PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 9/1/11

Making lunches has not always been my favorite morning task, however, this year, I have realized that doing this is something that I'm glad I can do for the boys and something I will miss when I don't make them anymore. Also, it will be a lot different without Nick here next year so I will appreciate making those 3 sandwiches, fruit, a nutrigrain bar or chips and juice with sometimes, an extra treat mixed in.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 8/23/11

GO GRIZZLIES! Nick's first match was yesterday against CastleView and he played 3 doubles. At the beginning of the match, it was apparent he and his partner had never played together before, but they got into a groove and got some coaching in the second set and carried it into a third set and then WON! Their match secured the win for ThunderRidge as up until then, the score was 3-3. If they won, it would give us the win and win they did. The final score was 1-6, 7-5 6-3. Way to follow through and never give up and what a great start to his senior year tennis career. It was very apparent that he was really pleased also and he and his partner, Trevor McCord, found their groove and looked good together. I have to admit that I'm a bit of a "tennis mom" and I get really nervous. At the end of the match, when the final point was scored, I actually screamed out and jumped up in the air...total reflex. I have said it several times, but watching Nick on and off the court is quite a pleasure (what a word..."pleasure" makes me sound old ;) ). He is a class act and very poised and polite and just a great person. Way to go, Nicky T...well deserved. You've worked hard these past 4 years and it is your time to shine, kid.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 8/9/11

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE...all off for their day at school. This is Nick's "last 1st day" in regards to k-12. He will have many more first days, I know, but they will be different so this year, while taking them, was bittersweet...however, I am trying so hard not to think too much about that and just be happy they can do all they do...they're good, nice, smart and oh so handsome kids and that is what I want for them...selfishly, I just miss having them around and time is going way too fast for me. I don't want to waste time on thinking and want to spend more time on enjoying each moment. Nick will be driving Chris to school this year and I think that made me as happy as anything...seeing them get in the car together and head off to the same school. Zach's day was much better than his first and he seems to be adjusting well. Nick was excited to start his senior year and that is the way he should feel. I'm excited for him, too. Well, we got through those first 2 days and now, it's time to drag Zach out of bed...Nick and Chris have block days/access today so they don't have to be there until 8:30...boy, they will love Wednesdays.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 8/8/11

FIRST DAY PHOTOS...a tradition every year. Since they started school, I took have taken these kind of photos in our backyards...first at English Sparrow Trail and now in our backyard here. Excited, sad and nervous as the boys start back...Chris will now be a freshman at ThunderRidge and I love the idea of Nick and Chris being in the same school for this next year. Zach will be at Ranch View and I don't think I will ever get used to the fact that my littlest boy is a "tween". I think those first days are really long and probably overwhelming, however, they both came home saying they knew how to get around and seemed fine with that. I am glad that I could feel the "nervous" for them and not let them know :) Looking forward to seeing all they will do this upcoming year.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 8/1/11

Final summer tennis match means that the school tennis season is right around the corner. Nick played really well this summer and his TR Green team came in 3rd in the standings very closely behind a Columbine Knolls team and a Ken Caryl team (like by 5 games only). He played in all but one match so he was a major reason for having so many wins.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 7/26/11

I can hardly believe that Zach picked up his middle school schedule this afternoon...he will be in Burgundy Pod just like Nick was in 7-8 grade and Chris was in 8 grade. Nick was volunteering and was the one who checked out his books to him. So far, he doesn't have any guys that he knows in his pod, but I'm sure he will find out some who are with him. Love this photo of him with some of his SME friends including cute Ellie Behnke who he has been in school with from the beginning.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 7/16/11

PARTY PLANNERS...we all make a pretty good team at putting together these mini WRHS reunions. This is our second annual event and we'll look forward to next year. It's fun to get together with groups of people you would normally not get to see...great conversations, lots of laughs and Nelson's fabulous dip. What more could I ask for :)

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 6/3/11

Yesterday, I posted the photo of Zach on his first day of preschool 2002...now, this is the final "offical" last day photo of Elementary School. Whata ride this has been for the past 11 years of kids in elementary school. While I know what it is like as kids move into middle school and high school, it is strange because this is my "baby"...the little boy who hung out with me while his brothers started school and he was the "little brother." He definitely holds his own now and is ready for this move, but I will miss those days of hanging out with him in the mornings after everyone has gone to school, being able to walk up to school and walk by his classroom while there and say "hi" and to see him walk to and from school...those days will change and he will continue to grow up, but I will always be thankful for the time that has past and look very forward to the times ahead. I can't think of a person who has worked harder in school than Zach...but that is another post and another story. Today, I want to celebrate the 'LAST DAY OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 6/2/11

First day of school at St. Luke's LIttle School. We took first day photos in the backyard at our home on English Sparrow Trail and NIck headed off to school and Chris walked him into his classroom (he was in kindergarten PM) in Ms. Bonnie's Duck Class. His new lunchbox was green with bugs on it and his shoes were Caillou shoes. Caillou became one of his favorite childhood characters. Tomorrow, we will watch him finish his last day of elementary school at Stone Mtn. Elementary. What started in 2002 has been quite a journey and I could not be more pleased for the person and student that Zach has become. Right now, I want to focus on that little "stinker" look in this photo, those bright white shoes ready to meet the world and thank God for this gift of this little boy whom I absolutely adore.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 5/27/11

FINAL FIELD DAY 2011: The weather was perfect...not too hot like it had been previous years and no rain. We were lucky because many other schools had there's cancelled because of this crazy May weather we have had. Zach had said for me to come watch right at the beginning and stay until about lunch. I was very pleased he would want me there and I watched all of his events including a couple after lunch. I remember his very first field day as a kindergartener. It was not a huge success. They had found a frog and the teacher made them put it back and that kinda turned his mood for the rest of the day. He must've been tired or didn't feel good either because he came home and fell asleep on me for almost 3 hours. I remember that vividly because I think that was about the very last time he ever did that. I held him on the couch and wanted to just enjoy the moment because it didn't happen very often.

