Our past year in Maryland, Summer Fun and School Prep

Wow, I can't believe it's almost been a whole year since I last wrote. It's been a very busy year with lots of great changes. The kids learned to read and write after only a few months of school. They were taught by specialists at first, joined the rest of the class and quickly excelled. The teachers really have their stuff together and the kids catch on fast. Dann started working for the Department of Energy as a contractor almost a year ago, the drive is intense but they are somewhat flexible with telecommuting. I had a hard time finding work so I started going to school last Spring. I was nervous since I've never been a good student but I got A's and one B. My goal is to go through the nursing program once I get through the prerequisites. So things are about to get really busy and the house is about to get very messy but that's ok. It's going to be a long road but will be well worth it. We decided to stay in our rental as long as possible, we love living here; it's a townhouse but still fairly private, lots of kids running around, retired folk and wildlife from the backyard forest. We still own a townhouse with tenants who have been there for a few years. We've had some issues with them but they are pretty great for the most part. They said they should be moving within the year so hopefully we can get another set of tenants in there once it's time. Dann's mother moved back to MD and we are happy she is close by,  his sister and her boyfriend are moving in with his mom so they will be close by too. His other sister is having a baby boy soon so we'll have a nephew; closer and more family members are always a good thing.
 On a separate note, we got an insane dog who has an intense love of chewing up toilet paper and counter surfing for anything edible. She has been a lesson in teaching the kids to put away anything they cherish because this dog will chew anything up even the base of a snow globe. The dog also loves to jump which can be a bit much for a 75lb densely muscular animal. We all love her though and her sweetness makes up for her flaws.
 Anyway the kids have adjusted well to our home, they really enjoy having their own rooms but still fit an occasional sleepover in. They've had a great summer, they got to stay with their Aunt Katrina for a weekend in Salisbury and she spoiled them with rides in OC, the beach and all the candy their little hearts could ask for. We visited a few times with my brother, sister-in-law and niece for some quality family fun. I think after going to their new house a few times I finally know the way without the GPS. My mom came and we all got to spend some time with her and she took the girls to Southern Virginia for a week. She took them to the house my grandpa was raised in and also to the spot where we used to meet up for family reunions nearby. They have a water park there now and my mom made sure the kids were constantly busy.
  When they weren't on there mini vacations with family members I was trying to get them out of the house as much as possible. We have a tennis and basketball court nearby so I bought some equipment; Sarah seems to be interested in basketball and Julia is more about the tennis. Julia and I are still trying to get the coordination down but she enjoys getting the balls for me after I hit them over the fence. We didn't do this for long though because we had a heat wave shortly after the routine started. Could be a fun weekend activity as long as weather permits though.
  For our last summer fun activity I drove up to Rehoboth with the girls and we stayed overnight at my inlaw's place. They took the kids to see Smurfs 2 while I napped at their house. Then my father-in-law took the girls and I to Funland on the boardwalk. Sarah and her Popa went on the Haunted House ride while Julia and I rode on a bunch; the Haunted House line is always very long but Sarah actually opened her eyes this time so I guess it was worth it. The next day we took the girls to the beach and we stayed for a few hours. After that we went to Lewes to check out the boats, grab some food and play FREE putt putt. Popa and Granny T treated us to lunch, dinner and desserts. We were so spoiled and fit a lot of fun time in. One of the fun things about the drive back and forth is we go past Annapolis and by where I lived when Dann and I first started dating. So when the girls were really hungry for dinner we stopped at one of our old stomping grounds, Atlanta Bread, and boy did we get our fill.
  So we've been home for a few days and are resting up until school starts on Monday for the kids. We already got a notice in the mail to tell us who their teachers will be and are going to the open house this Friday so the kids can meet them and see their classrooms for the school year, Julia will be in 2nd gr and Sarah in 3rd. We went back to school shopping yesterday so have that out of the way. Sarah wanted Monster High everything and I told her we could shop at the 5below store and find her a Monster High backpack at another store. The cool thing about the 5below store besides being really inexpensive is their slap bracelet rulers, as a child of the 80's this is awesome, the kids were impressed too.We couldn't find a Monster High backpack at the other store but she got one with peace signs and hearts that's really cute.
  Well that's all the intensely interesting information of the past year, summer and preparation for the school year! Thank you for reading and I'll hopefully do this on a monthly basis so it's not all jam packed and maybe it will force me to take pictures!

