Happy Halloween!

 Well...our Halloween basically broke every tradition we have, but it was fun in a completely new way.

The only thing I'm not completely over is that we did not carve pumpkins. We picked out pumpkins in the mountains, and they are beautifully sitting on the porch. The kids just had zero carving interest. Issa announced she likes the way they look whole, and I'm almost okay with it. Almost.

I also did not make the traditional pre-trick-or-treat potato soup. The neighborhood decided to do a group pizza party instead. I did manage to snap a few pictures on the way. Meet Maleficent:

 And an army ninja (also known as Mr. Griffen from the dojo):

 They were too excited to go to get a picture together, and frankly it took a threat of not going at all to get that one of Evan. And who can blame them:

 Look at all those cute kiddos:

I did manage to take one horrible picture of them together:

It made me very grateful for this one of the night the costumes arrived:

 Please note Evan's mask never made it out the front door.

We did have a lot of fun with the neighbors, and trick-or-treat never disappoints. I'm estimating I saw about 600 kiddos. The highlight of my evening, though, was watching the toddler puppy dance and giggle on my sidewalk over our light-up eyes in the bushes. It was awesome.

We did have the traditional post candy sort, hot cocoa, and Charlie Brown, so not all tradition was lost. And by all accounts it was another treat of a Halloween.

Only My Job...

Some days, I am so tired. Today is one of them. I really could have used about ten more hours of sleep. And a day in the house alone to do laundry and dishes and just tidy. It's a little scary around that place and it's not from Halloween decorations.

But...even when I'm exhausted from it, I just love my job. It's the hardest, most holy work. I've had two days this week where I have been home less than 10 hours before I'm on my way back. I'll be here all day Sunday. I'm struggling to not let my emotional tank run completely empty. But I can't imagine being any where else.

I spent last night in a room with 50 educators. Half of those were my students; the other half are veterans who are willing to serve as mentors for the next two years. I was so proud of how articulate and thoughtful my students were, and I love that the mentors were impressed and recognized that they are really cool people, too. It's good when you can laugh together.

This morning, I was able to go see a new school that has a lot of great things happening. I celebrated with them starting at 7:45 am. I saw itty bitties so excited to learn, and teachers who were bringing their best to them.

I am in the unique position to see the full circle of teaching every day. I see my students just venturing into the professing. I see K-12 students in schools with classroom teachers doing the hard work of teaching. I get to work with students from kindergarten to seniors in college. I see the whole pathway. And on really, really good days, I get an email or a visit from a former student who is now in the classroom. Full circle.

It's the full circle that leaves me both exhausted and energized. The hardest most holy work.

Giddy

I am very much a one holiday at a time kind of girl. However, I broke my own rules yesterday for a very good reason!

For the past couple years, we have taken the kids to see a holiday show. Every year, I pitch Nutcracker and get vetoed. This year, though, the whole family chose Nutcracker! I'm ridiculously excited! And yesterday, I got fabulous seats on sale for the Saturday that we always do our little Christmas. It just doesn't get better than that!

Love Notes

I have super cool kids. I truly love their quirky little selves and the way they never cease to surprise me. Issa's latest: love notes.

Monday was brutal for me, and if I'm honest yesterday wasn't terribly better. Halloween, a full moon, registration, and Cornhuskin' makes for a deadly perfect storm at work. By Monday night, I was toast. And then I found this tucked into my jewelry tree:

Cue the tears. And the laughter. I mean really. I love her.

Last night, I found another note under my pillow. This one included the line, "because we go together like peanut butter and jelly on a sandwich." That line is even more classic because Issa won't touch a peanut butter and jelly sandwich--or any sandwich for that matter.

I have to admit, I'll be a little sad if I don't find a note somewhere tonight.

To the Mountains

We had a blissful weekend in the mountains. Brad and I did a little work Friday morning, but the kids had the day off. So, as soon as we could we headed west! We were in Asheville in time for a late lunch, and we found ourselves at Bouchon Creperie, which was incredible. The weather was perfect for eating out on the patio, and Brad and I were so grateful to have children who are not picky eaters. It just opens up so many fun options in Asheville. 

After lunch, we made a detour through a used bookshop, where Issa found a favorite from the library to add to her collections, Daddy found a fun book I won't pretend I can describe, and Evan took a chance on one of their mystery books. It was wrapped in brown paper with a few clues written on the front, and he was quite thrilled to discover he was correct and scored a fun pirate book.

