365 ~ 2015: Day 272

Shaun and Evan show off their classrooms to us at their schools open house tonight!

365 ~ 2015: Day 271

A Dad with the afternoon off from & no after school activities for the kids, means an impromptu trip to the movies to see Hotel Transylvania 2.

365 ~ 2015: Day 270

Today Evan had his first reading assessment in school.  He said he was told he was a "letter expert".  I'm not sure if that is true or not, but he is quite good and loves to sound out words with Dad during his reading time!

365 ~ 2015: Day 269

I needed to fit in my apple donut fix so I could cross it off my Fall Bucket list, so we headed over to Carter Hill Farm in town this morning after breakfast.  We didn't pick any apples, but we explored a bit and the boys enjoyed looking through the binoculars on the observation deck.  David didn't realize it at the time, but after talking to the volunteer on deck, he remembered that he will be coming to this very spot on Tuesday with his class to learn about "birds of prey".  Guess he'll be ahead of the game!

365 ~ 2015: Day 268

Evan's turn for his soccer portrait!  The camera was left behind the first couple of weeks.  I was happy to just make it ouf the house.  Dad was gone and I needed to somehow be in two places at once!  Thankful for the little village we have created here, in Concord, to lend me a hand when I need one, since the technology to clone myself is unavailable at this point!

365 ~ 2015: Day 267

Two games in a row this week, both ending in a tie!

365 ~ 2015: Day 266

These knuckleheads missed the memo that it's officially Fall!  It wouldn't have been too bad if the pool heater didn't shut off sometime over the last week.  The pool temp was 73 and they swam for an hour after school.  I, on the other hand, didn't even put on my suit!  Ha!

365 ~ 2015: Day 265

Shaun's second week of soccer!  I missed his first week of Soccer last week so I didn't get the chance to photograph him in his uniform!

365 ~ 2015: Day 264

Not the best picture, but I just love how Evan greets me after getting off the bus!  He runs as fast as he can with his arms wide open ready for a big hug!

365 ~ 2015: Day 263

A pianist and now a cellist!  He starts his lessons at school on Monday!

365 ~ 2015: Day 262

The birthday princess and her Momma!  Such a fun day celebrating this pretty little lady's 2nd birthday!

365 ~ 2015: Day 261

Weather in New England, where you can pick apples in your bathing suit!

365 ~ 2015: Day 260

David and his friend enjoying another warm afternoon in the pool.  Hard to believe the leaves are starting to change, but it's still technically summer for a few more days!

365 ~ 2015: Day 259

A mid-September swim!

365 ~ 2015: Day 258

First day of piano for the Fall semester!

365 ~ 2015: Day 257

The landscaping completes the pool project perfectly!

365 ~ 2015: Day 256

Over the last few weeks Evan's swimming has really taken off.  He no longer uses his vest in our pool at home and is ready to start focusing on his stroke technique in his lessons!

365 ~ 2015: Day 255

Back to school schedule finally caught up to him this afternoon.

365 ~ 2015: Day 254

First soccer game today.  Unfortunatly it was not a win, but David had an assit and he had fun playing!  Nothing wrong with that!

365 ~ 2015: Day 253

And just like that another Birthday Week comes to an end!  Only 4 more years until my EPIC 40th.  Let the planning begin!

365 ~ 2015: Day 252

Tonight we had the change to meet David's new teacher and check out his classroom during the open house at his school!  David's "hope and dreams" is, "to be smart and be better at spelling".

365 ~ 2015: Day 251

Never a dull moment around these six!

365 ~ 2015: Day 250

Taking the day off from my birthday week festivities to celebrate this guys birthday today.  I guess it's no big deal that I had to share a cake with him all these years.  

365 ~ 2015: Day 249

90 degrees = hanging at the pool all day.  While traditionally this day marks the "official" end of summer, the weather forecast for the rest of the week says otherwise.

365 ~ 2015: Day 248

Cousins celebrating the end of summer by the pool!

365 ~ 2015: Day 247

Finishing off a fun day with a little night swimming!

365 ~ 2015: Day 246

Enjoyed having my birthday lunch with these knuckleheads today! Now I get to enjoy the slice of cheesecake my friend got for me at the Cheesecake Factory before we headed home!

BACK TO SCHOOL!

It's back to school!  The official first day was September 1st this year.  This is the first year that we have started in September.  We typically start in August but with Labor Day being so late this year we were pushed back.  I actually found it that teachers start the Monday before Labor Day and so they make the first day on the Tuesday.

David's Favorites

Shaun's Favorites

Evan's Favorites

Just like I do every year, I began the process of back to school shopping in Mid-August.  There is nothing worse than rushing around the week before school to make sure everything is ready.  I like to ease into back to school!

Shaun's new kicks!  He's going with the tie shoes, he's determined to learn!

Getting measured!

Target is always a major stop in our back to school shopping.  Mostly for the back to school essentials like crayons, colored pencils and notebooks.  This year they were excited to find some cool hoodies to add to their back to school pile.

Minion!

Darth Vader

Back to school essentials!

LOvE, LOVE, LOVE Crazy 8's and their TV in the back!

Now, I'm a realist.  I know that come the morning of "back to school" day, ain't NOBODY gonna have time for a photo shoot, so we do ours the day before.  We usually have a drop in session in the afternoon to meet the teachers and then when we got back from that I had them put their first day of school outfits on, and we headed outside.  It is just better for everyone if we get it out of the way and saves us from the inevitable rushing around in the morning!

FIRST DAY OF FOURTH GRADE!

FIRST DAY OF SECOND GRADE!

FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

They are growing up so fast!!

But, just because I get the important "posed" shots out of the way the day before, doesn't mean they are off the hook on the actual first day!  There is usually time for one quick shot before going to the bus stop and a few at the bus stop!

Ready to go to the bus stop!

The annual bus stop picture!

Here comes the bus!

And they are off!

Evan is going to be in afternoon Kindergarten so he was going to have to wait to go to school for a bit.  And for the first day, he was just having a meet and greet anyway.  His first real day would be Wednesday.

Just hanging at the bus stop!

After a little lunch we headed over to the school to see his new classroom and meet his new teacher.  He has a different teacher than his brothers had.

Making his name tag.

Always checking out the reading nook!  He is going to be so excited when he gets to take home his reading folder!

He found his name!

Fourth grade is awesome!

Second grade is pretty awesome too!

And then finally the day has come for Evan to official start Kindergarten.  He will be going to school five days a week now!  And he'll get to ride the bus home from school.

Ready to take on his first day!

He was so ready for school he walked right in and I was so proud.  He loved riding the bus home.  It was the last time I would take a "first time riding the bus" picture ever.  My boys are getting so big!

Feeling super proud!