We had Labor Day brunch with Suzanne and Chrissy and their families. We were all excited to see Suzanne's new rental house - so exciting for them to get a place with more space! - and, of course, everyone was happy to feast on cinnamon rolls.
Luna likes to wear Hazel's shower cap to match me while I shower.
Luna climbed up on this mat at the big kids' gym class and then refused to try to climb down herself. She laid up there and cried for fifteen minutes before finally attempting it and seeing what a simple task it was. She's a stubborn little defeatist.
My favorite playdates are the ones where my kids run off happily and I don't see them again for an hour; meanwhile, I can wash the floor or accomplish some other long task. But the kind where the kids need me to help them make homemade play dough or squishy colored pasta can be fun, too.
We went to the Dublin art festival, Splatter, for the second year in a row. It did not disappoint. It's very creative and low-key. The kids made egg drops, used pastel chalks, sprayed walls with watered-down paint, and watched cloggers dancing jigs.
Jack's teacher assigns them individual points when they're on task or otherwise making good choices in class. Each Friday they can cash them in for prizes. Jack was super excited to spend his on a day using the teacher's chair.
Todd's primary class earned a party by bringing their scriptures to class week after week, so we hosted them in our backyard. It was a blast seeing all those nine-year-olds on the zip line and playing tetherball. Our backyard is seriously the best!
Todd surprised me on my birthday with an overnight getaway and a Norah Jones concert. Chrissy and Gordon watched our kids, and we had a much-appreciated night out, talking and relaxing and enjoying ourselves. I've got the best husband! I feel so lucky and grateful to be married to him.
We stopped in a chocolate shop down the street from our hotel in Saratoga and picked out some treats. They were lovely, but we couldn't really enjoy them, knowing as we ate them that each piece cost five dollars! There hadn't been any prices listed, and we were a little shocked when the saleslady gave us our grand total. I'm sorry, but they weren't that good. It kind of ruined them for us.
We've begun a massive garage clean-out project. This load is all the Home Depot returns that have piled up in a corner over the past year. Lucky for us, the store took them all back.
Gemma was thrilled at the opportunity to sing in a school assembly, some songs about apples with all the kindergarten. She was adorable, of course.
And, lucky for me, the assembly was a two-fer, as Jack was awarded Student of the Month as well. He said later that he was hoping he would get picked, but he didn't really expect it and was taken by surprise.
The school had a grand opening for their new maker space. Hazel was totally in her element, making this marble run while the other kids (and adults) ogled at her paper and tape mastery. The girl's got skills!
Our friends, Richard and Karen Anderson, invited us to go boating with them. We usually go with them several times each summer, but we have all been busy this year, and this was the first time we all got out together. I wasn't looking forward to it because I don't enjoy getting behind the boat, but I'm so glad we went. It was a super happy day for all of us, and I soaked up my time at the front of the boat snuggling my kiddos and cheering my family on. It was seriously a fantastic family day and I feel embarrassed that I grumbled about going. I don't have to get on the wakeboard to love boating! Jack and Hazel were so cute out on this RAD together, chatting and laughing. Jack insisted on documenting the day in his journal after we got home, which is a big sign that he's had a truly stand-out experience.
