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this little girl is also loving wearing her backpack these days. She asks for her backpack....walks right into school and hangs it up (she's never walked into school before--she's always asked to be carried). She's a such a big girl now!

thirty five.

Saw this post today. Where will I be five years from now? Well, let's look at where I was five years ago. I was just weeks away from delivering Breanna, I had one bright active little two year old boy at home already and was about to add a little girl to the mix. I couldn't be happier, I was on my way to my perfect life (or so I thought).

Anyway, the thought of being thirty-five is hitting me a little hard these days. It's getting to that "advanced maternal age" where you are done with babies and moving on to the next phase of life that scares me. I am happy, I have had the chance to have three babies, and I know how lucky I am with that. In any case, I just don't like being declared"old". Five years from now, I'll be close to my fourtieth bithday, and honestly every year is a celebration in this uncertian life, isn't it? Five years from now I know for a fact that I will still be appreciating every day and all the gifts I have been given in this life, I know for a fact that my life will not be prefect.

Today, I ran. I ran, I cried and I ran some more. I cried about the fact that Breanna should be in Kindergarten right now, that she should not be wearing a diaper, that she should be able to dress herself. I cried for the fact that that she should be able to describle the color of the sky or tell me what her favorite thing about school is. I cried about the fact that I should be doing housework, laundry, or my hobbies instead of calling and e-mailing therapists, doctors and others for advice. I cried becuase it is not fair that I have to worry so much. Or maybe I just cried because it was a bad morning with the kids. I ran until it felt like 10 miles (not really) and then felt better. I came home, took a shower with my new shampoo and put on some new makeup and felt even better. I slapped thirty-five right in the face today. Thank god for running (and new shampoo and make-up).

P.S. Josh is home today (only to leave again Thursday and Friday) and found out the MOST exciting news. It's not official yet, but he is most likely going to be running the Boston Marathon for the Massachussets Down syndrome Congress in April. He has to raise $3,500 and train to run 26.2 miles, but he is on cloud nine with excitement (and I couldn't be happier for him!)

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"Mommy, I'm all ready for the bus!" (Someday baby, someday---don't rush it)....

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At the end of the day, when I'm cleaning up, long after the bath, the hundreth book, hug, kiss, game, homework, tuck in and and special time, I'm sweeping and thinking to myself, there is no place in the world I would rather be.....really.

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Today.....a morning at church, got locked out of the house, and then a relaxing afternoon with friends....... a delicious homemade pizza dinner and a kid disco dance party. I'm kind of sad that we had to forgo the buddy walk for the first time, me, alone with three kids in the pouring rain just didn't sound like a good time. Hopefully we'll make it again next year.

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Took the kids to a high school Marching Band competition tonight with Helen, Phil and Gammie and Grampa. Boy did that bring back some OLD (but good) memories. The kids loved the music and clapped after every song.....

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Making some Zucchini bread.

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This kid....learning how to drive the lawn mower (a little bit). Seriously, how did you get to be so big!

Look what I won!

go here:)......

Breanna is going to look so adorable in this:)

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Your second grade routines:

wake up 7 am, get Lucas out of his crib and come into our room watch a 30 minute Clifford the big Red dog episode

7:30 downstairs for breakfast, your lunch and red folder are packed in your bag

8:10 AM your alarm goes off on your watch, you go upstairs and get dressed and brush your teeth, put on sunscren and sneakers

8:30 AM leave for the bus.

9-3PM at school

3:25 PM get off the bus and walk home

3:40-4:00 sacktime

4-5:30 play outside or afterschool activity like swimming lessons

5:30 ish dinnertime and doing chores (dishes/helping clean up)

6-7:30 homework, drawing or silent reading time

7:30-8:00 read books with Mom or Dad and Lucas and get ready for bed

8:00 relaxing time with your Starbright book and Mom--lights out!

Trevor, the absolute kindness and wonder of you, it just takes my breath away. I'm so lucky to be your mom:)

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We're loving our new swimming lessons....and as I was told by my favorite second grader, fall arrived at 5PM today!

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Beef stew in the crockpot and fresh bread baking in the bread machine, the wonderful smells are just filling the house this afternoon.....welcome fall!

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Amazing....Josh got to be the number 1 for the trail to Ale 10K his year...and I got a scrapbooking afternoon for taking all the kids to church this morning:)

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Started Track and field today and a beautful day it was!

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we're doing really well at our new am and pm routines (especially thanks to Trevor's alarm watch!)

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A REALLY good day=

good talks with some other really good moms and a playdate in the am

a really good 2 year old lunch and nap

some quiet time in the afternoon to myself

seeing T get off the bus all smiles after school

Good snacks and a nice family walk with the dog (who cleaned HERSELF off in the water after getting all muddy)

a pizza dinner out where the kids ate everything (even the salad)

a special ice cream dessert treat (Coldstone!)

playing football outside until dark, doing homework and calling a night (early)

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Today...brought the beginning of some cooler weather around here. After school and work we took to the woods for a little treasure hunt:)

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First day of little kicks soccer and I must say you did fantastic kicking that ball! (what a difference the third child makes--no crying, so clinging, you followed directions, it was amazing!) You loved it:)

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2.5 years.

You......

are playing soccer on a team (and are doing great at it!)

are potty training

love to give high fives

make us laugh (and make us cry)

can't wait to go to preschool

eat everything except bananas (even broccolli and fish)

sleep 3 hours in the afternoon and 11-12 hours at night

your favorite food is oranges

your favorite color is blue

love to bring my a pile of your favorite books every morning in bed

LOVE books

love dipping food in sauce, dressing or peanut butter

your favorite books are your "truck books"

you love vanilla milk (so do I!)

are not a breakfast person

beg for snacks all day long

run around in your underwear or no pants

love playing outside on the "playground"

your favorite TV shows are "Gee and football"

give the best hugs and kisses

My favorite things that you say:

I don't know, I don't know

Ahhhh, Much better

MMMMM....Tastes kinda pretty good

Dad, you put my steam roller up there, you need to say sorry....

I LOVE this thing...

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The Story of today.....

We started off on a really ambitious family walk to get everyone some fesh air and exercise. The moment started off really great, like this (what a moment...)

and quickly went to this......

and this.... (which resulted in Josh walking 3/4 of a mile back to the car to get a stroller in addition to the backpack we already had with us.)

and then finally we were home to some nice cool showers, a nap, a big chicken dinner and some football.

And thus, football season in our household begins.....

The End.