Fall

It's official. Summer is over. As the weather turns cooler and thoughts turn to pumpkins and apple cider, it reminds me how much I love this time of year. This is our first fall in New Mexico and lucky for us the weather has been great and we're still in shorts and flip flops. We're having cool, crisp mornings waiting for the bus and it cools off again as it turns to night with perfect weather during the day. I'm excited to see what this season has to offer for us, but have to admit that I'm missing all the farms and leaves turning bright colors around the country right about now. There's something magical about fall and the transformation the earth makes.


Along with the season, it brings the return of sports. We're in full swing now with volleyball and soccer. Halloween costumes have been decided on and the sewing machine seems to have found a more permanent place on the kitchen table. We're enjoying days at the park with friends and warm afternoons riding bikes and playing outside. The days are getting shorter and our mornings are starting earlier. Saturdays are full of college football and spending as much time outside as possible. I don't think I've realize how much I love this season until it comes around again. Here's to the beginning of a great season!

First Days

I guess I thought that after the kids started school again, I was going to have a lot of free time on my hands. I was right, the first day anyway, when I realized how much time I wasted on the computer and just doing what I wanted to do for the day. That day was short lived however. It's already been a couple of weeks since school started and I feel more busy than ever! Turns out, it's hard work to keep a preschooler and a toddler entertained when my at home entertainment isn't at home any more. Sitting on the computer, addicted to pinterest just doesn't cut it.

I still can't believe that I have a kid old enough to be in middle school. Kelsie seems to really enjoy it though, despite the crazy nerves that invaded her body and mind the few days before school started. She's been great since the first day and realized that aside from all the peer pressure and that middle school is just plain hard anyway, it isn't so bad after all. Along with a sudden interest in her hair (what's next?) she still seems to stay pretty grounded to her old self. Picture day is a really great example (in her own words):

"On our way to get our pictures taken, all the girls had to, like, stop in the bathroom to make sure they looked all perfect and everything. My teacher came up to me and said, 'Kelsie, don't you need to go to the bathroom and make sure you're all beautiful before the picture?' I said, 'I don't need to because I'm beautiful just the way I am!' Then he started laughing really hard!"

That's our girl! :)

I swear it was just yesterday that I dropped him off on his first day of Kindergarten, but Brandon seems to be enjoying 3rd grade (mostly). He's had more than a few stomach aches since school started and has gotten even more upset when I won't come pick him up early from school. That only happened once and it ended in something like,

"Mom, I really like being home, will you just homeschool me? 

No. 

Why not?

Because I don't want to."  

I finally got it out of him that he's having a hard time adjusting to his new teacher and class and even that his sister isn't at the same school as him anymore. He's doing better now and after going to back to school night, I think he will end up really enjoying this year of school, but we'll have to see what happens.

Nerves on the first day

Caleb can't get enough of his lego's and is building and rebuilding all day long. He also spends a majority of his time during the day protecting his creations from his little brother who likes to tear them apart and put those small pieces in his mouth. Caleb has gotten pretty good at the command, "out!" signaling his little brother to spit out whatever he's snuck into his mouth. Caleb has completely remastered his two wheeler again and I'm trying to convince him to move up to Brandon's old bike. Sometimes it is really hard to move out of comfort zones. I should know. I've also decided that we need to add a little more structure into his life and have been trying to figure out a schedule for him each day. So far, it's not working out so well. Hopefully soon.

See? No more training wheels

Isaac, on the other hand, is wondering what happened to everyone. I think he's liking his new freedom around the house without so many eyes on him all the time. He runs outside any chance he can if a door is left open and loves to follow Brandon and Caleb around looking for lizards or drawing on the sidewalk with Kelsie. At 15+ months now, he's all over the place and it is getting harder and harder to keep up with him. He likes to think he's just like one of the big kids and has especially enjoyed bike rides in the trailer up and down the street we live on.

Another victory catching another lizard

Don't let that sweet little face fool you. This kid is a little spit fire and demands a lot of attention when he wants something. Oh, and Sunday's? They're pretty much a joke now at church. Only three more months before nursery...

He also needs a haircut. That's got to go on my to do list ASAP. He's sporting a wavy fro right now and adds to it at each meal with whatever he's eating. I don't think I'll ever understand why it always ends up in the hair.

I often wonder how I am able to keep up with it all and still have my sanity. I've got a pretty great partner who seems to balance me out pretty good. We're constantly adjusting to little changes here and there in our lives, but we're happy. Just as it should be.

photo taken by Kelsie

 

Summer Lovin'

I've been trying to write an end-of-summer post for about a week now and it's been hard. Life has certainly gotten busy here with a couple of anxious kids (and parents) getting ready to start school and all the preparation that goes into that.

Summer, where did you go?

We really had such a fun summer and tried to make the most of it. We spent a lot of time with family and friends. We put on more than just a few miles in the car as we traveled around. Plenty of hikes were enjoyed by most of us. We were able to play host a couple of times to visitors and found some new things to do around here that were pretty exciting.

Of all the fun that we've had, though, I have to admit that high on my list was our nightly meet up on the driveway to watch kids rides bikes, look for lizards, play with cars, and draw on the huge sidewalk canvas. The boys were able to be boys, dirt and all. Kelsie was in her element with a bucket full of chalk and a blank driveway. The weather was great and we enjoyed beautiful sunsets and watched as the clouds rolled in for summer thunderstorms.

I'm definitely a get-up-and-go-do-something kind of gal, but these moments when the world just seemed to be at a standstill and everyone was happy and having fun were perfect for me. We certainly made the most of our summer and will look forward to the months ahead, but for now, I think we'll go out on the driveway and enjoy it.

love

It's Great to be 8!

I know it sounds so cliche, but sometimes I feel like time is just going by too fast. It really doesn't feel like it was that long ago that we were welcoming this little guy into our family. He's not so little anymore. He's grown by leaps and bounds over the last 8 years and we are so proud of him and all he does. He has definitely made our lives more fun and full of laughter. Happy birthday buddy!

I Caught A Lizard!

Western Expedition 2011

I started out thinking, "I must be crazy!". Driving myself and four kids out to California, Utah and back by myself seemed a bit unrealistic. Especially since Wally wouldn't be joining us until the last leg of our trip. But like most things I do, I didn't let the craziness stop me. I packed up the car, loaded the kids, gave Wally a big kiss and then headed out into the unknown. Well, as unknown as I-40 can be to a girl whose never driven on it past Flagstaff, AZ.  

The reason for my sudden fit of insanity? Adventure? Yes. To make memories? Yes. To prove to myself (and those who thought I was completely out of my mind) I could do it? Yes. But the real reason we went was first to visit my parents, whose home we haven't been able to visit for a few years, and second to let my kids swim in their pool to their hearts content for a week and a half. Was it worth it? YES!

We had a great trip and oh, the stories to tell!  I have a lot to share about swimming, the beach, driving, reunions, and even brakes (or lack thereof!). I am glad to be home after being gone for nearly three weeks. The biggest thing I have learned about this jaunt across the Western U.S. is that I can do anything. Even with four kids in tow.

Oh wait. I already knew that.