Fall

  Sarah is riding her bike to school when the weather is nice. Julia is still afraid to fall and doesn't want to practice yet.

 We've all been really busy with school, work, friends and Fall activities. The RennFare this year was so fun, seeing all the people in costumes, met up with my sister in law, niece, aunt, cousin, and friends we haven't seen in years so it was a lot of fun. My sister in law and niece went through a maze with us but we couldn't find the end so we cheated and went back through the entrance to get out. We have pumpkins with glued on eyeballs decorating the front porch and there are many colored leaves on the ground. Julia found a huge acorn on the way to school the other day, the biggest one we'd ever seen. We've noticed lots of Squirrels scurrying about trying to stock up on food.

 The girls and I are a little home sick for Hawaii, I mostly just miss my family there but we'll at least see my parents in December. Not sure if that's a definite but we're hoping, in the mean time we are adjusting well, getting to know the neighbors and hosting gatherings at our house occasionally. Sarah and Julia have made many friends and are doing well in school so I couldn't ask for more. Something special is happening this weekend too, Betty is taking the girls to the campground for early Halloween, so they will be trick or treating and having a blast while Dann and I can relax at the house. I was actually thinking of taking Dann to the Crumland Farm this weekend because they are going to have some Halloween activities although I think I'd have to keep my eyes shut the whole time but we'll see.

They are liking school

 After the second week of school they have seemed to get the hang of the routine. Julia is really working on learning to read and is enjoying counting sidewalks on our way to school. We noticed that she spelling things backwards and flipped so she may have inherited my dyslexia; Dann said, "We don't know maybe she lives in Mirror Land.", pretty funny. I'm not worried about it because it's an easy thing to work with and overcome with a little extra help. Julia really likes her class and has stories to tell about her friends and getting "bottle nose bucks" (the school's reward system). The school also gives the kids the option to run laps around the track at recess and have a reward system set up for that too. So the girls have been running a few laps around the track every day.

 Sarah is enjoying the bottle nose bucks as well; her class is a bit rowdy and they get reprimanded as a class so she gets a bit frustrated that she's getting in trouble even though she's being good. She's getting used to the idea that the teachers are doing that so that the kids will start working together to learn. Sarah had her first spelling test today and got 9 out of a 10 correct, that was a call for double high fives. So proud of that girl! She's been working very hard all week, has seemed really tired so she was really excited for the weekend as we all are, everybody's working for the weekend and TGIF!

 One last thing; one of the best bagel shops is right next to the school so once in a while we'll stop for a pastry and it's da bomb!

First day of School

Julia and Sarah are both in grade school now, no more Kindergarten :). We need to walk to school since we live too close for the bus to come and I don't have a car yet. It's only a mile walk and it's actually really pleasant; they see things along the way that they get excited about and we talk. When they fight I don't get as stressed although it's still annoying, slows life down a little bit.
  Julia's teacher seems really nice, their are a lot of books, building blocks, a big calender and what Julia was most excited about was a computer. Sarah's teacher seems fun; there are lots of Dr.Suess books lined up with Dr.Suess stuffed animals. There are phones in the reading corner (old style rotary phones) so the kids can read aloud into them and hear their own voices. There is even a class fish :)
  I can't wait to hear about their days. Right before we got to school they told me their teachers wont be like Miss Hannigan from Annie; very random but funny. I know they will have a great year, learn a lot and make wonderful friends. Can't wait to hear about their day!

Some kind of Summer!

