Back to School and Labor Day

Our Summer has come to an end...and school has begun.  This year Katrina is in 2nd and Katie started Kindergarden!  The Monday they started school was a very busy morning because I had to report at the courthouse at 8:30. 
  Everything was pretty much ready the night before which was a big help!  We even had time to snap a few pictures of the girls before taking them to school.  Unfortunately, it was SO hot and humid outside that my camera lense steamed up right away :( So the individual shots of the girls were really "fuzzy" because of the lense fog.  I'm going to restage those photos so I can have them "unfogged" HA

This one of Daddy and the girls turned out much better!  I thought they looked really cute!  I know I'm definitely not partial or anything like that!  :)

I dropped Courtney off with a friend and went on up to the courthouse.  I was probably there all of 15 minutes from parking, going through security and then being dismissed because of "caring for a child under the age of 4."  On my way back down, I made a few stops.  The most exciting was the deal I found at Staples.  We've been out of photo paper for ages, literally.  I've waited so long alot because of the price.  It just seems like too much to pay for.  Unbeknownst to me, they were have a Buy One, Get One Free sale and you could mix/match the sizes!  I was SO happy about that!  Thank you Jesus!
  Then back down to School AKA Gammy's house and found two excited and happy little students.  They finished up their studies for the day and then we joined Courtney at our friends house for a little playdate and I was able to get the "grand tour" of my friends new home!  We are so excited for them!

Labor Day - 
  Saturday afternoon we were invited over to some friends of ours, along with a few other families.  The ladies all chipped in with the menu - standard barbeque fare!  I did take my camera and never pulled it out once - shame on me!  We had a really great time though, playing games and visiting!    Then yesterday, the girls hung out with Daddy at home, while I went and picked up a few things at Walmart.  Jaron finished up the project he had been working on for the girls - they have hardly been able to contain their excitement for when Daddy would have their project complete!!  More on that later :)
  After a nap for Courtney and quiet time for the oldest 2, we went to Gammy and Grampa's for some pool time.  Oh my word, did the girls wear themselves right out!  Katie especially would just launch herself into the water! 

Courtney is getting much better in the water, she still wants to hold on to someone though :)  Sometimes I hold her just by her hands and tell her to kick her legs - she calls this "riding her bicycle"  :)

Course all that swimming works up a grand appetite...yummy grilled goodness.  I tried a new marinade - it was GOOD!  I'm thinkin' we'll be trying it out again, maybe even this week :)

 We had a really fun weekend, just being together with friends and family!  Today was back to the grindstone.  School for the girls, work for Daddy and 3 cleaning jobs for Mommy! 

How was your weekend?

Snap-shots from August

Just a little bit of rambling here.  Looking through Picassa I discovered I didn't take many pictures during the month of August.  (Mental note to do better in September.)
 

Courtney enjoying her breakfast.  Many times she eats alone because she is up before her two sisters.  Subject to change starting tomorrow, due to the new school year starting for said older sisters.

This month we've tried out a few new recipes.  Sweet Onion Bread (pictured above) pairs really well with a soup and salad.  Highly recommend Reluctant Entertainer's Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler - gone in less than 24 hours!  We also made Country Living's (July/August 2011 issue) Baked Potatoes with Bacon Butter.  The bacon butter was a nice touch, I didn't feel that rubbing the potatoes with the reserved bacon fat added any flavor to the potatoes themselves.  I'll skip that step the next time.

We had some friends over for dinner one night.  We should have done this a year ago!  Mom and Dad kept the girls overnight for us.  After dinner was over and our guests left, Jaron and I enjoyed a nice leisurely walk on the beach.

Our family was invited out for supper on a Friday night.  I got to play with my burlap and baker's twine for the hostess gift :)  Love me some baker's twine!

