Book Club II

Tot Soccer

Today was a big day for Owen.  It was his first day of Kick and Play Soccer, and his first ever in the history of his almost 18 month world, that he got to have a class of his very own.  Scott and I did mommy and me classes up the wahzoo, but sadly Owen has had to wait on the side lines.  Until now.

He was a little shy at first, but once he realized he got to play this time he was so pumped!

We did some stretching and singing and jumping and kicking and scoring goals.

After watching Scott's summer soccer for 8 weeks he was an old pro!

It was so special to do something just me and Owen!

There was even an obstacle course at the end of class, which was the highlight for Owen, when it was time to go he laid down in the tunnel and tried to hide (perhaps not realizing one side was see through)

Bonus:  Clark's (from soccer and Scott's good buddy) little brother is in our class too, so it was much needed time for the little ones and great to hang out with my friend too.  Its so funny how new friends come to us, but I am so thankful for this family that we have met!  Oh and we planned for the boys to be in this class together, in case you thought it was a big coincidence.

Presenting, for the first {or maybe second} time...

Their Royal Highnesses:  King Scott and Queen Delilah

Today was drop off day for Scott at school (I work one day and drop off the other).  And this picture was texted to me by Delilah's mom right before pick up (and posted on here with her permission).  She said they had been playing wedding for the last hour, and a royal wedding no less.   It looks like Scott isn't too happy about this in the picture, but I was informed later than he is not a grouchy husband but that he was just "cold in the shade" (its at least 85 degrees out...come on kid).  Delilah and Scott were in the same class last year and I'm quite sure that Delilah told Scott they were married last year as well.    He was less interested in playing along last year, but it looks like he enjoyed himself this year.

Today proved to be a much easier preschool day, at least for me.  We were up on time and I even had time to make fresh chocolate chip muffins for breakfast.  So glamorous right?!  Scott couldn't wait to get to school and dropping him off was a breeze.  The hardest part was convincing Owen to leave, he was just devastated he couldn't stay and play with his brother and all the amazing toys.  Good thing we were headed to a class for Owen (post coming soon).

At pick up Scott and Delilah had found their way to the river in the sandbox (we have a rad school ya'll!) and were about half soaked.  While I chatted with Delilah's mom they proceeded to get all the way soaked and Owen joined in on the fun.  Scott had already changed into dry clothes once after playing in the river earlier so both of my kids rode home naked!  I'd call that a successful preschool day!

Book Club

These two take turns reading to each other.  It is so sweet.  Scott will give Owen the play by play of the book as he remembers it and Owen will just jabber.  My favorite is when Owen will ask Scott about different things on each page.  "Dis?"  "Dis?"  and Scott will answer him like such a little teacher.  "Dog, Owen, Dog."  or "That's the bear Owen, BEAR." 

Back to School {in real life}

Today was our first day of school.  We have been getting excited about this day for weeks now, most of our friends have gone back already so its given us plenty of opportunities to talk about the impending school year.  I have enjoyed watching my friends' kids go back to school, mostly via the internet (enter facebook, instagram and of course all of your lovely blogs).  And I'm loving seeing how everyone makes it special for their kids.  Fun first day traditions, photos etc.

In my mind I had some big plan for a fun first day send off.  Maybe a pancake breakfast, a starbucks stop on our way, something out of the ordinary?  But then last night at 8:00 rolled around and I had done zero prep.  What I did do was run to the CVS photo lab nearby and print pictures for Scott's name tag and cubbie that were due a week ago.  I'm that mom.  Then we had a rough night of waking up, bad dreams and bet wetting, so lets just say we were less than refreshed when we woke up for school.  

We were meeting Mimi and Papa (who was released from rehab yesterday and is finally home for good, HURRAY!) at Parker J.'s house so they could take Owen for the morning.  Thankfully we were headed there, because I basically had nothing in the house for breakfast.  Mom of the year.  Auntie to the rescue with waffles and jam for the boys when we got there.  We made it out the door, but not without a trip and fall on the stairs and a shiner for Owen and lots of tears from all 3 of us. We made it to Auntie and Parker's (on time, miracle!) rushed through breakfast, quickly traded kids and cars and Scott and I were off to the first day.  Phew.

Scott was excited to get to school but our conversation on the way had me worried about what the morning had in store for us.  He has not grasped that Ms. Dana (his teacher from last year) will not be his teacher this year.  Nor will his friend Gavin be in our class.  He wanted to bring his new toy in with him, but knowing that would probably cause problems I dissuaded him from that.  And he really really wanted Owen to come with us.  Last year, on the days I worked in Scott's class, Owen was able to come with us.  This year he is too big and mobile for that and not quite old enough for the 2 year old class.  I tried explaining that Owen wouldn't be able to come to school until next year and then he would be in Ms. Dana's class, but that just left Scott distraught that they couldn't be in same class.  Sweet brother loves!

So it wasn't quite the magical morning I had in mind.  But we made it and it was a good day.  What more can you ask for right?!

 And I even got a first day picture (although he's not even wearing shoes yet)

I also have to mention that when we got to Mimi and Papa's to pick up Owen that the two of them gave each other the best hug I've ever seen in my life.  Unprompted.  Heart = melted.

Happy first day of preschool Scotty P.  You did great and we are so proud of you!

Wishing you and yours a great school year too!!!

