Weekly: September 19-25

Hooray - we survived last week, and I'm not sorry it's over. You should've seen my house this weekend, it was so trashed I wasn't sure I would get it all cleaned on Sunday. But we did - all is right with the world - and I am looking forward to a normal week at school for the first time this year. Last week, while busy, was really really beautiful and perfectly fallish.

Fall loves Idaho.

On Monday, Carolina got to go on her very first school field trip to the fire station.

And since it was a teacher work day, Liam went with Papa and Grandma and then Carolina joined them for some fishing... and swimming (last week of the pool). 

While there, Liam got some new books from Papa, including this Widlflowers Field Guide, which he basically obsessively read from cover to cover until he was done, and asked me lots of questions about flowers and plants which I have no answer for. 

I was overrun with meetings and classes and stress the rest of the week, so let's skip to the weekend... Todd and I decided we had been sufficiently "good" about not treating ourselves with a Boise day for over a month, and that we should go this weekend and then hold back for another month or so. We did all the Boise things - donuts, coffee, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, mall, the Village...

Carolina's choice of head wear for the day was fine with me... but she was kind of being a pill as you can see.

Liam became very interested in how the barista was making his pour-over coffee, and Carolina joined him to ask questions and get a whole lesson in coffee-making. It was so great, really! 

Grant was having a rugby game nearby and it worked out pretty well timing-wise for us to go watch. We have been bad and never gone to one before - weather, little kids, timing, etc. were always a deterrent. But boy were we glad we went on Saturday the weather was PERFECT. I mean it. Todd and I really thought it was interesting and fun, although the kids may not have been too interested, they kept each other company. 

And this little cutie let me hold him for just a couple of minutes.

This is a scrum. I had to google it to see what it was and why they were doing it. It looks so weird and yet so fascinating.

I mean do you see this gorgeous fall day?! I was in 7th heaven. Sorry you can't see Grant, they kept playing on the far side of the field.

Afterwards we got to finally have a family dinner - McConnels, Curtis', and Hellengas - the occasion was Todd's uncle Bruce was visiting. It was just fun to be together. And then on Sunday we ended up all going out to lunch again. It just did my heart good. 

We are now officially 7 days from Carolina's 4th FIFTH birthday :( And 8 weeks from Disneyland :) I really am looking forward to this week with my class even thought last week was pretty rough. I think with 5 full school days, no subs, or testing, or picture days, we will finally be able to get into a routine. And without so many after school activities I'll finally be able to get in that walk that I missed this week.