Happy Birthday Mimi!

Happy Birthday to the best Mom and Grandma that we could EVER ask for! We love you!!

Time for a change...

Today was Zoe's last day of dance at her current studio. They decided to close their doors at the Temecula location and we couldn't be more sad about it. Zoe has had such a great 2 1/2 years there, and she has improved so much! She took advantage of the unlimited classes this past week though, and took several ballet classes, several jazz classes and some new lyrical classes too. We sure will miss her instructors, but will hopefully be able to keep in touch with some of them.
So, it's time for a change, time to move on, and time to look for a new studio! (Not sure where I will find the time for that right now, but we will work on it!)

My new home away from home...

Last week I got a 1 day sub job for a 4th grade teacher. Well, that one day turned into 2, which has now turned into a 6 week long term position. It is definitely a mixed blessing! I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity and it is great experience for me (as well as guaranteed income for the next 6 weeks!) However, it is a LOT of work! I am putting in a ton of hours, running around like a crazy woman, trying to make it all work. I've asked Joe and the kids to just bear with me for a while, and we've definitely been working as a team to get everything done. I must say though, these 17 hour days of work, activities, and more work at home are grueling!
So here is my new home for a few more weeks...

Let the Games Begin!

Cooper's Cardinals team kicked off their season with a game tonight against the Phillies. He was really excited and we couldn't wait to see how the team would come together. They have been busy practicing on the field and the batting cages, so we hoped they would come out strong. It ended up being a great game for our boys! The Cards played well and Cooper had one of his best games ever. He had some really strong hits, resulting in an in field home run, a triple, 2 doubles, and a single. He couldn't have been happier. In the field, he played Short Stop, 1st base, and Left Center. He had a few great plays, and learned a few things to work on too.

The Phillies fought, but couldn't keep up with our boys...

It is going to be another long, busy season, but it sure was fun to be back at the fields! We miss our teammates from the Royals last season, but we are enjoying getting to know some new players and families. Let's go Cardinals!

Final Trailblazer of the Month...

Zoe earned Trailblazer of the Month today for Responsibility! It was a little bittersweet when I realized that this will be the last one she will receive since she will be moving on to middle school next year. I am so proud of the kind of student she is though, and couldn't be happier that she received this award in September.


Mrs. Underwood wrote:
Zoe is climbing the Pillar to Success for Responsibility. Zoe is such a responsible Trailblazer. She comes to school prepared to learn each day. She always has her homework completed, her papers signed, and of course, her positive attitude in tow! She makes great choices both inside and outside of the classroom, and she is a wonderful help to others. We are so lucky to have Zoe in Room 50!
Great job Zoe!! We are so proud of you!!

BMX Party!

Jax turned 9 today and we celebrated at the BMX track in Orange. He rides there every weekend with Jeff, but this was the first time for Cooper and Zoe. They had a GREAT time! Zoe was a bit nervous before hand, not sure if she would be able to ride or keep up. She struggled a bit on her first lap, but got the hang of it pretty quickly. Cooper took off trying to catch Jax. We couldn't get them off the track! Even in the blazing sun, with long pants and sleeves, they didn't want to leave.



Cole joined them for some laps too...
Cooper was really nice about sharing his new bike with Zoe!

Best buddies...
They did stop for a few minutes for cake and presents, but couldn't wait to get back on the track for one last ride.

It was such a fun afternoon for the kids! They can't wait to go again some time.

Happy Birthday Jax!! You are the best cousin/nephew we could ever ask for! :)

Way to Go Coop!

Cooper was awarded Trailblazer of the Month for Academic Excellence today! He was excited to get called up at Friday Flag Salute.

Ms. Chesney wrote:
Cooper is climing the pillar to success for Academic Excellence. Cooper's strong efforts show in all areas at school. He is attentive and a GREAT listener. Cooper always strives to do his best, and his hard work pays off in his excellent academic performance. Cooper's desire to do well gives him an excellent attitude which will take him far in life!

Ms. Chesney was at the District Office for meetings today, so he had a substitute. Unfortunately, with the changes to our sub system, it makes it a little harder for me to teach in his classroom. Luckily, I was working in the next hallway over, so I was able to quickly run into his classroom for his presentation.
I am so proud of my guy!!!

Zoe had a fun morning at Friday Flag too. She and Lacey were the helpers of the morning and got to help hand out the awards and be a part of the spirit team.

Back to Baseball!

Fall baseball has officially begun. Cooper started practicing with his new team last week. He is now a Cardinal with the Pinto division, and proudly wearing red. He was pretty bummed that he didn't get to move up to the next level with all of his friends, since he missed the birthday cut off by 6 weeks, but he is making the best of it. He is enjoying being one of the "older" boys and is really building some confidence.
They had their first scrimmage against an older, Mustang division team the other day. He played great, making some solid hits and some good catches on first base and in outfield. Their first game is next week and hopefully it will be a great season!

Go Cardinals!

Newport Fun

The kids and I headed to Newport for a couple days of the holiday weekend. Joe stayed home to watch the neighbors dogs and have some "down" time. :-)

We got up early this morning to hit the annual Labor Day sale at the sporting goods store. We've gone every year to stock up on our snowboarding gear since this sale can't be beat! 60% off all winter gear is just too good to pass up.

The kids are so excited about their new boards! We were able to transfer over 2 sets of bindings, and they can all wear their boots from last year, so it made for a great deal. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Now we just have to wait for winter to come!! With the 107 degree temperatures inland, it seems like it might be a while!

Then it was time to hit the beach. The fog was SOOO thick! I can't believe it is September, it felt like January. The kids didn't really care though. They had fun "sledding" on their boards, and then put on their wetsuits and hit the waves, while we sat in the chairs wrapped in our towels.

Luckily the waves weren't too big since you couldn't even see them coming. The water was a VERY chilly 58 degrees!

Zoe and Grandpa had fun working on a sandcastle...

Finally the fog burned off about 1:30pm and the day turned out to be gorgeous! The water was still cold, but at least the sun was out! We even came home with some pink, sun-kissed skin.

Not sure if we will luck out with any more sun this weekend, but I'm sure we'll make up for it when we go home!