The End

So after 5 amazingly fun years, I am saying good bye to my blog! It has been so much fun detailing the memories of our family as the kids have grown but with working full time and the kids getting older and not really appreciating every single moment of their lives being photographed, it is definitely time to wrap it up! It's amazing how when you stare at a computer for 45 hours a week, the absolute last thing you want to do with any free time is get on a computer! :)


So I figured since I started in September of 2010 it would be fitting to wrap it up in September of 2015. Here is a little progressive album of our last five Septembers -

September 2010 - 8, 3, and 6 weeks

September 2011 - attempting to get a cute pic
9, 4, and 1 year

September 2012 - at the Orlando Science Center
10, 5, and 2 years

September 2013 - Indiana and my kids first pic in a corn field :)
11, 6, and 3 years

September 2014 - King's Island
12, 7, and 4 years 

And here they are in September of 2015! Busy with activities! Owen earned a game ball this day for his focus and concentration during the game and lucky for him, Daddy was in town to see it!

My sweet little babies are growing up so fast and I am so proud of the children and teenager they are becoming! I am still going to try to post pics as I find the time on Facebook and Instagram but this is definitely a bittersweet moment for me! I have loved documenting them on this blog and have really loved being able to go back and revisit my favorite memories.

Toys!

It's a funny thing when you move....even though your house may be the same size, same number of bedrooms, etc things are never really the same. Our house in TN is the exact same square footage as the one in KY but ever since we've moved in, I feel like I am constantly tripping over toys!

I have bought two large toy baskets for the living room and probably 5 plastic containers for Owen's legos and play doh tools and Savannah's Shopkins. It's crazy to me because I just don't remember that being an issue in KY.


The other day while the kids were at school I took a quick break from working to make lunch and thought I would take a moment to document the toy debacle!

Check it out!

on the kitchen table - the tablet and some crayons

On my dresser - motorcycle thingy he built

On my bedroom floor - Hulk

In the corner of my room - tool box with trading cards

In my closet - rescue hero

and Bumblebee

In the cat carrier - sunbmarine and counting critters 

On the chair - minion lunch box probably filled with toys....

On my kitchen counter - more of these!!! 

 Owen's toys are everywhere!!! And believe it or not, I kind of love it. I am so glad that he likes to play with his toys and that his happiness sort spills out all over the house. One day I am going to wish there were more toys laying around!

What isn't quite as cute is this laundry basket that Kate claims has been sitting there for 3 or 4 days! Someday I will figure out how to stay on top of all the laundry!!! :)  

And now it's time to celebrate!! Savannah got her first progress report with real letter grades the other day and she did amazing!! 5 A's and 2 B's and she got excellent in behavior and effort!! Go Savannah!

Activities!

So we are a full month into the start of school and the kids activities are in full swing! And I am exhausted.....and I am currently sick with the first cold I have had in a really long time. I was beginning to think my immune system was untouchable. Not so much....

My sweet baby boy started baseball this Sunday

While he was doing that, she was climbing to the sky! I was on the ground, holding my breath! 

The next day Savannah tested and earned her first achievement stripe on her white belt in karate! 

And as usual, he wanted his picture too. Doesn't he just look huge? 

and while I was watching Savannah, he sat outside at this table and played on his tablet....such a big boy! 

While I work at home, I occasionally watch Rachel Ray and one day she inspired me to make nachos....I think they changed my life! 

And when we aren't at all the activities -

Baby boy is hating the early mornings! Here I had him get all dressed including shoes, and as soon as I turned my back he got into my bed and fell back asleep! :) 

I totally believe this is true so I got this for my bedroom! 

And Savannie begged me to get her a pepper plant 

and in honor of the cooler weather and our excitement for fall, we got our mum for the season :) 

This Week

Last weekend the kids were gone for the three day weekend and I was hoping to really enjoy the quiet.

But it seemed like every time I went to stretch out on the couch, I was met with this!

What is this??? 

It is almost laughable, but I drove this car around for an entire week!! It was super fun while the kids were gone and Owen was so excited to ride in the Shark Car as he calls it, but man I think we were all thrilled to have the van back!!! My family is a lot nicer when we each have our own personal space! 

This cat has some serious entitlement issues! Here she is plopped down on top of my work! 

Owen drew me this picture in art class and I just love all the sunshine he included! It makes me feel like he lives in a bright and sunshiny world and I just love that about him!  

Papa T came over to exchange cars back and Savannah had just gotten her official karate outfit! 

Goofiness! 

And the day is never complete until one of my kids shakes their booty at another....

and the other promptly kicks it! I seriously wondered where they learned all that booty shaking and then I watched TV with them for a few mins....

Lately

With all the kids in school my opportunities to get pictures are fewer and fewer! So after a week, I only have a handful of pics to share!

Last Friday night the kids and I had a bulk shopping trip to do at Sam's so I took them out to dinner first!

Sweet siblings

Saturday morning the kitty came in to eat and I hear Owen say, "Hey Mom....am I holding the kitty right?" Ha!!!! The poor cat was just limp, praying for it to end! :) 

Later on, we made three batches of homemade play doh

The only way I could get her to wear a skirt to school! This girl loves leggings! 

He wanted a picture too! What a sweetie! 

This cutie pie brought home another handful of A papers from school this week AND she earned her white belt at karate!!! So proud to be her mama! 

One week down!

So Owen finally started school this week and it didn't go as well as I had hoped it would for him. He really is such a Mama's boy and no matter how much I tried, I couldn't get him excited about school. He has been home with me or at preschool with me for 5 years and he just is really content being at home.

This little guy cried three mornings in a row at drop off and very nearly broke my heart! 

This kitty is becoming quite spoiled! She meows at the door when its convenient for her to come in and eat! 

Like I have nothing better to do than let her in and let her out all day long! 

This week Savannah also started karate. The tell tale sign that this is where she belongs?? First lesson, the instructor was hitting her over the head with a large stick. She thought it was awesome! 

We live so close to the school and it's the first stop so it's actually a lot faster for the kids to ride the bus home. Owen was very apprehensive about it but after just one ride home, he loved it! 

And it's just the cutest little bus you've ever seen! :) 

Savannah does karate twice a week 

Playing dodgeball while skipping! 

Owen is so my child....everything lined up all perfectly and arranged by color :) 

He has taken to outfitting his action figures with play doh clothes 

Friday I got a real treat! Owen's teacher asked if I would come in and help with the class and make play doh. We had too much fun!

Owen and his buddy Bentley 

I was really impressed with Owen....he follows directions really well and stays focused :) 

This is a pic of Owen and Bentley :) 

Savannah has been kind of nervous about third grade and all the testing. Friday she brought home 6 graded papers and 5 were A's and the other was a B. So proud of my girl!