A great day all the way around!

First day of first grade!! Wow. She's gotten soooo big!

She had an awesome first day!! Loves her teacher, loves school, saw old friends and made some new ones. Yay! I love seeing that love for learning and excitement shining in their little eyes!

But yes... sad (for me) at the same time. My last one is now full time in school. whaaaa!!! sniff sniff. My constant sidekick is no longer glued to my side! Holy cow... will take a little adjusting.. but it will be a good thing!! I have been looking forward to it and dreading it all at the same time! LOL!!

And as always, I make chocolate chip cookies on the first day of school. Yum!

Bailey and I spent the day together yesterday. It was soo nice!

We had to go get him some new tennies and some new track shoes. While we were there we saw these humongo shoes - size 13 and Bay was just marveling over them and just HAD to try them on!! hahaha! I was sad i didn't have a camera and then remembered my phone! I just wish you could actually see the true perspective on the size of these things!

Anyway it was making us both laugh! Then we went home and we were going to go for a bike ride down this cool path to the resevoir that i just discovered. About 1/4 of the way there his bike totally broke! The rear gear shift flew out and then back into the spokes in the wheel and as the wheel was still going, it wrapped itself around everything and then snapped off. OH man! Talk about total sadness on this boy's face! :( It broke my heart on the spot! In my opinion, a boy needs his bike. Period. It's like an extention of their body at this age!! And in his eyes yesterday... his bike (very very important) broke and was not fixable, it was the official "last day of summer" and he wanted to be doing something COOL, and him and his mom were going out on a ride JUST THE TWO OF US - (majorly important and doesn't happen nearly as often as it should!!) and poof all that was "taken away" when that gear shift went spaztic!! Bless his heart!! He couldn't keep from crying, he didn't know how to handle all the emotions that this brought out. Seriously. Talk about heartbreaking! (i dont' want to make this tons longer, but Bay has been working with his Dad most of the summer. Earning his own money for the first time - for "real". And we've been teaching him how you tithe straight off the top, then put half in long term savings, then like a 70/30 split to short term savings and your pocket cash. He's been amazing at following this plan and has saved over $600 in the bank this summer!! He tithes every week on what he makes, and has spending cash, as well as a pool saving for something he wants, and loves it! LOL) So... trying to show him it wasn't the end of the world. Pointed out that we had several options. Asked him how much was in his short term savings - $30 he said. And Grama had just (20 minutes before) given him $60 for school/shoes that we had JUST bought that morning, timing had ended up being wonky, and we figured we would put it toward a hoodie and a new outfit - but he said "i don't really NEED it right now, so we can wait." It was wonderful to point out on his level, that wasn't it funny that that money had just shown up 20 minutes before? And how even though he didn't really believe me about short term savings and how it adds up - how God had totally provided him with the ability to get a new bike?? Provided for HIM - not to us as parents to go out and get one for him - but directly to Bailey!! It ended up being an incredible God glorifying, teaching moment on how we are supposed to rely solely on God, and how He WILL take care of us - every time, all the time!! It was awesome! And it really hit home for Bay! We went down to Walmart and he picked out a new bike. Paid for it himself, and couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day! We went on our bike ride, out to the resevoir.. his bike was sooo smooth, he couldn't get over how awesome it was in comparison to his old (very beat up) bike! We talked to the ranger for a while and found out about fishing restrictions and decided to go out there next weekend to fish :) Then we rode home together and made chocolate chip cookies for Calli. All in all - it was a WONDERFUL day with my son!! I recognized that i need to start making more time for just individual one on one times with each of them, and not let the business of life get in the way! Easier said than done.. yes. But sooo important! I hope you have an incredibly blessed day with one of your loved ones and just take the time to relax and enjoy one another! xo Bren