Friday, September 22, 2023

Fall is here!


Fall is here and we are here for it!! Luke and Ellie both played travel soccer again for Magic.
Luke looking SO old playing on the high school turf!
Luke and Joey playing together on defense.
Luke's team doesn't have a designated goalie, so they all take their turns. And us moms all hold our breath when our son is put in to play! All the credit to goalies! It's a tough position to play and maybe just as hard to watch!
Ellie's team really had some turnover this fall. We weren't for sure how the girls would mesh butttt they were just fine. :) We loved that Ellie gained a few players who started at Hart with her in the Fall! (Elsie and Seraphina!)


Some days it still feels like summer and when it does we show up! Bringing out Slip & Slide one more time. Love when our three kids play together just like when they were littles...Happy sigh.

Luke had a project to make the flag of Mexico and Ellie loved picking out the materials with him.
Ben had a vision and a dream and went with it and now it's coming! REBL has been in the works with Ben meeting with all elementary principals and assistant superintendent for months and it's happening!!
Papa Morin's (Ben's Dad) birthday is September 6th so the kids and I surprised Ben by taking him to Big Boy. That's where his Dad would take Ben after Friday night basketball. We love you, Papa Morin.
Bike ride to Yate's Cider Mill!
OK, so let me start with saying I knew nothing about Cross Country. I knew they ran but that was it. When I pulled up to Elle's first meet, I had no idea where to park. Where the team was at. Where the start was and was it the same as the finish...I don't know?! Thank goodness her first meet was in Oxford because all my Oxford peeps spotted me aimlessly wandering and helped a girl out. And what I've learned is this...Cross Country is so AWESOME!! The group of kids on this team are the nicest and kindest tweens around, cheering each other on, motivating each other, and her coach is a teacher at their school and the leader of the Christian club at their middle school so yup, a big fan of her too. Cross Country is a sport for kids to set goals, work towards them, and then be ready to compete for the next race. Practices are after school for 90 minutes. I get texts from my friends driving around downtown Rochester, " Hey, I just saw Ellie running with her team!" I LOVE school sports!! I love having the kids stay after school. I love them having their coaches be teachers that they see throughout their school day. I love the exercise they get everyday because it's just built into their daily schedule. I love that they practice, fail, work, and grow together with friends from their school. Such a gift!! And Ellie is loving it too!! She had no idea what Cross Country was. She knew nada. Butttt she trusted her Dad and took a courageous step to try something new, in a new school, with new people, and she's thriving!
This is what a Cross Country meet looks like in middle school! All of the schools lined up (you can tell by the colors) ready to run!
Our girl.



Ellie and her best bud, Riley!!
Our girl has the best supporters!
Drew made Elle this sign for her race...Such a sweetheart.
Ben can barely get out the words he is so excited for her. 💕

Ben and Luke working out together before school. :)
Luke and Elle both ran in the Rochester Community Schools Hometown Hustle 5K!







Elle with her Cross Country team.
And her coach.
Uncle Chad and Harlow came to cheer them on too!


These 3 riding the middle school bus together, they totally got this. Kayla, Ellie, and Riley 💛💛💛

Elle and Drew were part of JBA basketball for their Fall league.
Papa and Grandma came down a few times to cheer on our favorite ballers!





Luke was invited to go to the UvM football game with the Leighs! He loved the tailgating with all of the food and they got the W!
Drew representing football in our family playing a season of flag football this fall! Practices and games were on Sunday afternoons after basketball. We loved having the Cosbeys and the Mattinas on the team with us! All 3 families went from basketball to football to cheer on the boys!
Drew is still holding it down at the McGregor Fun Run! 8 years in a row their has been at least one Morin representing! Drew is the last one standing. :)
One more bike ride to Brain Freeze and the spray park with the Cosbeys before they shut it down for the season,


What's up, Fall?! 
We love this season of new starts, fall leaves, donuts and cider, all the sports, and comfy hoodies.

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Soaking up summer! 1st days of 8th, 6th, and 3rd Grade!!

The day after we got back from our East side trip, Ellie had 6th grade WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) orientation for Hart Middle School!
Afterwards, she and Riley hung out to talk all things middle school. :)
Luke and Elle off to Hart for their class schedules and to try out their new lockers! 
Below, Luke is with all his buddies...
Dad and Elle trying her locker combination! Can't believe Ellie is in middle school?!
Ellie saw a signup for Cross Country and guess who signed up on the spot? This brave gal did!
Then off to Drew's Meet the Teacher! Miss Cunningham is the only McG teacher to have the trifecta. She has now had all 3 Morins for 3rd grade!

Next up, getting all of those school supplies...

Ben and Luke off on their annual summer bike ride through the trails and then to the downtown donut shop!


Wyatt and Drew always playing football in the backyard.
We dropped off Ellie off in Ann Arbor for the week to be with Uncle Tom, Aunt Cathy, Aunt Deb, Cousin Sara and Rose (from England). Elle and Rose had so much fun staying the week together!

Elle is my girl for sure...She loves her steak!

Celebrating Aunt Cathy's birthday! We love you so, so much Aunt Cathy!!

Back at home, Drew and his team celebrated 3 of his baseball buddies birthdays with a suite for a game at Jimmy John's field!
The birthday boys even got to take turns throwing out the first pitch!

After Drew's birthday party at Jimmy John's field...He was dropped off at the party for a few nights too!
We all met up at Aunt Cathy and Uncle Tom's for a family day!

We took turns painting the horse!!











A recreated picture taken many years later with cousin Rose!
After the party...We took off for Elle's 1st cell phone!!

Aunt Cathy also surprised Luke with a new phone.💙

The party was on a Saturday and I had school starting Monday buttttt one thing was still on our list, a girls trip to Cedar Point! So we had a choice. After all day in Ann Arbor, were we ready to wake up early and head out for the day...Absolutely!!
A day with Ellie, Zaydee and the moms!
The trip was so spontaneous and it was perfect!! The four of us had so much fun!!



The next week, I was back to school. Ben took Elle and Drew to Belle Isle for their first time! They rode their bikes around the island...


Saw the Detroit skyline...

Visited the aquarium...

Called the Cosbeys who were also in Detroit so they stopped by too!



And wen for a swim!




Drew categorizing his minerals he found.
On a beautiful day getting a jog in!
And here we are...The first day of school for our 8th, 6th and 3rd graders!!
Last first day of middle school for Luke!
First day of middle school for Elle!

I love this picture so much. Look out for each other you two.

Off they go to ride the bus together!
Drew's first day of 3rd grade!!

Year 18 for me!!
And I got to finish my first week with a girls night in Grand Rapids to see the Dixie Chicks!
I love my banchie girls so much!!!