growing little boy

Leading up to his first birthday, this growing little boy was learning and discovering everything.   

"Running" to the street in his jeep.  

Play set swinging. 

And sleeping.  

I love those cheeks!  

More joyful walking practice with his puppy.  

He loves going up and but hasn't mastered going down.  

Pig farming.  

Under the table play. 

Playing ball.  Ryan is obsessed with any kind of ball.  

Ryan and Memphis. 

Climbing on everything!  

He took his first steps on July 13.  

Happy, perfect, growing boy.  

on the farm

We love a good day of playing on the farm.  These pictures were from spring planting 2014.  

It's sooooo tall! 

Tractor ride with Grandpa Steve.  

Farm child rite of passage.  

It's a good day for this mama to get some farming and tractor time, too.  

Dirty and dusty, but no one I'd rather ride in the buddy seat next to.  

And on another farm three hours away, several weeks later…

T-Ball

 Lucas' first season of baseball started this summer.

It doesn't seem to matter what sport… he loves them all!  I expected some playing in the dirt and getting bored, but the coaches did a great job of keeping the kids focused and busy.  Lucas' dirty clothes came from practicing sliding (which was his own idea - they don't teach that in t-ball), not from playing in the dirt.  :-) 

He soaked up all of the advice on how to stand, swing, run the bases, catching and throwing.  

Getting tips from Coach John.

Talking strategy with Clayton.

Team talk. 

Gramma came to watch!  

First base advice from Bryce.  

Rush to the ball!

Focus.  

Swing!

Home plate!

Little miss, getting her practice time in.  

~ BaCK to sChOOl ~

We have two students living in our house this year.  Lucas started 1st grade and Hannah is a a preschooler.  Woah.  There were just babies a few seconds ago…

It was a wonderful summer {which I hope to update the blog on our summer happenings soon.  let me just say - it was great and fun and busy}.  But it was time to get back to school, get back to normal, to a routine.

The night before school started everyone went to bed great.  Lucas woke up two hours later and wandered to the living room where Brent and I were still hanging out.  He looked around and said "Is it morning?"  We chuckled.  Nope.  "Is it half way to morning?"  Nope.  Back to bed.  Lucas could sleep through anything and loves to sleep in.  The morning of the first day I was in the shower at 6AM and he knocks on the door.  He was excited!

Lucas' first day of school was Monday, August 18.

Showing off his backpack.

Go State!

Ryan really wasn't interested in a group picture. 

I wasn't sad about school starting, just a little melancholy that I don't get to enjoy my boy as much since he'll be at school all those hours of the day.  But I dropped him off happy and content, receiving every bit of hugs and kisses he'd bestow upon me.  Then I watched him walk away on the playground and I felt tears stinging.  What on earth?!?! Where were these coming from?  I didn't plan that.  It's just that he's growing up.  Fast.  First grade!  He walked so confidently to find his friends, which was followed by embracing hugs.  I love that about little boys.  They don't really hide their feelings.  So happy to see friends and play.

The after school report was an A+.  Of course, I took our three for ice cream because it's a fun first day of school tradition and also because it was a really great excuse for me to get ice cream.  :-)  He loved school!  Recess and lunch were at the top of the list {again} which we totally expected.  His teacher let them sit wherever they wanted.  That's wild and crazy to him!  He had a great day and is excited for the year ahead.

Hannah's first day of school was Tuesday, August 19.

You can't tell in this picture but her backpack lights up.  It was an easy decision for her at Target!

More hugs.

Still not all looking at the camera.  

Hannah was excited to pick out her purple dress and sparkly shoes the night before school started.  The morning of, she was dressed and ready at 6:50AM.  Then, she proceeded to ask if it was time to go to preschool approximately every seven minutes.  She was very excited.  :-) 

Off she goes!  

Confident and excited.  

Mama's girl. 

Hannah could hardly gather her thoughts fast enough to tell me all the details of her first day.  Who she sat by, who she played with, what centers she played in… so much accomplished in just a couple of hours.   :-) 

Cheers to a great start for the 2014-15 school year!  

the end of Kindergarten

Mrs. Winter, Lucas and Mrs. Grothoff on the last day of school.

Best teacher and classroom aide - EVER!  

School dismissed early on the last day and I let Lucas pick his lunch of choice.  Not a surprise at all, he chose Subway.  His favorite!  We had the whole afternoon to do what he wanted and he picked a bike ride with mom.  I haven't ridden a bicycle since college.  I dug my dusty bike out of the shed, put air in the tires and was ready to ride.  We rode from our house to one of the local trails… when Lucas was ready to turn around and head back, we had tallied 3 1/2 miles.  Not bad!  He loved it, I loved the time and conversation with him.  He was sad about school ending and missing his teacher. 

On a different note, it was interesting being a Kindergarten parent this year.  It is an educational experience for parents with their first child, too.  It's hard (but necessary) to explain some of the life lessons that come with new kids and new rules.  There were lots of moments that I just wanted to bundle Lucas up and keep him an innocent child.  But alas, life isn't that simple.  It is a joy to watch your children grow and love life.  

So kindergarten has come to an end… we've had a summer FULL of fun and 1st grade is right around the corner.  Preschool starts soon for Hannah, too.