The Zorio Family: September 2014

September was a lot of fun! We spent what warm weather days we had left at the pool with friends! Dawson and Carter have really taken off swimming this year--Carter with his puddle jumper(but still putting his face under water), and now Dawson can swim like never before-in deep or shallow- with no floats or noodles! He finally doesn't mind to go underwater! Nora Kate loves being held in the water and floating around in it too. We are SO grateful to our friends, the Myers, for letting us swim all.the.time this summer! SO FUN! Here are some pictures from swimming on Labor Day weekend with friends!

left to right: Carson, Carter, Colt, Nora Kate, Dawson, Harper, and Olivia

(Charlie, Charlie, and Nora were there too, but somehow didn't make it in the picture!)

These two sweet kids have been champs about sitting on the sidelines 2 hours a week for soccer this fall. 1 hour on Wednesday evenings for practice and another hour on Saturdays for games. As you can see from the top picture, they don't always love it-but they usually do well!

Dawson kicking!

Dawson was thrilled to make his name out of jello at school one day!

More soccer

Dawson is number 7.

Dawson has always loved helping me cook...and he still does!

For grandparents day in early September, we made these for Lolly and Pop and Nana and Grandad. We tapped of the word family, then the boys (and Nora Kate for a brief minute) finger painted the canvas. After it dried we peeled the tape off to reveal the word "family" and I added the quote.

Our Sunday School had a big breakfast picnic at the Greenbelt Park one morning! I love seeing all these sweet kids represented by our Sunday School!

Harper, William, and Nora Kate had fun playing together at the Sunday School picnic.

Happy Grandparents Day, Nana and Grandad!

Happy Grandparents Day, Lolly and Pop!

Dawson and Bentley.

This is our Sunday School class at the breakfast picnic!

We finally ran out of our last batch of homemade laundry detergent, so one morning I had Carter help me on the "special project" of making more! He loved it and took his job very serious!

One morning when Dawson was at school, I took just Carter and Nora Kate to the park. Nora Kate was proudly showing me a piece of a wood chip in this picture.

(On a side note, look at her legs!!!! LOVE them!)

Carter at the park.

We have a climber.

When this picture was taken Nora Kate wasn't even walking yet, but still she found a way to step on a wooden truck and get her leg just high enough to get on the train table. ugh!

Carter begs to ride Dawson's bike now!

I downloaded a bunch of new educational apps for Dawson on the iPad. We don't play on it a lot, but when we do it's a special treat he loves!

In September John met up with a bunch of Alabama friends for the annual Guys Golf Weekend in Atlanta! They had a great time hanging out, playing golf, and watching the PGA Tour of Champions. John brought this hat home for Dawson from his trip!

Remember that type writer Dawson wanted for Christmas so badly last year...well, he still loves it!

Every week or so they have a color day at Dawson's school. The first color day was back in September and was yellow. We all decided to participate!

A fun morning at Tumble Bears with Carter and Nora Kate while Dawson was at school!

John is so great with the kids! One night he decided to camp in the backyard with the boys. I was skeptical how it would go, but it went GREAT! They slept until about 7:15 the next morning in the tent and have continued to ask when they can do it again. They loved backyard camping!

Zoo trip! Feeding the budgies!

Zoo trip!

Zoo trip! "Look at that animal!"

For the past year the Knoxville Zoo has had a giraffe feeding area, BUT the giraffes were never cooperative and willing to eat UNTIL this time! The kids loved it...except Carter was little grossed out by the giraffe's long tongue!

Love our evening walks.

Soccer game Saturday!

Dawson was thrilled when his cousin, Hailey, got to come watch a soccer game!!

My friend, Kristin, is pregnant with her first child-A GIRL! Here we are at her baby shower in Septmber!

On September 21 it was the 13 year anniversary of our first date. Here's a picture from the first week were were dating!

2 years ago, Dawson was in the paper and-surprise-they reran his picture this month!

In late September, I had to go to Vanderbilt for a doctor's appointment, so John and I made the best of having to leave the kids and drive there for the day. We ate breakfast at the neat place called The Pfunky Griddle...You cook your own breakfast on the griddle on your table. Really neat!

Nana gave Dawson these slippers, and he loves them! One Saturday after soccer this was what he decided to wear the rest of the morning! Hah!

John turned 30 on September 27!

Dawson made him this big banner!

Happy Birthday!

Our church had a family fun Sunday afternoon with inflatables, outdoor fun, and hayrides. Our kids ALWAYS LOVE inflatables!

Dawson had class pictures at school this month. Here's his sweet class.

One evening John took the boys somewhere, and I bathed Nora Kate by herself. She was so funny in the tub alone! She kept smiling and splashing around! I don't think she knew what to do without her brothers in there. Look at her sweet smile!

Carter was a little jealous of Dawson's iPad time, so we downloaded a couple learning apps for him too. He loves it!

Dawson was SO proud of this project he made in art at school! He said he loved it because he got to "work with wood! AND use a hammer!"

Dawson's class did an owl unit at school, and they dissected an owl pellet!!! (I remember doing this for the first time in middle school, so I was impressed!) He brought these bones home and told me all about them!