Back to School

August 1, 2016

First Day of School

Ty is in Mrs. Arnold's 3rd grade class, and Dallas is in Mrs. Rutledge's 1st grade class.

We got this email from Dallas's teacher after the second day of school.  Looks like it's shaping up to be a great year!

It's Almost Over

School started this week.  The boys are in first and third grade.  I can't believe how fast it's going.  The past month or so I've been grappling with the fact that their little boy days are quickly coming to an end.  Every day it seems they spend more and more time with Justin fishing, building things, ramping bikes, shooting BB guns and just in general doing boy stuff.  I'm starting to be more and more aware of being the only "girl" in the family.  I'm OK with that; older boys need their dad more than their mom, but I can't help but wish I had a few more boo-boo's to kiss and cuddles and rocking-to-sleep sessions in my future.  Those days are very close to being gone now.  (In fact, I got an email from our church this week announcing a new class they are having for 4th and 5th graders, and they used to word preteen! GASP!! That's next year for Ty!)  I've heard it said somewhere that a mother's job is to be left...meaning that the mark of her success is little baby "birds" who aren't dependent on her.  That's true, of course, and I know my little birds are doing just fine.  Still, I wish it didn't happen so fast.  So, in honor of their last few little boy days I made this video for a Father's Day gift for Justin.  I just couldn't help but put it on here too...

Sending Summer Out With a Bang

The day after we got home from Wisconsin, my friend, April, from Arizona came over for a visit.  Here is Ty swimming with her son, Colin.  They were born 2 weeks apart, and I remember many pregnancy comparison phone calls before they were born.

The last 2 weeks of summer where jam-packed with fun things, so by the end of it, the boys were exhausted.  There were many evenings that Dallas came home and immediately crashed.

Fireman Jack's 3rd birthday party

Harvesting honey.  We harvested 7 bars out of one hive and got 2.5 gallons of honey!

The boys' daycare was closed the last week of July, so the boys spent each day with a different family member.  On Monday, they were with Ellie and Jack swimming in Mamaw's pool and enjoying snow cones.  On Tuesday, they were with Mamaw....more swimming, and she took them to Monkey Joe's and even bought the each a snake that they always ask for when we go there.  Mean ole Mommy always says no.

Wednesday they were with Aunt Kimmie.  She took them to Grandpa's park and, from there, they went on a hike to Grandma Shirley's for more swimming.  They thought this was the coolest thing EVER!

My cousin, Grady, was up from Florida, so we all got together for a birthday party for his daughter, Emery, who turned 3!

More swimming with cousins

The daycare clan.  Not sure what kind of gang sign Dallas and Preston are flashing!

Pool Party at Grandma Shirley's

Enjoying some last day of summer break OrangeLeaf

And finally....some back to school haircuts!