Cousins come to visit

 Bryce and Tanner came to visit for the weekend.

We went to watch Jacob play soccer but unfortunately the game was rained out.

 The kids played at the park instead.

 Eliza being her normal self.

The kids also visited an American Ninja course and decorated eyeball and brain oreos.  I just didn't take pictures.

 Bryce and Grace.

Please don't corrupt Tanner, Eliza.

Tanner celebrated his second birthday while he was here.

He did not seem overly excited about all the attention or a cake with eyeballs on it.

 Eliza and Bryce went on a frog/lizard hunt. 

Gloves were a necessity.

 They did catch 2 frogs.

Tanner seemed pretty happy to have big cousins to push him around.

Adam enjoyed being a big kid instead of a little kid.

 

September

 September sort of flew by.

Jacob had band.

 Eliza started dance.

Soccer is eternal for Grace and Jacob.

Merry has been the score keeper for volleyball for the school team.

Adam started baseball.

We were shut down for a week with hurricane Irma hitting, but other than our powering being out we fortunately didn't have any damage to our home.

Weekend soccer and the solar eclipse

 Grace played in her first competitive soccer tournament over the weekend.

 The tournament was at the ESPN Wide World of Sports so the fields were beautiful.

 The only bad thing was it was Orlando in August which meant 95 degree weather.

 Grace seemed to have an awesome time which is what soccer is all about.

 We also got to view a solar eclipse.

 The kids school district decided the eclipse was too dangerous to view, so I had to check them out of school.

 Merry was at volleyball practice during most of the eclipse

 

but she got to come out for the peek.

I made these designer eclipse glasses, complete with flower for Eliza because the others would not stay on her head.

 We also got eclipse cookies

 and smeared them all over the place.

 Nice chocolate goatee.

 The most fascinating part of the eclipse was the cool shadows

 that we had to document on everyone's arms.

 This was entertainment for a long,

 long time.

Happy eclipsing.

1st day of school

 Here are the happy middle schoolers.

Don't they look excited to go to school.

Jacob picked out his own outfit.

Looks like he inherited his father's love of blue.

 As ready as he will ever be.

Merry is off to middle school this year.

Loving the braces smile.

This is round 2 of the drop off. 

They look a little happier about the 1st day of school.

 Grace is off to 4th grade.

She is very happy she has Ms. Townley again this year.

Adam and Grace are in the same building which made drop off awesome.

Ready to get to work.

Adam started 2nd grade.

He was not a fan of the collared shirt this morning.

 He looks so cute heading down the hall.

The teacher is already keeping him busy.

Cute Eliza is off to VPK this year or BBK as she calls it.

Love her hair twirling.

Eliza in the circle ready for some fun.

I stayed home and dejunked the family room from a summer of too much fun.

Life stuff

Adam has been training Eliza in Pokemon battling.

It is very intense training.

Luckily Grace is there to mediate and explain the complex point system.

 Grace still loves to dress up and play with dolls which makes me very happy that she hasn't grown up too much.

Jacob on the other hand has spent his summer in Brian's office chair.

I think there is a permanent indention of his bum on this chair.

Merry has spent the summer at my computer.

She does take breaks as my chair is not as comfortable.

She is a great cooker and is always willing to help make dinner, mostly because she likes food.