33!

Woohoo! I'm 33. I guess that's a woohoo? Anyways, most of my birthday has been spent indoors because of tropical depression Florence. It's rained all day and we've just enjoyed some nice quiet time at home (although it's not really quiet and relaxing with two kids who get restless and wants to go do something). Even though, it's been good. I haven't posted in awhile, just because we haven't really pulled out the camera to take any photos. This kindergarten/work/daycare thing has been a little bit of an adjustment for us. I finally feel like we might be getting into a routine, but those first few weeks I felt incredibly anxious that I would be late for, I don't know what, but something? I didn't want to make Luke late to school, and I didn't want him to have to wait for me at the bottom of the hill when he got off the bus, but I'm feeling better about things now.

Luke's been doing really well in school. He did have one "off" day where he got in so much that the teacher emailed me. Woops. But, I keep telling myself that we all have those days and there are some days that my coworkers probably want to text Dillon and be like "What the heck is wrong with your wife today?!" He had to go to bed early that night with no tv and the next day he was golden. He even got a SPORTS ticket? I don't even know what those do, but he was excited about it. HA!

Dillon has spoiled me this whole month for my birthday. I've gotten albums, and stuff for my Kitchen Aid mixer and then this morning he surprised me with some comfy clothes to wear. I love him for that. He never asks me why I don't wear heels much or skin tight dresses and he's always glad to see me in sweat pants. I've got a winner for sure!

Hm, so what's been going on with us? We cleaned out our basement and made a tv room which has been fun. I thought we might have to spend the weekend down there with the impending storm, but we've had absolutely no wind in our part of town so no worries there. And mainly we've just been working and going to school.  Next weekend we celebrate my dad's birthday with a quick trip to the lake and some hanging out during the weekend. We were going to go down Thursday night, but we forgot that Luke is in school! So we'll go down Friday and be back Sunday. It'll be a quick trip, but still fun! Then we're almost into October. I can't believe how fast this year has gone. Charlie will be two before we know it.

Here's to the fall! :)

Charlie had her school pics made! Isn't she sweet?! I don't know when Luke gets his done?? Hopefully soon!

I love this one! Ha!

Luke and I are going to Bible Study on Wednesday nights... It's past Charlie's bedtime so Dillon always sends me photo updates of how she's doing!!

I don't think I shared this photo but I found it on my phone. Dillon's been doing some work at the airport and he likes to send pictures to Luke of the airplanes and big construction vehicles. This one makes me smile. :) 

Oh, and I think Luke must be hitting a growth spurt? Honestly, I think he looks taller now than when he started school. He's tried all kinds of new foods this week, boiled eggs being one of them. And he's eating EVERYTHING when he does eat, which is unusual for him. Anyways, he's liked the eggs, beef stroganoff and Thai coconut chicken soup (say what?!)

Luke also learned how to swim?! He saw these at the dollar store here in town and we got them for him. Then one day before school started, my mom and dad took him to the pool and forgot his floaties. He amazingly knew how to swim without them. Soooo... It took ME awhile to get used to it, but next year he'll be a pro. He'll also probably be a foot taller so it won't matter because he'll be able to touch the bottom of the pool. :( 

Charlie doesn't like the pool as much. She'd much rather sit on a chair and eat snacks.

Our last pool day of the summer!!!

First week of Kindergarten, Hoof & Mouth, and Apple Festival!

Does anything really go smoothly anymore? Probably not. I think I just need to accept our new normal and that our lives are a little crazy right now.

Luke made it through his first week of kindergarten and LOVES it! He's ready to go back again. He's made some new friends this week, even if he can't remember their names. He ate hot lunch on Friday and really enjoyed the ziti that the nice lunch ladies provided. He also got a treat at lunch and was very excited for that. His favorite thing is his 5 minute bus trip home in the evenings. He talked about how it was kind of scary at first and the bus went reaaallly fast, but we had to explain that driving a bus is hard work and it probably just feels faster. He enjoyed some chocolate milk for breakfast, too, and some cinnamon toast cereal. Our school system is super awesome and offers free breakfast to all students so I've told him to try and get something each morning. He's like me, though, and isn't much of a breakfast eater. The first morning he went in on his own, he got all excited about breakfast and left his backpack in the cafeteria. HA! I'm not quite sure how they got it back to him, but he ended up with it at the end of the day.  He really enjoyed all of his extra classes, too, like art and gym. He also gets to go outside each day and play on the playground which he loves. They know how to keep them busy, that's for sure! He didn't seem too tired when he got home from school, but he did fall asleep on the couch last night which NEVER happens. I think he will really like it and I'm glad we're getting in the swing of things. I think anticipation is always the worst for a big change.

In the midst of this, Charlie came down with hand, foot, mouth disease this week. I don't really know how this virus came about. I don't know of anyone who had this when I was little, but the best I know to compare it to is chicken pox. It gets its name though because the blisters pop up on your hands, feet and in your mouth. Charlie's have kind of spread up her arms and legs and it's a pitiful site. She does seem to be much better though and her blisters are healing over but I know it had to hurt. She didn't want to eat much this week and has just been a sad little thing. Luckily, you usually only develop it once so hopefully this will be it for us since Luke had it once when he was little, too.

The pediatrician said once her fever broke that she wasn't contagious anymore so we did take her out today to the Apple Festival in Hendersonville.  In the 14 odd years that Dillon's lived here and I've been in town, we have NEVER gone there. We had some free time this morning so decided to go and check it out. It was busy. And hard to maneuver with a stroller and small kid.  It was also hot as all get out so it wasn't as fun as it could have been, but we still enjoyed it.  We had lunch out and came home and napped.

After the craziness that has been going on, we're looking forward to a long weekend at home.  The fall is still going to be busy, but I'm glad we've got a few slow weeks coming up. We just need to get situated with all this stuff. It's all good though!

Luke finally started sleeping in his bunk beds! He prefers the top, but sometimes he falls asleep on the bottom before he can make it up there!

Luke's first day outfit (that he didn't wear).

Waking up a kindergartner! 

Fake it 'til you make it. Amiright?!

Dillon pictured every stage of Luke leaving that morning. HA!

These pictures break my heart. He looks so little. :( 

Luke's teacher this year. He loves her already!

Luke and Oakley! Oakley is our neighbor and Luke has played with him a lot this week. Also - Luke had no tears whatsoever and didn't want me to walk him in anymore this week. First day only. 

The teacher gave the parents a pack of tissues. I made it until we were leaving the parking lot and I had a little cry.

Waiting on the bus!

At the Apple Festival! Luke was pushing Charlie around...

This has been a very Luke-heavy post. Poor Charlie! She's had a rough week too!

Asleep on the couch!