August 2016--week 4-- boating with the Billings, love notes from Matthew, more boating on Texoma

We have some good friends, Kevin and Cebrin Billings who took us out on their boat on Lake Lavon.  Our evening was cut short because of an incoming storm, but we had fun anyway.

I've signed up to volunteer in the boy's classroom doing "Tuesday Folders".  I left a note for Matthew on his desk.  When he came home, he'd written me back ! Awe!

We're enjoying late afternoon/evening boating trips up on Texoma.

First Day of School 2016

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Lindsey is in 3rd grade and has Mrs. Asif

Beautiful Kaitlyn is starting MIDDLE SCHOOL *yikes* and has more teachers than I can post, plus when you're big and mature and go to middle school you just get a ride from friends and mom no longer "walks you in" and "takes pictures".

Matthew is in 1st grade and has Mrs. Paige Bratton.  

Sam is in 5th grade and has Mrs. Fields as his homeroom teacher.

August 2016--week 3: Parade, Grandma's house, I'm brilliant

After the wedding, Matthew got to go home with grandma for a few days.  He got to sew an emoji pillow, go swimming a lot, eat out at his favorite places, and had a wonderful time.

 I. Am. Brilliant.

I had used Stephen's car to run an errand and I accidentally left my wallet in his car.  Then he left for a business trip to Boston for 4 days.  I had a ton of errands to run that I couldn't wait to do, and I wasn't sure if I could wait to do my errands until he got home.  So thankfully I found a place for my younger three kids to go, and Kaitlyn drove with me to the airport.  I caught Stephen on the phone just as he'd parked, he checked that indeed I'd left my wallet in his car, and he sent me a photo where his car was parked.  We got my wallet.

 Stephen was able to visit the new twins (and their parents) in Boston on his trip--I'm jealous.

 Sam's BEST buddies have been on a long vacation, when they got back home and we finally reunited them, it was amazing to meet at the park and have them all run to him and hug him.  So grateful for good friends!

 Teacher letters have arrived and we've made our posters.  We got Krispy Kreme Donuts and met friends at the pool for the Back to School Parade!  We love this tradition.

 Soccer season has begun yet again....

Kaitlyn had enough requests for a new kind of cupcake and so we found this brownie cupcake that has chocolate chip cookie dough frosting.  And it was good too, but I think the mint ones are still the BEST.  Love this cupcake girl and her confidence in the kitchen.

August 2016--week 2: McKneely boating and Katie and Ricardo's wedding

McKneely Boating Weekend 2016

Happened to work out best a few days before the wedding of Katie Price and Ricardo Paulin.  Texoma was wonderful.  We boated for 2 1/2 days.  We stayed at our friend Britt Berrett's house.  We had a marvelous time.  Britt has a couple jet skis that he let us use too...

Matthew had an exciting afternoon.  He was helping Stephen open up the sleeping bags we'd used at the lake house for them to air out.  All of a sudden we hear him shrieking in pain from the dining room screaming he'd been bit by a scorpion.  Sure enough, we found a stow-away.  Poor guy.  Lucky it didn't cause major swelling or problems and was still able to attend the wedding.

Wedding Day: August 12, 2016

Saying "good bye" to Aunt Sarah...

August 2016--week 1

 Our "Summer of Service" continues.  We volunteered to go serve lunch at Boyd Summer Lunches.  Boyd Elementary School is in our city and most of the school's population gets government subsidized lunch. During the summer months, those kids don't get lunch (or breakfast) so different churches in the community all sign up to provide lunch for whoever is hungry.  While we served Lindsey exclaimed "Mom, it feels good to do service!"

I had to run some errands to Sams Club.  These kids came along.  They found these BIG chairs.  While it's been fun, this mom is pretty ready to be able to run errands alone.  Kind of glad summer is winding down.