12pints of salsa, a squashed finger and a pirate

We have been super busy with all of school underway, field trips planned already, and tons of paperwork still coming home. Tara has had 2 major melt downs with the amount of homework and class work that is required in 2nd grade. She's asked me several times if she can go back to 1st. I know it's hard, but she'll get used to it. We canned 12 pints of salsa with all our garden tomatoes. We found out the reason our corn is so hard, is it's feed corn...or corn you grind into meal. That's why it was the only kind left. Our beans are starting themselves over again, after Gene tilled up the old plants, the beans began new sprouts. So, we'll have a second shot at that.
Jacob had an incident this week. He was riding under the cart (it had alot of space under it, not like Walmart karts), anyway, going out the door, the kart became hard to push and then there was a scream. His finger got stuck between the wheel and the bottom of the kart. Luckily I had just bought frozen peas, so we packed his hand up and drove home. He lost skin on the soft side and bruised his whole nail on the other. Unfortunately, it was the same finger he burned a couple years ago, the 3rd degree burn. I think he will not have a finger print on that one any more.
Tara got to dress up like a pirate and do the morning news this morning. She and her friend Hannah told all about the PTA membership drive. (so I didn't have to). They had a fun time and now she's a star at school.
Happy Birthday to Alayna. Jacob wants you to save him some cake.
Emily is so happy in Kindergarten. She runs in the house after school each day and shows me her green light...which means good behavior. She's having a blast being just like Tara.
Hope all of you are well.

Gene and I attended the Unit Commissioner's barbeque Sat. afternoon and the kids had Jessica babysit. I came down with a cold Saturday and Jake is still feeling bad.
Tara had piano and started playing with the foot pedal! Yeah, she's been waiting to use that for a long time. She went on a daddy date to the mall, pass pets and actually got out a cockerspaniel to pet and play with (I always just make them look at them through the glass).
I prepared sharing time on the "five gifts of testimony from the holy ghost". Emily helped me wrap up 5 gift boxes.
Monday morning I sent Tara with the Hardings to school and watched the 2 youngest hardings while Tiffany took her kindergartener to his first day of assessment. About 15 min. later Jacob went into the bathroom to wash his hands after a big sneeze and there was a loud girgle....got louder and started gushing water out the toilet. Before I got around the corner, the whole bathroom was flooded. I frantically called Gene asking how to turn off the water. By the time we got it off, I realized the laundry was running ....our whole bathroom, landing and laundry room are full of water. So, Jacob and Emily ran to get all the towels they could find, and I started soaking up water. It was crazy. Emily helped with buckets and Jacob, of all people watched the baby (7mo). I am exhausted and it's only 10 in the morning. Hopefully the week will get better. We'll be in touch.

school starts, flooded bathroom & PTA

Ok, so this week has been a bit busy. Tara's first day of school was Thurs. She was up early and ready on time. We walked her in to her class and got her settled. She found one friend from last year, Bailey and clung on to her tight. Her new teacher seems really nice.
Tara came home from school and didn't say much, then she just started spewing all about it. "The first rule of second grade is no getting out of you seat, the second rule of second grade is no talking,...we had a spelling test 3 pages long! I don't know how to spell eight, or hopping....Ms. Moseley just kept asking us to write. Mrs. Ayres used to help us with spelling, Ms. Moseley didn't even help us....it was too hot to go outside so we didn't go..." She just kept going on and on. I think it will be an adjustment.
I spent hours thurs and friday copying, stapling, stamping 732 packets for the membership drive. Emily has been my good helper. I still have more to do.
Friday was Emily's first day. We went down to the kindergarten hall and realized I forgot to bring her a lunch or money, so I ran back up to Tara's class and took her emergency lunch money (because it was an emergency) Emily went very happily and easily into the kindergarten hall...they spent the first day assessing all the kids and will be assigned a teacher this friday. She had a great time and was not ready to come home at 12. Saturday we all slept in bit.

Another week has gone by and now it's time for school already.
We have filled our last few days of summer with sprinklers, indoor movies and playdates. It's super hot now and muggy, it rains every day just a little so the grass is greener but it never cools off.
We had to mow on Sat. for the first time since school got out in May. Tara took a turn and did a great job driving the john deere tractor. Emily went a little bit by herself too.
Gene's been sick with a cold over the weekend and has passed it on to Jacob who has lost his voice. (not too much complaining here).
Tara starts school on Thursday, Emily on Friday. The kindergarten has 2 weeks of staggered days and then she will go full time on the 23rd.
I met Tara's teacher at the meet and greet breakfast yesterday where I did my PTA schpeel....go team! join pta! She seems nice, really high energy.
I've been waking the kids early, and now Tara is taking a nap at 1 in the afternoon. I'm sure it will take a while to get used to.