Bump, Set, Spike..

Abbie had her first volleyball game today.  This was a big day for her.  She has been practicing her serves & bumps for weeks.  We got her knee pads to protect those precious knees.  Alright, actually we had to buy new ones because Abbie didn't want some one's sweaty old ones.  I don't blame her.  So she was decked out in her 3 sizes too big school uniform and lookin' way older then I want her to look.  

Remind me, how did we get here so quick????  

Oh yeah, we blinked!!!!  

The team did really good for their first game.  Abbie even scored two points!!!! You go girl!!!!  Papa & Mama were so proud of her.  Luke even cheered the girls on.  

Too stinkin' cute!  Good times!

Goin' Back

Luke Measuring Up!

Goin' back pretty much encompassed our day, here at the Abshires. It was our first day goin' back to school, which starts our fall routine. Summers seem to get shorter and shorter as the children get older. I know this time is coming about a week before it is actually here. A somber cloud sits right over our home, okay, actually just over me, the week before my babies head back to school. I even add salt to the wound by visiting the Pioneer Woman's website on homeschooling. Papa just shakes his head at my melancholy mood. He has just learned to live through this "week before". So the day is here when they are goin' back to school. Papa likes to stay home on this day to take them to school. I have a funny suspicion that he likes to keep an eye on his attachment-disordered wife. Whatever the reasoning is, we all love that he is here and part of our morning. We both have our jobs on this "goin' back" morning. I get breakfast together, pack the lunches, do hair....he measures the children, makes sure they have backpacks and lunches, and herds them out the door. Off to school we go!

Kayanna is getting so tall.



Abbie had a big growth spurt this year.

The girls are so excited to return to school. To see their friends they don't get to see over the summer, meet their new teachers, and to get back to a routine. They could hardly sleep last night. Needless to say, they don't have attachment-disorders! I am glad they enjoy their little school. It makes this transition so much easier on the Mama.

Kayanna with Mrs. Knox - 3rd Grade

Kayanna can’t wait to see her classroom and hug on her new teacher. That’s my girl! She meets her teacher, barely lets Mama snap my traditional photo, and dashes to the playground to see her friends. Oh, okay baby, don’t worry about your Mama’s heart that is breaking! You just run off like you have been freed from prison!!!

Abbie with Mr. Cranfill - 6th Grade

All righty then…..off to Abbie’s class. It is weird to see how quiet my spirited Abbie can be on her first day. She quietly finds her desk and checks out who is in her group. There are 20 boys to 10 girls in this class; so finding that female close to you brings an extra measure of comfort, in this classroom of testosterone. It is crazy to think that she is going to be in junior high next year. Okay, we will stop there! **Deep breath…..exhale**





Abbie & Ellie



In all the chaos of going to the different classrooms and chatting with teachers and classmates, we lose track of Luke. We know where he is.....playing in the kindergarten playground, like he does every year. The other parents probably think he is a classmate of their child; riding the bikes, going down the slide, and talking with the other kids. Not a stinkin’ chance! He is hangin’ out with Mama another couple years. Yes, we have already noted the attachment disorder in this post. We need not visit the issue again. I have two years to prepare for his departure to school. That should be plenty of time to deal with things! Yeah, right!!!!

A boy about his toys!

So with girls off to school and Papa off with locksmith jobs, Luke and Mama head home to our routine. Luke has no problem with the girls goin' back to school. He has so much to do, explore, and play with, without anyone getting in his way. Mama has plenty to do as well. This first day always goes so quickly. I manage to squeeze in lunch with my two favorite men before picking the girls up. I love hearing all about their day. It is a battle for air time for the next hour.

So begins our goin’ back season!

Goin’ back to school.

Goin’ back to friends.

Goin’ back to homework.

Goin’ back to a much needed exercise routine for Mama!

Goin’ back to Bible study & the ladies I love studying His Word with.

Goin’ back to more structure, which I thrive on.

As the day ends, I sit in my rocking chair on the front porch watching a dozen neighborhood kids play in the yard. My heart is warmed by the laughter and carefree spirit that surrounds me. There is no goin’ back to these days once they are gone, so I sit & soak it up! Life is precious! 



Magic Mountain with Papas

Reward Trip for BBQ ticket sales!  Way to go Abs!

Artist in Bloom - KC Fair

Abbie with her work of art at the fair.

Beautiful ~ we are so proud of her.

Hannah also had an art piece at the fair.

Off To School They Go

Our morning is filled with cinnamon rolls, hair that needs to be styled, lunches to be packed, and full backpacks. Mama is always thankful that Papa stays home with her on the first day of school. Besides Mama always being emotional that first day of school, his help is always great. As Mama is cleaning up breakfast & finishing lunches, Papa is measuring girls on the wall in the laundry room. Our Kayanna has really grown in the last year.

