Total Eclipse 2017

(Did anyone else sing "of the heart!" after reading the title of this post?!)

I was not excited about the eclipse. It's a big responsibility to be in charge of not making a mistake while looking at it and going blind. 

Now let's add three kids into that scenario...AND the responsibility of not letting them make a mistake and go blind too. 

No big deal. Oh, and Mom...you're flying solo today. Dad is at work of course. 

So my plan was to pull Augustine from school so I could be in charge of him, pray like crazy that Lewis would actually have a half way decent listening day, and put Elias down for his nap a 1/2 hour late so he would be sure to sleep through it. 

Everything went pretty well, and I even had a chance to look a few times too. It was a bit cloudy during totality, but it was an amazing sight nonetheless. 

Elias slept right on through it, but still got up at his normal time despite pushing his nap back. 

1/4ish coverage

3/4ish coverage (see the difference in the light?!)




The darkness was so cool! The birds that come out at dusk were flying everywhere, the street lights came on, and some of the church lights too. All the children across the street at the school went silent just before totality, making it a very dramatic moment. Everyone looked at totality in silence. It was so still. 

I was amazed that the second totality was over, our eyes knew it. Even just that first speck of light after totality was too much for the naked eye. (Our neighbors on the corner let us sit with them because our house has too much tree coverage.)

Like I said, Daddy was at work...on the roof on the Newman Center...with dozens of his closest coworkers. 

Totality, 2017 eclipse, Nebraska

Soccer

Augustine has been asking to play soccer for a year, so I decided he was serious and signed him up. It's less than one hour a week for seven weeks, so I don't think it will be too much. 

He loved every minute of it, and can't wait for next week! He was good too, considering even never played, practiced, or even talked about the game. His coach seems to be really good at teaching little kids, so it will be interesting how much improvement we see. 

He scored a goal in his first game!

Surprise ending: you get a full-size Gatorade. What's not to like?!

Now, Augustine's rookie parents made a LOT of mistakes the first game. I forgot to buy shinguards. I forgot to sunscreen Augustine before the game. I forgot his water bottle. Luckily, we had sunscreen in the bag, and Grandma sent water. We had no hats for anyone. The rest of us were still in our Mass clothes. We brought no lawn chairs. 

We all learned a lot.

Band Exhibition

The UNL Band Exhibition has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. We dropped off the baby to Grandma and picked up Grandpa. 

It was a humid, sticky evening but that (amazingly) didn't spoil the fun!

The boys loved it, especially Augustine. He and I had a lot of big smiles as he enjoyed the music and the marching. 

Lewis did really well, but was less interested in the band and more interested in getting drinks from the fun drinking fountain. 

On the way back to the car Dad tried some chin-ups. I warned him I could not piggy back him the rest of the walk. He did...0 chin-ups, but got an E for effort. 

The big boys got into bed three hours late, but it was worth it! We spent the night at the G&G B&B for fun. 

Lewis, Preschool 1

We went to the preschool open house and he was not impressed. He told me "Yis is not my scoowuh." He really loves Meadowlane, his preschool 2. 

I told him he had to go because Lulu would be there and she would wonder why he didn't come if he stayed home. That but a skip in his step. Off he went...with Lulu by his side. 

At pick up he was all smiles. He loved it!

(It may be time for a real size backpack.)

Here's to the start of a great year!

Augustine, 1st Grade

He wasn't excited about he first day picture, and he wouldn't admit he was excited for school to start again, but we all know better. He LOVES school. 

It was pouring rain that morning so they lined up in the gym. 

Here's to the beginning of a great year!

The Zoo

We went to the zoo (again) one last time before school started. Lewis loves to feed the turtles. 

Elias loves to talk about them. 

The Turtle Trek is one of our favorite parts of the zoo. We loose track of time in there often. 

Here too. 

What Elias Has Been Up To

So. Much. Reading. To the point where there are a few books we hide under the couch after the ninth time of reading it. I wish I was exaggerating. There are days he doesn't get a single toy out...only books. 

Wearing ear muffs because he sees his big brothers wearing them. 

Playing with his new flamingos. His favorite animals at the zoo are flamingoes and turtles. 

I caught him rubbing noses with his flamingo today. He asks to go to the zoo a lot lately. He asks by putting his hands over his ears because hats what he does when we ride the zoo train through the tunnel. 

So. Much. Mowing. If he's inside, he reads. If he's outside, he mows. 

Mastering the small park we frequent. He can climb up, crawl through, and slide down all by himself. He still doesn't understand he could fall off, so I follow him around. 

A's 7th

I decided when you turn seven in our family you switch from a giant family party to a small friend's party. We kept it simple and fun. Augustine chose a handful of friends and a dolphin theme because he loves the movie Dolphin Tale. (We usually celebrate his birthday early due to school starting...both elementary and college.)

Unfortunately, Lewis came down with strep throat the night before, so we sent him to Grandma's and had most of the festivities in the backyard. Thank goodness for grandmas and nice weather!

We made sensory bottles that are a game. The rings slowly float down when you turn them over and you try to ring them on the golf tee. I got little dolphins to put inside too, but they interfere with playing the game, so we left them out for bathtub fun at home. 

As always, Grandma Susan made a lovely, delicious cake! One of the kids said, "That is a perfect cake!" and she was very right. Complete with blue waves inside the white cake, and an ice cream center. 

Happy early birthday Augustine! We love you!

Summer Wrap-Up

Swim lessons 2017, complete. Back to back lessons isn't ideal with a toddler. I'm surprised I lasted 7 weeks before letting him have a sucker so he would sit still. 

There was a busy work crew at the school this week. They worked for two hours on whatever it was that needed fixing. 

All he wants to do is be outside. He likes the cars, but suddenly mowing is the bee's knees. He threw a royal fit today when we left ACE Hardware without a mower. He screamed all the way home, and then insisted on getting out all three toy mowers. 

Lewis' bumper crop. That's what we got from the garden. I may have to make him a real one next year...

More power washing at the school. Three more batches of chairs, and the front of the school. It goes much faster with two power washers. Augustine helped the entire time. He earned his last $3 for the Paw Patrol Air Patroller! Lewis came down with strep throat so he helped as much as his energy level would allow. We cuddled and watched as well. 

Elias did a lot of watching and eating snacks. 

Before. See the row of bricks just under the second level windows? Filthy. 

After. So much better. Maybe I'm the only one who will notice seeing as it's directly outside my front windows, but whatever.