memorial weekend & new preschool!

Memorial Weekend was so nice...nice in that I was super smart and took off two days prior to the long 3-day weekend so I got 5 days off - it was heaven...I got so much done - organized the cabinets and pantry.  Now you may think - jeez what an awful way to spend a vacation day, but it really made me happy - happy like I just found an extra $20 happy...unfortunately I did not find $20, but the feeling was the same!

We decided to drive to Manhattan to help my sister in-law and brother in-law put in some laminate flooring... again you may say to yourself "this is not a good idea for a vacation day?", but it was pretty fun, we got to hang out with baby Sam! (which is always a fun time, he's at that squishy baby cuddle phase, pays attention to things around him, giggles, drools, it's super fun!).  The first day we didn't get very far, in that we got the under-lament down and "some" of the floor.  I say "some" because this my friends was re-use flooring from my brother in-law's mother's house (yeah say that 5x fast!).  She wanted new so they took the old...they were assured that there would be plenty...assured...multiple times...aaahhhh.  Sunday we wake up and get 3/4 of the living room done and realize we are down to 1 box left....yep 1 box... 1 box = 8 planks...8 planks was no where near enough to finish the 1/4 left in the living room AND the hallway...sooooo off to Home Depot the boys trotted...ok not really trotted...more like stomped...both were tired...frustrated...hoping hoping hoping that Home Depot would have say 7 more boxes to finish up the job....ask yourself do you think they had it?   If you laughed and said "yeee haw riiiigggghhhtttt" well then you'd be right on about it...and if you said "they probably don't even make it anymore", you'd be even MORE right....what a mess right?  Well all was not lost...Sunday night we ran over to Menards - found a color that they liked even better than the free, it was on sale - + had a discount for the Memorial weekend holiday and had PLENTY of it... so we came back and started in on it....

Here are some pictures to show the progress - - since we've left its been completed through the hallway - just waiting on a few thresholds to finish up the job!

1. Carpet removal, 2. Under Lament, 3. Final Floor 3/4 done

Can you tell they all are looking at someone different - 3 different pictures being taken at this time, no one knew where to look when....funny!

We came on Monday, everyone was tired...although I didn't feel like I really did anything...other than give my opinion, which I'm pretty good at...ha!

Tuesday we had a big day - new preschool for Noah - Open Arms....it's wonderful, he was so excited and not nervous at all (which just told me that this was a good time for us to move him over to a formal 'school-like' setting (sitting at a desk, activities, field trips and only kids his age to interact with). 

Well first here are some pictures of us modeling our new backpack and YES we bought him a power cat backpack, picking were slim over Memorial weekend for a backpack since school is out and frankly if it makes him happy - it really does make me happy :) although I would like it documented that Curt did try to buy him off with a toy so he wouldn't get it and get a Jayhawk one instead! :)

Funny thing: my mom always took a picture of us kids on our 1st day of school...I don't know how many times we have said "oh what year was that?  Is the Escort in the picture?" so I got smarter and took one with his name and the date - ha!

His teacher is awesome!  On the first day she sent an email 1) so i could have her address, 2) to tell me how he was doing the first day and answer any questions I thought of after meeting her that morning and 3) to send me some pictures of his first day planting a garden!

I think he really is going to love it there - his teacher said that he made the comment on the first day "I think I really like it here!".  LOVE IT!  I know it's ridiculous, but I felt such validation about us making the decision to send him now...it's the little things right?

Big field trip this week too - the ZOO!  I think he goes somewhere cool every single week, T-Bones game, Nelson Art Gallery, KU Natural History Museum.....amazing places!  More to come on this topic I am sure!