So Many Orientations...so little time

We are officially into the second week of school.  And I am officially exhausted!  The kids all seem to be handling all of this SO much better than the mommy!  I think that I am working especially hard to keep about a thousand different things and appointments and curriculum nights and pasta parties and whatever else straight in my head, that my brain is having a really hard time switching off and settling down at night to sleep.  I worry about oversleeping and missing buses (not that that would be any big deal...it's a quick and easy drive if we do find ourselves behind), I worry the kids will forget assignments (mostly just that one kid), I worry about getting lunches packed, having the laundry done, the fact that I still haven't made it up to Academy to purchase extra swimsuits for Max and jazz pants for Clara, and the fact that my calendar is absolutely bursting with places to be and things to do.  I worry about it all...all night.  I fall into bed exhausted and sleep until about 2 a.m...and then it's like a switch goes on and all the events of the calendar start flooding in and I can't shut it out and I toss and turn with it the rest of the night and before I know it...I have to be back up and at 'em again and I've only logged about 3 hours or so of real sleep.  As day two of week two of the school year gets rolling today, I feel like I'm moving in a fog.  I've drained my big coffee cup twice...and would still love another cup.  It's just going to be one of those days!  I know this will all settle down...it has to.  In all of this, I've realized a few things about myself.  For one...I am not a particularly good zombie.  It's not pretty and I can't stand being that low functioning and feeling like I can't break out of it.  I wish I was a napper...several times I've felt like a good, quick 20 minute snooze would do me a world of good.  I even attempted it twice...to no avail.  I am NOT a napper.  My body simply will not go there.  In zombie mode, motivation is a serious issue!  I mostly want to just lay down somewhere...not that I could sleep.  I just feel like i need to lay there and stare into space for a while...and I HATE that feeling.  And finally, I've decided that for the first two or three weeks of NEXT school year...in order to get through them a bit more smoothly, I am obviously going to have to take on some type of serious Olympic like training so that I can start the year with more stamina and some mental clarity.  That's what I need...less brain fog...more stamina.

As for everyone else...they are peachy.  Clara thinks her third grade teacher is THE single most awesome teacher on the planet.  SO happy for her considering I'm pretty scarred for life after the nasty, NASTY mean third grade teacher that I had in school.  I'm 38 years old and still have not gotten over that whole year with Mrs. Bird.  Talk about a heart of stone and a hatefully mean spirit.  Anyway...no need to head down THAT lane of memories!  Clara is delighted and thrilled with her class this year.  Ben also is happy and seems to be working on his projects that are due next week.  Or maybe it's this week?  Aaaaaaack....the mommy panic is rising!  Must get online and check it out!  I could use one of those pills people pop for anxiety right about now!  Beathe in, breathe out.  I THINK he's on top of it.  Though now I am certain I will worry over it until I see him again this afternoon!  And then...there's Max.  Max who still could not find one of his shoes this morning (heaven forbid he take them BOTH off at the same time, in the same room).  Max who messed around and didn't have time to make a lunch because he was doing other things and then was immensely relieved to find I had put money on his lunch account.  Max who at the last minute was gathering things for swim practice this afternoon...even though I asked him to take care of it last night.  Max who....okay.  Some things never change with Max...obvioulsy!  But for the most part...he's doing pretty great.  He is doing homework ( I think) and is at least making efforts to recall his day and assignments that are due.  He has a LOT at stake.  No grades...no swim.  No swim sends him back into the dreaded Art I class...which just might be full at this point.  Which means that no swim COULD possibly send him to choir....or worse...Dance!  LOL!  Now there's a picture that just gives me the giggles for sure!  Needless to say...a highly motivating factor in the life of Max, for which precious little has served to motivate to date!

And then there is Chris...poor Chris.  Life, as always is crazy for him.  He's running constantly, working constantly.  At home, into the night, every night, long after the work day has ended.  Right now he's traveling.  He's in Phoenix...then is on to Cleveland to solve some major crisis that just popped up over there.  Which leaves me here to navigate parent orientation nights, gymnastics classes and swim pasta parties all by myself.  Sigh...it does seem rather never ending at times.

Anyway...that's the current update.  I'm tired and half crazy, severely overscheduled and highly unmotivated.  I'm about to go have some vitamins for breakfast and another hit of coffee in hopes of getting this rear in gear!  This too shall pass...right?!

