Little Bit Of Everything….

Ryan and I have decided to finally become official members at Bethel Church and take the required classes for membership. We attended the Sunday School kick off service for the boys.

Easton, not wanting Nolan to be in the picture!

I went to an antique store in Afton and found this oil lamp. It reminds me of my grandma. 

 This is an older picture of how cute and excited Easton was when he got his big boy bed…..

So the question now is why does he sleep everywhere but his bed? 

Nolan his following his trend...

He build a nest on our bed one night and then was mad at me in the morning for breaking it. He told me I'm always breaking the things he builds.

Spencer has had a lot of "middle school" attitude lately. The kind where we can't tell him how things are going to go, he's going to tell us. I must have pulled on his heart strings a little because it wasn't long after he had gone to bed that he made me this card.

Nolan picked this out for Josie.

She's still in her chewing everything up phase. She's managed to eat all 10 of my mini pumpkin decorations. It's been frustrating though…. one night while I ran outside quick she managed to eat over 1/2 of our dinner by grabbing meatballs out of the pan on the stove! I'm hoping this phase passes quickly.

It's a good thing your cute… now get off the couch! 

This is the best picture I could get of Nolan. It's strange just having him home a couple of days a week. I took him to the Y with me and we stopped at wiggles and giggles in the gym for a bit. Walking in and out of the gym with just 1 kid is so different and so much easier. There isn't anyone to bug Nolan and make him whine or cry. There isn't anyone else begging for attention I simply get to focus on him. The down side to it: Nolan LOVES to talk and I'm the only one he has left to talk to. If he wants to play a game I'm his only option. We love having Nolan and mommy days though.

Spencer asked us to join him for lunch one day. This year it works out perfect. Easton comes in for lunch first and half way through Spencer comes in for lunch. So we all get to have lunch together. I was worried that Easton would be sad when it was time to leave or cry when he had to go. I told him if he cried I wouldn't be able to come eat with him anymore. He did great though and was happy to walk back to class with his friends.

Easton is loving school. Unlike Spencer he fills me in on his day. Apparently there are 2 naughty cousins in his class. He like doing his homework and takes it very seriously. He actually told me to be quiet because he needed to focus.

This one however it's like pulling teeth to get him to read, do homework or sit for 2 minutes to go through his spelling words. After my mom's comment to me about when I would bring home spelling words, she can relate.

We did a quick trip to the apple orchard. 

There was a time when I would dress my kids all cute to match the event that we were doing. They didn't argue over what shirt they were wearing or if I made them wear pants. I miss those days…..

Here we are picking apples when they were little.

Here they are today. Spencer in a muscle shirt, Easton in his soccer uniform and Nolan in his play clothes. But they're happy so that's all that matters. 

We brought Evan and Kenley along to spend the day with us. 

They did a great job picking. 

We survived family picture day! Can't wait to see how they turned out. 

You gotta love little boy fashion. Both the socks and shoes are too big for them. We were on our way out to breakfast since the older boys had a late start that day.

It's fun spending a little extra time with them in the morning when they have late start.

After breakfast we stopped at Target and picked out some halloween stuff for our annual party. The boys want me to get plates like this.

Spencer and Nolan are both going as the same thing for halloween. Here's Spencer in his wig. Some think he looks like Heather.

The weather was wonderful this weekend so we attempted pizza on the grill for the first time. 

It was Spencer's turn to be goalie for his 3 on 3 league. Ryan took to him to the store and the boys shot pucks at him to practice in the shooting lane.

It was finally game time. I will admit I do not make a good mom to a goalie. I would get mad when the other teams parents cheered when they scored. I held my breath as they got closer to the net. It was the longest game of my life. Sadly Spencer really likes being goalie. Hopefully this is a phase that will soon pass! It probably will, Ryan says "no goalies in this house!"

Part of why Spencer likes it is because the team congratulates and hugs him after the game.

Spencer was tired before one of his games so he did some push-ups in the parking lot to get ready and wake up!

I will leave you with two videos….

Here is a new trick Nolan learned: 

The first one is of Nolan and Easton playing soccer this weekend. Nolan has the ball first and then Easton:

Back To School!

I had one last outing with all 3 boys before school officially started. We joined friends at the water park. It was a chilly day but that didn't stop our kids from swimming. 

Easton got stuck in the cooler looking for a snack. Before I rescued him I snapped a picture.

Just like that our day and summer was over. We had a busy but great summer together. As the boys get older our summer activities change but one thing remains the same and that's the fun time we have spending our days together (well most of them are fun)!

Here's a look back…..

Starting Kindergarten:

Starting 1st Grade:

Starting 2nd Grade:

Tuesday, Sept 1st was Spencer's first day of school. We always have to take our annual first day of school pictures.

