September 2020

 September was a fun month! We had loads and loads of time at the soccer field, boy scouts started up for Dawson, Clayton was doing great in preschool, similarly the big 3 had gotten into a pretty good routine with homeschool/building days, we were still getting in plenty of sunshine and swim time at the pool, we made a very last minute trip to Tennessee Labor Day weekend, John and I squeezed in a night away, Dawson got to join middle school band as a 5th grader, John went on his annual guys golf weekend, Lolly visited, lots of time at gymnastics for Nora Kate, we celebrated John's birthday, and went to the beach! 

Clayton has gotten into doing perler beads.  This is great for his fine motor skills, and he thinks it's fun!

Carter is playing for the White Ninjas this year.  He is number 4, and is doing AWESOME!

He loves every minute.  Soccer is definitely the sport he is passionate about.

Nora Kate is playing for the Blue Birds this year.  She has really surprised me with her competitive spirit about soccer this season, and she is playing so hard! She is aggressive and loves to dribble, pass, and has scored several goals already this season!

As I mentioned, we took a VERY last minute trip to Tennessee for Labor Day weekend.  One Friday John called and the kids and I were at the pool.  He suggested we drive up to Tennessee in a couple hours after he got off.  I scrambled and got our stuff together, and it was a fun weekend.

We wanted to do a hike while we were there.  One that had been on our list for a couple of years was Alum Cave Trail in the Smokies.  It was just over 5 miles, and was absolutely beautiful.

These are pictures from the hike.

This was at the top.  This hike was unlike any other we have done in the Smokies before.  It almost felt disorienting to stand in this "cave" so high up.

We made it!

Looking up at the final climb.

trail head

there was a handy little rope to hold as you went through this little cave on the trail.

it had lots of neat bridges which the kids love.

one more picture from the top

The next evening the kids spent the night with Nana and Grandad and John and I got away for the night to Gatlinburg.  It was nice and relaxing.  We stayed at our favorite-the park vista.  This is the view from our room.

balcony selfie

The kids had a blast without us.  They went to the Knoxville Zoo.

We got to visit with Lolly while we were in town too.

Clayton always snuggles Duke so sweetly...especially when he first gets home from school.  Duke loves it.

Clayton has loved his soccer field buddies this season. Here he his with Harper.

One time it was 99 degrees for our evening soccer game, but Clayton insisted on wearing his full Mandolorian suit

My two soccer players.  I wanted a picture of them, but in true middle child form these two were being super silly...Carter was trying to pick NK up.

There's a good one.  Can you tell this was after NK's game (red cheeks) and before Carter's?

Go white ninjas! Go blue birds!

Our favorite orchard right down the road, Isom's has delicious Apple Cider Slushies in the fall.  Here are the kids enjoying theirs!

John's golf weekend.

While John was on his guys weekend, the kids and I had fun at the Space and Rocket Center.

astronaut Clayton

Nora Kate has discovered hair chalk and LOVES it!  She wants to wear it all.the.time.

Her favorite excuse to wear it is for soccer games.  She likes blue stripes in her hair for the blue birds when they have games.

Lolly came to visit and we had a great time.  She got to see Nora Kate and Carter both play in soccer games, go to get apple cider slushies, tag along for school drop off/pick up, and enjoy all the wild fun the kids always have at home.

Here's Lolly at their soccer games.

Sometimes when we don't have anything to do, the only thing to do is drag the inflatable out.  Every time I think the kids have outgrown this they end up having more fun than ever in it.  Duke doesn't understand why he can't play in it, but he's happy to watch his people.  Check out that beautiful sunset sky!

Clayton loves to lay on his puppy.

Dawson's had some neat science experiments.  Here he had to grow mold on three different foods in three different conditions.

Dawson's also loving the drawing club he is a part of.  This was his first drawing of the year.

We had one cool evening in September and decided to break out the firepit.  Duke's first fire.  The kids like to do charades when we have fires in the pit, so I think that's what Carter is doing here.

The end of the month was our trip to the beach and John's birthday which is in a separate post.  September was a great month!