Now that the school routine is here, summer feels like a million miles away. Thankfully the weather has still been gorgeous so we've been able to pop over to the beach a few times and enjoy the Westwood club pool and Nani and Poppa's pool this month which we are so grateful for.
This is the update from September...
Rich and I snuck in a date night at the beginning of the month. We went to Coasterra for dinner which I have heard amazing reviews about since we moved back here so had been wanting to try it. The views and the guacamole were amazing and the food was ok. It was a great night though and I'm glad we tried it!
For the kids...
While we slept in and went for a long run the next morning the kids were having fun with Nani and Poppa at the safari park!
On Labor Day weekend we decided to have a crawfish boil and have the Zickelrs over to join us. The kids loved seeing the shrimp and crawfish thrown out on the table and of course the cousins had a blast together!
This was the second year that we opted not to go to the Westwood Club campout and spend the night, but, instead go on Saturday for a few hours, hang out with friends and then on Sunday morning get together for breakfast. It has worked out perfectly and the kids haven't minded and the adults have preferred to sleep in their own beds instead of in tents at the club. Everyone had a blast swimming on Saturday and staying for dinner and the movie and then this year we hosted breakfast at our house which was so much fun and the Vuongs got wind that it was Charlotte and Julia's birthday was earlier that week so brought over donut cakes. We are so thankful for such awesome friends. The girls were in heaven and loved celebrating with everyone again!
Charlotte and I are getting into the swing of a new routine with the big kids back at school. It has been bittersweet and she definitely misses having everyone around, as do I, but we are having fun together and I am so glad that we decided not to send her to preschool this year to give the two of us some special one on one time together.
We've gotten into a pretty good routine of working out, errands and then playing. She has been preferring to run in the stroller vs. going to the gym, since I think she misses having the other kids with her at the gym, but she loves Miss Marissa from the gym, so that always makes it a little easier.
We've tried out a few library classes. She seems to enjoy them but doesn't ask to go back or talk about them when they're over. Honestly, I think she is happy just hanging at home, which is fine by me!
Happy as can be painting at home!
We finished up swim lessons with Ms. Patty this month. Charlotte has done great all summer with her. Charlotte thinks she is a better swimmer than she is so we need to watch out for her but she has learned so much this summer. She can swim a good ways independently, although I don't feel entirely confident that if she were to fall in that she would make it to safety because she gets nervous. By next summer though I am hopeful that all 4 will be confident, safe, independent swimmers though.
Nani has been watching Finn regularly since his school is closed for a few weeks so we've been meeting up with them which is always a treat. They met us at Miramar one day after Char and I ran to feed the ducks.
Nani has offered to take Charlotte one day a week again this year so I can volunteer in the kids' classrooms, which is amazing, so she started that up this month. Every Thursday I'll drop Charlotte off at their house after I drop the kids off at school and then head back to school to volunteer in all three classrooms. Nani and Poppa will then pick Julia up at 12:00 from TK and bring her back to their house, which is great that she'll have some time with them this year still. We have church school on Thursdays from 3-4:15 and I am teaching Ella's class this year so the younger girls will stay with Nani and Poppa until after that is over. It is a full day but we are so thankful for Nani and Poppa for their help and Charlotte and Julia love, love LOVE spending the day with them. They're so amazing that during this month they offered to take Charlotte and Finn both on Thursdays since Finn's schedule isn't set yet and they've had so much fun together!
Their favorite hangout with Nani!
She's not napping regularly anymore but is still pretty good about sleeping for Nani. Although, recently when she does nap, it makes bedtimes a bit harder for us, so thinking she'll be giving them up entirely soon.
We are so glad that Julia will still get to have some special time with Nani and Poppa on Thursday afternoons, too!
We were at the Westwood club swimming one day after school and Julia was in the water and got stung by a bee. The bee was floating on the water and Julia swam right into it not knowing it was there. It stung her on the forehead and we were able to calm her down and she was fine but the next day she woke up looking like this! I didn't totally freak out since I was stung last year under my eye and I was even more swollen then she was and researched it then learning that any sting close to the eye makes it swell up really bad. She was upset the following morning, and I debated about keeping her home from school, but decided to send her thinking that it would be a good lesson for her (and the other kids) that it doesn't matter what you look like, but if you feel fine, learning can still happen! Plus, I really just wanted to keep her in the school routine since it is all so fresh and I thought that a taste of a day at home would want her wanting more. She went and did amazing and by that afternoon it was looking much better. Phew!
One Saturday after a full morning of soccer, we headed to Gyminny kids for their open gym and met up with the Searcys and Quinns. The girls had a blast for an hour exploring different parts of the gym.
We spent Labor Day at the beach which was perfect! We went to Moonlight Beach with the cul de sac crew and brought along the Martins as well which was awesome. We went super early to beat the crowds and get a parking spot and the kids played for hours and the adults were able to enjoy a beautiful beach day.
After a great beach day!
The weather has been hot so we have been to the club opol a few times after school to keep cool. It is crazy because it has been totally empty so we've had the entire pool almost to ourselves.
