First Day of School 2016/2017

It's here. The first day of school has arrived.  I will be completely honest and tell you that I am not ready.  I am not ready for them to go back. I am not ready for the routine that comes with it and I am not ready to fill the hours they are gone. We had an incredible summer together, and I would happily keep it going.

I know that isn't possible since I have no intentions of homeschooling, but I am also happy to admit that I know just how many days there are before their first PD Day (31) and Christmas break (108). I am already looking forward to those breaks.

Mr. K is going into grade ONE - how did that happen? It seems like such a short time ago that he started kindergarten.  He is a little nervous about it (now there is a little bit of homework) but I think mostly excited that he will have 3 recess breaks like his big brother AND get to see his friends he missed over the summer.

Mr. J is going into grade FOUR now - and that is even harder to believe. HOW on earth do I have a 9 year old?  He is going to be in a split 3/4 class this year.  He hasn't shown any outward signs of anxiety or nervousness, but I am sure there is a little bit of apprehension as we start the new year.

I have a great feeling about this year. They both have fantastic teachers and I know it's going to be awesome!

Are your kids back in school?

September 5th Monday Madness Giveaway Linky

Happy Labour Day! Welcome to the first giveaway linky for September.  School starts for us tomorrow, and I have mixed feelings about that as usual. We had such a wonderful summer that it is hard to wrap my head around getting back into routine. I have really enjoyed the time I had with the boys this summer.

We Caught PIKACHU! #PokemonGO

Since we started playing PokemonGO a few weeks ago, the boys have been hoping to catch a Pikachu.  They had the chance ONE time, but he ended up escaping the pokeball and running away. One other time we saw him nearby, but never actually came across him.

The other day I was baking some cookies, and pulled up the app while I was waiting for them to cook.  I caught an Evee, and then saw pikachu.  I didn't tell the kids until AFTER I caught him.  I went through 1 regular pokeball, 11 great balls and 3 raspberries, but managed to capture him!

This probably sounds completely ridiculous to anyone reading that doesn't play the game - but if you DO play, then you know that Pikachu doesn't come around all that often.

The Key To A Happy Marriage And A Good Nights Sleep

If you live with your significant other, I am sure you can relate to night time battles for the covers. It was a struggle in our house for many years - until a few months ago.  One night, I came up to bed and hubby was completely cocooned in the comforter.  I grabbed another heavy blanket and wrapped it around myself as I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up in the morning, extremely rested and STILL all nestled in my comfy blanket.  I quickly realized that was the secret - separate blankets.  It may not look pretty when the bed is made, but it sure helps for a better sleep at night.

Some people have separate beds for whatever reason, but that's not for us. Our own blankets, however - totally changed our nights!

If you and your SO are under a power struggle for the blankets, try this and let me know how it works out!

Out With The Old, In With The New

It's time for a NEW car!  I am so excited. We bought the Jeep 6 years ago as a resale (it was 5 years old). At the time, it was in pretty good shape and I loved it.  About 2 years later, it started giving me trouble. It would randomly just not start.  I would have it towed to the garage and as soon as it was off the tow truck, it would start without issue.

we said goodbye to the Jeep this morning

They suspected it was the starter, but we didn't really want to spend money replacing without knowing. After the FOURTH time in a year of being stranded, we went ahead and replaced it.  That was the problem, and it was ok after that....however, since that time, there have been multiple other issues and we have spent way more money on repairs than we should have.

We were hoping that we could get through the winter with it and purchase a new vehicle in the spring; however,  over the last 2 weeks my anxiety about driving it through the winter has been on HIGH. So, after some discussion last week, we went out earlier this week and bought a new 2016 Malibu.

It's all shiny and new and I was so excited all week - having to wait until today to pick it up has been pretty difficult. That's right - I picked up my NEW Malibu this morning!!! We all packed into the Jeep for one final time and headed to the dealership.

Coming home in a brand new vehicle was lovely. Such a huge difference in how it drives. It's a pretty smooth and quiet ride. No weird noises as we turn corners or go over bumps. Now it's time to get used to driving a car again, after having an SUV for the last 6 years.

What type of vehicle do you drive?

Be Back To School Ready With Kelloggs {giveaway}

The kids are heading back to school next week, and that means that the preparations have begun.  My kitchen is stocked with snack foods for both school AND home. The kids are always starving when they arrive back home at the end of the day, so quick snacks are a must.

September Writing Challenge Has Arrived

I have joined in with a group of bloggers for a writing challenge this month.  The goal is to write a blog post each and every day for the month of September.  Not sure how well this is going to go, but I am hoping it will help me get back into writing.

I took quite a bit of time off this summer and I need this push to get back to things.  As always, comments and shares on posts are a great way to show support and is always very much appreciated.

I am still in shock that September has arrived. It feels like not very long ago I was wondering about how the summer would go, and here we are with back to school looming only a few days away.

I hope that you all had an amazing summer - we sure did! I will be posting updates about our summer fun and adventures over the next few weeks.