Pumpkin Farm (year 4)

Once again we visited the pumpkin farm to celebrate a birthday (well late celebration that is).  JT had a bike party and we wanted to visit the pumpkin farm for Andrew, but because of Bill's surgery, we had to postpone it for a month.  Once again, we had a great time, and it only took 1 week to get all the corn kernels out of our clothing!

Fall Trip

We had some use them or lose them frequent flyer miles so the family took a mini vacation the first of October.  It was Andrew's first flight and the first that Joshua can remember.  They did great!  We flew into Rochester, NY and drove up to Lake Ontario then to Tonawanda and then a walk around the American side of Niagara Falls - all in one day!  We were so tired because we flew out of RDU at 6am, but we drove on to Mississauga, Canada and crashed. We spent some time touring around Toronto and thankfully the rain seemed to break a bit each time we needed to be out.  We found a great state park in Bronte Creek to explore without continuing to empty our wallets and then headed back to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Only Joshua and I rode the "Maid of the Mist" since Andrew was sleeping and then we spent the night over looking the Falls.  It was a great hotel room!  We concluded our whirlwind trip by driving down into Buffalo, NY and checking out Lake Erie and then back to Rochester for  a little downtown touring.  It was a great trip and the first time we've really done any sightseeing with the boys, but it was tiring!


Windy, windy beside Lake Ontario




Touring the American side




JT by CN Tower, Toronto



Why didn't we bring the stroller!!!

Bronte Creek Park

View from our hotel on the Canadian side of the Falls.

Andrew is awake to see the Falls!

Seeing the pattern yet?  Just before J & I rode "Maid of the Mist".

Andrew was a good sport with our lack of sleep, downtown Rochester.

First Year of Soccer

JT played his first season of soccer this Fall.  We were hesitant to start so early, but he had shown an earnest desire and would kick a ball around the house for an hour.  He was one of the smaller kids on the team but gave a valiant effort.  He was not one of the "stars" but he certainly did hustle!  I guess we will be in for another round in the Spring!



Andrew did really well during practices and games.  He would sit in his chair or play along the sidelines.

 

Birthday Season

We celebrate birthdays from the middle of September until the middle of October.  I (mom) am lucky to celebrate my birthday alone in the month of January.  This year was the year of cakes.  Both Joshua and Andrew's cakes had me stressing how they would turn out until the very end.  They LOVED their cakes and I could not have bought anything they liked better!  It was a joyful time as we celebrated 3, 38, and 5 years!!

3 years 9/19

38 years 9/26

5 years 10/16

First Day of Preschool 2010

 Andrew was not so excited about the start of school this year because he did not understand why Joshua was staying home. He goes on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-12 and gives me the opportunity to run errands or spend more uninterrupted time with Joshua on his school.

He used the special day plate for lunch.  For some reason, this motivates the kids!

Habitat - one HOT Saturday in August

It was a hot day, but thankfully we had plenty of water and every so often, God sent us a little shade cloud!  Our college/career class volunteered to help on truss day.  I had no idea what a truss was before this, but now I am intimately acquainted!  It was hard work, but very fulfilling.  Habitat for Humanity is a great organization and I would strongly recommend it for any of your charitable giving (or volunteer time!).

CRASH!!

Yes, my computer failed!  The last Tuesday in August, I lost my motherboard.  It was a long journey without Internet and I realize just how dependent I have become.  Now, 2 months later, I have the original computer back (it chugs as if it will crash again soon!) and a new laptop.  I'm trying to catch up on all the events and eventually, I will start posting here regularly again!

First Day of Kindergarten

We are attempting our first year of homeschooling!!  *YIKES*  I can't believe this is where life has led me and each time I think this is something I cannot do, I remind myself that I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined being a stay at home mom! Today was our first day and everything went fine.  We started a little after 8 and were finished within an hour.  My dad thinks J must be a very quick learner ; ) but that time did not include a snack or recess or lunch!  I tried to make today a special day like so many of my friends with children starting "real" school because it was still his first day of school.  The only unexpected today was Andrew.  He is usually so content in front of the television, and that was my plan for this morning, but he did not think the same!  It was a battle for about 20 minutes, but he finally resigned himself to PBS.

On our front porch, "1" for his first day.

Our work area

He still gets away with too much just because he's cute!

He kept telling me, "I want to play that game!".

Finishing the day with our special day plate because it was his special day!!

Popo's 70th

Saturday, August 14th, we celebrated Bill's father's 70th birthday.  He's not one for gala affairs so it was an intimate gathering with the family in the upstairs room of the Boardroom.  It was a great evening with good food and a good cake!

Popo and 3 of 5

What an awesome cake!

Hot in Atlanta!

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm tired!!  We have gone & done so much this summer trying to give the girls a good experience, but it has worn me down!  (Not to mention my house is a wreck!)  We had one week overlap of the Russian girl and the French girl so we chose that week to visit a "city".  Originally, I thought I'd be fine with my boys and the girls alone, but in the end I enlisted the help of a local teacher friend so it wouldn't be me alone with the kids!  We had a great condo in downtown - we could walk everywhere.  We did a lot of walking and the boys did surprisingly well even though the heat/humidity was almost too much for me.  In two days, we visited Coke World, the Georgia Aquarium, CNN center, Centennial Park, Turner Field, and finally, Atlantic Station for a little shopping.  The toughest part was the 330 mile drive!

JT was in Coke paradise - I let him drink as much as he wanted!  I think Solène tried all 41 flavors.

At Centennial Park

This was a real aquarium behind us with live coral.  Although the GA Aquarium is expensive, I would strongly recommend it.

July - just a lot of water!

Our summer has been very busy with trips to the waterpark, lake, and beach.  It was a very hot/humid July and the only way to cool off was in the water!  Luckily, the boys seem to love it as much as we do!

p.s. I am playing catch up on all my photos for the next few weeks!

As the family photographer, I have to occasionally ask Bill to "get me in one" so in the future, we'll know I was there!

Freeze pops are a summer must at our house!

Yes, that's Bill on the rope swing at Belews Lake.

*Trying* to broaden their palette!

Welcome Solène

We continued our summer short term exchange experience with the addition of Solène from France on July 24.  JT asked me today who he will play with after everyone is gone.  Our boys have truly enjoyed these additions to our family!