Sweet Smile

He pulled his other top tooth by himself after school on 8/19!  He was so proud!  Love that sweet smile!

Back-to-School

Back-to-school time already!?  How is that possible?  After the meet-the-teacher visits on the 14th the kids all seemed ready to go.  We had such a great summer together, but I think everyone was ready to see friends and get back to a routine.  

I'm always nervous the night before school starts...nervous that I'll oversleep or forget to pack something or forget what time school actually starts!  But we made it!  I printed three copies of the "ways to start your 1st week of school" for their lunch boxes from here, and the grade signs here.  They helped me pick out lunch items at the grocery store a few days before. 

Tuesday, August 18th

They decided they would like chocolate chip pumpkin bread and turkey bacon for their first day breakfast.  They were up early, made their beds and got dressed with no prompting from me.  I sure hope this enthusiasm lasts!  :)

Crosby working on double-knotting his tennis shoes.  We'd also just tried to pull his front tooth because it was barely hanging, but it just wasn't quite ready (he pulled it himself the following day).  

1st, 3rd & 6th

Again, doesn't seem possible!

Crosby, age 6

Sweet, athletic, easy-going, funny, sensitive...

Alexee, age 8

Kind, helpful, creative writer & artist, witty...

Rhett, age 11

Thoughtful, confident, giving, brave, analytical...

Oh how we love them!!!

Can't wait to see how they grow this year!

Ready for a great 2015-2016 School Year

--Rhett said he was fine walking in by himself.   :(
--Crosby said he didn't need us to walk him inside.  He suggested that we wait in the car until he'd had time to get to his classroom, then we could walk Alexee in.  (We didn't do that.  Surely we're allowed to walk him in for at least a couple more years!)
--Alexee said she wanted us to go inside with her.  At least someone still needs us!  :)

I was anxious to pick everyone up that afternoon and hear how their day went!  On a scale of 1 to 10 Rhett gave it a 9 (only because he said it was too hot in the building), Alexee an 8 (because her stomach hurt) and Crosby gave it a perfect 10.  :)

This sweet picture came home in his folder that day.

Retirement Celebration

On Sunday, August 16th the kids and I had the opportunity to go to church in Flippin to celebrate Bro. Steve & Judy's retirement from FBC.  We are so excited for them as they enter this new season, but it is definitely hard to say good-bye to such a special couple.  Their family moved to Flippin the summer of 1985 (I was going into 3rd grade, Alexee's age now), and they have been such a huge part of what I consider "home" for 30 years.  They will always be family to us, even if we don't get to see them on a regular basis.

First was the regular morning church service ("The Biography of a Preacher", Genesis 5:21-24), followed by a catered lunch then a wonderful video tribute and singing.

My Uncle Greg sang "The Anchor Holds", one of my favorites.

Mom, Dad and their grandkids

I loved getting to see Kelly and her sweet family!  (I borrowed this picture from her.)  She has always been super special to me.  Our families did so many fun things together when we were growing up...I just wish we could see each other more often now!

Crosby and Alexee loved the dessert table at lunch.  :)  My sister sent me this picture of Crosby.  It looks like he enjoyed both the banana pudding and the cupcakes (and probably a few more things while I wasn't looking)!

With my parents, grandparents, sister and her family 

(I really wish Lane could have gone with us!)

The video tribute was perfect...a beautiful summary of thirty wonderful years.  I absolutely loved the way Jacquie ended the video with the song God Be With You and the pictures of Bro. Steve and Judy with their kids and grandkids.  I know they can't wait to spend more time with them now!

There's no way I could adequately express how thankful I am that God brought them to Flippin, Arkansas, 30 years ago!  What a blessing they have been to me and my entire family.  We love you, Martins!

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."  Ecc. 3:1

Last Week of Summer Break

Wow--we just blinked and went from the first week of summer break to the last!  :(  It has been a great break though.  I'm thankful for the fun times with the kids, with family and friends.  It seems like we've stayed really busy, so maybe back-to-school will actually be a break!?  Not really...I know there will be homework, projects, tests, lunches to pack, field trips, football and gymnastics, before and after school clubs and special class activities, etc. etc.  I think we are somewhat ready to be back in the routine though!  

So here's the last week of summer break in pictures:

We went early to watch some of R's practice.

L & A making hummingbird food

Bogart, just being cute.  :)

Back to school shoe shopping and lunch with my 6th grader!  

SIXTH GRADE.  Does not seem possible.  

13th...Back to school dinner with Alexee and a few 3rd grade gals!  So fun.  Love this picture of them laughing!  Lane took Rhett to football practice that night and then he and Crosby went to Books-A-Million and Chick-fil-A.

