When life hands you lemons...

SO after a whirlwind of our summer festivities and coming home from the cottage late Friday night, what does Luke wake up the very next am at 8 wanting to do...A lemonade stand.:) So here we are...

The kids had so much extra candy from just different parties and things, they sold their candy as well. Here come the neighbor kiddos!

Elle's birthday continues with a visit from Auntie Megs and Uncle Chaddy!

But little did we know, they had the bigger news!!!! BABY!!!!!! AHHHHH! I am just so excited to meet this little bundle of love and have a cousin to grow up with our children right around the corner!

Baby! Baby! BABY!! We are so excited for Megs and Chad and we are thrilled to be their "village"with the BABY!

Love Ben's expressions as we are hearing the details...

Ben went the next day to go shopping for work clothes. As he was laying everything out to show me what he got, I couldn't help but laugh. Look at the variety :) (Including the shirt he has on.) The man likes what he likes. :) 

Our Luke has blossomed into such a reader this summer and we are so proud of him. He had some gift cards to Barnes and Noble and here he is checking out what books he should get. The verdict was the Magic Tree House series and he is still obsessed. You will find him reading himself to asleep and then waking up early, reading again. 

Another Lemonade stand cropped up in the neighborhood and of course we had to go!

Ben and his buddies took a day off work to hang on the boat!

And Sat. am, Ben took Luke to their annual Dad/Son trip to the downtown Donut shop. They ride their bikes into town and enjoy their time together. It is crazy how fast Luke is growing up! We just love you so, so much sweet boy.

And Elle's partay continues with a special visit from Gpa and Gma Uitti!!!

We all headed out to eat at Uno's pizza and not only do our kids get to make their own pizza but they get their own sundae bar to make at the table for their dessert. This place has become one our favorite stops to eat as a family. I mean yummy pizza and ice cream?! Yes, please and thank you.

Tired. Some days I wonder if the energy level around here will ever putter out and now I know what it takes...Finally, these two crash.

But no worries, the next day we were off to downtown with the Zeile's to play at the park and feed the ducks!

Below: Elle and Zaydee

And soon enough, all 6 kids went swimming into the creek, fully dressed and no towels.

A picture of a good time... All 3 peeled down to their undies to go home, wet and full of sand.

Ben and Ellie building a solar power car given to her from Gma and Gpa Cooley!

And then Monday am...All three kiddos go to NC3 while I head back to teaching from my time off work. Of course, we had to kick the day off right with some homemade Jacque pancakes! :)

We are having a dabbin' good morning!

Drew's first BIG day away from Mama and on his own.

Well, kind of, on their own. We feel blessed that our school calendars worked out where our two older children could go with Drew to NC3 for his first 2 weeks of school. Drew knows all is right in his world if his older sibs are around. :) 

After a long week, I was able to scoot over to the west side to spend some q-time with my bffs. Love these girls and it is always soul filling to be with them.

And when I got back ....I had my last mom-to-mom sale selling the last of our baby things! It is hard to believe the onesie wearing, diaper changing, high chair at meal stage is over but Ben and I are excited about this next stretch of our life together. 

This dynamic due killin' it in the outfield during our family game of baseball. (And Elle doing it right, wearing her older bro's clothes!)

After the game, we headed out for school supply shopping! Elle loved being in on the action this year. :)

We love Mr. Todd and Ms. Mary, the owners/lead teachers at NC3. They are a married couple who live down the street from their school, walk to work everyday, have raised their children and now have grand kids, have celebrated being open for business downtown Rochester for 40 years and they have loved on our family and now, all three of our kids. We are so grateful for them! On Monday, Drewman will be rocking this school life on his own as Luke will start 2nd grade and Elle, kindergarten!