All of our "events" are not checked off. It must be from pure exhaustion that we couldn't muster up the energy to find the dry erase markers and do it. While I'm looking forward to school starting next week, I'll also miss those two big cats (not kittens as I often refer to them) a lot! We've been very busy until this week. I promised early bedtimes and a resemblance of a routine and we've stuck to it pretty well. It's tough when it's so hot outside until 8 p.m. That's the only time anyone wants to go out to play. Then the lightening bugs run for the hills when they see Ben coming.
We've been inside doing a lot of this...
He really does live in his own world. I'm not sure what it's called but there are many times he is not with us. He'll join our planet for a bit but then it's right back to his land! Ben has really been playing independently lately. The other night Scott was looking around for him and we found him in our bedroom with the door shut. He had shut Piper in and was shooting him with his water gun! Many times he goes to the basement to play with trucks or blocks and if you go downstairs he'll shoo you away and say, "Goooooooooo."
I resisted the urge to put them in matching smocked outfits and opted for the Old Navy Star Wars shirts. I thought maybe Baxter wouldn't be so angry looking back at pictures! These boys are tough. I'm currently thumbing/plowing through
This book and
this one but I'm not sure I've found the right one yet!
The Methodist church had a great VBS program. Lillee went everyday. Scott, the boys and I enjoyed watching her sing the songs from the week. Is it just me or does my face look like a mortician has tried to "touch me up"?
The Johnson family had box seats and took Baxter to the Braves game. I think from the pictures Lindsay sent Baxter really enjoyed himself!
Lindsay had a group of girls out in Senoia to celebrate her birthday. We went to
Founder's and it was delicious. The night before Scott and I had gone with friends to
Natalia's in Macon. It was a weekend packed with delicious meals!
After dinner we headed to
Creative Canvas in Senoia. To say we had a fantastic time is an understatement. We were supposed to paint a boat and I have to say it was pretty difficult. You could definitely tell who the natural artists were! It took about 3 1/2 hours and it probably should've taken longer! I was ready by the end of the night to slap my paint on and go to bed!
There was another group with ours so it made for lots of fun conversation! The owner was super friendly and helpful.
I'm not sure what I'm doing in this picture below but it doesn't look natural. Maybe the boot is doing something to my facial muscles!
We had a fun time making new friends and memories.
I had to throw this one in - deep, deep focus and concentration.
Moving on....
Lillee, Bethany and I went back to school shopping. We hit Academy Sports, Target and Staples. Oh, and a little detour at Sally's Beauty Supply because after seeing the above picture of myself, I had to do something about my thinning hair.
It's hard to believe Bethany is driving. I have lots of driving skills to brush up on. We were on a four lane road going west and there was a funeral procession going east. Should you stop? Technically, no. However, there were cars in front of us that were stopped so I told B to stop. Then cars behind us came flying around us. I just said go, go, go. Ugh. Can I make time stop so my kids will never drive. Too stressful.
The girls and I did have a fun time shopping. They're growing up so fast so I'm glad to have them hanging out now! We did lots of talking about school, classes, teachers, ballet, jazz and a little about boys!
Speaking of stressful, try taking Ben to a grocery store. He's at the age that he doesn't love being in the buggy. If we get one cookie from the deli we can make it about half-way around the store.
Lillee went to work with Scott. He took her to court and she got to meet the nicest judge ever! She's been asking all summer to go so I'm glad she finally got the chance. She's a sweet junior associate.
We spent last Sunday doing lots of this but this is the only picture I can find!
Sweet sister Cindy took our pics at the end of August. We possibly should've waited til mid December as much as we were sweating. Thank goodness the heat didn't bother the kids. They were troopers. Scott wheeled in just as she was snapping the last shot so he jumped in the last pic. Obviously, Ben was DONE.
This past summer Lillee Grace began talking to us about being baptized. We started asking her questions and mentioned talking with our pastor at church. There was an announcement that our church would be having a baptism at the Flynt River. I knew that if our family was going I'd better mention to Lillee before getting down there. When I told her about the opportunity she immediately said that she wanted to do it. Baxter told her that he'd never want to do that in his lifetime. Her response was, "Baxter, you're going to have to do this sometime in your life if you want to show people that you're a Christian and you have Jesus in your heart." I knew after that sweet statement to her brother that she was indeed mature enough and ready to make this commitment.
I called our pastor to talk with him about seeing Lillee the week before. He gave us the option of Scott doing the baptism. Wow - talk about tears at 10 a.m. for me. Scott immediately said yes as long as Lillee wanted him to. She was equally as excited about him doing this. 