From there, we headed straight to our first orchard:

 Sky Top is quite literally perched on the side of the mountain, and the views were incredible:

 The leaves were at their peak this weekend, and the orchard smelled so sweet. The kids also loved apple picking:

 My favorite:

 Did I mention the views:

 After we had picked too many apples, we took a tractor ride around the orchard. While I should have snapped some views, I did snap this selfie:

 We visited the orchard critters:

 And enjoyed the view of the pond:

 Before getting lost in their bamboo forest:

 We ended our visit with hot apple cider donuts and cider slushies before checking into our hotel. We managed to keep the kids awake for dinner, which helped them rally for an evening swim!

Saturday got off to a sideways start. The plan was to go to our favorite biscuit place, but the line was out the door and there was no parking to be found--anywhere--at any breakfast place. Cue the driving all over the mountains to try to find something and Issa getting car sick. Happy birthday, Daddy.

New plan: Donuts and hot cider at the next orchard. Stepp's was a very different orchard but equally fun! The weather was much more fall like, and the hot cider was especially welcome. We were so excited both orchards had growth charts since our pumpkin patch closed:

 Once tummies were full and everyone was happy again, the kiddos couldn't wait to try the apple cannon:

 It was super impressive. We then ventured through the five acre corn maze before picking apples and pumpkins:

 We found a new apple, Staymans, that we all really love! Which is good, because we brought home a peck of Asian pears and three pecks of apples! The best part of Stepp's was that it had a lot more apples that were easy for the kiddos to pick!

We ended our trip with a BBQ lunch. We were home for dinner on Saturday, which left us Sunday to settle back in. We did take Daddy out to one more birthday lunch before doing all the glamorous things like grocery shopping. We ended up having cheeses, crackers, and apples for dinner, along with an old childhood favorite:

Nothing beats warm, fresh red applesauce. And as I'm typing apple butter is going in the crockpot. A very lovely fall weekend indeed.

475 Pennies

I counted 475 pennies at the book fair. A child bought her book with a gallon bag of pennies. That is all.

Retail is Not For Me

I really try to help at the kids' school. When email requests for help go out, if at all possible I do something. This morning, though, I might have found my Achilles heel: retail.

This week is the book fair, and they asked for parent help. In the past, I have blissfully been assigned the job of helping children find just the perfect book. I often think this will be my retirement job. This morning, however, I was assigned a cash register. I am not good at it. All the scanning and the buttons that must be pushed in just the right order or bad things happen. And then the children with the ziplock bags of coins that must be counted and then sorted in the right little bins. And all of this must be done quickly because of the line. I. Just. Can't.

Except I have to tomorrow.

Sparkly

We are on the tale end of our accreditation visit, and all is going well and most importantly almost over. My only regret is that I didn't get to post a very important update yesterday. Check out the new sparkly:

A little over a week ago, Issa came down and announced she wanted her ears pierced. She had our permission years ago when she started Company, but she has been absolutely opposed. We had a long conversation about why and if she was sure, and the bottom line is she was very disappointed in the selection of clip earrings and really wanted to open whole new accessory worlds. Now also happens to be perfect timing because her ears have plenty of time to heal before the first time she needs to wear Company earrings.

So...on Saturday the whole family set off to Claire's. Originally, she wanted it to be a girl date, but as it got closer she realized she really wanted to hold Daddy's hand. We had talked about the pinch and the sound of the gun--just the way I remembered when I got mine done--and she was so sure she was ready. She never once faltered all week. She was nervous on the way in, but she was committed. The only hard part for her was picking out her starters--eight weeks is a long time to commit to an accessory. Ultimately, she chose these because "diamonds go with everything." If nothing else, I have succeeded as a mother for that alone.

She hopped up in the chair, and both Brad and I were so impressed with Claire's. These people know what they are doing. The sterilizing process made Brad quite happy, and I loved the way they talked with Issa about her responsibility. I also loved that when they were ready to start they told her they were going to do one and then the other immediately because you have to clean them within 30 seconds.

Here's the deal: Issa didn't even flinch. And that noise that I remember being the worst part--it's gone. They now have single use piercers that have no sound. And I realize I'm sounding like one of those old ladies that walked uphill to school both ways in year-round snow, but seriously this was no big.

