anneliese had called me in last night before bed "can we go to my class first"
on the way we talked about the logistics of how we would work out the morning drop off. take the stroller or the wrap? take everyone to their classes one by one or let grant and emily head to their classes independently?
we found a parking spot in the very crowded lot. the 3 big kids with their backpacks unloaded and stood on the grassy median as i arranged ben in the wrap. i was carrying a blanket for anneliese's rest time and the kids were all holding onto it as we crossed traffic. emily said-"this is kind of fun" "it's kind of like tug a war and kind of like follow the leader". i smiled at these happy comments trying to imprint them so i could write them here later.
we decided that grant and emily could head to their classes and i would take anneliese. i could then go back and check to make sure they made it. they waved at friends and i heard 2 girls shout "emily!" as she made her way to the 1st grade hallway.
anneliese and i headed to the pre-k room. she hung up her backpack and sat down like it was something she had done everyday. 3 kids in an elementary school that is pre-K to 3rd grade. what a year!
it is an end to summer. a summer that was memorable not for big trips or events but for the expanse of it. the feeling of long afternoons of play, quiet sleep late mornings, evenings at the pool, library time, play with cousins and lots of time together.
outside meals.
pool time with cousins
this is the 2nd annual quilt picture
love this one of grant reading to anneliese-they love picking out which dinosaur they would be...
watching the olympics was broken up with hours of pretending with all of nana's toys :)
grant and emily attended basketball camp together this year
bonner springs aquatic center was our 2nd home in the evenings
bobby and grant discussing diving :)
ben liked to swim when the water was warm enough
they are always so excited when i want to take their picture
papa's irrigation ditch made for great water play one evening over the 4th of july break
we said goodbye to grant's teeth this summer-no longer a perfect row of chicklets
grant did the piper basketball camp for a week
ben loves all the sound effects his uncle ryan can make
becky comes through again as the cool aunt who loves fireworks!
little heidi practicing her role as big sister
my favorite part of the fireworks display-
we spent some nice time at the library-picking out books and reading
dale's smile changed over the summer too!
grant's dive
this was my attempt at getting a picture of the kids in the morning. i will keep trying...
messy outdoor fun