New season...

School has started and a routine has begun. I love routine, I love schedules, and plans and lists and the feeling of back to school; sorta like the feeling of the new year, where we set goals for our education, reflect on life and how to improve the "year". I love fall; the changing colors, the smells of crisp air, apples baking, pumpkins, etc. I love getting organized and feeling in control. I just love this time of year!!

Bryant started 2nd grade and has a lot of friends from last year in his class and he is just loving it! He brings home a book a night, his teacher stated that would be his routine homework each night and anything else he might not finish during class. He has met some new kids in the neighborhood that he is enjoying playing with. They are into legos just as much as he is. I do need to get him in a sport (we missed football, it was totally my fault), so we'll see if wrestling is the thing again this year.

Kayelynn started kindergarten and has done rather well so far. She is our shy little one so she wanted to be walked to the door of her classroom the first day. She asked if I could ride the bus with her after school because she thought there would be no one she knows (there are two girls in the neighborhood in her class, silly girl). She is making friends relatively fast for a shy one, I'm impressed. It's so nerve wracking to see them struggle socially, but she is doing much better than anticipated.

Sarah started preschool (a different one than last year) and LOVES it! There are many friends from church in her class and she is just miss chatterbox and social butterfly that there is really no fear in her socially. The only disadvantage is that its only 3 days a week, she would do so well at a daily preschool (there just isn't anything like that here.)

Lydia is POTTY TRAINED!!! My life has changed so much, one child in diapers?!!! It's awesome! She is so proud of herself and I am just in awe that my mother in law could get her trained so well and so fast just before school started. She likes the idea of being home with just Emily and mom, but constantly asks where the bigger kids are when school is in session.

Emily has two teeth, is crawling around. She is trying to stand solo and "walk". You know, I"m actually okay with the thought of her walking at an early age (whether or not she does will prove itself soon enough)...she will be able to follow me and be by me still, but I assume she will realize that it will be more fun to play with the bigger kids instead of crying on my pant leg during those times that I need both hands. She is slowly getting happier for longer periods of time, we still stuggle with getting the house cleaned more than once a week and the laundry folded after its been washed, but I can make dinner now and have something better than a 2 minute sanwich created in such a rush that the peanut butter is spillin out. She still struggles with daytime naps, but I'm almost convinced that it could just be a personality thing...again, this early walking idea has it's perks.

Jake started another semester for prerequisites and describes it as "stressful". He works full time, school part time, daddy/husband full time, and tries his hardest to keep up on the honey-do list to make my days that much better. He is in a time of major sacrifice and we are grateful for his willingness.

I have volunteered to help on the PTO for the year (I know, I can't even keep a clean house, why would I do this...I. have. no. idea.) I am helping with the games for our fall carnival (we don't have a Halloween one) so if you know of any great games send the ideas my way! I have started baking again and am loving every minute, I could seriously spend all day in the kitchen creating new treats and dinners and such...or down in my craft room scrapbooking, card making, organizing, and learning how to sew.

Life is good. There is a roof over our head. We are all learning and growing. We have many friends. We have dreams that are coming to pass and we have a family unit that is growing closer and closer each day. What a great thing to know that our family is going to be together forever!!