Ready or not, here comes Kindergarten

There are only 4.5 months or 139 days until Joe's first day of Kindergarten...but who is counting? Last night was Kindergarten registration. We were able to go the school, have a tour, meet the teachers and see the classrooms. I was impressed.

As some of you may know, I'm a bit emotional about Joe starting school. I'm happy and scared and excited and nervous all at the same time. Thank goodness for Michelle!! Michelle, my BFF and Joe's Godmother, is the world's best Kindergarten teacher. I've asked Michelle countless questions and she is doing a terrific job coaching me through this transition.

Our experience last night was wonderful. I loved meeting the teachers. Our tour, provided by 5th grader Hannah, was valuable. We saw the library, lunch room, learning "pits", music room, art room, computer room, and many other areas of the school. John Harris has 4 sections of Kindergarten. Joe's excitement was visible. He ran down the halls with his head on a swivel, trying to take it all in. In each of the Kindergarten classrooms, there was an activity for the rookie class. Joe got to cut with scissors, mold play dough, complete a puzzle and color a picture.

So ready or not...here comes Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Hallway (Jack trying to sneak into a room)

Classroom: reading and calendar area

Our Tour Guide Hannah

Keeping up with the tour

Hannah showed us the yellow line (painted on the playground) where Joe will line up when the bell rings

Joe meeting one of the teachers - his mom close behind

Wii're One Musical Family

Our Wii was an addition during the 2007 holiday season, and it has been a source of fun and exercise. When I bought it (actually Auntie Traci bought it) I knew Matt and the boys would love playing the sports games. This most recently holiday season (2008), Matt added Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Matt is a huge music fan. We have countless (literally countless) CDs, minidiscs, LPs, and cassette tapes of music. Some of it legal, some of it illegal. I swear I could “misplace” half of his collection and he’d never notice. His collection includes everything from Abba to Warren Zevon (of course Madonna, Poison and Pearl Jam are somewhere in the middle). Anyway, Matt has gotten the boys involved in his love of music. Here is the proof:

Shame On All Of Us...

Well just like Amy titled her post well over a month ago, "Shame On Me", it could have easily been titled, "shame on all of us"! I have been meaning to blog but just never got around to doing it. At least I have been collecting my blogs in my mind and I have finally sat down to put them all together. Here we go....

"I want to know if love is wild, girl I want to know if love is real"

So Amy and I are looking forward to seeing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in concert this May. Speaking of Bruce, I picked the boys up from school recently and I was listening to Bruce in my car. "Born To Run" was playing and I happened to be singing along. Joe must have been paying close attention to what I was saying and he asked me, "Daddy, is love real?" I turned the question back to him and asked him if he thought love was real or not. He said that love was real and when I asked him why he thought that it was real, he replied with, "because it's beautiful, cool, and awesome." It truely is all of those things, Joe Joe. Thanks for making my day in about 60 seconds!

"Oh Mexico. It Sounds So Simple I Just Got To Go"

And Go is exactly what we did! At the beginning of March, Amy and I went to Cancun and the Riviera Maya. We had an amazing time and we are looking forward to going back, hopefully sooner than later. While we were vacationing, Joe and Jack stayed with multiple friends and family members. With their help, we were able to enjoy a little R&R on our own.

Don't ask me what I shot, because I'm not telling.

"It's A Beautiful Day. Don't Let It Get Away"

Up until this past week, we have had some beautiful weather in Sioux Falls (I give props and much dap to Amy's boys over at Keloland for creating the weather with their "Live KELOLand, HD, 8000 doppler radar, with Viper storm cells that spot Canadian Clipper Systems 9 months in advance". Big ups boys.) OK, what just happened there.....for a second there I thought I was giving shout-outs to so-called weather scientists, but I know that wouldn't be the case. Anywho, from the following pictures you can see how all of us have enjoyed the recent spring like weather!

It's Always Safety First with Jack-A-Roo

The unveiling of the grill 2009

Grilled Halibut on cedar planks

Hopscotch

The boys put the old pond pit to good use.

"Where Is The Moment You Needed The Most?"

