Apples!

With the husbands gone on their annual Columbus Day golfing trip, we made our annual pilgrimage to Homestead Farm to pick apples. $67 worth to be exact! We got more apples then we know what to do with but what can I say the kids got really into it. We will be making apple everything around these parts for quite some time. 

(Note: If you are wondering who the tallest kid in the pictures is, it is a friend of Luke's.)

Changes [Big News]

I have waited to post this for the last couple weeks but it looks like it is really happening so it is high time to tell about it. 

After living in Virginia for 2+ years AND living in 4 houses (our Seattle house, my parents house, a rental that flooded and our current house) in the last 2 years and 3 months, we are FINALLY putting down roots. We put an offer on a house 3 doors down from our current house, which was accepted. We will be closing in the middle of October. The house needs a lot of updates but we are excited about making it our own. 

Needless to say, there has been a lot of things going on dealing with buying a house, trying to find someone for our current rental, and a move. Have I mentioned I am sick of moving?  It is exhausting but also worth every second that we have found a place to call our home. 

Mae Monday

Today I got an email from Mae's teacher that reads…

I just wanted to let you know that one of Mae’s peers gave her a kiss on the cheek today while she was doing her “door holder” job.  She told me about it after it happened and I praised her for saying something and speaking up. I also spoke with the boy who kissed her, and explained that it is important to save kisses for home and to not ever do that at school. I’ve also reached out to the boy's parents so that they can reinforce the message at home as well. He seems to understand.

Mae seemed to shrug it off and move on, but I wanted to let you know about it just in case she brings it up tonight at home.

After reading it, I was a little shocked that the teacher took the time to write this note to me. I am happy she is really on top of it and making sure kids don't do what is deemed inappropriate behavior at school. All I took after reading it was that I am so happy that Mae is at least well liked enough that a kid took the time to kiss her. (Note: I think her reaction of shrugging it off was a clear indication that she was not threaten by it and it came from a place of liking).  

While picking Mae up from school the teacher followup and said to me, "did you see my email?" I told her I did. She said, "The boy was so sweet and said he did it because he thinks 'she is so pretty." That just about broke my heart right there that someone, as young as a kindergartener, would think that she is as beautiful and wonderful as I. 

And so it begins...

Preschool

Today was the first day of the last year of preschool for Whitaker. He walked in there confident and ready to start the school year. We met his new teacher on Friday and one of his buds from last year is in his class. However, after Pearson and I said our quick goodbyes and we walked out of the classroom, he got a little weepy and followed us out wiping away tears (not even full on crying). He did recover and walked into class on his own but he made sure I gave  him ample kisses and hugs, which I (of course) was very happy to do. 

When I picked him up he was as happy as happy could be and said he had a great time. Can't wait to watch him grow and develop this year. 

Going to school with your cousin is the coolest. 

Kindergarten!!

Today was Mae's 1st day of kindergarten! A big milestone for our mighty Mae. She was excited, confident, and ready to learn when we dropped her off. When I picked her up she was singing the praises of kindergarten and was just as happy as the morning. First day of school a success…check. 

I tried to get a shot of her standing on the stairs but the sun was so bright that this is what she looked like. 

Our neighbors. Mae will be at school with JP, who is in first grade. Whitaker and Taylor are both 4. 

Mae's neighbor friend, Cate, greeting each other on the walk to school. My heart definitely skipped a hundred beats. They are also in the same class!  

She has the look of being mortified already of her mother. 

Our neighbor works at the library at the school and Mae greeted her on the way into school. 

Walking away from me and starting her next great adventure. 

Heading into class. 

Whitaker didn't want to be left out and insisted on a final hug. 

SIX

Today Mae turned 6 today! 6! We are now using her second hand to count the years since she entered our lives - monumentally changing it for the best. I will write her yearly letter to her soon detailing all the ways that I couldn't be more proud that she is my daughter. In the meantime, today we celebrated her and spent the day doing everything that she wanted, which was really not too difficult to do (if you ask me). She wanted to eat her favorite things and see her favorite people.

She asked for breakfast in bed.

Then we hung around the house and she played with the gift we got her. It was a karaoke machine in case you were wondering. She loved it and listened to music and sang along all morning. After being in our PJs till 10:30, we made plans to have lunch with Grandma and Grandpa K., her boy cousins, and Aunt Heather.

Then Mae asked to go to our friend's pool to jump off the high dive. I have a video of it but unfortunately it doesn't seem to want to post at this time. Then we ate dinner at Red Robin with Grandma C. 

All in all, it was a pretty awesome day for such an awesome little girl. 

Summer 2015

After coming to the blog this evening to write a quick snippet of what Mae told me, it would appear I have been non existent as of late. I am highly aware of it but man oh man, summer is exhausting. My kids and their limitless energy coupled with no school and no naps makes for one very tired mama. By the end of the day, which seems to end later since the kids don't go to bed till later, I crash into bed or veg out in front of the TV. 

I realize that I should recap summer [July and August] prior to the start of September, which means Mae's 6th Birthday, the start of Kindergarten, and the start of Whitaker's preschool. Despite not writing we have had countless hours of fun and memories. I have also had some moments of wondering why I didn't enroll the kids in camp more this summer. Those moments were fleeting and I realize how lucky  I am to run around like a kid again all summer. 

We went to Deep Creek Lake for two nights over the 4th of July weekend with Pearson's friends from college. They rented a big house on the lake and the kids just ran from the house to the lake and back over and over. 

We embraced the ho hum days of summer with water balloon fights and water gun fights. 

We made our annual trip to the PacNW - 3 days in Portland, 3 days on Whidbey Island, and 3 days in Seattle. It was such an unbelievable time that it really requires it own post. 

First time swimming in a mountain lake. 

At the Portland Farmers Market with Grandma C. 

We rented a house on Whidbey Island with this view.

Pearson catching crabs with his hands.

I thought these shells were some of the most beautiful 

Unbelievable sunsets. 

Grandma C. bought a place in Washington, DC. 

I babysat this little nugget one day. 

Then she turned ONE. 

We went to "the beach" [an exhibit at the National Building Museum] that includes thousands of balls. 

Mae was in camp from 1:15 to 5:15 everyday for two weeks so that left me with my sidekick. 

We attempted to grow tomatoes. 

We went to Hershey Park the sweetest place on earth with our friends, where Mae rode a legitimate roller coaster. 

Andrew, Mae, Whitaker, and Caroline.

All aboard the Trailblazer. 

Mae and Caroline after a ride on the Comet. 

We went back to Oak Island for beach time, fishing, and golf. 

These kids love each other so much. 

Whitaker caught his first fish.

We got to see one of the coolest things in nature. Baby loggerhead sea turtles make their way to the ocean for the first time. 

We went to the pool quite a bit and both kids became fairly confident and able swimmers. Mae even went off a high dive. 

We went to a bunch of playgrounds and even checked out a few new ones. 

I went to not one, but two concerts in a month (that is a record for me). I barely go to one a year. 

Heather, Jennifer, and I at Zac Brown

We ate ice cream everyday. 

Then somedays we crashed out in the car from pure exhaustion. 

We also played so many round of games, including Go Fish, My First Carcassone, and Left/Right/Center that I lost track. We got to see tons of our friends and family. We played in the street almost every night we were home and caught fire flies then later in the summer got eaten by mosquitos. We went through countless tubes of sunscreen. We did the mundane things like go to the grocery store and run errands. We laughed (and we cried a bit) and we made tons of memories.