"Momma, where's my elf???"

This is what Trace asks me today as he's walking around the house nearly crying searching everywhere for "his" Elf. Yes, his Elf on the Shelf that didn't get the message that it was time to come to our house and start watching him to report back to Santa. Isn't there some parent or elf code that we all should know about so my child doesn't cry and think he's been forgotten?

If you don't know what I am talking about, you must not have an Elf on the Shelf...I recommend you go to any Target and find one...or better yet, if you do have one, go to any Target, and try to explain to your child why there are boxes and boxes of them at a STORE.

Hmmm...well, I sure hope that Trace's Elf makes it to our house tomorrow...code for...JP get up and go hide that darn thing...AND make it cute, because Trace's cousin's elf was in the fridge and made her milk turn green...oh my...'tis the freakin' season!

The story of my life

I have laughed so hard I've cried watching this video. It is truly the story of my life with these two. Supposedly, Peggy has video of JP doing this exact type of thing to his brother and sister. A chip off the old block I guess. You've got to love Elizabeth's piercing attempt at getting him to stop...hope you enjoy (and can feel my pain) as much as we did...AND yes, she gets him good after I stopped filming (just in case you were wondering).

Not to be forgotten

Elizabeth Yvonne Jansen, my baby girl. She has been very patient as we (yes, mostly me) has focused all our attention on Trace and his big start. Well, today was her day and she started back at Mother's Morning Out. This year she is in the Turtles class and gets to eat lunch in the lunchroom which is fun. We went to her open house last week and breezed through drop off today. She was so ready to get back to school and was excited to tell me that she got to go to the playground, "Two times!"

So, here is to my other baby...and if you can't tell from the pictures, JP and I think we are going to have our hands full with this one!

...Enjoying open house in her new Turtles class...

 ...First day pose...

...In front of her cubbie with a little 3 1/2 year old attitude...

On today's menu...

Update on today's "big deal"...Trace loved buying his lunch at school. When I asked him what he got, here is the very enthusiastic response I got, "Momma, I picked homestyle chicken, corn kernels and two vegetables, celery and carrots, hmmm, oh, and chocolate milk!" I couldn't help but laugh, because who knew that you could make chicken nuggets and corn sound so fancy. I have been telling him what is on the lunch menu the next day and he is already looking forward to the cheese pizza tomorrow.

JP and I can remember our school lunch favorites, can you? JP liked pretty much all of it, but loved hamburger and chicken fried steak day. Mine on the other hand was the middle school burritos...mmm...sadly, I can actually still remember them just a bit.

The only other thing I don't want to forget years from now was Momsie (JP's mom) picked him up from school today. He really wanted to ride the bus, but we said we'd try the car line once. Well, the bus riders get to go first and Momsie was in line for almost 40 minutes. She said the first thing Trace said when he got in the car was, "I don't like riding, I want the bus. I had to wait forever!" He told me I made a bad choice with the car line, so I guess we're going to be full time bus riders.

"It was Awesome!"

Those were Trace's words when he got off the bus today. First day of kindergarten was an absolute success. I cried off and on for a while, but I don't think I was the only one. His favorite thing was riding the bus home. Tomorrow's "big deal" is buying his own lunch, so we'll see how that goes.

Here are pictures from his first day... I could just eat him up! I can't believe that God blessed me with this precious baby boy!

 Lookin' cool...

...a little sister support...

 ...that is one big school...Negley Elementary School...

...Mrs. Secrest's kinder"garden" classroom...

...he made home and was still smiling...momma's prayers were answered...

Two days and counting

My baby starts school in two days. We are all counting down the days. Trace is very excited and I just keep tearing up when I think of him being so big. Of course, I know we'll all survive, but I am known for not transitioning well, so here's to all the other mothers who are not dealing well with their babies going off to kindergarten. Surely, I am not the only one.

Trace did ask me if I was going to miss him when he is at school. I said yes, and that I might even cry a little bit. He just told me to look at his seat in my car with the stickers to think of him. I mean, come on! He is my baby and I am just a mess. He is so thoughtful and has such a good heart that I think he might actually be a little worried about me.

Thank God for family and friends who are loving me and allowing me to ramble endlessly about this whole thing. I am sure they'll be glad once it starts too...

Momma didn't die

Those were the words JP had my mom (Nanny) tell Trace on our way home from the eye doctor's office yesterday. I had LASIK and the day before the surgery I told Trace and Elizabeth that I was having eye surgery. Trace said, "Momma, just don't die." So, we said some prayers and the whole thing went great. I was a little apprehensive about it, but the valium they gave me helped, and I was a rockstar as far as I'm concerned.

On the way home, JP called Nanny and told her that everything went great. He told my mom to tell Trace that, "Momma didn't die." JP said he could hear mom tell Trace and then heard a loud, "Whhhewww!" from Trace. JP and I laughed so hard. I guess Trace was a little worried and so relieved that I dodged the bullet.

So, here's to the fact that I'm still alive and can see without glasses or contacts!