Tweetsie Train!

We have had the best weekend so far.... before that... here is a look at some things from our past week....
I am teaching the two-year olds at church on Sunday nights.....we typically have 16..... this past Sunday we had 12 (one not pictured)....... they keep me on my toes.... but aren't they cute?!  Zack helps with Zander's age group (16-18 kindergarten boys) so we are definitely tired when we get home.

Grammy and Grandpa took Zander to his grandparents' breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Monday morning.... I had a meeting off campus so it worked out perfectly that they could take him to school!  They even got a picture with Zander's principal, Mr. Wyatt!

Mr. Wyatt had to kiss a goat on Wednesday as an incentive to the students for raising so much money for our school..... I personally really enjoyed hanging out with Chewy, the goat!

We had "Dress Like a Friend" day on Friday at school.  Angie's team lost again this year so she had to trade in her Tennessee shirt for a Florida jersey!  I also added my side-kick to the festivities!  I got to read a book to Zander's class as well.... it was so fun being "mom" while at work for a few minutes!

Today, Grannie and GranDan took us to Tweetsie.  The boys loved it! They really enjoyed the train ride, other fair rides and the cars they got to help drive!  Grannie bought each boy a hat, bandanna and sheriff's badge to wear for the day, and somehow Zander walked away with a gun?!  (This part was daddy's idea!)

Just to keep it real.... there were moments like the picture below as well..... but overall we had a great time and the weather couldn't have been more perfect!

While daddy was away.... we played!

So rewind to about a week and a half ago..... our area looked to be in the direct line of Hurricane Florence ..... which meant schools were closed Thursday and Friday in anticipation of the high winds and tons of rain that was to be dumped in our area.  Fortunately, the hurricane wasn't as bad as predicted for our area.  However, the counties closer to the ocean suffered major flooding and will take months to recover from... we are very thankful we were spared any major issues and pray for those impacted by this severe weather.  I was able to spend extra time with my boys (the first picture shows the actual weather we had during one of our days off).  The second picture does show that due to some winds, we lost a limb which took out a portion of our fence.  Zack was able to repair it pretty quickly though!

We had friends/family over Friday night since all of our regularly scheduled plans were postponed or canceled due to the impending weather.  We feasted on pizza and cookies!  Emmy was ready for hanging out with some rowdy boys.... she knows how her cousins can be! ;)

Then, daddy left us for a week of training.... and it was the longest week ever! haha...... I had the boys five full days and nights!  I typically do all of the morning routines and most of the evening routines even when he is home due to his work schedule, but he is always in charge of bath or shower time!  I greatly missed this moment of time where he is getting the boys all cleaned up and I am cleaning up the downstairs and getting everything ready for the next day!  We were so excited when he returned Friday evening!  Since daddy was away, we ate out every night this past week.... which doesn't typically happen (it is usually easier and more cost-effective to eat at the house... but mommy didn't want to do the set up and clean up so we opted for fast food options most nights).  Fortunately, my school had an eat out night where a portion of the proceeds go to our school and we got to celebrate grandpa and great grandma's birthday on another night!  I sent daddy pictures each night from our dinner festivities!

Today we got to celebrate great grandma's birthday by taking her out for breakfast!  Zander said it was his favorite part of today when we were talking before bed.  He said "I loved great grandma's birthday party" (which happened to be our family of four and Grandma Nancy at a local restaurant)!

 After Great Grandma's birthday breakfast, I headed to Charlotte for a bridal shower for one of Zack's best friend's fiance!  He stopped by at the end so I had to snap a picture to send to Zack to make him jealous, of course. ;)

