Balloon races

"Wohooo ! " were the words out of Pravan's mouth. I got him up at 5am. He was so excited that it was finally the morning when he could go and see the balloons. I got Priyasha up that early as well. Suprisingly she was not caranky. She did ask for a cup of tea. One would think she really was older. Her maturity level stuns both Todd and I. Todd had a little trouble rising today. I made him a cup of coffee and he was a good sport. Well we missed dawn patrol as that starts at 5:30 am. We did see the balloons lit up in the dark sky as we headed toward where they were. I made hot chocolate for the kids and packed some pancakes. We had a difficult time finding a parking spot but we finally did. It was a long while before the balloons made it up into the sky. The kids were restless and the crankiness drove Todd nuts. It did not take long for the excitement to change into crankiness. It is hard to be patient even for me. I took the kids across the street when the balloon started ascending. I took some pictures and then the kids had no further interest. I met a lady that was parked behind us. She had the Nikon D300 which is the camera I really really want. I chatted with her for a while and we both agreed that it was hard to get good pictures with the kids. We exchanged phone numbers and decided to do this again tomorrow. it was the last day and it would be a great thing to do without the kids and hubbby. The rest of the day we all dragged. We skipped a birthday party as the kids were cranky . After naps we headed to the pool for an hour or two. Since it was late and I was tired we order in some dinner from a new Bistro that opened up in our neighborhood. I had fallen asleep on the couch when Todd went to get dinner. I was just sooooo drained. I had some dinner and then went to bed at 9pm. Can you believe it. I have never gone to bed that early in the last decade. Tomorrow will be an awesome experience. Drinking hot chocolate. Mayflower that he saw at school yesterday. Searching for Mayflower. Pravan finally spots the Mayflower. Below is the view from our development. This is about 5 miles away from where the race is. As we turned this is what we saw so we had to stop and take a picture again. This is really a great event and certainly colorful.

Playdate with Raya

Candice and I trade childcare when either of us need it so today was my turn. Candice had several things to do and Raya and Priyasha are best buddies. Raya ended up coming over earlier than planned but that was fine. The girls had a good time playing on the trampoline and we had a picnic lunch in the backyard. It was in the 90's today but they insisted on jumping. The trampoline is really great to tire the kids out.

It was a very easy morning with the girls. They played well together and they both took long naps. While they napped I took the opportunity to sew Pravan comforter. Finally I pulled out the transformer and spider man fabric. It was already cut to size but it was a process to add the velcro and get it to fit right. I sewed some ribbon onto the feather down and then matched it to ribbon on the coverlet. I then tied it together to keep them from moving on the bed. Pravan already had a great quilt I made when he was two. I have no room for it so I left it on the bed and added the sheets on top of it. This made his bed extra comfy and soft. He loves his new comforter and loves to just plop down on it and ounce around. It feels like landing on a cloud.

When Pravan got of the bus he was so excited. Today one of the balloons landed on his playground at school. All the kids. It was the highlight of his day. This balloon was called the Mayflower and it had a picture of a ship on it. He talked about it for about 30 min .He was one of many kids that helped the man fold up the balloon and decompress it. He even brought home the pilots business card. He was not so happy to learn that Raya was here. He was disappointed that Priyasha and Raya always get to play and he never gets to see Dylan. I promised him that we would plan a after school play date next week. I cooked dinner after Raya was picked up and we had an early night.Pravan is looking forward to seeing the Mayflower again.

Volunteered in the classroom

This morning I had a plan to drive Priyasha to Candice's house. Priyasha was thrilled to hang out with Raya. Pravan also wanted to ride with me instead of the bus. It was crazy getting out the door. I was stressed and there was so much to do.Priyasha was clingy when I dropped her off but she was fine after a while. I raced to get Pravan to school before the tardy bell rang. On the way to school we saw several hot air balloons. The kids were excited and Pravan had just realized that it was that time of the year again. It has been a hot Septemeber so he did not think that it was time for the balloon races. Reno is always filled with fun events. Last weekend was the rib festival and next weekend is the Reno Air Races. Well the kids are thrilled and excited to go and see the balloons early on Saturday morning.

It was so busy this morning that did not even have time to get a cup of anything. I had no time for breakfast or my magic tea. I thought I would stop at the store and get coffee. I am a tea snob. I like my tea just so and the stores do not make it the British way so I would much rather get coffee even though I do not normally drink it. Well due to that reason I had no idea where to get one so I didn't. I also made Pravan's classmates snacks and that took up most of my morning. I made kebabs with ham , cheese, cantaloupe, grapes and strawberries. The kids loved it. Some kids had second and third helpings.

