Sweet September

 We jumped straight from relaxing beach vacation into busy Fall schedule, with only one day between in which to do laundry, grocery shop, shake the sand from our hair and gird our loins.  Here is Brennan on his first day of 1st grade! This is his first year of full-day school and he was so excited.  Along with eating lunch at school and playing on the big playground at recess, he also gets P.E., music, art, computer lab, and homework.

Kellan had to be pulled from a nap for this afternoon pick-up.

Soccer started that first week as well, and it was hot as blazes.

Here we are on Isla's first day of school, getting ready to walk Brennan first.

Isla is in the 4's this year and was so excited to find out that her best friend is in her class again.

Kellan and I have four mornings a week with just the two of us!  On the first day I had a whole list of housecleaning tasks that I was prepared to breeze through.  Ha!  Apparently I should have been paying Brennan and Isla for the childcare they've been providing because it is not possible to do anything productive in the house with just Kellan around.  I forgot how challenging having just one child can be!  On day two we tried storytime at the library with limited success.  On day three it seemed prudent to socialize so we visited Elena (and Cristina).

A recent trip to the farm to run the corn maze. 

 

 

Isla trying to figure out what treat she would like to cash her chore points in for.  She settled for the Buzz Lightyear chest-pack.

Soccer photos are ridiculously overpriced so we sort of just mooched our own this season...

Brennan's team from last year pretty much stuck together and they are so much fun to watch.

We finally got him to the local skate park and he loved it!

Isla has been developing her skills this season and is very speedy!

 New jammies!

 

Kellan is not interested in the group photo.

Isla sang with her classmates on Preschool Sunday.

Kellan and I attended one of the weekly chapel meetings where the August birthdays were being celebrated.

The boys get some weekly playground time together while Isla is at dance class.

Kellan has noticed that the other kids give me a thumbs-up when they like something I've cooked.  He wholeheartedly endorsed this cookie.

Morning snoozers.

We took the kids to our first Nats game!  We parked for free at Patrick's building and then walked over.

We brought Potbelly Deli for lunch.

The kids had their mitts just in case a foul ball came our way.

It was a bit of a risk going during Kellan's naptime, but we needn't have worried.  Kellan is still working on stadium etiquette though, and now knows not to horrify the people behind you by dipping your finger into their beer.  Oops!

Patrick took the kids for a potty break and they came back with cotton candy; lucky ducks!  Kellan almost slept through it, but the smell of sugar brought him around.

We didn't come in the main gate so we missed the swag, but the family in front of us gifted us their hat.

The game ended up being really exciting as not only did the Nats win, but it was a no-hitter to boot; the first in Nats history.

Some tired and happy sportsfans.