The Coffeys: End of September

September was SUPER busy for us. The weather is finally starting to get a bit cooler...like 8 degrees cooler...not by much. The farmer's almanac says this year is going to be super wet winter....so maybe I shouldn't complain about the 80 degree weather just yet.

they really do like each other...

our once a week dining out

Dom finally attended a full month of school, and is doing better. He finally made a friend that makes it easier to go to school. He still complains it's too long, but I volunteer on Tues and Thurs, so he gets to see me roaming the halls every now and then, and I think it eases his anxieties.
He has requested that he gets cafeteria food, like his other friends, but I keep telling him he won't eat ANY of it...because he is so picky and I"m not paying $2 a lunch, for it to get tossed in the trash. For now, he eats a tiny hawaiian bread with ham and cheese (basically a tiny sandwich), a drinkable yogurt, water, and usually some salty snack (pretzels, chips, etc)....and usually something comes back. Yes....that is all he eats between 9am and 4pm.....did I survive like that too? I worry about that kid. His best buddy is like 2 in taller than him and I tell him all the time...."Dom is because you don't eat buddy. He probably eats everything his mom gives him".
Right now, the school is in full fundraising mode...and I"m glad I'm not in the PTO haha. I'm just homeroom mom. I still have a lot to do- mainly keep communication open between parents and teacher of our class, but I dont' have to deal with pushing nights out to eat, OR fundraising stuff. The most I do, is collect box tops haha. Right now, we are in the middle of a costume contest and I hope our class wins. the theme was "castle quest" and Dom wanted to dress like a dragon (WHAT?!) So, Ms H and I agreed on crowns (kids would decorate, we would cut) and I would provide some tunics for them to look like knights. Dollar tree had some for $1...but for 24 kids...yikes. Instead I found some manilla oversized paper in the clearance back to school aisle at target for a whopping $1!....plus the ribbon, black paint and gold paint I already had (this is why you hoard after holiday clearance items haha). So, hopefully that's enough to put us over the edge and win. I think the winner gets a sno cone party....I dont' mind helping with things like this...but fundraising? blah. I'd rather just give them the money knowing full well ALL proceeds will help the school (not 30%). But I guess they make it fun for the kiddos.
He's still obsessed with legos, and spends most of his free time building minecraft sets. He has already asked for several sets for birthday and Christmas.

He made a notebook.

little friend held his hand that morning

Ethan started school and he's so awesome. He loves school, I won't have to worry about him. He loves his friend, his teachers, and loves doing whatever they do in there- music time, spanish, and reading. Recently, we attended the Open House for Ethan's school and Dom got to see his old teachers. They both got to play in the playground and see old friends. I feel so bad that Dom misses his old school so much. I have contemplated about private school and homeschool, but I just don't feel like either choice will help his anxieties, or meet his needs. And at some point, he will have to go to public school (even if it's college)...he might as well get used to the social aspect of school, and learn how to be a vital member of society.
Ethan is loving this weather. He loves helping me pick tomatoes and the jalapenos....even if the tomatoes are green, and the peppers are spicy and he keeps grabbing his eyes....he never learns. This past month, the plants have really pushed into high gear- especially the two mentioned...I think they know time is running out. Our third tomato plant, is starting to grow tomatoes just NOW....I"m not really sure if they'll even be done in time. He's getting into legos too. He constantly comes up to me and says "look LOOK what i build!" and most of the time I can't figure it out haha.

