The last of summer...already two weeks ago!

There are few times as good as times with Lukas and Landon...

The "maze" is a favorite place to go!

They started Kindergarten this year too!

When Gabby can't keep up...

she's occupied...for a little while...

Ever since learning the song, "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear," 

Gabby calls any teddy bear "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear."

So when we went to see The Teddy Bear Band play at an old farm,

it was an extra special day!

Dancing, singing, playing, and even seeing a real, live teddy bear!

(that Gabby was terrified of)

Goats?

chickens?

Very different life my kids have than I had...

I didn't have to go visit a farm and take a tour to play with goats and chickens.

And then...

Owen's second time on a boat!

The water was so calm and the day was clear.

We all took at least one dip...

and at least one ride on the tube!

Then while Gabby and I hung out with Luke...

Owen took another ride with Jenn!

Don't worry...it wasn't me driving!

Mark did the navigating!

When Mark went faster, Owen relaxed into jenn.

She later told me that she loved how he felt so relaxed, 

but she had to hold on tight to hold them both on.

:-)

Then Owen got to steer!

Yes, it was haircut day the next day!

We took a "field trip" to the dam again and found a new path.

Lots of people fishing, but no frogs to be found.

 Owen did as much climbing as a little boy needs to...

Aunt Karen, can you spot something in this last picture?

 

And then...summer was done.

We had a few nice days and now our heat is officially in use.

ugh...

I love sweater weather, but I hate being cold.

hmmmmm

Maybe I should go pull those sweaters out of storage.

You people in warm climates...I bet you don't have one wardrobe in storage at all times.  

Jealous?  heehee

Practicing our ABC's...

No worries...the screen will flip after one time through so keep watching.

I have a theory why she skips 'E':

When you say 'D,' there is an E sound with it.

So why say it again?

I personally love the way she says, "W."

Dubba-a-oo

or something like that!

I'm not worried.  This morning she was self-correcting in how to pronounce cucumber.

She has always called it, "kee-urn."

No idea where that came from, but she's never been able to say 'cucumber.'

Now she can.

I smile.

Fun with Dad!

My kids' dad does lots of fun things with them...

plays ball,

goes to the park,

goes to movies,

kicks the ball,

plays tornado or helicopter 

(basically spins them around until they get really dizzy),

and can think of lots of fun games.

But lately, this is the kids favorite:

I never knew that my kids would learn about "jumping from the top rope" 

or about elbow smashes

or championship belts...

The kids also have loved the game of, 

"you can't get me!"

**Here's a quote I heard from someone today:

"I cleaned my house yesterday. Too bad you weren't here to see it"

Just in case you happened to be too focused on my mess to see how much fun the kids are having!

:-)

A picnic with Mimi

One day we stopped to hook up Gramma Mimi's cable box.

Done in a snap so we invited her to our picnic.

We were headed to one of Owen's favorite destinations:  the dam.

 We'd only been there once, but since Owen had found a frog there,

it was a very memorable trip.

 It was a beautiful day, a beautiful picnic, and beautiful company!

 The pounding of the water, the blowing of the wind, the smiling of a little boy in wonder...

 Poor Gabby plugged her ears half the time...

 and didn't appreciate the water sprayed back at us.

 Mimi was wondering why it had been so long since she'd visited.

Afterall, it is just a mile or two from her home.

 It was a fun adventure and we found a way to get there quicker from our own home.

It's only a mile or two from us as well!

Owen is especially excited because he gets to go there for a field trip sometime this year!

Should be fun!

Clothes for a little lady...

It's great being a girl...until Brother offers to dress you.

It works!  :-)

Kindergarten!

It was an early morning...I woke up to an "alarm,"

calling, "Mom! Mom! It's time to get up! It's time to get up! It's get-up time!"

I have a feeling he was jumping on the couch too.

 Owen shows his excitement so differently...he shows little emotion or...

overcompensates for what he's feeling by showing the opposite.

Granny Nanny came over to take some pictures so I washed my face, 

Owen got his clothes on,

and Gabby...put on her backpack.

My big boy...I didn't cry the first day of Kindergarten.

Maybe I was trying to sort out my own emotions.

What a day...

I'm already anticipating what it will be like when Gabby goes off to Kindergarten.

Maybe that's why I cried on Day Two of Kindergarten.  :-)

Because he woke up so early, we had two hours before we had to leave the house.

Lots of time to play...or bug Mom about what time are we leaving...

"I just want to go to school, Mom! Can we leave yet?"

When it was finally time to go...

Owen managed to take his time putting on his lace-less shoes

Take yet another picture with sister (because she was dressed this time)

And leave his backpack in the house...good thing I noticed before we got in the car!

I didn't know if I was going to be able to walk him to his classroom.

I so wanted to.

So, when I saw other parents pulling up on the grass and parking to walk their kids in, 

I did  the same.  

Somebody was eager!

I smuggled a camera in my back pocket and sneaked it out a few times.

Don't judge me.  Other parents weren't so inconspicuous!

He was a good sport...in the parking lot...

in front of the school doors...

in front of his classroom...

in the classroom...

I had to capture this moment:

Gabby hugged Big Brother good-bye.  Sweet!

So Owen was off to school, it was 9:45 in the morning, and I was not yet at school.

It feels so weird still to be part time.

But I love it!  

Gabby got to spend the day with Cami and Baby Josie because daycare is closed this week.

So fun to see Gabby start to actually play with friends!

Before I left in the morning, they were already playing dress-up and pulling out the play-do.

I had tried to warn Owen that Kindergarten might make him tired.

I told him he may be cranky.

He only had two very brief episodes

(one because dinner was not on the table when he got home...you see, last year Roger would have dinner ready for us when we got home...now Roger has his own office and gets home about the same time we do...good thing we planned something quick...and that there were bugs to be found outside!)

Bug hunt

worm hunt

grasshopper hunt

frog hunt...

you name it!

  He was digging in the garden and said he found a little guy that's as big as a dot.

He wouldn't let me see it.

He hugged it close and put it in the bucket before I could get a good look.

I have a feeling it's another one of those 5-year old Tall Tales.

I smile.

I think Gabby had to pee...

But at least she came out for the bug hunt too!

Yep...today was day two of kindergarten.

Don't worry.  I didn't take pictures of Owen climbing out of the car,

or of the principal helping with his backpack,

or of him running inside.

Literally running.  

He told me to just drop him off and that he could find his way.

I cried.

Gabby asked, "Where's Owen?"

I couldn't answer for a few seconds.

"He's at school."