August 2019

Hello, August!  What a full month this was with all kinds of fun!

We started the month with soccer try outs/evaluations for the big three kids.  Clayton wants to play soccer SO, SO bad, but he's not old enough yet.  Dawson, Carter, and NK all did great at evaluations.

This summer has been the summer of Lego, if there ever has been one.

All four kids have been Lego obsessed this summer.  This was the latest project completed by the big boys...the Capitol.  They were excited about this one since we visited in June.

Another item on the summer fun list created by the kids-go bowling at Stars and Strikes...so fun!

I think this was our first time bowling where it seemed like all 4 kids actually enjoyed it.

One more BIG FUN item checked off the summer fun list.  The week before school started we took the kids to visit Point Mallard Water Park.  We weren't really sure what to expect but we had SO MUCH FUN!!!!!  Everyone did really great.  John, Dawson, Carter, Nora Kate, and I ALL went off the high dive-it was SO high! I couldn't believe how brave everyone was!  The water slides, lazy river, wave pool, and all the little play areas were all big hits!!  The kids are already asking when we can go back!

Lolly came to visit the week before school started.  We had lots of fun taking her swimming in our neighborhood pool, taking her on a Ranger ride, going to the Botanical Gardens...

this was at the botanical gardens

Botanical Gardens with Lolly

at the pool with Lolly

The last day of summer break, we decided to do something brand new to us! We went to High Point Climbing Gym in Huntsville.  Their website claimed that kids as young as three could do and enjoy high point, and I was skeptical but they were right-even Clayton could do it and all 4 kids loved it!

So fun!

Carter and Nora Kate are pictured above on their first climbs of the day.

I really shouldn't have been surprised at how great all 4 kids did-they've all always been climbers.  Here are Clayton and Carter bouldering (that is climbing not clipped in on a wall specially made for bouldering.)

This was one of the favorites...it was several big tall buildings that the kids could climb up...all 4 loved this!

Nora Kate was really good at it too!

All four in their harnesses and climbing shoes!

It was a fun and new way to spend the last day of summer break. 

We were all oh so sad for this wonderful summer to come to an end.  We seriously had one of the best summers-kids agree.  We loved being able to travel so much now that the kids are at such easier stages for traveling and everything is fun for everyone.  While we are all really sad to see this summer end, we are all a little excited for this school year to begin.  

This school year is going to be totally different for all of us.  I have been interested in homeschooling the kids for a while, and Dawson, Carter, and Nora Kate were accepted to a hybrid school this year where we will get to homeschool and then utilize six hours of school a week in a building and utilize clubs and specials from their school also.  I'm so very excited about more time with the kids and getting to teach them...and more time for our family to be together.

We had all of their school supplies and first day shirts ready!

The week before school started we had to go pick up MacBooks at school.  I wanted to snap a quick picture after getting the computers with the kids.  This picture cracks me up.  Boys standing front and center with MacBooks posing.  NK decided to wear shades and sit-hah! these personalities -I love it!

The night before kindergarten we had to read the book that I've read to each kindergartener at bedtime...The Night Before Kindergarten.  She was obviously letting her fingernail polish dry as I read her this bedtime story.  My sweet and fancy kindergartener....she thought it was funny that the parents in this story were crying when they told their kindergarteners goodbye at school-hah, this girl!

First day of 4th grade!

Sweet, sweet second grader!

First day of 2nd Grade!

First day of Kindergarten

(how is my one and only little girl going to kindergarten...and she's SO excited about it)

Nora Kate with her teacher on the first day!

After we got home from dropping of the big 3 at school, we had to let Clayton do a little photo shoot of his own.  He will get me to himself a few hours a week while the big 3 are at school. I've been looking forward to this Clayton time!

Clayton's favorite thing to do during the time that the big kids are at school is go to the "dinosaur playground" as named by Clayton.  Here he is enjoying his picnic lunch at the dinosaur playground

He also likes feeding the ducks at this playground.

Look how big these three look coming out of the school building after their first day.  They go from 8-11 then stay from 11-11:30 for lunch. I just thought they looked so big coming down those steps!

We picked the kids up from their first day and they said, "we know what we don the first day of school-GET ICE CREAM! So of course we had to make a trip to Sonic!

