August Phone Favorites

August, where did you go? I better not blink, I know December is just around the corner and I'm just not ready for that quite yet! Here is a round up of this months phone favs!

We came home from Canada and our yard had bloomed. There were a few of these beauties here and there!

Bear is starting to really get into games. He's taking turns and following instructions. It's super exciting to see!

Sibling snuggle time.

 Daddy needed to get some work done and Sprout didn't want to be set down. 

Daddy's out of town so naturally all three children would end up in my bed. Ugh. 

E went swimming with a life jacket for the first time. She was pretty excited to be able to swim independently once she got the hang of it!

Such a good helper pushing little brother to the bus stop!

Her first homework assignment!

Hoping fall is here to stay.... it wasn't. 

Bus stop selfies!

Sprout found his toes!!

E had asked Daddy to go on a date with her. He had planned on coming home early to take her out after her vaccinations. But something at work came up and he was late. Very late. E stood by the window as I explained that Daddy probably wouldn't be able to take her out. She broke down crying and said "But Mama! I got all dressed up, put on make up, perfume and am ready for my special date and he's NOT EVEN COMING?!?" It broke my heart and totally made me think of her at 16! Poor girl. Don't worry Daddy made up for it the next day. 

More bus stop selfies.

And that's all she wrote. Looking forward to September and *hopefully* cooler weather!

Back to School Night

A few weeks after school started the school hosted a Back to School night to discuss the children's curriculum. E was so excited to show me her classroom, her jobs, and tell me about her days at school. 

I double loved seeing all of her art work up on the wall!!

So proud of our sweet little Peanut!

Night at the Museum

We got to go to the annual Night at the Museum Gala. This one was a bit more formal than last year. A classy looking group!

 Jakob, Richard, and Braden.

The theme this year was Virtual Reality, which was pretty fun. I've never had a VR experience. We got to swim with dolphins.

And experience Stonehenge. That was an interactive VR experience, and we got to meet the creators. 

Everything else was eclipse themed. 

Myself and Joanna. 

It was a great night with these crazy cats. Can you spot Jakob's hand? Always a good time :)

Sun Flower Wreath

It's sun flower season here in KC. I have had the supplies to make this wreath for the past three years and just never got it done, so today was the day!!

I cut my pieces at 10x10"I decided not to do a tutorial because there are already so many out there. I followed this one.

It'll look rather pathetic at first but I promise it fills in.

I went with bubbles instead of strips for my center. I am pleased with the final out come but I think it needs a touch of green on either side. I had it hanging on my door for a few days and one of the sisters in our ward commented saying how she had always wanted one. Two days later I drove over to her house and gave it to her. She was pretty excited. It wad a quick and easy DIY. It feels good to have a project off my list and even better to have made someone smile! Now to paint that door!!

Eclipse

Here in KC we got to have a total eclipse, which turned out to be a pretty big deal. 

Rocking those super awesome glasses that you can't see anything out of.

And there it is. I actually stole this picture from a friend because it was completely clouded over at our house the two minutes the eclipse passed over. Everything went pretty dark though which was fun. 

Eclipse shadows through the trees! Well that was fun until 2024 my friends!

First Day of School

I have been so conflicted about E starting school full time. On the one hand she is super ready! I know she will do great and I'm not worried about her at all. It will be nice having her out of the house for the full day as well, especially now that Leif is a bit more demanding. And then there is the other hand that just wants me to keep her small forever. I am no longer her best buddy, her world no longer revolves around me and I'm not longer the first person that she wants to play with. Her friends and teachers now have her more through the year then I do and that really breaks my heart. She's no longer just mine, and it really is hard to share her.

She hopped on the bus with a huge smile on her face. She was so excited, no tears, slightly apprehensive, after all it is a big deal to ride the bus. She sat in the front seat and looked back at me and the doors shut and she was gone and even typing this  sit here with a tear in my eye. I cried as she pulled away and a new chapter in our lives officially began.

I was pretty excited to pick her up and hear all about her day. She hopped off the bus and I asked how her day was "It was AWESOME!" She told me all about recess and the rules on the bus and that she had made some new friends. She told me abut lunch and how I "packed too much, lunch is only 20 minutes Mom!" She had gotten a new book as a gift from her teacher and we sat and read it together and it felt so good to have her back home! I am so proud of this sweet girl! She is going to thrive!

Since Duke has already done Pre-School before it felt like slipping back on a comfy pair of shoes. We fell right into step and I am over the moon excited to see what this year holds in store for him!! I also love that it's only half a day so I don't completely lose him! 

Duke was super excited when he saw the bus! He jumped right up posed for pictures and I asked the bus driver a few questions. Then we hit a bump. He didn't want to sit and do up his buckles. So Mama had to climb up on the bus and get him all strapped in screaming his lungs out. Once the bus started they said he was fine but he was not thrilled about the thought of me leaving him.

He came home from school and hopped off the bus with a huge smile shouted "MAMA!!" and jumped up in my arms. He said he had a good day and he was pretty excited! He was ready for school to start again but just like E it felt good to have them home!! 

And here we go! Another school year! Sweet mercy, summer flew by way too fast!