Celie’s 2!

Have a cupcake!

Well, it looks like she enjoyed more than one.

At least she started out the day looking sweet at church with Grandpa and Maizie while mommy and daddy were coming home from the beach. (don’t be fooled, she did NOT act sweet at church, we just try to master the “looking” sweet part)

Here she is looking too cool for a photo shoot with her brothers. I am sure this is a sign of what’s to come!

Here they all are loving playing with the castle she got for her birthday from Granny.

Well, she knows how to blow out the candle that’s for sure. She says she is 2 if you ask her, but holds up 3 fingers.

I can’t believe my baby is really 2 years old! I know I am in denial, but I really thought she can’t be turning 2, it must be 1 right? Well, I am also in denial that I am getting any older too, so I guess that makes sense. She is 2 going on 12, which I fear for that day! I am so incredibly sad, yet happy to be done with so many of the “baby” stages. she talks a mile a minute, she’s not potty trained, she has already had stitches, she has started school, she already has a say over which shoes she wants to wear........so grown up and so fast. I want to slow it down just a little bit. Even with all of her tantrums, she getting more fun everyday! I want to squeeze her to death.......so cute! Love you tons Celie!

Athens Triathlon

So last weekend we did our final triathlon (that we were currently signed up for) of the season. I say no more, but we shall see. We are always looking for an excuse to get back to Athens, so we were early to sign up for this one since last year it was sold out and since we have such a great place to stay. Thanks Parker and Kelly! So we had not planned on taking the boys, but Kelly and Parker promised they would take care of them the whole time and we would not have to worry about them. Well, they took them to go have their picture made with Russ, Georgia’s mascot this year and then to the pool to play and eat dinner. Of course they had frozen yogurt for desert and off to bed. We didn’t even see them again until after our race at the park. They had a blast and were worn out! We got to walk around downtown (I can’t remember the last time I got to do that) during the day, took a tour of our course for the next day (which really psyched me out) and then went and ate our pasta dinner with the Benich’s, Marshall’s and a couple friend of Beau and Kriya’s from South Carolina. We had lots of fun and I sure was glad when the race was over!

Mason and Buie with Russ (not Uga)

Crawford (a year younger the Mason!), Mason, Caddie and Buie at Sanford Stadium

Kriya and I, so glad to be done. We were so nervous for all the “rolling” hills

Chris and the boys

Chris got an award yet again and Coach Dooley was handing them out.

Argh! This was something else, but Chris got second.

It’s rare for the boys to come to our race, so it was so special to have them there at the end. Thanks again Parker and Kelly for that you did to make this weekend so much fun.

1st day of Kindergarten

Well, my baby is off to his 1st day of kindergarten! I feel like I have talked about this day since he was born and can’t believe it is here! Makes me very sad, because it is such a major milestone of letting them go and letting them become a little more independent. Mason was so ready and so excited that it helped me a little bit. (I can hardly see the keyboard for the tears in my eyes). Thank the Lord that Mason is our first child, because if this had been Buie, this morning would have been a whole different story. If you know Buie, you know what I mean. To be honest, this morning happened so fast. From the 6:30 alarm, to getting dressed, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, packing lunch, and out the door to walk to the bus stop.......we took a couple of pictures and the bus came and swooped him away. I didn’t cry when he left, I didn’t want him or anyone else for that matter to see me, but it was one of the hardest things I have had to do as a mother. I can’t wait until he gets home so I can hear how his day goes. I just pray he never gets picked on or does the picking either. Way to go Mason, we LOVE you and are so proud of how brave you were this morning. You have no idea what a big deal it is to be going off to Kindergarten and on a bus!

He was very excited

Here are the other kids at our stop that he will be riding with each morning. The girl 2nd from the left is another one in kindergarten.

Ooo, here comes the bus!

Still has the sleepy eyes and still trying to finish his breakfast.

Time to be a big kid!

good luck Mason!

And away he goes......

1st day of school cont’d........

Next up was Buie, now I was a little more worried about how he would do vs. Mason. Mason I was sad to see him go off in that BIG bus all alone, but Buie just gets so worked up about going to school. He really hates it and usually cries at drop off. Still!

So we start off the morning with him crying to me that he does not want to go and for some reason I don;t have much sympathy for him, probably I had already cried over Mason that day that my sympathy emotions were all dried up. Once he saw he had a new toy for starting school he forgot about going to school until we were pulling into the parking lot and then he started up all over again. Some how Chris got him in the school with out tears and he just kept telling him he had to be the BIG brother and show Celie how to do it and to not cry so she wouldn’t be scared. Also, we are the snack family for the week and he is the line leader all week because of that, so I tried to emphasize that as well and that he had big responsibilities and he needed to take Ms. Sue the snack bag and before he could turn around I was gone! Cruel or not the “proper” way to drop off your children, but if you know Buie, it’s best to make it short and sweet.

