I'm Alive!

How in the world is my last entry on July 12? I am still alive, I promise. I was fully anticipating blogging about once a week during the summer. You know, the lazy days of summer…what else was I gonna do? Um...that didn't quite happen!

So this is a catch up session! Summer was great…Here are the highlights…. 2 Beach Trips, Lots of Play Dates with Emily and Daniel, Lots of “Water Park” Days in our front yard with friends or just us, lots of Mommy Work NIGHTS and Lots of Library trips. We read at least 1 new book each night with Jacob over the summer and kept a list of all the books. It was around 67 new books!

Content Creations (my website design business) has been busier than ever. I’m currently working on new projects that span 6 states and have a client base of around 60 clients. I have been so blessed. With each project I gain ideas and knowledge and confidence. Let’s admit it, I have a Business Management degree…what makes it ok for me to design websites?! But I’m continuing to learn and grow with each and every project. I Love what I'm doing.

Dustin is still working hard at McLeod as the Custom Programming Manager. He has a big team of smart guys and from what I can tell, he’s a pretty good manager. He recently joined the Board for the Helena Soccer League. Jacob is playing Baseball this fall though – he wanted to try it, so we’re gonna let him.

Jacob started Kindergarten! He has Ms. April at Helena Elementary School (see her blog listed to the right) and she is wonderful. Jacob has maintained an active interest in learning to read since the day he started school. It warms my heart to see him excited like this.

Dylan starts 2K Tuesday! Tuesday cannot get here soon enough! He’s been lonely without Jacob being here each day, but he has learned to play on his own really well. Plus he has made some really good friends in Daniel and Emily. He’ll be going to school 5 days a week, so Content Creations will be free to get so much more done.

Today the Elementary School had their Boosterthon Fun Run. This was a GREAT idea! The kids have been collecting donations and pledges for each lap he runs. This is the school's biggest fundraiser and it's all very cool how it works. Bottom line - he ran 19 laps! With the donations they collected along the way they got prizes like sweatband, shoe laces, sunglasses, etc. This was among one of Jacob's first couple of laps. (note: smiling and running!)

I made a sign for our class. They are the All Stars. So I waved it around and cheered for their class as they came by. I actually ended up doing 14 laps myself. One little girl didnt have a parent there and was completely freaked by the whole thing. I just held her hand and we walked the whole time. But it actually enabled me to get to know several of Jacob's classmates by doing that.

This is Jacob with 3 of his buddies in his class. These girls all sit at the same table as he does. It was very cute and impressive in how supportive they were of each other.

After the Fun Run, I went back to their classroom with them while they enjoyed a popsicle. They were all eager to show me what color they got. "You get what you get and you dont pitch a fit"

This is after his first day of school. He's riding the bus to and from school and he says riding the bus is his favorite thing about Kindergarten! Did I mention he gets picked up and dropped off at our driveway?!?!

Jacob and Dylan riding on Emily and Daniel's Gator. They were too cute. I wish we lived on a street where they could do that without risk of being run over.

Earlier in the summer we had a South Forrest Posse Reunion. The 6 of us have been friends since Elementary School. Five of us lived on the same street (South Forrest Drive). We all have hubbies now and most of us have kids too. This was such a great get-together. Not sure why we dont do it more often. Oh yeah, most of us have kids...

This is the cool Catepiller I found last week. It was Huge! I caught it and put it in Jacob's Bug Box so Dustin and Jacob could see it. It's skin was super hard. No clue what kind of Catepiller it is but bet it'll turn into a moth.

I've been painting lots too! Here is the Painting Class at Calera UMC with my mother-in-law and Sister-in-law. We had a great time and isn't it cool how different they all turned out?!

This was Sips N Strokes last Friday night. Most of these girls work with Dustin. We had a great time but gosh that painting was difficult! The "Sips" made it bearable though!

This is random I know, but my stepmother Carol reached her 10 year anniversary with Whiteplume Technologies a month or so ago. Her employees (support & implementation=travelers) have been planning this for a long time. They created this art piece on a piece of wood the size of a door. It is made up Entirely of Hotel Key Cards from their travels to client offices. Even the feather is made up of key cards they shredded. I can't believe how amazing this turned out!