Back to the Grind

School is officially back IN session!  After a really wonderful summer, it was time to head back.  Back to the routine.  Back to the friends.  Back to the pace.  The homework, the activities, the projects, the early bedtimes and the go, go, go that is life when school is going full swing.  This is a monumental year for the Roberts family.  It's the first year that we have one in high school.  High school!!!  Yikes!  It does not seem possible that we could have one that old!  Especially since Chris and I are practically babies.  Well...maybe not babies.  Toddlers?  Anyway.  Max is now a freshman.  And with Max bumping up to the high school, it's also the first year that we get to juggle three kids in three different schools!  Three different bus schedules, three different orientation nights, three volunteer orientations,  three residency verification days, etc.  Life is NOT dull in the Roberts household!  With school back in session, I am happy to report that as this first week of school draws to a close, all three children are QUITE happy with their current schedules and teachers.  Clara is over the moon about her teacher.  She's energetic and bubbly, a little bit crazy, a little bit of a rule breaker (which makes her completely exotic in my little Clara, the Rule Keeper's eyes), firm, but totally fabulous!  Ben is also happy with his teachers and really REALLY likes his math teacher and his science teacher.  And as for Max.  I never thought this day would come.  Or, at least, not this year!  I really thought he'd hang out another year...take 8th grade for another spin.  But he passed and he's there now as a freshman...and I must admit...I see a change in him.  Okay, okay...it's only the 4th day of school...but good things are happening.  He made the swim team this year.  And that is HUGE this year.  It's huge for a couple of reasons.  First of all...sports in Texas are CRAZY competitive.  Like you've never seen anything like it kind of competitive.  I was really afraid he would not make the team.  But he did!  And I'm so excited for him.  NOT just because he really wanted to do it.  That's great.  But the swimming is going to be SO good for him on SO many levels.  First of all...vigorous exercise is great for kids like Max who tend to struggle with some focusing issues.  The fact that it comes right at the end of the day when he has to come home and do his homework...bonus!  The fact that it's a solid hour and a half of hard swimming 5 days a week....DOUBLE bonus!!!  The fact that he knows that if his grades don't stay WAY up then he DOES NOT SWIM, and has to go to art 1 and health...well thank you Jesus for motivation the likes of which I have never seen before in that child!  I am thinking and hoping and praying fervently that THIS could be the year for our Max!  The year that he is able to get a handle on his crazy self...to be motivated to be successful because he WANTS IT himself.  Oh, from my lips to God's ears!!!

What else, besides school?  Well...we have a new worship pastor at church.  While so many are SO excited about this new dude..I have to say that I did not especially enjoy his first performance.  At all.  Actually...I hated it.  It was really, really long.  And really REALLY loud.  Geez, I sound really old right there, huh?  I've no problems with loud music...truly I do not.  But this bordered on painful for me.  It was very rock and rollish...which I am not a huge fan of.  I do not mind the latest and greatest praise music by any means. I just don't usually like to feel as if I am sitting in the middle of a rock concert every Sunday morning.  It's just not my thing.  I'm not a fan of "the show".  I don't get excited to hear the guitar solos and all that jazz.  When one of my Sunday school classmates asked me what I thought, I told her I didn't much care for it.  She said the goal of the church is to appeal to the unbelievers.  I've heard that an awful lot over the past few years.  And I agree whole heartedly that we are called to be fishers of men and that we need to reach out to the unbelievers and go and make disciples.  But why does the church always automatically assume that rock and roll and LOUD as all get out is the only way to do that?  I've been told they are trying to make it less "church like"...to get away from the traditional church.  My thoughts on all of that go completely opposite.  It seems we are trying to conform the church to the world so it will be more palatable to the unbeliever.  Crank up the music and rock it out so the younger generations will maybe find their way through the doors.  Can the church no longer extend their hands in warm welcomes, and fellowship and preach the mighty, MOVING Word of God?  Are we really THAT dependent on the concert approach?  It seems to be taking root in nearly every church we've been a part of the past 6 years.  Well...except for one.  Our church in Tucson that we were at the longest had really, really beautiful music.   A choir that could sing the most beautiful hymn, and also the most exciting and amazing song of soul you'd ever hope to hear.  They had a wide repertoire of music and every week was a treat, music wise.  My children learned the latest praise songs and also got to sing the oldest and dearest hymns.  Hymns that I grew up singing and that my parents and THEIR parents grew up singing.  Just because a song is old does NOT make it unworthy.  Just my two cents.  Man...as I read back over this...I sound pathetically antiquated.  Old, old, old, old.  But old or not...I still feel strongly that I do not want to sit in a loud rock concert every Sunday morning.  Period.  And so...enough preaching on that subject!

