Mornings with Maggie

*A couple of new posts below - dove hunting + first day of school for girls, etc. 

 

So, we're finally getting into our actual fall rhythm - it has taken a few weeks because Owen's school started so early and the girls only just started yesterday (for Rebecca) and today (for Maggie). Going forward, I'll have Monday mornings with just Rebecca, Tuesday and Thursday mornings with just Maggie and Wednesday and Friday I'm foot-loose and fancy-free - meaning, that's when everything happens. Anyways, Maggie is at a really sweet age and I'm looking forward to my mornings w/ her. 

Here she is meeting Ms. Stacey aka Ms. Tastey - she was soooooo excited to go back to school to see her "fins" (friends).

Maggie luuuuvs Baby Beau - she wants one. Tough luck sweety - someone has to be the baby.

A visit from our family friend Margaret - not her namesake, but close enough! - two Rebecca's and two Margarets. Tooooo much spunkiness.

Locked in the master bathroom. Kyle had to disassemble the doorknob to get her out. She kept yelling - hello. guys? anybody home?

Yesterday on our fist real Maggie morning we went to Town Lake to feed the ducks. Probably about a mile round trip from the Mopac Bridge to Lou Neffe Point where the ducks are - and she walked the entire way. No stroller. Carried her own bag of bread. #thirtyminutemile

She said hello to every single person we passed. And when they didn't respond (because of ear phones usually) she'd yell hello at them again. Super sweaty at the end but she was a trooper. Asked for water but never complained or wined. She would tell me to run and we would and then she'd say slow down and we would. Totally her pace.

Okay, I had to throw this one in there. Snack before bedtime, in the middle of changing clothes. I just can't get enough of this one.

Oh, one more fun thing. When we pick Owen up from school we usually drive through the carpool line. I guess I sometimes call Owen Bud or Buddy but I don't really think about it. Well now, as soon as I open the van door she starts yelling hey bud! hey buddy! hey buddy bud!  Sometimes he's still a couple car lengths away and she's just yelling at all of first through third grade. We always get fun looks from the teachers. I have a feeling they'll know who she is long before she starts kindergarten. NO lack of personality.

Dove Hunting

Just about the time I got used to "deer season" and all that that entails for our family I am forced to start understanding "dove season" too. This is Kyle's first season in a long time and he has kicked it off with a bang. :) New shotgun, and two outings so far - one with Owen and one w/ both big kids.

Looks like really hard work.

Owen on bird retrieval duty. We need a dog. :)

Owen with Bailey and Blake hanging out when they got tired of chasing birds.

Kyle and Luke (Grandpa Robert was the camera-man).

The firs trip was Tuesday and yesterday Kyle was able to sneak in another - this time taking O & R.

It was fun to share the news about the trip when I picked Owen up from school - he was super excited that Rebecca was going to get to go with him. 

They got home late and were pretty much carried straight to bed. Rebecca woke up in the middle of the night (she's been doing that some recently) and crawled into our bed and when I was getting her settled under the covers she said "mom, it was so fun. we shot so many birds."

The best part about evenings like these is that the good times go both ways. Maggie and I stayed behind and had a really sweet evening - even though she is probably our loudest kiddo right now its so quiet when she's not competing for attention with the others. She got to take a long bubble bath and read sooooooo many books. And I let her eat cereal for dinner. Mom-of-the-year. :)

Westminster - Year 6

Rebecca had her first year at Westminster yesterday - it is our sixth year at WPDS as a family and Rebecca's last. She has Ms. Laurie - quite possibly God's gift to five year olds - just ask Owen. (Maggie almost looks more excited than Rebecca but she just loves to have her picture taken.)

Makes up for all the bickering.

Goes both ways.

Superstar.

Maggie's first day was actually this morning - and she was equally as excited. She has Ms. Stacey - who Rebecca had - and she affectionately calls her "Ms. Tastey" - I hope that lasts all year.

(Rebecca went dove hunting with Kyle last night - more on that in a minute - and is still wearing her camo shirt.)

One day these girls will truly understand how crazy blessed they are to have each other.

Yea for our wonderful preschool. Yea for Wednesday and Friday mornings when M & R are BOTH there! :)

Second Amendment to August Post

A few more pics from our time at the McCormick's Johnson City Ranch. 

Owen fishing.

 

Owen tried the longest...

 But Maggie must have had the magic touch because as soon as she touched the rod...

 This happened.

 This one was just happy to be on the dock - mostly.

Just hanging out.

 Silly boy

 Okay, but here's the good part. Some of the bigger girls took Rebecca out on a little boat. That went well.

 Then Kyle okayed this little adventure. Life vest - check. Plan for how she gets back to the dock???

 Further adrift we sent a turtle (manned by a 10 year old boy) to rescue the whale (and 5 year old rider).

 The rescue.

 The 2nd turtle on its way to help.

 My camera went down for a minute when our little rider fell off her whale...but turtle boy 1 grabbed her by the life vest. (Kyle stood ready on the dock, pockets emptied of keys/phone/wallet, ready to go in if it looked like the turtle boys needed help.)

 Thumbs. Up.

Rebecca was remarkably calm and the boys definitely did their good deed for the day. Good times with children around water.

First Amendment to August Post

I showed you pics of the inside of mom's new car on our first little neighborhood joyride, but I forgot about these gems - the day before she turned her old car in. Each of the kiddos have made special memories with Bee in this fun little black car. Watching the top go up and down rarely got old.

 Like a little parade (they didn't actually go anywhere).

 Owen doing his slow-mo cheer.

 Rebecca getting ready for her future days on an actual parade float.

 Maggie pretending to drive.

And can I just say - isn't my mom a beauty? I mean, seriously. What a looker. And no, I am not prepping to ask her for a bunch of babysitting. She's already agreed. :)

PS - Second Amendment to the August post - Lost at Sea on Shamu - to follow tomorrow.