Meet the teacher

School starts tomorrow.  Garrett has just come around to the idea that he's actually going to big school with the girls. He has been really excited!

Last night as we were walking in (as he's done MANY times), he grabbed my hand, and said, "Mom, I need you to go with me!  He even started to tear up.  Then he saw a friend from BSF, and said, "Let's GO together!"  

We searched the class lists, and he saw his name before I did.  He shouted, "I KNEW IT!" and started running down the hall.  If you know Garrett, you KNOW that this kid is the picture of excitement.  

As I was visiting with his teacher, I wasn't really paying attention but taking pics.  You can see that Garrett started his task at his desk....and then he let big sister do it for him help.

G-man, it's all you buddy!  I know you are going to have a great year:)

18 months old!  

Remembering Reese

Four years ago today, our cousin and niece, Reese Catherine Rowe was born.  Today we celebrate her life!

Allie was six, so she well remembers the day Reese was born and the two days later when she went to be with Jesus.  This past spring, her journaling assignment at school was to write about one thing that she could ask for from God  what it would be? 

She wrote an entry entitled:  My Choice.

I ran across this two months ago when she brought home all her school stuff for the year.  Made me ache as I wished for the little girl that would be running around with the rest of them. I too know she will one day run around with us all.

Today, we looked through all her sweet pictures and talked about what she might be doing in heaven.

We love you Katie, Jason, and boys, and our hearts are with you as you celebrate your beautiful daughter today!

We also celebrate my MIL today on her birthday!!!  She's the best MIL I've ever had!  Ha...but she really is:)

We love you too, Bunny!

Beach Party

For thirty something years, my family has gone to the beach together at the end of the summer.  We topped it out this year at 21 people.  

11 grands in birth order.  The cousins have a ball together!

We decided to take a more "normal" picture this year.

My crew gave out quickly.  We took them right after a rain storm, and it must have been 100% humidity.  David was soaked!

Left to right is my oldest brother, younger sister, parents, then twin brother.  Because we are all so close in age, our kids are close together too.  It was a little crazy five years ago, but only one grand kid is in diapers now!

I threw this one in because it was one of my favorites. David LOVED the ocean.  He and Garrett would run in and out of the waves for hours!

For the second year in a row, our beach trip has coincided with Katie's and Jason's family trip.  She brought the boys down the road to play one afternoon and we had a great visit.  Loved seeing them too!

I'm such a picture/memory nerd.  This is our tenth year of having kids on the beach.  It's the one time every year we do a family pic.

Thankful for my crazy family.  Now to get ready for school...aggh!

"Back to school" #3

Our school has a "back to school" party for every grade.  Goodness gracious, am I really going to have three kids in big school?  So this is party number 1, kid number 3. 

Garrett was excited to meet his new class, but this one girl in particular.  We will call her "L."  He followed her around ALL NIGHT.  And near the end, I guess he decided to put his best foot forward.

His teacher has her work "CUT OUT!"  He's CRAZY!

But I'm pretty CRAZY about that boy! 

A "yes" mom

Bunny and Pappy came down for a visit after Pine Cove.  

I have been terrible about taking pics! I took 2 pictures while they were here, and Pappy's eyes were closed. I'm losing my edge.  My kids are so tired of posing!

We had a great quick visit!

My parents were in town for my niece's birthday, so they came over and visited with my in-law parents.  It had been a long time since they've seen each other, and they enjoyed catching up.

At Pine Cove, we get a different "theme" from the speakers every year.  This year was parenting which was a first for us.  It was GOOD.  The speaker so enjoyed his seven, yes seven kids.  He talked about being a "yes" parent.  I am so quick to say "no" when their requests are not convenient.  We as a family are often so busy, that I'm constantly saying, "no we don't have time for that" or "no not right now."  And of course as parents, we say "no" all through the day just correcting behavior.  His point was try to stop and say "YES" for a change!

The girls are always asking to paint.  My response is always, "The boys will want to paint, too, and it's too crazy, so we will do it later."  I had tons of paint because we used to paint all the time.  So when they asked this week, I said, "YES!"  They spent HOURS painting.

I walked in from Tae Kwon Do with G and needed to get supper started tonight.  Mary asked to make cookies, and I said, "YES!" 

Hubs was so proud (He's the YES parent).  I'm so schedule oriented that I get upset when we get off track.  I burst the bubble tonight.  We made cookies first, then cooked dinner!  We ate 30 min late, and no one SUFFERED! ha.

So to my kids, I didn't always say NO.  Here's your proof:)

Family Camp

No way, has it been two weeks since I've blogged?  

I think it takes about a week to pack for camp, and there is no internet at Pine Cove.  (which is actually a really nice break!)

Rodeo night

It was a rainy night, so they had to do it inside which was hysterical.  The counselors dressed up as cows and horses...sounds crazy, yes.  But hilarious.

Catching up with old friends:)  I love this about Pine Cove.  I've gotten to know these ladies over the past few years and I learn so much from them.  Some have older kids, some kids the same age, but we catch up on our families like we've know each other for a long time!  The friendships are one of the best parts (I sound like I went to high school camp!)

Allie LOVES it!  We hardly see her because she's running around with all her girls.

Resetting for Angry Birds.

Mary has gotten really brave.  She zip lines, horse back rides, slides, boats, and goes back for more.

David's face??! 

Garrett saying good bye to his favorite girl!  He talked about her all week:)

I can't say enough about what this week does for our family.  We have a lot of down time too, and the hubs and I attend several mornings of speaker sessions that are an investment in our lives spiritually and for our marriage and parenting.  The week fills us up!  It's not exactly easy vacationing with four kids, but this is a real break.  They are busy and happy (even David) and we get time with them and with out them!  

Thank you Pine Cove and see you next year!

Alot of nothing...finally

This is the first week all summer where we have mostly stayed at home and done nothing.

There is a great toy store here in town that sells "bridge" books for the summer  (preK to K, 1rst -2nd, 4th-5th).  If a child finishes the whole book, they get any toy in the store at half price.  They have worked on their books some, but this week they hit it hard!  I think they may pull it off!

Garrett likes school, and he does well with reading and loves to learn, BUT he is really not a fan of writing or coloring!  As extra incentive I told him he could earn his Wii time by working through the book.  It has worked!  Look at that concentration (he can't write without his tongue!

Each book covers all subjects.  Even physical ed, so I walked in, and they are doing squats together, and Mary was doing push ups!