frogs and force fields

I just took the kids on a short trip to South Carolina as one of my cousins was married (yay Erica and Matt!!!). Great time with my parents and extended family. :) I'm trying to post a video of Drew breaking it down to some jazz. Very funny as the dancing DOES NOT reflect the type of music, but very Drew-esque nonetheless!

As I was leaving my parents to make the 2 hour trip home last night, the boys and I discovered many a small tree frog in the car. Many, ahem, "guests" travel with us from my parents. Often they are wolf spiders (gross) and now these little frogs.  I felt one jump on my foot early on in the trip and shaking my leg soon entailed. :)

So night falls, Drew sleeps. I soon found this frog jumping on my dashboard. I pulled off the road, turned on the lights and tried to trap the frog to release it. I would rather deal with a frog over those wolf spiders (again, gross) but I think I was rather squeamish for Aiden.  Here's his advice:

"Mom. You just need to pray. Pray that God will give you a force field against the frog. Just say some words like,

 'Dear Jesus. Please give me a force field around me so that the frog can not jump on me.'

That's it mom. Just pray those words."

I am trying to stifle a laugh about my kid who combines Star Wars with theology. :) Awesome.

School Rules

School has started with plenty of rules. :) Aiden came home on Friday with his folder of work completed from the week. I was a bit taken back at this following picture, asked him about it, and then died laughing. 

Apparently the students and the teacher discussed what rules they should have for the class. (I'm used to this method, being a teacher myself, which the teacher eventually simplifies all suggestions to the basic 5 or so.)

Aiden's rule: "No Punching in the wewe."

Otherwise known as "Keep your hands and objects to yourself." 

Classic.

June

AND.... we've moved.  Yes, again.  This move has been to Port St. Lucie to be closer to our church (THE rockin' Calvary Chapel  of PSL) which gives us a shorter commute and more room!  Yea for more room. 

The house is great, and we are definitely loving the space: about 3 times the size of our townhouse plus a backyard to boot! The boys are enjoying the summer and also the house... have I mentioned the yard? Haha. Fun for all.  

I love the grass too and the mowing. Seriously. One of our praise band members owns a lawn mowing company and offered to come by whenever to help out. Very sweet, but I had to let him know that it has been at least 6 years since I mowed my own lawn! I actually joked with him about applying for a position with his company. The smell, the finished product... how can you not love it? :)

Now we just have to finish a couple of things like painting the baby's room and organizing Dave's office. Dave, who usually does a knock-up job at picking paints colors, completely bombed when he chose some random peachy skin color. Uh... no. Back to square one and whenever we have free time next. Maybe in August. 

The baby: doing well and kickin'. Well, not kicking as much as the boys did, leading Dave to believe it's a girl.  Who knows but God? So I don't want to lean one way or the other until we have that ultrasound... which might be at week 40. I really does feel like the doctors are having some communication issues. 

My doctor put a script in for an ultrasound 3 WEEKS AGO. I have called back and told them that I have not received a call from the specialist yet, and then they fax the script again. 3 times. So I head off to the ob/gyn for another visit on Tuesday. Maybe they can get it right. 

Besides that, we wait. We're also praying for an opportunity to get the rest of our stuff from Cleveland. I'm trying to be patient but it has been about 2 years!!! It's really the baby stuff and maternity clothes that are killing me.  I'm not really fond of throwing more money out the window when I have perfectly good stuff sitting in storage. Currently, I have only 2 pants of maternity clothes that fit me, and then I'm using this stretchy band over my regular clothes to hold me over until I can get my good stuff. Argh. I just don't want to spend money on new maternity clothes. I'd rather buy me a new pair of shoes!

Talking of the baby, I am at week 17 (18 on Tuesday). The wait continues!

Packing... again

Well, after 1 1/2 years we are moving again.  This time it's only 45 minutes north to Port St. Lucie and a much easier move than previous ones as it can be done in stages over a week or so.  Dave is spearheading this one up as much as possible since I'm still teaching.  Plus, I did most of the packing to Cleveland and then 6 months later to New Orleans.  For some reason, I don't feel so bad!  