With full bellies, back packs, and excitement for the day, we head off to school.

Kayanna & Mrs. Dobbs - 2nd Grade

Kayanna & her buddies

Abigail & Miss T - 5th Grade...Wow!

Look at those books...someone has a full year of learning!

As the bell rings and classes begin, the school year begins.

As the girls were settling into school, Luke was settling into life with just Mama again. He is lovin' all the attention again. Although the summer must have been hard on him. Today after lunch he asked if he could rest. He happily crawled up in his bed and took his nap.

Thus begins another school year and season.

Mission Possible

4th Grade has been amazing. I would admit, my head was spinning when we first started, but we all survived. Abbie's class has been studying the California Missions this year, which included a visit to La Purisima Concepción.

As a family, we constructed La Purisima Concepción. We learned a lot, burned our fingers on the hot glue gun, and had a blast.
School is so much better the second time around. :)

Dust Bunnies

We have regular sightings of dust bunnies here at the Abshire home front. I wish it weren't so but that is life. But we witnessed a large collection of dust bunnies at the girl's school last night. The school is fortunate enough to be able to bring in a performing arts club to their campus for one week out of the year. The Missoula Children's Theatre is a travel performing art company that does an absolutely amazing job in just one week.
They hold auditions on Monday after school, pick the cast, and start practicing after auditions. They have a full-blown production on Friday evening. It really is amazing. Our girls tried out this year. Hopie landing a spot as a "dust bunny" in the show

~ A Princess and a Pea.
With no further ado, Hope as a "Dust Bunny":

Honor Roll

Fourth grade is when you are eligible for honor roll, at the girl's school. So we were very happy for Abigail to have made her first honor roll. As a proud parent, I attended the assembly and wanted to capture the moment on film.

Boy, am I happy I did that!

She was thrilled to smile for her Mama! It has begun!

Nevertheless, we are so proud of her & her hard work.

Halloween 2009

Spirit Week

This week is "Spirit Week" at the girl's school. They are having so much fun dressing up each day. Today is Wacky Wednesday ~ too fun!

The posing photo..........

My "wacky" kiddos!

Happy Times!

Pumpkin Patch with Hopie

Magic Mountain

I can remember when Abbie was just a baby thinking that a trip to Magic Mountain was so far away. I wasn't eager for it, I just thought that she would never really be older enough or big enough to go to such a big place. Silly Mama! My little girl spent the day at Magic Mountain with her Papa & classmates as a reward for selling barbecue tickets for her school. This was her first year to sell tickets and she came in third place of her school in ticket sales. Go Abbie! She was quiet the saleswoman as I heard her on the phone selling tickets. She worked hard and we are so proud of her. But is she really big enough to go to Magic Mountain??? Papa informed me that they spent the day in "kiddie land"! That made this Mama happy. I know the day is coming that she will be off and running, but I am not there yet. I will add a picture once Papa sends them from his phone.

School Days

Remember when we were young and we had to cover our school books with paper grocery bags? We didn’t know anything other than this. We thought it was cool to decorate our books with our own personalities. Now that I have one in school who has to cover her books, I was saddened to see that they have minimized this once “individual” statement of book covers to a “cookie cutter” slipcovers.
Well, one night Abigail had to have a book covered or see would get in trouble at school. I told her that we can make one. I wasn’t going out to buy a book cover. She was not happy about that, she wanted a book cover “like everyone else”. Are you hearing the drama? Sorry you missed it!
I goggled “paper bag book covers”, and came up with this site. As we made her book cover, I shared with her how I used to decorate my books and she got excited. She had so much fun doing her own designs. I was tickled to see her creativity come alive on her science book.


My heart melted when I read the corner of her book cover ~
“made by the best Mama in the world”.
I will take it!

Crazy First Week

Well, our first week of school was crazy!

• Homework the first night for Abbie
• Hopie adjusting to first grade
• packing lunches
• carpools
• more homework
• lots of paperwork
• arguments over hair (Mama trumps)
• making sure backpacks are packed
• planners are signed
• excels looked over (Papa's job)
• rushing to the van so we aren't late
• breaking up arguments in the van on the way to school
• etc.....

I felt like this Mom:


Now it wasn't ALL crazy, it just felt like it. The girls are adjusting well. It is going to be a BIG year for both of them. They both love school, which is nice. The routine will fall into place. I hadn't realized how relaxed we had gotten over the summer. I welcome the routine but it always takes me a couple of weeks to adjust. Things will settle down in a couple weeks and this first week will be a blur!
Luke has adjusted just fine to the girls being back in school. I thought he would miss all the noise & company but he cruises around the house with Mama. He plays with the dogs and is a happy boy. That makes things easier than having a grumpy boy in the mix of things. He does like to do puzzles with Mama & show off for her.

So that was the first week ~ ta-da!

The First Day of 1st, 4th, & Mama all to myself!

