Welcome Fall!

This is absolutely my favorite time of year! I love FALL, and the season it brings. I am a little disappointed that Christmas trees are already up in stores... I just think they should not be out until after Thanksgiving! I remember as a child that was the "BIG" deal the Friday after Thanksgiving to go and look at all the Christmas stuff! It was so neat-- magically done overnight. I had the Little J with me in Kohl's last week and we were trying to explain Christmas trees to him, and all he wanted to do was touch the lights! It will be a fun time this year. I think for the first time ever we are going to get a ...... fake.....(YIKES, I said it!) tree. The little J's asthma may not withstand a live fir... so, his doctor suggested and this is one suggestion we will follow through on... HOWEVER, it will be a really nice FAKE tree with lots of lights!
Friday's have turned into football games galore! WHS is a young team (code for - not doing too well!) , but the Big J (#30) is still having lots of fun. It really makes me nervous, I can't tell you how happy I will be when we trade those uniforms for some basketball uniforms. B & the Little J love the games! Well, maybe the food, the snacks, the cheerleaders, and the big bands! It is a lot of entertainment for a small amount of money! Of course we like it better when they are home games, but we have traveled twice :-)

This was actually an away game and they were serving these really yummy blue shaved ice drinks. That would be Derek who let them get blue drinks at 9:15 on a Friday night! But hey, you only live once!

This was right before .... notice no blue!

This is the Big J's friend "N". Both B & M love her to death. She always lets them hang out with her for a little bit, and believe me that just makes their day! She is a very sweet girl!

Thursday we went to the MSC- an all day field trip! A perk of having M in my class is that we get to go together! It was quite a bit of fun. High tide made shelling hard, but we did get to see a turtle's nest, and a sea turtles rib bone (too bad for the turtle!). It was hot! Nothing like going to the beach and not being able to get your feet wet!

It was truly a perfect day!

If I had time, I could have just walked around all day shooting some great pictures. The beach is so relaxing, and the sun is just vibrant there!

The kids were amazed at the groves that separated the beach from the road. Some of my kids had never been to this particular beach... it is really a great place to visit! They even have showers!

We are finally hitting our groove. It has taken about six weeks to get schedules worked out and find out what works best for us. We are all doing well... we were a bit under the weather for a few days (we just all sort of passed it around) but after a thorough bleaching things seem to be getting back to normal. The weather is still really hot during the day, but we have been going out after 4 and it is somewhat cooler. The Little J loves to be outside!

Fall brings lots of lists... today we started on our Halloween lists, and that got us thinking about our Thanksgiving list... I think know we are staying home this year so we need to figure out what we are cooking and what we will be doing that weekend. My goal is to have most of the shopping done before that week. We have scheduled the Little J to have (minor) surgery that Tuesday, so we can be home with him for the rest of the week. I am sure that is what he is thinking too!

We are 2/3 through the first 9 weeks of school. If this pace keeps up, we will be finished before we even start. Talk about pulling up the brakes! Geesh... we have not had many "normal" weeks this year and we are cramming to get everything that we need done completed!

Strength will rise... we still keep singing that song! We are at peace with waiting for the brothers and feel like we will have some resolution once we close the Little J's adoption. I can deal with a plan, it is the unknowing that drives me a little stir crazy!

I am still reading Crazy Love and I tell you this book is such a good book for me right now. Doesn't it just work like that for you... when you need to hear or see God's amazing gifts to you he literally just lays them out! We are blessed!

If I haven't emailed you in awhile Mrs. P-- know that I am thinking about you! It is neat that the B is in 2nd grade so when I do read your school blog I can see what you are talking about! I know you are great over there. As it cools off even more we need to plan a Sunday afternoon picnic!

Have a great week!