Jack's First Day of School!

This kid.  The night before Kindergarten and all through the house.  Jack was bouncing off the walls and so excited he wore his clothes to bed.  Do you see his shirt?  Yeah, it's a Stone shirt, whatever (as Jack said, yet he picked it out special).  He is so ready.  Am I ready?  No.  Is Jack ready?  Yes, yes, yes he is.

I'll have to post separate pictures from Meet the Teacher but guess who we got?  Only the BEST teacher (and Jack only wants the BEST he says) - Mrs. Bolt Round 3!  Look at this little guy's selfie.  I almost feel like he looks 12 in this picture.  My heart.

The girls asked to pack his lunch for him.  I let them.  I don't even know what's in it.  It's full and heavy so there's probably plenty in there, none of it healthy, I'm sure.

This is the best part of lunch.

Jack asked for a picture with Toby before we left.  It's not the best.  Even Toby is going to miss him.

Here is the traditional first day of Kindergarten picture in front of the porch swing!  Do you love his black knee socks?  That's all him.  He can't stand ankle socks with sneakers and he can't stand white.  I at least tried to get him to color coordinate on the first day.  Gone are the monogrammed applique outfits and the smocked jumpers.  Not for this little boy.

This is D.  He is our neighbor and he and Jack have known each other since they were 8 months old.  Now they are off to Kindergarten together.  Precious.

This is D's Mama, Tracy.  She is sending off her baby, too.  Support system.

I feel like it was just yesterday we sent Lilly and Anna Jane off to Kindergarten.  Look at them now.  It's hard to remember they were as little as Jack.

Yay for S!!  She and Jack are BUDS!  They've been in preschool together for 3 years and now they're in Kindergarten together.  I am so happy he'll have so many friends in his class!

Oh, buddy.  I held it together with a string.  I'm glad you were so happy and excited.  And you told me a week before school started, "Mommy, if you cry, I will run away from you."  So, I better not cry!  I'm going to miss you, bud.  But I love you so much, and watching you grow into a big boy is one of the greatest joys and blessings of our lives.  You are going to LOVE Kindergarten - even more than how much I'm going to miss you.  And that makes my heart happy.
I love you so much.  Go do big things.
XOXO
Mommy

Total Eclipse of the Sun

Today we got to witness what might be the COOLEST most THRILLING natural event of our lives - and we did it with Ollie and Vivienne, too!  Greenville was in the path of totality for the eclipse - the first of it's kind in 99 years passing the entire continental US.  Ollie and Vivienne came all the way down from Durham to watch it with us and it was amazing.   It's hard to put into words the experience, I'm just so glad we all got to share it.  When it was over Lilly said, "I will remember this for the rest of my life." and I hope she does.
We set up a little station in the backyard and laid on a blanket while we waited for the moon to pass.  As the moon passed over we could see shadows changing on the ground to these little crescent moons.  Just when it was about 85% over the sun we heard crickets start chirping, saw about 8 bats fly above, saw two twinkling stars in the sky, felt the temperature drop (from 94 degrees!!!), to DARKNESS!  Like, 9:00 pm darkness at 2:38 in the afternoon!  It only lasted 2 minutes, it went so fast!  I got so excited I started screaming and clapping like I was at a football game.  I had no idea how amazing it was going to be.  Really special and a memory that will last a lifetime!
In seven years it will be passing right over our family cottage in Upstate NY on April 8 - just in time for Anna Jane's 15th birthday!  Road trip, anyone?
XOXO
Mommy

No promises but...

Has it really been two YEARS since we've blogged?  Yes, yes it has.  What in the world with technology getting so easy to share things these days I've taken to posting photos and updates on Facebook and Instagram.  Little snippets here and there but no deep thoughts.  Recently I decided Facebook has become too much for me.  I love seeing how people are doing but I've gotten away from connecting with the people in my real world as opposed to my virtual world and my kids have noticed.  When I deleted Facebook Lilly literally cried out with joy.  What a conviction for me.  I'm sure there will come a time I will get back on but for now my world has gotten quiet and it is so nice.  That said, I know a lot of people we love enjoy and will miss the Facebook updates so I thought we might try to pick the blog back up.  I'm sure it's gotten easier to update in the past two years, no?  Hopefully.  We'll see.  I'll have to play around a bit.  For now, some photos.  This year's cottage trip could not have been more perfect.  Thanks for coming back.
XOXO

See y'all soon!
XOXO
Love,
Mommy