1st Day of School - 2010

The official start of school began today with great anticipation last night! Luke went to sleep right on time but Nolan just couldn't get to sleep. I guess the anticipation of 1st grade was just too much. At 10pm I bid him my final good night. This morning both boys got dressed, ate their pop tarts and did their obligatory 1st day of school picture poses. As you can see, Luke's beloved "chicken" was available for pictures this morning as well. 1st day of school is such a terrible rush! Before we even had time to video tape the event we were walking into Nolan's elementary school and back out again in what felt like 2 minutes flat. Kids and parents were everywhere! This year Nolan looked a bit more apprehensive than I remember him looking last year in Kindergarten.

Next stop, Primrose! Luke is officially a "big kid" and now he attends Pre-K in a new classroom. This year Luke will wear his official Primrose uniform and rejoin some friends from last year's preschool classroom. His teachers are Ms. Babe and Ms. Garcia. We know Ms. Garcia from Nolan's Pre-K school year and she's soooo excited to have another "Wilson boy" back in class with her. Both teachers are young and hip so I think he'll have a great year too!

As for me, no tears (who has time, anway?!) Just lots of pride knowing that they are happy and well adjusted little boys happy to be in a learning environment. Last year and this year I took off work for their 1st day of school and I think I am going to make this my new tradition. I like being able to take my time with them in the morning and I enjoy every moment of it.

Nolan - 1st Grade (2010)

Luke - Pre-K (2010)

Luke & Nolan - 1st day of school (2010)

Nolan with Mrs. Robinson

Luke getting ready to enter Primrose (he's finally growing into his backpack!)

Oh Dane...seriously?

Call him an explorer who ventures into territories where his older brothers have never gone before...the toilet bowl! It's too bad that I wasn't able to snap a picture of him when I first found him because that picture would have shown him sitting in the bowl like a bird in a nest. And he was smiling so big! Tonight felt like a F4 tornado hit our house. Dane began the evening by shimmying under the baby gate which keeps Dane and Lucy out of the cat food and cat box (or at least now it keeps Lucy out). He was helping himself to huge handfuls of cat food which I had to extract with my finger from his clenched shut jaws. Guess what? He bites!! I finally had to let him chew up the last few pieces (ewwwww...gross, I know!) It was shortly thereafter when I found him in the toilet bowl. Is it too much to ask for a few minutes to change clothes and use the potty? Apparently so! Then, when I was getting everyone ready for bed I went into Luke's room and found ALL of Luke's books pulled off the shelves in his closet and scattered across the room. I don't think I can blame that one on Luke...I'm convinced that "Tornado Dane" barreled through Luke's room as well! And just like a tornado, the havoc he created took him probably less than 3 minutes!

Santa Fe Trip 2010

This year our summer vacation plans got cut short due to my starting a new job however we made the most of a long weekend with wonderful weather in Santa Fe. Drew, boys and Grandma and Grandpa headed out of town on Thursday morning and after a long day of driving arrived in Santa Fe early evening. I was the lucky winner who got to work all day and fly to Santa Fe on Thursday night! The boys took several hiking trips with our main trip being made to Bandelier National Monument. It was beautiful and the weather was perfect...well, almost perfect! Just as we were approaching Alcove House to climb a series of wooden ladders it poured rain on us! Of course to the boys, that was the best part of the day!

On Saturday morning we went to the farmer's market and it was the most wonderful scene of fresh produce I have ever seen! Sally and I purchased fresh basil, beefeater tomatoes, oyster mushrooms, white corn on the cob and fresh peaches and declared that we would be eating in for dinner! We whipped up the most wonderful pesto pasta with shrimp! Yummmmm....

Luke loved picking plums at the "sita" (aka casita aka single wide trailer in a 55+ community!) and they both loved to go swimming at the pool. Sunday morning we all headed to church (well, most of us anyway) at the St Francis of Assisi Basilica. It is a beautiful Catholic church in the middle of quaint downtown Santa Fe. Afterwards we spent the morning perusing the beautiful Indian jewelry. What a shame when all good things have to come to an end. I flew home Sunday night and Drew, Luke and Dane drove home on Monday. Nolan was the winner as he managed to tag along on a trip to San Diego with Grandma and Grandpa Wilson! 10 full days of fun and sun near the ocean! I can't wait to see him when he gets home!

A Mike McLintock trademark which I am officially adopting (it's a compliment ya know!). This is so you know where we are!

A very important plaque...Drew's Grandpa Milo (Sally's father) was one of the men who passed through this portal by designing the bombay of the Enola Gay. What amazing family history!

Dane was such a fabulous hiker!

Nolan and Grandma Sally

Luke and Nolan posing

Family picture

An amazing view from one of the small caves

Pointing out the Indian carvings in the side of the mountain

Luke climbing a ladder at the top of Alcove House

Nolan climbing the same ladder in Alcove House

Our views from Alcove House! Breathtaking!

Dane knows what to do when I whip out my camera!

Just the guys!