ASH & KY

These two brothers are loving being at the same school together! Kyler was so excited to start Kindergarten at Asher's school and I knew that Asher would be so happy to have his little brother around. This summer they would talk about Kindergarten Buddies - the 5th grade classes are assigned a Kindergarten class and they pair kids up to be buddies. Asher was really hoping that he would get Kyler's class. Wouldn't you know it?! He did! They weren't paired up together, but Kyler gets to see his big brother on buddy days. Oh.........and if you were wondering about Kyler and his sticks........he hasn't (I repeat....HAS NOT) lost a stick in two weeks!!!!! He was even given 5 Liberty Bucks last Friday for making good choices, not losing any sticks, and doing his personal best all week! He was even able to participate in Friday Fun for the first time! (sure, it was the THIRD Friday Fun for the class, but Kyler's first time!) He is really starting to like school, JUST NOT THE RULES! He hates, no....loathes the rules. He said, "If they didn't have any rules, then I wouldn't get in trouble!" Can you argue with that logic?!? Thankfully, it's Friday - no homework, a weekend with no driving to two schools, and some freedom. Especially for Ash & Ky!

HIS SIGNATURE STYLE!

If you've known Kyler over the last two years, you've seen at least one pair of these. And if you've seen these, you know he's not a fan of CLOTHES! The first thing to happen when he gets home is to take off his pants or shorts and run around in his underwear. Everytime I tell him to get some pants on he gets a different pair from his drawer. Then after a visit to the bathroom, there he is again with his cartooned bummy. He can go through 5 pairs of shorts in a day! (and you'll find every pair on the floor next to the toilet!) Lately we've noticed it's been a tight squeeze for our 55 lb, 3ft 11in "baby" to get in these undies. Underwear was put on the back to school list and off to Target we went. When I found the next size for him, we discovered that it pushed us out of "cartoon alley" and into the really big kids aisle. Well, as annoying as it's been to see these bouncing around my house all day - it's time to say goodbye to his signature style! He protested briefly (no pun intended), but saw it was no use. He selected some very nice looking camo boxer briefs and he was fine. I thought I was fine until I found myself photographing a pile of underwear - that before this moment I tried to avoid touching! (thankfully I only photographed the pile and didn't preserve any in his baby box) It makes me sad to think it's really the end of little, little children in our home. It was sad when we moved on from the bottles, the crib, diapers, and pacifiers.......................................ok, pity party's over! Now I'm off to go on a date with my husband. We don't have to pick up a babysitter, the boys are old enough now!

ME AND MS. JONES

This picture is Kyler with his Teacher, Ms. Jones. I took this photo the Thursday night before school started at Meet the Teacher Night. I was so confident that he would do well in Kindergarten. I just worried about the long days - would he be fine at school for so long? would he be too tired? I was very confident however, that I was sending a well-behaved kid to school. Well, here's our report of the first week of Kindergarten. Monday - 1 stick taken away - he lost a recess. Tuesday - 0 sticks taken away. Wednesday - 2 sticks taken away - he lost a recess and would sit out for his first "Free Friday". Thursday - 0 sticks taken away. Friday - 0 sticks taken away. We ended the week OK. I don't have the energy to write about the 2 sticks yet.....it will be written when I gain my confidence back!

KYLER'S FIRST DAY IN GRADE SCHOOL

I've been so excited to get Kyler in all-day school! Saturday I started to wonder how happy I was going to be. I didn't know if I wanted to let go of my baby yet. Surprisingly, I was fine Monday morning......do you think Tony was as fine! Not really.

Before the goodbye hug, Kyler was able to play at the main playground. (he calls the main playground the park and the Kindergarten playground the mini park) Here he is on the "cheese".
And here's the brave boy standing in his line. There were some kids crying, lots of parents crying, but not Kyler. He acted like he's done this everyday of his young life. I was concerned how this morning was going to go.....what had I worried about. As far as the classroom goes, I knew he would do well. He's spent two years in Mon.-Fri. preschool. Both of the teachers he's had have raved about how wonderful and smart he is. What a pleasure to have in class!

