Last Week of August

I wasn't lucky. I deserved it. ~~Margaret Thatcher

Wow! Has this year flown by! It seems like it was just January yesterday. Where has 2007 gone?

School Update

Now, that Rachel and Anna have had almost a month in school, we've had some time to ascertain how things are going. So far, so good. They seem to be absorbing like sponges and it seems like they come home with something new each day. Our school uses a calendar sent home daily to communicate to the parents on things such as upcoming events and our child's behavior.

Rachel's calendar yesterday stated, "Rachel won our STAR STUDENT this month. There are some nice free things or coupons in the front pocket of the agenda for her." Last week she received recognition for doing the most sit ups in her class and this week she also received Student of the Week recognition in her Physical Education class. Rachel definitely wasn't lucky....she deserved it as she has worked very hard and we are so proud of her.

Anna's calendar comments from her teacher yesterday stated, "I am so glad she is in my class. She is a darling! I love her smile and intelligence." When Rachel does her homework, Anna sits with us and learns too. We are greatful that she too is doing well and we are very proud of her too.

It was a relief to see such positive feedback on both girls early on and to see them thriving so far. I do believe the investment in the pre-k program during the early years was well worth it as it gave both girls an excellent head start.

Friends

Jen, Mike, Ellis and Cooper left on Friday and Rachel was heartbroken immediately because she missed Ellis. She and Ellis are like peas and carrots. Our friends spent their evenings with us for part of the week last week. We appreciated them doing so as we really enjoyed their company and hate that they live so far away in Great Britain. We hope to plan a trip to visit with them in the U.K. at some point in the future. Now...if I can just figure out how to get Jeff on a plane.

Disney World

We left late Friday afternoon to drive to Orlando for the holiday weekend. Our annual passes expire in October so we wanted to get in two last trips before they expired. We went this past weekend and stayed at Fort Wilderness again. I have to admit that I love Fort Wilderness. When you get tired of the theme parks, you can spend the day at Fort Wilderness and not be bored. There is so much to do. And, I love the convenience of taking the boat to the Magic Kingdom from Fort Wilderness.
Our plan was to hit the parks early and retire early in the evening. We sort of did that on Saturday. We spent the day at the Magic Kingdom all day on Saturday. Anna is still not quite tall enough to ride Space Mountain so Jeff and Rachel rode that while Anna and I headed to Splash Mountain. It was Jeff and Rachel's lucky day as they were given Dream Fastpasses from Disney Cast Members when they got off of the Space Mountain Ride. If you've never heard of them, the Cast Members randomly pick people in the park and give these Fastpasses to them. Each Dream Fastpass has a Fastpass to the major attractions for that day that can be used at any time during the day. So, you can still use your park ticket to get regular Fastpasses and you have your Dream Fastpass that you can use any time. We were so excited as we have never received these before. Meanwhile, Anna was selected by Captain Jack Sparrow to be part of his show. She did a great job. And, later the girls were picked to be part of Woody's Round Up show. We were beginning to feel like maybe we should buy a lottery ticket since it seemed like everything seemed to be going our way.On Sunday, we chose to go to Epcot. We knew Soarin' gets pretty busy so we went there first to ride. And, lightning struck again for us! All four of us were selected by a Cast Member and given Dream Fastpasses for Epcot. We had never been selected in all of our visits and then we get picked twice in one weekend. We could not believe our good fortune. (Note to self: I have got to go buy that lottery ticket!) Actually, we weren't lucky....we deserved it too! We have all worked hard all year and we've certainly paid a lot of money to Mr. Disney for tickets and our various visits so we deserved to receive a little back! Thank you to the Disney Cast Members for making our weekend even more special. Now, can we talk about the overnight stay in Cinderella's castle that you are giving away? :-)

We ended up spending the entire day at Epcot and we had a blast. Both Rachel and Anna loved visiting the Kidcot stops in the different countries in the World Showcase. Neither Rachel, Anna or myself had seen the fireworks/light show (Illuminations) at Epcot before this past weekend and we actually stayed for that. It had been a long, hot day but we survived until 9 pm to watch Illuminations.
It was a perfect weekend at Disney. We could not have asked for anything better. We've been trying to decide if we'll renew our annual pass or not. Part of me thinks I'd rather spend that money on a cruise this coming year. Tough choices....not sure what we want to do just yet. But, we have one more trip planned in early October! We can't wait.

Crooked River State Park, GA

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker

The heat has been unbearable in middle Georgia throughout the month of August. And, for this reason, we did not travel much. But, we have had plans with Jen & her family since earlier this year and we wanted to make the trip to the Georgia coast despite the heat and the mosquitoes that we knew awaited us.

Jen, Mike, Ellis, & Cooper arrived last week in Atlanta from the U.K. and stopped at our home on Thursday evening. Rachel and Ellis were so happy to be reunited.

