September Photos

While this wasn't a particularly heavy picture month, there are still some cute ones to share!

 Grant and Owen at recess- Grant doodled Levi with big muscles- VanAllens new puppy Emmy

Lunch notes- Wyatt notes- Card Grant made for me

Lego creations- Wyatt read a book to his class- Spelling Pre-Tests

Grant and Jalen on Red Thursday- Snuggles with Daddy- PUMPKINS!

New favorite game: Checkers- Selfie with Mimi- Pretests!

Pool Closed- Minecraft lunch box notes- Crafts with Wyatt

1000 & September In a Nutshell

This is my 1000th post!! I can't believe I've been doing this blog for a good 6 years now!! I love documenting our life and our boys' childhood! I pray that they can look back at this blog and always remember the fun we shared and the love that filled our everyday lives!!! It's been such a fun place to look back on and refill my mind with their little smiles, diapered butts, baby teeth, different houses, toys and games! Its a living scrapbook of our family!! I can only imagine what season of life we will be in when I hit 2000 posts! That is- if I actually can blog like I want to...read on....
------------------------------------------------------------
This blog was pretty much completely ignored the month of September. I know one day, I'll look back on this blog and wonder- why the heck did I not post anything that month??? Well- here's why: 

1). Levi is home from deployment and hasn't started work yet- so he's home all the time, which limits my free time on the computer. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE LOVE LOVE him being home all the time, but I don't do the things I normally would do without him here, ahem- sitting on the computer. We are also super busy with projects- organizing the garage, rearranging the basement, painting the basement, yardwork. You name it- we've worked on it! Here are some samples...

2). Wyatt is home ALL morning since he does PM preschool, and doesn't play on his own. So he follows me and Levi around doing whatever we are doing. Or I'm doing projects or games with him. He keeps my time filled. (Post coming soon!)

3). Our weeknights are crazy! Let's give you a run down- M- Gymnastics at 6 and 7. T- Gymnastics 5-6. W- Grace Group 6-8. Tr- Gymnastics 5-6. F- Open Gym (sometimes) 4-5:30. The rest of our evenings are filled with dinner prep, eating, spelling tests, reading logs, playtime, shower time, sleepy time! It's busy!!

4). Lack of content- I mean, after seeing that schedule, its no wonder I'm hardly taking any pictures. Grant is gone til 4 everyday. Our evenings are a blur. I do have quite a few pictures of Wyatt, and that's about it! I'm hoping some fun Fall activities coming up will give me a chance to get some pics of Grant. Because yes, he is still a part of our family, he's just gone alot :-( 

So that's been our September in a nutshell. It's been fun, its been busy, it's been fast. I'm just not used to being this busy. This is our first time with all day school AND extra curricular activities, so we are trying to get it all figured out. Here's to hoping October brings alot more pictures and a lot more blogging!

Wilderness Science Center

Bear with me as my blog is totally back-logged. So let's take a trip down memory lane all the way back to September......

---------------------------------------------------------

I had the privilege of attending Grant's 1st field trip of 1st grade!! When he found out that his three field trips of this school year are all science related- he was stoked!!! I hadn't really thought out my volunteer plan, as this outdoor field trip coincided with the worst allergies I've had in years! But to spend a few extra hours with my big fella was well worth the allergy attack I had later!!!

We got to ride the bus together and I got to be his group leader during the field trip! hooray!! 

The field trip was to learn all about plants and how they grow. We started the field trip in the "classroom" checking out the animals. Snakes and lizards and turtles, oh my!! Grant looked comfortably at them all from behind the glass! But some kiddos held a humongous snake!! Ew! 

 Then we headed outside to do some activities! The kids acted out the process of getting water to all the plant parts! This was pretty cool! A great demonstration! 

 Then we got in our groups and went out to do a field study, in a field!! We had to collect roots, stems, leaves, and seeds! The kids did a project with them when they got back to school! I just love spending any extra time I can with Grant and his classmates!

Mornings With Wyatt

When I found out Wyatt was in the afternoon preschool, I was a little bummed. I kinda liked our routine last year. But then a little relieved because I thought mornings at home with him alone would go by faster than afternoons alone with him. And I think that's still the case, but hard to tell since Levi is home too. But it gives each of us some good old one-on-one time with Wyatt!