Celie’s first day of school is not until tomorrow, but she thought it was today and cried and threw herself on the floor when I told her we had to leave and that she could not stay and play.

Chris walking Buie in to school.

He was so happy to see me when we picked him up, but Celie again was mad as a hornet and wanted to stay and play.

So proud of you Buie for being such a big boy and not crying today!

Finally Mason got home from school! I was so anxious all day to see how it went. It was a long day, the bus picked him up at 7am and dropped him off close to 3pm. Here he is waving to Mr. Bud.

I was sooooo happy to see him get off the bus. One of my biggest fears was to be waiting for him and he never get off. Afraid he would get on the wrong bus to come home, but that’s what that thing around his neck is for, so all the teachers know what bus he gets on. So organized.

He and Kayleigh sat next to each other on the way home he told me.

Buie was very excited for Mason to get home

To round out our busy first day of school, we went up to Paper Mill Village to eat dinner at the food trucks. Very cute concept, just next time they need more trucks. They ran out of food, thankfully after we got ours.

The Benich family enjoying their dinner.

Mason instantly found a friend, but I think it was by default. They had the exact same outfit on and short, same colored hair. His name is Jack and he goes to Sope Creek and he is in first grade and I use to take Body Pump classes from his mom. It’s a small world out.

Meet & Greet

So today we got to go meet all of our teachers before school starts. It helps ease some of the stress of the first few days of school. The kids get to go meet their teachers, see their classroom and meet some of their new friends. It also helps the parents see where your child will be and who they will be talking about when they come home each day.

So Mason will be starting Kindergarten this year (boohoo) and so it was our first meet & greet at Sope Creek Elementary. Boy was it over whelming! I wish I had had someone there to hold me hand and show me where we needed to go and what we needed to sign up for and what all was going on. I guess my whole life I have had someone hold me hand one way or another and now it is my turn to hold my kids hands and show them how to do it. Actually I was so lost in there, Mason said mom we go that way to get out and I said no follow me, but sure enough he was right! I don’t think he will have a problem at all!

I was so over whelmed inside filling out so much paper work that I forgot to take any pictures of him in his classroom and of his teachers, but I got one as we were leaving.

Here we are at 6:50 AM!!! Getting ready to get on the bus to do a trial run to the school and back. Can you see how excited he was? It will be a rough transition for all of to go to bed earlier and get up earlier. Chris and I may have to take shifts since I do most of my work late at night.

Looking all around and taking it all in.

Here is Mr Bud, Mason’s bus driver. He was very nice and he makes the little ones sit up front so he cam keep an eye on them.

Now on to Mt. Bethel Preschool...

Buie, fortunately got Mason’s teachers from last year. Knowing how much Buie hates school, I am thinking this might help with the transition this year. We will see....

Ms. Martha and Ms. Sue

Mason had to show Buie the way and then he got the hang of it.

Buie had to draw a picture of himself.......not sure what it looked like. (but not very much like a little boy)

On to Celie’s class....

She was no afraid to play with anything, which is what I was afraid of. I warned her teachers of her behavior and wished them the best of luck. Here she is playing with an older sister of someone in her class. She kept trying to take toys from her. I hope her teachers can whip her into shape.

Acting like she knows what she is doing!

She wanted to hold her own bag, unlike her brothers at her age.

Group shot leaving Mt Bethel.

She was pouting, because she did not want to leave. Very much not like her brothers, so we are hoping she will love school!

Jacksonville Triathlon #3

Well, the third times the charm for Chris. He won his division again., what he calls “fat boy”, but he is no where near fat. He’s just a big boy. I on the other hand did not win my race, but I finished and did not walk, which is always a goal of mine.

We could not find any one to go with us this trip, so we went alone and therefore had no one to take any pictures. So there are none of the actual race, just a few after.

Self photo, waiting for Chris’ award.

Here he is the winner for the third time in a row.

Now here is his award for winning the series, since he won 1st all 3 races.

There is no picture to prove this, but I actually got an award! My first one and no proof. Since I did the series as well and did moderately okay and clearly not all the same people showed up for all 3 races, I placed 2nd in my age group. What? Yep, I sure did, but CHris and I were walking around the tent shops waiting for his last award and we heard my name called, but I was too far away to make it up to the stage and get a picture. Oh well, I guess it pays off to be consistent. ( I do have the award to show for it)

Day at Fernbank exploring

Ragan, Kriya and I (along with Kriya's mom) took all the kiddos (minus Celie) to Fernbank for some continuing education during the summer months!! The kids had a blast running around and playing. It was very cute, but I think we will get much ore out of it in a couple of years.

Mason trying to blow a huge bubble

Buie, Maggie and Mason look like some fierce dinosaurs.

What a Motley Crew!