2nd Grade

2nd grade started bright and early on Monday, August 24th.  The kids were kind of excited but kind of not ready to let summer go.  I felt the same way.  Not quite ready to give up summer but ready to get back in a routine. 

We got to school super early because we were checking out the new route to school.  It is about the same distance wise, but we are on a business interstate which is super busy at that time of day.  We made it with no problems and had time to take some pictures of the first day of school.

Both kids had great first days.  Both teachers seem really nice and I predict great years for both of them!

The first week of school is always exhausting.  Lindy was in bed every night at 8pm but I swear it was 9pm before she was asleep most of that week.  I had enjoyed sleeping in later during the summer too so 5:20am came awfully bright and early.   The first couple weeks are also easier because homework doesn’t start till after Labor Day.  We were tired but the kids could still play after school which was nice.

With school starting our weekday lives quieted down a bunch.  Nothing exciting happened during that week.  Saturday the 29th my boss and I had another yard sale.  Whatever didn’t sell was donated this time so I’m done with yard sales for awhile!  Saturday afternoon the family got to hang out with me at Macy’s.  They helped me with a work function.  They got to hand out cupcakes and sit and talk with people.  Will said it went a lot faster than he thought it would so I guess it wasn’t too bad!  Saturday night our neighborhood had a pool party.  They invited all members and the entire neighborhood.  We have every intention to join next summer so we thought we’d check it out.  It was a potluck so we brought some chicken.  We met our immediate next door neighbors as we were walking down there and found out they have a daughter turning 8 in September.  I had only ever seen the husband out mowing and was shocked to find out there was a kid living there!  We ended up sitting with them and we liked them.  We’ve still never seen the kid outside so they must stay inside a lot or be gone a lot.  She goes to school in Winston too so here are both living across the street from an elementary school and we are driving our kids to Winston.  Hopefully we can get to know them better since our kids are the same age.

A few pictures of the first day of school.

First day of school breakfast





Lindy and Mrs. Phelps

Lindy at her seat with her brand new CCTV.  It’s a magnifier and it projects the promethian board onto her screen.
Will and Mrs. Fala

My little March of Dimes worker at Macy’s!

Three weeks in August

I’m going full speed through August because not much really happened. 

The kids were done with camps and they hung with Drew every day.  We were still in full unpacking mode so most of our time was spent getting things put away and as much card board out of our house as possible.

Lindy had a few doctors’ appointments.  Actually both kids went to the pediatrician for the 8 year well visit on August 4th.  They are very healthy and we had no real issues to go over.  Will passed the hearing and vision tests.  Lindy gets to skip those since we see specialists for that.  They weighed in at a whopping 43lbs for Lindy and 36lb for Will.  They measured in at 3’ 8.25” for Lindy and 3’ 9” for Will.  I would have said they were the same height actually. 

On August 6th Lindy had her yearly hearing checkup.  One ear seemed just slightly worse but she said it was probably just variation in tests and called it no change.  She had ear molds made which was what I really wanted.   Her last ones were awful.  They left her hearing appointment and went to an ENT appointment.  Apparently it was a quick, 5 minute check up and everything was fine.  They had gotten wax out while making ear molds so he didn’t even have to dig that out.  Thankfully all appointments went well that week.  Saturday, the 8th, we checked out the car show in downtown Kernersville.  Ed and Jamie were there at a table for Bookmarks so we got to see them and we ate dinner with them.  

The second week included a welcome picnic at Tanglewood Park for new and moving pastors in our district.  Even though we moved in the district Drew was still considered new.  We had a yummy dinner, the kids got to play on the playground and we got to see some friends from our last church.  We enjoyed seeing Amy and Paul and we got to meet the new pastor at our old church.   On Thursday Drew took the kids and headed to Charlotte for a night with each of his parents.  They went to Mimo’s first.  Thursday afternoon they went to downtown Waxhaw and walked around.  They went to a playground, ate ice cream, and went to the bookstore Mimo volunteers at/helps run.  Friday morning they hung around Mimo’s house until after lunch when they headed to Grandbob’s and Suzette’s.  They headed to the park and Grandbob and Will played some tennis and Drew and Lindy played on the playground.  Saturday morning they got breakfast at Bojangles (or Bojanges as Lindy calls it) and headed to Reeds Gold Mine.  Last time we went they didn’t have the panning for gold part open so they wanted to try to find gold.  They each came home with tee tiny pieces of gold (that volunteers had to spot for them) but they were both happy.  They stayed for dinner and headed home that evening.