Yesterday was fun and Zach is very athletic. With only 10 boys in the class, they did lose the tug of war against the girls, but he did very well and more than anything, I was just feeling very lucky that I could be there cheering him on.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 5/26/11

FIELD DAY 2004: This was the final field day that all three boys were in...Nick in 6th grade, Chris in 3rd grade and Zach in 1st grade. Tomorrow is Zach's final field day...and they now call it "Fun and Fitness Day" which makes it not quite as "fun" as Saddle Ranch's old days. I will be there cheering Zach on. It's one of those moments that was once a "beginning" and is now coming to an "end."

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 5/24/11

As if 11:15 this morning, I am now the proud mom of two ThunderRidge highschool students...a senior and a freshman. It just came to my realization (well, I knew but hadn't thought so much about it) that Nick will finish up his highschool career with Chris right there with him. It has been a long time that they have been in the same school together and the thought of that just makes me happy. Nick brought Chris home from school today and I anticipate fun times ahead for the boys this summer. Hang in there Zach...only a few more days filled with field day (or "Fun and Fitness Day" as they call it and we think that is a dumb name), fun field trips and a final continuation ceremony in which I am sure to cry at. Nick had his best semester yet in highschool and Chris finished up extraordinarily well. Now, as I sang this to them as they came downstairs this morning..."SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER"

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 5/23/11

FIRST GRADE FIELD TRIP TO 4 MILE HISTORICAL PARK (details to follow)...it was a special day with Zachy and I want to remember that as he gets ready to finish his elementary school days...so I'll be back to "remember"

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 5/12/11

It's the beginning of the end...end of the school year, that is. Chris got to turn in his books today and the final weeks are in progress. This year is the fastest one so far and I'm looking forward to summertime with these guys and want that time to go more slowly. Goodbye to Algebra, English and US History...new books will be back soon enough.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 5/5/11

4 more weeks of having an elementary school kiddo...4 more weeks...after over 13 years, this will be such a strange feeling and I am finding that it is making me very sad. I love how I have the extra time in the morning with Zach and then I watch him cross the street and head off for his day. I know that times will change and he will have a hard time getting up so early. It will all be good, but I never want to forget this time with him and all the boys...it just goes way too fast.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 4/18/11

CSU Visit Day! It was so nice to be back on campus and so much had changed, but so much had remained the same. I was pleased how much Nick liked the campus and is interested in the school. He's an awesome kid and we had so much fun together. I will always be thankful for this day!

PROJECT 365 PICTURE 4/8/11

Nick and I spent the day touring UCCS in Colorado Springs. While a beautiful setting from within the campus...and an amazing view of Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods, this school is most likely NOT going to be where Nick goes to college. There are various reasons, and, as he just said, it would be a good school for people, but not for me. I would have to agree. I really can't picture him there now or long term and the engineering program seems good but not overly dynamic and competitive. Who knows if that is our interpretation, but it's a relatively small program with room to grow, but without the perfect fit all the way around, this isn't it. What was really awesome about today is that Nick and I got to spend the day together and had some funny experiences and that counts as much as anything in the world. So hard to imagine he will be 17 on Monday...for a little while, I had a flashback of all the years leading up to this day. Next stop: CSU on April 18. Whether he goes there or not, I think he will have a good feeling about it.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 4/4/11

Remember the Alamo...Chris is finishing up his work on the "scene" for his History I-Search project. He is so good at building things and of course, drawing. His English teacher has asked for him to paint a book cover on his "podium" so he starts that tomorrow. What a talent he has and does it without even having to think about it. It will be fun to see how he continues with his creativity all through life...may he never lose it or put it aside because he's too good to do that.

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 2/24/11

Zach and Jack(ie) Robinson...he did a great job with Todd on this marionette and is doing an oral report tomorrow along with all the other assignments for this project. Well done, Zachy. I will have to find Chris' Martin Luther King photos from 2 years ago. I love how the boys both worked so hard when they did this project and had amazing creative puppets. That is my kind of learning :)

PROJECT 365 PICTURE OF THE DAY 2/23/11

Love this photo of Zach and his good friend Noah in PE. I went in to their PE class today to take yearbook photos and there he was...right inside the door. We had a rough morning together so I was glad to see him and kinda work things out. I can hardly believe he is in 6th grade and this is the last year in elementary school. I still remember the days we hung out together all day, and then he went to preschool and then kindergarten...before he went to pm kindie, we would oftentimes share a Cobb salad from Safeway. How I miss those days, but I am so glad that he (and his brothers) can be in school like they are and do so well. I will always treasure our times together and appreciate each moment with each of them. I love to see him having fun with his friends and that super goofy smile on his face...boy I love you, Zachy D!