Random

How we do Costco.

Would not nap...until the second I picked him up. 

Bro love.

Cash can not resist not getting in the bath with Tripp.

Just cause.

First trip to the trail.

Back to School

This year is one of two years that I have all three boys in the same school! I had been gearing up for Kinder drop off for Cash for like a year. Seriously. For so long, he was our baby. And we thought he would always be the baby! Even though we actually had a baby, it did not make that drop off any easier for this mama heart. What did make it easier is knowing how familiar Cash was with the school. He knew so many kids there already through sports and Eli and Owen. And he already knew his teacher. Mrs. Nobbe was Eli and Owen's kinder teacher and she and I have become friends. In fact, she came to our house to bring cookies and a baby gift over the summer, so he had a leg up going into the first day of school already!

He was surprisingly more confident going in that I thought he would be.

All three boys hit the jackpot with their teaches this year. They all got exactly what they needed. Owens teacher, Mrs. Blake, is sweet and kind and very loving. Eli's teacher is extremely organized, strict and to the point. If someone had asked me to pick the type of teacher they needed this year I would not have picked these traits, but it was exactly what they needed this year!

He had a great first day! He shot me a thumbs up on the way out of school! 

Eli's best friend, Ty, came to Kiker in the first grade and we have taken a picture in front of the marquee every year since on the first day of school! Ty was actually sick on the first day, so we recreated the picture on day 2.

We ended our first week of school with a stomach bug, but it did not last long, and Cash was ready for week 2...kinda. Because I am writing this post to late in the semester, because, well, life got busy, I can say that he asks why he has to go to school almost daily. I have to talk him up almost every morning at drop off to go in with no tears. He is doing AMAZING and just dominating kindergarten. But my little buddy still just wants to be home with me. I am hoping his sweet, cuddly nature sticks as he gets older!

Owen Turns 8 and Cash turns 6

We decided to celebrate these two dudes together this year with a joint party once again in the front yard.

We invited friends and neighbors, had a slip and slide and a snow cone truck and had a grand ole time! It was a great way to end the summer.

Owen Went To CYJ

Back in the Spring when we were talking about what we all wanted to do this summer, Owen mentioned that he may want to try out a sleep away camp. I was so impressed and shocked. Eli was not on board with this idea! I checked in with Owen over and over again before sending in the payment to make sure he was really going to do this.

At CYJ (where Ethan worked for 6 or so years) they were having a mini session for the first time this summer. It seemed like the perfect amount of time. So I signed him up!

We talked about it a lot leading up to it, and Owen and I had a special day out shopping for everything he needed. I have not had a lot of one on one time with the boys lately, so this felt super special for me. 

I was pretty nervous for him, and worried about how he would react when we dropped him off. He told me that he was more nervous than excited in the days before drop off. 

He was silent on the 45 minute ride there. After we got there and got him all checked in he seemed mostly ready to go, he was still pretty quiet but he seemed ok. Blaine had to work the morning of the drop off, so my mom came with me. This kid-he did not know a single person, and had never been to the camp before. As cheesy as it sounds, I was so darn proud of him for going on his own and bring so brave.

It was only a two night/3 day session but it was the longest weekend EVER. I was just so worried about Owen, hoping he was having a blast and could not wait to see that sweet face again!

Sunday morning we left earlier than we needed to, I think we were equally anxious to see Owen that we were out the door early. 

We got to the camp and finally had Owen back! We stayed for a little end of session ceremony and then Owen took us to his bunk and showed us around the camp. 

 After we got there and gave him some pretty tight squeezes, he got a little teary because he missed us so much. He was so happy to see us. And his brothers were so happy to see him!

He definitely walked out of that camp with a little more confidence! Heres to hoping he goes back!

Port A 2018

We took our annual trip to Port A again this year. I really just love this time with my family. I look forward to it all year long. If you would have told me last year that when we came back this year that I would have a baby, I would have laughed in your face and told you you were crazy. But here we are! 

We got to the house and hit the pool....we spent a lot of time in the pool. It was so nice that all three big boys are strong swimmers!

Friday morning, all the guys went on their annual fishing trip, and woke up early and hit up the beach. Not gonna lie, after taking all 4 boys to the beach by myself, I decided that was the first and last time!

But we were able to have a lot more beach time with everyone there together!

Saturday morning the little boys went on their fishing trip. Fish were caught by all! I did not go on the fishing trip with the boys this year so I could stay back with Tripp, but Hobo snapped a few pictures for me out on the boat. Hobo even  caught a shark!

I love all the time we spend at the beach, but even more so, I love the time we all spend together at the house, being lazy, cooking, playing games, watching movies.....

Of course we made our usual trip to the candy store, and went down to the beach each night. We shot rockets, played tag, and of course did some crab hunting.

And this. These pictures make me so darn happy!!!

 I am so lucky.