a·head [uh-hed] Show IPA
adverb
1.
in or to the front; in advance of; before: Walk ahead of us.
2.
in a forward direction; onward; forward: The line of cars moved ahead slowly.
3.
into or for the future: Plan ahead.
4.
so as to register a later time: to set the clock ahead.
5.
at or to a different time, either earlier or later: to push a deadline ahead one day from Tuesday to Monday; to push a deadline ahead one day from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Happy new year! No resolutions! No promises to keep up! Just reconnecting as part of my oneword.com theme for the year: ahead….ahead as in not behind…ahead as in looking forward …ahead!

At last post I had no idea that in three months my world would be forever altered. Shattered – no! Broken, affected, changed, altered! We are survivors. My TwoMuch is my sustaining force – the energy that pushes me ahead when everything else is too much!

Ever amazed at these two and what they do and accomplish and who they are, I am so thankful and so blessed to be the one who gets to do life with them and who gets to explore the world with them.

I am going to try to catch up a little but it will mostly be about – AHEAD!
Keep in touch and feel free to find your word and post it too!

For those of you who have inspired and encouraged, thank you!

John Scott had no doubt – he wanted to play football this year and he wanted to tackle. The season that just began is now done. We had the Oconee Bowl yesterday and had a great wrap up to a great season and we loved seeing Uncle Ref Toddy Mac! My favorite part of the season was that John Scott wanted Baby Little on his jersey! He’s always been content being my Baby Little! He was so excited about my finally getting on the jersey and the night before his debut as Baby Little he said he couldn’t wait til “Baby Little takes the field!” We have learned this year just how important it is to have coaches that care about the experience of the kids – and I don’t mean their playing experience. Coach Ty and Coach Derek were fabulous and we had some fun friends to share the time with. I’m a little excited about not being out there tomorrow night I have to admit, but am so thankful for the good season – and the cute pics! What’s not to like about a season that ends with a doughnut and a trophy. There has been talk of furthering his football career…..but he said he didn’t need to see the stadium when we were in Auburn a few weeks ago. He said he’d just see it when he plays there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the things that made going to a new grade level a little scary to me was not only did you not know your teacher, but you also didn’t know what the expectations would be except you knew that it was going to be much more than what you’d ever known before. At least that’s what the teachers seemed to want you to think!

In all my preparations for the new school year and talking to the boys about a new school I started cleaning out the containers where their weekly work is stored. I love seeing the progression from the first of the year to the end and looking at the growth. I really noticed a huge difference in their writing from the beginning of the year to the end and a difference also in their mathmatical abilities. I had two very favorite things: the first was a pamphlet made by the 2nd graders introducing the 1st graders to 2nd grade. The children’s interpretations of the expecations are priceless. My most favorite thing was a list called “What I’ll Miss Most About First Grade.” John Scott reported that he would most miss reading outside (I think that happened once!) I will miss the silly boys that are rapidly making more and more sense in their conversations with one another and who are talking about things like what they want to be and “when will I get my car?”

Here are a few first grade highlights including our class play and our big 7th birthday party trip to see Shrek at the Fox and some Angels highlights!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lets review the Summer – in reverse, of course. Most importantly (not really, but really!) the shutters and baseboards are now complete along with bonus touch up painting throughout the house, closets and drawers organized – almost ready to roll forward another big year! So, I can feel the end is near. It seems like Summer just started until I look back and see what all we’ve crammed in. I’m just so thankful to have had Summer!!! I have wasted (NOT) a lot of time and have enjoyed every minute. I have not snuggled up to read every time JS has asked me to and I intend to correct that in the next ten days!

30-A

 

 

 

 

GPI for the 4th

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, I haven’t quit. No, we haven’t not done anything worthy of posting – I’d say just the opposite. What a whirlwind 2011 is turning out to be. I should start my Christmas shopping I suppose since it will be here and over before I can barely blog again.

We are in the midst of a fun Summer (speaking of things that will be over soon!) I was so glad to HAVE a Summer after working through last Summer so we’ve not accomplished a whole lot other than dusting shutters and almost all the baseboards (at this point.) These little boys (another thing that will be over soon – me getting away with calling them little) are so ready for 2nd grade. They are learning every day and most recently have mastered the laundry along with the baseboard and shutter duties. Speaking of “Master”, they are both quite fascinated with having someone to wait on them so depending on the day one or the other is the master bossing the other around. Typically it has to do with making the other’s breakfast. As always they have lots of funny things to say. My favorite thing that either of them says lately is John Scott calling me his “Sweetie Girl” – did I mention anything about things not lasting long? I have a feeling that should be on the list!

I have been organizing my pictures. I have to say that my phone camera is somewhat detrimental to my pictures being organized because I’m horrible about downloading them from my phone. But stay tuned. I WILL have those five months of photos loaded soon – just the highlights, I promise!

Happy 4th of July week to you all!

I get excited when they talk of flurries on the weather report. Prior to 2009 I could count all of the snow events of my life on one hand! Mostly I get excited and don’t want to jinx it, but I want to be prepared and I get ready and nothing happens. Certainly any time there has been a weather event that would effect school I have not wanted to jinx….so, we go to bed prepared for life to go on as normal. I felt a little different when our blizzard forecast began……and for the ten days it was predicted. By Friday night it seemed safe – for the first time in my life – to own a sled or three. I didn’t think that by purchasing a sled I would ruin our chances and I even went to the grocery store and cooked ahead. I feared we would lose power and I wanted to be ready! Ready we were……and we were still surprised. I was surprised at how fast the snow fell…..and for how long it fell…..for how many days we were captured….and for how long this snow and ice has remained. I may have been more surprised by how much we all enjoyed our snow break. It’s rare to have such a confined time where there are no expectations or rules or pressures. Divine interruption! We played, we read, we played, we ate……rinse, repeat. I have to say I am tired of the ice/snow/grayness of it all – but, would do it all over again. One of my favorite things was feeding and watching the birds. They offer such a lesson on how our God takes care of our every need. They simply show up and let him. I hope that if you’ve been snowed in also that you’ve enjoyed your bonus time with your family. It reminded me a lot of “found money.” If you haven’t had that time lately I hope that God provides some sweet time for you to slow down and rest and be still…..and enjoy!

This was the first white Christmas for all of us. What a great morning – even though Santa had us a little scared at first. It was a relaxing day all at home and enjoying new games and toys and enjoying the grandparents joining us.

I always think of Mary on this day – as in Jesus’ mother – and on how she “pondered all this in her heart!” and I try to take note of that and make an effort to do that myself. As mothers we rush through and check off lists and try to make sure that we’re making it all just perfect and I think one of the most important things to do is to savor these precious moments.

We had a few precious moments – John Scott reading the Christmas story, John Scott attempting to video and catch Santa to see if he’s real – Jacob talking JS out of catching because he was scared of it looking like he didn’t believe and not wanting to risk not getting! 

I became very impatient with the day because I couldn’t wait for the snow to arrive. It was an unexpected blessing to have a second Christmas-like day where we stayed home and played and just enjoyed the day. We don’t get enough of these days….I think Mary knew that even back then in simpler times too. I hope that you have had lots of sweet moments with your families!