This one.....

This one below is the baby of our family.

I can relate to his position as I am #4 out of 4 in my family.

Kirby can't quite relate to Logan's position as he is in position #1 in birth order  for his family.

(We all know how those first borns can be.....)

I often have fears that Logan is missing out or not getting enough attention or isn't getting the same opportunities that Tyler and Emma have or have had.

This fear came upon me strongly the other night.....

It was open house night for gymnastics and schools and we had a busy afternoon/evening planned with a stop at Logan's preschool, Emma's gymnastics gym and then off to Daddy's school for a visit to his classroom as well as a stop to meet Emma's teacher. 

Somewhere in there was dinner.

Logan is not quite convinced yet that he should go to preschool. When I had one of my 'fear episodes' last spring that Emma was 4 and went to preschool and here Logan is going to be 4 and we don't have him signed up and that's just not fair so we better get him signed up for school but I need to change my works chedule completly around and contact the school to see if they still have room and find the money to send him to preschool and get everything in order so he can go..... and breath.

So, thankfully I got that in order and asked Logan if he wanted to go to school just like Emma and Tyler and his reply was, "No, I awyledy no my ABZ's."

We have been working with him all summer then casually mentioning how fun school is and what he would get to do there and just bringing it up every once in a while so his little 3 year old brain could think about it and digest the thought.

With open house this week and a chance to see his classroom and meet his teachers, I ask him again about going to school and he still replies, "No, I tan count."   So, I tell him that maybe we'll just go to open house and he can decide after he see's his classroom and meets his teachers.

We attend, he plays and checks things out, eats a few cookies, see's his cool locker and tells me.  "Okay Mommy, I will go to school."  Whew!

Then we stop at gymnastics sign up.  Emma is happy to be back in the gym and see Miss Kim and at this open house they are allowing the kids to 'check out' the equipment and run around and play on everything. (Good marketing ploy right?)  Miss Kim tests Emma on a few skills to see what class to put her in this year but my attention is on Logan.  He is running around with the biggest smile on his face. 

You see, he has only been able to look at the equipment through the waiting room glass for the past 2 years. For him to actually be able to touch the equipment and be on the other side of the wall has just fullfilled a lifetime wish-or so it looks like it to me. :)

We leave, drive down to see Daddy's classroom and I casually mention to Kirby that Logan LOVED playing on the gymnastics equipment.  (This is where my marketing ploy comes in...I know Kirby has had a long day of workshops, just finished football practice and he's got parents/kids in his room at the moment so he's a little distracted to think clearly about what I'm hinting at.  I smile a big smile and tilt my head to the side and look lovingly at Logan and then back to Kirby..........) and hear Kirby say, "He could do gymnastics this year I guess, cause next year he starts hockey."

And that's all I needed to hear.......... 

Logan is now attending preschool this fall and will be joining his sister in gymnastics one night a week.   You should see the change in my little boy who now has places he needs to be at that are his own things to experience and talk about.

Sigh..... My little boy is growing up.

Happy Birthday Beautiful Girl.

Six years ago..this sweet little face stole our hearts.

And 6 years later, she's still there letting us love her more and more each day.

Happy Birthday Emma!

We love you!

Day 1-Season of Change.

Today is the beginning of change for the Kirby Krew.  This month is the start of new things, re-visiting old things, changing, budgeting, and just a fresh start. With that being said, here's a glimpse of what's going on with the Kirby Krew........

*Kirby is starting his 10th year of teaching. Good lord where did the time go? He has been corrupting 11-12 year olds for 10 years now. I can still remember the day he got the call that he got the job in Rush City. 

*Tyler is starting 8th grade and is top dog this year in the middle school.....the last year of middle school.  Sigh...my little boy is growing up so fast and talking about driving and buying a car in a few years. 

*Emma is starting 1st grade and will be at school all day. This means that she is done with going to daycare as well.  This also means she is growing up.....

*Logan is starting preschool this year. He's still not too sure about going to school and not having his sister at daycare with him.  I guess for Logan this will be a chance for him to become a little more independant but he's so dang cute and still has the 'baby' sound to his voice......

*Kirby and I are jumping back on the P90X bandwagon. We were so successful with round 1 and then summer came and bad habits crept back into our lives.  Don't get me wrong, I love summer and the lack of schedule but that undisciplined lifestyle leaks into all areas of your life at some point.  I'm looking forward to lifting some weights, working on my push ups and pull up and making fun of Tony again... I think Emma and Logan miss Uncle Tony as well.

*We have started to live on a budget!  I can't believe how easy it is to just get a paycheck and it's gone before you know it and you don't know where it went!  So far we have one week of budgeting under out belt and it's tough, but going well.  Our goal is to actually start saving money and not just think that we should be saving money. 

*Home improvements is on our list as well.  Our bathroom has needed work since the day we moved in and we have ignored it for too long.  New doors and a updated bathroom are on the 'honey do' list.

*And last but not least, we are going to attempt again to find a church to attend.  We have had a few attempts at finding a place to belong, but have struggled to feel like we do belong.

WHAT A LIST HUH?!?!?!?!?  We've got some work to do......


To everything - turn, turn, turn


There is a season - turn, turn, turn

And a time for every purpose under heaven

Everyday....

I'm committed.....I said yes.....I jumped on the bandwagon.

For the month of September, I have given my word that I will blog everyday.

Now, what I'm going to blog about, who knows!  But that's the point I'm guessing, to see what silly, fun, goofy, thoughtful ideas/stories I can come up with.

As well as blogging everyday, I am also committed to starting my second round of P90X.

Go me!

Hope which springs eternal...

The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.

Thank You Ernest Thayer and Thank You Emma Rae - it was a PERFECT July 20th - a day I will forever remember,,,,

Time to jump in!

One of the 'perks' of Daddy working at the pool is that our kids can take swimming lessons every year.

Emma is becoming our little fish and now can front crawl, float, and swim underwater without fear.

Miss Emma is the blonde haired girl on the far right.

Here she is with her teacher just swimming away!

This summer was Logan's first year of lessons. He is in the preschool group and had a blast.

No fear for this surfer boy (white trunks jumping in)

Splish-Splash!

I'm/we're behind.........

We're busy having fun.......

We're busy working.....

We're busy playing/watching baseball....

We're busy swimming/suntanning/working on correcting our farmer tans........

It's summer and it's flying by.

We have lots to update....but too busy to get it done right now.

So, forgive us/me.......as we continue to enjoy summertime/friends/family/being together/laughing/driving/planning our next adventure....

Until then........here's Tyler getting drilled by a wave at a wave pool.

Looks like fun doesn't it?