I stayed home to work, keep the animals and work on the house.  I managed to have some fun too.  I went out to eat and to dinner with Katie and then to the Honeybee Festival at the park across the street from our new house with Carina and Ted.  I worked hard on getting more things organized around the house.

Sunday my parents came over and set up the kids’ new trampoline they got for their birthday.  My parents worked hard out there.  But the kids are loving it so it was worth all that hard work! 

We squeezed in as much fun as possible the last week before school started.  We got family pictures taken – the most fun Drew and the kids had all week – ha.  Drew took the kids to Greensboro one afternoon to jump at Bumper Jumpers.  We had a buddy of Will’s from his class last year over to play on Thursday afternoon. 

Thursday night was open house at school.  We brought Luke back to open house with us and we met up with his parents.  We headed to see the kids’ teachers.  Lindy’s classroom is directly across from her vision teacher’s room so Lindy is in heaven.  We met both their teachers and we liked them both.  It is always exciting to see what friends they have in their classes.  It is so confusing to figure out who they know from their class or from the other one’s class.  Lindy has one boy in her class that she has been with for the third year.  They had a few switchers this year.  Like one boy Will had for two years, Lindy has now.  One girl Lindy has had for two years and this year she got her twin brother.   We talk about the streaks a bunch.  The family streak belongs to a boy named Ben who we’ve been in class with for 4 years.  Will had him in his last year of preschool, Lindy had him in kindergarten and Will’s had him again in 1st and 2nd grade. 

Friday we had dinner with friends in WS.  Before we met them we checked out a new art park in downtown that was pretty cool. 

We ate and then got a tour of a glass blowing studio.  They don’t actually do it in the summer so we got the backstage tour.  We want to go back sometime to see them in action.  Saturday night we had dinner with a friend of mine from high school and his family.  Their daughter is almost 8 and almost my height.  She wears my size shoes.  She and Lindy played well together.  They also have an almost 5 year old son.  Will was excited to have a boy to play with.   We had a great time and hopefully can see them more often.  We kept the fun going on Sunday by going to the Winston-Salem Open after church.  We have a professional tennis tournament come to town each August so we got tickets for the 3pm matches.  We watched a really good qualifying match and got dinner with our tickets.  Will loved it and watched the whole thing.  Lindy got a little bored and Drew walked around some with her.   We had a great last day of summer.

Practicing bike riding.  Whether they liked it or not!
Jumping on the new trampoline. 
Checking out the car show in downtown Kernersville
We made it into the local newspaper!
Will has gotten to start being an acolyte and he’s enjoying this job.
Jack celebrated another birthday in August.
Daddy at the park

With their gold from the gold mine.
Bouncing at Bumper Jumpers

Playing in the art park downtown



Trying out the equipment at the glass blowing studio



Watching tennis at the Winston-Salem Open

Southern Family Birthday Party

We brought the kids and dog home to the new house late Friday night.  In fact they fell asleep on the way home but they wanted us to wake them up to see the house.  They walked around quickly and then went straight to bed in their new, and separate rooms!  They slept good and woke up happy since they were having more birthday celebrations on Saturday, August 1st. 

Saturday morning we had a visit from our friend Cory.  He is from our old church and had birthday presents for the kids.  He got them Western Carolina University t –shirts – his alma mater.  Real funny!

Because we had moved one week before, there was no way we could have a birthday party at our house.  Thankfully the other Jamie offered to let us have a birthday party at their house.  We took her up on the offer.  The Southerns, Jamie’s parents, sister and nephew, and Ms. Martha from our old church, all came for dinner, cake and presents.  It was nice and simple and the kids had a good time. 

Mr. Cory!

Lindy messing with Aiden!
Sharing a Coke (can) with Sis!

Waiting for her party guests
Presents were chaotic this year.  They were flying through them!
Cake time!

Ms. Martha!  What a great picture!
Cousin Molly

Jennifer and Jack
Aunt Joan and Deirdre
GrandBob and Suzette
Aunt Jamie and Uncle Ed
Mimo

Lorrie and Richard

At the end of the party Ed and Jamie – well actually Molly – made an announcement – they are having a baby!  The newest Southern is on the way!!  We are excited for them – and excited it’s not us