Get AWAY!

We just got back from a wonderful weekend by ourselves. Well, it wasn't all by ourselves but it was without kids. We flew to Boston, got a really sweet car (a Fiat!), spent the day in Boston having coffee, eating out, Nate got a haircut in Harvard Square, walking around Cambridge, and talking. Then we headed towards the Cape and went to a fun Tapas restaurant for dinner (total bill was $35! - good prices there.) We stayed at a guesthouse that evening near the water. The next morning, we went out for breakfast where Nate got his bottomless pancakes at a local breakfast spot. He was very happy about that. Then we did some walking around Plymouth Rock and the town.

We then met up with my side of the family. My cousin Andrew was getting married in Plymouth and we combined our getaway with this wedding. It was the most beautiful location I have EVER been in for a wedding. A big beautiful white tent outside overlooking the harbor, gardens and Plymouth. This wedding was a huge "celebration" as the father of the bride announced. Andrew and Nicole have been dating for a very LONG time so we were celebrating for sure! We have never danced as much at a wedding as we did last night. My hips hurt today - Nate said it isn't the dancing but because I have had four children. I don't know.

Today we had breakfast with my cousins in a quaint cafe in Plymouth and laughed so much. We were sad to go home but SOO happy to see our kiddos. They were split up with some friends and my brother. We were so thankful to be able to do that. Pictures will be coming... but for now I must go to sleep.

Jack Donaldson

Last week, a family I would sat that I "know of" experienced their worst nightmare. I know the mom because she is a neighbor to a few of my friends in Vienna, used to attend my Bible study and works in a bookstore in town. Her kids go to a local Christian school with some of my friends. A horrible accident happened and her son was killed during our storms last Thursday. It has been a week now and I am so deeply affected by this and don't have the words tovsay how I feel. I left the service hopeful and missing Jack - the 12 year old fiesty boy from Vienna. Please please read this blog to meet Jack's beautiful mama Anna: aninchofgray.blogspot.com.

First Day of Kindergarten and 2nd Grade!

7:15 and we are ready to Rock-n-Roll! It is so much easier getting them ready this year because I have been doing it for 2 years now. Grace can do everything herself except for her hair.

Rita's first day of kindergarten - so precious. She was so excited and nervous and brave and ready to go! No tears by anyone!

Grace told me, "If you cry mama, I am outta there." She also did not want me to walk her to her room because she can "do it herself" now that she is in 2nd grade! Oh boy, way to break my heart.

The carpool crew - we come as a package to school. Sam wanted to wear the medal to school and don't be fooled... it is their "second breakfast" in their hands.


Grace is unpacking her backpack as if she has done this for years.
Rita putting away her things. That is another one of her teachers, Mrs Daum. It is so nice that they require the students to have a pair of sneakers at school. That way, they don't ruin their leather uniform shoes.

/> On the way out of the school, I peeked in on Rita and she was all nestled in her room and doing great. So thankful for the wonderful morning. We got rear ended pretty badly on the way to school that morning. We are all safe and I don't want that to overshadow Rita's wonderful first day of KINDERGARTEN! I told the lady that hit me that I couldn't discuss insurance because I had a "First day of school" to get to!

School Prep

This is Rita at her open house for kindergarten. This is her teacher, Mrs. Conner and two little girls in her class. It is so precious how kind and gentle the teacher is with them.

Rita talking to the bear puppet about her name.
Little ladies must get their nails done with mommy before school starts.

"Elephantastic Pink" is the color we picked out!

Big day coming up!!

Pool Party and Dinner

We just spent a evening celebrating my sister in law Alayna's birthday (both my sister in laws share a bday!) with family and some close friends at the pool. We had such a good time catching up and enjoying our 10 children at dinner. Jon and Brenda just adopted their third child after a SIX year wait and we enjoyed hearing about what that experience was like. The best part was that they told me about their "Homecoming" video on Youtube and I just LOVE adoption videos so I was ALL OVER THAT. A lot of people are doing this with adoptions these days (blogs and videos) but what is really neat is that Jon and Brenda don't have a blog or make a big fuss about things. I had to ask them if they had a video and she casually mentioned that a friend made them one and it is just PRECIOUS!

Click HERE to see it (about 3 minutes long).