Atley's 2nd Birthday Party

We celebrated Atley's birthday in Salem on Sept 17 with lots of family and Bubble Guppies :)!  We all had a great time and Atley was well celebrated!!

Pre party Bubble Guppy coloring pages

Nora pinning the tail on Molly

Atley's turn

She got a little help :)

Ready to blow out 2 candles

Cake!

Scout, Atley, Finley, Ethan, Nora- enjoying some snacks

Present time!

She love the tissue paper more than the gifts, I think.

Except for this purse from Finley!  She loved this :).

Atley takes on the piñata.  She's got a good swing for 2 years old!

Nice swing, Ethan!  Wrong way!

Nora's turn!

Candy!!

Atley (with her purse on), Ethan and Nora

Cousins are the best!
Caleb, Grant, Finley, Atley, Ethan, Nora, Scout, Haley, Katie

School Days

Part of what I love about Nora's school is how involved parents are.  We are scheduled to help out in the classroom monthly and I really get to know the other students and parents.  Sept. 16 was my first day in her classroom.

Counting with "apple seeds"

Classroom selfie

Trying to balance during recess time

Singing songs before it's time to go

Sept. 27
I spent most of the day at Ethan's school helping out with the 2nd grade Johnny Appleseed day.  I cut dozens of apple slices for an apple taste test.  It was a lot of fun to spend the day at his school.  And I even got to take him out to lunch, just the 2 of us!

Apple taste testing

Look at that smile :)

Subway lunch date!

Sept 29
Ethan's class took a field trip to the apple orchard (the same one Nora's class went to).  I wasn't able to go, but a friend sent me this picture :).

Field Trip with Nora

Sept 15
Nora's class went to a local apple orchard last month and Atley & I tagged along.  It was a lot of fun.  The kids learned all about how apples grow, how they pick them and wash them and also how apple cider is made.  We each got to pick 4 apples to bring home and have some delicious cider and donuts!

Nora's class

Picking the apples

My girls and I!

Watching them wash the apples

Enjoying her apple treats with Callynn and Mackenzie 

Atley got some too!

Prisoner Nora

Sweet Atley girl

Some Randoms

This spring, Ethan planted some vegetable seeds.  Only 2 were big enough to transplant outside, the pepper and tomato.  After a couple days, we thought they had both died only to see a little tomato sprout a week or so later.  Fast forward through the summer, we had tomatoes!
Sept. 11

So proud of these tomatoes! (But wouldn't even taste them)

Sept. 14
I snapped this picture while we were leaving one of Ethan's football games.

Not a care in the world for Miss Atley Jane :)

Sept. 21

I worked in the concession stand after Ethan's game one day.  This is what I saw when I looked out the window as we were cleaning up :).

Waiting on mommy

 Sept. 22
Atley told me she needed to potty, and she did!  (Just a one time thing so far)

Big girl!

Sept. 22

Ethan started Cub Scouts this year and was so excited when he got his uniform!

Ready for his meeting

Sept. 25

Atley had been too quiet for too long...this is what I found.  She had gotten into my nail polish!

"Me paintin!"

Sept. 25
First cool day at the bus stop for these kiddos!

Nora's First Day of School

Sept 7,8

Nora started her 2nd year of preschool last month and is loving it!  On Sept 7, she had a student orientation to see the classroom and meet her new teacher.

Nora and Mrs. Brown

Some first day pictures :)!

Nora D on her last 1st day of preschool

Can you tell they are sisters?! :)

Heading into school

Got her name tag and ready for class.

2015/2016

Saturday & Sunday

August 27 & 28
Saturday morning we went to Mahomet to see the band I am They.  It was a great concert!  Especially seeing the kids dance and sing along :).

Sunday after church we took the kids to Fuji, the Japanese Hibachi Grill.  Atley was not impressed with the fire.  Ethan and Nora loved it!

Atley's facial/body expressions through lunch.  She was much happier when she had food and the guy at the grill was gone!

Happy Ethan

Nora loved the "show" and the food.

Nora- through the fish tank :)

Phone Dump Catch-Up

Here's a little catch up for you since the start of school!

Aug. 20- We took a bike ride to Ethan's new school, Mt. Zion Grade and had a great time playing on the playground!

A quick stop for a water break

Climbing

Nora's trying out the climber too

Sweet Atley

Snack and water break in the shade

Later that day, the kids had a blast in a pop up rain shower!

Nora, Zach, Liz, Ethan

Aug 22

A little "then and now" for you. Still golfing in the yard (with foam balls ONLY!)

Sept 1 & 2
Birthday Month Girl :)