So we started the process today.  Dave took apart the beds and moved the frames downstairs along with other larger pieces of furniture. I was washing loads of laundry and doing other household chores.  I was a little frustrated when a realtor showed up unexpectedly with a couple that I relatively know.  AUGH.  I DO NOT like it when  people come to my house and it is not in top shape.  (Which woman does? I would like to smack some sense in her...) 

At least in 1 week I'll be in a house with about 3 times the amount of space we have now. Gotta keep on truckin'.

****Which I must throw this in:  I thought we had saved all of our boxes from our New Orleans move. Apparently, Dave was kind enough to give them to some poor soul who needed them AHEM, and now we are back at square one.  Can you tell he is the giver between the two of us? And now we're looking for boxes..... again.******

Kindergarten Graduation

Aiden graduated this Friday from Kindergarten.  We had a great time watching both the kindergarten classes and the preschool perform their end-of-the-year programs.  So cute. 

The funniest part of the day was Aiden's speaking part.  Each student came to the microphone to announce what they wanted to be when they grew up.  Aiden told us that morning that this was going to happen and when I asked him what he was going to say, he told me that it was a surprise. 

And it was.  So different from what he has mentioned before.

So this sweet boy stepped to the mic, turned to look at Dave across the auditorium and said,

"Hello everyone. My name is Aiden Carroll and when I grow up I want to be a baseball player for the Red Sox. Third Base. Thank you."

We died laughing. 

Dave has been a Yankees fan since Miami didn't have a professional team when he was young.  While we watch different games on t.v., Aiden has apparently announced to Dave that he doesn't root for the Yankees, but instead the Red Sox. 

Go figure. 

Anyways, Dave's mom came up and attended the event with us. :) 

Grammy getting a kiss from Aiden.

Drew and his buddy from school. 

Drew and Mommy. 

Parental units with the graduate. Don't ask why we're all hunched over.  I think Dave initiated that one. 

Aiden on stage. He's the last one at the top. 

Aiden at the first part of the program during the song part.  I would have posted pictures of Drew but you would have asked where he was.  Good question. We couldn't see him either because of some huge horse of a kid in front of him.  Oh, well. 
 

fire alarm

I know it's been awhile since I've posted and part of that has been intentional as school is closing quickly. Plus, naps are in the agenda too! I really haven't had nausea or vomiting with this pregnancy but I've been extremely tired and had frequent headaches.

So today was quite eventful at school. Our school hosts an Art Festival each year as students from the county's private schools have pieces on display. I took my English classes down, at the request of the Art teacher, so that the students can see some of the displays.

It's such a wonderful festival and very organized too. There aremany activities: a professional sidewalk-chalk artist, upper ele. students performing folk dances, popsicles, and fun for all.

In the midst of all the organized chaos, we hear a distant bell of the fire alarm. That's strange. Usually fire alarms are announced ahead of time to the teachers for preparation.

I lead my class out to the field and we stand there for the 10 minutes.... extra distractions since the festival is going on and all fun had to stop momentarily.

Walking back to my class after the drill is released, I talked to an office worker who said it was probably a preschool student who pulled the alarm.

Um.... I have a preschooler....

5 minutes later, the president of the school came by and confirmed THAT IT WAS INDEED DREW who pulled the alarm!!!! She said it was so funny to see him on the video, testing out the handle, pulling it, and then trying to get it to stop.

Here's the cool thing though: when asked if he did it, he confessed that it was he. Now, I know that It's not a good thing to go around pulling alarms, AND he is a 4 year old, inquisitive boy. But I am so proud that he told the truth and did not lie. We've been working on that at home, making sure that he confesses when he does something wrong.

So here's to the truth-telling rebel..... love you babe.

Plus baby makes 5....

We're expecting! :) Totally excited and looking forward to adding a new little one to the family. It's been awhile since we're had a baby in the family as Aiden is almost 6 and Drew is almost 5.

Date? We're not positive but sometime in November-ish.  I still need to head to the doctor and confirm the date. 

PLUS: my twin sister Heather is also pregnant, due in September.  I am looking forward to traveling to see the birth of another beautiful niece/nephew. It'll be exciting to have a cousin close to this baby's age.  My boys are a bit older than the next cousin in line and are the only grandkids on the other side of the family. 

Praise the Lord for a WONDERFUL blessing.  Dave and I are praying His promises over this little one that God may use him/her for His glory!