Whew! I thought that once both my kids were in school that I would have all kinds of time for blogging. I guess I was wrong! This week is the huge fundraiser at school, and I have been at the school helping out quite a bit. Perhaps I'll get back to blogging next week. And, I guess I will have to try to figure out what's wrong with my template as well.

Until then, here's a brief look at my Nightstand:

Chosen by Chandra Hoffman

The Confirmation by Ralph Reed

The Maker's Diet by Jordin Rubin

The Scarlet Letter (Readable Classics)

Take Four by Karen Kingsbury

To find out what other books are popular right now, be sure to visit 5 Minutes for Books today!

Labels: Books

I am very proud of my husband for remembering to take some pictures while he and my Favorite Boy were on their trip. I am the photographer for the family, so this is not something he usually has to remember. Even though they are phone pictures, I am happy to have something to look at and keep.

The boys arrived in Minneapolis on Friday night. On Saturday, they went to Target Field to watch the Twins beat the Oakland A's. My Favorite Boy has decided he wants to be Twins player Joe Mauer for Halloween. (I love it when he chooses sports figures for Halloween. I don't mind paying for a jersey that I know he will wear over and over instead of a costume that he will wear once). Although it was 96 degrees in Tennessee, it was only in the 50s at game time in Minneapolis. That's quite a shock after months of hot weather!

After the game, they went to the Mall of America for rides and putt-putt.

On Sunday afternoon, they went to the Metrodome to watch the Vikings. They Vikings lost, and my Favorite Boy was disappointed that Brett Favre didn't play well, but he loved being there and watching the game. He has only seen preseason Titans games, so this was his first time to attend a real NFL game. He said it was very loud in the dome. I am sure it would have been even louder if the Vikings had managed to pull off a win in the final moments.

I am so glad my boys had fun together, and I am thankful arrived home safely!

Labels: Family and Friends, My Favorite Boy

This past weekend was extra special for my Favorite Boy and his dad. Friday afternoon, they boarded a plane for Minneapolis for a father/son sports weekend. On Saturday, they went to the Twins game and the Mall of America, and on Sunday afternoon, they went to the Vikings game. My Favorite Boy had been looking forward to this weekend for a long time, and he had a blast. He's already asking if they can do another trip next year. My husband did remember to take pictures with his phone, so I'll share some as soon as I can get him to email them to me.

My Best Girl and I decided to do something fun as well, so we headed to Birmingham to see some special friends. Although my Best Girl was disappointed when she realized we wouldn't be flying on an airplane like her dad and brother, I think she had just as much fun.

Here's her idea of a super weekend :

My Best Girl didn't want to come home, and she's wondering when I'll be nice enough to let her do that in my bathroom (according to my Best Girl, "Mrs. A is really nice.")! I was so thankful for the time spent with my dear friend. We don't see each other often enough, so every visit is a blessing!

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy

For three and a half years, my Favorite Boy has been playing baseball. Now, I am excited to report that we have a new ball player in the house!

My Best Girl experienced her first softball game last night. It was so funny to return to the young, inexperienced players. They don't always know what's going on, and there's a lot of dirt kicking and dancing out in the fields (I don't remember the ballerina-style moves in baseball games, but there were definitely some prima donnas in the outfield last night, mine included).

Here's my Best Girl playing with her loose tooth at third base...

And kicking the dirt...



And playing with her hair...

Of course, the highlight is always batting, and my Best Girl was all smiles when she made it to first base.

At the end of the game, the girls celebrated their first victory and enjoyed some snacks. That's my Best Girl's favorite part. We're looking forward to another game next week!

Labels: My Best Girl

"Mom, I had the best day EVER."

That's what my Best Girl said as soon as she walked into the house today. Of course, I asked her what made her day so wonderful, and she enthusiastically told me that she lost her third tooth. As if that were not exciting enough, she lost it during PE, which earned her a trip to the nurse's office. That's fantastic stuff for the second week of kindergarten!

Kindergarten is going much better than expected. I am still walking my Best Girl into class each day, and I may be doing that for quite some time. However, the teacher successfully diverts her attention each morning, and I am able to leave without too much sadness on her part. After she gets past the fact that I have to leave her, her days are going wonderfully. We are dealing with kindergarten fatigue syndrome in the evenings (if you have had kids start full-day kindergarten, you know what I am talking about), but I know that will pass in a couple of weeks.

Now we just have to head to bed to wait for the tooth fairy!

Labels: My Best Girl

My Best Girl had a very good first full day of kindergarten on Monday. We had a small separation issue at the beginning of the day, but the teacher intervened, and everything was fine. My Best Girl made new friends and enjoyed her day. For now, I am walking her to class each morning. She did tell me that her brother could walk her to class as long as he would give her a hug and a kiss. Those of you who know my non-affectionate son know that there will be no hugging and kissing, so I am going to walk her in for a few more days.

I think the highlight of my Best Girl's first day was riding the bus home. It's funny that I didn't let my Favorite Boy ride the bus for two years, and I let my Best Girl ride home on the first day (I always take them in the morning). After 2 years of sitting in the pickup line for 30-40 minutes and seeing the bus beat me to my house, I gave in on that one. The bus comes straight to our neighborhood from the school, and my Favorite Boy and Best Girl get dropped off at our driveway. I met them by the mailbox yesterday, and I was greeted by a smiling kindergartner!

It's really quiet around here, and I keep thinking, "I should have a child with me!" Seeing moms out with their little ones makes it even more noticeable. I know I am going to be able to catch up on some things around the house that desperately need attention, but I will be glad to see their smiling faces each afternoon!

Labels: My Best Girl