Spencer and Sam are ready to go. 

The bus stop….

Easton was asleep the whole time Spencer was up getting ready and got on the bus. Nolan was in a trance watching a movie on his iPad. I don't think he moved from this position for at least 20 minutes.

Grandpa John and Grandma Julie sent a first day of school care package. 

Wednesday, Sept 2nd it was Nolan's turn to start school! 

Jake will be joining Nolan at his preschool this year.

The little boys were excited to go! 

Outside his room. 

Easton had Miss Cindy last year and we loved her. 

He's getting so big! 

Here are Nolan's preschool pictures. 

Look at those bruised legs!

And a scab by his eye...

With Nolan and Spencer gone that left one last day for Easton and I to hang. I made the mistake and asked him what was the one thing he wanted to do before starting school. He wanted to go to the Mall of America and go on rides. After that I couldn't say no.

We picked out a special dog cookie for Josie. 

Finally the day Easton had been waiting for all week was here. It was his turn to go to school! He was beyond excited that morning. He was ready to get on the bus with Spencer and head off to kindergarten.

Amanda our neighbor even made 2 chalk signs for Easton! 

The brothers were excited for Easton. 

New back pack!

The bus driver told us he had 22 new kindergartners starting that day. 

Getting on the bus for the first time

He couldn't be any happier or proud!

Just like with Spencer we surprised Easton at school for when he got off the bus. He seemed a little annoyed that we were there as he was ready to do this on his own. I've waited for this day for a long time. Every time Easton and I would go head to head I would think "someday you will be in school and I can't wait." But when the day actually came I had a pit in my stomach and I missed the stubborn Easton. I know he's having fun and loves his teacher. 

Easton and his teacher Mrs. Sexe

So what did I do on my first day without kids? I got a tattoo! I had one that I had wanted for awhile now and over the last month had finally decided where I wanted it. When I went in to get it done they told me it probably wouldn't work. So while I waited for my appointment I looked through the other tattoos I had put aside as ones that I liked and came up with 3 arrows. At first he drew up 3 big elabroate arrows. So I drew him a picture of what I was thinking…..

It hurt but not as much as I was thinking it would….

The finished result. I love it! 

Ryan had some work to do after hours at the store. He brought along a helper. 

You never know who your going to find looking in your windows! 

Our teacher lounge makeover made it in the paper. 

Snuggling before bed with dad.

We went to our first Hudson football game. The kids like running around and seeing their friends. Nolan likes to visit the snack stand.

Nolan and I went for a bike ride one morning. 

We also tried on part of his Halloween costume. Wouldn't he make a cute girl?! I had to make it black and white or the color of his hair might give his costume away! He will tell you though if you ask him.

Ryan and I celebrated our 12th anniversary on Sept 6

We watched our wedding video and since this is the part of the wedding everyone remembers the most I thought I would share.

Nolan brought home the flu from Auntie's house. Thanks Hadley…. Poor guy was down and out. The odd part was every time he got sick he would ask if he could eat something. It didn't last long.

I helped the kindergartners get through the lunch line one day. It was fun to see Easton at school. 

This is Easton's new friend Luke. 

Easton did part of his homework… 

It seems that if the kids get sick I typically get what they had so I was hit with the nasty flu bug. Ryan had to attend a meeting at work so he had to bring Nolan with him to work one morning.

I think he was helpful in making very important Target decisions. Some of the girls played dictionary and tic tac toe with him while Ryan was in a couple of meetings.

It was cold on Friday so these 3 snuck in to watch a movie. 

Soccer started this weekend. Easton and Nolan are only 18 months apart even though it feels like a lot more it puts them in the same age bracket for soccer. They are on the same team. At first Easton was ticked he was playing on Nolan's team. Then he realized he could dominate the field a little and now likes being the older one on the team.

Nolan was pumped and ready to play! 

Here's a video of Nolan and Easton. 

Spencer also picked to play soccer over flag football this fall. He's actually a really good little soccer player.

While running down the field with the ball he lost his shoe but kept going and even scored a goal.

This weekend we had our annual cul-de-sac olympics. We started by gathering and playing a game of kick ball. Followed by a card throwing contest, marshmallow golf and tug a war.

Spencer didn't want to take off his soccer uniform, including his shinguards. Easton didn't end up taking his off until after 9:00 pm! He wanted to wear them all day!

Today we went to church for the sunday school kick off picnic. They had a picnic lunch of walking tacos, inflatables for the kids to jump in and games with prizes. We really do like our church. This coming week we will start attending the new members class. Easton was pouting Nolan was in the picture.

It's football Sunday! Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend and week.

We went to a neighbor's house after our neighborhood olympics for a grill out, movie night and so the kids could play. Every year they paint a football field on their backyard lawn, the kids loved it, and even the dads played!