So, I wonder how many people actually read this blog

I know they have post counter things you can install, but I really just don't want to bother with that.  We have a big announcement in our family, so I thought it would be fun if I post it here before we officially share it with others.

If you read this blog post, can you please do me a favor and comment, so I know?

Now, are you ready??



Really ready?

We're not sure if we are either, but we're very excited!  The boys don't know yet, so don't tell them just yet... and we're waiting for the doctor to call with official confirmation... We will be making official announcements in a few weeks. 

(June 16 is my due date, although I will be having a c-section since that's how my babies prefer to be born, so it will likely be June 15.)

Teachers are amazing...

Ok, I'm c/p this from a Cincinnati Enquirer. (I'm not sure if that's even legal, but in order for my blog post to make sense, you need to see where I'm coming from... This was written by Krista Ramsey at the Enquirer:
Dear Teachers, This is the first of much correspondence you'll receive from us this year.
We'll write to beg for an extension on our children's math assignment.
"Soccer practice went late last night and there was no time for homework and we're sure you'll understand because it's Jake's first year in select and it really matters."
We'll scribble a note to ask that you move our sensitive Lucy away from domineering Evelyn - but not near chatty Suzy and as far away as possible from mean Renee.
We will write to remind you of our children's orthodontist appointments, allergy shots, physical therapy sessions for the torn ACL, early dismissals every Thursday so we can get them to ballet classes on the other side of town.
And please note that Aaron will be gone the entire week after Thanksgiving since we couldn't schedule our winter vacation any other time.
We'll email a request for extra science homework for our Anthony, who you'll recall is gifted. But could you lighten up on that weekly vocabulary list? Asking fifth-graders to remember eight definitions every week is just too stressful.
And could you stop requiring outside reading on weekends? And we don't think it's fair you took Jenna's cell phone away since she was just talking to her mom. And please make sure Darren brushes his teeth after lunch. And Michael says he's never called on. And don't forget to remind Andi that she takes Bus 12 to her grandma's on Wednesdays.
And what's up with the A- in social studies? As you'll recall, Anthony is gifted.
These are the messages you'll get from us.
Then there's that one we'll keep forgetting to send.
Thank you for letting Ellen sit outside the circle. She's been really quiet since our puppy died.
Thanks for nominating Troy for the choral award. He's never been nominated for anything before.
We appreciate your staying after school to go over law of cosine with David - for the seventh time.
How kind of you to stop by the hospital to see Leah. It took her mind off of her treatment.
Thanks for knowing Micah didn't want you to mention his perfect score in front of everyone else.
Thanks for your last class newsletter, reminding parents it's no fun to be the only one not invited to a birthday party.
Carlos said you think he should step up to accelerated language arts next year. We agree.
Thanks for inviting Nick to try ski club. Kids with hearing impairments often get left out.
Trey's in at Vanderbilt! Thanks for writing the recommendation letter.
These are the letters we will mean to send. But somehow we won't find the time.
To be honest, sometimes we just don't have the right words, or maybe the emotional composure, to say thanks for loving our kids.
For seeing through their bad behavior to their good hearts.
For pulling the one thing they're fantastic at out of all the things they stink at.
For protecting the tender little kid who's hiding inside the sulky adolescent.
For hacking through their failures to make a path for their successes.
For knowing what they love before they do.
As you start the school year, know this: You will change someone's life this year.
You will say a kind word to a child that you'll forget the next day, and the child will remember for the rest of his life.
You'll be the safe place for the child beaten down by bullies, the stable place for the one losing his home, the hopeful place for the kid who sweats out every assignment.
So thanks for touching their lives this year, along with our hearts. You really do hold the future in your hands.
Krista Ramsey's column appears Friday and Sunday. Email her at kramsey@enquirer.com.

Jackson has been in school for four years now. (Two years of preschool, then kindergarten and first grade.) Every year, we have been so fortunate to get the best possible teachers. I went to college to be a teacher. I know how difficult the job is. I also know there are some who did it out of passion and some who do it for whatever reason (nights, weekends, holidays and summers off? I don't know!) I'm really thankful we seem to keep getting those that are truly passionate about it, or are at least good fakers.

