally convinced, but I am going to try my darnedest! We had our first meeting with our Education Specialist today, Mrs. Marcey. And well, she is my new best friend. I love her. She is totally understanding and completely willing to work around McClain's crazy schedule of doctor appointments, visits and lab days. And She also assured me she would avoid exposing him to any cold, and flu germs that she or her children are sick with. She is even willing to wear a mask around McClain. I know all this sounds over the top at this stage of the game with McClain. But really its just so nice to take this crazy jump into kindergarten with the guidance of someone so nice. And of course, she was totally helpful in giving us a little preview of how things work, and some guidelines of what is expected. And where I thought that we would have to meet every week, we only have to meet every 20 days, which should be a little easier to manage, with these 2 crazy boys of mine. Since they were kinda mad men, show off's when she was here. Ya, McClain had to show Mrs. Marcey all of his art work, tell her all about his dad, and show and tell some of his prize toys, this is all great reassurance that he is becoming a happy little 5 year old, who likes to meet new people. Then by the end of our meeting he was grounding goldfish crackers into my rug (this one did not make me happy, at all!) Ashton was just the sweetest little pea, sitting and watching his movie, snacking on the above mentioned crackers, well for a while at least. Until he noticed that his brother showing off, and also that Mrs. Marcey had a computer out (he loves to hit those keys). And then they decided they both needed to crawl all over me and the couch, while I was trying to learn about putting in attendance. Did I mention Ashton was already covered in marker from his previous art work, which at least stayed on the provided paper. And then of course there was the finally, where they had to break out into a fight over the mini soccer ball. Ashton loves to pick it up and throw it down, over and over again, and well McClain likes to take it away from him and hide it in another room and shut the door. I guess because McClain likes to make his brother cry and me cringe. O-brotherly love. So needless to say by the end of the meeting I was a little embarrassed, and yet feeling like, I think we can do this. I think. To sum it all up, we have a couple of days for the paper work I signed to go through and for the book boxed sets to arrive at the door and or our lesson plans to be posted online. Until then we are to just read, practice our letters, do art and watch educational tv. Sounds easy right, we shall see...

Here we go again...

Well here we go again. Yet another attempt to document our lives though blogging. I don't know why I feel the need to start a new blog page every time I turn back to it, but I do. Guess it's just part of my personality. The need for fresh new beginnings, after every bump or curve in the road. And in our lives, well there are a bunch of them. It's just one crazy, bumpy, whindy road for the Blackmon bunch. And while we are navigating through that crazy, bumpy, whindy road, well I loose track of my blogging, my coupon obsession, the organization of my garage, and well sometimes my sanity. But here we are today starting a new chapter in our lives (and therefor a new blog page), the chapter started a few months ago, but I will get you all up on the major events to get started.

Clint started a new job (what I really mean, is he transfered to a new position), he is now an Air Base Fire Captian, working right here in the lovely town of Hemet. Ashton is now a yelling, running, climbing, laughing 15 month old toddler (already???), and McClain is a growing 5 year old, who is now weighing in at nearly 29 pounds and 3 feet tall and starting Kindergarten as of today. I am the Mom and now teacher, trying to keep it all together, and loving every minute of it (well pretty much, I could do with out the dishes and laundry and fights over the wii controller(among other toys)). So like I said before, here we go again. I am going to do my very best to keep this blog updated with a story from each and every Blackmon Bunch day. Stay tuned...