Tucson

We found out today that we will be PCS'ing (military lingo for moving) to Tucson, Arizona next summer. We are all excited about this next chapter in our lives. I am also excited about the warm weather!

School

Missy commented that I didn't put any details about the first day of school. That was because I put those pictures up before the kids came home from school. So here is a run down of how the first few days have gone.

Eric-loves 6th grade and the teachers. He is a little disappointed that he is still in elementary school and not in middle school, but he was happy to find out that the teachers treat him like he's in middle school. He doesn't have to stand in straight lines and he can talk while doing his classwork (with the understanding that whatever he doesn't finish in class becomes homework.)He has about 35 kids in his class so its way too large but the teachers seem to have pretty good control. I got a call from his teacher on the second day. It brought back memories from preschool when I used to get called everytime he bit or hit someone. Fortunately this was not that kind of call. She called to thank me for getting all the paperwork back to her and said that Eric is well prepared for 6th grade.

Erin-she wanted to be homeschooled when she found out there would be almost 40 students in her class. But she loved the first day and her new teacher. I was relieved to hear that I wouldn't have to homeschool her!!! She has made some new friends and is enjoying her new class. I am excited for her because she needs the social part of school. Plus, I doubt she would like hanging out with me all day while I run errands, clean the house, and volunteer in the kindergarten classes.

Nathan-loves kindergarten with the exception of lunch time. He has been getting sad everyday at lunch. He thinks that it is time to come home. That is probably my fault because I went to the lunch room to help out the first couple days. So the first day when he saw me, he thought it was time to go home. But he does fine as soon as lunch time is over. He likes his teacher and is excited to go to school everyday.

Zachary-loves kindergarten also but won't admit it if you ask him. He gets dressed for school as soon as he wakes up. I think he has a crush on his teacher, Mrs. Shugars. I bought him an adorable giraffe folder and he hated it. I guess it was too babyish for him. But as soon as Mario told him that Mrs. Shugars would like it, he immediately took it and said he couldn't wait to show it to her. Mrs. Shugars does a lot of art and Zachary loves art. All summer he told me that he wanted to be in Mrs. Shugar's class. It probably doesn't hurt that she is a young, tall, pretty, blond teacher.

I talked to both kindergarten teachers and they said the boys are doing great. I guess their young age has been fine. They are well behaved and eager to learn. What a relief! I have been second guessing my decision to send them to kindergarten almost everyday. But now I guess I can relax and know that they are ready!

First Day of School

Zachary has Mrs. Shugars for kindergarten
Nathan has Mrs. Jimenez for kindergarten
Erin has Mrs. LeWarne for 4th grade
Eric has Mrs. Chavez for 6th grade

Camping

We took all four kids and the dog camping last night. I can't remember the last time our entire family went tent camping but I am pretty sure it was when we lived in Hawaii and the twins were infants and we had to lug all their baby gear with us. It already takes a ton of equipment to camp so adding baby gear (for two) to it is really a lot more effort than really it is worth. So that is probably why we haven't been tent camping since. We have stayed in countless cabins though which is more my idea of camping.

At least this time camping, we didn't need baby stuff. But I guess Mario thinks that I am the baby of the family now and that I need to have luxury when I camp. He stuffed Eric's futon mattress into the back of the van along with heavy blankets just for me. Camping in Monterey in July is not the same as camping in the rest of the country in July. It was chilly. So here I had the warmest blankets in the house while I was worried that my kids were going to freeze with their thinner blankets. Fortunately they were all fine.

The camp sight was only a few miles away from the house so Mario and Eric went early and got everything set up for us. When I arrived with the three younger kids, Mario set up a chair for me and told me to sit down and relax and that I didn't need to lift a finger (a statement I think he regretted later.) He did pretty much everything including all the clean up while I relaxed. Later I commented that the lady at the camp sight across from us was doing all the work while her husband was no where to be seen. Mario got a laugh out of that since he was doing all the work at our camp sight.

We finally got the twins to sleep a little after 9 pm. Anyone that knows us can tell you that we put them to bed by 6:30 or 7 pm every night. We work our whole schedule around their bedtime. If not, we pay the price the next day when they are dragging and whining. So it was frustrating to us when they were still not sleeping and it was approaching 9 pm.

Did I mention that this campground was right next to the military's defense language school? So at 5:45 AM, I was awakened by a drill Sergeant screaming. He kept counting to ten. I wanted to scream myself. Finally at 6:30, the entire family was awake and making lots of noise (which wouldn't have been so noticeable if the drill sergeant was still screaming.) So I am sure all the campers were happy to see me load up my two little 4 year olds and take them home this morning. Mario, Eric, and Erin decided to stay one more night. As for me and my little boys, we are home and happy to sleep in our nice, warm beds this evening. (well at least I am.)

Zach and Buzz

Eric and Erin "Ripsticking" or as Mario calls it "Dipsticking" or as Zachary calls it "Ripoffing"

Nathan practicing soccer

Thomas

Friday was a big day for Nathan and Zachary. They finally got their big treat for working so hard on their reading lessons. We went to see Thomas the Tank Engine and take a ride through the redwood forest (to me that was the best part-seeing the beautiful redwoods!) To make the day even better, they got to go with their best friend, Jessie. Too bad Jessie isn't a twin (she has twin sisters that are Eric's age) because they both want to marry her one day. I see some future fights over girls in their future!

Once in awhile when Zachary didn't want to do his reading lessons, I would remind him that he had to work really hard on his reading so he could go see Thomas. His reply, "Why do I have to do reading lessons to see Thomas when all those other kids that go see him don't have to!"

Ripstick

Erin started her own little business a few months ago. She collects bottles and cans from the neighbors and then takes them to the recycling center. She has earned over $100 since starting her little business. Mario is trying to teach her what it is like to run a business and so he charges her $1.00 to drive her to the recycling center. He did that to discourage her from wanting to turn her bottles in weekly. Then Erin decided that she really doesn't like to sort the bottles, so she hired Eric to do that job for her. But that partnership didn't last long. Eric decided that he was doing all the hard work while Erin was earning more money.

Until recently Erin would never want to spend a dime of her own money. If we (mom and dad) weren't willing to buy it for her then she wouldn't get it. Last week she told me that she wants a "Ripstick." It is like a skateboard but with two wheels instead of four. So she spent $75 of her own money and bought a bright pink one online and then anxiously awaited the UPS truck to deliver it from Amazon. I tried to discourage her from a bright pink one since she has 3 brothers. But she was spending her own money and she wanted pink.

It finally came last night and here are some pics with her new toy. Eric is enjoying it also (despite it being pink). He plans to get a silver one for his birthday. I think it will take a few days for them to learn how to ride it. But after that, I am sure it will be lots of fun for them both. I can't complain, it is good exercise and much better than sitting in front of the wii or the television. Now I just have to sit back and pray that they don't hurt themselves!

The Joy of Reading

Nathan

Zachary

It is great to have big siblings to look up to. Recently I told Nathan and Zachary that they can be like Eric and Erin and read in bed. They thought that was the coolest thing ever. So now they bring "Bob Books" to bed with them. Pretty soon I will probably catch them with flashlights reading under the covers way past bedtime. But as Mario reminds me, if reading past bedtime is the worst thing we catch these kids doing, then they are doing pretty well.