Nick's Tooth

So Nick has had a loose tooth for about 3 weeks now. I get home from work on Monday and Becky and Nick and Rachel are all searching our driveway for a tooth. He had been playing with it and it popped out! sidenote - He thought the blood was very cool.
More good news. I get home from volleyball last night and Pete was home! He came home a day early and both the kids and I were happily surprised! His trip sounded awesome and you guys can check out the pictures on our Sysum Pictures link. We are so glad to have him back - it was a long 9 days.
40 more days until Mexico.

Pete's Trip

Pete is now on his "work" trip. He went to Bulgaria first, now he is in Romania and then ends in Ireland. I am so jealous of his trips abroad. Romania and Ireland both have days that Pete gets to site see in.
Grandma White gets here tonight for a 5 day trip to see the kids. I told them there would be a surprise in the computer room for them in the morning. They are going to freak when the present is Grandma.
Nick is loving school and we have a meeting with his teacher in a couple of weeks. I also joined the PTA. Gotta stay involved!
Mexico trip is less than 2 months away - man I can't wait!
**Don't litter

Pete ROCKS!

So my husband rocks! He sent me flowers to work on Nick's first day of school, bought me a 120 GB (that is a lot of memory for translation, Sandy)Zune that is very cool, and left me a great note and more roses the other morning.
Sometimes I think we take our significant other for granted. Whoever your "other" is, give them a big hug and kiss and tell them how much you love them.
And mom, think of dad and know that he thinks and has always thought that you were the BOMB wife and an AWESOME mom!
Love to everyone!

Nick's first day of school

Yes, I cried.
The bus was late, so Nicholas was nervous that he wouldn't get to ride the bus to school. After he was on the bus and on his way - I started to tear up and couldn't believe that he is in kindergarten. I have never been so proud of him getting on the bus and going to school by himself.
We met his teacher on Tuesday this week and his first day was Wednesday. I have already had homework - what the heck! He will get homework staring next week which is such a great way to start kids on the right track. He loves it so far. Came home the first day and said that he has 32 new friends. Today, he sat with a buddy from his class on the school bus. I can only imagine the conversation they had on the way home.
Rachel is doing ok. She is having a friend over on Friday to spend the day with her. She will be doing yoga at the Y on her own now and I'm going to try to get her in something else in the afternoon while Nick is in school.
The picture is Nick getting off the bus his first day of school.

Rachel caught a fish!

Rachel, with her Dora fishing pole, caught a rainbow trout over Labor Day weekend while camping. It was very exciting. I was trying to catch up on a nap while Pete took the kids fishing. All of a sudden on the walkie talkie Nick was telling me that he caught a dead minnow (funny joke to make sure mom doesn't sleep). However, while he was talking, Rachel felt something pulling her fishing pole around and then the chaos began. Rachel dropped her pole and so Nick picked it up screaming that they caught a fish. He gets it reeled in and wants to know when he can bang it on it's head. Rachel is talking baby talk to the fish. Pete is just laughing at his crazy children!
We had it for dinner that night - and everyone tried it! Finally, a fish was caught in Washington. We can retire our poles until the Spring.
Oh, and in October, the boys are going squid fishing. Hmmmm, we'll see about those. I like mine breaded as appetizers.

Work-Out

So Pete and I are back working out again. He found this 4 month weight training regiment that we started - gotta get ready for Mexico! It is nice hanging out with him doing something that he loves to do. I'm learning so much. Protein shakes, amino acids, blah, blah, blah.
The kids are also getting into it. Nick wants to lift weights at home and does his ab workout and push-ups almost every night. It is cute because of course right next to him is Rachel doing her very best.
We are also getting ready for our camping trip. Our good friends Patrick and Wendy kindly let us borrow their 3 room tent with air mattresses. Thank goodness because it is supposed to rain (I know - we live in Seattle) 2 out of the 3 days we are camping! We will become experts at Kings in the Corner and Go Fish card games.
I hope everyone has a great and safe Labor Day Weekend!
***The picture is of Nick and Rachel and their cousins from Michigan - Arianna, Bronson and the youngest, Adelene.

Mexico

All I can think about is going on vacation in November. Only 75 more days! Not that I'm counting or anything. We are going to Puerta Vallarta with the kids and Becky (our nanny) from the 9th through the 22nd.
In between then, Charles (I put his latest softball picture from Iowa here) is coming out over Halloween to visit. Pete's parents are going to try to come out in October too. Nicholas starts school - he is very excited to just get away from his sister - that's all he wants right now. My mom might come out. Pete is going to Hungary, Romania, and Ireland the end of September (I am so jealous that I don't have more vacation to go with him!). Before you know it, November will be here.
I think Pete and I are also going to make a trip in February down to Cabo the same week that my friend Kim and her husband go every year.
We are also heading back to Colorado this summer to see friends and family.