A Weekend of Fall Fun

So we're just a few days into the fall season, but we've already started enjoying all the fall festivities.  The kids have settled into their school routine.  People ask me if it's nice that I have so much more time to myself and the answer is "sometimes."  I definitely miss my time with Helaina during the day.  She loves everything about school...the bus, the teacher, the work stations in the classroom, art, PE, French, library, eating in the cafeteria, reading, singing, just all of it so I'm happy for her and this new milestone that we've reached.  The days are a little quieter but I feel like our nights are more chaotic.  If I don't have dinner done before she gets off the bus at 4:15 then it almost doesn't get made.  With so many neighborhood children and their eagerness to play after a long day of school, I spend most of my evening chasing the kids, begging them to come eat dinner, baths/showers, homework, bedtime routine and then at least an hour of preparing lunches and snacks and backpacks for the next day.  We are all enjoying our new normal.  We are people of structure and routine and it feels good to be productive again after our lazy days of summer.  

Church school has also started so our weekends are filled with soccer games, church school, and Liturgy.  I'm now the Administrator of our ministry at church, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, so many days are also spent communicating with parents and preparing for next Sunday's lesson.  Helaina and Zach are both in my room this year.  Randy and I were very anxious about Zach's ability to adapt to the Montessori style teaching we use and yet again, he has surprised us.  We are so proud of him!  

And, hockey season is here! Randy spent most of September preparing for training camp, attending training camp in Traverse City doing exams and fabricating mouth guards, and now working the games as preseason hockey started last week.  This is job #3 for Randy and it takes much of his time from September through May (hopefully June).  He takes great pride in all of his work, this included, and he is looking forward to starting his ninth season with the team!  We can officially begin our chanting, "Let's Go Red Wings!"   

This past Sunday, my parents were able to come visit and stay with us.  Friday night we went to the apple orchard.  

Zachary's best girl friend from the neighborhood was also there with her family.  Zach has always been quite the ladie's man, but recently he's really turned up the charm.  He likes to meet her in the morning and walk with her to Helaina and Jackson's bus stop.  He draws pictures for her at school, shares all his toys, and wants a hug and kiss before she goes home at night.  It's cute at the age of three, but we'll have to see how this all progresses :).  He may be every bit ornery,  but his heart is pure gold!

Dad brought more Walleye from the guys' fishing trip in June.  He had two great helpers.

Zachary's First Day of Preschool

Not in my wildest dreams did I think that Zach would be all smiles and full of confidence on his first day of 3 year-old preschool, but he surprised us all!  This boy does things at his own pace and in his own time and usually when we least expect it.  We are very proud of him and the progress he continues to make.  I will, however, still say a prayer for his teachers each and every morning that he enters that classroom as some days seem to be better than others.  

He looks so sweet and innocent :)

 Last weekend we enjoyed a few days of quality family time.  We went to one last fall carnival in Plymouth.

Thank God for a husband who volunteers for all the "spinny" rides.  Mom has no interest in spitting out her dinner on those rides.

Sunday was another family fun day at the "Universoul Circus" in downtown Detroit!  Not your typical circus, but it was awesome!!! We would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!

And now we are in the back-to-school routine and it feels like fall outside :(.  I'm slowly accepting that those sunny and warm days of summer may be officially over :(.  Boooooo!

Helaina's First Day of Kindergarten

The day has come, we have a Kindergartner!  We've spent all summer taking about school and how Helaina is such a big girl and in true Helaina fashion, she was nothing but excited to ride the school bus and begin the school year.  

It was definitely bittersweet to watch her step on the bus and wave goodbye to us, knowing that this is the beginning of the next chapter of milestones.  So far, the transition has been smooth.  Helaina has classmates from her preschool and the bus is full of neighborhood friends.         

Helaina's bus stop gang...I asked Helaina if I could meet her bus at the school on the first day to make sure that she got to her classroom alright.  Her response, "No mom, but you can walk me to the bus."  And in a nutshell, that's our little miss independent girl!

Celebrating Teta's birthday with a Labor Day cookout at our cousin Ramsey's house.  This is what Helaina looks like when she gets scolded for putting her fingers in the cake to eat the frosting.

Boys will be boys...

with no shirts on...

Cheers to new beginnings, Happy Birthdays, and weekends filled with family and fun!