Goals

A few years ago I did a post with all of our goals for the upcoming school year (click HERE to check it out).  I liked it so much I wanted to do it again.

Mark

1. To live a healthy lifestyle. 
2. To run the half marathon in less than an hour and forty five minutes.
3. To be a positive influence in the lives of my students.
4. To buy my wife lots of shiny presents (I added that, but I know he was thinking it).

 Natalie

1. To make a difference in my students lives EVERYDAY and teach them to be great students as well as great people.
2. To laugh til I cry everyday (I do that one every year).
3. To be the best mother I can possibly be and to show my children how amazing they are EVERYDAY!!  I also want them to know how proud they make me each and every day!!
4. To be a the best wife, mother, friend, and family member that I can  possibly be!

 Claire

1. To read so that I can read stories to Oliver and you and Daddy.
2. To get lots of stickers at school.

 Oliver

1. Truck.

 

 Here are just a few of my favorite people at work who make each day a blast!!!  I don't know what I would do without you guys!!

Me and my teamie!  

I hope everyone has a GREAT school year!!!!!!

Why Not?

So today Mark had about 4 seconds spare time and decided to start this project.....

Why not right??  There is nothing really going on.  Oh no, we are just starting back to school tomorrow and the madness of the school year will begin...no biggie.  But that is how we roll around here!!!!

Mark (sans beard) gettin' to work!

We have been talking about doing this  hallway since we moved in and there is no time like the present to rip down all the wall paper, skim coat the walls, paint them, and put up all new moldings. NO PROBLEM!!

It is going to look so nice when it is finished though!!  Then I can start my long awaited picture wall!!!!  My Aunt Pat had one when we were kids and I would walk up and down her hallway staring at the pictures every time we went there.  I always said when I had my own house that I would do my own picture wall for people to stare at.  And I will soon enough.

And of course, Claire couldn't wait to get right in there and help Daddy out!  Hope she knows how to skim coat the walls because we got A LOT of work to do :)

Kickin' It Preschool

Today was Claire's first official day of preschool.  She was soooo excited! She got a new back pack and she was ready to rock.  When Mark dropped her off there was a few tears (I am thinking more because today was the first day I had to wake the poor thing up at 6am) but she ended up doing GREAT!!  When Claire came home she told me that she learned sooo much today!  She told me that she learned to "equal".  When I asked her to tell me more about that she told me that she learned that 2+1=3 and 3+1=4 and 4+1=5 and 5+1=6.  I was so proud of her that she already got that pattern!!  Then she told me that she learned the Pledge To The Flag.  It was hilarious! She got most of it right (with a few minor errors, that were awesome)!  

Here is Claire with her new back pack! It looks soooo HUGE on her but she loves it!  I was so proud of her today.  She was so excited and eager to learn and she actually came home excited to share what she learned with us.  I hope that she always knows how proud of her I am and how amazing I really think she is!

The Chariot

The other day Mark bought a double running stroller so that he could take both of the kids on his runs with him. We call it "The Chariot" because it is so big!  The kids LOVE to go on runs with Daddy! 

Oliver got a new helmet today to make sure that his ride on "The Chariot" was a safe one.  He loved wearing his new helmet!

Claire is an old pro with the running stroller.  Click HERE to see her back in the day going running with Daddy!  That stroller was great but now we needed to upgrade to a stroller that had room for two.

First Hair Cut

Before we went on our trip I made sure to get Oliver's hair cut. His FIRST  hair cut! Claire didn't need a haircut until she was 3 years old! Oliver, on the other hand really needed one!

Here is the  front before. 

Here is the back before.

Side view.

 Another front view because he is just so stinking adorable.

Suited up, ready to get some hair cut!!

First cut! 

Oliver is not really sure how to feel about this!

Hey!  This isn't so bad!

"Hey Claire!  Can you grab me something to play with?"

"Sure buddy."

All done!  Thanks Auntie Shannon!!

So handsome!

Side view!

Then it was Claire's turn.  This is only her second haircut ever.  But, she LOVES the salon experience.

Here she is soooo relaxed.

Look at how long her hair is when it is straight!

 Almost done.

A little time under the dryer.

Thank Auntie Shannon for two awesome haircuts!!!

Just For Laughs

Just in case you needed a laugh.

Beach Babes

We have spent a lot of time at the beach this past week.  I have been so afraid to take my camera to the beach because of the sand and water but finally I said forget it and brought it down for the day.  And I am glad that I did because I got some great shots!!  I have a ton of shots so I am just going to post them and add some captions.  It was really great to spend time with family and just enjoy being together!

 It is so nice when we can get a family picture with all of us in it!

Me and my man.

Claire had a blast in the water! She would stay in there all day if we let her. 

Oliver loved swimming too!

The kids had so much fun playing together!  Owen and Claire are a riot together! The had a great time swimming and building a sandcastles.

Claire loved having her shades on! Especially after I got sunscreen in her eyes.

Oliver just starting making this face.  It is hilarious.  Here he is having a serious discussion with Claire.

 Jessica and Giada came up for the day and we packed up the monsters and headed down the beach!  The girls had a great time (as usual) playing on the beach!

Jessica and Oliver smooched a little on the beach.

Claire liked to take a break and relax in the sun.

Awesome.

Hot Mamas.

They loved running into the water and playing.

Claire loved spending some time with her Daddy.

Oliver had his first sucker at the beach.  He LOVED it!  Even if it was full of sand.

Claire loved hers too.

Seriously, could he be any more handsome?!  He is ALMOST walking.  He will walk a little on his own but he would much rather crawl.  I am sure that Claire following him around and helping him all the time is not helping.

"Hold on Aunt Di!!"
He may  not walk yet but he can drive a jetski.

Claire made Mark take her out on the jetski twice.  And both times she cried the whole time she was out there but once she got back, she would tell everyone how much fun she had.  The first time they went out the jetski stalled and Claire kept yelling "THE BATTERY IS DEAD DADDY!!!  BLOW THE WHISTLE!!!!"


After days at the beach we spent nights back at the cottage, eating dinner and visiting.

Oliver loved playing on the deck.  Check out those teeth!

Love him.

Claire and Oliver loved eating smores by the fire.
Notice Claire's tiara.  Yeah, she wore that for two days straight.  It said Irish Princess and she loved it.  When Aunt Nancy complemented her on it, she quickly explained "Well I need this to keep my hair out of my eyes." Yeah, I am sure that's why she wore it for two days :)

The Youngs.  We always have a blast when we hang out.  And especially when Brad and Eileen stop in!!

Great guys.

There's that face again.


Overall, it was a great week at the beach. I am sad to see it go!!  Soon enough school will be starting again!!!!!!!