I helped his teacher get some math papers in order and filed some stuff. I also helped with recess duty. I could hardly keep track of Pravan. From the moment he was released into the playground he was running all over the place. That kid did not rest at all. I was exhausted trying to follow him. It would be a great workout though. He was sad to see me leave when it was time for me to get Priyasha.

Priyasha had a good time playing baby dolls with Raya but she was happy to see me. We headed home and she took a nap. I used that time to clean up the house before Pravan got home. When he came home I had him play in the backyard with his sister and we hung out on the trampoline.

Thanks for stopping by and reading about my crazy day as a mother.

More curtain updates

Somehow my projects have snowballed and now I am sewing all kinds of things. Just by moving the toddler bed into the nook in the living room. I have decided to add more panels to the existing drapes for a more full swag. I also added more red tassels to the curtains. I really only sew when Priyasha is napping and I am so fast now that it makes things complete. Sewing is so fulfilling to me. It is a reward with instant gratification. I enjoy scrapbooking too but I can sew a whole quilt in the time it takes me to make a quilt. hard to believe I know.

Anyway this morning I packed Pravan some left over meatballs and noodles. I put it on a stick and also made him a special snack. I made some mini pancakes and out that on a stick with strawberries and grapes. When he got home he told me that his teacher said " You have a very clever mom " I smiled from ear to ear and felt so good to hear that.Just seeing him tell me that with a huge smile on his face I could tell he was proud of me. I took in the moment and gave him a big hug and told him that I loved him. He did forget his lunch box in school again. I hope he learns to remember. I cleaned the house thinking that my friend Suzanne was coming over but it is not until next week. I was bummed about that but hey my house is super clean. It did not take long for me to mess it up with bits of fabric again. Pravan got home on time and today for the first time Priyasha was awake and was able to greet him at the bus. I love having him home and listening to his day. I feel like a piece of me is missing when he is away.

That's all for today. Have a good night.

Tuesday Blues

This morning Pravan could not get up. I tried to get him up and he rolled over and told me that he is tired. He has never been a kid that cold not get up but this school routine is killing him. The kid is almost always half asleep on the bus. Poor guy. I feel bad. I also am feeling the strain of this new schedule. I have to get up earlier as well. If I just quit making him lunches and eh can have a hot lunch I can sleep in a little longer. Nahh ! it is not worth it as they serve junk besides Pravan loves my lunches and looks forward to my lunch notes. I have special ones made up on the computer. Here is an example. Today he got some strawberries and cheese on a stick for snack. They have snack time at 10:15 am and then lunch at 11:45am. This is to fuel them up so they can focus. I think it is a great idea. My kids love food on a stick. I even serve dinner that way sometimes with meat and vegetables. It is a fun way for a kid to eat.

This is not the best image but it gives you the idea. I always draw a heart and write mommy ! His goal is to try and read it before he comes home and he gets a token and then he can redeem a prize. Not sure what yet . I have got to work out the details.

Priyasha and I went to storytime and then we stopped at school to visit Pravan during his lunch. It is nice that his school is so school. I can visit anytime I want to. Priyasha was happy to see him and he shared his chocolate milk with her. He could not finish it so she is his garbage disposal and he pretends like he wants to share. Sneaky guy but I am on to him. I praise him for sharing even though I know what he is up to.

Priyasha and I then went to the playground and we had lunch there and hung out. She fell asleep on the way home. I took advantage of her nap time and sewed some cushions. I found these zebra print fabric and and that adds a nice touch to my living room. I am planning on changing the curtains and a few more things around. I promise to snap some pictures and post them by next week. Hey I have nothing else to do right.

Pravan brought home a library book and has to read it and write about it in his journal. So today he practiced reading. He is having a hard time with some words and daddy was hard on the kid tonight. It broke my heart to see him crying but it was for his own good. I know he will get better but I cannot help worrying. In motherhood that never stops right !

Treats for Pravan's class

So my cupcakes from last night did not turn out the way I want it to. I planned on decorating the cupcake. I frosted it with yellow frosting and tried to put a chocolate covered graham cracker on it. This was supposed to resemble a chalkboard. I iced it with 1+ 1 and added a white candy to look like chalk. I also added a red m & m with green icing for an apple. Well the graham crackers refused to stay in place. I finally gave up and this morning I decided to cut up water melon into little star shapes and placed them on a stick. This took a long time. I then put it in the freezer while I showered and got dressed to go to school.