Issa picked out some earrings for the first change--crystal snowflakes since it will be December--and an Eiffel Tower earring and jewelry organizer. It's about that point that Brad and I realized we are entering a whole new world with this one. (Side note: It did not help that we had watched Inside Out Friday night.) She spent a not insignificant amount of time organizing jewelry the rest of the afternoon. She also has her ear cleaning chart taped to the bathroom wall with a big red X on the day she can change them.

She is growing up, and I must admit I really love her new sparklies.

Thankful

I would just like to go on record as stating that I have the absolute best husband in the world. I'm in an absolute buzz saw at work right now, and he has picked up the reins at home, taken care of me, and kept us from having to drip dry after showers. I would be lost without him. Love you, babe.

And So I Did

I work in a field where Spanish would be helpful. My French is just not particularly useful since I stopped formally studying literature, but I will be forever grateful I had it when writing my undergrad thesis. Now, though, I meet families all the time whose first language is Spanish, and I have often wished I could speak their language. My heart just breaks for the mamas who drop their babies off and can't tell the teachers everything they want to. I hate not being able to comfort a crying kiddo with the words their mama uses. But I've never done anything about it.

Now, Issa has a little friend who is fully bilingual, but her parents speak far more Spanish than English. When we talk, my five words of Spanish and their ten of English lead to lots of nodding and smiling and not much else. I hate it.

So...I did something. Last night, I started learning Spanish. I have now added about 20 words to my vocabulary, none of which will let me have a full conversation--unless we want to get drunk. I can now drink wine and beer in Spanish. But...it is a start. And I'm committed. Vamonos!

Coastal Carolina

I mentioned last week that Issa had her first big project of the year: a Coastal Carolina Float. Yesterday was the big presentation:

She had to get at least ten key symbols of the region on her float, but she managed to squeeze in 11. Please notice the Swedish fish to represent the fishing trade. Also, the fabric around the bottom is in fact the ruffle from a some Ariel pajamas she wore when she was three. She made me save them in the fabric basket and was quite thrilled to gloat when they were the perfect ocean for her float. Being a pack rat pays off again!

Her presentation:

I just couldn't be more proud of this girl!

Beauty

Every Monday I get to watch this:

Issa has her solo lesson with Ms. Lauren, and I get to watch the two of them work and dance together. Yesterday, it literally took my breath away. Lauren has challenged Issa in new ways this year, and I feel like I am watching her getting stronger and more graceful every week. Lauren is a beautiful dancer, and to see Issa beside her is almost more than my heart can handle. And then I see Issa beam, and I hear them laugh, and somehow everything seems perfectly right in that moment.

I've said it before, but I will be forever grateful for this place Issa considers her second home. She is challenged and loved fiercely. It is a thing of beauty to watch the way she is growing and the dancer--the person--she is becoming.

Fall Fun

This weekend was all about fall fun.

Friday, Issa had a friend over to paint a pumpkin for the school media center. They were invited to create their favorite book characters, and these two were hysterical:

 While they were creating, I got lots of snuggles with a boy who was not tired:

 Meet Frankie from Monster High:

 Saturday, it was chilly but the kids and I were able to actually go to the farm. It has been raining so much we haven't been in forever. They had fun harvesting sweet potatoes while I helped plant fall crops.  We also got to catch a pig, a goat, and a cow since the storms damaged our fences a bit.

We picked Daddy up at the airport that afternoon, and then headed to Ryan and Felicia's for dinner. The kids spent the night, and Brad and I went back Sunday to make brunch. It so fun to have friends that love cooking and food as much as we do!

The rest of yesterday was spent being cozy. Even Nuzzle created a cozy spot:

We did venture out to the River Walk for a bit. We took Neela and just enjoyed the leaves starting to turn and the chill in the air!

Have I mentioned this is my favorite time of year?

Ninja Buddies

Yesterday, Evan had another graduation at the dojo:

He is now officially a camo blue belt. This is his favorite picture:

He loves this picture because he's beside his "ninja buddy" Logan, the kiddo with the glasses. It has taken approximately forever, but Evan finally has a ninja buddy. Evan is not the kid who necessarily needs or wants a friend all the time. He has lots of them, but he isn't an extrovert, which I totally get. He is not going to walk up to someone and just introduce himself, but he does watch and will eventually approach kids he finds interesting. He finally did that a few weeks ago. Now. as soon as we walk into the dojo, he starts looking for Logan, and they are immediately into a conversation about who knows what. It also amuses me to no end that Evan always refers to him by the full title Ninja Buddy Logan. This kid just cracks me up.