A memoir from Luke:

What is all the noise about?!? I thought I was the only noise maker around here! Doesn't anyone around here know the "so stinkin' cute" little boy needs his sleep to look that way! Quiet down!!!

Mama!

Mmmmaaammmaa!

Mmmmmaaaammmmaaa!

(Mama enters & changes the prince quickly. She returns to the kitchen, with the prince in arms, to feed him with the others.)
Everyone is excited around here. I can't get a word in edgewise! Mama is packing lunches, the girls are telling her how they want to wear their hair, and the back packs are out.

The back packs are out?!? That means...

my sisters are going back to school!

What that really means is I get my Mama back all to myself!

Yipee!!!

Well, what are you all standing around for ~ get going. Mama is flying around helping the girls get ready. Abbie knows exactly which buttons to push & when ~ I am taking good notes for future reference. Kayanna is whining about her fabulous hair ~ again!

I would like to see her pull off my faux hawk!

Alright folks, to the car we go. We wouldn't want you to be late on the first day of school!

Mama...Mmmaaammmaaa, you aren't taking my picture!

I want the ding dongs that are in those lunch bags!

Wow, my big sister looks like she is going to be busy. That makes me want to take a nap thinking about it. She is so smart. She will do great. Moving on......

Oh, my sister Hopie ~ that grin speaks volumes! I hope no one pushes her buttons the way she pushes mine. I will miss her chasing me around, when I want to be chased.
Okay, don't they have recess or something, I want my Mama's attention.
Rrrrrrrriiiiiiinnnnnnngggggg!!!!!!
School is in session.
We head back to the van. It is awfully quiet in here. No one is pulling on my seat to tease me. Toby Mac isn't in the cd player. I find I want to sing quietly in the quiet van. My Mama throws me a great smile.

I throw her one back.
I know the girls are excited to go back to school but I have to say,
I am excited to have my Mama back all to myself!

Open House

The girl's school had their open house tonight. We always love to hear them sing and see all the fun things they have been working so hard on. I got a couple of pictures of the girls singing but it was way to crazy to snap pictures of them in their classrooms ~ bummer! I wanted a picture of Hopie with her full desk of projects and Abbie with her Shiloh project. Oh well, next year I will try to get them. Here are the girls at Open House '09

Kaitlyn, Hopie, & Emma

Abbie singing next to Aaron. Aaron cracks us up!

Of course they are doing the "Itsty Bitsy Spider"

I just tagged this photo on because this is the little boy (Caleb) that we have Abbie convinced she is betrothed to. SSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!! She hasn't figured things out yet! ;)

Flea Olympics

At the girls school today they held the "Flea Olympics". The girls get to compete at several events and have a blast. The girls were on opposite fields but the "Mamarazzi" did her best at staying up with them, with Luke on my hip! Here are the Abshire "Fleas" at the Olympics!

Rolling Reader

I have been reading weekly to Abigail's class, as a Rolling Reader Volunteer, since they were in Kindergarten. It has been a highlight of my week to go and hang out with my little buddies. We have been reading The Little House on the Prairie Series. We are getting ready to finish Farmer Boy . The boys have really enjoyed this book. Every week I look up from reading to see these precious faces just lost in the story. I love these kids. Third grade is about to end and I wanted a picture of my buddies before they get "too big" to do that. So I wanted to share a picture and some fabulous art I receive from the children on a weekly basis. I am truly blessed by this precious class. Our plan, in the upcoming years, is to read the Chronicles of Narnia after Little House on the Prairie.

I love these guys!!!

Artwork showing me reading to them.

A couple of drawings of me & the children in class. I love it!

Some pictures have the sweetest notes on them!

Principal's Award

The Abshire Clan was so proud of Kayanna Hope today as we received the Principal's Award for the 3rd quarter of school. She has adjusted wonderfully in kindergarten. Here are the very sweet words that Miss Banks, her teacher, had to say about Hopie.

Kayanna has done a great job this quarter. She reads well and is one of my most consistent spellers. She puts forth terrific effort on her assignments. Her handwriting has really improved. Kayanna is a hard worker. She is very motivated in her homework assignments, with the packet usually being returned to school early. Kayanna has made a concerted effort in her behavior to listen, follow directions, and be where she is supposed to be. I am truly proud of Kayanna for all that she has accomplished this quarter and this school year. ~ Miss Banks


Kayanna's Principal - Mrs. Devahl

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!!

Monday was Dr. Seuss' birthday but Abbie's class celebrated it today, in the appropriate fashion I might add. She left for school in her pajamas, toting a sleeping bag, and a massive stack of Dr. Seuss books. Her class was spending the entire day reading books. What a fabulous way to encourage children to love reading. The teacher asked for volunteers to come in and read. Well, since this is my FAVORITE 3rd grade class, Mama asked to read! What a fun day!