Back in the Saddle

We just finished our fourth week of school, but I'm just now getting around to posting pictures of the first day. 

Everyone was excited on the first morning of school!

Can't believe that Clare is a 5th grader!

Sydney was ready with a goofy smile for her first day of third grade!

Jane was excited...and nervous!

And my last kindergartener!

All four at the same school for two years!

The first week was a tough one for Graham.  He was dealing with some pretty serious separation anxiety, and he has a very sensitive stomach. The combination of those two things made it a fairly stressful time around our house.  I'm so thrilled to say that he turned the corner during the second week,  and has since been really happy about going to school. 

The girls had a great first week!  They enjoy having their little brother up at school with them.Now that we are a month in, everyone has fallen into our new "school routine." I am hoping they all have a great year!

Colorado 2016

In early August, we took our annual trip to Colorado!  It's one of my favorite weeks of the year!  Of course, we had to do our annual picture of Jane in her spot!

Look how she's grown!

One of the highlights this year was our first camping trip!  Nathan, Brody, Pop, and our family camped out for one night. 

Here we are all....with all of our supplies!

We had a beautiful campsite!

So much cousin fun!

These cousins have been having fun in Colorado for many years!

It was COLD in the morning!  So thankful for this fire!

Our first campout was a success!  Perhaps an annual event?

One day, the boys took all the kids fly fishing!  They were all successful!

On Friday morning, the kids and LoLo had a lemonade stand!  They had lots of visitors, and the kids were thrilled with their earnings!

It was a great week, and we headed back home in time to get ready for school!

'Twas the Night Before Kindergarten

Originally posted August 21, 2011 for Clare.  Reposted August 25, 2013 for Jane and Sydney.  Edited for Graham.

'Twas the night before kindergarten, and all through the house

the anticipation was building, in large amounts!

The backpacks were hung by the back door with care

with lunchbox and snack and clothes to spare!

The student was nestled all snug in his bed

while visions of crayons danced in his head.

With Mama a bit nervous, but excited as well,

Hopeful the first day will really go swell!

Haircuts, new shoes, all checked off the list.

First day outfit all picked out and pressed.

P.E. and music, computers and art;

And my boy so excited for the big day to start!

All day I will wonder about my little sidekick;

How is he doing?  Which friends will he pick?

My boy is quite ready, for a while I've known;

It's just hard to think how fast he has grown!!

 

Camp Deer Run

Clare completed a new milestone this summer!  Sleep away camp!  She went to Camp Deer Run for a week at the beginning of August. 

We all took her and got her settled into her cabin.  

Her good friend Payton was at camp with her, and I was so thankful that she had a friend there.

I'm not gonna lie....leaving her there was hard.  She was excited, but I could tell that she was so nervous.  This particular camp is very rustic and "outdoorsy."  Clare knew all that before we signed her up, but I think the reality of it set in upon arrival.

It didn't help when I saw this picture on the camp website.  Clare doesn't look exactly thrilled!

It was a long week without her, but on Friday morning, I showed up and she was all smiles.  She had a great week (with a few moments of homesickness), but tons of fun! 

It was so great to see her, and I loved having a two hour drive home where she could fill me in on all of the details! 

The same day I picked her up from camp, we headed to Colorado!  Lots of summer fun!

Lake Weekend

 At the end of July, we enjoyed a fun weekend at Deedee and Papaw's lake! 

We caught lots of fish!

We enjoyed riding on the boat!!

We fully embraced the motto "lake hair, don't care!"

And, we tried Cookie Two Step! 

We made s'mores, rode on the golf cart....even accidentally drove over Graham's foot.  That wasn't one of the highlights!

It was a fun weekend to get out of town and enjoy some different activities!  Thanks to Deedee and Papaw!

SUMMER FUN!

I can't believe summer is already two months over! Here are some of our highlights! 

Clare chopped off her hair!

 

 

Jane and Sydney did a week of VBS.

 

Graham took swimming lessons. He's a little fish!

 

 

We played water balloon baseball!

 

 

Jane and Sydney spent a week at Pine Cove in the City!

 

We've been to Hawaiian Falls lots of times!

 

Clare has taken up sewing!

 

 

And we got Bryan and Morgan married!  Such a fun night!  Here's a glimpse!

 

 

 

 

Graham picked out his kindergarten backpack!

 

 

The girls participated in theater camp, and put on the play Pinocchio.  Jane and Sydney were school kids, Clare was one of the "cool kids," and Graham was just a goofball audience member!

 

 

Still to come... lake weekend, Clare's first overnight camp, and Colorado!