Checking in and Catching Up

Let's rewind, to October that is.  After Bridget's birthday we kept up our busy month with a trip up north to Louisville and then it was on to all the Halloween festivities.  

The kids love going up to Louisville.  The airplane ride, the cooler temps, the family we only get to see once or twice or year, it's all their favorite!  Jody picked us up from the airport and we wasted no time finding a pumpkin patch for the kids.  We knew we were going to have an extra busy weekend and we wanted to make sure we fit this in.  On a chilly weekday afternoon, we practically had the whole place to ourselves.

Apple picking too!

A walk in the woods behind my aunt and uncle's house.

The main reason for this trip was to celebrate my grandma's 90th birthday!  We were so happy to be there with her and so much extended family that we hadn't seen in years.  Some were just meeting Bridget and Ross for the first time too.  It was a wonderful party and I'm so thankful we could be there. Watching my kids play and love and have fun with my grandma is so special.  We love her so much and enjoyed every minute we spent with her!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Reunited with Caroline too, who is living her first year away from Florida:(

See you next year, Louisville!

Just a few Halloween pics to end out October.  This is first year I haven't coordinated the kids costumes to be matchy-matchy.  They're big kids and it's only fair to let them now pick what they want to be.  A witch for Bridget and a fireman for Ross!  (Although someone pointed out that the colors of their costumes were very matchy-matchy.  Not intentional by me.  Swear!!)

The whole neighborhood crew on Halloween night!  Fun times!

Soccer Stars and a 6 year old

Hello, hello!  Stopping by for much overdue update!  Our school year has started off smooth and we are gradually getting use to our new busy schedule.  

Let's just start with some cute random pics of my favorite two little people.  It's crazy to think back to the beginning of the blog when it was just Bridget.  Sometimes I look at pictures and CANNOT believe how big they are!

Notice that somebody lost a top tooth!

Our pool is still open and we are enjoying the last days of it.  Our first "cold front" is coming tonight!

Our big kindergartener is a doing awesome!  She loves school, her teacher, her new friends...everything!  She doesn't always love Mondays, but who does?

Her first school project on Johnny Appleseed

She loves wearing her spirit shirt on Fridays and I love that she still lets me do her hair in pigtails:)

Both kids are doing soccer again and while the season started out a bit rough for Ross, we are finishing strong.  Ross just couldn't understand why people kept taking the ball from him!  The first few games he would just cry while running around on the field.  Other parents must have thought we were torturing him by making him play, but even through all the tears he never asked to quit!  He would just cry and run and look forward to his post game Gatorade!  Fortunately, this phase ended and he's loving it now and has even scored a few goals.

Bridget is a soccer super star and it's so fun to watch the kids her age play.  It's starting to get more competitive and all the kids are getting really good.  Of course, she loves scoring goals, but she is really awesome on defense and getting the ball away from the other team.

We love October for many reasons, but mostly because we have a Birthday Girl!  This year we did a special party at Build a Bear workshop with all the girls (and Ross!).  So fun and so easy for Mommy:)

The Birthday Girl, 6 years old!

We celebrated more at home and we gave her our present...her very first American Girl doll.  

Can't believe she is 6!  She is everything I ever wanted in a little girl and we are so blessed to have such a happy and healthy and sweet girl!

Back to School!

Just over two weeks ago we added another "Can't Believe This is Really Happening" moment to our memory books.  Bridget went to Kindergarten!  We have been preparing for what seems like forever for this moment and all of the sudden on a Thursday morning we're in the car making it happen.  Yikes!  I couldn't help but think, "Wasn't it just yesterday I was pregnant with her?  Opening baby gifts?  Dressing her in onesies?  Watching her take her first steps?"  The tears were flowing, but I had to snap out of it for everyone's sake!

She's had every range of emotion about going to Kindergarten, but fortunately on the morning of she was excited and eager to take this new step.  A few days earlier, we met her teacher and saw her classroom and what a game changer that was for her.  I think we hit the Kindergarten teacher jackpot and I am soooooo thankful for that.  

We nervously walked her to her classroom, while waving to several familiar faces on the way...neighbors, dance friends, church friends.  I'm quickly learning how much I love having her at a neighborhood school.  We struggled with our final decision as to where we would send her for Kindergarten, but I have no doubt now that we made the right and best choice for her!  

We entered the room and the rest is history.  She found her seat, put her backpack in her cubby, sat down to color and said, "I'm having so much fun already." I wanted to linger, to stay, to watch, to make sure everything was going to be perfect, but we had to go.  We took a few pictures, gave a ton of kisses and there you have it.  She is a kindergartener.  

The night before she finally got to open the mysterious envelope that her wonderful preschool teacher sent home on her last day of last year.  

The 'Jitter Glitter' poem reminded her that everyone is nervous about their first day.  

We also got some magic glitter to sprinkle under her pillow to help her with her jitters.  

The night before Kindergarten

Two alarms were set extra early to make sure we were all ready for our big morning!

A kissing hand to remind her that we are always with her!

Her first day, and every one after, have been so great.  Everything she was nervous about, she loves; lunch in the cafeteria, PE, walking herself in every morning-she loves it all and we are so proud of her!

Of course, I have not forgotten about Ross and his first day!  He actually started his 2nd year of preschool about a week after Bridget's first day.  It worked out great to get her started and settled first.  By the time Ross' first day rolled around he was so ready!  We know his teacher and his school and it felt great to be back at such a familiar place.  

I think he's ready!

He got a little nervous once in the classroom, but he did just fine when we said goodbye and had a super first day.  He's coming home with more stories and details than last year and we can't wait to see all the new things he will learn this year!

A few special Kindergarten pictures I took of Bridget.  Such an important milestone deserves some special pictures:)