The New Normal

We are now a few weeks into school and I am starting to get used to the "new normal", which means that I have a sidekick that rides with me all the way to school and home from school every day.  Of course, we also drop off a cute almost three year old at his preschool and pick him up before heading home.  I am starting to get used to this new arrangement.  Drop off and pick up at the preschool definitely runs smoother because we are only stopping in one classroom which means I'm not flying into work at the last moment!  I really enjoy the extra time I have with Zander too.  There is a certain bump on the way to school that bounces our car at just the right angle to get the sweetest five year old giggles from the backseat!  Some mornings we even read his library book before he leaves my room to head to his classroom.  The afternoons are the part that have taken some adjustment for me and my kindergartner.  Some days Zander is absolutely wonderful.  He will come in my room, eat a snack and start working on "morestarfall" on my iPad or "writing" me a note or playing Connect 4 by himself.  I have to lead meetings for about 40 minutes after school every day so he is typically pretty patient with me and pretty independent.  These days are glorious!  Then, there are other days where I have to stay an additional hour or hour and a half after these meetings where my five year old gets restless.  I've tried to keep him entertained and sometimes staff and other students help me in this endeavor.  Sometimes this goes really well also.  However, there are other days where there are tears because he is tired and wants to go home.  Or he keeps bouncing a basketball while I'm trying to concentrate on getting one more item checked off the endless to-do list.  Or he apparently was running in the hallway and ran into the corner of something and comes to me with a goose egg!  I have to remember he has been in school for approximately 10 days and we both are getting used to the "new normal".  Overall, I love having him with me whether I'm there my regular working hours or a couple additional hours due to the workload.  I'm praying this time will be enjoyable for him and beneficial for me so our evenings can be all about time spent with family... prayers are appreciated!  

And now to pictures from our last couple weeks....

Maddox had a grandparents' breakfast at his preschool one morning... Grammy and Grandpa got to go with him!

Zander ran a "fun run" to raise money for our school.  All the grandparents contributed to his laps meaning new technology for our school and he ran all thirty five laps.... I definitely have a new running partner!

We went to one of Maddox's best friend's birthday parties this past weekend.... Mollie had a princess (and superhero) themed third birthday party complete with visits from Anna and Elsa!  My superhero boys loved seeing the birthday girl and the princesses! 

Ms. Anna helps with Zander and Mia, Zander's friend and classmate, while the mommies work!

Three teachers' kids entertaining themselves while the mommies are busy working!

One more Eat Out for Education with my cute boys!  We love Mexican food!

First Day of School 2018

We are officially back to school..... we just finished our first full week with students..... and it was a great week!! I will say I am very thankful we also have a three day weekend right now because this past week wore me out!  Here are some of the things we have been up to since I last posted....

Zander met his kindergarten teacher (someone that has known him since he was in my belly!)  She is so excited about Zander being in her class and we are so excited, blessed and lucky that our kindergartner has Mrs. Noell!  Since mommy had to work Open House, I brought Z by the day before to officially "meet the teacher".

The weekend after open house, we loaded our crazy crew and headed back home for a day on the lake with some of our very best friends!  Liz and I have scheduled this lake day for three years now and we look forward to it every summer!  Since our kids are the exact same age, they each have a buddy to play with.  The younger siblings took naps in the afternoon while the older siblings played together with Jacob's grandpa!  Prior to naps, we fit in a boat ride, swimming and a picnic lunch!

 Grannie was able to visit with us for the afternoon and it is always a treat spending time with family!

Once back from our adventures, it was time to officially start school.  I've been taking "first day" school pictures for years.  I love seeing the changes from year to year now that the boys have come along!  Zander didn't start kindergarten until Wednesday due to a staggered start so he had a couple more days with Grammy and Grandpa!

 I absolutely love my AP!  We happened to match in our stripes for the first day of school!

 Six years and counting of the first day of school with my boys....

By Wednesday, it was time for Zander to start kindergarten.  I have been so excited for him to start at my school.  I remember when I picked my occupation at the end of high school I thought about how my own children would go to school with me and 17 years later.... we are officially here!  I love periodically seeing him around campus and also getting a few extra minutes with him in the mornings and afternoons!

 My co-workers absolutely love seeing Zander too!  I will get picture messages from them during the day..... here is one of Zander with Mrs. Clinard!  I taught Ms. Clinard's oldest in fourth grade (who happens to be in college now!)

 Another co-worker snapped these pictures of Zander opening a letter from me that I put in his lunchbox for the first day of school. :)

 Zander's teacher, Mrs. Noell, sent this picture of Zander one day this past week!

I think I am still in shock that Z started his educational journey this past week.... I have what we would consider a "school age" kid! How did this happen?!  We are officially on the countdown as the Class of 2031... do you think this shirt will fit when he is a senior!?:) 

We fit in one more lake day with best friends today!  Ashley, Chris and their three boys invited us on their boat for a day of fun!  I loved watching all five boys spend time together!  We played in the water, tubed around the lake (including the mamas), paddle-boarded and drove around on the boat!  I am so blessed we can soak up the last days of summer with great friends!

We also got to see Granny V and Paw Paw before heading back home.  I forgot to take pictures from our visit!