Summer Wrap Up

I realized I had even more pictures from this summer that never made it to the blog.

 

One Wednesday night at church was Frozen night. We ate dinner and they had Frozen crafts, and of course pictures with Elsa, and then they showed the movie. My boys LOVE this movie (Harrison is really OBSESSED with it). So much that we are going to see Frozen on Ice in Nashville in about a month! Can't wait! And P.S., it was not originally coming to Birmingham at all so that's why we bought tickets in Nashville (and Joel's brother lives there so we needed to go visit), BUT, they are coming to Birmingham in May and tickets go on sale in November! We may be going twice!

 

 Harrison was doing some sweeping at Migi's one early Saturday morning. I have probably mentioned this, but we did close on our new house and we are having some work done before we move in, so we moved out of my parent's house and into my inlaws house for a few weeks. One, my parents needed their house back when Carrie came into town, and two, my inlaws house is close to Hudson's elementary school so it has been better for us in the mornings. We were hoping to move in next weekend, but that seems to be pushed back some...we are so ready to be in our own space, but thankful our families have let us crash at their houses!

 We celebrated the August birthdays...Mama Jean, Carrie, and me!

The boys and I crashed Carrie and Andres' babymoon at the beach for a few days! They claim they didn't mind and had fun, but it was loud and crazy.

 I caught a crab! Woo hoo!

 Hudson was very proud of the crab and we kept him in a bucket for a whole day before I finally convinced Hudson to let him go back in the ocean.

 The water was the clearest I have ever seen at the beach. And, there were no waves, so the boys loved getting in it (finally). Now, we still spent most of our time at the pool, but maybe next summer we can spend even more time at the actual beach!

 We went to the Red Bar for Carrie's birthday. I'm glad we celebrated big on this night, because we tried to go out to celebrate for my birthday the next night and had to leave a restaurant because Harrison was crying so badly. Happy Birthday to me! Ha!

 It was a great few days at the beach, and then we came home to find Hudson's cape on the mailbox at the new house! Kindergarten is "super"! He was so very excited!

 And then Harrison started back the school year and on the first day, we had this note home...

I'm happy to report that we dodged it! :)

A Few Thoughts on the First Week of Kindergarten

We are officially one week into Kindergarten. Things are still going great! I wanted to jot down a few thoughts about our first week though since this is such a big deal for us (with a few random pictures from the last few weeks).

 

 

 

1. There are no more lazy mornings. None. So much for rolling into work around 8:30 or 9 ish. Kids are up by 6:30, and we are out the door by 7:10, at work by 8 ish on a good day. I made the mistake of leaving at 7:20 one morning last week--really, really bad idea for your new kindergartener to be there late on the second day of school. My commute was an hour and 20 minutes that day. With a screaming 2 year old who wanted out. Won't be making that mistake again!

 

2. Which brings me to my next point, carpool is for the birds! It is awful! I don't have that much time to waste in one day. The morning is bad enough if you don't hit the right "window", but all of you that get there at 1:30 when school doesn't get out until 2:30 really have too much time on your hands! (and I mean that in a very jealous kind of way!)

 3. There has only been one thing that Hudson has complained about, and that is the lunch room number. Not the lunch room food (which looks and sounds pretty gross), but rather the actual number that he has to remember. And his number is 90210 by the way...who can forget that?!?! He doesn't understand the importance.

4. We have alternated buying lunch and taking lunch and that seems to be going well. I review the lunch menu each day and if I think he'll eat it, I make him buy. If it's carrot soufflé and spinach like one day last week, I send his lunch.

5. By Thursday (2 days of school), Hudson didn't need any assistance finding his classroom in the morning. So happy about that! I wasn't ever really worried about him (I knew he would find help if he needed it), but making him hurry out of the car in the carpool line in the mornings and watching him go in the school by himself is just a strange feeling! He has been totally fine getting out of the car in the mornings though--super easy and he's always smiling! Makes it easier on this mama!