First day of preschool

First day...he fit right in

Got a cookie for lunch

Got a red balloon

Picked him up, ran an errand...and this is what
I got....

waiting for big bro in the car rider lane

Open house: He really does swing like that

Dom in his old stomping grounds

Had to do what E does

He did it by himself

He loves coming with me to run errands...I think

Spencer started a new job. He enjoys taking his lunch and driving an hour away haha. He recently celebrated his birthday. We did something small just between us. He asked to go to subway (simple man) and cheesecake. He got quite a few presents from us, and loves his "pizza planet' shirt the most. It only took me like 5 yeas to find it. He worked in the yard a lot, starting to plant those spring bulbs and mums and whatnot. He likes researching plants that will survive the winter, so he's working on that. Recently, he paid off more on the house with some savings, hoping to remove our PMI from the loan. The appraiser came by and everything looks good. It appears, we may be able to remove PMI from this loan, making us a bigger profit when we sell. He's so smart.

cheesecake

decorations

all kinds of presents.

We have been trying to do a date night a week, and these past ones, we've gotten a few bites to eat. Our last one was a cool dessert place where they roll the ice cream in front of you. It's actually kinda cool to watch. I'm bland..so I got plain vanilla. But they got mango, any kind of berry, peanut butter....you can go crazy with it.

He got mango ice cream...I went plain

I have been super busy. Twice a week I volunteer at D's school. One day with his teacher, one day at the library (I just love the smell of the library...don't you?) and I get to see D walking by when he's moving from activity to activity. He loves it, he doesn't hesitate to give me a hug. Actually, quite a few of the kids, come and give me hugs...I"m like the cool aunt or something. Yeah...too bad that feeling is not the same when they are 12yrs old...haha. But I"ll take whatever I can get now. I am also homeroom parent (basically because no one signed up and it broke my heart). It's been a blessing in disguise. I love meeting the parents and I love spending time with the kids. I get to help Ms H with whatever craft she's got going on this week....I usually count the beads, separate the bags,cut shapes and papers...and whatever else she needs (like copies). It only takes about an hour of my time every week. I'm happy to do it.

My small monthly project

One side chalkboard

One side dry erase

I still go to the gym an hour for 4 days I week...I'm so tired...but hey, what mom isn't right? Some days, I'm like 15 minutes late to class, because I drop Dom off (stay for a bit of the announcements...still), then go down the street and drop off Ethan, and then drive back halfway and go to class, but the teacher doesn't mind...so I"m cool with it too. My kids will always come first. But i do find those 45 minutes of exercise relaxing...no one yelling at me, just doing my own thing.
I've been trying hard to keep the garden alive, but unfortunately we lost the pumpkins and we lost the cucumber...I think it was just time. They were done for the summer. We still have basil, cilantro, tomatoes, and jalapeno peppers. I enjoy making my own tomato sauce (have you SEEN the sugar content on the jarred tomato sauce? sheesh). I usually add just half a jar of prego just to make it sweet and give it that red color they have. My kids don't question it that way. I gotta find more ways to sneak in veggies into their meals. I recently found out that Dom will ONLY eat eggs, if i make potato pancakes- what are they? I"m sure they have another name, but I don't know it. It's essentially a mixture of shredded cheese, eggs, and hash browns....u mix it all and fry it on the stove with some vegetable oil (just enough to cook it). They look like pancakes....so that's what Dom calls it. I'm just glad he's eating some kind of protein that is not chicken nuggets or hot dogs.
I also found some time to do a chalkboard for the kitchen.

This happens every two weeks!

AND....we finally got a mantle...look at that beauty!

Before

In progress

After

Our big trip this time, was the Orr Family Farm. We have been wanting to go for years, but it's only open during the fall, and the weather has to cooperate, and it's kind of expensive...so we always opt out and find something else to do. This time, I found a deal on groupon...a really good deal. It included EVERYTHING except the pony ride and zip line (nothing my kids will miss). The kids had lots of fun...it's so BIG! There was a lot of walking, but since they had a lot of kids activities, my kids didn't mind until it was time to eat. the food leaves a lot to be desired, but the experience was fun. The maze was muddy and mostly weeds, I wouldn't do that again. That's where DOm lost it, I think some weed pricked him and he had to be carried the rest of the way...not the best way to end the day...but whatever. Everyone was so tired, both kids took a 2hr nap...and stayed up until about 11pm...oh joy.