Activities

Good morning!  I hope you had a great weekend.  We stayed busy and productive.  In addition to our activities, I was able to get the kids' closets and drawers ready for fall/winter.  We're not actually temperature ready here (maybe in another month), but I wanted to be ahead of the game.  We went shopping for warmer clothes to prepare for an upcoming trip to cold country, which is what prompted the early organization.

This week will be the kids' last tennis lesson.  Which we are sad about because they love it.  Especially Xander!  We'll just have to continue at the clubhouse on our own until spring.

While they were at lessons, I planned our school lessons.

We did a lot of school on the go during the past two weeks (which is a nice perk of homeschooling), so it was nice to be back at our desks.

Sterling loves to "butter" her words whenever she can.  So this Find and Highlight worksheet was perfect for her.

Lulu the crazy.  She's four months now and she hates sleeping through the night.  Sigh.  I'm going to love my week break from her, ha!

Sterling started back at ballet and also added hip-hop.  I'm so excited for her to be back in dance (she is too!).  She LOVES dance and is always dancing.  Our night ends up being really late, but we make it work.

We are taking a clay class as well.

So much fun!

The kids started swim lessons also.  Our goal this time around is to get them ready to join the swim team.

At the end of Xander's lessons, he was able to swim (doing front strokes) the entire length of the pool on his own!

After lessons was family swim, so they stayed in for another hour and played.  The made "cars" to drive up and down the lane, ha!

After the busy week, Sterling had to wear her boots to Subway.  This girl has a style of her own.  When we went shopping, I told her to pick out outfits.  I found her in the shoe area, over the top excited for these boots she's wearing.  We ended up getting her outfits from Justice this year.

It's going to be another busy week.  We're supposed to have hurricane weather at the end of the week, which I'm hoping will not happen.  We have appointments about an hour away and I'd really like to make it to them.  Just trying to get them done!

Have a great day!

Goodbye's are never easy

We recently said the most difficult "see you later" to our favorite person.  While I love the Air Force and it's community, I hate saying goodbye.  During my time in the Air Force, Nick and I often said goodbyes as I went on many deployments.  They're never easy, no matter who's the one leaving.  They're especially harder now that we have kids in the picture.

For the weeks leading up to that day, any thought I'd have of our family being separated for such a long time, my eyes would well up.  Honestly, I'm terrified of taking 100% care of these tiny humans.  

On our way up to Maryland, where Nick had to out-process, we decided to ask Sterling's friends mom if we could set up a play date since we were coming to our old stomping grounds.  We were staying in a hotel about 30 minutes away, so it'd be perfect.

Luckily it worked out, even though it was a school night for her friend.  These girls are the best of friends!

The next day was full of appointments for Nick.  The kids, Lulu and I did a lot of waiting in the car.  Taking a dog on an overnight trip gives me anxiety, but since she was to young for a rabies shot, I couldn't board her.  

Good news, she received her shot yesterday!  And I already have her scheduled for another trip the kids and I are going on.  

All done and driving down to where he was flying out.  About four hours away.

We arrived and checked into the hotel the kids and I were staying at, ordered pizza, and then he took a shower and refreshed before starting his long journey.

We had lots of hugs and kisses and then it was time to take him to the terminal.

The next morning, we almost missed breakfast because it was such a late night and we were exhausted.  But we had just enough time to swim before packing up and heading home.

This next year will be challenging, but we'll just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Knowing that at the end of each night comes a new tomorrow, an opportunity for a better tomorrow.  We'll have hard days, sure.  Really hard days.  But, we'll also find some fun days too.  We'll be fine.  We really will.

Quote for the day...

"Just because I have giant feet doesn't mean I'm a big kid" --Sterling

September Recap

Good morning.  It's been too long since I've posted so here's a recap of September.

We took a lot of walks around the clubhouse lake.  It was a bit much for Lulu, but she'll be a pro in no time.

I'm not sure there's anything cuter!

Both kids lost a tooth on the same day.  Note to self...keep a stash of ones for multiple payouts.

Our area Target was hosting an OG doll event to adopt a puppy.  I registered the kids a few weeks prior, but never told them.  They had the best time!

Soaking in as much daddy time as possible

I re-caulked our shower.

Sterling and I gave mani's and pedi's.

We all received new glasses.  Xander loves that he's seeing "much better," but, Sterling does not like wearing hers.

Being creative

The kids started tennis, so while they were at practice, we enjoyed a nice walk around the park.

We spent a lot of time away from home the last week while Nick was out processing.  How I don't miss that!

We practiced tennis after working out one morning.

The day after the hurricane, we took a walk around the lake.  Nick and Sterling enjoyed clearing the sidewalk for the other walkers.  But first, Sterling had to jump over the sticks.

New slippers equals fun for Lulu

I sewed a pillow and blanket for baby dolls

The kids and I took our first field trip to the children's museum.

Just hanging at the park

I procrastinated long enough and finally put the elastic in the bottom of Nick's work pants.

We helped Nick pack for his trip.

That's it.  September is over and October is here.  October is probably my favorite month, but it might change living here.  It's still in the high 80s, so, so far it hasn't been my favorite.  I do enjoy the cool mornings though.  If it could be 60 year round, I'd love it!

Have a great day!