Levi takes Wyatt to Lowe's or Home Depot or wherever to make supply runs for all of our projects. We've been eating out breakfast and lunch quite often. Wyatt and I have run errands and gone on playdates. So we all are enjoying our mornings with Wyatt!

 Pre-interview snuggles!

 Puzzle playing!

 Deanna Rose!

 Hot cakes with Daddy

 Costumes and school games

 Catch with Daddy

 Laminating!

 Costumes and workbooks!

 TV Snuggle time!

Scheels trip with Daddy!!!

Sometimes Grant gets a little jealous when he finds out how we spent our mornings, but usually he's just relieved he didn't have to go run any errands. I always remind him that he had two whole years alone with me, so its only fair Wyatt gets a few hours each day to make up for it! 

Once Levi goes back to work and we get into a routine, who knows what fun and exciting things Wyatt and I will do on our mornings?!

Half-Birthday Boys

We love celebrating birthdays, so why not celebrate half-birthdays as well!? Makes it easy when these guys share their special day!! I like to make them brownies and ice cream for their half-birthdays and usually do some sort of candle set up to make their age plus a half. And this year was no different! Their day snuck up on me, as we've been so busy with the school routine. As we were walking Grant to school, I was going through the days events, and said, "Oh my gosh, its your half-birthdays today!" So of course they were both so excited and told pretty much every person they saw throughout the day!! So while I wasn't prepared for this day, I still managed to make some oh-so-yummy brownies served on their birthday plates before we headed off to gymnastics! 

They love telling people they are "5 and a HALF" or "7 and a HALF." That half year makes such a difference!!! They look it too- so much bigger than just plain 5 and 7! 

Only 6 more months til you next birthday- better start planning!

Stuffed Animal Fun

We've always been quite obsessed with stuffed animals around here. I was when I was little. Levi was when he was little. So its only natural our two boys are as well!! They love to play Beanie Babies and set up pet shops or zoos or whatever. Sometimes they even like to bury themselves in them. If stuffed animals are involved, they love it!!

I would imagine that this is a glimpse into what Heaven looks like for Grant. What could possibly be better than being completely surrounded by stuffed animals??

There's a Wyatt in there somewhere....

These little friends were all lined up ready for storytime from Grant!

I went to change the boys sheets, and now that their beds are bunked, its not always an easy task. So in order to actually get the sheets of the bed, I have to clear it off first. THIS was the pile of stuff I took out of Grant's bed. He probably had 3/4 of the bed covered in animals and lovies and another 1/4 for him to actually sleep on! Crazy kid!

And dear Cuddles is always up to something as well! This day, Grant was going out with Mimi so he set Cuddles up with Mimi's iPad and headphones so he could watch Netflix.

 And even bears have to do their gymnastics practice! 

First Day of Pre-K!

We made the decision to hold Wyatt back a year from Kindergarten just as we did with Grant. We didn't have the same circumstances we had with Grant, but being their birthdays are the way they are, we felt it was best to keep them 2 grades apart. Although Wyatt could probably head onto first grade this year and hold his own just fine!! But the fact that Grant started school is early August, Wyatt was counting down the days til it was his turn to head back to school!

So finally, on the afternoon of September 2, we headed up to meet his teacher and give his classroom a once over. Although he has a different teacher than last year, his classroom is still the same. And instead of morning preschool, he is in the afternoon class. So lots of changes, yet still lots of familiarity!!
September 3rd was his first real day of school. He had picked out his outfit for the first day of school back in July. He wore it sparingly this summer because he just wanted it to be safe and perfect his first day! He was so funny- every time he hung his clothes up, he would make sure this shirt was front and center. And whenever he put his shorts away, he always put them to the farthest spot in his drawer so they wouldn't get mixed up. Nothing was going to stop him from wearing this outfit!
I know Pre-K for him will be a breeze for him, he just loves school so much, I know he will have a great year!! As I write this post, he is on his 4th day of school and he just can't wait to go each and every day. He comes home with a backpack full of artwork and coloring pages- apparently during center time he spends every second in the art center drawing and writing and creating!!!
Wyatt, we are so proud of the special boy you are! Work hard, be kind, and light up the room with your smile!! We love you big guy!