Knitting Kindness

For Issa's birthday, she and I took knitting lessons. We had given her a basket with the gift certificate for the lessons in it, and at the end of the first lesson, she asked me to get a matching one:

We finished our lessons, and I love sitting on the couch with her chatting and knitting. I love seeing our baskets sitting side by side.

At the end of our classes, our teacher invited us to join a knitting circle. It meets on Tuesday evenings at a local cafe, and I was a little nervous about going. These women are knitters. However, Marsha assured us we would be welcome--including Issa. So, last night we went. We arrived to see a woman showing off a stunning sweater she just finished. Another lady was working on a beautiful shawl with a lace edge. We are working on scarves. And aside from one woman who was in her late twenties, everyone else was talking about their grandkids.

We were warmly welcomed, though, and we settled in with our scarves. These master knitters oohed and aahed over Issa's scarf. When she hit a snag, all of them dropped what they were doing to help. It was absolutely lovely to just sit and knit, and I love that another little village welcomed us in. Issa can hardly wait to go back next week, and I think I have found another place that feeds a little corner of my soul. I'm trying to learn how to carve time out just to do things that bring me joy, and I think this will definitely help. Who knows, maybe I'll even eventually try a sweater.

Cozy

It's cozy season. I stepped out this morning in a sweater I actually needed and saw the leaves were starting to be tinged with gold. And as proof miracles happen the sun was glinting off that gold in a way that made me stop and truly see it. We haven't seen the sun for over a week, and it was just stunning this morning.

The house is studded with pumpkins. I'm making the kids tea every morning, and fall meals are back on the menu. Squash and cinnamon wafts through the kitchen. Slippers reemerged. It's cozy.

Fall has always been my favorite, and this fall is not disappointing. There is something about the chill and the colors that encourages a bit of a slow down, and I'm making it a point to listen to that call.

I'm back...

Well...Read-a-Thon is over--mostly. I still have a final report to write, but no more counting or assembling prizes or distributing things to classrooms. By all accounts, though, it was a tremendous success! I just didn't get much sleep for the past couple of weeks and every morning has been spent at school doing something. To be in my office on time feels like a real luxury.

Aside from Read-a-Thon, it's been a crazy couple of weeks. A list...

1. Just when I think we are full at the end something else moves in. Evan has been taking such good care of his fish that they are reproducing. He now has two baby fish, one of which is now as big as the parents. The second baby is officially out of the getting eaten danger zone. He is one proud little boy. You might also be amused to know he has named all of his fish after condiments: Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Soy Sauce, Worcestershire, Ranch, and BBQ.

2. In related news, Issa now has three hermit crabs. Our sitter passed on two, and they are all playing very nicely. Issa is quite thrilled to have so many friends in her room.

3. In sad pet news, for the first time in 13 years we had fleas. Brad and I gave one dog and three cats flea dips this weekend. The good news is the problem has been eradicated before it got to be a pandemic.

4. In devastating news, we discovered the fleas because we had to call the vet for Nuzzle. She has been losing weight, and my worse fears were confirmed. She is in the very early stages of renal disease. There is really nothing we can do, and she is still very happy and active. Once that stops, though, we will say goodbye. She is my cat--no doubt--so I'm trying to savor every moment of what looks to be about six months left with her. My heart is just broken, though.

5. Issa had to do a Coastal Plains shoe box float this weekend. It's the first school project of the year, and I was shocked by how very, very little help she needed. Even finding all of the pictures online and compiling a document with captions was a breeze for her. It's due Friday, but she just wanted to knock it out this weekend. She presents next week, and I'll get some pictures then.

6. Brad and I went on a fabulous date Saturday night! It's a fabulous old bank that has been converted into a restaurant/art gallery. I had incredible mushroom bolagnaise, and it was so fun to sit in the vault sipping an after dinner cocktail before wandering to see some really fun modern art.

7. And now here we are at a new week! I'm sure more adventures will ensue...

I Saw God Today

Sunday, Brad and I did the incredibly glamorous work of purging our closet. It was time to reorganize and get rid of things that no longer fit or that we just don't wear. We ended up with six bags of clothes and one black suit coat--a coat that Brad insisted not be put in the bags but be left in the dry cleaning bag and hanger.

