September and October

As I looked back at pictures from September and October, I realized I didn't have that many. Probably because I was always moving, rarely sitting, and barely thinking. These months were full to the minute and I went to bed exhausted most nights knowing sleep was well-earned. 

Grady Lee played competitive baseball on a traveling team; Micah and Jax played rec soccer locally, and Grady coached. Between practices, games, and tournaments, sports alone kept the calendar full.

But, with the arrival of fall is the arrival of a routine with classes and school-year commitments: coding class on Mondays, Community Group on Tuesdays, co-op and youth group on Wednesdays, CBS and gymnastics on Fridays. And, Grady Lee began a small dog-walking business for a couple of neighbors. And, because of all the sports-focus on the boys, I've made an intentional effort for Annalyse to have girl time with a friend once a week. And just like that my weeks are full.

Basically I'm a professional chauffeur for my kids. 

And professional laundress. Because four kids + each playing a sport + regular lawn work/dog-walking/woods playing = PLUG YOUR NOSE.

So. What are some highlights over these months...?

Cooler temps means playing outside and not suffocating in the 1,000% summer humidity. My boys captured several small turtles, frogs, and fish near the backyard creek.

Spiders - every September they magically appear. And they are big and they are everywhere. Grady Lee was mowing one afternoon when I heard him scream like a piglet (?!) and watched him run to the house, terrified. "I just walked into a spider web with a spider THIS BIG (insert hands held out with pointer fingers and thumbs connected in a large circle)!"

This, ladies and gentlemen, was the culprit. Big and ugly? Yes. Demanding of a piglet squeal and sprint into the house? No. We've had much bigger. But, seeing my 12-year old squeal was unforgettable.

Hurricane Florence and Michael rolled through, and while many areas in our city lost power and had downed trees, we only had rain and wind. Lots and lots of rain.

Obviously, what every good and responsible mother does, is send her kids outside to play in the rain-filled streets and gutters.

We joined friends for a day at the Catawba Cultural Center, which is on the Catawba Indian Reservation nearby. It was a perfect opportunity, given that we were spending a couple of weeks learning about American Indians.

Jax threw up his hand and was quick to ask if "Indians can still make a fire by rubbing sticks together" and if they "still like to yell with their hand going on and off their mouth really fast?"

Sigh. Cultural appropriation much?

Jaxton has waited and waited to play on a team and this fall was finally his turn! Grady coached the 7U team and opted to bump Jax up, figuring he'd compete okay since he was used to running around with his big brothers.

This kid tore up the field.

He ran fast. He kicked hard. He defended well. He passed... sometimes. He cheered loud. He sweat a lot. And he always had a smile. It was a great first season for him.

And he may, or may not, have slept in his shin guards several nights because he was so excited to finally have is own pair.

Sometimes, when Grady and Micah have youth group, I take Annalyse and Jax for some one-on-one time. Which often involves ice cream. Obviously.

But wait. 

My boys are in youth group. say what? How did THAT happen? 

My parents came to visit for a long weekend, and guess what? This is the only picture I took. For really. But don't interpret the lack of pictures to mean we had a boring time. We were busy with house projects, mini golfing, and playing outside. 

After a morning of two soccer games, Grady Lee took off for a baseball tournament, and I took the kids to our neighborhood Fall Festival. Jaxton loved the bounce house; Annalyse loved the balloon fairy she received; Micah loved learning new magic tricks; and I loved eating Reese's.

Our littlest family member, Ruby, who we had the privilege of loving for less than a month, died unexpectedly and each of my kids came undone. A friend needed to get rid of their hamster so we happily acquired it and my kids were overjoyed with the new, tiny fur ball.

When Ruby seemed "very tired" and "unusually slow" one morning, we quickly realized something was wrong, and by bedtime tat evening, Ruby was no more. It seems ridiculous now, but at the time we had a precious half hour as a family, sitting in a circle talking about God being a good creator and the giver and taker of life. And everyone cried. For a hamster. That we had for three weeks.

The next afternoon when we got home from church, Grady dug a hole and we buried Ruby. I hugged my husband and whispered "Thank you for being so tender and patient" to which he replied "Yeah, check that off the list of thing I never thought I'd do." For a hamster. That we had for three weeks.

No worries, the next day immediately after coding class, we all trudged into PetSmart and chose a new hamster: Peaches. My kids are smiling again, and the sound of sunflower seeds crunching and a water dispenser jiggling are filling our home once again.

Park dates with friends - different friends and different parks each week.

We spent a full day at Latta Plantation for living history series of reenactments, games, and crafts from the early 1800's. We visit this plantation a couple of times a year and have always enjoyed the classes and materials they provide.

(Drum roll please.) We bid adieu to our hanging-by-its-last-bolt Honda Accord and purchased a Dodge Ram pickup. Grady is in love, the kids think it's fun, and I'm amazed our previous car made it as long as it did. I remember being pregnant with Grady Lee, tired and nauseas, and not in celebratory mood the day we purchased the Accord. But, man oh man, I had a celebratory mood the day a happy 20-something drove away in our old car!

Because the calendar and weather didn't align, we missed going to the pumpkin patch this year. I mentally shed a few tears about this, because... tradition. It's just something we're supposed to do.

One uneventful afternoon we stopped at the grocery store and each kid picked out a pumpkin instead. There were no hay rides. There was no petting zoo. There were no hay bales. There was no festive fanfare. The end.

For Halloween, Jax was a proud and touch police officer... or maybe closer to Barney on the Andy Griffith show.

Micah wore his soccer uniform, with black pants because he was cold, and black eye liner because he thought it would add to his costume even though soccer players don't wear it. Fact: He chose his costume 23 seconds before we walked out the door. 

Grady Lee was a baseball player because... why not?  

Annalyse was Wonder Woman because that's all shes talked about since seeing the movie. Besides, she does look the part of fierce and tough, huh?

After each kid had two full buckets we called it a night. Now, a month later, we're down to only two buckets full of candy. Which ought to lead us into the gluttony of December just fine, to be followed by the treats of Valentines, and the chocolate of Easter...!