This day only happens once.

We have a kindergartner.

For the love of Pete...

Horribly behind in documenting the drama around here. We enjoyed 5 solid weeks of company and are just now coming up for air...but missing each and every person who came to visit already! Since seeing the last of the summer visitors out the door, I've been busy trying to convince the power company that they should leave our lights on - despite the fact that I've been paying someone else's power bill all summer. Also spent a chunk of this week playing the role of gullible housewife as a plumber all but sold me the farm with a very routine and very simple and very very expensive plumbing fix. And then there were the back to school haircuts and clothes shopping because apparently our children have been taking growth hormones all summer... As my mother would say, just staying busy with "another day of gracious living" which was always code for "things are so hectic that we are unable to tell our tails from our toes."

Gracious living around here for certain!

Family Fun Day

Note to self: never make "Family Fun Day" declarations until daily temperaments of the younger folk have been evaluated. Grace and Andy woke up on the wrong side of the palette today. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the string of nights that they have logged sleeping in the basement watching movies until 10pm. At any rate, Family Fun Day was supposed to start with church. Scott's pager had other plans. A couple of hours at the hospital and then take 2, the polo match at King Family Vineyards. I love this tradition. I hate that it starts at 1:30. It's almost as if they don't want screaming rambunctious kids under 5 at these sophisticated events. At any rate, we brought our (screaming and rambunctious) children and a lovely picnic and enjoyed 1 hour and 47 minutes of polo fun. It really was fun once we convinced the kids that we were having fun. The family on the blanket next to us brought their own (screaming and rambunctious) children and it didn't take long before everyone agreed to be new best friends in the "you try my juice box and I'll try yours" kind ofway. Kids need to try each other's juice like dogs need to sniff each other's...anyway.... naps were skipped but fun was had...Family Fun Day came to a glorious conclusion when Andy literally fell asleep in the hallway outside of his bedroom after brushing his teeth. Success.

Stomping the divets...or jumping on them. Whatever works.

Weber Visit

Cameron and the kids braved the drive to Charlottesville last week. We had the kind of week that makes you kind of appreciate certain aspects of polygamy...two mamas to smooch boo boo's and cycle kids through baths and wipe hineys and dole out "one more bite" orders...it was just so easy! Our kids play so well together and sweet baby Bo, our Godson, alternates smoothly between hanging with the big kids and treating us to big sloppy baby kisses. We went peach picking, made pizzas, slipped and slid, went swimming, and even exercised our free speech by writing on this hokey Charlottesville "Free Spirit Chalkboard" on the downtown mall. There were hourly rocket launches to the moon and multiple marriage proposals and a whole lot of planning about what the kids are going to ride first during our next trip to Disney together. We even gave Bo his first haircut and trimmed off his curls in the back...I did the cutting and the crying. Cameron and I logged our afternoon hours sipping champagne and searching for dream lake houses to purchase...like a fantasy football league for housewives. It was a wonderful week! We can't wait to get together again!

This can't be...

I took Grace and Andy to Meriwether Lewis Elementary School yesterday to register Grace for kindergarten. Talk about feeling like you're running someone else's errands! There is simply no way that my newborn baby girl could be old enough to go to kindergarten.

Shaggy Kids No More

Before...

After!

Where to start...

We've been treated to 19 days of solid back to back guests! We've had a ball. Give me a full house and I'll give you happy.

Grandpa Ern and Ms. Betty rolled in less than 24 hours after our July 4th crowd left...much to Grace and Andy's delight! We had a great four day weekend together. Grandpa Ern brought the kids a slippy slide...and that was pretty much our weekend. A whole lot of slippin' and slidin' with a little winery mixed in.

Grandpa Ern presented Scott with his amazing graduation gift: a gift card towards the purchase of a new fancy grill! Scott was so shocked! Thank you Dr. Don and Mrs. Sandra, Aunt Suzie, David Junior, Ashley, Aunt Jean and Uncle Wes, Martha Sue and Wes, Sweetie, Patty and Paul, and Grandpa Ern and Ms. Betty for working with me to make this happen!

Tour de France...Just Like Lance

Andy has a new hero: Lance Armstrong. I've been a bit interested (ok, obsessed) with Lance's return to Le Tour. Andy sat on my lap during a tour recap show this morning and bingo...he wanted a "wellow" Livestrong bracelet and pledged to spend the day on his "cycling" bike. I love this kid.

At last...the tooth fairy!

I'm not liking this one bit but my baby girl lost her very first tooth yesterday morning. Scott and I spent an hour searching for this little Tooth Fairy pillow, ironically given to Grace before she was born by Aunt Jennifer - the same Aunt Jennifer that was joining us for dinner. We found the pillow and tucked the tooth was safely in the little pocket and then endured 92 minutes of straight dialogue from Grace about how the Tooth Fairy does it. Naturally, Belle and Tinkerbell both play important roles in the process. Early (and I do mean early) we had the big annoucement that the fairy left $2 and took her tooth...and other than a few "poinkas" from the Fairy's wing, Grace didn't hear or see a thing.

Oh Boy!

Cousin Stacey, Uncle Jack, and Aunt Jenny stopped by our house last night for dinner and we jumped on the opportunity to start showering the new mama! We are so excited for Chris and Stacey...and I think Stacey was excited about mommyhood too until she was assaulted by six kids who were a little overly tired and a lot excited to see her! Seeing Stacey PREGNANT is just wonderful! My sweet cousin has the glow!