Leaving On a Jet Plane!

Last night I took Taylor, Hope and Chris to the airport. I really thought it wouldn't be to bad....what was I thinking! Taylor had a wonderful opportunity to fly to Florida with them and visit a friend whose parent's rent a condo for the whole month (this is possible b/c they home school their daughter). Hope and Chris really wanted to take her and were going to get her ticket so it was going to be a "free ride" literally. This was the first time Taylor had flown and she was so excited. I was excited for her too but a little sad b/c I wasn't going to get to experience her first flight. Matt didn't understand how I felt but surely there are some moms out there who get it.

They got in the check-in line and I stood in the background snapping pictures, there were no tears at this time.





Then we walked down the airport towards the security line, no tears yet.

As we approached the line I stopped and told Taylor she had to tell me bye b/c I couldn't go any further (this is where the tears made their appearance). She looked at me and said "mom, why are you crying." With tears rolling down my checks I told her that I was a little sad she was growing up so quickly. I dried my tears and told her I would be fine and to go and have a good time.

I watched them go through the security line. I stood there as long as I could see them taking pictures which was quite a task since it was hard to see through the tears.







I am sure the security guards wondered who the crazy lady crying and taking pictures was!

I cried on the way home. I even had to call Amy and be consoled that everything was going to be fine and she was going to have a great time and would be home safely on Sunday afternoon.

Chris took a picture on the flight and Taylor looked so excited. She got a window seat which was great. She even called once they got to Fl to tell me how much fun the plane trip was, how it was a little bumpy when they landed and how she could see all these lights from up there :)

My baby girl is growing up and I can't seem to stop it no matter how hard I try!

Impromptu Trip to the Mountains!

A few days before school started we (Matt, the kids, Nana, Peepaw and I) made an impromptu trip over to Townsend to play in the river and have a picnic dinner. We just packed some sandwiches, chips and brownies, threw the kid's bathing suits on and off we went. We hadn't been over there in a while for the kids to play so they were excited!

When we got there the water was freezing! Seriously, Matt and I neither one got in. Madison wouldn't get more than her feet in. Taylor never got in past her knees while Caleb got in and swam all around. Now he did get in all the way on accident but once he fell in (and I do mean "fell in") he was happy to swim around. It was really deep where we were at. On the opposite side of the river was a huge rock bank jutting out of the mountain, there was a huge sign that said "no jumping" but of course there was this boy who looked about 12 and he jumped off numerous times! I couldn't believe he was doing that and of course Taylor and Caleb kept saying rather loudly "Mom, that sign says no jumping so why is that boy jumping?" I had to explain that people don't always follow the rules but that is a dangerous thing to do since it could lead to you getting hurt.

The kids even brought their butterfly nets and caught small little minnows....they got lots of joy out of that!

There were also some people tubing and the kids really wanted to give that a try. It has been awhile since we have done that so we are going to try and do it before the water gets much colder. Not sure Madison will be doing this with us since she didn't like the cold water.

We had a really good time and should try and do impromptu things like this more often.

Taylor and Caleb checking out the water


Madison testing the water :)


Caleb posing on a rock looking adorable!


Looking at the minnows they caught!


Caleb trying to catch minnows!


The girls catching minnows!


Posing for a group shot


What a cutie!

Meeting Baby Kinsley

Last week Taylor and I went and visited her kindergarten teacher who had just had a sweet baby girl. Kinsley was a tiny little thing like Madison weighing in a whopping 5 lbs 9 oz and was only 17 inches long....so tiny! We have enjoyed having a close relationship with both Taylor's kindergarten teacher and her 1st grade teacher who got married a few weeks ago! We enjoyed getting to spend some time with Julie and Kinsley just talking and loving on the sweet baby! We even got to see Julie's husband as he had come home for lunch. We look forward to going back and visiting again soon and taking Kinsley the rest of her gift....I special ordered a pair of bloomers with her name monogrammed on it and a little frog (Julie loves frogs and has them throughout the nursery).

Taylor and Kinsley


Taylor, Kinsley and Mrs Schaefer

First Day of School

Today began a new round of first in our household. Things are definitely going to be different around here this school year. There are many changes going on in our home and they will be the source of many blog posts of the next few postings.

Due to all the construction on the road that Caleb's school is located on they are expecting major traffic delays. They told us at Caleb's "meet the teacher day" to expect an hour for dropping off and picking up your children if they were car riders (add that up and you get 2 hrs of sitting in a car and your child stuck waiting on a ride). Up to that point we had Caleb as a car rider and Taylor riding the bus again. Caleb was really disappointed that he couldn't ride the bus but we didn't think he was ready or big enough (he seems so tiny to us). After this new information we decided to let him try the bus as we can always switch it later in the school year. Taylor would be riding with him and had told us she would sit with him. This made me feel a little better as she always sits up front. We also have an awesome bus driver so I felt even a little better. Caleb was so excited.

