Back to School

Back from the beach and back to school.

Jack's first day of school at Apple Creek Preschool.
Headed out to the car ready to go.

So glad that Apple Creek was familiar from Summer Camp-He seems so small compared to the big building and his lunchbox...but so big in so many other ways.

Jack's cubbie next to his friend Bryce in Room F. His teachers are Mrs. Amanda and Mrs. Heather. He also has assistant teachers. Willow goes to school there part time too!

Not long into the school year Papa and Bebe came into town for the long weekend. Jack was excited to be picked up from school by them and of course to have a Bebe Cookie.

Jack had a surprise on his bed waiting for him-To Infinity And Beyond...

To help celebrate Bebe's birthday Jack and Papa made her a birthday cake with his Easy Bake Oven.

Happy Birthday to you...

We all headed to Lil Sluggers to watch our little Babe Ruth running the bases.

A little one on one with the coach.

Baseball was late in the morning so we were all starving so we grabbed sandwiches and headed to a picnic in the park. From there we hit up a 3D sonogram to check out our Little Bit.

And a trip to Ikea (with the rest of DFW) ended their visit and back to school we go for the long haul til Thanksgiving (or Noah's birth for me).

Jack has continued to love Apple Creek. One (among the many) differences to Watters Montessori is the amount of work that comes home with him.

Cute- He is getting so big!

Love the commentary on some of his masterpieces. I'd be grouchy if I had too many dots too!

It looks just like him- Perfect!

This is my favorite so far because of the deepness of his quote in reference..."I mixed it all up.". Now that is powerful!

First Apple Creek Report

This is the mound of his creations from just the first few weeks of school...love the work, nightmare for an organized hoarder like myself at the same time.

Summer Days Are Over...

But Blogging Has Just Begun.

So I don't have to explain how Noah's pregnancy went for us (well mainly me, but it trickled down to all those around me) so blogging was far from my mind this Summer, Fall, and kinda still- but I'm going to do my best to recap the past 6 months with highlight posts. And the goal is to update on the Relle Clan from time to time so be sure to check back every now and then.

This Summer Jack went to Camp at Apple Creek Preschool in Plano to help with the possible transition to traditional preschool (or for a break from Montessori school should Apple Creek not be a good fit).

Jack would get into the car so excited to share what he and his friends had done that day at school. It was obvious from the first week that Apple Creek was going to be a great place for Jack to go to school.
The theme of the Summer Camp was Ocean. Daily Jack would come home with lots of interesting facts and so proud of his projects.

Jack's ocean

Other than Apple Creek and our trip to LA and FL we hung around the house trying to stay cool...with no pool some days the boys had to be creative to beat the heat-good old fashion playin in the rain.

July

Yep, didn't keep up with my goal to post more often. Oh well, what can you do? Here are a few highlights from July starting with celebrating the 4th at the McWilliams.

Jack and Olivia swinging on a swing...(to the tune of Kissing in a Tree)
The Crew of the 4th

Jack and Olivia starting off soft with Poppers...Love that they are surrounded by good influences like beer and vanilla vodka....taking advantage of the chance to say...it's not mine (although I wish it was).

You know there are kids involved when you have to start the fireworks in the daylight to accommodate bedtimes.

We did stay and do a bunch at night because us Relles are Rockstars...Jack was truly the dirtiest he has ever been (well other than that mud situation with Johnson at the Tailgate).

The famous dentist shot...just terrible (but had a good report on his teeth).

A little chess match between Father and Son...Jack won!

Family Movie Time at Toy Story 3. He used his money from Papa to buy a kids pack with a Coke like Dad...I snuck the chewy, sour stick thing out before he noticed to help preserve that report card from the dentist.

Pump It Up Jr. fun with Nathan (inside, cheap, and wears them out!).

In attempts to minimize the constant questions on when we are going to the beach Jack and I made a chain with stickers of beach life on the last one. Everyday he gets to take one off before bed....love that the chain is getting shorter.

When we made it there were 13 days and counting...

So parents of the year have for sure not been our title this summer. You know the routine that we are apparently never going to loose (not sure if it is truly habit, selfish, or maybe genetic)...up late, sleep in, nap during the day. Well here is an example I hope that child protective services don't get ahold of....Nick went out to cut the grass and didn't tell me. Jack was up eating breakfast, watching TV, and making a car train all by himself for well over an hour....TERRIBLE I KNOW (but in my defense I really don't sleep at night and didn't know he was hanging solo outside my slumber)!

