The Rest of the Story and On into August! (and a bit into September)

Okay, so August was a long time ago, I know I am just getting around to talking about it, but what can I say? Better late than never, eh? So this may be a bit long with pictures but if my blog readers are anything like me, I love seeing the pictures on the blogs the best!

On Sydney's first day of school, I was a little more upset than I thought I would be. I was extremely happy and excited for her, but I was so nervous for myself to have a child who was now considered "school-aged" and all of a sudden, she wasn't going to kindergarten, she was going to high school and then college! I just didn't know if I had what it takes to have an "older" child. I'm still trying to get the hang of raising babies, now I have a child who is going to be doing things outside my line of sight, and I have to rely that I have taught her the basics of right and wrong and not to go with strangers, be nice to other kids, etc etc. It's quite scary! So, after bawling all the way home from dropping her off, calling my own mother to cry on her shoulder, I sat Peyton next to me at my computer and watched him play with the Play-doh. He made a mustach:

After that, I decided to ditch work (I wasn't focused on working anyway), and bake cookies with my boy. It had been so long since I baked cookies, and it was the first time I had made them with Peyton. He helped for the first time! A lot of "firsts" took place today!

Needless to say, we all made it through the day just fine! Here we are over 2 months into the school year and everything is going spectacular! I think we're all adjusting just fine. Thank goodness from kindergarten to college is a gradual process! Ha!

Before school began, however, we were able to have a family vacation. We met some friends at a place called Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin! It's a huge conglomeration of water park resorts. Indoor, outdoor, combined, amazing pools and slides for all ages. We went to the Wilderness Resort. We shared a large cabin along one of the golf course fairways. There were four couples and 9 kids! We swam and played golf over the course of 4 days. It was a 8-9 hour drive, but it was a lot of fun to spend some time together after being apart for nearly a year, and before school and work started up!

Of course have to have pictures along the drive of everyone in the car!

We came across a giant cross off the side of the road.
We made it to the cabin!
Peyton liked to wave to the golfers. These particular golfers happened to be dad and the boys.
It was hot.
Swimming!

Chilling before bed with Taylor.
What the grown ups do for fun......
Actually, Bryan always has some sort of new thing, this one happened to be a tiny speaker thing that makes anything a speaker. You place it somewhere and the sound resonates throughout it. He was telling us to put our ear to the table and it sounded like the sound was coming right out of the table where we were, but it was actually placed somewhere else on the table. I know, hard to explain, thought the picture was hilarious!

Here's the crew playing a hole of golf, the hole along side our cabin.

Cutest picture ever!
The kids on the last day.
It was a fun trip the kids had a blast!

In the following weeks, we watched dad mow the lawn, spent time outside including our first dinner on the deck, and made progress in getting rid of some over-grown vegetation and a dying tree.

Look how long the grass was! Poor guy!

Ah, citrinella candles....we thought it would help...one day it did, one day it didn't, these bugs are weird! But the kids liked the candles!
Sliding together.
Our first outside dinner! Yummy bacon/swiss burgers, fresh salad and some orange soda!
The tree finally came down. Our neighbor, Steve, came over with his chainsaw to help. He said he wasn't doing anything and he needed to start up his chainsaw. What is it with guys and the need to turn on a chainsaw? And since the thing is so much fun, why weren't the rest of the trees we want cut down cut down? And as much "fun" Jason has with a chainsaw, why does he scream like a little girl and throw people in front of him when a person with a mask and chainsaw comes at him?
Oh yeah, and that horribly over-grown "vegetable garden" was removed as well! That was really tough getting the chicken wire untangled from the weeds and grass, but I did it and Jason mowed over everything!
We somewhat cleared away the over-grown vegetation from our sidewalk, we now can walk from the back door to the deck!
And now we can move in and out of the front door! Just have to get rid of those stumps, but at least you can get in and out!We still have a lot to do with the yard, we have been so busy, haven't been able to get to it. We will, in time! Thank goodness for nice helpful neighbors with working chainsaws and a riding lawn mower!