Last but not Least

The day has finally arrived.  After three years of watching her siblings go off to school and after a week of watching them one by one get their cones full of treats and little gifts, it was finally her turn! When she woke up today and I told her it was the day she was getting her cone, she couldn't wait to go downstairs and check it out!

We dropped off the older siblings at school and then we went to her pre-school, the same one that Riley went to two years ago with Miss Marie and Miss Lisa.  She was SO excited!

She was so excited and I think she's going to have a great year, and she's definitely ready to start pre-school.  It's just two days a week on Tues and Thurs.  But I felt my heart strings pull just a little as I realized this was the first time I had ever brought a child to pre-school without having at least one, if not two kids in tow dropping off the older sibling.  I just think the next few years will be hard for me as I experience the last of all the firsts. 

But, oh how grateful I am for this sweet little caboose.  This little Gracie girl who finds her way into our bed every single night and gets right in between us and nuzzles into me and falls right back asleep.  

Raingutter Regatta

Well, with the school year starting, Scouts and all its assorted activities are back in full swing as well!

Yesterday was the Raingutter Regatta, a first for us.  You purchase a kit and then you put together your boat and design and decorate it any way you choose.

There are 4 categories for awards:  Most Patriotic, Most Scout-looking, Fastest Looking and Best Pirate ship.  We were obviously going for the Patriotic look.

Ready to go!

So, they put two rain gutters next to each other and you blow your boat all the way to the end of the gutter.

And we have a winner!

The boys kept competing based on a single elimination until there was an overall winner.  Then at the end, they announced the winners for the Most Patriotic (Tanner!), the best Pirate, best Scout looking, Fastest looking and then the boat that won the most races.  

And since this may be the only boat we ever own or race, hey we're glad it's award - worthy ;)

Kindergarten

Today was Riley's first day of Kindergarten, so I spent last night getting her cone ready.

This is about 10 seconds after she rolled out of bed - man I wish I looked that good in the morning!

Can you tell what Riley's latest obsession is?

Dressed and ready to go!

Riley and her little side kick.  I think side kick is really going to miss having her around this year. 

I just so clearly remember taking Lacey to Kindergarten and being pregnant with Ella.  While having so many little ones at home was crazy and overwhelming much of the time, I just remember being so happy that I still had two little ones at home and another one on the way.  And then just like that, Baby #3 is starting Kindergarten.  But, I am proud to say that I am 3 for 3 in not crying when any of my kids have started Kindergarten (or any other grade) and none of them have ever cried either.  We've all been ready for the transition. BUT.... when that little one starts Kindergarten 2 years from now...... bust out the tissues!  I'm going to cry right now just thinking about it!

But, I digress... the bottom line is, Riley had a great first day!  Love my Riley J!

First Day

As per tradition, last night, we got the school bags packed and the cones filled.  It's a German tradition to start the school year off with a cone filled with new school supplies and some small treats and toys.  And since Dave started Elementary School in Germany, we've continued this tradition with our kids.

Discovering their cones....

And digging in!

And then, also, per tradition, gathering with the "court kids" for before-school pics.

I am totally in love with these two "babies" of the court that are starting pre-school this year!

And after all that posing.... the silly pic!

Lacey and one of her besties, Sophia.

Meeting up with other friends at school.

4th Grade just seems so old to me.  We moved into this neighborhood the Spring before Lacey started Kindergarten.  I remember taking her that first day and looking at "the big kids" and being so glad mine were still so little.  And then, just like that, she was one of them.  I was hugging her as she was about to walk in the door telling her fast she's growing and I'm sad it's going by so fast and she said (as I was holding Ella, her little "mini me") "Don't worry mommy.  You still have Ella."

So, I found it rather ironic that this came across my memory feed this morning.  This picture of Lacey from 7 years ago.  Is that a spitting image of Ella or what?

And then I ran down to the 3rd Grade section to see my boy.

Getting ready to go in....

And he's off!

That is his teacher, Mrs. Pennington to the left.

Riley doesn't start school until Thursday and Ella doesn't start until next week, so my neighbor and I decided to take advantage of Orioles day at Chick Fil A.  If you dress up in Orioles gear, then you get free chicken sandwiches - yum!

Love these crazy birds.

Quintessential Baltimore

On our final weekend before school starts, we did all things Baltimore.  We spent last night at Camden Yards seeing the O's play (and lose).  I'm pretty sure that is the only time that has ever happened after getting 4 Home Runs in the FIRST inning! The final score was 15-8. They said it is the first time since 1900 that a team has gotten 4 HR before getting a single out.

Beautiful Camden Yards.

And there was an AWESOME fireworks show afterward, so made for a great evening!

And the only thing that is more quintessential Baltimore than the Orioles is CRABS!  Our neighborhood pool hosted an end-of-summer crab feast tonight and of course we had to sign up our crab-loving T!

He was in this spot on and off for nearly three hours.  He'd eat a few crabs, jump in the pool and play, come back, eat a few more, etc.  He's got the whole thing down pat!

T and his crab-loving buddy Matthew.

Look at those remnants.... I'd say they did pretty well for themselves!

The view of the main pool and the crab tent.  This is where we've spent a lot of our summer.

Tomorrow is our final day before school starts.  We've packed a lot in.  I feel like we've gotten things done, had fun, did a little traveling. But nice to be home for the final days of summer and soak in Baltimore, especially since its in the midst of the Olympics and so many of the Olympians (Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Matthew Centrowitz, to name a few) are from here.

City of Brotherly Love

Today, we took a family day-trip to Philadelphia, about 2 hours away.  Our main purpose in doing so was to go to the brand new Philadelphia LDS Temple.

Whenever a new temple is constructed, it is open to the temple for tours and an Open House to the public.  We figured it was a great time to take our kids to the temple and show them the inside and tour all the rooms.

After the tour was over, we went to the Rooftop Terrace above the church meetinghouse across the street, which had some great views.

Lacey soaking in the day temple-side

My boys

After we left, we asked each kid what their favorite part was.  Lacey said it was the chandelier in the Celestial Room.  Tanner said "just how everything was so nice."  My favorite part was that in every room of the temple, there was a person that spoke briefly of the significance of that room.  But in the Celestial Room, they just had everyone sit there in silence and enjoy the beauty of the room and just contemplate and "be."  Our family of 6 all sat together on a couch and held hands. It is the only time we have all been together in the temple and I don't know when it will happen next.  So, I soaked it in with my forever family.

Families are Forever

A few facts:

Announced: 10/4/08

Started: 9/17/11 (the 224th Anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United Stated at Independence Hall just down the street)

Scheduled to be Dedicated: 9/18/16

First LDS Temple in the State of Pennsylvania

There are currently 150 operating temples throughout the world and 16 (including this one) under construction or awaiting dedication.

Next on the agenda:  A Philly Cheesesteak per T's request.  A hit!

We hit up the Kennedy Food Center, which was recommended to us.  It was just four blocks away on 19th and JFK.

Our next stop was the outdoor dinosaur exhibit outside of the Academy of Natural Sciences.

And then we took a walk through Logan Square.

After that, my vote was to walk all around Phili, see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross house, etc, etc.  But kids (and husband) were tired, Lacey had two blisters on her feet, etc, etc, so we compromised on a drive-by tour of Independence Hall and the other highlights and called it a day.

And now that we're home and evening is upon us, that means that we only have 4 more days left of summer.... sigh.