it's been a while...

Actually a whole summer.  I don't have a good excuse.  I guess between playing in the yard, refereeing the boys, keeping Ben from running away, and going on some fun trips we ran out of time. I was going to do a whole lot of posting this Labor Day weekend, to catch us up before school starts, but now it's Monday morning and I'm just getting started.  Assuming today goes the way the rest of this summer has gone, I doubt we'll be caught up.

Owen starts first grade on Wednesday.  His teacher is Mrs. Schaffer, and he is familiar with her since she subbed his Kindergarten class for a month last year.  He likes her, so that will help.  Same kids from last year, minus one, so there will be 11 kids in his first grade class.  We are all looking forward to the school year.  Owen's most recent achievement is learning to ride his bike without training wheels.  Richard took them off a couple of weeks ago, and now he is FLYING on his bike.  On Friday, Richard and Owen did a 10 mile round trip to Philomath, which they are going to repeat this morning.  He is thrilled with how much more fun biking is without the training wheels, and we are both so proud of him.

Ben is still very large for his age, but now his height to weight ratio is a little more appropriate, and still super sweet. He is at Monroe Center during the weekdays, with his friends Natalie and Vivian.  He graduated to the "big kids room" and he gets to enjoy circle time there, we've heard he's an active participant and always knows the answers.  He's not potty trained yet- we all think he could do it but he is not at all interested in it.  I think they moved him to the big kids room so that he would stop sitting on the very little kids (an expression of love).  Ben's most recent achievement is moving to a big kids bed this weekend.  He would rather it was called a little kids bed, so we've obliged.    Nights have been a little rough still- he keeps popping out of bed and playing in his room till much too late- but he's got to get the hang of it soon, right??  We found a bunk bed system with a trundle underneath, but put the top bunk on the floor till Ben's older.  Richard has spent the entire weekend working on a play loft to put back on top of the system.  He finished it last night, and the kids are thrilled about having a fun hiding space.  He put down a soft padded carpet and pillows, and I think they'll enjoy it for a long time.