goodbye summer. hello routine.

Wow.  Where have we been?!

The boys just started their third week of school!  

I went back to work last week, and my preschoolers came to their first day of Pre-K today.    It looks like lady Elaine and I have an awesome class this year!   

Rewind to Sunday August 17th.  
I received a phone call from my Brother-in-law, Thad, to say that he was IN TOWN and wanted to surprise my boys.    This was huge.    He showed up at 6:30am on Monday morning and woke them up for their first day of school!   A great surprise.

It turns out that Thad was in town for several days.    It seemed like it would be a long visit.... but it was over way too quickly.    The boys enjoyed some much needed time with their uncle.

  On  Wednesday Thad and I hiked back to the spot where we had scattered Thayer's ashes.    Great day, beautiful mountains.

That week, we also went out to eat with my family for (what would have been) Thayer's 44th birthday.   Not much pomp and circumstance this year.

At the end of the week we said our goodbyes to Thad and I delivered my kids to Comfort Zone Camp.
Daniel wasn't too keen on attending this year.... but by the time I picked them up on Sunday, both boys were ready to get signed up for next year's camp!    I am so thankful for CZC and the safe environment that they provide for kids like mine!!

While the boys were at camp, I enjoyed a great weekend catching up with my friends in Richmond.

Then.... it was back to reality for all three of us as we started back to school and work on the following Monday.

We are getting back into the routine of things.   And would you believe that my boys put themselves to bed by 9pm each night?!     And I'm not usually far behind.  
I've had some sweet dreams the last few weeks.

the tour

On New year's eve, my friend Kim said, "This is going to be our year!"

And by golly, I'm claiming that!  

This is going to be MY year!

I am asking for big things... and I am going to expect big things!

We just landed back in reality after finishing up an awesome 'visiting tour' with friends.    The official Botham tour started last Saturday in Fredericksburg.   We visited one of my best friends and her family.    Her two kids entertained us and we enjoyed eating pizza, hanging out, shopping at Target and enjoying late night frozen yogurt.

We departed Fredericksburg and drove through cold nasty rain on I-95 to descend upon another favorite friend in Leesburg.   She was sans kids for the evening... so she and I did a lot of catching up while my kids played video games.   We went out for Mexican and then returned to watch Despicable Me 2.

We woke early on Monday morning and hit the road.

Our next stop was IKEA!!  We had the specific goal to pick out a dresser and night stand for each boy.    I figured that we would have room in the car for nightstands... but would probably need to ship the dressers.   We found the perfect furniture, and much to my ecstatic surprise... it ALL fit into our car!   This was the major accomplishment of our entire trip.   I am so proud.

Leaving IKEA we headed south to visit another life-long friend and her crazy boys, in Glen Allen.   Our four boys get together and cause a lot of chaos.  We always have a blast with them.   I feel like her home is my home-away-from- home.    We spent Monday and Tuesday with these folks and their friends.   On New Year's Eve we took the boys to Jumpology during the day and stayed up late to ring in the New Year.  Really late... like 1:30am!   If I recall.... the boys were outside on the trampoline shortly after midnight.   whew!

We slept in on New Year's day and slowly made our way to visit some of my absolute favorite people on the planet, who happen to live in  Ruckersville.    I spent part of the afternoon learning a new card game while the boys hung out.    We enjoyed a dinner with one of their friends.... a very nice man that they have been wanting me to meet.    swoon.   We hung out and played cards until it was time for the boys and I to move along.

We arrived later than planned, in Charlottesville, at the home of a wonderful couple that had traveled to Africa with me.   They are precious people with a 20 month old son.    My boys were quick to get to bed and I stayed up and chatted with my friends until almost 2am!    Thursday morning we awoke to a huge homemade breakfast of banana pancakes, sausage links, cheesy eggs and fresh fruit.     A bed and breakfast indeed!

Before heading home we visited with some of my other favorite people in Charlottesville.   It was so  nice to catch up with my friend and her daughter while the other family members were busy getting ready to host a concert in their basement!  I am always in awe at how cool their family is!

The boys and I finally headed home on Thursday afternoon.   The past six days had been a blast!   I would love to do something like this every year!  However... upon mentioning our 'tour'.... Lucas added, "it's the first and the last".   haha.

Those boys were ready to get home.   Thankfully we have a few days to recover before we get back to the grind of school and work.

I am so very thankful for my friends who opened their homes to us!  It was such a blessing to spend time with each of them!