August so far...

My apologies for not keeping thing up on the blog here lately, we've been super busy trying to cram in HUGE amounts of fun before school starts back.

So in my effort to catch you up here is a mega collage and I will update left to right, top to bottom:
1. Matt found a treadmill on the side of the road, we've had much fun and "hope" to have much exercise on this super awesome freebie1
2-4. My friends Carla and Terre from college came to town for a visit, we had a ton of fun and even tried to get the 4 kids to nap at the same time, tried is the key word.
5-6. We put a bowl of free tomatoes out by our mailbox...free tomato day was a huge success.
7-10. Steffany and I took the kids to the children's museum. Those twins are getting so big and cute!
12. Ollie and Molly swinging in the backyard, we've hung with this sweet family from 3 houses down, once sometimes even twice a day this summer, so fun!
12.Ollie in the swing, just loving the freedom!
13-14. Major backyard playdate with some neighbors and friends this week, 10 kids in all, Kristen even created a baby pool fun course.
15-18. Kristen and I took our kids and met some friends at the Asheboro Zoo for a last blast day of summer, John started Kindergarten the next day, whew! For a close up of #17 see below for the super cuties (had to enlarge that one.)
19-20. Our neighbors across the street have an "end of summer redneck party" this was last night and here are two pics of some of the festivities. It's actually quite fun, people dress up, bring pork rinds and play games and such.

Ok, think you're about caught up. Yesterday was my first work day back at school. The kids went back to daycare, side note, we switched them to a different school this year, more on that later!

I've got work days, open on house on Tuesday night and then back to school 2011-2012 on Thursday. All in all, I am pretty sure I can say that this has been one of my favorite summer's ever!!!! We had so much fun together as a family and with friends!!!

I am really excited about the school year as I have a ton of super sweet kids (and parents) in my class! Go Pirates!

the hand...

So very thankful that...the hand...the big strong hand that once was mine to hold is now so very special to the little hands in my life!

Happy 65th Birthday, Dad! I love you...we all love you!

boy bands...

(Heather, Sabrina, Steffany, and Me)

"Remember when we said, girl, please don't go and how I'd be loving you...forever, taught you 'bout hanging tough, as long as you got the right stuff, didn't we girls...ooh, didn't we girls, ahh!"

The weekend before our beach trip I was super surprised when I got a call from a neighbor saying that she had an extra ticket to see NKOTBSB in concert that night!!!! For those of you not up on your boy bands NKOTBSB=New Kids + Back Street Boys! Here are a few pics from that really fun evening out!

For all of you Glee fans, Matthew Morrison opened up for the boy bands...sooooo good! That guy's got skills!

The whole crew on the rising stage together...pausing for the gasps!!!

BSB! They actually did a great job and I think more fans cheered for them!

NKOTB...all in all it was a spectacular girls night out with the boy bands! It was much, much better this time around than when I saw them a few years ago!

...just because

Just had to share a few more beach pics of our girl...love this last one, the care free spirit of this wee one is contagious and beautiful!

b is for beach...

...brother Wes!!!

...big boy Ollie!!!

...itty bitty sister Sarah Claire!!!

We spent a week at the beach last week with my family. It was tons of fun. Ollie mastered boogie boarding, tried his hand at surfboarding. SC loved the water and waves and ate lots of sand. I have major raccoon eyes and am still catching up on my rest, so funny how that happens! If you're interested here are all my favorite pics from the week!