Cool School

The pre-school we have registered our kids for had an open-house last week.  It was the perfect time to take the kiddos on a tour.  They got to meet one of their two teachers and 2 kids who will be in their class.  Luke and Sarah warmed up immediately and didn't want to leave each play area as we toured room to room.  Jacob was a lot more clingy (which is expected) but by the end he was running around and having fun too.  They each got a cup of trail-mix and a Capri Sun.  That sealed the deal.  More to come.

Jake, Sarah, and Daddy outside the school

These two made themselves right at home!

The trio's actual classroom

The boys were right at home in the gym area

Digging in the Dirt

Earlier in the year, I saw a friend's Facebook post about building a box garden.  I really wanted to make one for the kids but because of moving and selling our house we didn't get a chance to do it.  But we definitely plan to do one next year.  Luckily Mimi and Papa have a garden in their backyard every year so when we visit them we get to pick whatever vegetables are ready.  During our latest visit there were tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash ready to be picked.  Papa and Uncle Bob took the kids out to the garden and lethem go crazy.  The kids had a ball!

Uncle Bob holds veggies for Sarah and Jake

Lucas shows off his loot

Sarah picks tomatoes

Sarah shows off the tomato she picked

After the garden Sarah & Luke inspect Mimi's flowers

Jake checks out flowers of his own

The trio rides around on Mimi's gardening caddy

Too much for just one post

Since moving back to Gwinnett our days have been jammed-packed with lots of fun activities.  I thought about doing a summary post and catching everyone up with all the things we've been doing.  But then I realized the post might be like a hundred pages so I decided I needed to break it down.  So we'll start with the Owens Family Bar-B-Que.  Then in future posts I'll write about moving and settling into our new house, gardening with Mimi and Papa, and visiting preschool for the first time.

Growing up I created so many memories visiting family in Rockmart.  I was always so excited to go visit my Maw maw.  She always had peanut butter cups stashed in her kitchen and she made the best grilled cheese sandwiches.  There were lots of animals- cows, horses, stray dogs and cats, and more.  There was also this great climbing tree in the back yard.  My great-aunt Von and some cousins owned a salon.  So we always got our hair done while we were there.

After Maw maw passed away, we just didn't get up there as much as we used to so I'm always excited when we get a chance.  Aunt Von and Uncle Edwin invited the whole family to their house for a BBQ.  I'd say there was probably 35-40 people there.  It was a full house!  Good thing we were outside!  We swam all day and had a blast.  The kids were very bold jumping into the pool, going down the water-slide, and swimming all on their own.  They didn't nap the whole day so on the ride home they passed out right away.  It was a great day and I can't wait for our next trip!

Water Baby

Cannonball!

Lunch time

Jake and his "choo choo train"

Didn't even make it to the interstate

A long day

Kicked back

Mommy's little genius

All 3 munchkins can correctly sing bits and pieces of their ABCs.  They can even recognize some letters and some colors.  But today on our drive home from Mimi and Papa's house Sarah did something that blew me away.  She sang her ABCs perfectly and even sang the "now I know my ABCs" part.  When we got home I looked up the average age when kids learn their alphabet.  Most websites said 3-4 years old is average.  I knew she was a genius.  Better start saving for the ivy league now! lol

Who needs expensive toys?!

The kiddos have tons of toys.  They have a whole playroom devoted to every loud, annoying, blinking, screeching, banging toy imaginable.  But what causes them to giggle, laugh, and howl the loudest?  What is the most entertaining thing in our house?  A bug.  A flying insect.  So for Christmas, instead of shopping at Toys R Us I guess I can just head to the nearest bait and tackle store.  Saving some money this year!

Fun on the fourth

Slowly but surely we are getting settled into our new home in Hamilton Mill.  Just the first weekend it was so nice to be close enough to family to just swing in.  The kids are loving spending more time with their favorite people also.  I will blog more all about the move but it's just too much right now.

Wednesday was July 4th and we spent the day unpacking boxes and then with a cookout at Nanny and Pa's house.  After dinner we went over to Aunt Tracie's neighborhood and sat on the dam and watched fireworks.  It was so nice to drive 5 minutes home from Tracie's instead of an hour plus commute through Atlanta.  Please continue prayers we get a buyer for our Newnan house soon.

Sarah whips up something for the BBQ in "her" kitchen

Fireworks on the lake

Despite his expression Jake loved the fireworks

Jake kept saying "fireworks boom boom"

Cousin Krista with Sarah watching fireworks