In preschool, we had Mrs. O and Miss C. That was Jackson's first year of school - right at the height of every issue he had going on - the entire purpose of school was so he could see how other kids behaved and learn how to behave in society. (I planned to homeschool until then.) I was so nervous sending him, he had so much going on in his little world - I enrolled him at Kings Kids with the understanding I would pull him out at the first sign that he was struggling. That day has never happened!

The second year of preschool was Mrs. C and Mrs. K. Again, so so lucky. Things went so well, he was adapting so perfectly. I had concerns about putting him in kindergarten because he was a young 5 - he's younger than most kids in his class and sometimes boys struggle academically and socially, so parents sometimes hold their young fives out til the next year. After speaking to the fabulous teachers, we decided to try kindergarten, and again, never looked back.

In kindergarten, we had the pleasure of being educated by Miss B - she was so fun and so wonderful for Jackson. She had a class of 14 boys and six girls but somehow managed to survive the year with at least a little sanity. (After chaperoning the field trip to the zoo, I wanted to know what her favorite wine was so the other parents could buy her a case as her end of the year gift. She laughed when I asked, but I really was serious!)

This year, he has Miss C... she is so much fun - her classroom is fun and spunky and learning is an adventure with her. Jackson raves about the cool stuff they do and I can just see his little eyes light up when he talks about school. This is EXACTLY what I wanted to school to be for my kids.

When he started school, I was worried because of his allergies, I was worried because he learns differently than other kids. Would he need an IEP? A 504? Was I going to get called all the time from the teacher or principal? Well, so far, the answer is no... his school is awesome, his teachers are awesome. He is thriving and learning and growing.

I am the room mom, I volunteer for lunch duty, I go on field trips and plan parties. I help with the reward programs and anything else I can while still running a household and working full time. I do that because it's my job and I want to and it makes my child happy when he sees his mom volunteering at his school. I am a partner in his education. But, when it's all said and done, I trust him to a teacher for 7 hours a day... and honestly, it was a big leap for me in the beginning. Now, it's just the way it is, but I am still so thankful that we have fabulous teachers.

First Day of First Grade

Well, it's time. Jackson is starting first grade. He is excited, but nervous. I know, you're shocked, right?

We went to the Back to School picnic and met his teacher. She seems really nice and we're looking forward to another awesome year.

The first day rolls around, Jackson wakes up and gets ready. As he's getting on the bus, the driver "yells" at him. (She didn't really yell, but it was yelling to him. He's so sensitive.) So, he got off the bus and cried. I drove him to school. He cried.

Parker also claims he is having his first day of first grade. So, we're now doing a little homeschooling for preschool. We are working on the letter L and shapes and colors. We have determined Parker is smart, mean, and moves to the beat of his own drum. (None of this is new information, just confirmation!)

Day 2 Jackson was ok, got on the bus, everything seemed ok. Day 3, back to crying and refusing to get on the bus - mainly because it was the third driver in 3 days. When I dropped him off, he refused to go into school, tears and all. So, of course I cried when he couldn't see me. I had lunch duty that day and he was ok, but he did ask if he could come home with me after lunch. Um, no. (However, when I picked Parker up from my parents' house after lunch duty, he probably asked 59 times, "You have Jackson in da' car, Mom? You bring Jackson home with you, Mom? MOM! WHERE IS JACKSON?!")

We talked about fears and things that made us nervous and day 4 was better. There were no tears and Jackson got right on the bus. I'm hoping we've turned the corner. Parker informed me, again, "It's time for my first grade, Mom," and we went inside and started coloring our L paper.

**Pics to come

Vacation!

Panama City - 2011






This was the first time the Anderson's went to Panama City. I will just say we were unimpressed and this is also probably the last time we will go there. (Yes, I know it's a party town. It can't be spring break all the time. They've had since April to clean up the mess - it's August!)









We went with Tiffany, Eddie and their kids (Heaven, Hope and Michael) and my sister Dianna and her daughter Darby. All of us stayed in one condo and more people we knew stayed in another condo at the same complex.





