Educating Ryan and Evan

It has been no secret that I have been stressing about sending my boys to public Kindergarten since oh, well before the boys were born. Stressing is a mild description of my state of mind, agonizing, is maybe a better descriptor.

I've considered many, many, options from home schooling to selling my soul, going back to work and taking a second on the house to send the boys to a private school, and everything in between.

I had resigned myself to sending them to the local elementary. The one with 900 kids. (that's as big as my high school) The one with 7, SEVEN kindergarten classes. But as registration grew closer, I grew even more apprehensive. Sick even.

Then I started bantering around the idea of my own private school. Hiring a teacher and recruiting 6 or 8 kids, rotating homes, locations. It was because of this idea that I started thinking about the teachers I knew, I reached out to see if anyone knew of anyone.

Lo and behold, a friend of mine, who taught at a private school with a teaching philosophy I love before having her son, was interested and looking for part time work. We had a discussion the other day, and she mentioned a school where a friend of hers works. A place she is considering for her own son in a year. We talked briefly about the teaching philosophy, and it sounded great. I immediately googled it, and found it is a school with an approach that was one of my favorites when I did my initial research 5 years ago.

One of the things that had been holding me back from many schools, and applying to many charter schools was Scott's insistence that the boys go to school in the neighborhood, so they could hang with their buddies after school, like he did. He was pretty adamant. However, just after the application deadline for one of my favorite schools passed, Scott had a change of heart.

Armed with this new freedom, and knowing that most application deadlines had passed, I took a chance and "swung by" this new school of interest. And while it is not in a new building, I've described it as a bit dingy, and it is far away from home, I filled out applications on the spot. It felt like a weight had lifted off of my shoulders. The weight of the world so to speak. I think I actually slept last night for the first time in well, a long, long time. I now have an option.

We officially tour the school on Thursday, and I hope it is all that I want it to be, all that I need it to be, all that my boys need it to be.

Rituals

The bedtime ritual around here is one of those things that I know that I am going to miss when the boys get too big to be tucked in.

Evan especially has his "things"

Scott has to sing Hallelujah
I have to say "the words"
"No crying about buttons or buddies, curtains or fans, mirrors or lights, tents or pillows, or NOTHIN'"
and then we hug and kiss.

A few months ago he started adding a death grip on my neck followed by the phrase "I'm never gonna let you go!"

Which always warmed my heart and I would say, "you never have to honey." but every time he said it, I would think of the Sergio Mendes song "I'm Never Gonna Let You Go" So after a few weeks I started singing the chorus to him,

I'm never gonna let you go
I'm gonna hold you in my arms forever
Gonna try and make up for the times
I hurt you so

And then I would get to that last line and find it inappropriate (as is the rest of the song) to sing to my baby, so I changed it up a bit.

Gonna try and make up for the times
I tickled you soooooooooo....

during which I would tickle him and he would be forced to release his death grip on my neck.

he got wise to me and said that I had to say cuddled instead of tickled. I obliged.

Well, in the last few nights Evan has decided that the singing of the 80's classic was his to sing,
and oh. my. goodness. nothing can make me smile like my 4 year old belting out, directly in my ear...

I'm never gonna let you go
I'm gonna hold you in my arms forever
Gonna try and make up for the times
I cuddled you so.

Ryan-isms

Just a couple of things that Ryan has said in the last couple of days that have made me laugh.

Ryan: (to Evan) WHAT? por favor?

Ryan: Mommy?!? I tripped over my boot and went KER-SPLAT! and my hand got covered in chalk.

OUR Magic "Tree"house

We had a bit of a construction project out in the backyard a few weekends ago. It started well.


And then a rock got in the way. There was a lot of banging, sledgehammering, and sawing? Eventually the rock gave in.


There was a lot of standing around, looking at things. There were many trips to various home improvement centers. There were lots of laughs. There were lots of offers of help.


In the end there were two very excited boys, and Ryan and Evan were pretty happy too.






There have been dinners in our new magic tree house/pirate ship/hunting cabin/fishing boat.

There will be many childhood memories made.

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Oh, and some T-ball video, just because it is really cute.

Evan-isms

Evan: (in the car on the way home from Phil's BBQ) Look Jack in the Box!!!! I *LOVE* Jack in the Box.

Me: You have never had Jack in the Box.

Evan: Yes I have!

Me: WHEN have you had Jack in the Box?!?!?

Evan: I haven't, but I've been DREAMING about it!


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Evan: (In the middle of the night to Nannie) I need to blow my nose.

Evan: Where is Daddy?

Nannie: In bed.

Evan: You should be in bed too.

Disneyland in 1000 pictures

There is a picture of me, at this age, at this wishing well somewhere in the family archives...I will find it and post it alongside.


Seriously cute boys slept so well in the cozy hotel beds.


Evan was a quarter of an inch too small to ride on the rapids, so Ryan and Mommy took to the raft together.




Evan could not wait to hear about Ryan's adventure.


Ryan recounted every last detail!




Princesses, Smincesses.


We are all about the cars.


I am saving now for my car insurance premiums in 11 years.





There was lots of love for It's a Small World.

First of many family trips to Disneyland! It was so much fun, and such a joy. One thing I found funny is that the boys loved the Matterhorn, Space Mountain, and Big Thunder RR, but did not like any of the "kid" rides because they were too dark and loud. Evan's favorite was the Ferris Wheel, and Ryan loved Space Mountain. Neither can wait to go back.


I still have a few pictures on my iPhone, have to pull them off. Let's just say there was a ton of fun had by all!!!