Catching up

So the last few days I have been thinking about my poor blog, and how I have been kind of neglecting it as well as all of you lately...It wasnt intentional, I have been so busy lately, or just so drained at the end of the day that all I want to do is sit on the couch and veg for a little bit.....
I will probably just do a wordless post another day so that I can get pictures and videos up from all of our recent successes,performances, outings, random stuff, vacations, family etc....
So I am going to back up a month or so:

May- June 2013

Elementary spring program....my girl was one of the narrators, and she did an awesome job!  She sang songs with her class, and overall is such a little performer! (I dont have any idea where she gets it) The following week Caleb had his preschool program...apparently he is also a little performer! He sang his little heart out, made silly faces, and overall had a great time up on the stage! :)
Then Athena had her award ceremony. I have a confession: I didnt want to go, I didnt want to be out "late" again with the kids,  I wasnt planning on going..... we were leaving for 10 days the next day and I had a million things I had to do and sitting in the auditorium wasnt one of them....then I found out that it was mandatory (yay)  so, we rushed home after I got done work, the kids ate a super healthy dinner of chef boyardee, we fancied athena up (hair and dress) and then hurried back to williston in time for the award ceremony.  The "bad/selfish mommy" in me was hoping that she at least got one or two awards to make it "worth it" (I know...how awful is that) Meanwhile I was telling Athena that she might not get any awards and that its ok...
Well, Athena received three awards, and they were all for academics! (yeah,yeah, good thing we went)

The next day the kids had school, and I took the day off so I could pack, clean, get the dog groomed and be ready to go on our vacation later that day.  Normally when we head to Michigan we drive straight through---leave early in the morning and arrive that night (12hrs+/-) This time we decided to make the whole thing our vacation. We left wednesday afternoon and drove about 5 hours stopped in Canada and stayed at a hotel, left the next morning and were at my inlaws early afternoon the next day...it was much nicer that way, and we did the same thing on the way home....when we asked the kids what they liked the best about the vacation..."the pool at the hotel!"  :)  at least they had fun ;) We had a nice time seeing family, and relaxing as much as possible....This was the first time that I felt really at home, and relaxed with everyone that we saw in Michigan, and once the kids readjusted and slept (after the first couple of nights) it was really nice.

School decisions....Josh and I thought that we had it all figured out, planned etc...we got caleb in to the town preschool, planning on mornings, and then Athena would go there as well so they would be in the same place, we would save money,(she would have girls in her class) I had applied for a possible transfer and would be over at the fanny allen, life would be easy-peasey......then we didnt get mornings for caleb for preschool which would mean he would be in williston, and athena would be in essex, I didnt get the transfer so I would be in williston, lots of driving back and forth every day.......it was starting to make us question if we were making the right decisions.....then we received some other information that again made us stop and re-evaluate everything....so, right now we are doing just that, re-evaluating.....everything!!  This is one of those times where we just want to make the right decision, and fear of making the wrong one is why we havent made one yet.........[ just to clarify we were not unhappy with anything at the school both kids were at, the financial part of private school scares us a little bit ]

Next week my baby girl turns 7.....7!!!!!  seriously, how did this happen? She (and her cousin) lost both of her top front teeth "mom, I look so much older now"   She just got her report card and got straight A's, and is officially a second grader now.....<sigh>

I feel like there is more that I should be catching you up on, but right now I cant think of anything else "exciting" that I can share with you.....dont worry though, Im sure I will come up with more in a few days  ;)

So....thats been the last couple of months in the Ralph house....I will try to get some pictures and videos up for all of you by the end of the week....Thanks for reading....what have some of you done or plan to do this summer?  I need ideas!!  :)