Yesterday, I stopped by Goodwill to drop it all off. The first thing I pulled out was the coat, and I was holding it up to grab another bag when a man approached me...

"Excuse me, is that a suit coat."

"Yes!"

"Do you know what size it is?"

"I have no idea. Do you need one? Do you want to try it on?"

As he slipped the coat across his shoulders, he started to cry. "I prayed for you today."

He then proceeded to tell me that he had a really hard year. He lost his job, his wife left him, and he had to move back in with his parents. His father passed away on Sunday, and this man didn't have a suit for the funeral. As Brad and I were cleaning the closet, he was arguing with his mom about whether they should bury his father in his suit or if it should be saved for the son to wear to the funeral. They had no money for a new suit, and they agreed that if he could find one at Goodwill they would bury his father in his suit--something that was very important to this man. He had been able to find black pants and white shirt in the store but not a coat. Now he stood in the parking lot wearing one that fit perfectly.

Now we were both crying, and then he said this, "I prayed this morning that if God still loved me he would let me find a suit today. And now I have one."

I'm still in awe of that moment. He offered to pay me for the coat or to see if Goodwill would rush stocking it so he could pay them. I insisted he just take it exchange for a promise--that he would never forget how very much he was loved.

We hugged, and I am still filled with gratitude. I am so grateful to be used in that moment, and I will always be amazed by those moments of divine intervention and Grace.

The Not-Slumber Not-Birthday Party

Issa was very clear that she didn't want a big birthday party this year. There was to be no traditional birthday party "stuff." However, she did want to have a couple of friends over to spend the night. It was a bit of an adjustment for me, but I worked with it:

 She made a whole list of things she wanted to do, including making their own pizzas, having a popcorn bar, decorating not-birthday cupcakes, and getting their nails done:

 I loved listening to them giggle at the nail salon, and I loved how they bounced between tween and little girl all night. Mani/Pedis--check. Flowers painted on big toes--check.

When we got back home, the girls wanted Issa to open her gifts, one of which was a pom-pom critter making kit. They rushed upstairs to get started, and it wasn't long before I was being paged. Several trips up and down the stairs for more supplies later, I was invited to join them on Issa's floor. It was honestly one of the highlights of my year. I know it won't be long before I'm invited less, but sitting on the floor making a pom-pom polar bear while chatting with the three girls was priceless.

We made individual pizzas for dinner, and then we got to the real work of decorating cupcakes:

 16 cupcakes, a half a box of graham crackers, and three batches of frosting later, we proclaimed it a wrap. I'm not sure anyone ate a single whole cupcake, but oh we laughed. We discovered edible spray paint must be used lightly or it tastes awful. We discovered there is such a thing as too much frosting on a cupcake, and we learned I shouldn't talk and start the mixer at the same time (I was covered in powdered sugar). We also learned Evan will do anything for a laugh:

They choreographed a beautiful thank you dance, played Barbies, and giggled to no end. They included Evan when they were outside of Issa's room, and they were genuinely fun all night.

At midnight, I turned in the towel thinking they were snuggled in bed and all but asleep--wrongo. Apparently the saw 2:30. They all woke up in great moods, though, and had some pancakes before we said goodbye.

It truly was one of the very most enjoyable weekends I have had in a long time, and I would take these three girls anywhere. In fact, they might have just ruined me for all other slumber parties.

Some things don't mix...

...like turtles and big dogs.

Yesterday, the kids came off the bus all smiles. We  were chatting about their days, and when we got inside I sent them upstairs to change for the studio and the dojo while I started signing the six million things I sign every night. Life was good. Then I hear Issa's sweet voice, "Mom, Neela, has a turtle on the landing!"

"It can't be a turtle. It's probably just a rock or a toy."

"Nope. It's a turtle, and it's bleeding."

Awesome. That got me moving.

Soon, we had freed the turtle from Neela's jaws, and it was clear he was alive. I know because when I peeked in his little shell he hissed. I was also able to determine that while he was missing a pinky toe he otherwise seemed just fine. So...we decided to relocate him to the culvert under our driveway. I figured he could safely recover and then crawl away from there. And, if I was wrong and he was not long for the world, he would be a tasty snack for some critter and I wouldn't have to bury him. Sometimes I'm pragmatic.

