Back to School and Back to the Beach

 The first day of school!!!
I can't hardly believe it!

I get one more year with Fox and Sai at home with me.
That makes me sad.
I don't know what I'm going to do 

next year,

when Fox starts kindergarten???
Sai will be a lost little puppy!

Trying to take a picture of 

Phoenix

on his first day of 

1st grade.

(Fox and Sai were determined to be a part of it

and Bubba didn't seem to mind)

Such a good 

big brother.

My beautiful girls!

Ryan 5th ~ Logan 2nd

The three

"big kids"

Growing up waaaaay too fast!!

Stop!! Please!!

....and then there were 

TWO!!!

After seeing the older kids off to the bus stop

we mozied back in and I got these two hobbits

'Second Breakfast'.

They seemed a little

"lost"

but had no problem hamming it up when I pulled out the camera!

Later in the week we resumed our school year routine and popped in at the gym.

There aren't any classes going on and a great chance for these two to play.

Foxy had a small mishap with some rings!

Yes, that is an imprint of the floor on his forehead.

He had just learned to 

flip himself over

and, I'm guessing, let go at the wrong time!

Such a trooper!!

They love being at the gym during the day!

When we pulled in and they recognized where we were, it was like

Christmas Morning

for these guys!!

It had been a long summer......

A couple days later he was healing nicely.

Still with the imprint.

That wasn't so easy to explain! 

Part-reptile/ part Fox!

By Thursday we had gotten all our 'chores' done
and the weather was 

absolutely gorgeous!

We took full advantage and hit our favorite place.

Popham Beach

Snack time.

This series of pics are some of my 

all -time favorites!!

I love how close these two are!

Leaving the beach and covered in sand!!

That's how you know it was a 

good day!

Friday we went 

back to the beach!

This time with some friends.

Fox taking a small break first.
Love'n the white buns!

Sai wanting to be a 

big helper.

This one.
Always so happy!

Fox, Olive and Hannah in the background.

Little boy heaven.
Dump trucks and all the sand you can manage!

Hannah and Olive.

Looking for sea shells.
Fox on a mission.

Sai bringing his back from a 

'bath'.

Hmmm,
"Where should I take this load?"

A picture from this guy who swore to me over and over

that he wasn't tired.

He played so hard!

Now that we were 'officially' in 

September

it was time to get the 

'punkins'

out!

These two could hardly handle it!

Sooooo many 'punkins'!

Naming them.

They hung around like this for almost 

30 minutes.

Fall 

has arrived

and I am so 

excited!!

Birthday to Birthday

I woke up to some 

super excited

Nuggets!!!

In the night Daddy had wrapped and set out my presents 

and they got to put their 

homemade 

birthday card on display.

They were sooooooo

excited!!

They made it at a neighbors house

with the help of half the neighborhood.

The flower pot is a pocket!

I loved it!

The

big reveal!

Momma asked for a 

smoker!!

Daddy didn't believe I really wanted one.
I'm on a mission to learn how to cook a true 

Texas-style brisket

and a smoker is key to that happening.

The "accessories"
charcoal!

Me and my guys!
(I especially love this picture of Sai)
And Bubba on my shoulder!!

Don't grow up little guys!!
Please!

Me and my babies!

Birthday Dinner

Our first attempt.
Daddy did it all......and it took 

seven hours!!
It was so delicious!

Mama's cake!!

The kids wanted 

39 candles!!

We should'v had a 

burn permit.

That was a 

blaze!

*****

The next night we were invited to a friends house for a 

bonfire.

It was her birthday and she handed out these huge

paper lanterns

to light and send off.

I got a picture of Chris trying to light his.
Yes, that's a tiki torch.....

You make a wish and send them flying.
It was our first time and so much fun.

*****
In, what was technically, the last week of 

summer

we had some gorgeous days all in a row.

We had to take full advantage.
This summer has been short on true

"beach days".

You need to make every last one count!

The troops headed over the hill to one of our 

favorite beaches

Small Point Beach.

I love this sight!

The kids waste no time getting in the water.
Sai comes with his

flotation device.

Breaking for lunch.

Happiest lil guy on the planet!

Such a good
#5!

Posing with his 

"teenkie"!

This was a first for him.
I bought them as a
"treat"

The boys playing
"Superman"!

They wanted their towels tied tight

and they ran around and jumped off the 

the ledge.

I could'v watched them play like this for

hours!

Sai munching his second apple.

Bubba and Fox enjoying the waves,

Sai dipping his toe.

Maybe next summer.....

Bubba and his mini-me!
Love.

They play so good together.
Beach days are the best days!

Heading home.....
We went two days this week!
It was gorgeous!

Summer is short in Maine.
We love it and make the most of

every second!

*****

For Daddy's birthday we got together with some friends for a 

Labor Day/ Birthday BBQ!

A good friend of ours is a
lobsterman,
he stopped by the day before and dropped off

seven of the most beautiful lobsters!!

This was the
"Daddy Lobster"!!

Look at how 

HUGE

it's claws were!?!?

Blowing out his candles!!

Foxy and Sai enjoying their 

birfday cake!

(Sai got his pants wet...and ended the night in some cute fleece jammie pants)

Roasting marshmallows

with my ladies!

Sai just liked to hold the marshmallows in the fire.
He had no intention of eating them.....

just liked to watch them 

burn!

I became the official

"marshmallow loader".

Heather and I.
Sooooo stuffed.

Chilax'n
Heather and Patrick with Amelia on mommy's lap.

It was such a fun night.
Good food, great friends, kids running and playing,

a gorgeous night and beautiful fire.

Summer might be ending....

but Fall is my favorite time of year in Maine.