back to school

How can it be possible another school year is under our belts?  I think this is my new favorite picture of these sweet kids.  They were so, so excited for back to school night.  Somehow we managed to make it work to get to both of their classes, even though they are in different schools right now and I also had back to school night in my classroom!  Whew!

This lady made it possible!  Thanks Ga Ga!

Super excited to find their names on the door!

And their amazing teachers!  This is Kerigan's 2nd year with Mrs. Ricken in preschool and she is just the best.  We are so lucky both our kids have had awesome preschool teachers for 2 years!

Andrew's teacher is new this year- it's her first year.  And she really is this fun!  Andrew has loved her class.  She has jumped right in and is doing an awesome job!  It can't be easy having a kid of another teacher in your school for your first year, but I promised I wouldn't bug her too much!  Ha!  She's just so sweet and we all love her!

We finished the night with ice cream sundaes at Kerigan's school.  They were so happy!

On our way home we had to stop by and see daddy at work at his first event in the new roundhouse.  Daddy had a huge part of organizing and planning this remodel of the high school gym.  It looks amazing!

Standing on the new indoor track.  Daddy's all moved in to his brand new office!  He's got a pretty sweet deal now!  It's nice to have the gym open now so this year we can go visit more often!

When daddy got home and it was bedtime, Kerigan opened her little booklet from her teacher.

She got to sprinkle this magic dust under her pillow to make her sleep great and be ready for her first day of preschool!  Can you tell she was super excited?

She was just amazed that this was going to help her go to sleep!  Ha!  And we had to do headband curls for pretty morning hair!

And wouldn't you know it- the next day was raining!  It didn't make for the easiest back to school pictures, but I took this while standing right next to her under the awning and made it work.  Even with a smudgy sign and rain this preschooler couldn't have been more adorable!

She found her cubby right away!

And she sat right down with her sweet friends and got right to work!

We haven't made a final decision on if this will be her last year of preschool or not.  She's done 2 years but if she starts Kindergarten next year she'll be the youngest in her class since she has a summer birthday.  We think she's ready... I'm just not sure I'm ready!  We have a lot to think about this year!

After school when the rain had stopped mommy fixed the sign and we did some more pictures!

This was last year...

I cannot get over how much she's changed in just a year!  We only trimmed her hair once this year and I love how long it's getting!

Now onto my little man...

I mean my big, bad 3rd grader!

He told me he didn't want to wear this shirt because he's NOT bad!  Ha ha!

And the truth is he couldn't be more right.  He is just the sweetest and best little man!  His teachers always report what a model student he is and I couldn't be more proud of him.  He is very much a "rule" follower at school.

Even though this is what it's like trying to take his picture at home!  Ha!

He couldn't be more precious and I just love being at school with him! 

We had to get our picture together on the front step!  I am the luckiest mom to have my son at school (and soon my daughter!) and to have him be such a sweet boy and good student it just makes me want to burst with pride.

And years past just for fun...

And just like that... another school year is underway!

back to school fun!

Our friends Lily and Preston hosted a "Penny Arcade" for all their friends as a back to school kick off!  Last year we did an ice cream party at our house and I decided this was going to take the place of that because it was so fun, all the kids got to see their friends one last time before school and the best part??  I didn't have to plan anything!  Ha!

They have the perfect yard complete with a treehouse!  It's a kid heaven!

It was so much fun!  The kids had to pay a penny and then they could play games.  Lily and Preston had games set up all over the yard!

These two buddies love golf!  I think I know what to get Andrew for Christmas now!  He could have done this all day!

Well, golf and finding toads!

They loved the slushies!

It was a perfect end to summer!

Kerigan got this baby carrier for her bike for her birthday and now she's got all her friends wanting one!  It is the perfect gift idea!  They have had so much fun riding their babies around!

We had a lunch date with Annika and her mommy!

And Kerigan's first friend to spend the night!  How precious are they??

Good morning!  Everyone slept perfectly!

Sweet girls on their way to church the next morning.

The kids did some hanging out at Ga Ga's so I could get my classroom set up... someone just loves to chill and eat snacks on her porch!

This sweet girl wanted to "help" me in my classroom!

She hung out while I worked on my classroom door.  I have to give credit to Pinterest, but this is seriously my favorite door ever.  I never want to take it down!

Hanging out in mama's classroom library!

Our sweet little Parker was born right before school started.  He had to be in the NICU because he came a little early so the kids and I took his gift and went to visit them.  Unfortunately the kids couldn't go in the NICU (even though I told them it was Andrew's "home" for his first 5 weeks of life!)  So they hung out in Angie's room while I visited Parker, and what a SWEET baby!

He came home on the first day of school so the kids and I couldn't wait to get over and meet him.  They were in awe!  They think he's their baby!  Ha!

I told them they would have to convince this guy before that would ever happen... and that's never gonna happen!  Ha!  Although believe me we tried... and he's pretty smitten.  But still no.  Ha!

This precious sweet boy was so so happy to have a boy join Payton and Piper!  He kept saying he couldn't wait for Parker to be born and he wishes he was 8 so he could play with him!  Ha!  But he has his buddy now, and Andrew will always look out for him and have his back!

He's SO tiny!

I just have to share more because of how proud Andrew is... he can't get enough of him and keeps saying he wishes Parker was our baby.

We think Payton and Piper are pretty lucky to have this sweet guy for their brother!

Angie and I took Payton and Kerigan for big girl pedicures to celebrate school starting.

She can't stop talking about the bunny chair!

This was her first real pedi all by herself and she was so proud!

And silly!

This was our first taste of fall... we had to stop in Bath and Body works and buy some of their soaps and a candle!

Angie and I were cracking up because we kept saying the soaps smelled so good we could drink the stuff!  Ha!

Sweet girls making wishes...

Then our friends came over for dinner and here's what happens when there's only one boy old enough to play with his sister and her friends!  Ha!  He's a good sport most of the time!

We had some back to school appointments and Andrew loves these chipmunks that are outside Dr. Noble's office.  He wanted a picture by them!

We signed these sweet girls up for tumbling!  They are so excited to be in class together.

We went out for ice cream to celebrate before Ev's closes for the season!

And these sweet friends started their first day of dance!

Whew!  I think that gets me caught up to the first day of school... coming soon!