September!!

After a very busy beginning to the month with Labor Day weekend, the start to school for Ella and birthday celebrations for Charlotte and Julia, we were looking forward to getting into a routine for the month with school, soccer, dance, church school, speech and everything else that comes along with our crew.  Now that we are in the school routine I definitely cherish the slower pace of the weekends, although with soccer and a packed social schedule, the weekends are never really that slow paced.  However, no matter how busy the weekends are, I do love not having to be out the door by 7:30 a.m. with everyone fed and dressed!  September seemed to fly by but it was a great month and everyone has transitioned really well into the fall routine.

Here are a bunch of random pictures from our month of September:  

  Just Ella being silly on September 8th. 

  September kicked off the soccer season for both Joseph and Ella this year.  They had their first games on September 9th and both did great.  Ella is loving her first time playing and Rich told her at one point that he thinks that soccer is her sport so she'll say every once in a while, "Daddy thinks that soccer is my sport."  So sweet!  Ella is a Red Sparkle while Joseph is a Black Ninja.  The Saturdays in September have been HOT but they have hustled hard and played well.  

 I am back at Stroller Strides this month and have been consistent with going on Mondays and Fridays and am enjoying the workouts as well as letting the little girls play after with kids their own age.  They had a grocery store playdate one day which the girls just loved.  

 I'm pretty sure this was taken before school-just a little airplane reenactment game before 7:00 a.m.  There's no waking up peacefully and gradually in our home...once you are up, you are up and better be ready to go!  

 The girls started dance on September 14th.  They both are taking a combination ballet/tap class on Thursday mornings.  Julia is in the 3/4 class and Ella follows in the 4/5 class.  That means that we are at the ballet studio for two hours on Thursday but the studio is actually at the Swim and Tennis club just a few miles from our house which has a nice outdoor playground as well as an indoor play room for the kids so it really is a great setup.  The girls are LOVING dance and have been so excited each week.

  On September 16th we went to the Westwood Club campout.  We met up with the Vuongs and Laugesens for a fun afternoon and night.  Rich spent the night in the tent with Joseph and Ella while Jules, Charlotte and I headed home around 7:00 for a "movie" (Doc Mc Stuffins show) night and sleepover in my bed!  Julia didn't seem to mind coming home and it was nice for the three of us to sleep at home!  Joseph and Ella had a blast and according to Rich basically played and ran from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. and then crashed quickly! They were all up by 6:00 the next morning so we had a relaxing rest of the day on Sunday! 

The diving boards were open one last time for the season so everyone enjoyed getting some awesome last summer jumps in!  Even Rich wowed the crowd with a pretty great flip!  Joseph was pretty impressed ;) 

 We watched Finn a few times this month since Nani and Poppa were traveling and Linz is still working and we just love having him here!! We all enjoy having him over to play but these two are too cute together-its especially sweet seeing how excited they get when they see one another!  Definitely going to be great friends as they grow up together!  

Back at soccer on September 23rd!  

 I had my high school 20th reunion on the weekend of September 22nd.  On Friday night I met up with Michelle and Katie at the football game and then we spent a few hours at the local Irish pub catching up and laughing.  It was such a fun night out with them.

 Our reunion was Saturday the 23rd at The Barrel Room in Rancho Bernardo.  I got roped into planning it since I was class president-it all turned out great and was fun to see some familiar faces although the best part of the night was definitely just hanging out and catching up with the Alticks.  

So thankful for my dear friend, Michelle, and our twenty-plus year friendship.

 While we were at the reunion the three big kids were hanging in Coronado with the Ozecks and they had a blast!!  

 

 They watched Captain Underpants and LOVED it!  Ha ha.  

Charlotte hung with the Zicklers and had a great time, too!!! 

 Charlotte's new trick this month!  She will just do this randomly throughout the day and it always makes me laugh!  

She is busy, busy, busy!!!  Almost every weekday we play outside in the cul de sac from about 4:00 until 5:30 and I told Rich this month that I used to love this time because Charlotte would either be sleeping or hang with me in the ergo so I could easily just watch the big kids play with everyone and fold clothes or just take a few moments to myself while watching them play...but, not now!!  She no longer takes a late afternoon nap and no longer likes to be in the carrier for extended periods of time-she wants to be down on the ground playing with everyone and she will let you know!  She'll just scream, arch her back, push against me until I get her down and then she's as content (and BUSY!) as can be.   Since she still isn't super sturdy walking I feel like I am always right beside her or I can be found trying to prevent her from eating wood chips, spiders, rocks, plants, seeds or anything else she can get her fingers on! It's a good thing she's cute!!!  

Busy in the house, too!  

Here is the one place where she will sit for an extended period of time!! 

  Joseph didn't have school on September 29th so we had Ella play hookey and we headed to the Safari Park with Nani and Finn.  It was a hot day so we threw in bathing suits and the kids had a blast at the splash pad for along time, too. It was such a fun day!  

 Nani let the kids choose either feed the lorikeets or ride the carousel and both Joseph and Ella chose to feed the lorikeets.  Well, actually, Joseph chose first and Ella was on the fence but once she saw Joseph do it, she was sold so then she jumped on it, too.  Julia was intrigued but opted for the carousel instead!  

 After soccer on the 30th we went up to Nani and Poppa's to swim and have dinner since the Ozecks were going up for the afternoon.  Linz and Poppa were both gone for the weekend so it was a bit quieter but still a great time and a beautiful day!  

 

So much fun with these cousins!!!  

 What a perfect way to end the month!