Little Jack-Man-Doo has a bit of a musical side to him. As seen in Amy's recent blog, the three Jacobson boys get together for a late night jam-session from time to time. Jack was rockin' the drums as if he were Dave Grohl in the early '90s with Nirvana. It seems as if he could be our front man as well. My apologies to Daniel Powter.

Shame On Me

It has been over 3 months since I've blogged...shame on me. And instead of making excuses and trying to explain myself, I've decided to make a list of changes and updates from the past 3 months and move on with current events at our house.

November 2008 - January 2009

Joe and Jack were Batman & Robin for Halloween, respectively.
We went to Webster for Thanksgiving.
Joe turned 5!
Joe and Jack had a friend birthday/halloween costume party.
Daddy started a new position with Alltel.
The boys saw Santa at the mall & shared their wish lists. Joe asked for Ben 10 toys. Jack asked for (via Joe) Mickey Mouse toys.
Joe had his first hair cut at a salon. Joe did great.
Jack had his first hair cut at a salon. Jack cried and cried.
Christmas was busy and full of gifts.
We took the boys sledding at Great Bear.
Mommy left the medical school and joined Children's Care Hospital & School.
We attended "Here Comes Kindergarten" informational night. Mommy cried.
We had the downstairs fireplace resurfaced.
We hosted a Superbowl party.

I'm sure there are events that I've left out. I hope this is a start to getting me back on track. Pictures are on the way...

Happy Birthday Jack

Dear Jack,

Today is your second birthday. I remember October 23, 2006 like it was yesterday. I remember driving to the hospital with Daddy. We were crying as we drove because we were so excited for you and we were talking about Grandpa Ron. The next thing I remember was walking into the Labor & Delivery area of the hospital. We were led to the first room on the left. The nurse handed me a gown and robe. After I was on the surgical cart and prepped, Daddy changed into blue scrubs. We didn't have to wait very long before the nurse came in to wheel me to surgery. Daddy had to stay in the room until another nurse would allow him into surgery. The surgical room was very close to the L&D room. I remember watching each ceiling tile go over my head and waiting for 2 sets of double doors to open. Once through the second set of doors, I was in the surgical room. I received my spinal block and Daddy was allowed into surgery; it was 7:00am. Dr. Wierda entered the room and said hello & asked me if I was ready to be a mommy again. I said, "yes!" Daddy sat next to me and his face was close to my face. We didn't say too many words, when at 7:09am we heard Dr. Wierda announce, "I see a dark head of hair!" And seconds later we heard you cry. You were so red - and you had a lot of dark hair. You had an angel kiss on your nose. Daddy and I cried and cried. The nurses cleaned you, put a cap on you, wrapped you in a blanket and handed you to me. I held you and said, "hello Jack." You and I (with Daddy close behind) were wheeled back into the L&D room. Grandma Dolly was in the room when we arrived. As soon as I knew it, Daddy and Grandma Dolly scoped you out of my arms and started taking picture after picture after picture of you. I had to abruptly yell, "hey - can I have my baby back?" They were so excited for you that they just couldn't leave you alone. You must have been kissed a thousand times that day. It is a day I'll never forget. I love you, Jack. You will always be my baby.

XOXO

Mommy

Daddy's Gone

Daddy has been gone for 12 days. The boys and I miss him terribly. We've kept ourselves busy and mostly out of trouble. While daddy was in Little Rock we baked cookies, made halloween ghosts, went grocery shopping, and had fun in the tub.

Papertowls, crumpled newspaper & some string = fun halloween ghosts.

We love the little shopping carts!

Christmas In Early October!

Every once and a while, Joe and Jack will receive a gift package in the mail. Every time they receive one of those gift packs, it is from good old Uncle Brad and Uncle Stuart. This time around the boys were sent goodies such as new coloring books, candy, a new DVD, new T-Shirts, amoung other items. As you can see in the pictures, the boys didn't waste any time tearing apart the package to get to the goodies that were sent to them!

One of the items that was sent to the boys was a DVD of Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin. This has become one of Joe's favorite DVD's to watch. He loves Snoopy and loves the way Snoopy laughs! Last weekend when Grandma Val watch the boys Joe colored a picture of Charlie Brown. At his tender age of 4, he is far better at coloring than his father ever has been. Keep up the great work Joe and keep the gift packages coming!

Thanks Uncle Brad and Uncle Stuart!!!