I promised the girls that before school started we would let them buy ice-cream from the melodious ice-cream truck that circles our neighborhood.  Just the right treat after getting back from swimming in Gammy and Grampas' pool.  This may or may not have been a large part of their supper that night.  Hey, it was still summer :)

As soon as I post this to the ole blog, I've got ironing to do for tomorrow's clothes.  The first lunches of the school year are packed.  Katie told me tonight as we tucked them into bed, "I am SO excited!"  and she is.  We have been counting down the days, since this past Monday with Smarties. 6 days left = 6 Smarties, 5 days left = 5 Smarties and so on.  Very appropriate, don't you think?  :)

Courtney will be enjoying a playdate with a friend, while Daddy is working hard and Mommy is fulfilling her civil duty at the local courthouse.  I'm about to find out what this jury duty stuff is all about - first hand.  I remember going on a highschool field trip with Mr. D - somehow I think this will be a bit different :)

The Blanket People

Have you heard of them before?  Quite curious looking, I must say.  Three of them came for a visit today and all in "stair step" sizes, too!

They have quite large feet for their diminuitive height....

Surprisingly, they can walk in them pretty good and they for sure know how to strike a pose to show off said feet.

The best part is, they are very helpful.  Emptying the dishwasher, setting the table and even vacuuming as of late!

A little 7 year old...

lives at our house now.  Somehow, another year has gone by and for Katrina being 6 is a thing of the past.

Nana and PopPop sent her gifts ....

toy pots and pans, science-type books and some animal audio books - all things she loves!

For supper, the birthday girl requested Cucumbers with ranch dip, mac N cheese, watermelon and pigs-in-the-blanket.

Later in the evening; Gammy and Grampa and Aunt Angela came up to give her more gifts.  A horse - which she is loving!

and Gammy made this horse skirt for her to wear....

Little sis was loving that balloon :)

and she got the cutest owl purse from Aunt Angela, along with some books and 3 old-fashioned candy sticks.  Which she promptly and of-her-own-choice handed the other two to her sisters so they could each have one!  She is very good about sharing, almost always :)

In lieu of  a birthday cake, we took her to get some ice-cream - chocolate with rainbow sprinkles!

 We have a party planned for a few days from now...stay tuned!

Turtle Top mini-shoot

Tonight before taking the girls to VBS, I wanted to get some pictures of them in their new turtle-shirts from Gammy and Grampa.  The first picture turned out great except for Katie - she looks like she is quite UNcomfortable!

Like any normal mother, I thought I'd try to get her to smile.  Now she looks resolute.  No way Mom!!

 

Apparently I'm funnier than I think I am...Katrina and Courtney look like they are going to "split-a-gut" laughing, and Katie's starting to think maybe she'll join in.....

and we end up with this picture as the best of the bunch!  LOVE my girls!!

PA - part 2

The Saturday we were in T-town, PopPop bought tickets to the Classic Cars and Critters show.  I didn't take many pictures, but I did get pictures of the kiddos and their cousins riding horses. 

Courtney looked like she wasn't so sure about this riding-on-a-horse-thing, but she never cried, and stayed on willingly :)

Jack  - all smiles.  He also jabbered away the whole time he was riding :)

 

and there are no Katie/horse pictures because NO way was she getting on that horse!  LOL
  On to the next fun thing - some crafts...

we did see a few critters and some neat looking vintage autos, but I didn't get any pictures of those.  Too busy keeping track of kiddos :)

We were able to stop by Jaron's grandparents place and have a little visit.  They are such precious people, it's hard to see them age.  They have been faithful to leave us a Godly heritage!

enjoying the stream behind their home...

I so enjoyed the outdoors!  I love most summer weather in the north  :) 
  My MIL had her flowers  planted so prettily, as usual!  since vegetation is SO different between here and there, that was a real visual treat!

and we cooked out on PopPop's fireplace that he built!

and one last picture before 'hitting the road' to come back home!

Thanks for having us PopPop and Nana!  We love you and now we are expecting a visit.  soon!  :)

what a sister's date looks like....

an evening walk on the beach....

watching the moon rise.  we also saw quite a few dolphins gracefully breaking the surf.....

then to Wendy's to try out their new lemonade.  It was very watered down.

back to Angela's for 2 games of chinese-checkers. and now we need a tie-breaker :)

 Thanks Sis for a great night!