September 2017

September we spent trying to get settled in still. Janie saved up her money and was very excited to finally buy the desk she's been dreaming about for a long time. So proud!

Dad took the kids for an afternoon to the botanical garden where they spent most of the time swinging together. Such cute kids.

Our nightly porch visitors. (Frogs) I sure wish they'd work a little harder or be a little hungrier. They did NOT keep up with the onslaught of "lovebugs" that came through though. Nothing like nature to bring on the questions about life and its origins...

We were baptized by fire a bit moving here in the middle of summer, and coincidentally, hurricane season. As if we weren't dealing with enough anxiety because of the move, becoming homeowners, starting a new job and going without a paycheck for two months, but Hurricane Irma decided to head our way. It was beyond nerve-wracking watching and waiting as the forecast changed throughout the week. Nothing like going to Walmart with completely empty shelves and waiting in line for 45 minutes with a bunch of other anxious people. Yikes! Luckily for us, she veered further west and we fared the storm just fine. Got to spend Sunday at home together and watch the wind and rain from inside our safe house. We are certainly blessed!

The best part of the month was when Grammie and Papa came to visit. Having such wonderful visitors finally made our house feel like home for many reasons. Not the least of which was Papa's tireless work on our much-needed home projects. He made us a workbench in the garage, fixed our drooping tv stand and cleared out the forested area in the back of our lot and made a wonderful sandbox/play area for the kids. Grammie spoiled the kids with so much love and we all had a downer of a week when they left. :(

We do live in a beautiful place and we are starting to see its perks more and more.

August 2017

First day of school for everyone but me and the boys. Exciting and nerve-wracking for everyone involved.

This little guy has become super attached to his blankie, and I think it's the cutest thing ever.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Peanut Festival in our new little town. It was hot, but so fun to be introduced to the new culture in which we now live, which includes everyone driving golf carts around the neighborhood... Not sure that will ever not be weird.

Fun at the parade.

Turned around and found this kid taking a break. He had a bit of a rough time getting used to the heat and the gnats. Not a big fan, for sure.

The kids participated in the annual tractor race. :)

Woke up to fog most mornings. Can't believe we live in a place that's constantly at dew point.

And no wonder it's always a soupy mess, I'm pretty sure that this is where the phrase "when it rains it pours" was coined.

May as well take advantage and take a shower in the rain coming off the roof. (No rain gutters!?!)

July 2017

Even with all the craziness going on with the move and Logan finishing up, we fit in a few traditions to celebrate the 4th of July.

Logan took the girls to his office to watch the fireworks over the Mississippi River. They thought they were on top of the world.

And, don't forget overnight yeast waffles with red, white and blue toppings!

Even with how much I had looked forward to this time of being done with school and moving forward with a more normal, adult life, I was dreading the goodbyes to my wonderful friends. Moving is a catch-22 because it is so emotional, but so stressful and busy that it doesn't allow you to focus on those emotions for long. It's a blessing and a curse for sure. Oh, how I will miss these amazing people I call friends!

Because of some stress and delays associated with Logan's dissertation and getting our mortgage settled, we moved our closing date back a few days and therefore had a bit of extra time to head to Duluth to see Lake Superior. Milo was thrilled to find there was a gigantic train to walk around.

The lighthouse was a fun tour.

Gooseberry Falls didn't disappoint either.

And one of the best parts was that we stayed in a motel made from old boxcars. Pretty sure Milo's mind was blown.

We tried to do a few fun things along the way, since driving across the country for days on end with me and the four kids in the van and Logan in the moving truck wasn't exactly a thrilling prospect. One of the stops was Land Between the Lakes in Tennessee. We saw some buffalo, a planetarium and an 1850s running farm. We stayed in a bit of a dilapidated resort, but enjoyed the view still.

All packed in and ready to go!

We made it! Didn't know if we could close on our house until the morning of, when we were driving into town. But, it all worked out and we are grateful for it. It took awhile to get settled in after all the chaos, but we are grateful for the experience.

Opening the book boxes was like Christmas here!

Welcomed ourselves to Georgia by visiting the beach. Can't be unhappy about being here!

We celebrated our 12th anniversary with a dozen donuts and a bouquet of my wedding flowers. We also got to go out for a lunch date thanks to some newfound friends.

Our cute Janie Lou went and turned 7, whether we liked it or not. She wanted to celebrate with waffles for breakfast and some of her favorites for lunch and dinner. She was especially lucky to celebrate on the last day of their summer break. Theirs was cut short a bit due to the different school schedules in the different states, but it was probably a good thing so the kids could get settled in a little quicker.

Her birthday present slip 'n slide, which was promptly chewed up by the neighbor's dog. We were immediately introduced to many of the joys of home-ownership...

Cute birthday girl!