The weather was not great - you know how it rains a little in Florida everyday, then in five minutes it's all good? Not so much. This week, it stormed for hours everyday and lightning means closing all pools, even indoor ones, per Florida state law. So, we had to come up with fun activities on the fly. Luckily all the kids got along beautifully - they all played nicely and quietly. We were amazed! They watched movies, played DS, even did makeovers!









We went to a state park (St. Andrew's) and swam in a lagoon, we found Nemo, and went to an alligator preserve and saw alligators. (The gators are in the water. Jackson can see them, Parker cannot, but claims he can.) Grossly, there was solidified chunks of oil washing up on the beach so we left. Here's a rare shot of me on the other side of the camera.















Go Karts were the popular nightly activity - every kid loved them. This was the first year the kids were all big enough to drive them, except Parker. He had to ride with someone and he was a little frustrated by that. When it was his turn to pick the activity, he chose putt putt and everyone loved that too.







When we were leaving the hotel as a group, I'd say "2204 (room number) - line up!" and they all lined up from smallest to tallest, so Parker, Michael, Jackson, Darby, Hope, then Heaven. We could SO rock 6 kids!





Look - they taught my baby to gamble! The best part? He's good at it! Beginner's luck, maybe?



These are from Sharky's - it's a local place - we ate there twice, Jackson at there three times! (He went once before we got there, he rode with Dianna and Darby.) The first time we went, Parker fell off a bench/bar stool and hit his head... but STILL wanted to go back!








We will probably not go back to Panama, but there's a good probability we will vacation with Tiffany and Dianna again! We all had a blast. Don't judge us! (PS, the kids' drinks were obviously non-alcoholic. We're fun, not stupid.) We spent more time in the pool and hot tub, which was HUGE and Parker called, "the hot one" due to the crappy weather, big waves, and too much gunk in the water.

Best Friends

For a long time, Emily has been my BFF. She has a little girl, Becca, whom I have known since she was in the womb (she was born in 2000.) It just so turned out that a year after Jackson was born, Emily had a little girl, Gweni. A few years later, Parker was born, then Emily had Charlotte (Charley). Jackson and Gweni have said for years they were getting married... wouldn't it be cute if they really did? Well, now Parker says he's marrying Charley. (Ben says that's too Kentucky, and I am from Kentucky. I do know people who have done this - they have kids which are called double first cousins.)



Emily and I hang out with the kids a lot - the most recent was a trip to Ft. Ancient. Charley's dad is working on his thesis to be an archaeologist and they're digging at Ft. Ancient. He invited us to come have lunch and check out the dig site... It was so cool! (Although the boys were disappointed there were no dinosaurs there.)

Family Day

Last week, we decided to have a low key kind of hanging with the fam kind of day. We got up and went to lunch, then decided to go to the park. We took a walk around the lake, which is a mile and both boys walked the entire thing! (Ok, I did carry Parker for one minute at the end.)







(Parker is holding his hands up while we are going up the hill on the walk because that's what you do on roller coasters. Gosh, I love these crazy kids!)



Jackson was grabbing the leaves and just enjoying nature. It was such fun!




They played on the playground equipment - Parker thinks he's as big as Jackson and nearly gives me a heart attack every single time we're at the park. He climbs and jumps and runs... after being Jackson's mom for six years and parker's for two, I've learned to just cross my fingers, hope for the best, and always keep a first aid kit nearby.







After so much park fun, we wanted to cool off with some ice cream, so we made a pit stop at Chubby's. Jackson got his usual of vanilla dipped in red, Parker got swirl dipped in red, and Ben and I split a South Town Flurry with Reese Cups.








Once we got home, Jackson informed us we should do our exercises because his gym teacher said you have to work out to stay healthy - that consisted of push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks and mountain climbers! This kid is six years old and loves to do healthy stuff. I hope this continues... (please excuse the mess... we were having fun and these pics are cute, so I decided to snap them even though there are toys on the floor and laundry on the couch!)






Seriously, this was one of the best days we have had in a long time and I went to work that night feeling so loved and so connected to my family. It was great.