Hokies Game

We went this past weekend to a football game.  Brent actually went the previous monday night for their big Ohio State game and missed the first day of school.  I would've pushed harder for that ticket but I didn't want to miss the boys first day so Brent got the ticket! Sadly we lost the ohio game but won the Furman game.  Colin has never seen the Hokies lose so Frank Beamer I think you need to get this boy season tickets!

We left for the farm friday night.  And then went saturday to Blacksburg.  There really isn't a better way to spend a saturday in the fall (at least in my opinion)  The boys rode that morning with Grandpa, Ma-maa and Ant Ant and apparently Joel kept talking about these dog beds that he loved to eat at the restaurant we went to and finally they figured out he was talking about hush puppies.  hahaha

 We tailgated before the game

 Joel, how do you really feel about spending your afternoon at a football game?  ha!  but he did great until the 4th quarter and had fun tossing the football to Norah before the game.  He is starting to show more interest in sports and wants to do basketball this winter and wants to toss the football with Brent but his preference for a saturday afternoon would probably not be a football game!

we went to this hokie village outside the stadium where there are bounce houses and lots of things going on free for the kids.  Colin waited three games last year to do this one bungee basketball game thing and each time he would get up to the front of the line and it would close.  This year he waited in the same line and got to do it.  Just barely but he made it and was so excited.  

He wants to be an engineer which works for his momma to send him to virginia tech! 

It was supposed to rain but thankfully it didn't and was perfect weather for watching the game.  Overcast and a little cool.  Unfortunately in packing rain gear for the kids I forgot the snacks and toys I packed to keep Norah and Joel entertained at the end but they did great and watched until almost the end.  I took them in the 4th quarter to go watch the cheerleaders and then we slowly walked to the coliseum.

Joel then climbed these columns and I think he would've made it to the top but I stopped him from going higher.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the tickets and a fun weekend

House pics

I was looking back at old house pictures from when we first moved in 7 years ago to when we moved out this summer and it's fun to see how it changed. 

Our house is no where near feeling settled. But it's slowly getting there. I'm already rearranging the kitchen now that we've been here a month to better suit how we use the space.

This is the front door/foyer area. We need to get a different rug since this one won't let us open the closet door very easily but it works for now. 

This is our family room. We are looking for a swivel recliner chair to replace that rocker and another chair next to the fireplace. I'm so excited to have a fireplace. It will be fun all winter long. And I'd like to build (or mom if you are looking for another project...) a sofa table to go behind the sofa. 

 We are also looking for a different rug for this room and then plan on putting this rug in the sunroom. 

 I have no idea where to hang things with the high ceilings.  

I pretty much make Brent stand there while I take a picture and see if I like how it looks. 

He really loves doing this! Haha! 

This is our dining room. 

They added the sun room onto the house when they were building and we are so glad they did. It makes the house seem bigger and we love the extra space.

The small tv won't stay right there but works for now. The wii is hooked up to this tv so we are trying to figure out where to put it. I might move that bookshelf on the right and put the tv there. 

This is our kitchen. 

We love the island.

Flowers from the farm that the kids picked for me.

First day of school

 We have finished a day of school.  And I'm hopeful for a great year for both boys.  Besides the getting up early part.  I woke Colin up and then went to  wake up Joel.  When I walked into Joels room he was sound asleep with a big smile on his face... wonder what he was dreaming about.  But it took a few minutes for me to convince Joel it was time to wake up since it was still dark outside.  His bus comes at 6:55 so Colin and I walked him out while Norah was still sleeping. 

 First grade.  All day which seems like such a big difference but Joel didn't notice it was a longer day.  He said it was just like kindergarten except now he goes to the cafeteria. 

Unfortunately he is the first bus stop which means the last one at the end of the day.  So while he goes 15 minutes before Colin's bus he gets home after Colin.

Colin and I then walked back inside to get Colin off for the day. Our neighbors came and got Colin and I to walk to the bus stop. Their daughter is also in 4th grade and they have two middle school boys and one of them wanted to walk Colin down and he encouraged Colin the whole time until the bus came. Colin was pretty nervous so I'm really thankful for that boy. I really love our neighbors. 

And then they were off and I came home to a quiet house. Thankfully Norah likes to sleep in and I'm hoping she continues that this year.  I'm watching a friends kids Tuesday mornings so it worked out perfectly that they came over today so Norah woke up to friends and didn't even ask about her boys being gone. 