Again...CPS is probably just crossing their t's before a home invasion...at a breakfast playdate we mentioned how well behaved the kids were being (lately they have been fighting like brothers and sisters-all of them). We knew they were in the bathroom playing with water in the sink (which is allowed with only cold and no sink stopping up). When Nick went to round up Jack for Soccertots he found Jack and Olivia washing dishes in her play kitchen which is IN HER ROOM....and they had water in the sink. I mean....can't blame them....much more realistic than washing dishes and food in the bathroom sink...they even had a towel they would lay them on to dry. The kitchen, food, and carpet were super wet. Helped clean up some while snapping some pictures and laughing...then headed out...sorry McWilliams...glad it wasn't at our house and a great teachable moment for Jack to not ever do it at our house! Next time we'll supervise a bit more...well maybe....the water I think was worth the adult conversation we had with the quiet time. Haven't had since March of 2007. :)

Flashbacks of little Jack sleeping like this in his crib. He woke up from his nap and I guess gave up on trying to get Nick to wake up on the couch...so he joined him. I was in our room asleep but he didn't come and try to wake me...although I think he would have ended up in this position in my bed as well. What can we say?!?! August is going to hurt when we go back to work!

After the breakfast playdate we headed to a trial Soccertots class in Plano to see how Jack liked it. He LOVED it until he saw the baseball class across the way and that is all he is talking about. For selfish reasons I was hoping that he would take soccer (more interesting for me), but I think to avoid the constant whining we'll sign him up for baseball on Saturdays as noon. A 50 minute class to wear him out...after this summer...I know it is a MUST and being indoors is too!

What better way to finish up our weekend before our New Orleans/Beach/Baton Rouge trip than a little family fun at the Allen Bowl?!?
Boy have times changed...it used to be pitchers of beer, black lights, and loud music for us at the Allen Bowl...now it is Sunday morning 99 cent games with bumpers and ramps.
Jack jumped right in without the ramp. But once he did try it and got a strike he was a fan of having a little IEP (code for special accommodations in the teacher world).
And in the end...he beat his 6 month preggers Mama who lost her steam around frame 6 compliments of a bad back, swollen fingers, and newly painful cartilage and rib complications. I can't wait to go back with his friends...so much fun.

Now we're off to end the summer with a fun, family adventure. I promise to do an update on Little Bit when we return...

Road Trip!

Before the Back to School Madness started the Relle Clan loaded up and headed to Louisiana and Orange Beach for a little end of the Summer Adventure.

The trip started out in New Orleans for a few days before heading to the beach. I spent a day at Betsy's house so there weren't a lot of pictures-but a lot of fun was had.

Taking a break from the slip in slide with Nana, Jack helped Gramps plant some pineapple to have for future trips for our "fruit monster".
Jack took his first Street Car ride...long and hot, but enjoyed it and still talks about it today (now remember it is almost 2011).

To cool off from the heat of St. Charles we hit the local snowball stand. Did the trick!

From New Orleans it was time to head to the beach.

When we got to the condo the Saia's had already set up Jack and Gab with a closet tent that provided tons of fun throughout the trip.

Papa and Bebe with their kiddos making some "Bebe Cookies".

Jack is clearly working very hard...eating the dough. :) That's my boy!

Picture time!

Next Summer will be so much fun with Noah and Baby Saia #2 joining us!

Cousins.

This is the life...

Much of the time was spent in the pools due to the Gulf Oil Spill. Jack and Papa chillin in the lazy river.

Rollin down the river...

And this is the reason why the pool was the cool off venue of choice. There was alcohol wipes, scrub brush, hand sanitizer, and a hose for all your clean up needs.

And this is why we will all be experiencing Beach Trip 2010 side affects at some point in the future. After one trip in the open (but health hazard which I found out after this dip) beach water when the shiny yet sticky water covered our bodies I did a little Internet research and the water was out the remainder of the trip. As were wearing no shoes in the sand. What was in was skin removing baths upon returning for the evening.

But a little sand fun was had despite the chemical dangers because really at this point we were already exposed.

To help enjoy the beach atmosphere rather than just the pool area we blew up a kiddie pool by the boardwalk and used the fresh water hose by the Oil/Tar cleaning station to fill it. At one point or another we all took a dip to cool off.

We had so much fun at the beach with Papa, Bebe, Betsy, Reid, Gabriella, Brian, and a few visitors throughout our stay. Can't wait til the 2nd Annual Trip this coming Summer with our two new additions. Hoping the water isn't as toxic so we can have some fun in the waves.

Finishing up the trip (and breaking up the driveS) we headed to Baton Rouge to spend time with the rest of the family. Here we are at Mike the Tiger so happy that we were able to see him awake unlike our last few trips. And Jack was able to get a replacement horn which is so excited and helped at the hospital when Noah was born (but that will come later).

The suits had to be cleaned from the BP dip and then it was more pool time but with Nicholas and Joseph this time.

Trouble!

More Bebe Cookies.

Then it was time to head back to reality. School was starting up and I needed to be on top of my game (which I wasn't all summer) in order to get my class trained for my maternity leave.