It's been a good one and I can't believe it's almost over! We had the best party in Sarah birthday party history right before we left. Great start for the summer, moon bounce, pool, lots of food and donuts for desert. Everybody had fun and only minor injuries so pretty good.
  After that was a whirl wind of packing while sick, seeing our favorite peoples off and getting to the airport. I wasn't sure we would get to go on the plane once we got there because our layover was originally Canada and we didn't realize we'd need passports. The coordinator understood our mistake and gave us a layover in California instead. We made it!
  We stayed with my friend for a few weeks and luckily we're still friends haha. I honestly miss her now and definitely am grateful for our friendship. After 4 years of sharing space with my parents it is nice to have a place to call our own. I know my parents are happy to have room and peace back, they are amazing. As soon as we moved in I put everything in it's place; I've never been that productive in my whole life.
  The girls finally have their own room; first thing Sarah told Julia was that she wasn't aloud in her room. A few days later they were taking turns playing in each others rooms. We started using positive reinforcement this past week as an incentive to do chores, listen and work on reading. Things are going very well and once the girls start school I will start the job search. Hopefully I'll have a car before that time comes!
  I really do like being home with the kids and am definitely appreciating that this is the calm before the storm; juggling school, home life, social life and work. How do people balance it all? I'm sure they just find a way to make it work as I know we will. Enjoying this fresh start and excited for this part of my life. Dann and I were talking about what things would be like in another 10 years for us; I'll be 41, he'll be 40 and Sarah will be 18.  It'll be our last year with her and second to last with Julia. These past 10 years flew by and I know the next 10 will too. Life is precious.

These Hawaii Burdettes are almost Maryland Burdettes!

 I can't believe the day for us to move is almost here! It's amazing, so many changes have happened with the girls between ages 2 and 4 to 6 and 8, how did the time go by so fast? I'm really glad that they got a chance to live here and know their other half of extended family. Now when my parents or grandparents visit they will know who their grandparents are and I'll be able to send the girls to Hawaii in a summer or two from  now and they would feel comfortable, probably even connect with their old school friends too. Really will be a home away from home for them. The experience of living here has been great and needed for all of us and I owe my parents everything for that gift.

This Monday we will be back in Maryland and I'm ready to enjoy the thunderstorms in the summer and lightening bugs, leaves changing and spiced cider in the fall, snow and winter parties, rain and new growth. I need to eat crabs too as soon as possible! See if I can get a crab cracking get together like we used to have growing up in Bowie once we're settled, although that might have to wait until next summer. I'd love to take the girls fishing and crabbing at Solomons Island one day, another Madden tradition from my childhood.

 I had this ideal home pictured for us with lots of space and a huge yard; might have to wait until we sell our town house but I'd be happy with anything. As long as we're all together in our space ready to start a new adventure. It's kind of funny how it worked out though; two weeks ago, my friend and I started talking about how we both wished I was there and then she said I could stay with her. Started out as a joke and the more we talked about it the more it seemed like a crazy, fun, unreal, fantastic idea! Originally Dann and I were going to wait until he got a job and a place but the more time that went by the more I felt it was time to go; he was looking on the internet earlier that day for plane tickets anyway so it was on his mind. So he got the ticket that he was wishing to get earlier, we were excited about this happy-go-lucky decision, then it sunk in for him and he was freaked out with not having a job, a place, etc. Things have a way of working themselves out because this past Tuesday and Wednesday he had an interview with the same company on both days and an offer from them today! He didn't accept it though because he has another interview on Wednesday but the offering position will be there for him until next Friday. Either way he will have a job by next Friday, this is phenomenal timing and can only make me think that all this is meant to be.

 Life is good!

Worry Less & Enjoy More

  Worry less & enjoy more; that is my new found life long mantra. Since having kids I have been worrying too much. Will they be happy balanced people? Will they have a good education? Will I be a good mother? Will I be able to provide for them? Can Dann and I make all of this work?
   A week of quiet time has really given me time to think about it and I hit an epiphany. I can worry all the time from one thing to the next but it does nothing but stress me out and if I am stressed that will only make things harder for them.
  Then I finally came to the conclusion; when my kids are grown and don`t need me as much I am not going to say to myself "I really wish I had worried more." I am going to say "I wish I had enjoyed it more." So many people have told me it goes by so fast and enjoy it. So I will keep telling myself worry less and enjoy more.