Dining with the Campbell Boys

I'm writing this post for two reasons: 1) to get a little feedback and find out if my toddlers eat like normal toddlers 2) to have a record to look back on to remind myself that they do, in fact, eat, a lot, and they won't starve to death on the days/weeks that will eat nothing but oatmeal and crackers.  I give you a typical meal day for the Campbell boys over the last few weeks:

Breakfast, 7:00 am ish:  One package of applegate farms chicken breakfast sausage, that would be 5 for each of them.  

1.5 - 2 scrambled eggs each (we usually make 8-10 for all 4 of us so my guess is that they usually eat about 2 each, give or take)

Yogurt

One piece of toast for each of them

**One day we only had half a package of  sausages and we were out of eggs so they had all of the above plus oatmeal (2 servings for Scott, 1 for Owen)

*Frequently one or both of them will also drink1/3-1/2 of both my and/or Brian's breakfast smoothies

Second Breakfast, 8:45-9:00am:  Usually eaten on our way to whatever we are off to do for the day.  Usually consists of another piece of toast (no jelly, cinnamon or plain, I try to keep the boysenberry jelly off the car seats the best I can).  Sometimes its Joe's Os or Gorilla Munch cereal dry in a cup.  Or whatever I have handy because God forbid we leave the house without a snack in hand.

10:30am:  Post cardio barre lollipop.  The lovely ladies at cardio barre give the kids a lollipop after class everyday.  I'm totally fine with this, even as early as 9:30 in the morning, because they are the good, trader joe's kind, no corn syrup, no dyes.  And for the record, I do not count this lollipop toward the boys' "treat total" for the day.  Many days the boys get another lollipop after lunch, and if I'm being totally honest, lots of days we go straight from working out to my office where they usually receive another lollipop, mere moments after finishing their first. Mother of the freakin' year ya'll.

Snack, sometime between the lollipop(s) and lunch:  Applesauce, crackers, grapes.  Usually all three.  Sometimes apple slices too.

Lunch: 11:30-12:30 ish:  Grilled cheese (its been our go to lately).  Usually a whole one for each of them.  More grapes (they can easily go through about a pound of grapes in a day) and apple slices.  Some times a post lunch treat (annie's chocolate and vanilla bunny grahams have made an appearance in our house this week).  

Afternoon snack part I:  Only Scott, usually happens during his quiet time while Owen naps.  Almost always more apple slices.  Sometimes oatmeal as well.

Afternoon snack part II:  When Owen wakes up he is usually ready for a snack.  And if Owen is going to have a snack then bet your booty Scott wants one too.  The last few days they have been asking for meatballs.  We get the chicken and sun dried tomato ones from TJs (the boys are CRAZY about them) and they will have between 3 and 5 each at snack time.  Also {goat} cheese slices.

Dinner, 6:00pm ish:  Dinner choices vary greatly and its usually the meal the boys are the worst at eating.  Might have something to do with the 5 meat balls they both ate a 3:00?!!?!  So let's just give you last night as an example.  Thursday evening I work until between 6 and 7 so its almost always pasta or pizza night for the daddy and the boys.  Last night I came home and they had both eaten a full helping of pasta.  When I got home and started in on the left overs they decided they both needed a second helping.  So pasta number two happened between 7 and 7:30.  And since I didn't need to carb up on pasta and I didn't want to eat the boys' food in case they wanted it all (they did!), I made a green smoothie.  They helped themselves to that as well and polished off about 3/4s of it.  At that point I didn't care too much because they hadn't had nearly enough vegetables that day so at least I could send them to bed full of spinach.  I feel that I need to inform you/CPS that almost every dinner includes two vegetable choices so that Scott can choose between them for what kind he wants, this has been our only solution to vegetable eating.  If I only make one, even its his favorite (broccoli or carrots) he refuses, but if he gets to choose he will usually do a decent job.  But Thursdays all bets are off.  It is what it is.

So there goes my grocery budget.  But I can't complain.  I love it when they are good eaters, especially when vegetables are involved.  And I am thankful that we have the means to feed our children healthy food and I can be discerning with what comes into our house and on our table (some call it being a food snob, but I'm thankful none-the-less).

Evening at Zuma

We celebrated the unofficial end of summer by hitting the beach late on Monday afternoon.  We also used it as a much needed escape from this heat, that is still raging I will have you know.  Dear summer, bow out!

Scott was excited to bust out his boogie board again, although he refuses to ride it on his belly, he just stands on it (pictured above) and waits for waves to come and lift him up this way.

Grandpa was still in town so he was able to join us.

 We went late enough in the day that we assumed everyone would be heading home.  Well they were, but it was still crazy crowded and parking was tough too.  We left to drive home around 6 and still sat in bumper to bumper traffic through the canyon.  Lucky mom got to sit between the boys in the back seat and answer unending questions about Optimus Prime, of whom I know less than nothing about.  Scott has recently been introduced to the Rescue Bots by his friend Gavin, so its non stop Rescue Bots talk and questions in our house right now.  And incase you don't know they are the same thing as Transformers.  Please don't ask why they aren't called transformers anymore.  I don't know.  I don't know anything about anything when it comes to boy toys these days it seems.  Helpful hints and cheat sheets welcome for all things superhero, transformers, sports rules....or anything else you feel is applicable, or might be in the future.