Tubing

One of the things Colin couldn't wait to do in Blacksburg was go tubing down the new river.  He's heard me talk about how much fun it was in college and I have been excited to take them.  I wasn't sure about the safety of taking the kids but according to the website it said family friendly and that kids could get out before they went through the rapids.

I was a little nervous but the water was really calm and the kids have been used to riding in tubes at water country.  Each kid was tethered to Brent, Sarah or I so that helped keep track of them.  It was a really nice relaxing ride down the river until we got the the rapids.

It was a lot of fun.  And slightly scary at times. Colin wanted to do all the big rapids and jumps. He was glad Ant Ant was connected to him because she took him places his mother probably wouldn't have!  Joel and I were together and he was a little nervous but wanted to go through the rapids and then got out and did them again and again.  Brent and Norah were going to get out before the rapids but the next thing I knew I saw the going right through them. She loved them!  They said for kids to stay to the right and I think those were the most smooth and the most fun.  Joel and Brent at one time went in the middle and my heart stopped when I saw Joel headed right towards a big rock but the water was so shallow they got stuck going over another rock and that slowed them down so they missed the rock.  Joel and I missed the landing spot and had to make our way to the side of the river.  We were walking towards Brent and the others when Joel stopped because he saw a snake. He said it went away from us but neither of us moved.   He refused to move and I refused to go towards him because of the snake so we stood there a minute until I braved it enough to go get him.

Its fun taking your kids places you loved  - and here are a few pictures from when we went in college. It was always the first weekend after classes started.

Hiking

The kids went to school two days and then we were off to Massanutteun for Marys wedding weekend.  Not a bad way to start the school year -  but this past full week of school has been rough on all of us. 

We were debating on when to go up.  With Colin starting middle school it makes it harder to just pull them out of school.  I didn't want him to feel behind right form the beginning.  He wanted to go to school the first day and let me know if he wanted to get out of school Thursday or just take Friday off.  Well when he got off the bus that first day I'm pretty sure the first thing he told me was "I'm taking Thursday AND  Friday off!"  So that made it easy and thankfully he hasn't had too much make up work to do.  And we wanted to be able to spend as much time with Angela and the boys as we could. 

We got up there in time for a nice hike Thursday afternoon.  It was beautiful weather the entire weekend

Blueberry Picking

We couldn't go a summer without blueberry picking.  I always go by Joels birthday for blueberries and Colin's birthday for strawberries.  Its still one of my favorite memories of taking the boys when Joel was 2 weeks old.  Norah asked what happens around her birthday and she was pleased when we said Easter time is somewhere close. 

We went back in July but I'm just now getting around to putting up pictures.  I took the kids twice. And we've enjoyed blueberry pies, cakes, muffins, pancakes, smoothies ever since. One day we went after swim practice and then the other time we went with Brent early in the morning.  The kids had fun with me.... with Brent I've never heard so much complaining.  It was 7am and Brent wanted to go early before it got too hot and before he left for work.  And the fact that Brent was up early and ready to go meant I didn't argue.  He is NOT a morning person and I think he's actually having a harder time with the back to school routine than the kids. He usually leaves for work around 9 so he would sleep in until 830 as much as possible this summer.  

Colin ate more than he picked and he picked an entire bucket.  Taking them blueberry picking right after a long swim practice might have explained all the blueberries they ate. 

This was clearly the morning blueberry time.  And its not that he isn't a morning person. He's the kid up before the sun almost every day.  He was upset that Pungo Pizza was closed and kept telling Brent that you don't mess with tradition.  Its always tradition to go blueberry picking and then pungo pizza.I didn't take them when we went before because Brent wasn't with us.  Joel just couldnt believe when the whole family is there we wouldn't keep with tradition.  And on and on....

I'm pretty sure Brent wont mess with tradition next year. 

School days

This is how we felt about summer ending... none of us were ready to go back to school

Joel has been anxious all summer to start a new school again.  I was praying for his teacher and when we met her at the orientation we both relaxed.  She couldnt be more fun and perfect for Joel.  I have also never had a teacher email so many class notes about all that goes on during class so we can discuss them with our kids.  He loves school and I'm so so so glad. If he didnt like it there was no way we could get him to go peacefully. 

Joel leaves for the bus at 7 and the first week of school he was the only child up. Norah was still on summer time and Colin didn't have to get up until 7:30.  And then Joel gets home first. He kept telling me how lucky he is that he gets Mom and Dad alone in the morning and then just Mommy in the afternoon.  I do love that I get time with just Joel every afternoon.  We get 30 minutes together before Norah's bus comes. 

This girl was so excited to start school. She couldn't wait.

Our neighbor is Norah's teachers assistant and that helped a lot knowing Miss Beverly was there keeping an eye on Norah. 

The middle school orientation was very overwhelming.

Lockers, 7 class changes, a big school.  Colin and I walked all over the school following his schedule until  until I felt that he was comfortable getting off the bus and navigating his classes. 

I feel like we blinked and already we are at middle school.  And I know the next few years will just fly by even faster. 

First day of school photos. 

I take this cutie at 10:30.  Her backpack is bigger than she is.  She goes right into the cafeteria to eat lunch and then they go to their classroom.   Its been hard trying to figure out food for her.  She eats maybe two or three bites and that's all. Then shes starving when she gets home and then not hungry for dinner.

The first day Miss Beverly asked Norah to be her line leader and Norah went right in.  After that shes been more hesitant even to the point of holding onto my leg and having to be pried off.  I figured out its just going straight into lunch so I made a deal where she just has to eat her dessert and I feed her a snack before we go and its gone better.  She comes off the bus all smiles so that's good. 

This was Colin's face after the first day of school.  Thankfully its getting a little better.

And when your dress matches your backpack you walk into school feeling fabulous. 

Its still hard to convince Norah that kindergarten is fun.  Its all rules according to her.  At bedtime after the first day she sadly told me that her teacher said they were doing the exact same things the next day.  I told her once it becomes routine then they can get to the fun stuff. So I had to list all the fun stuff that she will eventually do.  We've been going over that list every day so hopefully she'll start doing them.

And for me - well its very sad to walk into a quiet house after dropping off Norah.  Its just three hours and really by the time I run a few errands and get home its time for them to start getting off the bus.

The Cascades