Unfortunately, Neela was not on board with this idea. When we opened the front door and headed out, she bolted out, too. Now, I have a bleeding, angry turtle in my hands and a big dog running loose like she's never been outside before. She was doing giant crazy puppy circles through the neighbor's yard, and the small herd of children trying to chase her were not exactly helping her settle--and I can't set the turtle down or she will come charging to get her new toy. It was not a stellar moment.

Thankfully, Issa finally got a hold of Neela and got her in, and I settled the turtle in his safe place. When we came home last night, he had already scooted away, but I'm really hoping I never see his little turtle face on my landing again,

On it!

This morning, the kids got ready in record time...because I had a major carrot. We ordered Halloween costumes.

I have well-documented my quirk about ordering costumes early. I just get so paranoid about things not arriving on time. I also like the early bird sales, which is why Oriental Trading just got an order from me for our trick-or-treat treasures. The kids also love picking out their costumes, which makes it fun! I am sworn to secrecy, but I think they will be adorable again this year.

The other underlying reason I wanted to order them this morning was just so I could feel like I was on it! Between the Read-a-Thon and work and dance and the dojo I'm meeting myself coming and going. It was awfully nice to just put a big check in that box.

Now if I can just find a way to start sneaking some decorations out...

To My Girl...

My Sweet Girl,

You just turned nine on Saturday. Nine. On your birthday, I pulled you into my lap and tried to hold you like I did for the very first time nine years ago. In part, I was being silly, but in part it's because I still feel those six pounds in my arms. I still remember the first moment I held you and you looked up at me with those big blue, trusting eyes. Needing me for everything. Seeing the world reflected through my eyes. 

You grew, and in your toddler years I saw the world reflected through your eyes. You helped me rediscover all the magic that was in the world. Your joy in the little things helped me find my own again. I may be a teacher, but you are a far better teacher. You taught me how to be your mom, and you taught me how to follow your lead and find joy in the journey. 

Then I blinked, and now here you are:

You are no longer my little girl. You are growing and stretching, and sometimes we see the world through two very different sets of eyes. The world is no longer a simple reflection for us. You are discovering who you are and what you believe. And that is oh so wonderful and oh so hard--for both of us. I see you wrestling with ideas and asking questions even Google can't answer. Your tender heart has been bruised a time or two, and I know bigger heartaches are ahead. We have had our share of mother/daughter moments--some beautiful some painful. More of both will come.

Here's what I need you to know as you officially embark on these tween years, sweetheart. We are going to argue. We are not going to see the world the same way. There are going to be days that just plain suck. But...and this is a critical but...I will always be in your corner. I will always be here to listen. I will even try not to give unsolicited advice. On the days that are wonderful I will be the first one to make a toast, and on the days that are hard I will be the first one there to catch you.

You have taught me how to be your mom from the very beginning, and I have every faith that you will continue to teach me how to be your mom now. When I screw it up, know it is done with great love and I'll do better tomorrow. When I get it right, know it was also done with great love and it's because you are one incredible kid.

I love you with every fiber of my being, and you will always, always be my baby. So let's just promise each other to keep dancing, keep laughing, and keep talking. The adventure is just beginning...

All my love forever and always,

Your Mama

Happy birthday, Issa!

We had a fabulous weekend celebrating my very favorite nine year old. Aunt Shannon, Nana, and Papa Rich all flew in for the occasion. Aunt Shannon won special bonus points for arriving in time to have lunch and celebratory apples and juice at school.

Saturday morning, we girls all took Issa shopping for some new clothes from Nana and Papa. It has become a tradition, and we had a ball. Issa definitely has her own style as you'll see soon.

When we got home, Issa and Nana decorated her ballerina cake:

And Aunt Shannon and Evan played:

We had Nana Mac and Cheese and Caesar salad for dinner--the birthday girl's request--and then she did a fashion show of all of the treasures from Aunt Shannon and Nana and Papa. A few favorites:

She wore that vest to school today!

This one is from the Descendant's collection. She thinks she's pretty cool:

And mid-fashion show little brother lost his second tooth:

After the show was finished, We enjoyed cake:

That smile...

Sunday, we went to brunch before we declared a science day. We did the whole Diet Coke and Mentos thing:

You can count on the Bowers to draw a crowd with some explosions. We also made elephant toothpaste with all the kiddos.

Once we were out of things to explode, we headed inside to work on a crystal kit:

In between there was so much laughter and just being.