Jen and family traveled to Crooked River State Park on Friday morning and checked into their cottage that they had reserved for the weekend. We had planned to join them Friday evening but my job kept us home as I was late getting home. We decided instead to depart very early on Saturday morning in our motorhome. Last year we stayed at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Saint Mary's. But, since Jen could not get onto the base, we decided to stay at Crooked River State Park so we would all be in the same location.

We made it to Crooked River State Park around 10 am. By the time we checked in and got the RV parked and set up, we were ready for lunch. We headed into Kingsland and had lunch. It was on the way to Kingsland that a horrible rain storm came through. We were so disappointed as we had planned to drive to Fernandina Beach on Saturday. But, with the weather looking so threatening and hearing it was no better south of us, we decided to stay put for the afternoon. We jokingly blamed the rains on Jen & her family. Since Great Britain gets lots of rain and we rarely get rain in Georgia, we said the weather followed them here. It rained in our home town the night they arrived and it rained along the coast while they were there....and the park ranger said they had not had rain in three months. Surely, it was because our British friends brought the weather with them. :-)

We were expecting other friends Saturday evening for dinner. So, we decided to drive to the store to pick up a few items for the evening.

Crooked River State Park was not disappointing at all. The staff at the Vistor's Center were quite nice and the RV sites were very roomy. The only complaint we have is there is a limited number of 50 amp sites and they can't be reserved in advance. And, they do not offer full hook up but they do have a dump station. The 50 amp sites were pull through and many were private. The park was very clean and actually quite scenic. Howeve, between the weather and the mosquitoes, we decided to pass on the nature trails but would like to go back some time and try them out. The park also had a nature center and a putt-putt golf area.

On Saturday evening, our friends Kerri and her family drove from Jacksonville, FL, and joined us for dinner. Since the weather was still questionable and since Jen had more room in the cottage than we had in the RV, we decided to spend the evening at their place. All together, we had 6 adults and 9 children. The men huddled in the kitchen at one point to enjoy some cognac. I guess a house full of 9 children will do that to you. :-)

Actually, despite the large crowd, we all had a pleasant evening. The children got along wonderfully. The only crying we heard were from accidentsthat occurred while playing. Kendall fell and got quite a large goose egg on her forehead as a result. And, Rachel bumped her head and chin on the sofa before we left with her chin accident leaving a nice cut on her chin.

On Sunday, we were determined to make it to the beach as we had promised the girls we would go. And, the weather looked clear and sunny. But, the problem we had was that it was highly unlikely we could drive to Fernandina Beach, enjoy some time at the beach, and drive back before check out time. But, since the park was not busy, the park ranger at the visitor center told us we could leave the RV past our check out time and that they would not charge for it. We were extremely greatful for their generosity as we had a wonderful time at the beach and could not fit it all in otherwise. Plus, it had been quite a few years since Jen and her family had made it to a beach. I think that Mike, her husband, had the best time of all of us. The kids had a great time playing in the sand and looking for shells and crabs. I still like the gulf beaches a whole lot better but Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach are a great next best choice.

We made it back to the RV around 3 pm. We were home by 7 pm. We had a wonderful weekend and the only complaint we have is that it was too brief. I'd love to go back to that area and spend more time...maybe when it is a bit cooler and the mosquitoes aren't quite so numerous. One of these trips, I'd love to go to Cumberland Island.

Jen, Mike, Ellis & Cooper headed to Savannah for a brief stay before they make their way back to our home town to visit with us for a bit more before they fly back home to the U.K.

First Day of School

Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school. ~~ Albert Einstein

Rachel and Anna have been attending a private Christian school for the past several years. Today, they began their education with our local public school. I was worried that they might feel intimidated by the size of the school since their last school was much smaller. But, they had no problems with the transition that I could sense. Some times I think when children start school that the parents take it harder than the children do.

I plan to walk them to their classroom each day this week. I want to ensure that they feel comfortable with finding their way on their own before letting them go it alone. After walking each of them to their classroom, I joined the other parents of the kindergarten or 4-year pre-k students in the cafeteria for the "Boo-Hoo Party." The school provided cinnamon rolls and milk to the parents. They also provided a cloth handkerchief with the Panda (school mascot) stamped on it so that the parents had something to dry their tears. They also read us a story that they planned to read to the children today. The name of the book is The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. Amazon provided a good summary of the children's book:

Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is away. Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand, published by the Child Welfare League of America, is just the right book for any child taking that fledgling plunge into preschool--or for any youngster who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones.

We were sure to kiss their palms at bed time tonight. Rachel promptly placed her hand against her cheek after I kissed her palm so I know she listened to the story today in her classroom. Anna smiled when I kissed her palm as well.

Jeff and I had lunch with Rachel & Anna today. Jeff ate with Rachel and I ate with Anna. The school allows parents to eat lunch with their children any day they wish. I was glad we did this today as it was quite hectic as you can imagine with so many young children. We were able to ensure the girls navigated everything and had a good lunch. While standing in line with Anna, one of the boys in her class started crying. He was crying for his Mom. I felt so badly for the little guy. I was greatful our girls weren't dealing with the separation anxiety like he was. I think the pre-k program they attended previously not only prepared them for their education but also prepared them for separation from us and for handling the social skills needed in the classroom.