Sunday night as I tucked the kids into bed I talked with Caleb about what a big step he was making in the riding the bus. As I laid in his bed next to him I couldn't help but start crying at how big my baby boy was getting :( He just looked at me and wanted to know why I was crying. I told him I was sad that he was growing up and wasn't my baby anymore.....he promptly reassured me that be would always be my baby :) He just melts my heart sometimes! I told him that he had made his mommy very happy. We also talked about not getting in trouble. This was a problem last year as he is social and active (all BOY) and sometimes wasn't able to be quite or still. I told him that I would pray for him to have a wonderful day at school every night when I prayed. He loved that idea, guess he didn't realize I pray for him already since he is asleep when I do my praying. He wanted to know if I would still pray for him even if he got into trouble....I reassured him that I would :)

The kids were so excited Monday morning and hopped out of bed. They dressed and ate with such speed! They were ready to go 10 minutes early. Finally it was time to go and as we pulled out of the driveway I saw the bus pull off! I was thinking "oh no, we missed the bus on the first day"! Luckily we were able to catch them 3 stops later and put the kids on. We have the same bus driver and she was laughing at my dilemma....picture me in my pj's running up to the bus with 2 kids in tow after Matt has screeched to a halt behind the bus :) Ok, so he didn't screech! She informed me that due to the road construction the bus was going to be running early...now they tell me! All is well though. Caleb got to school and did great! He even got on the right bus when school was over :) This part had me worried as he gets on before Taylor and I was afraid that he wouldn't remember his bus number with all the other things he had to remember.

Hopefully tomorrow we won't miss the bus and I can get a picture of him getting on the bus for the 1st time (we will just keep this morning's incident between me and my blog readers).

Here are the kids this morning before leaving

My beautiful baby girl!


My sweet little boy!


So proud of them

Bridging Ceremony

Friday night Taylor watched Taylor participate in a Bridging Ceremony, a Girl Scout tradition. This is a ceremony honoring the girls as they move from Brownies to Juniors. It was a very formal ceremony where all the girls who were already Juniors were in full uniform and the Brownies were presented with their new Junior attire. We even had a representative from the Girl Scout Council there to conduct the opening and closing of the ceremony.

Taylor's new troop leader has a strict dress code for her girls...they must always have khaki pants/shorts with a white polo and their vest. This is one of a handful of troops with a dress code but her troop leader likes to make a good impression and you only have 1 chance to do that. She even wore the formal attire for the ceremony.

After the ceremony the girls and their families were able to enjoy some yummy goodies while visiting and getting to know each other. Taylor had both sets of Grandparents as well as Uncle Chris and Aunt Hope there to witness this important occasion :)


Taylor's old leader telling her goodbye


Taylor crossing the bridge


Pinning her Girl Scout pins on her


Taylor greeting the girls in her new Junior Troop


Taylor's new troop with their leaders (this is a big troop)


Matt, Taylor and I...she is getting so big :)


The yummy cupcakes :)


The families and girls getting to know each other


The girls enjoying some goodies :)

Amy's 40th Birthday

Matt's sister, Amy, turned 40 a few weeks ago and her husband threw her a "surprise" birthday bash. She caught on a few days before when her husband filled their fridge with 25 lbs of meat that he was going to smoke. She wasn't really excited about turning 40....in fact she had asked us to not "celebrate" her 40th, well we didn't listen. There ended up being about 40 people there including family and friends. We had a wonderful time eating and visiting. It was a beautiful, cool evening which was great since the party was held outdoors in their big backyard. The cousins (all 10 of them) had a great time playing together and being pulled around the yard in the lawnmower/trailer :)

Caleb, Taylor and Kelsey getting a ride


Don and Gabby (he had surgery on his vertabrae the week before)


Everyone getting some yummy food!


Some of the kiddos watching Amy open her cards/presents :)


These 2 teenagers played with Madison and Shelby most of the afternoon


At the end of the evening all the kids got to sit and then ride in Amy's mom (Matt and Amy have different moms and share the same dad) yellow corvette! It was the "icing on the cake" so to speak.

Caleb taking Kelsey for a drive :)


Taylor getting to sit behind the wheel


I love this picture of Caleb coming back from taking a ride (I realize he isn't buckled in however she only took him down the street and their subdivision isn't completed yet so there isn't much traffic on their street)


Madison and Shelby on their ride


Haley and Allison taking a ride


My almost 15 yr old nephew even got to drive it....he was so happy!

Fun times with "the cousins"!

A few weeks ago Matt's brother, Don, and his family came and visited for a few days. We love it when we get to visit with them. We always have so much fun and all 8 kids get along so well. Madison always refers to them as "the cousins".

We decided to head down to World's Fair Park since the kids and I had accompanied a friend and her boys to World's Fair Park a few weeks ago and had wonderful time.

Taylor, Haley and Kelsey


Riley


Not certain why boys enjoy having water shoot up their trunks :)


Shelby trying to warm up...the fountains were cold!


Caleb warming up


Madison being silly


All of the gang...what cuties they are!