I'm Back!

It's been a long time since my last post. I apologize and know I have to do better. Just in the last week Braxton has changed so much.
The school year has gotten off to a excellent start. With all the changes at school due to the budget crisis I have been assigned a new assistant. My old one, with whom I had worked with for 3 years, was moved to kindergarten because they had to let 6 go last year and my "new" assistant was moved up from 1st grade. She is great but it's been a time of learning about one another and readjusting. I also have a college intern working with me this year. She's actually a graduate intern so this is her second degree. She's not actually student teaching until after Christmas but for the first semester she's just "floating" and observing. She's really helpful but it's different having someone new around all the time and that has taken some adjusting to also. She's awesome to have around. My class seems to be a really good group of kids. The 10th day of school is tomorrow. In the education world the 10th day of school (just like the 100th and just like the 180th) is a huge milestone. Things seem to calm down a bit and become more concrete. I On top of everything else Brandon has returned to school in addition to working full-time. I couldn't be more proud of him but I am SO tired in the evenings. I have been staying at work much later than I normally prefer just to get as much stuff done at work because when I pick Mr. Braxton it's all me and he makes sure that I am doing nothing but tending to his every whimper.
Every night I have made dinner (this is only going on week 3. I'll post about this subject periodically) except one and that was only because Allyson and dad wanted to come to see Braxton and brought dinner, done the laundry, packed lunches for the next day, gone for a walk, and given Braxton a bath before Brandon gets home from class. I want him to be able to walk in and and not have to do anything but spend time with Braxton before we have to put him to bed.
We try to have him down by 8:30. And we try to be in bed by 10pm. 5am comes very early. We get him up at 6:30 and they are out the door to Maw- Maw's by 6:45. Needless to say this school year has started very busy but seamlessly. Brandon seems to like his classes and doesn't mind having to study after Braxton is in bed. Keep him in your thoughts this semester!!

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Today was my last Friday of summer vacation. I return to work on Wednesday. We had a very close family friend die unexpectedly on Monday so our plans to go to the mountains mid-week were scratched. We couldn't even think of not being there for the services.

Any one that has actually talked to me this summer knows that because of the budget cuts I walked on egg shells all summer unsure of how the cuts would affect my district. I do have a job and at the same school. I am so thankful!! I am really looking forward to the new school year. We have a new principal and I anticipate a lot of fresh and exciting new changes. It's a bittersweet time for me though. I am glad I have a job to return to, I'm excited about the new year, but I am going to miss my baby!

I have had an incredible summer with him. It's the first summer since he's been born that we've been able to go and do as much as we have. He is so much fun (as long as he gets a nap, right Maw Maw!) and everytime someone asks when I'm having another baby I always tell them I am having too much fun right now. It's the truth! We didn't get to do all that I had planned or had wanted but we tried to not go somewhere everyday and those were the best days. Just hanging out at home. He would actually say "Stay hooome."

I couldn't have asked for a better summer though. We attended a beautiful wedding, went to the mountains and rode the train, went on a fabulous vacation, spent time with much missed family, read lot's of books, played on the swingset, met daddy for lunch, celebrated birthdays of loved ones, and walked and walked and walked this summer. We spent a lot of time together and had a lot of fun.

I'll never get the days back but I'll forever have the memories in my heart.

Happy Birthday G.G!!

....................................This lovely young lady is my grandmother whom Braxton affectionately calls "G.G" . We grew up calling all of our grandparents "Grandmama" and "Grandaddy" so when Braxton came along my grandmother became his Great-Grandmother. "Great-Grandmama" was quickly shortened to G.G. When it's bedtime, I tell him he has to go night-night and before I put him down he goes through EVERYBODY'S name. He'll call out Paw Paw and I'll say "he's gone night night", then he'll say Grandaddy and I'll say "he's gone night night" and he does this with everybody (did I say everybody?) and he always ends with G.G.
My aunt, Lisa, had a Tomato Sandwich party at her house yesterday afternoon for Grandmama's 85th birthday. Tomato sandwiches are her favorite meal. Being that I am not a fan of tomatoes, I wasn't quite sure what I'd be eating but lot's of people brought something to share so there was plenty to eat. A lot of her friends from church came and my sister and cousins(we're in the second picture) were there too. We ate lunch, looked at pictures of the past 85 years, opened gifts, and ate cake. It was a wonderful afternoon and I'm so glad that I was able to be there. Everybody said what an elegant and sophisticated lady she was and has always been. I couldn't have agreed more or been more proud to call her my grandmother!

CAUTION; Could cause laughter

Happy Hump Day to all you hard workers out there! The video below is of Braxton helping me sing "If You're Happy and You Know It". We made up our own little verse. Don't click on it unless you want a good laugh. Excuse my singing.....

M-I-C-T-O-N

Braxton wanted to help water the lawn (play in the water) on Sunday while Brandon worked out back. I took him to his room to put on his swim gear and he saw his Mickey Mouse ears, Matthew and Sarah picked them up for him last year at Disney World, and he had to have them on. How many of you would just love to have a gardener at your house that looked like this?!

We're baaack!

We arrived back home early yesterday afternoon after a wonderful and relaxing week away. We had a great trip and Braxton was quiet(er) the whole ride down and back. The DVD player has been a life saver this summer. Not only has it been great entertainment to our destinations but it has been a great distraction in the mornings by keeping him in the bedroom until EVERYONE else is awake!
Braxton loved the ocean this year. Last year he was perfectly content by just playing in the sand. This year he'd run and play in the water and splash around. He especially liked when we would go back out to the beach in the evening. Until I can get all the pictures, enjoy this video of him playing in the ocean.

Did someone say beach?

Looks like Braxton is ready! We leave Friday for our family vacation and we can hardly wait! We always stay at a beach house owned by some friends that's about 2 blocks back from the ocean. It's a perfect walk and although you can't see the beach from our front door you sure can hear the ocean and smell the salty air. I'll try to post once more before we leave. I know I'll come back with some fabulous pictures.