I also learned a few things by going to have lunch with Anna. First, we will continue to pack their lunch most days. Their school entrees revolve around pizza, chicken nuggets, nachos, etc. They may also pick vegetables and fruit but I can't think of many young children who will choose the healthier options with the junk food available. We did pre-pay for some meals and we don't mind if they eat their from time to time but we wouldn't want them eating that food daily. Another reason we'd prefer they bring their lunch is that they would waste their eating time while standing in line if they have to go through the cafeteria line each day. We'd rather they had that time to eat their meal in less of a hurry.

Overall, both girls appeared to have a great day at school. Only time will tell if their education is as good as what they received previously in the private school. We'll keep tabs on it and make adjustments if needed. But, for now, all appears to be going well.

The milestone today was bittersweet. It's one step closer to growing up for our daughters. As parents we are excited about seeing our children cross these milestones but at the same time we mourn how the time has gone by so quickly. The little ones were only infants a few short years ago. In a blink of an eye, we'll be experiencing driving, proms, and college years as well. It was a relief that both were excited about school so no tears were shed on their part. It would have been harder for me had they protested. I remember when Anna was an infant and she cried non-stop the first time I left her in the church nursery. She was around 9 months old. Jeff and I were worried about her and after 10 minutes had passed, I went to the nursery to check on her. Her face was red and stained with tears. And, the front of her shirt was soaked from her crying. The people in the nursery tried everything to console her but Anna wanted her Mommy and Daddy and noone else would suffice. After that, we didn't leave her in the nursery anymore for a long while as she just wasn't ready. But, today, there were no tears and no anxiety. I suspect we will experience the same on Tuesday when they begin gymnastics.

Last Weekend Before School Starts

On Friday, we visited Rachel and Anna's new school for the Parent-Teacher Night. They were able to see their teachers, visit their new classrooms, and enjoy some ice cream in the school cafeteria. Both girls are really excited to begin their new school year tomorrow.


On Saturday, we added a new member to our family. We stopped at Pet Smart on the way home and we adopted a kitten from the local shelter. We weren't shopping for another pet but this cat won our hearts. He is extremely friendly, loves the kids (huge plus!), and so far....hasn't scratched any furniture. He is already litter box trained as well. We named him Simba. He is approximately six months old and is already neutered. While he has been introduced to the ferrets, neither seemed very interested in the other. Simba pretty much avoided Meko and Molly and the ferrets watched the cat with great interest but overall seemed indifferent to this intruder on their turf.

While the good people of the world were worshipping at church on Sunday morning, we sinners drove out to a local parking lot to launch a rocket that Jeff bought yesterday. The girls enjoying taking turns launching the rocket and we had a great time.
On Sunday afternoon, we visited with some of our old neighbors from our prior neighborhood. Jim and Cathy moved into their home not too long before we sold our last house. We still stay in touch and they invited us over so the girls could practice swimming. Cathy used to teach swimming to children and she offered to help the girls. Earlier last week we visited with other friends who had pools and Rachel and Anna both began to go completely under water without complaining. This is a huge milestone as neither of them were willing to attempt this prior to this past week. They really stepped up their skills tonight with Cathy's assistance. Rachel does much better swimming on top of the water whereas Anna is the queen of the underwater swimming. Both are not able to swim without still being under a watchful eye but they have both come a long way this week and both can swim somewhat independently. Rachel used to cry if she got a spot of water on her face. Now, she is jumping off the side of the pool, going underwater, and swimming back to the side of the pool. Anna isn't as confident in herself just yet but she too was also jumping off the side of the pool and easily swimming under water for short distances. She actually goes deeper and holds her breath longer than Rachel. But, Anna doesn't know how to swim on top of the water well. Rachel was swimming across the pool before we left and she is very close to swimming without us standing over her at all times. I think with a bit more practice, they will both be swimming well by next summer. It will be a big relief for us knowing they have better skills in the water from a safety stand point. We ate dinner with Jim and Cathy before returning home and putting two very tired little girls to bed.


On Tuesday night this week, Rachel and Anna will both begin tumbling/gymnastics classes. They are very excited about this. We wanted to enroll them in an activity of some sort this Fall and when we visited a local gymnastics facility, both girls were excited about starting. It is a non-competitive program which we like since they are both just getting started. If they like it, if they are good at it, neither Jeff nor I would have concerns about enrolling them in a competitive program.


Our friends, Lisa & Mark, bequeathed their piano to us before Mark finished his move to Colorado to join Lisa (Thank You Mark & Lisa!). Rachel has been busy practicing on the piano and she has some musical talent. We may check into finding piano lessons for her as well.


As for me and Jeff....Jeff has been working at his new job for over a month now. I have now been at my job (actually in the office) only four days. It has been an adjustment for me in many respects and it will take some time to get used to the changes considering I worked for my former employer for nearly 10 years. But, overall, I think I'll enjoy the career change. It'll just take some time getting used to the new responsibilities, etc.