We've jumped head-first into the school year and have gotten into a routine of homework and soccer practices/games. It's hard to believe the kids have already been back to school for 3 weeks!
We were so sad when our neighbors moved out. While the new neighbors are nice also, they've made quite a few changes to the back yard, including the removal of the large trees along the fence between our houses which have provided a LOT of shade in our backyard. We were sad when we heard they were going to be removed!!
While it was entertaining to watch them cut the trees down, the reality of the new amount of sunlight in the backyard was harsh!
Willow loves getting cookbooks at the library. She'll then put a sticky note on ALL the recipes she wants to make. If weight or health wasn't an issue, we'd probably make them all! She narrowed it down to.....red velvet cupcakes! Did you know red velvet cupcakes are just chocolate with red food coloring??? They also have a baking soda + vinegar mixture in them! They were very tasty!
Owen put the sweet note on the left in the bathroom, then when we joked about God watching whether you wash your hands or not, he added the note on the right. Haha!
You won't recognize the kids in this picture but might recognize the kitchen! When we added the foosball table into the playroom, something had to go and it ended up being the play kitchen. Kim and Chad got it for Willow for Christmas when she was 18 months old (
video here). We donated it to our church that runs a preschool and after-school program. These were pictures from their Open House for the new school year. Looks like it'll continue to spark the imagination of other great kids!
Flashback to when Willow got it at 18 months:
Here's Willow playing "restaurant" with it in December (9 yrs old):
Owen and I had a Mother-Son date and joined the Caldwells, Nana, and Grandpa for a morning at a Touch-a-Truck event. We hadn't been for a couple years, but Owen enjoyed it just as much as he did when he was younger! (Willow and Chris enjoyed watching the 7th Harry Potter movie which she's been waiting and waiting to do with him!)
Hopefully this will be the only situation that finds Hannah and Owen in the back seat of a police car!!
There's a fun snowcone stand in town that we'd only been to once so when we heard they were closing, Owen and I stopped by for one more! (Thankfully we've since found out that there are new owners!)
The kids are still helping out with dinners once a week! And thankfully still enjoying it!
Chris graduated from PT to then have a setback that he's just now healed from and graduated from PT again. We're praying for no more setbacks!!
Owen showed me this rocket ship he drew one morning. After being impressed by his attention to detail in his drawings, I couldn't help but notice the note at the bottom, so of course I asked to see the Love Chart!
Apparently these are two girls in his class and it's a close race for his love ;)
We are in the full swing of soccer. Willow's got great coaches and has already learned a lot. While she's not a big fan of practicing at home, we've already seen great strides in her determination this year during games!
Check this out from her 2nd game.
We enjoyed pizza together after the first game!
Willow enjoyed a sleepover to celebrate her friend Scottie's birthday. Although I think the mother is CRAZY for having this many girls at her house, we're thankful Willow has sweet girls to grow up with!
Owen came home from school with this assignment. He must still be a "bud" since he's never had a 3-scoop ice cream cone in his life!!
Willow repeatedly heard the commercial on the radio for this mother-daughter event and asked if we could go. We were able to meet her friend Kennedy from gymnastics and her mom, and we had a great time!