Ella and Julia participated in a dance camp through RB highschool in the beginning of September. On Friday after school we dropped the girls off at the high school for the afternoon and then showed up at the high school football game that night to watch them perform the routine that they learned that afternoon. They went with the Searcy and Quinn girls and absolutely loved it. It was so fun to see them performing on the field and we ended up staying for most of the football game which was a good time, too! Joseph saw some buddies and was able to get on the field during the game and we were able to see our neighbor, Logan, perform in the band during halftime which was a treat for everyone, too.
This was Julia's highschool partner-I don't know her name, but I just adore this picture of Jules!
And this is how Charlotte spent most of the night!
Westwood had their Paper Picnic this month as a fundraiser for the school which the kids and I both look forward to having lunch together.
Soccer season has begun! And, we have quite the season ahead of us! All four are playing this season so we will be spending pretty much all Saturday at the fields but we wouldn't want it any other way! Charlotte is not on an official team-just a Saturday morning practice which she LOVES!! Well, she loves, most days. She doesn't love it when I am on the field with her but if Daddy or Poppa are there to help she is in heaven. If you ask her, she'll tell you that most days she scores 17 goals and is the fastest one out there. We never have to worry about her confidence, that's for sure.
Julia is playing her first official season on the Red Ladybugs and has a bunch of friends on the team so that is a lot of fun. She isn't the most aggressive out there (no surprise though really) but tries hard, is a great listener and is having fun.
Ella is a Blue Dolphin this season and has a bunch of friends on her team, too. She continues to be aggressive and a pretty good player on the field so we are looking forward to watching her this season. This isn't really a soccer picture of her but she has her jersey on and it was the only one I could find of her from soccer for this month...she's too fast on the field for me to get any!
Joseph is also playing and is on my high school football coachs' team. Small world. He is the best coach that Joseph has ever had so we are looking forward to him learning a lot. Joseph is a solid player and can hold his own.
We love that we are surrounded by so many friends on Saturdays. We run into so many people and the kids just have a blast all day long. They never complain about having to watch one another's games because they are always playing with other siblings or friends. We are also so fortunate that there is almost always family at the games, too, so they have so much fun with Nani, Poppa, the Zicklers or Bubba and Hollie. We are so grateful for all of the support!
I found this during Joseph's game from Ella...can't decipher it but thinking it has something about Joseph scoring a goal.
Our Wednesdays have gotten super busy all of a sudden though with gymnastics from 2:30-3:30 and then all three kids having soccer practice after beginning at 4:00. Thankfully the girls are at teh same school and Joseph is close but I do have to run back and forth between fields and of course, Rich has class that night so isn't around. We make it work though and it is kind of nice to knock it out in one day!
Westwood had their Fun Run this month which the kids alwasy look forward to! I was thankful to be able to volunteer while Nani, Poppa and Charlotte cheered our runners on. The kids all did awesome and had such a fun time!
Even Charlotte got in on some of the fun run fun!!
Back in the routine of our Friday cul de sac get togethers and we are so thankful for that! We celebrated being back together with staying at the Laugesens for dinner one night which is such a treat for everyone. Greenspot all around!
Crazy hair and pajama day at school!
We made a trip to Julian for the first time to go apple picking. We had the best day and I am so glad that we went. We were a bit underdressed as it was much colder than I had anticipated but the kids were troopers and it was such a fun day. We started at the apple orchard and the just loved it. It was such a great experience. We then drove the mile into town and found a place for lunch. Everyone in San Diego had the same idea so it was a bit crowded but thankfully the wait wasn't too long and there was a lot to check out while we were waiting...like the candy store underneath the restaurant! We will definitely make this a yearly tradition!
Lately we have been finding colorful, thoughtful notes from Julia everywhere!! She is constantly drawing and writing! Here are a few of the favorites:
This one was a few weeks after her birthday and she told me, "It's my birthday cake because my birthday is my favorite day of the year and I'm so sad it is over."
Lots of rainbows!
And lots of love for the Ozecks!
And one from Ella when I was at a PTA meeting.
I can't remember what she told me it said and can't translate it...gotta love beginning 1st grade writing.
Another one of Ella's from her first week of school. They read "NO David" and then wrote how they can be helpful at school.
And one from Joseph that was hung on his wall on back to school night.
I don't remember where I was but Rich took the kiddos out for Phil's one night and they were all ecstatic. "Phils, Phils, Phils" is a frequent chant in our home trying to convince me to go out to dinner there!
We spent one Sunday afternoon at the community park flying our kite and just hanging out together which was so nice.
One Saturday morning when we had later soccer games they spent a good amount of the morning playing with this box. I love how well they play together and it made my heart so happy especially after being back in the school routine-they truly enjoy being around one another so I always look forward to the downtime together at home.
And, finally, a few random photos found in my phone to finish out the month. Love these kiddos so much!
Julia received this dress from Julia Reppas and fell in love with it immediately!
What a great month! The pace has definitely picked up being back in the school routine but we are looking forward to a great school year and we are thankful for all of the opportunities that September has given us.
Love this picture of Jules looking out from our backyard. So much to be thankful for!
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