They had great days and now are out scootering with the neighbors comparing days.  And each day will get easier and easier for us all as we fall into the new routine. 

Last bit of summer

We took a quick day trip to jockeys ridge today to celebrate the end of summer. 

I love his snaggle tooth. I will be sad when that tooth comes in. 

The boys loved it. Norah didn't at first but then she had fun jumping and rolling down and then insisted on being carried back to the car saying it was too much sand. 

Brent and the kids spent a lot of time jumping off the dunes while I took slow-mo videos of them. So fun! 

I had read on a website that people bring cardboard and slide down the dunes. We have tons of cardboard so we cut up some boxes and brought them all the way up.....and they didn't work..... maybe in the winter when the ground is more frozen. Maybe? So we carried around cardboard with us the whole afternoon. That part wasn't fun. But it did make for a nice shield for Norah when the wind was strong and we were getting pelted with sand. 

We stopped at a putt-putt place on the way out. The kids were troopers and we didn't eat until 8:00pm. Which for my "I'm hungry" every 30 minute kids was amazing. And that's baby powder all over Norah. She loves covering herself after the beach and getting all the sticky sand off. 

Norah slept through dinner and they all fell asleep on the way home.  

Meet the teachers

Yesterday we met the teachers. And it all feels so different. Colin is apprehensive because he doesn't know the school and I could see on his face his nervousness when he sat down at his desk and didn't know anyone in his class.   I think all the fourth graders on our street are all in different classes. It is sooooo good to be able to talk to the other moms and between all of them I'm figuring out both boys schools. 

Joel's school is one where they walk outside to get to the class. Which I think can be kind of nice (except in the winter) Joel is nervous about how to get to his class but I think his teacher will be good for him. She's the "strict" one according to the moms on the street but also very good so I think she will be a good fit for Joel. She might be strict but I really liked her yesterday. Hope I feel the same way as the year goes on. 

This was Norah's face the whole day. Me too sweet girl. Me too!  Not ready to send them to school yet. Or ever! 

So many prayers went into finding this house that here is no doubt about sending the boys to these schools. But I'm still worried about them and hope they jump right into their new schools and thrive like they did at their old school. I do already hate that we have to wake up at 6am! Their bus comes at 7:00 - the last 4 years we didn't get up until 7:30 some mornings to get them to their 8:15 bus time. That is going to be hard on all of us. 

Boys

The Ice cream truck came slowly down our street a few weeks ago. All the neighborhood kids went running toward it with their money. Colin runs back in, slams his dollar down on counter and says "overpriced! I couldn't get anything for a dollar" 

Joel comes back in. a few seconds later  I see him running out the door with his piggy bank....

the difference between these two is funny and I'm not worried about Colin's future....Joel on the other hand...

Birthmark

I'm putting this here so I can easily reference it the next few months. This is Joel's birthmark he was born with. Takes up his whole side. We've been getting it mapped by a dermotologist the last few years to make sure it doesn't turn cancerous. And taking pictures in between doctor visits to compare the change.  Because apparently this kind of birthmark can turn cancerous. And since his is really changing we are starting to go every few months. The top was in December and bottom in July. (Also Mary thought the strings in the top was hair but it's not hair  - it's from his stitches when they did the biopsy) his birthmark is shrinking in the dark area and the white is growing. Basically his body is attacking his birthmark and "eating it." thankfully his biopsy came back negative back in December but it's something he might always have to be checking - we aren't sure what will happen after the dark part is all gone or if it will be all "eaten" and I have certain things to look for between appointments and told to immediately come in if we see them.

My grandpa always said his skin doctor cut him whenever he went in to see him and I wish how-how was still here to sympathize with Joel because Joel says the same thing. 

 So it's always in the back of my mind and we have to be very careful to sunscreen that part of his body.  But also sometimes I wonder why I worry so much because his body is attacking what it thinks is a foreign object (it's also attacking his skinned knees from being an active boy and that is also bright white skin now) If his body is doing such a good job attacking what shouldn't be there then why am I worried about cancer with him?  There are plenty of other things to worry about with Joel! Ha! 

 I'm also so impressed with his doctor - she took a huge chunk out of his birthmark for the biopsy and you can't even see a scar or where his stitches were. Wish we had gone to her when Colin split his chin open when he was 3  - sorry Colin for the huge scar on your chin. Your mother knows better now!