Road trip and a haircut

Finally Friday. We're starting to get into a school routine but it's a slow go. We're still grouchy pants by the end of the week, that includes parents :)

Last weekend we decided to take a small road trip and head to Lebanon, TN to do a little outlet shopping. The kids need some clothes and shoes for fall so that was my main priority. They both love riding in their double stroller! I'm hoping we can use it at least another year, maybe two! 

It came a torrential downpour while we were there. Between the rain and being caged up in the stroller, they had lots of energy to burn! Marcus and I started just one of us going into a store and the other wrangling the babies outside.

I told her she could pick out one thing in Gymboree. Of all the shirts, pants, dresses and shoes, the one thing she really wanted was her first pair of pearls. I was proud of her shopping decision making!

Mommy was washing vehicles and the babies were driving theirs. I think Jack has a touch of whiplash after riding with sister ;)

He doesn't like to share, especially his space. Every morning during our commute Georgia prays "that Jack won't throw things in the toilet and won't fight" HA!

We were on our way to Grandmomma's and I look back and see this. He really loves books right now, especially ones with cows. And yes, he is already forward facing. He is so tall his knees were in his chest so it needed to happen. He still isn't the best rider in the world but if he has a blanket and his ba ba he can make it.

On Thursday we held an event at our elementary schools where each preschool-4th grade student received a free children's book about nutrition from a local author. 

It was a lot of fun and I'm thankful we had the opportunity to do this for our students.

On Thursday, Jack had his first official haircut. This sums up his feelings about the whole event.

It was past time for a haircut but I had a hard time coming to terms with loosing those curls. Luckily he still has his curls, they are just tamed now.

Very skeptical and upset that he had to be contained for 15 minutes.

He cried the whole time, start to finish. We pretty much knew this was how it would go down. Oh, Jack!

Marcus's barber Barbie did a great job for Jack's first haircut. He wasn't her best client of the day but I'm sure he was the most memorable :)

I'm looking forward to a relaxed weekend with some time at home and maybe some time in the pool. It's still miserably hot, it's hard to believe it will be September next week!

TGIF

I'm keeping the original title for this post even though I meant to have it up last Friday, but we're always looking forward to Friday so it's always applicable.

Last Friday night the high school football team had their first game of the season. It was actually just a scrimmage but when Georgia Grace heard that it was Gage's team that was playing, she insisted on going with Daddy, full cheerleading suit and all :) They have their first home game this Friday and I hope we can go watch and support them.

We're still trying to master our school routine. Jack can't decide if he needs one or two naps a day (the answer is two HA!). So for the days that he just gets in one, he's ready for bed at 6. It's tricky getting everyone fed and bathed and things ready for the next day when we're on different bed time schedules but we make it work. He loves to be read to (short books of course) and loves any book with cows. That's his favorite animal. Both of my children love books and I'm so thankful for that. I pray that learning comes easy for them and that Marcus and me as their first teachers equip them with everything they need to be successful.

Late summer is birthday party season for us. We had two pool parties in one day! They were staggered so we were able to make both of them.

First up was Ace's JAWS birthday party to celebrate him turning five. I cannot believe this boy is already a full hand, I remember going to the hospital the day he was born and getting to hold him, I think he singlehandedly gave me baby fever :)

Georgia Grace learned a new trick at the party. She got up on the board three times before she took the plunge. I have most of it on video and if I made a movie out of it I would call it "Progression of Bravery".

Because before we left, she was jumping off the diving board with Ace's Daddy! She went from too scared to jump to double jumping. I was so proud of her.

The next party was Thomas's 7th birthday party at MCP. It was a night swim so it worked out great for us to be able to attend both. Daddy came to this party to help me wrangle Jack. We love our sweet Thomas! FYI Georgia and Thomas are still boyfriend/girlfriend even after a year of kindergarten and preschool, we will see if they can survive first grade LOL!

More nightly reading, more wacky bed times. Brother is also cutting four molars right now. Besides one night of feeling pretty crummy he has done well with it this time.

We had a visitor at my office this week. My cousin Alex had her first baby, Merritt, on April 6th (one day before my birthday, almost a birthday buddy!) and she is sooooo sweet. I got to love on her, it just made my day!

This happened last weekend too. I sold my Accord back in June in two days after posting it on Facebook. We had officially outgrown my car and I was approaching 100k miles so we knew it was probably the most advantageous time for us to try to sell. Since then, I have drove my Dad's SUV until we found exactly what we wanted. I think the search for a vehicle changed four times before we finally decided.

We brought home a 2015 Tahoe LTZ. We drove three hours to get it but it was worth it for the savings and the dealership was so great to work with. We're really happy with our new vehicle! We love the captain's chairs middle row. I'm driving it to work each day but Daddy gets it on the weekends :)

Sister approves of the new ride. She made the trip with us and was so good. I have to remind myself she's three and not ten sometimes because of her maturity.

Thursday afternoon we had the sweetest visitor! I cooked supper for everyone and got to catch up on things. My sister and I are both so busy with our kids right now we don't get time to talk as much as we use to so it was wonderful spending some time with her. 

FYI if we are home, 99% of the time Jack is naked. He does usually have a diaper on but sometimes that is missing too ha! They both love Bo Bo so much.

He thinks he's big stuff on sister's bed. I think he was trying to camouflage himself so she doesn't find him.

Back To School 2016

Last Tuesday we started back to school. It's always bittersweet as we say goodbye to the freedom of summer and hello to routine and schedules. We are SO grateful though that we have flexible summers and get to enjoy the most fun time of the year.

