We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

    When did my little girl get so big!  After school she came home and had received some birthday money from Grandma & Grandpa and Oma & Opa.  She knew exactly what she wanted buy with it.  We drove to Build a Bear Workshop and she picked out a pony named Twilight Sparkle (from My Little Pony) and had it stuffed, brushed, named, and dressed. Of course the pony needed to have a tutu and shoes!  Ian also saw something that he desperately needed so he got a little dragon as well. I thought she looked so cute with her box walking through the mall in her boots. Next we came home and made her cake, she wanted it to be pink and purple. Oops!  The gold sprinkle lid was not on securely enough! but mama fixed it! Good thing I had an extra container of frosting!   When dad and Rylan got home we went to Madelyn's favorite restaurant Portillos, then came home for presents and cake   ...

We have an official boy scout, Rylan earned his arrow of light before moving up to a 11 year old scouts.  He worked hard to memorize the scout oath and law as well as the other requirements.     He was presented with a really neat arrow with a real arrowhead tip. Each of the colored stickers on the arrow represent an accomplishment he has earned.  Like the rubber band around his kerchief?  Yeah, we are resourceful!  At his middle school 5th graders can participate on the cross country team. Since I forgot to sign Rylan up for community flag football (I think I kind of did it on purpose) he really wanted to do a sport this fall and so he thought he would try it out.  We took him on some practice runs at our favorite forest preserve. That red and blue blur are Scott and Rylan running up ahead while I stayed back with Maddy on her bike and Ian in the stroller. He has practice 3 times a week after school and a meet onc...

At the end of August Chip and Breezi drove through Chicago on their way to Idaho.  They are moving there to be close to Scott's parents, lucky ducks! We immediately took a photo on our phone to send to our mom, because she loves to get pictures of all of us.      We had a little BBQ and then ice cream, then they had to be on their way, they had a couple more days of driving and had to get there before school started for the girls!  It's always fun to see the cousins get together!  On their moving truck was a red-headed Viking...hey he kind of looks like Chip! 

   You know what that picture means. . .? Back to school time!  Here are the kids' routines in the morning and afternoon, and chores for the week.  Whew that summer went by fast.  In 5th grade here you start middle school!  Rylan has a locker and a combination lock, 8 different classes and a new school to learn!  He was pretty thrilled to be given so much responsibility. He was only a little nervous he told me.  I was more nervous than he was!  We were able to "move him in" a couple days before school started to get his locker organized and find where his classes are.  On the first day of school it was pouring rain, so we had to take our 1st day of school pictures inside, NOT what I was imagining.  Rylan looks a but annoyed doesn't he, but Madelyn was SO excited!  She had been waiting for this day for months ever since she went to a Kindergarten orientation way back in May.   The first day went gre...