First Grade!!!

 We're all ready to start, tomorrow morning!

With some new added elements for change and spice.

And some familiar favorites to continue on in.

It's bright, colorful and exciting!

I just hope you're as ready as I am! :)

end of summer rundown

Here's the skinny on the past few weeks:

We had a play-date at a wading pool with some good friends from out of town.

Then we continued to visit that same wading pool a few more times after.

It was kind of a fun spot. 

We went to see hot air balloons that did not go up due to weather.

So we went to the docks instead for the storm. 

You and Zachy had your last summer fling before Sarita came.

Then Sarita arrived!

We picked her up and took her home.

We enjoyed our first bonfire with her.

We took her to Sunday group for the first time.

Afton did a dance performance for us all.

We went to the Special Memories Zoo.

You got to pet a baby bobCAT.

He was beautiful.

You actually pet a lot of animals...

for a boy who won't usually go near undomesticated animals.

You even touched BIRDS!

 We took Sarita to the Farmers Market for her first time.

We went to the county fair.

We won some fun prizes for you.

You rode on LOTS of rides.

We saw a cool bengal tiger show.

You fell in love with the corn box.

Then we went to the NEW Zoo with some friends of ours.

There, you touched a snake! 

You and Sarita always seem to love the prairie dogs the most.

 We enjoyed our friends, Jenn, Manny and Little.

We wrapped up our summer vacation days with Jaymee at her pool.

The two of you swam like fish, all day long.

You were sad that it was her last day,

but we are looking forward to our special vacation plans

with her at the end of September! :)

Although, we were unable to do some of the things

I'd hoped to due to a nasty case of laryngitis and a cough I had for weeks,

all in all our summer was FILLED to the brim with fun!

And who knows what more we might sneak in 

here and there before the weather cools off. ;)

keeping up

Or should I say hardly keeping up on blogging for you these days. We haven't been doing much of anything these days but enjoying our summer days with Sarita. 
SHE'S HERE!!! And we are all quite smitten. 

You are not as I expected you to be. You're so content with her here. No jealousy, no strange transitioning. In fact, yesterday I jokingly yelled something at her while she was beating my in a game we were playing, and you said from the other room, "hey! don't yell at Sarita! yell at me if you have to." 
We both thought that was so sweet.


We have been ALL over the place from zoos and parks to restaurants, friends homes, pools, the mall, farmers market, and even the county fair! We're doing our best to make the most of the last couple of weeks before school starts. 


I'm so excited for your school to begin. We have everything (and then some) ready to go! This week I will get to set up your school room fresh for our first day on Thursday! 


I will try to get back in here in the next few weeks to add some pics and share a little more detail about all of our fun activities. 


I love you and am very proud of you, Muffin! 
Meam

somewhere over the rainbow

Yesterday evening we went to the Farmers Market. The sky was perfect, the weather was amazing, and you were so sweet, warm and fun. 

I stopped to breath, close my eyes and thank God over and over. It was an evening I never want to forget. 

We had dinner. We talked about Sarita. We met some nice people who sat with us and gave you a firsthand beautiful intercultural experience that tied into how we are all from the same family of God. 

We visited some shops, perused the market, ran into my favorite jewelry maker and placed a couple of custom orders. You fell in love with a bread I never thought you'd like. You bought me a sunflower for $1. We held hands almost the entire three hours we were there. 

And my favorite: as we were walking by, the live band started playing one of our favorite songs (somewhere over the rainbow by israel kamakawiwo'ole). I put down all of our veggies and your dill bread, picked you up in my arms, and we danced right in the middle of the street. You laughed and cuddled and rubbed your nose on my nose. You said, "I love you meam" about 100 times. 

Oh, how I love you, back!!! 

I know that the downtown Farmers Market will be one thing I long for come January.      I hope these memories hold. 

Wildlife Babies

It seems as though the babies are showing up late this year.

None less cute than past years, of course.

This is our third year of these little sweeties.

We loved to visit them every other day to see them growing.

It's neat how the mom used the horses' hairs from up the street in her nest.

We visited these babies over the course of their stay.

Whistling to see their little beaks raise for some food.

Taking them from their high up hiding place to get a closer look.

Touching their soft feathers.

And even watching their first hops and flight.

Some babies we would much rather live without!

Fascinating as they may be.

Some Bambies are worth the wait! :)