We reluctantly took Aunt Shannon to the airport and then took Issa to use a Claire's gift card from Aunt Carol and Uncle Todd. We managed to hit an all jewelry on sale for $5 sale. Issa was beside herself. We went straight from the mall to take Nana and Papa to the airport, which was followed by much pouting.

It was a great weekend. Issa had a fabulous birthday, and we all enjoyed the weekend together. I'm still trying to figure out how my baby can be nine already, though...

Long Weekend Happenings

We had a lovely long weekend!

We started on Friday by celebrating Issa's birthday! Unfortunately, I took zero pictures. I think Daddy got some, but I'm not sure. As soon as the kids got off the bus, we gave Issa her gifts. Evan got her a Scooby Doo Lego set, which was a huge hit! He spent forever looking for one with Daphne in it because she is Issa's favorite character. Daddy and I gave her a new knitting basket and lessons at the local yarn shop. She was so excited about both, and she promptly sat down to start building. We ended our evening with a great dinner at P.F. Chang's and then pumpkin pie at home. I did score some surprise points with sparkler candles.

Saturday, Issa and I headed up town for our first knitting class! Issa knew the basic knit stitch, and I used to knit. That made us the class experts! I was shocked by how quickly it came back to me, and our teacher, Miss Marsha, is incredibly kind. Issa learned how to fix some small glitches she had been having, and she ended the class by asking me to get a matching basket for my knitting. We can't wait to go back in two weeks to learn how to pearl!

Sunday, Issa was invited to the ivivva store in Raleigh to try some of their new clothes:

She had a blast trying some of their new things, giving feedback, and modeling for them. When we got home, we also decided to kick off fall with a fire in our fire bowl and roasted hot dogs and s'mores. I love nothing more than a good camp fire, and Daddy built a fabulous one!

Monday, Evan had a play date with a friend and the rest of us did some yard work. Daddy mowed, Issa and I moved her glads to a much sunnier spot, and I did the fall pruning in the front yard.

It really was a great three day weekend filled with celebrating, relaxing, and just enough work to make it feel like we really accomplished something!

Birthday Celebrations!

The birthday celebrations began in earnest this morning:

The annual decorating of the door.

I usually do it on the actual birthday morning, but we are doing our little family celebration this weekend since my family is coming in next weekend! Issa realized if I did her door on her actual birthday I would actually be doing Evan's door, and that just wouldn't do.

After school, she will open her gift from us and her gift from Evan, and we can all barely contain ourselves! We did well this year! Then we will head to P.F. Chang's before returning home for pumpkin pie. It's an odd combo, but what the birthday girl wants the birthday girl gets!

Finally Finished!

Sometimes late truly is better than never:

My youngest niece just turned six months, and I finally put this baby blanket in the mail today. I'm telling myself that it's just now turning chilly enough to need a quilt. And if nothing else she can use it to play with her baby dolls.

I hate that this one is coming to her so late; the others had theirs before they were born. However: I also did not have a husband, a full-time job, or children of my own when they were born. I'm trying to give myself grace on this one.

That being said, Sweet Hadley, please know that you are so loved. Every single stitch is filled with love and prayers for you and your sweet smile and heart. Aunt Heather may be slow, but I'll always show up--promise.

Issa's Birth Month

Well...it's September, which means it's Issa's birth month! We thought we were starting the celebrating this weekend, but it actually started yesterday! Daddy had to travel, I had to teach, so the kids got to hang out with Miss Hannah. And because Miss Hannah spoils them rotten, she got cupcakes for Issa's birthday since it's the last time she will see them before the big day. Issa was so excited...and so the celebrations begin.

I have always been so fortunate to have babysitters that truly love my kiddos. I love that when I'm teaching I don't have to worry. I know they are in great hands. And I love that the kids don't mind one bit! I never get asked not to go. They are more than happy to be with people they consider extended family. It's a gift worth celebrating.

Read-a-Thon

Our school's Read-a-Thon starts next week! I got fluffy last year when it got overly competitive among some parents and some kids stopped reading. Um...not on my watch. Since I have a rule about only complaining if I am prepared to be a part of the solution, I am now the Read-a-Thon chair.

Holy Cow. Read-a-Thon is no joke, and I now remember why I am not an event planner! I'm having fun with it, though, and I'm excited to bring some focus back to the joy of reading. I've been printing labels and drafting documents and begging people for prizes and I finally decided how to make the minutes read boards. There is a light at the end of the tunnel...and a lot more copying to do...and 650 red folders in my coat closet. Here we go!