Priyasha was thrilled to go to brother's class. She sat at a table and had a snack too. Pravan got to pass out the napkins and he looked so proud and happy to be doing that. At first some of the kids did not want the snack but when they tried it they came back for seconds. I was happy that they had a cool ( literally cool ) snack. It was a hot day and Pravan said "that was a great idea mom ". Priyasha and I stayed for a short while and then we headed of to lunch. I met a dear old friend Heleene and we had lunch together. It has been a long long time since we saw each other. I was surprised that she brought me a belated birthday present. My birthday was in April. It was so sweet of her. We had a good time and Priyasha got a balloon when we left and said to the hostess " Can I have one for buther ? " That was so sweet of her. It was nap time when we got home.

I had very little time to do the dishes and clean before Pravan got home. I was also tired from the busy morning. When Pravan got of the house I discovered that he left his lunch box in school. I was not happy but I guess he will have to learn to remember these little things as mom is no longer always there to nag him. This is a long weekend and I am looking forward to it. Have a happy and safe Labor day weekend.

Sewing Bee

Okay lately things have been crazy and seems as though everyday I want to be lazy but then something happens and I am spontaneously out the door within 20 min. This morning I saw Pravan out the door and onto the bus at 8:15. I then snuggled with Priyasha for a short while and got her dressed for the day. I then let her play with her baby dolls and clean her room up. I took some time to sew all the six inch squares I had perfectly laid in a pattern on the floor. Last night Pepper , my cat had a luxurious bed and messed up my fabric.

It was not long before the phone rang and it was an automated call from the library. They had a book for me to pick up. Since I was going there I went early and stayed for story time. I ordered more books from this book list I have for the kids and then headed to the supermarket. When we got home Priyasha and I had lunch and then she took her nap. I continued to sew my quilt and then Pravan came home. When he got of the bus he was sleepy and tired. Poor guy, this has been a hard week with a major change for him. He had a snack and then helped me bake some cupcakes. I am planning on taking it to school for the kids in Pravan's class. Priyasha also helped. Pravan's package for his birthday from grandma finally arrived. Yeahhhh !!!!!. She mailed it on Aug 04 and it took 24 days to get here from the east coast. That is insane. It should have taken 10 days. Pravan was thrilled and we called grandma to give her the good news. She asked Pravan to go ahead and spend the $20 anyway. It is like he is having a birthday all over again.

I am almost done with the African quilt for the toddler bed. It is looking good.I will show you pictures when the project is completely finished. I keep adding more things to do on the list so it may be another week or two. I also treated myself to this new Smirnoff cosmopolitan drink. I am not sure that I like it very much but hey it is a martini. I am off to drink that and relax.

Take care !

Raya visits all day

Today I finally had a chance to stay home. My dear friend Candice had to go to the hospital to have a procedure done. A sensitive one so I won't talk about it much. Her son Dylan is in first grade as well so she had Raya to worry about. Raya is six months older than Priyasha and they are best buddies. I offered to watch Raya for her today. She was dropped off at 9am and stayed until 4:30 pm.

The girls had a blast together. They played very well and there was no fighting. Raya even let me braid her hair. The girls loved playing kitchen and baby dolls. We went for a short walk outside but it was about 95 degrees. Both girls were asleep when Pravan got off the bus. I always wait outside for him. Today he got off the bus with his lunch box in his hands and a band aid on his hand as well. He fell at the playground today. It was a small cut but it breaks my heart that I will no longer be there when he is at school. I guess he is becoming more independent.

Dylan stopped by with his grandparents to pick Raya up. Pravan was sad that he could not stay and play. I promised him we will have another play date on a different day. After they left I cooked dinner and had Pravan practice some reading. I feel like the night is so rushed as it is dark earlier and the kids have to go to bed at 8pm. It has been a long day especially since I have to get up early.

Story time and recovering for seperation anxiety

Today seemed like I was doing better. Yesterday the kids got an unexpected package in the mail. It was from their great grandmother. She was shopping and got Pravan a transformer shirt. He was thrilled as it glowed in the dark. It was a size 8 and huge on the kid but he insisted on wearing it to school today. Priyasha got a cute purple shirt with a heart on it. That was very thoughtful of great grandma.Thank you grandma. The kids love it.

