Hello Fall and 80 Degree Days!

Fall has arrived but we have been enjoying temps in the 80s with little rain! It was a busy week for A^4!  Football practice 2 nights, Curriculum night on Wednesday, Mommy worked with 6th graders on Thursday and Friday (Mommy was in bed by 8 or 8:30 both nights because she was so tired...hahaha!), and a football game and soccer practice on Saturday!

The kiddos chasing each other around the tree Monday morning while waiting for the bus. Lots of laughs and screeching at 7 am...sorry, Neighbors!


Daddy helping Ayson with his reading homework.


Wednesday night was Curriculum Night and Mommy was able to visit with Ayson and Addie's teachers and sit at their desks :)  Mommy left both kiddos a note in their desks telling them that Mommy and Daddy love them!


Mommy had to take a quiz:)  Ha,ha,ha-Mommy correctly answered pizza, bike ride, and "I love you" :)  Just last week Ayson told Mommy that he really loves going to the Library and Mommy forgot!!


"zebra"...really?! Ayson's favorite story: "Good Night Stories" that Daddy/Mommy read to him right before going to sleep:) Mommy was shocked that Back to the Future did not make the list!


Ayson's goals:
Spell large words, able to read chapter books, learn times (multiplication), and be nice :)


Mommy loved this picture but at the same time was sad that Ayson wrote that he felt "free" while playing with his friends...Mommy's "Baby Boy" is growing up!


Mrs Koelbeck has only TWO rules: 1) Do the right thing and 2) learn from your mistakes
That pretty much covers everything!


More info by Ayson


Lancer Pride:


Ayson drew picking up trash and putting it in the garbage :)


Addie's Daily Schedule (For some reason, Mommy did not get any pictures of Addie's class room...silly Mommy!)








Ayson wanted to help Daddy make box mac n cheese :)


Friday night feels :)


On Saturday, Daddy and Ayson went to Mexico, NY (near Lake Ontario) for a football game while Mommy and Addie went to soccer practice.  Addie did a great job with the ball and had tons of fun (YAY!!! Mommy just wanted Addie to give soccer a chance and to have fun :)




On the way home from their football game, Daddy allowed Ayson to purchase a new stuffed animal. Ayson asked if he could pick one out for Addie too (Good job, Ayson! Daddy did not have to suggest to Ayson that he pick a stuffed animal out for Addie too.)

Happy September, 2017!

The first full week of school flew by for the kiddos!  In addition to getting back into the school routine, Ayson had a football game, Addie had soccer practice, the kiddos were "spooked," we went for a hike on Sunday, and we were able to see the monarch butterfly after it had emerged from the chrysalis.

Daddy made us a peach pie on Monday from peaches that Mommy received from a colleague at work.  Yum!


Mommy and Ayson reviewing Ayson's weekly course schedule.


Ayson lost his 6th tooth on Friday morning.  Yikes, it came out while he was brushing his teeth and it almost went down the sink.


Yes, he left another note for the Tooth Fairy requesting that the Tooth Fairy not take his tooth :)


On Friday evening, Gianna brought over her older brother's puppy, Max, to show the kiddos.  Max has gotten so big!


Another home football game for Ayson and Daddy on Saturday.


Football pictures arrived and they turned out great!




Addie did a great job at soccer practice on Saturday!  Last week she clung to Mommy's leg but this week she played and admitted that she had fun :)


Our monarch is getting ready to emerge!!!


An almost TWO and a half pound tomato!!!!


We found a surprise on our front step Sunday morning! Our friend and neighber, Donna, "Spooked" the kiddos :)




On Sunday morning, Addie woke us all up early. SO, we got up and went for a morning hike at Tinker Falls (Labrador Unique Area).


A view from behind the waterfall.


The steps up to the trail that goes behind the waterfall.




A view of the steps from the top!


We hiked to the top and we were the first people at the hang gliding spot :)


What a view!


Mommy tried to get a picture but the family was not feeling it...


Looking towards our valley.


After our hike, we came home and found that our monarch had emerged!!!!!


So cool that we were able to see the monarch out of the chrysalis!


School work
Ayson


Addie

Labor Day and a New School Year

A^4 had a great long weekend and spent Labor Day with friends.  School started on Wednesday and both kiddos have great teachers for Kindergarten and 2nd Grade!!!

Our Monarch molted on Monday morning before 11:30 am (when Mommy went outside to check)


For Labor Day, we went to the Meneilly's house for a get together.  The kids got one last swim in for the season!  Brrr!  With nights in the 40s and 50s, the water was cold! The kiddos asked if anyone put ice cubes in the pool :)


Daddy and Hugh watching the kiddos.  Both Daddy and Hugh coach Ayson and Grady's Tiniy Mite football team.


Grady showing us how to do a belly flop. Ouch!



Boys being boys.  Addie stayed clear by swimming on the other side of the pool :) Like last time we visited the Meneilly's, Addie was the last one to get in the pool and the last one to get out of the pool!


Sunny's for the not so sunny week that we had in Central NY.


First day of school!
We had a few bumpy mornings: clothes issues for both kiddos even though the clothes had been picked out the night before.  Two buses stopped by our house WAY early and we all wondered if we had missed the bus (we did not).  We found out the 6:45 bus is for Neighbor Gianna...hahaha!  Our bus finally showed up after 7:15. Whew!


Ayson showing off is climbing skills.


Friday night fun with Ayson playing "Frogger" with Addie and Daddy.  Frogger: trying to cross the road without getting squished by the cars/obstacles.



Sigh.  All fun and games until someone gets hurt and THAT someone was Addie trying to play "Frogger" while Daddy was pushing Ayson on the tire swing.  Addie got knocked down twice because she immediately stood up after getting knocked down the first time-and the tire swing swung back, of course.  Poor Dolly!


While looking for new caterpillars/chrysalis in our gardens, Daddy found a chrysalis on the side of the house!!!!


Our Grapes!!!!


Friday night lights


Addie had her first soccer practice on Saturday morning.  Unfortunately, Addie did not want let go of Mommy.  SO, we watched her friends play :)

After soccer, Mommy and Addie watched Ayson play football.  Ayson is number 34 and in the below picture, Ayson is in the lower right corner and has his arm around a player from the other team (helping to bring the player down).


On Sunday, Mommy took the kiddos to the big park since the day was so beautiful.  Just by chance, we met Sunshine, Mikhan, and Khanlen at the park!  Mommy wanted Addie to get more practice time in on riding her bike so that we can all go for bike rides together next summer :)  By 4 pm, Addie was wiped out and went to bed early!


Ayson's Classroom Contract




A worksheet that gives an explanation of Ayson's day


Writing snipet


Math


Addie's newsletter




The kids have been learning/reading about Pete the Cat, a children's book series.  Addie even came home singing a song about Pete getting his white shoes dirty with different colorful puddles that he would stepped in.