Sweet friends!

Friday the 14th

Meet the teacher/open house day at school

Super sweet teachers--it's going to be a great year!

(1st, 3rd, 6th)

Happy to meet up with friends in the hallway at Open House.  Seeing friends definitely helped everyone get in the back-to-school mood.

Yesterday (the very last day of break), we met up with friends at the water chute for an hour of water sliding.  The kids loved this (we'd never been before).  It seemed like a great way to close out the summer.

Very thankful we've gotten to know this sweet family.  It works out so nicely because everyone has someone their age to hang out with.  It was a fun day.

The donut shop is just down the street from the water slide, so we stopped there for an afternoon snack on our way home.

Farewell, Summer 2015! 

Texas Friends

So thankful that these dear friends were willing to make the long drive to visit us last week!  I can't believe it has already been a year since they first came to see us in Missouri.  We always laugh so much and have the best time together, even if we are enduring noisy arcades and crowded water parks!

They arrived Sunday afternoon (8/9), and we decided to just hang out at the house and grill burgers and hot dogs that night.  The boys shot BB guns in the back yard (with homemade targets such as cans, boxes and Tide containers) and the girls played dress-up and Barbies.  

We had plans to go to Silver Dollar City Monday morning, but it was raining.  So instead we made a quick stop at the outlet mall before going to Fun Spot for pizza and arcade/laser tag games.

Love these sweet kids!

Arcades drive me crazy, but the kids had a blast!  :)  

The big boys had a great time playing laser tag.  I cannot believe they are starting 6th grade!

From there we went to get Andy's Frozen Custard, always a favorite!  (The girls also made snow cones at some point during the visit.)

We had homemade waffles the first morning, then the second morning Ali and I left early to go pick up Grandma Ruth's cinnamon rolls for everyone.  However, when we got there and saw that the restaurant was closed and the sign said they will reopen September 1st at their new location.  Bummer.  So plan B was Krispy Kreme donuts.  Not as good, but it worked.  Next up, the water park for a few hours.  It was only about 85 that day, which was a nice!  It was very crowded, but we survived.

(Not many pictures taken there because my phone stayed in the locker.)

We got home around 2:30 that afternoon, and they had to pack up for their trip home.   It was hard to see them leave...I'm not sure when we will be able to get together again, but hopefully it won't be too long.  

Summer break seemed to end with their visit.  The remainder of the week was football practice, school shoe shopping, school haircuts and meet-the-teacher day.  Maybe it will be good to be back in a routine.  We've had a really fun and busy summer.  I'm thankful for the good times and the sweet memories made!

AR Trip

The kids and I made a quick trip to Arkansas last week (8/5-8/7).  It was much too short, but we had a lot of fun in the time we were there!  We got to our friends' house in Little Rock at noon, had lunch, played then went to get frozen yogurt at Menchies (new to town since we left last year).  That evening we met up with three other families (our former neighbors) at Larry's Pizza.  I was so happy sitting there in a familiar place eating fried pickle pizza and catching up with sweet friends!  I just wish Lane could have gone with us.  Hopefully we'll make another trip soon.    

The kids were all happy to be together again!  They're all growing so fast.

Thursday morning we enjoyed a yummy breakfast and coffee (thanks, Em!) then I took the kids to their pediatrician appointments at 9:30.  We haven't switched to a pediatrician here, and thankfully the kids all stayed really healthy last year so that worked out fine.  It was so nice to see Dr. B--he takes such good care of the kids.  Rhett was due for a few shots, but he didn't make a big deal about it at all.  I am extremely grateful for healthy, happy kids!  What a blessing!

It used to be our routine to go to Kris & Sam's bakery after doctor visits, so the kids requested we go there before going back to Emily's.  Their iced sugar cookies are so good!  It felt like we still lived there when we were doing all of this.  Going back is wonderful, but I have to admit it stirs up some sadness too.  

C and C played some Mario Kart before we changed to go swimming.

We had a fun afternoon at the pool and had lunch there.  Crosby has improved so much with his swimming since we were there last year.  This was where he first jumped off a diving board (and I was a nervous wreck), but it is no problem at all for him now!

We left the pool around 3:30 and the kids wanted to drive by their old school.  Then we went to meet up with my sister.  J had football practice, so we went to dinner at Tacos for Life while he was doing that.  It was a really fun restaurant.

We spent Thursday night at my sister's house.  The kids loved playing with their cousins...and the cat.  :)  I think the cat was probably happy to see us leave!  We cooked breakfast on Friday and had to get on the road back home around noon.  I'm glad we were able to make the trip before school starts!

(I should have taken more pictures there.)