Sam's Visit to Opa and Ernie's

Sam went (a week after starting school) to visit Opa and Ernie for a weekend... he stayed 'in their house in the sky!' They live in a high rise condo in Midtown Atlanta... and Sam had a BLAST!!! I do believe Opa and Ernie enjoyed it too!!!!  They were busy doing all kinds of fun things all weekend! Thanks, Opa and Ernie, for such a FUN weekend! Sam talks about it all the time!

Here is Sam with Opa having morning coffee and getting caught up on the news/iPad games!!!! He gets the iPad itch/need very honest!!!! Then Ernie took Sam downstairs to Publix to get the fixin's for French Toast...

They rode MARTA all over Atlanta...

First to the Aquarium...

Then they went to the World of Coke (not pictured ;-), then they came home and went to the pool. Then back out to dinner - well, they rode the elevator down to eat at one of the yummy restaurants in their building... 

But I do believe this was their favorite time together....

Next time, I'M coming downtown!!!!! ;-)

We Went WHERE??? WHEN???

OH! To the BEACH! Two (and a half) months ago!!!! Ugh... and I haven't yet posted pictures about that!? One of the hazards of a 'working' mom - my family's pictures get put on the back-burner. And a hazard of being a photographer - I don't want to post pics until they've been edited!

Well brace yourselves... some of these are straight out of the camera or (cringe) camera phone. I know. Blasphemy. BUT - in the spirit of getting this posted in the same year that we actually went on the trip, that is what it has come down to! What can I say? Fall is a busy time!

We went to Carrabelle Beach at the end of July - the week before Sam started Kindergarten (an update post on THAT coming soon too). He has been in school almost two months, and Jake for one month.... where is all of this supposed "FREE TIME" we spoke of?????

We had a blast at the beach. We took the campers, and my parents and Bo, Jen and Emma came too. It was nice to get away and spend some quality family time together! The boys loved it - they like all their people together too! The ocean wasn't that pretty there, but it didn't really matter - we played and enjoyed it just the same! The pool was great! And the family time AWAY FROM THE DEMANDS OF LIFE was wonderful too!!!!

So, here are the pictures I promised!!!!

Stormie was asking permission to come aboard...

This is what our typical morning looked like... ahhhhh....

And our happy times on the beach...

Sam finding 'cool rocks'.... AKA asphalt!!!????

Dad is as big a goof as the kids...

Sam still isn't a huge fan of going too deep where he can't see... can't say that I blame him!

Emma had no problems...

But Sam isn't scared to get his face wet...

Jake never has been...

Love my water bugs...

Emma napped a lot...

The boys played a lot... No naps in this camp!

When Emma wasn't sleeping, she was eating... or was she sleeping AND eating???

Ahhh... the pool... and with Mimi and Pop around, not one, but TWO suckers did the trick!

And you KNOW that we did a 'Family Photo Session on the Beach at Sunset' (TWICE)... Sorry - I wasn't happy with the first round!!!! hahahaha!!!!!

And there it is... our summer trip to the beach.  Yay! I feel better... and I'm ready to go back!!!!

Jake's 1st Day of School....

Today was Jake's first day of school...  it seems so overshadowed since Sam has been in KINDERGARTEN for FOUR WEEKS now!?!?  My... how time flies!!!!  He was my typical Jake - not excited about school... he would rather stay home with Mommy!  BUT... there were no tears, so that is an AWESOME start to this new year of school!  He did say that he really wished Sam still went to preschool with him (me too, buddy!)... and he was a little sad he couldn't ride the "Memory Bus." I'm not at all sure what that is, but I figure that he's sad he can't ride the bus like Sam... which I am positive that he really doesn't mean that!!!! ;-)

Here is Jake (last week) when we met his teachers - Mrs. Melissa and Mrs. Leigh Anne...

And Mrs. Melissa helping with his craft while Mommy filled out her mountain of paperwork!

The kid at the bottom of that picture might possibly be the "Blue Boy" who took Jake's toy from him and made him cry.  Jake has told me quite a few times that he doesn't want to go to school and play with "Blue Boy".... let's hope "Blue Boy" wears a different color today.... and doesn't take any of Jake's toys!!! ;-)

Here is little man ready to go to school this morning... I'm sad to report he wasn't TOO excited - partly because he was leaving Mommy and partly because I had to turn off Spider Man!

His "happy face for mommy."

Showing off his Spider Man bookbag...

And looking out the window in carpool...

His poor attempt at 'being a big boy' for mommy!

(And now that I am posting these pictures, I see that he has a red mustache from his juice this morning... oops!!!)

Much better...

Getting out of the car!!!

ALL of the teachers at his preschool are AWESOME... this one ran out to greet him and take him into the building!!!! You think he made a lasting impression last year with all of the tears???????

LOVE them!!!!

Now I have FOUR HOURS 'to myself.'  Do I do what I should be doing, which is work? Do I play on Pinterest and look for projects, recipes, and other various ideas (such a 'time-saver' that is!)? Do I read a book? Do I watch TV? Do I clean up the house? Do laundry? Change beds? Give the dog a bath? Make a list for all of these things I need to do??????? YIKES..... I need to stop typing!!!!

Well, I guess I'll start by blogging ;-), then make my lists!!!!!