September

One thing we found we love doing is going to High School Football games. We go to all the home games. Amy sits with her friends in the student section and we run into other people we know in the non-student section. It really is fun.

Will was able to reunite with his middle school best friend, Karter. I think Karter was pretty happy to see him too. He thought we had moved.

Will gets to come to some Master Gardener events with me. He's really great with kids and they all flock to him. My friend Jennifer even made him an honorary badge!

I took the upstairs closet and built shelving to store my canned food storage. I've gotten into pressure canning- its so much fun! But I needed a place to put it all.

The Allen's came back through on their way home from a visit to mom and dad's.

I debuted on the radio! It's a local station and the Master Gardeners have a slot. I was nervous but it was fun. I was extra nervous knowing that all of my family AND the Allen's were at home listening to me. hahaha.

The Master Gardeners have 5 long grapevines-which are each over a football field long at the Ag Center. Once a year we have a public grape harvest. This year it rained. And rained. And rained.... ALL day. But people came out of the woodwork!

"Take a picture of us and Marty!"

Will auditioned for his first play. Spoiler alert- he got a lead role! More about that in later months. He did so great though.

We visited Carmen again.

I can't remember why- but he was worn out this day. He never naps!

The from seminary to school carpool. This year a few of us moms are rotating. I love each of these kids so much.

We did a homeschool egg drop. Will wasn't too into it. But seeing everyone else's creations was fun!

Amy dressed up for a Football Game. She's loving high school. And I love that she's loving it. They have different theme nights. This one was obviously "Country." But the funny thing was- when most of us think country we think country western- hence her apparel. Well, we live in the south... and in the country.... so to some that means head to toe camouflage and deer hunting outfits. Lee and I had a good laugh about that. I guess you have to specify which "country dress" you are talking about.

We ordered new windows for the house and they came in months earlier than we were originally told. That means I had to pick them up. Well, I'm not very skilled with a trailer. And to say I was nervous about driving $4,000 worth of windows home would be putting it lightly. I think I did Lamaze breathing all the way home. I drove as slow as possible and would hardly let Will make a sound. I was so nervous!! But we made it. Phew!!!!

Sometimes I just want the family to get outside. They usually relent grumpily... but then they all have a great time.

August

 August started with a good rainstorm. I sent the kids out to enjoy it. I didn't realize until these pictures that they were dressed like a traffic light.

School started- so here is their first day of school pics. Will is still homeschooled, so we convinced him to wear a nice shirt for the pictures. Amy started 10th grade, Will is 7th and Tyler is 5th grade.

When we moved the bunkbeds, it left room for a swinging chair in the boys room. It's now a favorite spot.

Studying the Nachos Restaurant menu. His favorite reading pass-time.

Amy was here

This is a crazy story.... I hung up this birdhouse in the spring and at one point there were birds in there. I could hear their little baby tweets. After awhile I figured that group had fledged and I noticed something sitting in there. You could see head and what looked like a beak. I figured the momma bird was just watching everything. I never could see the actual head, but I didn't think much about it. This went on for many, many weeks. Well, one day I was going to the chicken coop and the head was sticking out. Only this time I noticed it wasn't a cute bird- it was a SNAKE. I HATE snakes. I immediately freaked out.

I called a Master Gardener friend of mine. She respects them more than I do and wanted to catch it and re-home it in her yard. So she came from the next town over with only a pillowcase in hand. The same time she got here, the windshield replacement guy got here. (My windshield had a big crack in it)

We soon realized the only way to get into the birdhouse was to unscrew it from the bottom. So she stood on the ladder, and I unscrewed it screw by screw- and shaking the entire time. When the bottom finally dropped I went running. That dang snake was a tree snake and can climb trees. She was ready though and chased him all around. At one point the windshield guy was laughing so hard at us, but he deals with copperheads on his property, so he came to help us. At one point the thing was hidden under our trailer and we couldn't find it. You know where it was??? CRAWLING OVER MY FOOT. I nearly passed out. Only our laughter kept me sane. They finally caught it and she put it into the pillowcase and re-homed it a town away. I still shudder when I walk by that birdhouse. I may have to take it down.

A friend was helping Will work on some genealogy.

They were both worn out.

Will gave his first talk in church. He did great.

The Allen's came by for a quick visit on their way down to Mom and Dad's house....

And this was the faces of the boys literally the moment the cousins drove away. They were so mad that they left! haha.

And that was August!