What a great weekend

Well, as the Summer heat seems to be breaking - we had a gorgeous weekend here. I'm not a huge fan of hanging out outside - but this weather was just the right combination of cool breeze and few bugs to make it okay for me :). The big exciting news is that Ian learned how to ride a two wheeler!!!!! We had a play date on Friday and his friend had been riding all summer without training wheels - that prompted a "I must learn" attitude and by mid morning on Saturday he was already making it across out front lawn....by Sunday afternoon we was able to start, stop, and steer himself around path at the park (see video). It's amazing how quickly he's picked it up, and he's loving it. I wish we lived on a street where he can go riding a bit, but for now when we're home he's confined to the driveway (which isn't bad, it's larger than average).

Jesse has loved watching him and now wants to learn, but I think we'll hold off on that for awhile. Maybe next summer - he does seem to be gifted in the tumbling, balancing, climbing arena but still it's a little early for a two-wheeler for him!

School will be starting right after Labor Day. Both boys are excited - I'm a little nervous about kindergarten. I feel like I'm losing a bunch of control because there is so little contact with the teacher, classroom, and other parents. I still can't believe Ian's starting real school!


Here's Jesse on his little bike. (Notice the shirt Aunt Sheilah and Aunt Frona?!?!?)
Here's the video of Ian riding around at the park! He's so good, right?! :)

August...really?

I can't believe it's August already! We've been having so many summer adventures I haven't had time to write very much. I will say, Jesse is a great student now and looks forward to school. Last Friday he had two subs and still didn't fuss about going to class - I even said good-bye :) He's even okay going into the YMCA nursery alone. We've made some real progress!

The registration process for the Fall is about to begin. I'm making Ian choose one extra thing to join because I refuse to run him around to a million places all week. He's decided to try soccer, on a real team. Through the park district he'll practice twice a week and play a game on Saturday. I think he'll love it. I'm going to sign Jesse up for Itty Bitty Sports at the Y - it's an intro to sports for 2-3 year olds. Again, I think he'll really like it. Plus there will be swim lessons for Ian and preschool for Jesse. We'll certainly be busy but not at much as if I let Ian take Karate and soccer and swimming and dance. I know he'd love it all but I just can't do it. I don't know how other moms do.

I've been trying to work out more, hoping to look a little better for my 10 year college reunion at the end of September. It doesn't seem to be working....once school starts it'll be easier to be consistent. At least that will give me a good solid three weeks before heading back to Beloit. At least I have better fashion sense now, so I know I'll look better (who ever thought flannel and overalls were in-style should be severely punished). It's a strange thing - my reunion. I recently found out two of my friends from college have passed away. One was a year older, I don't remember how I knew her but I did - I read that she fought breast cancer for 5.5 years (she was only 33 when she passed away). My other friend I met right away. She lived upstairs and was part of my "first friends" in the dorm. By graduation we weren't very close, but she's someone I thought of often when remembering college. She fought cancer for over 2 years and recently passed away in July. It just makes you stop and think. Y'know?

I'm excited about getting away for a weekend. I'm heading to Pittsburgh to visit a friend - just me. She recently had twins (in addition to her 2 year old), so I"m going to go hold some babies for a few days. Although I'll still be surrounded by kids, it'll be a nice break from my every day. I love my boys - but to confess I've been getting easily overwhelmed lately. It's not fair to them - so I'm going to take a breather. Does that make me a bad mom? Never mind, don't answer that.

Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon - the one downfall of not knowing how to download, I have to wait for Sam.