The kids have to log P.E. hours for school each week...we have been enjoying utilizing the pool for P.E.

Our goal each week is to work REALLY hard Monday through Thursday and then have a "fun Friday!" Everyone is on board with this and it keeps us focused Monday through Thursday.  It hasn't worked out every week due to workload (especially the 4th grade work load-whew!), but the majority of the weeks so far we have gotten to enjoy a Fun Friday!  This particular Fun Friday we went to Let's Play which was the only item on our summer fun list we never checked off, so it was a good first Fun Friday!

Dawson was excited to complete an experiment during our homeschool time.  Celery and food coloring learning about how plants and veggies absorb.

Clayton's very favorite thing as of late is sorting...everything and anything but especially his hotwheels cars by color.

John took the boys golfing.

They have actually gotten in a lot of golf time lately as they also played at the end of July when Grandad was here and went with them too!

We went to the Piney Chapel Tractor Show (doesn't that sound about as Alabama as it can get?! hah), but it was seriously a lot of fun for the kids.  They loved the goats and the boys loved the tractors.

It was so hot there, so some Ritas cooled the kids off!

John's work had a booth set up there so the kids enjoyed this too!

There was a cool machine the kids could operate the move rocks-also a hit with the boys!

One day while the big kids were at school Clayton found some facepaint from NK's 4th bday party and requested I paint his face.  He wanted a turtle and was moving a ton, but he was thrilled with his turtle when he looked in the mirror! HAH

The heat index is well over 100 and that must mean that soccer season is here-hah!

Clayton turned his chair over and opted to hide under it like this to find a little shade! HAHA

Although I guess this was technically September 1st, I've included it in August accidentally.

The Sunday of Labor Day weekend we drove up to Chattanooga.  We had a great day visiting the aquarium!

touching a snake

the butterfly house is always a hit

more snake time

penguins!

this is Clayton's favorite part-where you get to touch a sting ray!

wonderful day!

After the aquarium we let NK and Clayton do something they have begged to do everytime we have visited the aquarium-we packed swim clothes and let them play in all the water/splash area outside the aquarium.  So fun!  While we were doing this John and the big boys went to see an IMAX and they also loved their special time.

A little fun in the green space outside of the aquarium!

Nora Kate is SIX

I cannot believe our one and only girl is already six!  Of course, I try to soak up every minute with all the kids but with Nora Kate I think I notice the phases of things she's into/playing with even more because we are only getting to do the girly stages once.  I cannot believe how much she has grown, changed, matured, and learned over the past year!

Nora Katherine Zorio turned six on August 14, 2019.  This year Nora Kate started gymnastics and absolutely loved it.  We are currently taking three months off gymnastics so she can play soccer, but she can't wait to get back to it!  She really enjoys it and it has led to lots and lots of flipping around the house.  She played soccer last fall (2018), and she is currently playing her second season right now.  She's on the lime green team and they're called the Lime Lightening.  Last year she was one of the younger ones on her team and this year she's one of the older ones.  She's doing great! I've been so impressed already this year.  In addition to gymnastics and soccer, Nora Kate has also started running with me some.  She can do a mile without stopping and in under ten minutes...and without complaining (which this might be the biggest accomplishment on running over the past year-hah).

Nora Kate started kindergarten the same week she turned six!  She has been looking forward to starting school for a while!  She's doing the hybrid school where she will go to the building two mornings a week and we homeschool the rest of the time.  Nora Kate is VERY excited about all of this.  We picked out her backpack at the end of July and she has been wearing it around in excitement!

Some random things that Nora Kate has learned this year include: riding her bike without training wheels, how to make a sandwich, how to shower completely on her own without assistance (other than conditioning her curls).

Other memorable happenings from this year:

-Nora Kate flew on her first airplane.  We flew from Knoxville to Baltimore.  The return flight was very turbulent which she thought was fun!

-She rode on her first subway/metro.  After getting caught in the new style turnstyle that pinches in from the sides she was not a fan of the subway initially, but the actual subway she loved.  This was in Washinton, DC.

-Along the same lines she visited Washington, DC for the first time.

-Nora Kate modeled for the first time this year.  She got to do a photo shoot of a beautiful dress back in February for Stasburg Children.  She absolutely loved this and honestly so did I!

