Craziness at our house

Our kids are so creative sometimes.  They were acting out stuff and these are their costumes.  I love Declan's octopus costume.  And Terefech thought her having a parrot on the front of her shirt while dressed as a fairy pirate was hilarious!

 We liked seeing her twists upside down!

Rich as a baby

Isn't he cute?  Rich's dad sent this article to us recently and just wanted to share.

Apple picking at Carrigan Farms

We spent Labor Day laboring in the apple orchard.  We headed out to Carrigan Farms which is a farm near us that does apples, pumpkin, and farm tours.  The kids had been there with their school and were excited to go on this new adventure.  We hit the fields and stared a pickin'!

 Just had to show off our new shirts.  Our high school in Germany is shutting down at the end of this school year.  The kids there are doing a fundraiser by selling these tshirts.  Love them!

 Terefech loves to climb trees!

We are looking forward to lots of yummy treats.  So far we have had a yummy apple crisp.  I have been freezing apples and hoping that works!

Double strand twist

My first go round at double strand twists.  They took about 2 hours with detangling included in that time.  She was very patient.  A movie always helps with the patience, of course!  

Reed's Gold Mine

Over Labor Day weekend we headed out to see more of the sights around Charlotte.  Our first stop, Reed's Gold Mine sight of the first authenticated gold find in the United States.  It was quite an interesting place.  The kids loved traipsing through the mine.  Although we didn't find any gold while panning,  we had fun digging through the muck and dirt!

Fun...

While Terefech was at gymnastics, Rich and Declan went for a hike in one of our local nature areas.  They found some interesting and giant mushrooms.  

 These are actually blue.  We have seen some wild and crazy ones this year!

 The hike was followed by geodes from Grandma and Papa.  Sooooo cool!

Another tooth lost

Declan finally lost one of his top teeth.  He really didn't want his picture taken but we had to mark the momentus occasion.  He woke up the next morning extra early and panicked that the tooth fairy hadn't come.  He couldn't find the tooth or the quarter.  Luckily my stealthy mom skills located the loot from the tooth fairy.

Lego basketball

Declan built a Lego basketball court.  Soooooo cool!

 Yep, you have to wear helmets to play Lego basketball.

That's my boy!

First day of school

The kids were super excited to go to school on the first day.  Not only do they have a new school building but new teachers.  At their school, the teachers loop with the kids for 2 years.  Declan has had the same teacher for the last 2 years and loved her.  He was definitely a little nervous about his new teacher.  Oddly, I taught with her at one of the schools I have taught at here.  

 Normally, Terefech would have had the same teacher as last year, but there had to be some switching due to teachers not having their own kids in their classes.  So, she got a new teacher this year.  She was very nervous as well.  Declan kept telling her it would be great as he had her for 2 years!  Terefech brought a bouquet of sunflowers from our garden for her teacher.

 There she is sneaking in a little hug from her kindergarten teacher.  They miss each other!

Off to a good start!

Corvian Community School

 The kids' school became a charter this year and with that, they moved into a real building.  The grand opening was held before school started and we were there for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

 One of the fundraisers was to give money to have your name on the tree at the entrance of the school (a tree is the symbol of the elementary school).  There is our name and our kids by the tree!  They look thrilled don't they?

The kids are so happy to be in a real school.  There are places to play outside and a giant fenced soccer field.  Rich is teaching PE there this year so they get to see Daddy once a week at school.  An added bonus, the school is on David Taylor Drive.