Fun Fall Finds

Well now that it's September.....tomorrow anyway.....we are entering into my favorite time of the year. Love fall, fall I love you! It makes me happy, and cozy with pumpkins, boots, wassail, hot chocolate, football (okay I don't love football) but everything else about fall I love! Here is a few fun fall finds I have been contemplating getting the last few weeks.

Okay this one is really no big deal. But I have been getting our homework station organized and realized all of our pencils were tiny little stubs with no erasers left on them. So I stalked up and spent the better half of my day sharpening 24 pencils. Do you know how long it takes to sharpen 24 pencils from the ground up. Let me tell you I made it through an entire hour of Days of our Lives today while sharpening and I am still not done. I thought it would be a quick ten minute project....nope.

But still fresh sharpened number 2 pencils, that's for sure a happy thing.

I just ordered these lunch boxes off Amazon. I am changing up the way I do lunches for Lance during the school year. More on that to come soon, but these lunch boxes are just what I had in mind for my new project!

Fall brings out the book worm in me. I love to curl up on the boys beds before bed and read story book after story book with them. Though it's been bothering me for over a year that they have no reading lamps in their room. If I can talk Eric into it I am going to buy these little guys to install on the sides of their beds for hours and hours of happy reading!

Just ordered these darling PJ's for the kids from Gymboree. Pink for K, and black for the boys. I am thinking a fun Halloween photo shoot is in order sometime in the next few weeks wearing their new PJ's of course. Oh and I must brag a minute did you know I have all of my kids Halloween costumes ready to go and it's not even September quite yet. I ordered Lance's and K's a few weeks ago and Luke's should come in the mail tomorrow. Now how is that for on top of things? I am so proud.

This is an I dream about purchase. Pottery Barn they really love to suck up your money. I don't know if I can justify the price but man do I love this fall foliage centerpiece for my kitchen table. I am this close to hitting that purchase button.......this close. Then I am going to hide the receipt from Eric cause he wouldn't understand cute fall foliage centerpieces. I think he would tell me to go out and collect some acorns or something......

Okay and while we are on my dream list. Here is the beauty I am saving up my pennies for..... the Olympus E30 or the E3. I can't decide it.....but I have been wanting to upgrade my camera for awhile now. Maybe by Christmas all of my ducks will be in a row, honey maybe???

Christmas present?

Yes?

Honey?

I don't think he's listening(:

Hope you all have a happy September 1st!

Weekending and (more) back to school shopping

Today I went back to school shopping..... again.

I use the term back to school shopping in the loosest sense of the term.

I shop in shifts.

A store here.

A store there.

Basically I shop all year long, only buying what I really love and not just buying to be buying.

I have been waiting for months for Children's Place to send their 15% discount in the mail.

I waited, and waited, and waited.

I am still waiting.

Thankfully my sister had her "give to a friend" coupon and I was her give to a friend.

She gave it to me yesterday.

So of course come 10 am today, you know right where I was at?

Also did I mention I only have one child at home these days?

IT'S FABULOUS!

I of course did buy for the boys as well. But let's be honest K's stuff is so much cuter and funner to shop for. As my boys are getting older I am finding it harder and harder to find cute stuff for them. Of course they could care less what they were, but I want them to look dapper you know.

I did like these canvas sneakers for them.

But pink sparkly sneakers so much funner!

Yup I think me and this Miss K only around the house is going to be a really good thing.

Tomorrow on our agenda grocery shopping....big grocery shopping.

Grocery shopping with nobody asking for glow in the dark fruit snacks.

Katelynn and I might even stop at Subway for lunch, just cause we can.

Heck did I say Subway I meant Olive Garden.

Just the two of us.

No I probably won't cause I would feel stupid.

But if I didn't I would....that makes sense right?

Anyway here is a few pictures from our weekend.

Sunday afternoon we had our last family reunion of the year.

And it's a goody.

With races....

Sand pits for money digging.....

How cute is this, the boys counting up their loot.

A whole lot of resting in the shade......

Prizes galore......

I lost count of how many trips to the water fountain Luke made in order to fill up his water gun.

Sweet cousins who love to entertain Katelynn.

Oh and I didn't get a picture but they had this huge candy cannon where they shoot off tons of candy to the kids.

They loved it.

We came home with bags of candy.

Sigh......I am just not quite ready to let Summer go.

I guess I need to do more back to school shopping to cheer myself up:)

Hope your week is off to a good start!

Back To School Week

I am sitting in a quiet house right now, just me and my computer.

