Homework

Kinsey's homework assignment this weekend was to cook something with apples and bring the recipe to school. We chose an easy cookie dough apple cobbler and although it turned out very pretty, she was not very impressed. She's definitely a cookies and ice cream kind of girl!

Blackout or blowout???

Ah,to be able to return to the days of being undefeated, the taste of that perfect season still on the tip of your tongue. But then again, it IS just a game, although it was hard to swallow Saturday night as the Dawgs blew it in the first half again the Crimson Tide.




More importantly, we had a great weekend with family in town. Mom and Dad came down Friday night and Laura and Thomas came Saturday morning (poor Paul was sick for the second weekend in a row). After barely breaking 30 minutes in my 3rd 5K race, but nonetheless setting my personal best, we headed over to the intermural fields for a great tailgate where the Griners met up with us for snacks, burgers and a yummy "Bulldog Cake" thanks to Nan and The Daily deli.



The kids all had a great time playing cornhole, football and especially eating.









Max really embraced his "inner-man" and got into the whole tailgating thing. He sat in his tiny Georgia chair just chilling most of the afternoon!




Jack was so excited we got to take our new generator that my parents gave him. He took his blender and made some nice libations for both the kids and the adults.

This morning, after a great mental struggle, I finally got out of bed to meet my running gang for our 6-mile hilly run. We are supposedly training for a half marathon in Atlanta in November, although my chicken-self still hasn't committed and registered.

I'm looking forward to this week going by, as we are headed to the mountains of NC next weekend for one more trip to Tweetsie Railroad and the following week is Fall Break--yippee

Weekly Countdown

5--How many miles I ran Sunday morning without stopping(first time ever). Oh my goodness!

4--How many days until Georgia take on Alabama in a "Blackout" that promises to be one of the most exciting games this year

3--How many minutes it took me to eat my spaghetti dinner before I had to get back to work for "Curriculum Fair" at school (which mind you is NOTHING like a fair as Kinsey asked me tonight.

2--How many pregancies were announced today (congratulations to my cousin Emily and my coworker Julie!)

1--How many of my children are still awake watching her daddy play SuperMario Galaxy.

Under the Big Top

OK, well not really, it was a really little top, but a circus nonetheless. Watkinsville's own Cole Brothers Circus, that is. Kinsey and I had a girls' night out tonight. I have never been to this circus (and may or may not ever go back, still undecided), but interesting it certainly was. The highlight of the night for Kinsey was by far riding the camel, but the elephants and the drinking horse were not too far behind.

Don't Mess with Texas

Here are a few photos of Kinsey's first horseback riding lessons at Texas State Line Ranch with Cowboy Phil and Rosie the horse.

Dawgs 4, Gamecocks 5

No, this was not the score of the football game this weekend (thank goodness) but the total number of fun friends that got to catch up on old times. We just got home from the 3+ hour trip to Camden, SC (about 30 minutes outside of Gamecock country) where we spent some quality time with an old friend of mine from high school and her precious family. We have not seen Mary Ellen and crew since pre-children days (minus a quick high school reunion visit 3 years ago), so it was amazing to see the difference the five years and five kids have made. One set of twins and a toddler for the Green family and our two made for some fun playtimes this weekend. They have a beautiful lakehouse about 20 minutes away from their home and were sweet enough to let our family and babysitter crash there. Speaking of babysitter, it was so wonderful to share the weekend with "Cole" whom we miss so much. She lives a couple hours away from us in GA, so she doesn't get to see the kids as often as we'd like. Saturday morning, Jack fixed our crew a big pancake breakfast at the lake before we all headed back to Camden to get the kids together with the two sitters while the adults went tailgating in Columbia. Several hot and nervous football hours later, we came home to the beautiful quiet of all 5 kids asleep. We packed up our kids and headed back to the lake for he night. This morning, the Green family came to us. A beautiful cruise on the boat, some soccer in the yard, a quick fishing lesson and a relaxing picnic on the screen porch made for a wonderful afternoon. I only hope I can treat them as well in Athens next year when the Gamecocks come to Georgia. I also hope the results of the football game are the same next year. ;) GO DAWGS!

School Days!

I really just wanted an excuse to take one last picture of the kids in their matching summer outfits. I can't believe the summer is over and the countdown to cool days has begun. However, I must say that I am so thankful to be getting up and going to school every morning and sending my kids each day. With all the sickness in this family, it is truly a blessing that we are all well (enough) and back on our feet.

Looking ahead, we are bursting with excitement about our trip to SC this weekend to see the Georgia Bulldogs play. This is one of the rare opportunities we have to go to an away game. We are going to be staying in Camden with my good friend from high school and her family. Jack hit the jackpot today with four free tickets to the game and a sitter who wants to go with us just because she misses the kids and hasn't seen them in a while. I hope this weekend lives up to my high expectations, and if it does, you can believe I'll have a bunch of pictures to post Monday.

Ready for BOO!

OK, I know it's a little early, but I found some matching pj's for the kids and Kinsey just HAD to wear them...and wear them and wear them. She says she's wearing them every night until Halloween. Great!

Bathtime fun

After many, many weeks of Kinsey being too big to take a bath and always wanting to shower, she has decided that she wants to bathe with "Huggie Bear" again. Her brother is thrilled to have her back!

Pele's First Practice

Ha! Yeah right! Looks like she practiced playing drums on the soccerball more than anything else. Well, it was another fun-filled weekend of lying in the bed sick all weekend for me with lovely fever and a throat that felt like I swallowed a running lawnmower. Luckily, the rest of my crew was fine and was able to enjoy themselves a little. Kinsey started Start Smart soccer at the rec department this weekend and I'm looking forward to watch her "dwibble with her feets" as she so athletically put it. She also starts her horse-back riding lessons next week. Can't wait for that. She's got some new boots and a real riding helmet that Nan got her that she's been dying to try out. Hope we can make it back to the dude ranch this fall. I'm really hoping the end to all this illness lies just around the corner...

Labor Day Fun

Our holiday weekend started with a bang filled with college football and continued as we headed with the Griners to my parents' empty home on beautiful Lake Keowee. After a very, very late night dinner at the neighborhood lakefront restaurant (with a yummy dessert called a Pecan Pie-tini), we hit the water hard Sunday morning. Boat rides, playing in the sand and pestering my parent's dog Annie topped the kids' list of fun things to do. My weekend took a 180 degree turn when the previously mentioned stomach bug found its way to me Sunday night, along with previously mentioned walking pneumonia after-effects on 4 year old. Not. Fun. At. All.

Regardless, you can't beat a beautiful, peaceful lake, great friends, good food, and precious children. Can peaceful and children really go in the same sentence??? Naahhh! :)