Apple Picking at Skytop

 Apple picking at Skytop has got to be one of my most favorite Fall family traditions.  It is so beautiful, it is so fun, and apples for weeeeeeeeks.  

 The first time we came to Skytop I think Lilly was Jack's age, maybe younger?  It is so fun and they have these amazing apple donuts which have replaced the Troy Strawberry Festival strawberry donuts in my heart (which MIGHT NOT have happened if the Strawberry Festival hadn't CHANGED the recipe and made them HORRIBLE).

 Hey look!  It's Daddy!  and Mommy!  and they're wearing matching plaid and look like they're going to audition for the Grace Church worship team!  LOLOL!!!

 This is an illegal move.  Sh!  Don't tell!

 Mommy only wanted Fuji apples and NO Fuji apples.  Like, none.

 I swear, next year she'll be 5 feet tall.  She's already a size 7 in women's shoes.

 And though she seems but little don't let her fool you, she's only about half an inch shorter than Lilly was at this age.  It's anyone's game girls!  Little Sister could still grow up to be taller!

 And this guy, still not too big to hold.  Thank you, Lord.

Happy apple pickin!
XOXO
Love,
Mommy

Happy Birthday to Mama!

Today Mama (THIS Mama) is 40.  And I am totally cool with it.  When MY Mama turned 40 I was 20 and a junior in college.  Can you imagine?  No - can I imagine?  Having a junior in college (and a freshman, and a high schooler and a 9 year old)?!  No.  No, I can't.  I just sent my baby to Kindergarten.  I can't wrap my head around where my mom was when she turned 40.  Bless her.  Bless her everywhere.
ANYWAY I'm 40 and I'm GRATEFUL.  Like a good 40 year old I scheduled a physical, a dermatologist visit, a girl doctor visit and allllllll the blood work and everything checked out.  How awesome is that?  Everything is in working order.  And damn if I don't feel good.  And damn if I don't have the most beautiful family anyone has ever had.  So damn if it doesn't feel good to be 40.  And damn if I want to say damn, I'm 40.  It's all good.

 This is the most amazing pie ever.  It's called Chocolate Pie and it came from Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery.  It is now my official annual birthday pie.

 And this is my cake.  It is Pecan Heath Bar Cream Cheese Pound Cake.  If that sounds like too much yes.  Yes, it was.

 This is my 40th birthday present from my favorite husband (who was so busy taking my birthday pictures he's not actually IN any of them).  It's a beautiful painting made my a local artist I adore and it reminds me of the low country beach which is where we had the B------ family vacation this summer and really where I fell in love with South Carolina 22 years ago and now I'm lucky enough to call it home and raise my kids here.  How awesome is that?!  How lucky am I?!?

 And these are flowers my two bestest friends sent me (Carrie and Angie - the same girls I used to blame my cigarettes on and like true friends in high school, they did not care).  And of course, they're my favorite flowers.  It occurred to me I have been friends with those girls for just under 30 years now.  I AM SO LUCKY.  Who has friends like that?!  I DO!  I DO!!!

 And look how beautiful THEY are!  They did all kinds of extra chores to take me to get our nails done.  We all three got full blown mani/pedis and then had lunch with Daddy.

 And this guy took me out for my first Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season before school.  He opted for the unleaded chocolate milk.

 But I did let him get a cookie.  At 7 am.  Before school.

 And this CARD!  The cat TALKS and makes LASER NOISES!  So awesome.

And this.  They're ALL my favorites.
What a day.  What a life.
XOXO
Love,
Mommy

Flu Type A(nna Jane)

 Well that took all of ONE DAY OF SCHOOL to come down with the flu.  Waaaaaaaah!!  Poor baby.  She woke up in the middle of the night with a fever.  Mama gave her some ibuprofen and she went back to sleep.  Thankfully Wednesday was a home day anyway so we took our time with school and she seemed to be doing so much better I told her she was probably well enough to go Thursday.  WRONG.  Her fever spiked SO HIGH the thermometer couldn't even read it.  I took it about 10 times.  The LOWEST reading I got was 105.6 and the highest (besides "HIGH") was 106.9.  I was on my way out the door to the ER for fear her little brain was frying.  Daddy however is a "Doctor" and also way calmer than Mama (what can I say?  He's had "training") and convinced me to stay home and let him handle the fever which he did and it went down.  Thankfully.  He tested her for flu and it was positive.  Maybe this will get our annual someoneinourhousealwaysgetstheflueveryyear out of the way.  Of course Jack had it this past Spring (the same weekend Daddy was supposed to take all 3 kids camping for the WHOLE WEEKEND which meant Mommy was going to have 48 whole hours to herself - instead got to spend it with a kid with the flu - awesome timing).  I guess it's a job hazard Daddy brings germs home that Mommy can't effectively fight off despite my hippie mineral broth, my obsession over healthy(ish) eating and I promise I really do clean my house (apparently vinegar doesn't effectively kill germs.  Time to kick it old school Lysol?)

Well over the next couple days she started feeling better and I found her in random places over the house, snoozing.  Bless her sweet little heart.

Go get your flu shot (which in my opinion only works about 50% of the time, because we get it and we still get the flu so...for what that's worth).
XOXO
Love,
Mommy

Soccer. Round 4 (or 5, or 6?)

 Every time we have tried soccer it has been a monumental FAIL - especially for the girls.  First I think it's because we've done YMCA soccer and it's parent coached.  So basically anyone can coach a team no matter how well they know soccer, play soccer, or coach kids.  We've had some less than awesome experiences.  We've also tried at the tender ages of 3 and 4 and it was all around a no-go.  Even still, this guy decided - even ASKED - to play soccer again.  He'd tried in the Spring, was less than enthused, but now his BFF is playing so hopefully it will go a little better.  We are also trying a different program (NOT the Y) and it already seems to be better organized.  So that's good.

Jack already has a natural bent for sports which is awesome because he didn't get that from his Mama (and bless, his sisters didn't get it either).  Jack has two uncles who are pretty athletically talented (and I'm not referring to Uncle Sean or Uncle Dan, sorry fellas) and both Daddy and I are hoping the stars aligned and that might have been inherited.  Maybe we'll have a little super star on our hands?  Or maybe he'll just make it fun enough to watch where we aren't wincing and cringing and praying he just doesn't hurt himself (please, Jesus keep them safe from Alpha kids).  And maybe I can join the ranks of "Soccer Mom"?  Seems to be a parental rite of passage these days.
XOXO
Mommy

First Day of School for the girls!

 School started for the girls after Labor Day.  It's so great on the one hand, because we get more Summer.  On the other, since public school starts mid-August it's a bummer because most all of our friends are in school.  Plus this year the weather unseasonably cooled down (and fast!) which left us with little to do but "hang out" and wait for school to start.  So by the time Tuesday, September 5 rolled around we were READY to GO!

 Isn't this precious?  We have First Day of School pictures on this porch swing for every year.  I love traditions.

Here we are!  3rd and 4th graders ready to go!  Prayers that this school year is full of blessings for all 3 of my babes.
XOXO
Mommy

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