We had a block party tonight.

It was fabulous.

I love where we live.

I love my neighbors.

I love their kids.

And I love their cooking.

It was one great evening.

After the BBQ, they had set up a projector in a neighbors yard for a late night movie.

So I threw the kids in the bath real quick, slapped some pj's on them.

And sent the boys and Eric off to the movie while I stayed behind with little K to put her down for the night.

Picture this.....if you will.

My house is dark and quiet.

I watched a freaky dateline last night, which I knew I shouldn't be watching cause I always get scared after.

The boys and Eric left thirty minutes ago.

I took K up to her room to rock her for a bit before bedtime.

Since I had free time to myself I lingered for quite awhile just cause I could, snuggling my girl.

As I turn to come down our stairs I realized the front door is WIDE OPEN!

Yes just imagine the thoughts running through my head right now.

(don't really worry, I am sure Luke just accidentally left it open on his way out)

Eric, boys hurry home. I have scary datelines on my mind!

But moving on......it was back to school this week.

Here is a look at the boys first week of school back in session.

Last year I bought the boys the same backpack.

Stupid, sometimes I can be so stupid.

Every morning I would have to unzip them to figure out who's was who's.

This year I got much smarter and bought them different ones.

Already our mornings are going smoother!

Loubird on his first day back at Sound Beginnings.

This week has been testing for the little guy, so he is only gone from 8:30 - 12:30, typically it goes until 3.

It's been a nice way to ease him back into going.

I like having the little fella around in the afternoons.

Loubird just a few things I want to remember about your first day.

--You have the hardest time waking up in the mornings. Monday was no exception, poor little guy had to drag you out of your nice warm bed. Hopefully soon you will get back into your routine.

--You wanted mini pancakes and juice for breakfast, so that's what you got.

--You were all smiles when you realized Janet would be back today. (Janet his teacher was gone all during summer session).

--You were happy as a clam on the drive to school and suddenly when we pulled up you started sobbing. I thought to myself oh great here we go, he doesn't want to go back. I told you to come up to the front of the car so we could cuddle a bit and give each other hugs. You sat on my lap and cried. I asked what was wrong, and your answer......."I don't have my journal". Oh you little dear you were not sad about going back to school, you were just sad because you didn't have a journal to write in. When I told you you would be getting a new journal for the new year, you were all smiles again and asked hopefully "will it be yellow?". We can only hope little one......

--We had to pick you up from school a little early cause Lance had a dentist appointment. We got McDonald's for lunch because I knew time was short. When you got to the car and saw your lunch in your seat you said "Oh great mom, thank you, this is the best McDonald's ever"!

--Love you Loubird, hope you have a great year!

Lancey boy started on the following Wednesday.

1st grade now, gone from 8:10 - 2:30.

A few things about Lancey's first day I want to remember.

--You were so nervous about starting first grade. You hate new situations, you wanted your old teacher and your old friends. But back to school night changed that all. We met your teacher, she is fantastic. I knew from the second I met her she was a perfect fit for my Lance. You loved finding your desk and exploring the classroom. You also found out a few friends from soccer and some church friends were in your class. That changed everything for you, you went from worrying to pure excitement. I have never seen you so wound up, you would have thought it was Christmas Eve and not back to school eve the night before your first day.

--You picked out your own back to school shoes, you loved that they were green to match your green shirt.

--You were really excited to get your Woodruff Elementary Wildcat t-shirt

--You chose to have mommy make you a lunch instead of eating school lunch. I wrote a little note to my first grader, making sure to use words I knew you could read. The morning school started you looked in your lunch to make sure you approved with what I had packed. When you saw the note you smiled, read it, and said "Thank you mom, I would love to carry that in my lunch pack all day". Thanks for melting my heart little one.

--Love you little Fella have a great 1st grade year!

To celebrate the first week of school being out I thought a good treat was in order. So yesterday afternoon we hit up our local cupcake shop.

There was smiles all around.

And a few weird looks, because little did I know Luke had forgotten his shoes when we got into the car.

I had to shove both him and K in the tiny umbrella stroller.

It was something alright.

This was my choice lemon with blueberry frosting.

Oh man I love cupcakes.

I would definitely say the first week of school has been a good one.

And just in case you were worried the little Miss was distraught with missing her big brothers all day........

Nope!

The queen has taken up permanent residence in their toy box.

She is living up her reign, here in the Smith household!

Box Elder County Fair

We just kinda love you........until next year dear friend!