And finally....the weight loss treck continues.  But then...doesn't it always?  You only THOUGHT I was fired up about the church music.  I am SERIOUSLY fired up and mad about this topic though.  I swear...the closer I get to 40, the more impossible it's becoming to get the weight off.  After we got home from the beach this summer, I decided it's time to really hit it hard.  To get things BACK to where they belong.  We're talking a good 10 to 15 pounds of needing to get back.  So I dive in, determined to make the appropriate changes.  Changes like...little to no carbs....if it's white, it's not for me.  No flour, no sugar, no dairy (or at least dairy only in moderation).  In addition,  I've given up sodas and creamer in my coffee...all sweets.  If it comes in a package or box, I've tried not to eat it.  And wine!  NO more wine.  Stay away!  I downloaded a great app to my ipad from myfitnesspal.com.  You can use it on your computer too, and it tracks all my food intake, item by item, calorie by calorie.  It helps you set your goal of losing two pounds per week and based on your current weight, alots you a portion of calories allowed each day.  I've not cheated a single time.  I've even come in UNDER my allowable calories.  I have eaten FRESH and green and clean.  I've also made sure to be faithful to my exercise.  A couple of good, hard runs, 40 minutes at a time on the elliptical, hour long power walks, biking at the gym and weight training.  I have faithfully journaled each and every bite that goes into my mouth!  Every single morsel. And the results?  I gained a pound so far.  Nice.  Very, very nice!  Grrrrrrr.  Stupid metabolism.  I am more convinced than ever that there is definitely sloth in my family bloodline.  Yes, definitely sloth.  There are no cougar genes flowing.  That's for sure.  And those sloth genes are really not working so great with  the blue jeans hanging in my closet right now!  Winter....HOLD OFF!!!!  Frustrated as I am...I will not be deterred.  I will continue with this plan for a while longer.  Perhaps my body is just testing my resolve?  Or maybe it's in permanent sloth mode.  I'll reevaluate in a month!  Until then...feel free to channel me some serious calorie burning prayers!  And hopefully, deep down inside...my inner cougar metabolism might just pop up and take over?!  Here's hoping!

Turning Eight

Our baby girl turned eight today!  It's hard to believe we've had her in our lives that long!  It seems like just yesterday we were looking at this...

And now...that tiny, sweet bundle of baby is gone.  She's a big girl now!  And full of energy and chatter!  A LOT of chatter!  She is vibrant and vivacious.  Fun.  And dramatic.  Very, VERY dramatic!  There is never a boring moment when our sweet Clarabelle is around!  And today, our sweet Clara turned 8 years old!  She planned her "perfect" day.  Her wish was to have her two favorite Texas friends join her for a fun day at Incredible Pizza (think Chuckie Cheese kind of place), and then frozen yogurt at Tutti Fruitti!  So that's exactly what we did.  We picked up Madelyn and Hannah and headed out for a fun filled day of celebrating!  We spent the morning at Incredible pizza having lunch and playing, playing playing!  Here are some of the highlights!  

After all the fun at Incredible Pizza, the girls had worked up another appetite.  Imagine THAT!  And so...we loaded into the car and headed back to the land of Colleyville where we landed at Tutti Fruitti...a frozen yogurt place.  YUMMY!  And that's where we found treats the likes of THIS!  

And after they were all full again, we headed back to the house for some fun rounds of Just Dance on the Wii!  The girls had a blast doing all of their moves and trying to keep up with the routines!  They did an awesome job and more than worked off their pizza and yogurt from earlier with all of their jumping and boogying down!  

All in all, it was a WONDERFUL and FUN way to turn eight!  

Once the friends had all been returned to their respective homes, the family took Clara out for a little more celebrating.  We hit her favorite restaurant...Pho King Sun, a Vietnames place that Clara ADORES!  It was DELICIOUS!

And finally....here are a couple of other silly shots taken before all the fun began this morning!  I love my eight year old!  

And that's how my baby turned EIGHT!!!!