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                      Nathan's first day of SECOND grade 2012-2013
                                                           07/25/2012

Alex's first day of 4-year-old Preschool 2012-2013

08/22/2012

The title is really a little miss leading. Nathan has been in school for over a month, since July 25th, which meant summer was reallllllly short. Alex went back to preschool this week. She is simply delighted to be being busy and on a true schedule where she has an actual roll in things. Now we are just waiting for the dance season to get started in September and we will be rocking and rolling. Both kids have 2 dance classes a piece this year, which will likely keep me busy and poor. Nathan is taking tap and ballroom (he begged to see if they would allow him into the class) and Alex is taking a tap/jazz combo class and ballet again. The studio director would love to see Nathan in a ballet class, but I have not yet been able to convince him he really should take one. Nathan also completed a 2 week theater course that started the same time as school and that meant we ran ourselves ragged for 2 weeks, but it ended with a great little program in a non-air conditioned gym. Wholly hotness! But he did great and I can safely say he is not afraid of being on stage or in front of people (oh, yep he is mine!).

We did our favorite quick getaway the weekend before Nate went back to school and ran to the Little America for a quick overnighter. The kids love to swim and just have the adventure of not being at home. No bedtime, no real rules. We even got a bonus of being able to see the fireworks that went off right down the street from our hotel. We settled in at the window and watched them in all our air conditioned glory. Sa-weet!

Nathan goes off track in just about 2 weeks and I will love having him home. He is so much fun. He has been reading Harry Potter lately and very much enjoying it. I never thought I would be a mom who was okay with a year round schedule and I am not sure I love it, but when you have a kid in a immersion program, it is more blessing than curse. And I have learned to love to be able to go do things on our off track periods when everyone else is in school. I don't mind traveling but I am not a fan of crowds or long lines.

We had one more milestone for our family in August. One that both thrilled us, and left (at least me!) in tears. Our wonderful, adorable, amazing neighbor got married. Courtney was 14 when we moved in and she and Nate bonded from their first meeting. In fact, I think she was the first non-family member to touch him after he was born. I love that girl and admit freely that she has saved my butt on more than one occasion. And while I want her to be grown, married and wildly happy with her sweet husband, Ethan, I am so sad to see her go. This is two-fold. First, I love that girl like there is no tomorrow. We moved to a house where I knew NO ONE and this sweet girl not only loves my kid(s) but takes the very best care of them and I can hand her a credit card and send her to the grocery store or beg her to bring me milk on her way home. And she not only did it, she did it with a smile. She was always excited to watch the kids and they LOVED when I would tell them Court was coming over. I don't think she knows how much she meant to me all those years. The second reason I am sad to see her go is this: if she can grow up and move on, so can my kids. That is a horrifying thought. I realize that I have a lot of years before that happens, but I am sure Court's parents, at one time, thought they did too! There are no words to thank her for all her love and care. You will always be "Our Courtney" and we love ya kid! Thank you for letting us be part of your special day.