6. By Friday (4 days of school), Hudson told me every one of the names of the kids in his class. I was proud of him for making lots of new friends in the first week!

7. I've also learned that what comes out of Hudson's mouth for the first 20 minutes after I pick him up is all I'm going to hear about school that day. It just isn't happening after that.

 

 8. Hudson claims that one day he was bitten. I thought we were past that stage? That's been the only sort of strange thing this week.

9. Big school is exhausting! I haven't gotten a whole lot out of Hudson after school. He's watched a lot of TV this past week in the afternoons, and I think that's ok! And he never complains when we say it's time for bed!

 10. After one week, he says gym and recess are his favorite parts of the day. Recess is right after lunch, in the middle of the day. In August, I can't think of anything worse, but he loves it. He also loved the library, and brought home a book about Leopards!

This morning, he asked me why he had to go to big school every single day. It was one of those comments that I hated to hear and it really hit me in the gut, and I went into my speech about how he is a big boy now and he has to go, yada, yada, yada, and he got the biggest smile on his face and said, "Ok Mom, I love big school!" Phew! Let's hope this keeps up.

So far, so good! We really can't complain about the transition so far and every day is easier and easier on me too. It's hard to believe we are at this point, but it's good. In just a week, Hudson has gotten so much "older" to me. It's like a little part of him is leaving us already, which is a little sad, but we are excited about what is to come.

We Survived the First Day!

Hudson had a GREAT first day of Kindergarten! He was so excited this morning. We all had to get up earlier than normal, but he couldn't wait to get dressed and get his backpack on. It was so funny because we always carried his backpack for him in preschool (he refused to carry his own!), so I was worried it might be an issue. It helped having a new one for sure. He had it on at least 30 minutes before go time.

 

He wanted to make sure everyone could see his backpack...

 

 The obligatory first day of school pictures. Normally, Harrison would be in these pictures too even though it wasn't his actual first day, but he was too busy throwing a fit. I don't think he cared very much about all the attention Hudson has gotten in the past few days. I don't blame him! It was not a good morning for him at all. He was very quick to say "bye-bye" to his brother, and then perked up and talked my ear off all the way to his school!

Hudson very impatiently waited in the carpool line for his turn to get out. He was already out of his seatbelt and ready to go, and had the window down talking to everyone walking by. He really wanted to just go ahead and get out, but I made him wait!

Then it was his turn to get out! He was gone so fast that I could barely even get a picture of him walking/running in! He never even looked back! And I'm happy to report that I did not cry at all! At least until my mom called and said, "This is a very important day for you too...one chapter of his life is over...blah blah blah". Thanks mom for reminding me!

 

He said that once he got into the school, he didn't know where to go, but someone grabbed him and took him to his class. He told me ALL about his day. In preschool, he would never tell me anything, but I got an earful today, and it was all good! Well, except he said he did not like entering his lunch room number and asked to take his lunch tomorrow. Ha! He made a new friend named Griffin, so that was good! He already says he's his new best friend. He couldn't remember any of the other names though. And he said he just loves Mrs. Boyd!

 

He's doing after school care a few days a week at our church across the street from the school. Even though I was DYING to go pick him up this afternoon, I wanted him to go ahead and do the whole routine so he would know what to do. He was so excited because he gets to play with his best buddy Haines at after school care!

 

 And by the way, he is sleeping in his name tag tonight...he is so funny! He said he could not wait to go back tomorrow. But, I will say, he was exhausted already. This is definitely going to be an adjustment and I have a feeling by Friday, he's not going to be so cheery.

We had to stop by Serendipity for an ice cream treat after school too! So fun!

What a great day it was! And we get to do it all over again tomorrow! I am happy that he was happy...that made it so much easier on me.

Kindergarten Here We Come!

