Labor Day weekend, First day of School and Tylers visit.

We had an awesome labor day weekend of playing in the woods, hitting up Todd Lake with friends and swimming at two different resorts as guests from friends.  

Going into the weekend with nothing planned, I felt pretty good about all the fun we squeezed in to this last weekend before school started.  

The Todd Lake excursion started out with a few of our crew of friends that we have been getting together as a playgroup basically every Friday since Piper was a baby.  Now the big kids are all starting Kindergarten...all at different schools, so the Friday fun will now dwindle with all the kids in school 5 days a week.  =-(  

Sweet boys and their flowers for Mommy.

Piper is a born nurturer!

The frog catching at Todd Lake is amazing, so many frog = hours of entertainment.  We brought a lunch and hung out in the meadow.  It turned into social hour too because not only did we hike in with a crew of friends, but we were meeting more friends out there...then we even ran into Nola and Danny, friends from Seattle that we knew were in town, but didn't know would be out at Todd Lake.  Even crazier is that a few months before (the only other time I was at this lake this summer), I ran into Nola's brother, Graham, also from Seattle and just passing though!  I love it when stuff like that happens!

We love hanging in the woods!  Especially with the promise of homemade cake from Katie the Cake lady back at the car to help motivate tired legs to keep on moving!  

Sunriver and Pronghorn resorts treating us well!  We love swimming!

Yes I stole this idea off Facebook, but how cute to look back on what their ideas are the first day of school.  I love that the ideas are always changing, but this morning, this is what I got! Actually, Piper had been saying that she wanted to own a drink shop that sold kombucha so she could drink it every day!  Wonder where she got that idea?  But today...the answer was BabySitter, which is awesome too.  The life guard idea Calvin has mentioned in the past as well.  He seems to think he has already had practice saving Piper in the pool.  Jett randomly said a flower, but after I wrote that down, throughout the day he kept saying "Actually mommy, I want to be a....when I grow up."  His answers ranged from "A REAL super hero" to "A baseballer".

This picture says it all!  Jett and Calvin...ready to rule the school!

Big sis was excited to drop off the boys for their first day too!  I LOVE this picture of these three.  MY MONKEYS!!!

We feel lucky that Piper knows a few kids already in her class.  A few from her pre school and Nina, who we have known since she was born.  The daughter of Becky and John, two of our very first friends we made when we moved to Bend.  



The first day of Kindergarten.   What a momentous occasion.  Piper was so ready and so proud to start Kindergarten.  I felt proud of her confidence and excitement.  She did great, we all did actually.  No tears, definitely some heart fluttering emotions, mostly just pride though.  It feels weird to think about how she is starting her educational journey...at this point I am not so concerned with what she is learning...just that I want her to be happy and love being there.  I have a bit of protective mama bear thoughts and worry about this big world she is entering...a world of other kids and classmates and influences...again, I just want her to be happy.  So far so good.  I am so lucky to have this smart, intuitive, sweet kid.  She is gonna do great!

Piper first day of Kindergarten     

What lucky boys to have such a great big sister.  She loves these guys so much and the feeling is mutual.

Aw...the super heros in my life.  There were not many days this summer that the boys did not have these swimming suits on.  It didn't matter if were weren't even planning on swimming or even being near water.  They were always prepared to get wet...it did come in handy, come to think of it!  But really these outfits rarely came off even when it was time for bed.  I guess I am thankful for the lightened loads of laundry.  I love the cowboy hats...another great pass down from cousin Garret!

How did I by pass this round of pictures?  Oh I know, we started a business, left on vacation and my baby girl started kindergarten!  =-)  Anyway, not to be overshadowed, but...The Tyler clan came for a fun filled visit the beginning of August.  It had been 4 years since their last appearance, we are so grateful they made the trek to town from Seattle.  Shannon and Kyle have created an amazingly amazing group of kids. Ella, Luke, Nolan and Alice.  They were all so fun to be around and I continue to be impressed with how they roll as a family.  So nice and funny and warm...such a joy to watch the interactions or our two families together.  We were certainly a crew when we rode our bikes together, but we got in lots of rides all over town.  We stormed the streets of downtown to get to munch-n-music, did loops in the old mill and even made tracks at Phils trail and the pump track.

The weather was a bit iffy on some of the days, but we squeezed in a lake day for a picnic and paddleboard session.

It was a great trip, thanks for visiting Tylers.  Crazy to think that we have 7 kids between the two of us Shannon.  So fun to get them all together and have the chance so hang with one of my oldest friends.  Feels good to have had you here to help during the last few clutch days before The Lot opened.  We will always think of Kyle when we appreciate the beautiful ADA pavers out front of the carts. =-)