Fall Things :: Part 1

A random collection of fall happenings...

Park time with friends after a morning at CC.  

Ivy chatting with Pastor Shawn before church.  

We went to Ivy's Preschool Open House to check out her new classroom.  

  

We stopped to check out the playground, of course!  

 

Friday afternoon hang out time with Corrie.  

Greta crossed off the last box on her Reading Tic-Tac-Toe board, which was "Read in the Tub Without Water."  

Ivy's first CC presentation was about her Yoto Player.  

Hudson keeps baking with the sourdough.  We don't complain.  

Greta's first day of HSAP (and without her brother).  Hudson is attending enrichment classes on Thursdays this year.  

Mimi came for a visit.  They played lots of rounds of Dutch Blitz.  

The preschoolers were greeted with a festive backdrop/photo opportunity on the first day of school.  

4-year-old preschool, here we come!  

Roy and Hudson cashed in on some free Taco Bell food Hudson earned from the summer reading program.  

Roy and Greta finished reading The Wingfeather Saga.  

Preschool pick up and a picnic lunch with Daddy.  

Greta and a friend sold bracelets at the Grimes Farmers Market.  

Just chillin' 

So thankful for this girl.

Recess!  

Friday night food trucks and live music.  

They are the best!  

Watercolor painting some abstract art at CC.  

We repainted the bathroom and went with a cozy vibe.  

Roy and Hudson helped Mr. Keith move into a new/bigger apartment.  

 

Applesauce Day 2024

Our friends, the Phillips family, had an apple tree bursting with apples.  The trees were weighted down with so much fruit!  We think they were a red delicious variety.  It took us about 45 minutes to fill our van with apples, literally.  

Once we got the apples unloaded we realized we probably picked more apples than we bargained for.  

First, we soak/wash the apples. 

Mimi was on apple cutting duty. 

Nana was at the stove all day long, cooking the apples and keeping them from burning. 

Hudson's post was the Victoria Strainer.  This is where the magic happens, folks.  

We had quite the apple sauce making crew!  Thankful for the sweet memories made while working together.  

Roy did it all, he ran to the grocery store, did the clean up and hauling and helped bag the sauce.  

A big pot of cinnamon-y applesauce.

We ended the day with apple crisp and ice cream, how fitting!   

When the day ended and we did the math the final total was 160 3-4 cup bags.  I think we will have plenty to share and enjoy in the year ahead.  

 

First Day of School - Aug. 26

We kicked off our 2024-25 school year on Monday, August 26th.  We typically wait to start until September, but I've learned the hard way in years past and accepted that a gradual start was worth the effort. Easier for them means smoother for me.  Plus, they were ready to I decided to embrace the opportunity.  

We had a special "First Day of School" breakfast complete with Cinnamon Crunch Panera bagels 

and an orange scone (for Ivy).  

Thankful for these students and the support of our principal.  

A class/family photo to document the day.  

Hudson is my excellent 8th grader.  

Greta is my favorite fourth grader.  

Ivy is in 4 year old preschool this year.  

 

Love these students of mine and so thankful to be their teacher.  

We took a snack break in the afternoon and started a new read aloud.  

As is tradition, each of the kids received a gift to encourage them as they start the new school year. 

 

Week #13 of Summer (August 18)

Week #13 wraps up our final week of summer break.  Cue the tears! 😭

Getting ready for church on Sunday morning with friends after a sleepover.  

Mimi treated us all to a thank you lunch with Nana.  

An afternoon enjoyed at the pool with friends.  

Greta worked to make lots of clay bead bracelets, which she sold at our garage sale.  

We had our annual garage sale August 22-24.  This event has become a family tradition and once again it proved to pay off. 

The kids each baked and sold items, which was a good money maker for them.  

All of Greta's chocolate chip cookies sold out on the first day of the sale so Thursday night she made another batch.  

On Saturday night, after the sale was finished and mostly cleaned up, we celebrated with dinner out.  

Hudson worked and saved his money for 1 1/2 years to purchase his own iPad.  His dream became a reality this week.  He has taken on some lawn mowing jobs in the neighborhood, which have been a great income for him at age 13.    

Before...

During...

After...

These girls are always playing mom and taking care of their babies.  

Friday night ice cream brought us to the Waukee Ice Cream Shoppe.  

blue eyes...blue shirt...blue ice cream 💙

Ivy got a new pair of school shoes at Scheels.  She always wants to take a picture by the president statues outside the store.  

A cute kitty making her lunch.