-Nora Kate sang in choir at church last year and enjoyed it.  She wants to do it again this year.

-Nora Kate slept over at her friend Annie's house once this year, and this was a huge hit.  She also had Annie over for a sleepover and again loved getting to do such big kid things with a sweet friend.

-Nora Kate has fished some this year, but she doesn't love it as much as the boys.

-In July Nora Kate attempting water skiing for the first time.  Although it was unsuccessful, I was very proud of her for giving it a try.

-Nora Kate has also become an even stronger swimmer than ever.  We have been swimming about 4 days a week all summer long and she's like a mermaid.

-Nora Kate still loves to bake and is always thrilled to help in the kitchen with me.

-She did her first ever day camp this summer.  In May we gave the kids a list of camps to choose from.  Nora Kate selected Art Camp which was perfect for her.  She went four afternoons one week and made some really awesome art projects.  She absolutely loved this whole experience.

-Along those lines NK still enjoys art, coloring, painting, etc.

-Nora Kate helped me to plant a backyard flower garden in the Spring and has enjoyed taking care of it this year.

-Nora Kate visited her first water park this year.  At the beginning of August we went to Point Mallard Water Park, and she loved all the water slides....and EVEN DID THE HIGH DIVE!!!! I could.not.believe.it!

Other random facts about our sweet six year old girl:

-Nora Kate has been wanting to have her ears pierced for almost an entire year.  We told her when she turned six.  So after her birthday party we drove to Claire's at Bridge Street where she was braver than I had ever imagined and got her ears pierced.  She selected pearls for her first earrings because she wanted "to be like Momma"-my sweet girl!

-Although all three boys have always called me Mommy, NK has always called me Momma and this hasn't changed.  When she writes my name she writes Mommy, but she calls me Momma...so funny, sweet, and I love that she calls me what she wants-I just love it.

-I always say that NK and Carter are as thick as thieves.  These two can get in to much mischief and silliness together.  They're two peas in a pod.  They definitely have a special relationship since they're so close in age.  I love watching them together.  She has a sweet relationship with all her brothers, and perhaps she and Dawson get a long the best with the least amount of conflicts, she's kind and helpful with Clayton, but Carter and NK can laugh at nothing together for hours!  They both love fun and silliness.  People still ask me if they're twins...I can actually see it more now that ever before because she has gotten so much taller lately and they aren't too, too far apart in height now.

-Nora Kate's hair is still perfectly curly and dries that way without me doing anything much too it.  We love her curls and she does too.  Her hair has gotten so so long and still maintains the curls even with the weight of the length.

Nora Kate still has a very sweet and loving personality.  She is thoughtful and gives great hugs.  Nora Kate loves to make things for others, and she is enjoying getting new responsibilities now that she's a little older.  Nora Kate is a total Daddy's girl-she would pick going or doing anything with Daddy over me if given a choice.  She also has some sass.  She is so used to playing with her brothers that she's perfectly comfortable playing with boys or girls when she's at church or out other places to play with others.

We love, love, love our sweet, kind-hearted, compassionate, spunky, funny, loving six year old Nora Kate!

Back at the very end of July when Nana and Grandad came for a visit they brought her birthday gifts so they could celebrate with her and watch her open them.  This was great!

Here she is opening her gifts from Nana and Grandad...she got her first Wellie Wisher Doll-Camille, and she was oh so excited!  This has launched her into full Wellie Wisher craze and we have been reading all the books we can find. We found Wellie Wishers she can do on her tablet and a Wellie Wisher show.  She loves the dolls and reading the books the most though!

Nora Kate loves doing crafts like making this butterfly pillow.

The boys made this sweet message for their sister on her birthday.  Here she is first thing after waking up with their message.

Nora Kate on her birthday.  She's holding the Wellie Wisher doll we gave her.  It is Ashlyn.

This was the "before" picture of her ears.

Nora Kate in the chair ready to have her ears pierced.

They gave her a glitter makeover (that's what is on her face), but look at those new earrings!  This was immediately after.  She was SO brave!

Nora Kate on her bday morning with her gifts!

Brothers are great for helping a sister open gifts.

She requested Daddy make chocolate chip waffles on her birthday.

She's SIX!

My sun loving mermaid.

She requested I take lots of pictures of her ears with her earrings.

She's so proud of them.