Are those jingle bells?

Nope, not just yet.  But this last week I have started thinking it is time to start getting Christmas in line.  Have already figured out what we are doing for the boys' cousin and started working on things for the boys.  Anyone have any suggestions?  This is what I have come up with so far I am looking at for them.

Lots of building type stuff as they are really into creating and building these days.  I am sure there will be some super hero and Cars things mixed in there as well.  For now trying to come up with ideas and start ordering when I find a good deal.  Hate waiting until the last minute and then trying to figure out what in the world to do!  Loving being able to use my Amazon Wish List to keep track of all of the items I want to get eventually too!

And I would seriously LOVE to get one of these for us to use both inside and out.  Would love to be able to pop the top on and just leave whatever we have been using in it for the next day.

This has been one tough week.  Although come to think of it not nearly as bad as a few weeks ago so in a strange sort of  way I am very thankful.  The boys are just so out of sorts and CRANKY these days.  Which means I am out of sorts and cranky these days.  I just feel at my witts end half the time and so ready for the routine of school to begin. But that thought also scares me when I think of how it is going to turn our lives upside down for a while. 

My big fear right now is that Cameron is going to have the same reaction he did a year ago when we moved here and started a new school.  We met his new teachers the other day and I have to admit I have this sinking feeling.  Praying I am so wrong about this but I wasn't impressed.  And then after while we were eating lunch he said he didn't like his new class.  My heart sank.  Thankfully I noticed one of his buddies from his old class was listed on the calendar so told him his friend was going to be in the class as well.  So far that is all he has talked about.  No other excitement and I can see from his face and actions he is really unsure.  Oh man I pray this isn't a repeat of what happened last year!

Let's try this again, K?

Okay, so I won't go on and on about how I have only posted 13 posts for the entire year.  Nope, won't do it.  But I do have to say I am shocked!  So let's see what I can do about that now.

So, so many things I want to say.  I think about posts all the time and the words flow in my head.  When I sit down to get online they all vanish.  So for now I am going to just go with what is on my mind today...

School.  Cameron starts school next week and Noah starts at the end of that week.  I will admit the last few weeks have been tough on the boys...and me!  They get out of their routine and by the time school is about to start they are really out of whack.  We are ALL ready for school to start and be back once again in the crazy routine of school.  This year Cameron will be going in the morning and Noah in the afternoon so I will have some good one-on-one time with each several days a week.

One of the things I am determined to do with each of them is kind of do a homeschool kind of thing.  They require a lot of kindergardeners these days and the preschools they are going to I don't know will teach everything they need to know.  Plus I think this will be a good way of getting them used to kind of "going to school" all day. 

I have been searching and searching and think I have finally come up with a good starting point for us.  Over at Confessions of a Honeschooler she has this amazing curriculum she has put together called K4 Curriculum.  My original plan was to kick it off with the start of their classes next week but after printing things out and reviewing several things I am going to start tomorrow with a few activities I know the boys will love.  So excited!

The other thing I am starting to focus on again now that a new school year is upon us is the house.  This last year has been tough since the move.  Just can't figure out where to put anything and so it has all kind of just been moved from place to place to place.  So that has been exhausting to say the least.  So little by little I am working on one thing at a time instead of letting it all overwhelm me.  And of course I gave myself some incentive to get things done by hosting things here at my house for some moms I know.  Always gets me motivated!  So I figure if I keep it up I may have this place ready by the time we decide to move again!

Oh, I also dusted off the good old sewing machine and made a weighted blanket recently.  So will have to post soon about that.  Need to take some pictures of it and find the original site I found the instructions.  Made it super easy and my little guy seems to be very happy with it.