Growing mold!!!

ARGHHHHH!!!!

It has been raining since Monday night down here. This has to be the longest tropical storm in history. Everything and everyone is totally water logged. And those poor people along the coast, they are just floating away with all of the flooding.

We are doing our best to avoid getting cabin fever. Heading out whenever there is a break in the weather. And enjoying the chance to stay up late, and over dose on the Olympics.

We weren't ready for school to start yet, so even though we are water logged...we are really thankful for these few extra days to just relax.

The kids are doing great, Logan LOVED his first day of school and is really excited to go back whenever they start school again. He just continues to amaze us with his strength to just go out and embrace all of these new life experiences.

As we settle into our new family dynamics a little more ever day, I can not imagine my life without these kids that God has given us. Not every day is great, some are just a matter of survival, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Love,
Claire

Bitter Sweet Day

I can't believe that our summer vacation is over. It went so fast, too fast.

And, I am having an even harder time believing that our first born went off to high school! It was 6:20 AM, and I am watching Mike walk down the street with his friends to catch the bus. It was surreal.



I can remember when these guys were 5 and 6 years old, and just learning to ride their bikes without training wheels on that same street.

Then, if that wasn't enough for one day....it was time to get Livy and Logan ready to go. Livy is in her second year of middle school, so it wasn't as psychologically damaging to me to have her head off. But I miss her a lot today.



Some how I managed to keep myself together long enough to take Logan to school for his first day of kindergarten in America. As usual, he was sooooooo brave on the outside, but there was that same look of uncertainty in his eyes that I saw when we were on the plane flying back to the states.




It was hard to watch them all head off today. I know they'll be home soon, but it is just another reminder of how fast life is going. And that I need to really do my best to cherish each day we have together as a family. And with that I need to go and snuggle with my baby girl, Mia.




Love,
Claire

Beautiful babies!!

Hey everyone!

Can I just take a moment and brag about how awesome these kids are!

Logan said his first multi-word prayer tonight at dinner. It was all I could do to not get choked up.
It went like this..." Tanks for Mama, Logan, Michael shopping shoes. Tanks for basketball! Ehh Mia, Sissy, Noni lots a ice cream. Ehh, Daddy home."

I had a great day with just my boys. We hit the mall and did some back to school shopping while my mom took the girls out for ice cream and girl time. Logan had a great time shopping for shoes, he would look at all of the shoes on the wall, and say" good girl or good boy." That means boy's or girl's. He feel in love with some black basketball shoes, which lead to buying a new basketball.

Yes, our tiny man loves to shoot hoops. And some how, some way...he actually makes some shots.

My other kiddos are doing their best to enjoy the last week of summer. A few more days of sleeping in then real life starts again. Mike will be off to high school and playing football, Livy will be in 7th and starting Lacrosse soon. Thankfully, I will still have my Mia at home. I'm sure that we will find a way to get into some trouble, I mean stay busy (:

Love,
Claire

Beach trip

We hit the beach with some friends for our annual end of the summer vacation camping trip.
I can't believe that the kids start school in just a week and a half.

The kids had a blast, well...all except for Mia. She isn't a beach babe. Thankfully there was a great pool where she could go to escape the sand, and all of the things that crawl in it.

All in all, it was a great trip, but ended to quickly. Thankfully.....we still have 3 more months of beach weather!

Love,
Claire and gang

Sun and surf