We packed it in the last 2 weeks of summer before school started. We hit the aquarium, the zoo, Braves game, parks, and different pools with friends. In some ways summer seemed to fly by, and at other times it felt like the longest 3 months of my life. I think the hardest part was being tethered to the house for Pierce’s nap schedule. Each summer should get easier as the naps decrease and kids all become swimmers…or at least, stronger swimmers.
Our favorite part of the month though probably had to be couples weekend up at Lake Burton. There were 5 couples total, our closest friends from church. Since we had all been so scattered with travel this summer, we really hadn’t been able to get the whole group together. So it was that much sweeter/anticipated/relationship strengthening. We all have each other’s back, and we all are becoming closer. Plus, as I’ve mentioned before, everyone is seriously funny.
Those are virgin margaritas to accompany our Mexican food by the way. Oh, almost forgot, I had a pretty bad wakeboard accident that weekend (we laugh about it now, because I was literally screaming my head off). I ended up going to the ER up in Clayton to get my knee and ankle checked out. No broken bones, and they said I didn’t tear anything, but a month later my ankle is still not the same. Been doing a lot of swimming at the YMCA, still can’t run on it!
Now it has been 3 weeks, and I honestly LOVE her teacher. I would never trade her. She is so kind hearted and she knows how to challenge Taylor. She set Taylor up on Accelerated Reader and she already has earned more points than any 1st or 2nd grader in the school. Taylor routinely helps the teacher check other students’ math work, and reads aloud to the class often. Taylor adores her, and I find myself searching for flavored popcorn (Ms. O’s favorite snack) everywhere I go.
Both Jack and Tay also got their best friend in their cla
And it was the month of babies! Baby Davina here at Stoney River with proud parents and good friends Manoj and Daveesha. She is beautiful, but how could she not be??
Then I was able to sneak away and bring lunch to a good friend who just had her 5th boy! We are the same age—Alicia is amazing.
Aunt Hannah’s baby shower—preparing for honeymoon baby girl—Isabel!
Jackson is doing well, playing basketball 2 nights a week at a community center in the hood :-) And also playing on a YMCA soccer team - games start this weekend. Quick story pertaining to him: So when we lived in Chicago my visiting teacher was a girl my age named Liesl Shurtliff. She would tell me that her hobby was writing and that she was working on a book called “Rump” based on Rumplestiltskin. Anyways, fast forward 5 years and Jackson is getting off the bus last week and I ask a bunch of questions but one is “So what book is your teacher reading to you guys?” To which he replied “Rump.” I stopped dead and said “Who is the author????” He had no I idea, so I got eye level and slowly asked “Is it Liesl Shurtliff?” To which he cried “YES!” I ran inside and emailed her to tell her how happy/proud I was of her and before we knew it we had a Skype session with the entire 3rd grade set up!
So fun...Afterwards when all the students were exiting the cafeteria, Jackson ran up and gave me a hug. Made it all worth it.
Then Miss Tay. She started gymnastics and soccer and has recently developed a love for mythology. Grammy and Granddad have been given a specific list of gods/goddess figurines from Greece (they are there now) that she would like upon their return. Because of all the reading she is doing, she is starting to have a way with words, expressing herself better than really I even can. Yesterday morning she floated into the living room declaring “I am a vision of energy!”
Loves her brothers, and always shares her apples (her favorite food) with Pierce. Oh and this is funny, so somehow Taylor has become close friends with this girl in her class who only speaks Spanish, so Taylor is determined to learn Spanish and teach Andreina English. Anyways, after begging for days for a play date with her new friend, I had Scott write an email to her mom in Spanish and invite her. That weekend the whole family came over and told us (Scott translated for me), that they moved from Venezuela 25 days ago! And they knew nobody and were completely overwhelmed. Scott spent and hour answering all of their questions. They were sooo appreciative and even brought us cookies. Grateful we were able to help in this way, an experience we would not have gotten at private school—one way to spin it! And the girls love each other, and play beautifully even though they can’t speak to each other.
Grant man’s school doesn’t start until September, so we got some quality time without the big kids.
He even got to have a couple of special days up at the lake with just Grammy and Granddad—Jeff joined for a night too.
He is finally not scared of Habachii, a family favorite.
Tiny Town frequent flier! “I was crushing” (in a deep voice)
Sandy Springs Ward Primary activity. Scavenger hunt ending at the temple.
And Pierce turned 1!!!!!!!!!! Happy and sad :-) He got to work right away on his smash cake/cupcake!
Being silly switching car seats.
Smash cake smash face!
Then, despite not being in Italy, Scotty and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. I posted this picture from when we were 17, I’ll post it here again for you non-facebook users.
We celebrated by going to the temple, to honor and remember the covenants we made there, and for fun, we even wore the same clothes we did on our wedding day! Check out 2005 and then 2015 (minus the fanfare)!!
Scotty’s case is wrap
We went to a funeral for a man, Grant Sharp, from church who was 68, married with 6 kids and 26 grandkids. He had a massive heart attack while driving on 400. He was somewhat of a patriarch to our whole ward. The service was packed and so inspiring. Because of their deep faith that they will be with him again, the family seems to be doing quite well. One theme that continued to surface in the tributes given by his children was that he is a man who loved the scriptures, the temple, Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ.
He would arise at 5am to have a full hour in scripture reading, pondering, and praying. And they all testified because of that hour, he was transformed into a true disciple of Christ. So like I said, I was inspired. I have been trying to be very disciplined to get in bed in the 9s and up in the early 5s so I can have that same sacred/uninterrupted time with the Lord. I hope I can make this a habit, because I feel so much more directed, peaceful, and Christ-focused when I do it.
On that preachy note, I’ll let you go until next time!
Love,
TFK
