First day of School 2017!!!

September 18th - school started! 

The night before school started!! Love that the girls wanted to wear their uniforms to bed so they could be ready in the morning. Honestly this is the best tip I can give any parent! So helpful -- especially when those dresses don't wrinkle or anything! 

 

Morning!!

Bill was on a work trip for the first 3 days of school so it was just me and the kids. They did an awesome job getting up and ready. Charlie has now started showering before school! Seems like such a big kid thing to do, but it has been great. 

3rd Grade - The Oaks - Mrs. Tedrow 

This kid was born to do school. He thrives in school.

Claire

1st Grade - The Oaks - Mrs. Holland

Claire is rocking 1st grade! She jumped back into school no problem and is loving the new challenges that come with being in 1st grade. 

trying to get a real smile out of her was hard that morning! 

Ellie!

1st Grade - The Oaks - Mrs. Holland

Ellie is doing wonderfully at school! She has loved being back and is thriving with all the new challenges and learning that 1st grade brings. 

These 3! Love having them home for the summer, but we were ALL ready for a little change to our days. So thankful for a school like The Oaks to send our kids where I can feel so comforted they are surrounded by teachers who love them and care about nurturing their hearts and character. 

 Charlie really wanted a picture in front of the house. It was dumping rain out on the first day so we didn't do the pictures outside like we normally would. 

Walking in together! Love this photo and how they share and help each other (most of the time!). We hadn't had rain in Spokane for 80 days!!! A record. So the rain was welcomed!

Claire - ready to learn! 

Ellie - ready to learn! 

With our beloved Mrs. Holland. She is the best 1st grade teacher any student or parent could want. She is nearing retirement (at nearly 70). But is so high energy and just fun with the kids. 

Charlie - that boy loves to do school

with his best buddy - Brendan - they honestly look like twins! ha

Post school on the second day - we got a haircut for charlie. 

and the weather really turned on us and we had hail and snow up at Schweitzer! Thankfully, perfect fall returned after a week of winter and we are back to our Fall days. 

Kids rocked the first 3 weeks of school! 

Nana & G Pops Camp

The last week before the kids started school my parents wanted to take my kids camping and adventuring. I was thrilled! 

I drove the kids to Wallace, WA where we met up with my parents. They were going to camp that night and then bike the Hiawatha trail the next day. 

they got the kids these cute camelbaks! 

We did a little hike all together before I took off - ALONE!

 

that evening - Bill and I went out to the Gilded Unicorn for their happy hour. It was hilarious because we ordered a TON of the happy hour options and one of the waiters mentioned that we had ordrered a lot of food. ha! He didn't realize who he was dealing with. Bill who never eats all day until dinner and me! we did just fine putting the food down. 

After leaving them - my parents took the kids to find a campground. They wanted a rustic scene with a stream. They found it! I guess it was pretty sketchy with where it was, but the kids loved it! The nights were cold - down into the 40s- so impressed they did it. 

claire being goofy!

Packing up! 

The plan was for them to bike the Hiawatha trail that day, but the smoke was so bad they couldn't see and it was raining ash. Not safe to bike 15 miles. So they changed their plans and headed to Triple Play! An indoor waterpark near Sandpoint. 

Charlie LOVES water. The kids were thrilled with this adventure! 

this cracks me up! the girls running away from the cold water. 

my dad and the girls were cold - so they just sat under the hot water showers to warm up. that is love right there - being cold is the worst! 

charlie's back is beaten up from the slides. My mom sent this to me to warn me. ha! 

the kids had the BEST time! My parents went home tired! 

My parents returned with the kids Friday night and then stayed through Charlie's soccer game on Saturday. Charlie is becoming a really good soccer player. His only issue is his endurance. It is hilarious how fast he gets tired out on the field! 

 

He was awarded the "Lock" this game by Coach Neill. The game after he was awarded the "hammer". So proud of how hard he plays! And thankful for such an encouraging coach and fun team! 

Thanks Mom & Dad for taking the time to camp and do crazy things with my kids. So thankful you can create these active memories with them! 

September Bubba visit

 Laura came out to visit the first weekend in September and do some fun fall shopping with the kids. 

The kids were on these bead crafting kick and Ellie made this, which I thought turned out so cute! She made Miki (my brother Tom's dog), which she did!

It was super smokey when Laura arrived, but we still went to check out the roses at Manito!

as you can tell - Charlie was super unimpressed with this. 

a bit better.

taking photos of my favorite ones. I have these in my yard and they are awesome! 

the dahlia's are just incredible! 

another favorite.

taking our annual "picture" photo at Manito. Claire's legs really show how tall the girls have gotten! 

 

about the best we could do. so much bigger than the first year we came! 

then we took the girls to get their hair cuts! WAHOO!!! 

Claire went first and picked out a short cut. 

looking so cute! 

Ellie chose a bit longer cut and I am SOOO happy about that! A few days later she asked me if she could go get her hair shorter. I told her I would bring her, but tried to emphasize how awesome it is to have different hair from her sister. She eventually agreed to leave it and all the teachers at school rejoiced! 

Shopping time!! Ellie finding the perfect flats! 

then putting on crazy high boots.

claire wanted a turn with the boots

checking out - Laura is so gracious and takes the girls out for shopping and lunch a couple of times a year. Charlie was bummed he had to go along - ha! But it is such a sweet time to see them get things they want and enjoy shopping together. 

Wearing their new socks, dresses and hair bows from Nordstrom Rack. Love these dresses we found! 

I mean! How are these my little babies???

We headed up to the Bach to try and escape the smoke! it was still there! 

 we woke up on Saturday to clear skies!!! It was such a huge relief! While out hiking I came REALLY close to a huge Bull Moose and high tailed it out of there as fast as I could go! 

lily was no help with the bull moose.

the lake was still socked in.

a bit better, but there was still so much smoke! 

we just parked out in front of our favorite house - we would love to eventually buy this house some day FAR from now. 

Sunday we became members of our church - Christ the Redeemer. So thankful for our church home. 

we cruised up at green bluff for Sunday afternoon.

I had purchased these little needlepoints for the girls because I thought they might love them. Ellie was obsessed! She was diligent and focused and so intense about how exactly she do it. Claire on the other hand tried to like it, but wasn't careful at all. So fascinating to watch their personalities come through with different projects. 

Ellie - so proud! 

Ellie. I dont even have a picture of Claire because she was always just cutting up tiny pieces of string and leaving them everywhere. ha

Such a wonderful visit with Laura. We are so thankful for the dedication our parents have to coming out and spending time with our kids.