Since today is the first day Pravan will ride the bus to and from school I had to capture the moment. It was hard to say goodbye but I know he is having a good time in school. I then cleaned up and took Priyash to the library. I would have stayed home if Candice did not invite me. Some how I do not know how to have a quiet lazy day. Priyasha loves story time and I could not deny her this privilege. She had a great time. I was feeling drained from yesterday's emotional roller coaster. After story time I came right home and Priyasha and I had a picnic lunch in the backyard. Pravan also came home with the bus. I had Priyasha nap around 2pm so she would be asleep when he came home. He was happy when he got off the bus.

I was glad to see him. He told me all about his day at school and we had a snack together. He seemed tired today. I love it when he is home. Now that he is gone all day I seem to love him even more and I miss him tons.

Pravan got this shirt in the mail yesterday. It is from great grandma for no reason. She loves him, that is a good reason. She saw this and thought of him. It was a surprise to get a package and as you can tell he loves it. He insisted on wearing it to school although it was too big.

He is excited to ride on the bus again.

He is listening to me say " I Love You "

Here he is coming home clutching the glass jar he took to school. Inside this jar is a dead dragon fly and he took it to school to show the class. He was happy about that as it was the highlight for the kids. They just love bugs. I only care for the ladybug.

First Day of first Grade

It is finally here. I was kind of sad and anxious and nervous. Pravan seemed a little excited. I felt like my heart was heavy and sad. We had a wonderful pancake breakfast and got ready for the school bus to show up at 8:15 am. Pravan usually does not ride the bus on the first day but we always greet the bus driver and let her know. This year we had the same traditions. I gave Pravan the red hearts I always give him. They are little red patch hearts for sewing. he has to keep it in his pocket and if he missed me , he can pull it out and remember that I love him. We also do the kissing hand. He kisses my hand and I kiss his. He also does this with his sister. This tradition is from the book " The kissing hand " It is something we learned on the first day of kindergarten. There are some pictures of Todd walking him into the school and also of him kissing his sister goodbye. They have a whole routine of their own. It is so cute. Pravan waited for the bus this morning but he did not ride the bus to school. He said good morning to Ms Charleene and told her that he would ride the bus tomorrow. I took some pictures of him and the bus though. He is a typical kid and had concerns about leaving his toys behind. He also learned that Priyasha was supposed to have a friend over. He decided to barricade his room with everything he could find including his sister. He used her toys though. He said that she could play with her toys as long as she put the stuff where he placed it. He did say that she was allowed to move from her chair , luck her ahh! You can see the pictures to get a better idea. I respected his wishes and we did not move anything out from the front of his room door. His toys were protected. Pravan always make a poster saying "' First Day of ... " This he made one and I took lots and lots of pictures. I am so proud of him. I was very emotional today. I cried for most of the day. I left the school after we met the teacher but went back to help him at recess. I was there early so I stayed and helped a little. I had a hard time leaving the school. It was almost 1pm when I got home. I also planned on picking Pravan up at the school so in total I was at the school at four different times. I really missed the kid all day. I think Pravan had a great first day. His biggest accomplishment was doing the monkey bars at recess. He has never been able to do it but now as he watched the other kids he decided to give it a try. Todd and I watched his determination. The bell rang and it was time to go back to the class but he stayed behind and finished the monkey bars. I asked him what made him finally do it and he said " I did not want to be embarrassed for not being able to do it " We were proud of him. I guess peer pressure can sometimes be a good thing. I can see Pravan really growing this year, not just physically but emotionally and other ways as well. He will learn what he wants to when he is ready. I may not like it but it is what it is. Pravan had a banana dog for lunch today. It is a hotdog bun with peanut butter and you then add a banana instead of a hotdog. He really liked it. Even though he has none of the kindergarten kids in his class he immediately made friends with a little boy John Chaney. He lives in our neighborhood and they had met briefly at several get togethers. I guess this will be his first grade buddy and I am glad he can make friends so easily. At recess he did get to see his buddies from last year. He also saw his girlfriend Jaisyn and gave her a huge hug. I was there to capture the moment. I cannot believe how long Pravan is away from me. I felt like a part of me was missing when he was gone. I wanted to kill the kid all summer but now I can't hold back these tears. What's wrong with me. I am sure I will get used to it and enjoy my time with Priyasha. Well it was a long draining day for me and I am exhausted. My not so little boy is in First Grade now. Tomorrow should be a better day.