These Days

August has brought fun summer days and exciting adventures, and it's brought the start of school!  

One day the kids asked if they could go play in the rain.  There are so many times when I have to say "no" to things that I try to say "yes" when I can!  They had fun! 

Sophie came over to hang out with the girls once a week and they loved having her each time! 

We took a zoo trip with my friend Marjorie and her two kids.  Evie is Abby's age and Monty is Claire's age.  Emily was such a huge help with Evie and was so proud when Marjorie bragged on what a great job she was doing helping out! 

After the zoo we always go to the awesome park that is right outside the gates.  The girls LOVE this park!  

We also had a fun playdate with the Rothell girls!  Dawnielle and I used to get together once a week, but it's gotten harder to do in the last couple years.  I love when we do get together though!  

We took another trip to the library in August and I caught Emily reading while I was helping the other girls finish picking out books. 

Emily taught the kids' lesson one Sunday night at MCBC! She did an amazing job and even had a craft!  

One morning I got brave and took them all 4 to the zoo by myself.  I didn't take the wagon this time though because Abby refused to sit in it last time so it was just in the way.  

Little sisters can't keep up sometimes! 

Mrs. Sherry kept them one morning and they had fun with stickers! 

Abby likes her sunglasses, but I had to get a picture of her when she insisted on wearing two pair.  

Emily takes piano on Mondays.  While she is taking lessons, Claire and Abby play in their backyard.  They love playing on Mrs. Heather's swing set.  Hannah usually plays with Heather's daughter Ava.  

I found this selfie on my phone

I let them get all the pillows down one day, but I told them that was just a one day thing.  I couldn't handle this every day.  

We had a fun picnic lunch in our front yard! 

Emily and Hannah got to have a daddy-daughter date the weekend before school started back.  They enjoyed their pizza and their time with Bert! 

Our church had a back to school swim party for the kids!  

Proud of my Claire for jumping off the diving board.  She doesn't like getting her face wet. 

Claire said "Hey Mom!  Take a picture of me den send it to Mimi!"  So I did! 

We had to be out of our house a good bit because of showings so we had snack time at the church one day.

Another afternoon that we were needing to be out of the house we took the kids to the zoo.  Claire's favorite animal at the zoo is the giraffe so when she saw this "giraffe bench" she got very excited!!  

Emily has mastered the monkey bars and it is down right impressive.  I've never been good at those things! 

Emily and Hannah went bowling with our children's ministry at church and had a great time!  Hannah and Marly are good friends! 

Emily talked me into putting shaving cream on the table and letting them practice their spelling words in the shaving cream!  We've done this before and they find it so entertaining.  Abby didn't want to touch the shaving cream though...she would only touch it with a straw.  Ha!  

I put Claire and Abby in the bath and told Emily and Hannah they could finish up playing and then they needed to take showers.  While I was bathing C and A they cleaned up the whole table (which got messier than what is shown in the picture above) without me even asking!  I was so proud of them!  

August has been exciting and nerve wracking as we started school and went under contract to buy and sell a house.  It doesn't look like September is going to be much calmer as we pack everything up and get ready to move, but Bert and I are excited!  We're set to close on September 24th on both houses.  Lots can change between now and then, but we're praying everything will go smoothly!!  

First Days of School!

Emily and Hannah have been SO excited about starting school and I've been excited for them!  We're super proud of them and their hard work in school and we couldn't love our school or their teachers more!  

On the first day of school each year we like to ask them what they want to be when they grow up. Like last year, Emily said she wants to be a teacher and this year Hannah said she wants to be a baker!:)  

I loved this picture Bert got of them just before they walked in.  Bert and I take turns walking them in on the first day.  I did it last year, so it was his turn this year.  I love my babies!  

Emily's teacher is Mrs. Smith and Emily says she is "the best teacher ever!"  Mrs. Smith has been teacher 9 years and has been teaching 3rd grade for 8 of those years.  

Hannah has Mrs. Hiller and I am SO excited about it!  I heard what an AMAZING teacher Mrs. Hiller is before Emily ever started kindergarten. We haven't had her until now, but I feel so blessed that we have her this year! 

Our Claire Bear is going to Taylors First Pre-Academy three mornings a week (Wed, Thurs, Friday) and she has Mrs. Wentzel.  Hannah had Mrs. Wentzel for K-4 too and we loved her!!  

Claire wasn't smiling for our picture at Meet the teacher

...so Mrs. Wentzel started tickling her! :)  

Claire told everyone that asked that her first day was "AMAZING!"  She was soooo glad it was finally her turn to go to school.  She didn't appreciate that her sisters got to start a week or two before her! 

For her sign this year she said that she wanted to be "a mama"!

We are so excited about the year and proud of all three of our school girls!!  We're thankful for the the community we have a Paris Elementary and Taylors First Pre-Academy and we pray that our girls and our family as a whole would be a blessing, encouragement and light to many!  

Under Contract

The housing market in Greenville is booming right now and you have to act super quick!  This house went on the market and had several offers within 24 hours and they picked OURS!  We're so excited about this new adventure.  

This house is in a beautiful/quiet neighborhood that is about a mile from the church.  It's just under 2 miles from the girls' school and is in a great area!!  It sits in a quiet (flat) cul-de-sac with only 3 other houses.  We are soooo excited about all the room that the girls will have to run and play!!  

It also has a full wrap around porch which Bert and I are both excited about!  

These pictures don't do a good job showing the yard, but it is on .66 acres and right now we're on .25 acres.  It also backs up to a golf course.  

Back of the house

We're going to be getting new flooring in the master and painting most every room in the house, but other projects will have to wait.  

We put our house on the market 4 days after we went under contract with our new house and we were under contract with it in 3 days.  We're praying everything will keep going smoothly.

We've loved our neighborhood and house these last 6 years. These are the pictures the realtor took for the MLS site when we were putting our house up for sale.  

We live on the busiest street in the neighborhood as we're on the top street that almost everyone drives by.  And when I say drives I mean flies by!  The little ones can't be in the front yard without us.  

We're supposed to close September 24th on both houses. It is a full time job to buy and sell a house at the same time, but we're super excited and thankful!