Last year together until Highschool.

Here we go again. 1st grade and 4th grade. The way they break up schools in our district this will be Brooke's last year in elementary school and the last year our two kids will be in the same building until High School. Part of me thinks good, Brady can pave his own path and not follow in the deep footsteps of his older sister, but then part of me loves that they are there for each other, even though neither one will admit to it. So we will cherish the time that we only transport to one place, and have similar schedules, and secret eyes looking out for each other.

 

I told both of them that they may not say "I can't find my shoes" this year. No excuses to find these!

First and Fourth.....sigh....

The first day is always so exciting!!

And we always have time to kill on the first day.....and that is the ONLY day......

Deep down they are buds....

All smiles.....at the necessary first day stop...

Last year at the ol' apple.

Mom....seriously can we go in and find our classes now?

Arriving before the first bell and access to the hallways....oh good time for another photo op.

Bell rang and he was off......Large and in Charge...

Locker stop...

First year with his own desk....pretty exciting!

Kids had a good first day and got a hug from someone special at the bus stop this year!

Reunited.

And just like that we walk home and we are back to routines, getting up five days a week, after school activities, packing lunches, laying out backpacks, filing out forms, and no one seems mad at it.

Dog Days of Summer.....

Roxy Applesauce is two months in with the Munson Family and is acclimating well. She is getting used to her routines and also got a chance to experience summertime in Michigan.

 

She LOVES to run on the beach......FREEDOM!

She does a good job at keeping an eye on her peeps at the beach and at home. She if very keen to where the kids are and wants to be by them all the time. So much so if one of the kids isn't up yet, she will wait outside the bedroom door, knowing this one isn't up and about yet. Smarty pants!

Move over Baywatch, Roxy's on Patrol......

Now for a water dog....things are progressing slowly....this is first attempts at the lake.....more for drinking than swimming at this stage. Chris did take her out and she did swim to shore the other day, but that is about it for this summer.

She loves chasing the ball and getting herself tangled in the soccer net.

We discovered the joy of the rawhide....

She loves to be outside "digging" "chewing" and "destroying any such plant landscape we have"

Bike rides with dad, her latest exercise regime is rollerblading! Talk about wearing her down!

She is earning her Velcro breed status.....More often then not she is curled up in someones lap.

Or snuggling in some fashion.

She doesn't seem to picky on who it is, as long as she is on top of you.

Velcro indeed.

Trying out new dog parks.

Visiting Pine Lake

Ready for take off.......looks like she is about to take off with those kite boarders...

Life on the beach is exhausting.....

Pretty girl enjoying the views...

Brooke trying to groom what little we have to work with....

Bath couldn't be any easier - she is dry in 3.2 seconds.

Off to Puppy class.....

Nothing says summer like an afternoon nap and a good book.

And there you have Roxy's first Summer.
 

Summer Send Off Summary.....

Well another summer under our belts and it was a fast one. Despite the rough weather we surely made due of the nice days when they came. This is how we spent the better half of August.

 

Riding the waves at Grandma's beach

Soaking in the surf.

Meeting legends.

Side trips to Gary IN of all places, this one always with a side trip....this time Michael Jackson's childhood home. The white house to the right is not the garage of the other white house it IS the Jackson house where 8 children and two parents grew up.....

Trips to the zoo.

Ropes course with Brooke (she has been anticipating this for a few years now and was excited to finally do it!)

Mom was just as shaky as she was.....

Our hands were sore after from holding on so tight.

My brave little one.....

Checking out the new camp area at the zoo with Dad.

I just love this picture because it is all her: athletic wear, uncombed hair, smile on her face and sitting in the middle of my plant like there isn't one thing wrong with it.

Feeding calves

Losing two teeth in one day!

Catching a baseball at the Whitecaps game (well a very nice co-worker caught it and gave it to bugs!)

Giant chocolate pancakes for lunch before school shopping!

Meeting new older friends at their cousins lake and jumping right in, literally.

Crazy tubing faces.

On Three.....One....two....go...... (expect no less from these two)

One for all, all for one.

Geronimo!

Being carefree....

Jumping for joy

I wish I could put that she is saying

"Yeah school starts soon!"

 

 I like to call this one "Gumby Arms"

 

Snuggles with his Idol....

Operation diaper crew.

I love how Brady was soooo trying to keep up with them!

Cousin Jake getting some air!

Chris trying out wake boarding.

Brady doing some serious banking, as he opens his savings account!

They were great, made his sign the paperwork and everything, he was all business.

hahaha.

Tubing down the Muskegon River with buds.

Brooke teaching mom how to use cool picture apps on my phone.

Enjoyed a weekend at Torch Lake....

 The crew heading out to enjoy

 We upgraded fun island to relaxation station.

 

That was the remainder of our summer, in a nutshell. Bring on School, fixed schedules, sports and a whole new set up juggling acts!