Well, it's here. Kindergarten starts tomorrow. I've had nerves all summer about it, but I think at this point, the nerves are pretty much gone and I'm just excited. Hudson is excited. It's time to get back to our routine...if we even have one since we've pretty much been living in limbo the past couple of months. I'm not sure how I'll react once he gets out of the car tomorrow and goes on his way without me (at the crack of dawn I might add!), but I think I've gotten my tears out and I think I'll be ok. Now, if they have to extract him from the car, that may cause me to lose it a little...or a lot. I'll be sure to update! Ha!

 

We met Hudson's sweet teacher today, Mrs. Boyd. She could not be more cute. Hudson doesn't know anyone in his class, so it ought to be interesting, but there are 11 boys so surely it will be easy to make new friends!

 

I've packed his backpack and have everything ready to go. I'm making him buy lunch tomorrow so he'll start to get the lunch number thing down, even though I don't even have his lunch number yet. Somehow I missed that part. My little group of friends are stressing about lunch, about what to bring for "healthy" snacks (as required--we are debating whether fruit by the foot is really a fruit--ha!), and who is going to drop off in carpool as opposed to walking them in. All of the most important things, you know.

 

It's going to be interesting, that's for sure! Another chapter in life is beginning! Update to come tomorrow!

Making the Most of the End of Summer

The past two weeks have been busy! We've been having fun and trying to make the most of the last bit of summer we have. Two weeks from yesterday, Hudson will start Kindergarten! His last day of preschool is tomorrow...I cannot believe it. But, I think he is ready and he has started to act really excited when we talk about Kindergarten and doesn't seem the least bit sad about tomorrow being his last day with his current friends. Maybe he doesn't really understand what's really happening?!?!?

 

I took the boys to see Planes 2. It was Harrison's first movie experience and he LOVED it. Every time the previews come on TV now, he talks about how we saw it at the movie "theodore". He sat through the whole thing. I was so shocked. We all loved the movie though. I highly recommend going to see it!

 

 We went up to Mentone for the weekend too. Of all the pretty weekends we have had this summer, this was not one of them. It rained a lot, but it wasn't hard rain, just that annoying misty stuff. It didn't hinder our fun though. They were having a big art show in Mentone and were having a fundraiser for the Humane Society and did a pet parade. It was quite possibly one of the funniest things I have ever been to. "Pets" in Mentone take on a whole new meaning. It wasn't just your dog and cats...it was horses, chickens, goats, llamas...crazy stuff. The boys were in heaven!

 Hudson walked with Big Daddy for the parade and was so proud!

 Harrison went with Big Mama! Joel and I just watched and laughed.

 The dogs got ribbons (which my boys wore ALL weekend and to school the next week), and Phoebe won the prize for "Best in Black" and Franny won the prize for "the smallest head". So, so funny.

 My parents bought the boys a fun new riding toy! I should also mention that it was COLD up there! I had to go buy pants and jackets for them to wear for the night concert events.

Hudson received putting lessons from my dad. I don't think my dad anticipated having to stand there for AN HOUR teaching him. He was obsessed with it. I guess maybe we need to get this boy in some golf lessons!

 

This past weekend, I got to go on a girls trip to the beach! The girls from Sunday school with kids going into kindergarten decided it would be fun to go commiserate together for the weekend. It was SO fun and relaxing and it was a great place to go and recharge. We stayed in Seagrove at Margaret's aunt's condo on the beach and it was just perfect. We stayed up until 1:30 am every single night (I'm still paying for it!), but it was so good for the soul! We just could not stop talking and hanging out! We pretty much had to make ourselves go to bed! And I won't even begin to explain how nice it was to just SIT on the beach and do nothing all day long. It's been a really long time since I've gotten to do that! Beach trips with kids are not quite the same! Ha! Different kind of fun though...

