28 August 2013

{Back to School 2013}

Wow back to school already?!!  That may have been one of the fastest moving summers I can remember.  We had a ton of fun and we are sad to see it end.  But I think we are ready to get back into the swing of things around these parts.  This year is a big year for our little family.  Our baby had reached the ripe old age of 5 and is ready as all get out to go to Kindergarten.  

That means I am all alone at home during the day.  The last time that happened was over 12 years ago.  Holy cow!!  It feels weird because I don't have someone needing my attention all day, everyday.  It also feels glorious don't get me wrong.  I have enjoyed going grocery shopping without having a whiny child try to put fifty boxes of Fruit Loops in the cart.  It is the small things I tell ya. 

Enough about me, how about we get onto the kiddos!!


This young man is a 7th Grader this year.  Seriously hold the phone!!  No way can he be this old!!  He is taking a full load of advanced classes and he is excited to be back with his friends.  He is such a good kid.  Really thankful for him!!

We didn't get any pictures of him with his teachers because 1) he is way too old for that and 2) it would be absolutely mortifying to have your mother follow you around all day to all your classes just to get pictures of your teachers.  So we will have to use our imagination!!



Meysa is a big 4th Grader this year.  Her teacher is Ms. Conley, who we thought was a new teacher to the school because we didn't recognize her name, but she just got married over the summer!!  Meysa also has one of her best friends in her class this year.  It was the icing on the cake for the year to start off that way.  Meysa loves school and was really excited to get back into learning!!




Lauryn is the oldest now at her school.  Hard to believe it but she is.  Her teacher is Mrs. Mebane, who happened to be Meysa's second grader teacher.  Mrs. Mebane was also Lauryn's summer school teacher so Lauryn was happy to get her for the entire year.  Lauryn was excited to start school.  She loves to learn!!




This little man has been dreaming of this day for the last two years.  He was ready to go to school when he was three.  He has been humoring my attempt at teaching him the basics in preschool this last year.  All of which he already knew.  He was very prepared to start kindergarten, except for learning to tie his shoes.  We didn't get that skill mastered.  I figured though since he learned to ride is bike before kindergarten and his siblings didn't, it is a fair trade!!  He'll get it eventually!!

His teacher this year is Ms. Wright.  She is super nice and he says he loves her already.  He has two kids in his class that are in our neighborhood and they were also in his summer school class.  He was excited very about that.  I am so glad that he loves school and is excited to go.  It makes it fun for me too!!  

I am happy to say that there were no tears shed by either one of us on the first day.  Maybe a little heart string tug for me but only for a minute as I watched him walk onto the bus.  He is my "baby" no longer.  Darn kids keep growing up!!




Here's to a happy and productive school year!!

{Ocean City}


What a great day we had at the beach in Ocean City!!  Ocean City is a three hour drive from us so we started out as early as we could to leave as much time to play in the sand and surf.  We arrived at the beach at 10am.  We played, swam, jumped waves, built sand castle after sand castle, ate yummy snacks, basked in the sunshine, until 5pm.  A total of 7 hours of sunshine and fun!!  It was heaven.  Everyone came home sun kissed and happily exhausted.

Wyatt has asked repeatedly why we can't live in Ocean City since we have been home.  I too want to know why I can't do that each and every day of my life!!  I guess I wouldn't appreciate it as much if I could.

That day will for sure go down in the books as one of the best.  The only downside is Ryan didn't get to come.  He had to be the responsible adult and do stuff like work.  Boo!!  We missed him terribly!!

Until next time Ocean City....


















{Last of the Summer Fun}


We just started school a few days ago.  It was such a good summer and it seemed to go by too fast.  Yet...on the other hand we were really ready for the routine and schedule that school brings.  We got lucky and for the last week of summer vacation we had our Uncle Austin out for a visit!!  Oh how we loved having him around, he is so much fun!!  On Monday we headed down to the Mall to show Austin the sights.  The kids hadn't been to the Lincoln Memorial yet so that was our goal for the day. To walk down to the monument and check out the war memorials along the way.  We gave each of the kids a camelbak and off we went.  The kids did really well with all the walking.  We were downtown for the entire day and they walked all the way.  Wyatt had to pee all the time because he was continually drinking his water.  I think about an hour in it was all gone.  Ayden was happy for the most part, the other parts (where he had to stop and take pictures) not so much.  We love him anyways!!  The girls were their happy selves and so fun to hang with.

One new thing for me this trip downtown was the Korean War Memorial.  I thought I had seen it but actually I hadn't.  I loved the simple message that the memorial invited each of us to remember.  Freedom isn't free.  It has to maintained, paid and sacrificed for.  Such a good reminder!!  The weather cooperated and it was overcast and not too hot.  It ended up being a wonderful way to start Austin's visit to D.C.!!
Up next Ocean City and the beach!!