Marcus started his seventh year of teaching. Each year goes by a little faster. Last year he said goodbye to a group of students he had for three years which was hard for him but he was eager to meet his new fifth graders.

She had just rolled out of bed but agreed to a picture with her Daddy :) Jack was still snoozing.

After an episode of Sofia the First, she was ready to spruce up and get ready for her first day of preschool! AKK is open year around but they begin and end their academics on the public school schedule so a new year always begins and ends. We was excited to get back to all her friends! They have their lessons and still manage to squeeze in an hour of swimming in the morning until Labor Day. She lives the life!

I can't begin to tell you how thankful I am for AKK preschool. I feel so good about her kindergarten readiness (even though she's two years away) and most importantly, that she is safe and loved. They are the best!

She is a big girl now and walks to the front door and rings the door bell all by herself. Jack and me are not allowed to go in the front door so we sneak in the side door so we don't ruin her big girl reputation ;)

I did get close enough to snap a picture this morning. She's so proud that she's tall enough to reach the doorbell now.

And this boy started back to Grandmomma's too! He stays with Grandmomma four days a week and Mamaw Novis one day during the school year when Marcus and I both work full time.

If there is a mess to be had, he will find it. But he's happy and learning so we can handle the messes.

We are off to a very smooth start to this school year. We have our morning routine down pat and we haven't been late one time yet. That's a miracle! I  am going to try to extend that streak as long as I can.

Happy Wednesday!

Photo Dump

A few more pictures being dumped on the blog. Today was our first day of school and everything went really smooth. Georgia Grace and Jack are back to Grandmomma's house for preschool for GGH and Grandmomma time for Jack. I never want to take for granted how blessed we are to have family caring and teaching our babies every day. It is such a gift that where we all reap the benefits. I'm just so so thankful for Marcus's mom, sister and Grandmomma that loves our babies so very much.

Marcus's started his seventh year of teaching today. Time is completely flying by in his teaching career. I took the obligatory first day pictures and will try to get them posted this week!

We've taken some strolls this summer at dusk when the temperature starts to drop. My favorite thing is to eat supper, bathe them and then take our walk to get them ready for bedtime. The earlier bedtime is going to be hard for Georgia Grace but she will adjust.

Have I mentioned how much this child loves makeup?!?

Through my job as nutrition director for our school district,  I applied for grants for a smoothie program and we received notification last week that all four of our schools received grant funding! This is sooooo exciting. I think this is something are students are really going to enjoy. I have the most wonderful staff that is open to new ideas and will do whatever needs to be done if it benefits our students. They are the best!

We've got a cool $14,000 to make this smoothie program a success! Thank you Fuel Up To Play 60, the National Dairy Council, the NFL and USDA for giving us this opportunity.

We saw my nephew last week and he is growing like a weed! It was amazing to see his growth in one week's time. Jack was stealing kisses from Bo and Uncle Eric :)

Paige's friend Katie took some newborn pictures that are spectacular. This one just melts me into an auntie puddle. I love him so much!

Jack boy is cutting more molars and was using his toothbrush as a teether so my attempt to get it away from him for a picture was not successful. My princess and my pirate.

Princess Georgia thinks we should all stay up past bedtime, eat strawberries with sugar (or cookie dough ice cream) every night and play with playdoh every chance we get.

It's off to bed to rest up for another full day. I hope our week continues to go as smoothly as today did.

Hodgepodge

One of the busiest times of the year for us is in full swing as we start back to school and develop our school routine. The lax schedule of summer is sooo hard to give up. We love our summers so much! But August is here and we are gearing up for school, preschool, football games, football and all the in between.

We went to Uncle Jake and Aunt Shanna's a couple weeks ago and checked out their garden. For Jack's first birthday party, we gave away vegetable seed packets as party favors and they planted their carrot seeds and they have carrots!

He loved exploring the garden and chasing Dixie the dog :)

While my brother Cody was in from NYC, we celebrated his birthday. The babies had to help him blow out the candles!

Pool days at Gammy's are some of our favorite days. But let's be honest. They swim for about an hour and then try to tear down the house the rest of the time :)

Georgia Grace loves her Sunday School teachers and Mrs. Melissa asked her to join her in the choir and she took her up on the opportunity. It was so sweet to watch her up there in the choir loft.

The best big cousins in the whole world. Georgia is mother hen and Jack runs by every ten minutes to kiss Bo.

Wild man trying to drive Aunt Shanna's jeep-he loves vehicles, garages, playing with tools. He's all boy.

We took Jack's one year pictures a few weeks ago and Julia sent me a sneak peek that I about died over. These pictures are like three months late but I'm sticking to better late than never.

I was emptying Jack's diaper genie when a bright color caught my eye. As you can see he has been using his genie as a toy deposit for several days/weeks.

It was full of wooden clocks, magnetic letters, a pair of sunglasses and a snowglobe. We couldn't help but laugh about it. What a little stinker!

Mommy has been in the office getting ready for school to start while Daddy and the babies are home. Facetiming with them is so much fun.

She might only be three but she asks me everyday if she can help with the laundry so the other night I taught her how to correctly fold clothes. She was SO proud of herself and learned quick. She's anxious for the next load to fold. This might be my smartest mommy moment yet.

GGH lives for slumber parties. Uncle Jake and Aunt Shanna asked her over last week and she was so excited! I think they all had fun.

Tuesday night I volunteered at our annual back to school bash and had the best assistant. Everyone complimented how well behaved she was. She makes me so proud everyday!

Tomorrow the new school year begins and the rat race begins. I'm praying this school year is one that yields academic achievements, safe schools and a Christian culture that loves Jesus. Whether you're private or publicly educated, it's always ok to shine Jesus's light.