It's that time of year again...

Everybody knows... this wouldn't be my blog if I didn't discuss the current status of pumpkin supply in the United States and in my home.  Remember this post?  And this one?  Well, you'll all be happy to know that my Albertson's has a stacked display of canned pumpkin, since last week.  I guess Illinois had cooperative weather this year??  I almost squealed with delight when I saw so much pumpkin at my store.  No more wondering what fall will be like without baked pumpkin goods.  No more debating if I'll have to resort to ebay this year to purchase canned pumpkin for 30 bucks.  Life is good people!  In fact, after last year's post, friends and family donated a can or two out of the kindness of their hearts to stock our pantry full of canned pumpkin.  And well, the rule is I don't bake with pumpkin unless it's September, October or November.  So, imagine how spoiled I felt today to be able to pull out a can of pumpkin to kick off the pumpkin baking season!  It was glorious!  

Wanna pumpkin cookie?

Ballerina

Maggie is trying something new... ballet!  She is thrilled beyond words to be in ballet class and I am so happy that we have found something that truly excites her!  I hope she really takes to it... afterall, she definitely has the body for it!

I'll be anxious for her recital since her teacher doesn't allow us to sit around and watch them practice.  It'll be a total surprise to watch Maggie unfold into a ballerina! 

Her little class is almost entirely made up of her friends... how fun!

Beach babies

Labor Day marked the end of summer for us and so we said farewell at the beach.  I doubt we will make it to the beach again until next summer.  Although, now that we have started school, we are battling 100 degree weather.  Go figure!  We love the beach and found ourselves planted there on a weekly basis this summer... so I don't know, maybe we will try to sneak in another visit.  

 Labor Day also marks the day that Uncle Randy comes to the beach to build a fantastic sand sculptor.  

It's a giant gorilla kissing a girl.  So cute!

Back to school

Well, we sort of reluctantly pulled ourselves out of bed on August 24th to go back to school.  I'm sorry, but I'm not a fan of starting school till September.  I would have rather been at the beach.  BUT, I still put on a smiley face and cheered the kids on to their first day back.  Maggie started 2nd grade and Grant is in a pre-k class since he's not quite old enough for kindergarten yet. 

 The kids were actually pretty good sports about going to school on a summer day... 

 Maggie got a GREAT teacher this year and was thrilled to find some of her friends in her new class!

 All set to learn... hope you didn't forget too much!

 I've had so much going on lately, I didn't really spend a lot of time "prepping" Grant for school.  He handled it like a pro though... it must have helped to see Maggie go to school for the last 2 years. 

 And it helps to have 2 buddies from church in his class, Hope and Preston. 

Such a big boy, sitting on his spot on the mat!