After picking up Kyler from school that first day, I was excited to hear all about it. He told me a little and then I went to the backpack. I love the information I find in these magical vessels. That's when I found it..........the purple slip of paper with three frowny faces at the top. WHAT!?! I've never, in nine years now of school with my kids, had a frowny face paper. Kyler had lost one stick for talking in class! He explained that he wasn't allowed to go to the mini park - but don't worry.....HE DOESN'T LIKE THE MINI PARK. So let me get this straight: First day of Kindergarten.....Kyler's in trouble.....HE DOESN'T CARE TO MISS RECESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What incentive do we have if he doesn't like recess! Can we say: WORRIED!!!!! I asked him what he liked about Kindergarten - the snack, lunch and seeing Andrew. I asked what don't you like - the mini park, THE RULES, they make you look at stuff and the mini park. WE GET IT.....YOU DON'T LIKE THE KINDERGARTEN PLAYGROUND THAT YOU CALL THE MINI PARK! I get why he doesn't like rules, but 'they make you look at stuff'! What is this? What was he forced to look at........THE TEACHER................THE BOARD.....................A BOOK!!!!!!! Everyday Kyler starts the day in Ms. Jones class with 3 sticks. If you don't follow the rules, then you will have a stick taken away - for this you miss recess. If two sticks are taken away, you will miss out on Friday Fun. You get to sit at your desk with a book. If you get three sticks taken away, you visit the PRINCIPAL and have DETENTION. (i made those words in all caps to emphasize the seriousness of this. kyler can't read and therefore doesn't get this!) I'm just going to say that we have not been to the principal's office...........yet. He has missed recess......and will be missing out on Friday Fun, before he's even participated in a Friday Fun. This is not how I thought his educational career at CTA Liberty was going to start! Now I'm off to hear Gloria Gaynor sing to me........I WILL SURVIVE!

FIRST DAY OF THE 2009/2010 SCHOOL YEAR

This is what 8th grade looks like! Ok, I took another photo, where I forced him to smile even, but I can't post it. It wouldn't be Colton. He's not really a sad kid.....he's a teenager - and this is what teenagers look like at 7:24 am on the first day back to school. He's really wondering why he's still in orchestra and has to be to school for zero hour. This will pass. A little sleep, get back into the routine of school and then he'll really complain. He was quite today...how refreshing!

These are my two monkey playing in the car after we dropped off the teenager. Kyler will be at Asher's school now. They are very excited to be together!
They are so excited to be together that I don't have to bribe them to stand close for this photo. It makes me proud to see what a great big brother Asher is to Kyler. I really can't wait to get them back into the van this afternoon and hear all of their stories. They can both tell good stories!!! (specializing in Fiction.....with some Non-Fiction sprinkled in)

Here's my 5th grader. I can't believe he's this old already! Don't even get me started on how he'll be in Young Mens in less than 15 months. I really enjoy Asher right now and am not thrilled about the "teenage attitude" that seems to afflict children BEFORE they are actually teenagers. Here's hoping that Asher won't get it this year - cross your fingers!

And here's my baby! I'm glad he can't read and get mad at me for calling him my baby. I really can't believe that he's already in Kindergarten. I was concerned how he'd feel. He seemed so comfortable at school.....way too comfortable for me! He really doesn't need me. Really?! I know that's wonderful. I know I should be happy with the incredibly confident kid we have. BUT HE'S MY BABY! Even as he walked through the sea of parents saying goodbye to their kindergartener, he wasn't scared. The large crowd didn't seem to confuse him at all. (ok, maybe I was a little discombobulated by the crowd) But not Kyler! He just picked up his backpack, lunchbox and kleenex and followed the teacher into the classroom.

ADVENTURES WITH KYLER

Problem: Kyler needed a bath. Solution: He got cleaned up on his own.

I know, you must think "HE WAS REALLY DIRTY!!!" Nope! He just found a container of tablets (from Sesame Street) that change the water colors. You're only supposed to use a couple.....Kyler used 14! As if bathing in dark purple water wasn't enough, guess what he cleaned himself up with.......PUPPY SHAMPOO! I have to admit....his skin and hair were VERY, VERY smooth.

And at least he doesn't look like this after a bath: Poor Puppy!

BROWN BELT

We couldn't be prouder of Asher! He's been in Tae Kwon Do for 1 year and 5 months and is already a brown belt. He did very well with his kicking techniques, poom se and his breaking technique.

WAY TO GO, ASHER!!!