This year's to do list...

Master's degree: Check, Find job: Check, Oldest off to college: Check, Youngest enrolled for Kindergarten: Check, Middle child attitude adjustment: Check, Hubby still around: Check, Pets alive and well: Check, House re-fi: Check, Suburban paid off: Check, Summer vacation planned: Check, Family is blessed: Check.

It's been a while

It has been quite a whirlwind since the last post. I started my internship on July 9th, and have been non-stop ever since! The boys started Pre-K, which has been a major adjustment. Bella started 1st grade, and my Jojo Beans is a senior...yep, a senior in high school!! Not to mention, my beloved hubby is now 'Mr. Mom'. He is in charge of taking and picking up all kids at all schools, everyday. My commute is about 40mins to and fro everyday, so he has had to tweek his work schedule a bit to make this happen. Perks of owning your own business, I suppose. So I am on fall break right now (year-round school schedule) for TWO weeks! What am I going to do with myself? I actually have a long list of things to get done in the next two weeks. My hubby also gets a little vacay, from carpool duty. Pretty sad when your kids have to tell you what the morning routine has been all year. :( I do, however, get to sleep in 'til 6:45 now. I'm pretty stoked about that! The boys turn five tomorrow, nothing big planned. I am bringing cupcakes to their class and we'll probably take them to dinner tomorrow night. We are thinking about heading up north for a small party this weekend, just the fam. It's not like me to not plan a huge shindig, especially for their fifth. I am just not feelin' it these days. I do not remember being this scatter-brained and anxious when I was a working mom, seven and a half years ago. It is absolutely killing me and my OCD!! Nothing gets done during the week, and I mean NOTHING! When I walk in the door, it's homework time, dinner time, bath time, and bedtime....no excuses, and no deviating from the plan! One night, Mike wanted to go to Native New Yorker for dinner. I reluctantly agreed...BIG MISTAKE! We were half-heartedly doing homework at the table, kids were late getting baths, and by the time we brushed teeth, read books, and laid down, it was almost 10 o'clock! I had to be up at 5:30am, which makes for a very cranky School Psychologist all day! As well, Mike tells me that the kids were difficult to get up in the morning. Won't be doing THAT again! I am going to park my butt and my laptop at Mike's office all week, to force myself to complete some much needed report writing. I have never been so happy to have a break from work, just to get caught up! I have been so overwhelmed in this new position, it's ridiculous! I am typically really organized, great at multi-tasking, and do fairly well under stress, but this internship is a whole new beast! I am already looking forward to the end of the year...ha! So off to Mike's office I go until 2:30 this afternoon, when the carpooling duty begins again! Be back at winter break.....

School is almost out...for everyone!!

School is almost out for the summer, for both the kids and myself. I have back to back MET meetings in the next few weeks at school, my intern interviews are done (phew), and all of my final practicum assigns are turned in. Bella has a lot of 'end of the year' stuff happening as well. Jorden just had her Junior Prom over the weekend (OMG!), and work is getting a little slow for Mike which usually happens this time of year. We are debating planning a summer trip this year, or just a few small endeavors to get out of the heat. I have to report to my school on July 9th since they are on a modified school schedule (yuck!), which doesn't leave much time for summer fun! To rewind a bit, I have accepted an Intern position with Florence Unified School District...yes Florence! It is about a 35min. drive from Tempe. Quite the commute for me, but my school is actually in Queen Creek so it is not as bad as it could be. Best perk is it's paid, can't go wrong there!

Mike and I have our work cut out for us this summer as we try and get the boys on an actual schedule to prepare them for Pre-K in the fall. Keeping everyone busy this summer will be another challenge. With a teenager and three kids six and under, it is hard to please everyone! Jorden has two camps this summer, but other than that she will be home and BORED! Hopefully we can do a lot of driving with her and persuade her to get her dang permit! What is wrong with kids these days? Absolutely no interest in driving?! The boys are pretty easily entertained, but Bella is another story. She has little "BFFs" now that she wants to have sleepovers with EVERY DAY!! It's so exhausting constantly explaining to her that she has her own house and they have their own houses, for a reason...ha! That's when we just get the blank stare, the silence, and then she asks when her next sleepover will be!! Oy vey!! Here are some recent pics, I'm a little behind...

Xmas at Grandma Neannie's (minus Jorden and Penelope)

Playing in the snow up north at our cabin

Valentine's father/daughter dance

Spring playdate with cousins Diego and Delaney

It's Easter!

Easter at Grandma and Grandpa Spiro's (minus Ayla)

Bella and said "BFFs" on their farm field trip

Jordie prom pics

I need to seriously go shopping for a new professional wardrobe, which I am dreading! I've been in jeans, a t-shirt, and flip-flops for six years now, and literally have no idea where to even begin! I'll update later as I "shop 'til I drop!"

Climb in your damn self!

Mike and I were discussing the other night how we cannot wait until our kids can feed themselves, dress themselves, clean up after themselves (yes, the eldest one included), and last but not least, climb in the car and buckle themselves in! We are tired of it! A ride to the nearest grocery store which is a whole three minutes away, takes about 15 to 20 minutes! We spend ten minutes buckling everyone in and five minutes to drive there (five as opposed to three because we try and drive super slow when the brood is onboard). This is ridiculous! You ask, "why not just leave the kids home, and one of you run to the store?" Well the answer is not that simple. We normally run to the store and then figure since we're all already in the car, we might as well run some much needed errands that would otherwise have been put off. Yes, we are that lazy! That, and the fact that my hubby just cannot stand going anywhere without me (or me leaving him home with the kids)...isn't he sweet? So needless to say, we are counting down the days until they are out of their car seats/booster seats, and can just jump in the car and buckle up. Heck, we just assume they drive themselves around while they're at it! Oh wait, we technically have a child old enough to do that...damn reverse psychology!!

Cooper as Spider-Man

Crew as Mickey Mouse

Bella as a 'Lil' Devil

Jorden as Nacho Libre

Jorden and Jacque all ready for Homecoming!

Just bragging...

I truly have THE best kids on this planet! I have been so stressed out these past few months between planning Jorden's Sweet 16 festivities (and trying to keep them secret), the boys turning four, planning our family vacay to Disneyland, trying to finish up the last of my graduate classes, and everything in-between! When I wake up every morning and get my "morning kisses" from my kids and look into their sweet faces, it makes life all the more worth living! Some people are stressed because of their kids (which does happen), but I must say, I relieve stress with my kids! They are my babies and I refuse to believe that Bella started Kindergarten and the boys are four...WOW! To top that, Jordie turning 16 AND dating!!?? Why???

I was blessed with four healthy children and I couldn't have asked for more sweet, loving, kind-spirited, honest, and BEAUTIFUL human beings! They are the joys of my life and as long as I have them to interact with each and every day, I can handle anything!! (oh yah, and my hubby ;)

P.S. Floyd turned seven on Halloween...even the dog's getting older! :(

Post-holiday accomplishments

Fun, loving Valentine's Day: check
Our awesome 6th year Anniversary overnighter: check
Uneventful St. Patrick's Day: check
Family trip to Sedona and Out of Africa (with two other families): check
Way too many Easter activities: check
Disney on Ice-Princess Classics with three small children: check
Shelly finished last Statistics class: check
Shelly completed first Assessment class: check
Jorden made Varsity cheer: check
Spring has come to a close: check

Summer activities/accomplishments to come....