We were so fortunate that my parents were here that weekend. Many of our dear friends were there to share with us in such a special time. I can't wait to see the video. I ended up putting my camera down because our sweet friends were there capturing the moment. I was trying to keep it together and take it all in. So very, very moving.
I found these two verses she wrote recently.
Why no post in a couple of weeks? Life has gotten in the way. In a totally good way but we're really hunkering down, getting homework done, perfecting our name writing, getting to bed early, starting preschool, having yearly pictures made, life, life, life.
The kids had an absolute blast!
We woke up sleeping baby, loaded up the Johnsons and headed the white bus to school. Brooks said that he didn't want to go because school took too long.
Here they are after jumping off of the bus. I asked how the day went and Lillee said, "great!" then Baxter said, "really good!" Lillee had detail after detail to share but Baxter said recess and lunch were fun. We're ready for a terrific year with awesome teachers and sweet friends.
All of our "events" are not checked off. It must be from pure exhaustion that we couldn't muster up the energy to find the dry erase markers and do it. While I'm looking forward to school starting next week, I'll also miss those two big cats (not kittens as I often refer to them) a lot! We've been very busy until this week. I promised early bedtimes and a resemblance of a routine and we've stuck to it pretty well. It's tough when it's so hot outside until 8 p.m. That's the only time anyone wants to go out to play. Then the lightening bugs run for the hills when they see Ben coming.
He really does live in his own world. I'm not sure what it's called but there are many times he is not with us. He'll join our planet for a bit but then it's right back to his land! Ben has really been playing independently lately. The other night Scott was looking around for him and we found him in our bedroom with the door shut. He had shut Piper in and was shooting him with his water gun! Many times he goes to the basement to play with trucks or blocks and if you go downstairs he'll shoo you away and say, "Goooooooooo."
I resisted the urge to put them in matching smocked outfits and opted for the Old Navy Star Wars shirts. I thought maybe Baxter wouldn't be so angry looking back at pictures! These boys are tough. I'm currently thumbing/plowing through This book and this one but I'm not sure I've found the right one yet! 
The Methodist church had a great VBS program. Lillee went everyday. Scott, the boys and I enjoyed watching her sing the songs from the week. Is it just me or does my face look like a mortician has tried to "touch me up"?
The Johnson family had box seats and took Baxter to the Braves game. I think from the pictures Lindsay sent Baxter really enjoyed himself!
Lindsay had a group of girls out in Senoia to celebrate her birthday. We went to Founder's and it was delicious. The night before Scott and I had gone with friends to Natalia's in Macon. It was a weekend packed with delicious meals!
After dinner we headed to Creative Canvas in Senoia. To say we had a fantastic time is an understatement. We were supposed to paint a boat and I have to say it was pretty difficult. You could definitely tell who the natural artists were! It took about 3 1/2 hours and it probably should've taken longer! I was ready by the end of the night to slap my paint on and go to bed!
There was another group with ours so it made for lots of fun conversation! The owner was super friendly and helpful.
I'm not sure what I'm doing in this picture below but it doesn't look natural. Maybe the boot is doing something to my facial muscles!
We had a fun time making new friends and memories.
I had to throw this one in - deep, deep focus and concentration.
Moving on....
Speaking of stressful, try taking Ben to a grocery store. He's at the age that he doesn't love being in the buggy. If we get one cookie from the deli we can make it about half-way around the store.
Lillee went to work with Scott. He took her to court and she got to meet the nicest judge ever! She's been asking all summer to go so I'm glad she finally got the chance. She's a sweet junior associate.
We spent last Sunday doing lots of this but this is the only picture I can find!
Seven days and six long nights are how long we spent without this sweet girl. We pulled up to Camp Chattooga at 9 a.m. to find a sea of trunks, pillows and waiting girls and boys. She had the best time. I tried to figure out if she ever got a little homesick but she said the only time she cried was when she did a belly flop off of The Blob! I'd probably cry too! She did share about her chores, quiet time, making her bed, devotions at night, songs before meals, Minihaha waterfall and sweet new friends that she made. It sounds like the 13 girls in her cabin became very close. 
In other foot-related news, I am officially gimped up. Apparently when I started running in January the stress on the tendon on the bottom of my foot was too great - no comments please! I urged Scott to go with me so that he would know my whining and complaining was real! I think he felt sad when he saw my poor Trekky toes in these X-Rays! Somehow because my toes were going numb I was favoring the inside of my foot, hence the torn tendon? 
Now I'm in this Aircast looking like Robocop. Neighbors joke I'll be kicking field goals in the fall! The boot really does feel great. It's tight on my foot and keeps it stable. Going back to doctor in three weeks. Am thinking I'll be 100% healed!
