Back to School!

Hard to believe, but school has started again!  Ian started 8th grade on Thursday - his last year of middle school!  He has a big year ahead with high school registration, Confirmation class at church and 8th grade graduation.  He was not very enthusiastic about going back to school, but he said that he had a good first day.



Ian is wearing a new shirt and new jeans.  And I am happy to report that we both survived the back to school shopping experience!

Continuing the tradition I started last year, here is a video of Ian after his first day.

Lila started 4 year old preschool on Friday and was SO excited!  All day Thursday she kept saying, "I am SO excited to start school tomorrow.  I can't WAIT to go to school.  I can't wait to learn new things!"  Friday morning she was up and ready to go.  When we went outside for pictures Cara looked at me like I was nuts that I didn't want her in the picture and then went and stood by Lila anyway.  Here she is trying not to be left out.

Lila with her backpack and first day of school dress.

 At school with her nametag.  Right after this she said, "Okay Mommy you can go now."



And then she sat down and started playing.

Here's Lila's first day of school interview.

August

The first part of August has managed to fly by without me posting any blog updates.  We have all been busy and trying to enjoy the last few weeks of summer!  Hard to believe that we are going back to school already!

As soon as VBS ended I left for a girls weekend in Nashville with three friends.   I had so much fun!  I pretty much didn't eat or sleep while I was there, but it was worth it.  I loved Nashville and would move there in a second if I was single and child-free.  We sat by the pool and went shopping, but mostly we went honky-tonk bar hopping.

While I was gone, Chris was home with the girls and took them on a trip to the zoo.  Here they are watching the dolphins go by.

Lila with the tiger 

 and with her favorite animal, the buffalo.

On Saturday night a friend of ours from law school got married.  It was a beautiful wedding with the ceremony in a basilica and the reception at the Chicago Symphony Center.  Here we are with Jim and Jasna on the balcony of the symphony center.

I turned in early though and stayed in a hotel in the city because the next day I ran my first ever Half Marathon.  I ran the Rock n Roll Half which was a fantastic race.  There are local live bands all along the course which helps keep your feet moving.  Plus, the race was very well run and extremely organized.  Chris brought the kids in to the city to watch the race.  I was able to see them at mile 7 and then again at the finish.  Here's Ian with the skyline in the background.

My friend, Lora, and I after the race

My finish time was 2:17 which was slower than I wanted, but I am focusing on the fact that I ran 13.1 miles and crossed the finish line.  But I'm already thinking about my next Half so I can beat my time!

Vacation Bible School

We returned from Portland to a heat advisory in Chicago, so we didn't do much because it was SO hot.  Then, just as the heat advisory was lifted, our air conditioner broke.  And not just a minor break- we had to have a new inside and outside unit installed.  Not fun.  So, we didn't do much while the air conditioner was broken either because it was SO hot.

This week was VBS at church.  I was a crew leader for a group of first and second grade boys and let's just say they were a challenge.  Lila was part of the preschool group again this year and had a fantastic time!  She told me all about what she did every day and couldn't wait to go back.  Two of her teachers even told me how impressed they were with her knowledge about Jesus!  Cara spent the week in the nursery at church playing with her friends and having fun.

Last night was the VBS Finale where the kids could show off the songs that they learned.  The preschoolers sang Jesus Loves Me by themselves and then sang two songs with the rest of the group.  Lila did an excellent job singing the words and doing the hand motions!

After the singing, everyone had ice cream to celebrate!

Meanwhile...

While we were in Oregon, Mom stayed here with all three kids.  The kids loved having time with Nana!  They played at home, went to parks and even tried out a new park!

 Cara swinging

 Playing with the water table in the backyard

 Blowing bubbles in the bathtub

 Cara demonstrating her fork skills.

Adam and Molly's Wedding

On July 16, Chris's friend and college roommate Adam got married in Oregon and Chris served as a groomsman.  We flew out to Portland on Thursday for the rehearsal dinner.  Then on Friday we drove about an hour to Hood River which is where the rest of the wedding festivities took place.  Friday was the rehearsal followed by an outdoor dinner so we could enjoy the perfect weather.  Then, on Saturday, Adam and Molly got married at Mt. Hood Organic Farms.  The weather was rainy in the morning and a little chilly at wedding time, but the sun came out and everything was able to go as planned.

 Chris with the Best Man, Marc.

 Chris and I before the wedding.  It was a little windy!

 Chris gave one of the seven blessings during the ceremony.

 The view from the reception.

The happy couple.

Renaissance Faire

On Saturday, July 9 Mom and Dad took Ian and his friend Owen to the  Bristol Renaissance Faire as his birthday present.  Ian had a great time!

 This is what Ian picked to buy with his birthday money.  It's a long leather cloak.  I don't really know what else to say about it.

Ian apparently spent most of his time at this booth where you can throw tomatoes at a man who insults you.  He had a blast.

Ian's Birthday Weekend

Technically, Ian's birthday was last weekend, but he was with his dad.  He got to go camping and spend time with his dad's family.

On Friday, Mom and Dad came up to babysit so that Chris and I could go see Beauty and the Beast.  We had dinner with Katie and Tim first and then saw the show.  It was fun, but not nearly as amazing as Lion King!  After dinner we had drinks with Emily to celebrate her birthday and then headed home.

 Lila and Cara's new thing is to use my foam roller to "stretch".

On Sunday Mom, Dad, Katie and Tim came over to celebrate Ian's birthday.  We had lunch, cake and ice cream and presents.  Lila got dressed up in her "party costume".

Ian got money, gift cards, a savings bond and a new book.  He also got the XBox he's been asking for! 

He got some new XBox games from Katie and Tim. 

And then we had chocolate mousse birthday cake.

On Saturday, Ian and a friend went to the Renaissance Faire with Mom and Dad for his birthday present.  Mom took some pictures and I will add those as soon as I get them from her.