Xander, Roman, and I went to the zoo this morning with our dear friends and old neighbors…Stephanie, Grayson, and Claira. Â It was SO good to see them and to get some play time in together at the zoo!
Category: Friends
Gift Exchange…
Roman was super excited (as always) to have Addie come and play this morning…we hung out at home and then went to the library to make Christmas ornaments. They both helped pick out gifts for each other…so sweet…so we had a little gift exchange when we got back home.
Xander’s Field Trip…
I was so excited to get to go with Xander on his preschool field trip to Daniel’s Cabin. He and one of his best friends, Shea, rode with me. Aside from the fact that it was FREEZING and Xander was cold, hungry, tired, and whiny…it was an interesting outing. The kids got to play and experiment with all sorts of old-fashioned toys, hear about life on the frontier, spin wool between their fingers, and make the best smelling little “bed bug bags” with dried lavender, rosemary, and roses. Here’s a sweet picture of Xander and Shea in front of a beautiful fall tree outside of the cabin.
Trick or Treat with Adelaide…
We picked up Adelaide, Roman’s best friend, on the way to preschool this morning. It was so sweet to watch her and Roman holding hands in the hallway, after we dropped Xander off. I could not resist taking pictures of the love and cuteness. We played for a little while at home, and then I helped them put on their costumes and we went to Trick or Treat storytime at the library.
Roman and Addie…
Roman’s best friend is Addie. Her mommy is one of my dear friends, Heather, who I met and loved immediately at NES when I was the librarian there. Heather taught Early Childhood and helped me with my lesson planning for that age group and what that looked like when the kids came for library time. Now, we enjoy having play dates and mom’s nights out and taking care of each other’s children so we can have a mommy moment. Adelaide helped us drop Xander off at preschool and then had a blast playing with Roman (they LOVED playing on the playground, doing arts and crafts, and having lunch together).
Walking to School…
The boys and I decided to try out walking to school this morning. It was great to be able to do it with friends (it totally wouldn’t have worked otherwise since Jonas was running so far ahead and Xander was walking so far behind…luckily Roman didn’t start the fit pitching until we were on our way back). Here are a few pictures I was able to snap of the cuteness…Jonas with Eleanor and Xander with Claire.
Preschool Picnic…
The boys had fun at the preschool picnic tonight…jumping in the bounce house, drawing with markers, and climbing trees. It was so precious to see Jonas reunited with his teachers from last year (and the years before) and Xander connect and love on his teachers from this year and last year. They were welcomed into open and loving arms, and it filled my heart to overflowing with gratefulness for this preschool community that feels like family that we are blessed to be a part of…here’s Xander with Mrs. Kapolas, his dear teacher this year who he’s already LOVING just two days into the school year.
Glo Run…
I did the Glo Run (a fun night run through the city where everyone is decked out in glow in the dark gear) last night with two of my good neighborhood friends, Honora and Kim. My favorite part was seeing all of the creative ways people dressed themselves up just for the fun of it (wild glow paint, bright neon knee-high socks and tutus and capes, and unique hand-made glow stick accessories).
Playing with the Bowens…
The boys and I were SO excited to see our dear friends, the Bowens, who were in town this week. They moved to Texas over a year ago, and we have missed them so very much. I love these pictures of all of our little ones playing in the sandbox together. Lizza was pregnant with Bennett (in the red checked shirt) when I was pregnant with Xander…and they were born a month apart. She was also pregnant with Isabelle (in the green and white shirt) when I was pregnant with Roman…and they were born a few days apart. It’s just amazing to see them all together…what miracles of life. Her newest little one is named Roseberry, and this was our first time meeting her…so that was really special too. I praise God for the dearest of friends for whom distance on the map is no distance at all.
Jonas’ 5th Birthday Party…
We had Jonas’ 5th birthday party at the park this afternoon (it was a little on the chilly side but the kids had a blast which is the most important thing and it was so nice not having to stress about cleaning the house). As always at parties, I get so caught up in the moment that I don’t quite take all the pictures that I wanted to…oh well. It was great visiting with family and friends and watching the kids play. Tom did a GREAT job of making Jonas’ “Lego cake” dream come true, don’t you think?
North Carolina…
Jonas and I went on a mommy/son trip this weekend to North Carolina to visit my precious friend from college, Kim, and her family. It was so good for my soul to spend quality time with Jonas, reconnect with an old friend, and enjoy a quick weekend break from day-to-day life in Tennessee. Thanks to Tom for holding down the fort with Xander and Roman so Jonas and I could go on a little adventure together. Here’s to more where that came from (next year it’ll be Xander’s turn)!
Zoo Buddies…
We went to the zoo this morning with our sweet friends, The Dos. We’ve been trying to squeeze in as much playtime with them as possible before they move to Memphis in a few short weeks. Xander and Claire were born just a few days apart, and Samantha and Roman were born just a few months apart. Here are a few pictures of the cuteness…
Flight to Asheville for Dinner…
Tom flew to Asheville tonight with Buckley, a friend he’s known since high school who recently received his pilot’s license. They stopped for dinner and then flew home. Super cool.
Memorial Day Fun…
We had so much fun hanging out at MeMe and PaPa’s on Memorial Day. The boys loved shooting water guns, running in the sprinkler, and playing tee ball with Sam. And it was such a great sight to see the family play baseball on the field Dad made (it made me think of “Field of Dreams”…”if you build it, they will come”…haha). There’s nothing that can compare to being outside on a beautiful day, surrounded by green space, and to getting to spend quality time with family and old friends.
Visiting with Julie Lee…
My dear friend, Julie Lee, surprised us with a visit this afternoon. It was SO good to see her and to catch up over dinner with the kids. Thank God for true friends who, no matter how much time or space has passed between, always pick up right where they left off. I love this fun shot of her sitting on the front porch with the boys.
