A Preschooler and a 3rd grader

I am slowly getting my world back in balance after the end of the summer -- I am not sure it will be as balanced as it once was, but for now my approach is to fake it until I make it.  As the fog lifts, I am reminded that we have done quite a bit of living and growing the past months.

Addison started third grade at the end of August - Yes!  Third grade!  She, of course, was excited to get back to school, get back her gaggle of friends, get back to freshly sharpened pencils and brand new crayons.  This year, she switches classes for Language Arts and has the world's biggest binder that organizes all her work.  Unsurprisingly, Addison continues to love school - I get daily reports of who did what in class, who she sat with at lunch, and what amazing, witty, hilarious things her teachers' say, as they are the most amazing people in the eyes of my little third grader. 
Third grade, in addition to switching classes, has more homework, has introduced the recorder to our home (if I hear Hot Cross Buns one more time I may cry), and is keeping Addison, and me, crazy busy.   Addie just wrapped her soccer season (we saw great improvement this season, she even scored a goal) in time to start two days a week practice for volleyball.  The sports are squeezed in along side of Girl Scouts, dance, and scootering around the neighborhood with Maggie, Harrison and Nicholas.  It seems Addison rarely has a moment to sit down these days -- but when she does I often find her curled up with her nose in a book, which makes me smile every time.

And then there is Miss B, who leaves me three times a week for three hours at time to become a super smart three year old.  In September Brenna started at preschool, which she may love even more than sweet treats.  Each day when I pick her up I am told all about school, about her teacher, about all her little friends.  She proudly sits at the table with her homework tracing each letter and then writing them on her own in her clunky printing.   After three weeks at school, she demanded to know when they were going to do math, because "that's my favorite, Mom".  She's already gone on two field trips, has had the Sharing bag, and has taken Bailey the stuffed bear home to go on adventures with her.
When she isn't at school we spend time running errands, doing puzzles, heading to the zoo, and still sneaking in a few naps.  Brenna also started both soccer and ballet this year.  In one weekend she got her first pair of cleats and her first pair of ballet slippers -- I am pretty sure it was the very best weekend of her life. 

We play soccer in the back yard and Brenna dribbles and runs and kicks hard.  When we go to soccer practice and games, Brenna stands still, puts her hands in her pockets and avoids the ball like the plague.   But she looks dang cute doing it.  Ballet is thirty minutes a week and she loves every second of it - the twirling, the pointed toes, the tutus.
These days we have one activity or another every night of the week and often on Saturdays.  I spend a lot of time in my car, pulling in and out of my driveway, dropping off and picking up.  I know that as busy as we feel, we have barely begun to experience the chaos raising well rounded kiddos.  But for now, it is more than enough.

It has been lovely to sit here, on a rainy Tuesday, and be in a warm familiar place -- I hope to sit here more often.  Until then, errands and laundry call....