We are closing on our new house on Friday (yippee!!!), although we won't be moving in for another 3 weeks or so. We are refinishing the hardwood floors first. In the meantime, we are going to move over to Joel's parents house so we can be closer to school (really worried about having to get Hudson to school by 7:45!). Carrie's coming into town Friday for the week, AND, the boys and I and Carrie and Andres are potentially making one last beach trip before the craziness of school starts. Lots going on in the Reed house!

Oh and I almost forgot...TODAY is our 9th anniversary! Happy Anniversary to us! We will be celebrating at church tonight with dinner and the movie Frozen (for the kids obviously!). So romantic! Ha!

Brewery Tour and Lake Fun

Friday night, a bunch of couples from our Sunday school class went on a brewery tour! :) We had more fun telling people we were a Sunday school class! Ha! And ironically, the first person we met at the Cahaba Brewery was a pastor. It was so funny. Anyway, we took a bus from the church to Avondale, where we learned all about how the beer is made and had 3 tastings. I'm sure the tour was interesting (Joel said it was), but I had more fun running my mouth and spending an evening out with fun friends! We don't get to do this very often.

 

 Then we went to the Cahaba brewery. I think originally, we were supposed to hit Good People as well, but us old folks couldn't stay out all night! We had such a fun time!

 I should have also mentioned that Joel and I tried out the new BAM Sports Grill in Cahaba Heights since we had a kid free afternoon/evening, and it was great! We definitely recommend it!

The Reed's took the boys to the lake Friday afternoon and we joined them Saturday. Pops bought a new kayak and we had more fun paddling around on it.

 Well, some of us liked it more than others...

 And we went on a couple of really long boat rides. Nothing better!

 Loved the sunset!

We were dying at the kids' hair after the boat ride.

As we left, Hudson proclaimed, "This is the most awesome place ever!" It really is a little boys dream.

We had a great weekend!

4th of July

For the first time ever on the 4th, we headed down to Seagrove for the parade. I have no idea why we've never done this! We won't miss it again though! Such fun! We sat right in front of Seagrove V and it was great.

The weather could not have been more perfect. Not a cloud in sight and it was actually on the cool side for July, with a great breeze!

 Patiently waiting for the parade to start (in the middle of the street!). Don't worry, the street was blocked off!

 We were ready in our red, white, and blue!

 Attempt at a family picture!

Somebody was REALLY excited.

 

Harrison racked up on beads. He put every one of them on that he caught! We thought he looked like Mr. T!

 

 

And even stole some of Hudson's...

 

 After the parade, we headed back to the condo where we had the annual 4th of July parade there.

And then it was time for races! This picture below cracks me up. Both boys were not paying one bit of attention and they are still standing on the starting line while everyone else is going! They apparently did not get my competitiveness.

 Then it was time to cover Daddy in shaving cream! They LOVED this!

 

 Do you see the water in the background? Wow, it was beautiful! And so calm too!

 Then it was back to the pool for more swimming.

 And beach time too!

 

 That night, Sand Cliffs had a pot luck cookout. There was a band and a piñata for the kids. Such a beautiful view. I tried to get some pictures of the boys. Love the silly faces!

 And one (I repeat, ONE, out of 5,000) was decent.

 Maybe two turned out ok...

 They had red, white, and blue glowstick necklaces for the kids too! They really thought of everything!

 Ahhhhh!!!!!

 And then we settled in for the fireworks show, which was fabulous!

 It was a long day...the boys didn't go to sleep until almost 10! What a fun 4th it was though.

Saturday was our last full day. We started out the day at the splash pad at Alys.

And ended it with dinner at Louis Louis. We always do Red Bar, but with the crowds, I just didn't want to get in the mix this week. Louis Louis did not disappoint though!

 We went early to avoid crowds, so we got back in plenty of time to do one last trip to the beach.

 Photo credits to Hudson Reed, 5 years old!

 Someone had to take another bath because he covered himself with sand...

 Love this happy picture!

It was a great week at the beach. We already can't wait to go back!