front row parents

I'm certain I've mentioned it before, but we're lucky to have a small private school for the kids to attend in our small community. I love all the activities they're provided, and I think the kids do as well. I sure miss the Christmas concert in the beautifully renovated church, but they do a really nice job in the gym as well, just a packed house! Lucky for us, our good friends saved us a seat right.up.front! we have great friends :)

Lia - sitting, closest to the camera

Nash - ringing the blue bell

Tayt - back row in the plaid, big smiles for the camera

Austyn - front, dead center

Austyn has always loved to sing and it's always a joy listening to her. Excuse the proud mom moment and terrible recording skills, but she really did amazing. Best of the night if you ask me ;)

Austyn - on the left

Lia - middle row with the scarf

the entire group, focusing on Nash, hiding in the middle :)

kudos to the schools music teacher for doing another great job. keep up the good work!

new favorite family tune

While this may not be new to some of you, it's fairly new to us and we enjoyed jamming out to it a couple times on a road trip we took today. Hope you enjoy!

Catholic schools week

Last week was Catholic Schools Week...one of the kids' favorite times of the year. They get to dress up all week long. The Book Fair is at school aaallllll week. There are fun field trips planned. And they end the week with a mid-winter dance...and I remember now why we didn't go last year... loud music + dancing/screaming children running wild like animals + 50cent hot dogs + dark gymnasium (try keeping tabs on Rowdy in a dimly lit gym!)... this is what my Friday nights have come to!

The beginning of the week started with career day. It's slightly scary to think of these kids having careers and leaving my home... also scary how much Lia reminds me of myself. She wanted to be an EMT :)

Side note: Mom, I'm very sorry if I had a mouth like her. I should have been slapped more. Wowza!

Tayt is a spitting image of his father :)

 No surprise here, Austyn went as an arteeeeest :)

Another day was crazy hair day. After quite a bit of arguing over the wigs in the house, Peyton was the only one who decided to wear one. Useful arguing... not! He pulled it off well :) Lia had a bun mohawk. Austyn made me do some crazy ponies with her hair. And Tayt had the classic mohawk. Since mohawks are not allowed in my house, Tayt was preteee excited for crazy hair day :)

And then came Friday. The theme for the dance was a Masquerade Ball. Austyn hid her mask from me all week because she didn't want me to recognize her at the dance... keep in mind that I approved the dress she would wear for the dance... 

Meg wore her boots with the fur

waiting for dad to get home from work so we could go to the dance

Lia and her friend, Miss M

I'm not entirely sure, but I *think* this is Austyn *wink wink*

Austyn's friend, Miss H, and Austyn...maybe

Lia with a few girls from her class and her teacher

here's the real Drew Rowdy... you can just barely see it, but she's looking at me out of the corner of her eyes... 

Tayt is too cool for masks

supper

Austyn with another friend, Miss M

Lia may have had the best mask :)

Because of the frigid weather last week, Lia, Austyn, and Tayt's field trip was rescheduled to tomorrow. I usually join them for this trip but I have a little one attached to me at all times. I guess I could strap her to my back and go rollerskating ;) I have every reason to believe the kids enjoyed their week of celebration. We love our little school!

last week of summer

Last week was our last week of summer, obviously. We spent the week relaxing, starting a new routine of going to bed and getting up earlier, and then we threw in a night at the fair to see Little Big Town play Pontoon. This was mostly for the oldest 4 and they were beyond excited :)

nutritious ;) snack/dinner before the show

Tayt didn't understand why the band wasn't playing Pontoon on repeat (like Dave does...)

Dave and I had a spontaneous date night the following night to see Neal McCoy. A friend of a friend gave us free tickets to be in the 'reserved' seating so we were all over that. and many thanks, friend! We had seen Neal in concert many years ago while at Country Jam... I think... and he puts on a GREAT show! Well worth the free tickets ;) and I'm going to say it, I enjoyed Neal's show more than the previous night... sorry!

Neal McCoy is notorious for leaving the stage and coming right out into the audience. Literally within feet of us.

If I were a better photographer, I would have got this clearer. Dave was speedy though. You can't see it well at all, but here's Dave slapping high 5 with Neal McCoy.

right behind us talking with fans

After this last week and weekend before school started I was feeling okay about sending the kids back to school. There must be some mission they have to drive me completely insane the last week... but then Tuesday after the holiday came and I was sad to see them go. It's been quiet here with only two. Most would call me crazy, but I like the craziness sometimes. I'm sure I'll get used to things being a little quieter, and then there's always that baby that should be here in a month that will liven things up a bit :) Hope everyone's first week of school went well. More to come on our last weekend of summer and the first day(s) of school (sooooooon)!

REO

Last week Thursday Dave and I took the night off and went to watch REO Speedwagon play at a local fair. I'm not gonna lie... I didn't know much of the music. While the name is quite familiar, I had to check youtube for some of the music. And of course, I only knew a few songs. Regardless, we had a pretty nice time. And I'm all about food nowadays so the food was probably the highlight of my night :)

While we didn't know much of the music, some fun needed to be had... I passed my time by searching for mullets. Apparently this was the fad in those days...

The bottom two fellas... serious about it.  :)

good (long) day

Today has been a good (long) day. Up early. To Lia's sports physical exam. House deep cleaned. Now to nap the little two and talk myself into folding SEVEN baskets of laundry... ugh! This song has been on repeat a lot around here and we jammed to it this morning while cleaning. Loving these days! :)

morning gut punch

Many of you may be familiar with Adele. I wasn't in love with her the first time I heard her but after a reminder by Renee and Casey's trip to *see* her, I'm in love with her awesomeness and she is now on my play list. Not sure why it happened today... so late, but here it is...

I can feel her pain towards the end of the song. Somehow she's able to punch her feelings right into your gut... such a powerful voice... I sound just like that when I'm matching those notes in my living room vacuuming...

beach worthy

We're completely addicted to this song as of late. Completely. Huge ZBB fans (and Jimmy) :) Reminds me of lazy Sundays, afternoons on the beach... and I'll take either of those right now!

girl power

Thank God the world did not end this weekend! Here is a tribute kindly sent to me by my Mom :)

These little girls gave me chills!
(ages 8, 7, 7, 6, and 6)

Maybe someday Miss Austyn will be doing something like this ;)

Mama said knock you out!

My favorite daily reading (dooce) featured this video and after showing Dave and the kids, we're now running around the house singing "MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT!"

Enjoy!