Fall break

Fall break has been fun. laid back and fun. day one we went to the library and out to lunch at Chick-fil-a. day two we went to the the play area at our botanical gardens (where the kids love to dress up and pretend in the outdoors...see picture) with Nana and the Crenshaw girl cousins (Livi and Elle Belle). day three we had a picnic at the park and loaded up to drive to Arkansas for the rest of the week to see my sis and her fam (hopefully more pictures to come of our time there...counting on Mel for those). Anywho..it's been lovely here....campfire by night, walks in the woods in the day, cousins playing anything and everything, adults playing Catan, watching a movie in bed with my sister, breakfast each day prepared by my b.i.l (his specialties), and then men even preparing a mexican feast for us gals last night! i've LOVED it. I know that so many people feel like the time with their kids at home (on breaks from school) are stressful...but I feel just the opposite. there is no schedule, so nothing HAS to be planned. we can just roll. love it!

Photo Diary-Cookies with Case

Now that we are living near Nana, we are always kept in the know of all the local happenings, deals, etc...she's the BEST!

So, here are some shots of Case and I enjoying Free Cookie Friday...

Photo Diary-Case at play

I'm trying to enjoy each day that I have with Case, as I know that I will miss him terribly next year when he goes to school for Kindergarten. As it is, this year's been a HUGE transition with him gone to school two days and with Nana to Bible study another day. On our two days together I try to take him to parks, on playdates, or try to be intentional to play with him at home. It doesn't always work out, but we've had a lot of fun when it does. One of our new favorite outings is to the botanic gardens where they have a play area just for kids...it's so super creative and since we go with Aunt E and the girls (Elle Belle and Liv) we always feel like its a treat!

Here is Case in one of his favorite areas...the walking creek.

Photo Diary-Emily's Muffins with Mom

Emily's school hosts a Muffins with Mom. So, true to Woelke form Emily picked the Double Chocolate Muffin! I do NOT understand how you people can eat chocolate so early in the morning! My! But, she LOVED it. We got there pretty early, so we had our muffins (and thankfully coffee) and then played on the playground before school started. Here are a few of Em scarfing down her daily dose of chocolate and then playing...

Photo Diary-Case's accomplishments

Okay, so Case may NOT know how to tie his shoes, cut food with a knife, or even say his "L"s exactly right yet....but he has mastered the art of crossing his eyes. We are ever the proud parents!

Photo Diary-Case's fuel belt

Okay, so clearly I can't keep up with the blog these days. I WANT to. I WANT to keep track of all the funny things the kids do and say. I WANT to log all our fun family adventures, but I'm surrendering it. I won't say that I'm quitting, but I'm surrendering what I had hoped it could be and allowing it to just to be what it can. That might mean more posts like this...with a little picture and a story, but I figure that's okay by all of you...who wants to hear my ramblings anyway, right? Ha!

So, I'm apparently CRAZY enough to train for another 1/2 marathon. This one is still a few months away, but I'm already incorporating a few long runs into my week. As such, it's been hot and I've needed more water than normal. So, I've been taking my "fuel belt" along with me....you know, the belts that go around runner's waists and hold water bottles.

Well, the other day while Case and I were in the kitchen (where my fuel belt bottles were drying in the dish rack), Case grabbed one and in an attempt to mimic me he put it down his pants and ran in place! The placement was HILARIOUS, but so was his running (if only I had thought to capture that for your enjoyment)! HA!