What We're Up To...Track Off! {installment one}

I tracked off last Friday! Woo hoo! 3 weeks off never sounded so good! I have really loved teaching Kindergarten. I have a sweet, bright, and responsible class. I have fun getting to know the parents more so than I did when teaching 1st grade. I enjoy my team mates. I like working part time. But it has been A LOT OF WORK!!!! And the driving schedule just about kills me! Really, it could not have been a better start to a new grade level, new school year for Nolan, new day care situation for the boys. But I was exhausted! And this first week off has been heavenly so far! I have just been hanging around the house, driving and picking up Nolan from school, watching Ella, playing with the boys, and catching up with things around the house. 

Here are some photos of our first week off so far...

Heath loves his mornings home without Nolan. It is special time for us to bond. Something new he likes to do is go into the corner of our living room, block himself off with a pillow, and play in his "hide out"! 

This little guy is eating like crazy these days. There isn't a thing he doesn't like! 

He loves to feed himself! He especially likes Ritz Crackers and Raisin Bread. He has been teething- BAD! His top 4 teeth are all starting to poke through. He has been a little needy. {Which this Mommy doesn't really mind, there is just something about knowing that he is my last baby that makes me want to cuddle him even more. There's no rushing this kid to grow up!} And he has been running a low fever. He has also been waking up a few times a night. Not fun! But we can usually just pop his paci back in and he falls back asleep. 

We have been enjoying our cool Autumn evenings playing outside with friends. The kids look forward to this time since all their older friends are in school all day. When I posted this picture to Instagram and Facebook I commented- Moving...best decision ever!!! So true! 

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings I have the pleasure of watching Ella Krauth. We keep busy and have fun playing together! We usually hit up the park at least one morning a week. 

The big park by our house is great! The boys LOVE it! 

These two still continue their love each other/drive each other crazy relationship! 

Nolan has been lovin' him some preschool this year. He liked it last year, but is really blossoming this year! He has so many fun stories to tell me when I pick him up every day. He has made some good buddies and there is even a little girl in his class who has a crush on him. Her mom stopped me after school one day to go on and on about how much Allison LOOOOOOOVES Nolan. She even told her Dad that she is going to marry him! Ha! 

To celebrate my track off last weekend we went bowling! Our friends Rebecca and Brendon gave us their Groupon for two hours of bowling, shoes, and a 14 inch pizza because it was going to expire before they would be able to use it. 

It was so fun! Nolan did awesome! He bowled two whole games all by himself and did not want any help from us! He used bumpers, but no ramp. He put his fingers into the holes and hurdled the ball down the lane. He beat me the first game! Ha! I did not get my father's good bowler genes! 

Mark did great, as usual, and the boys loved giving us high fives every time we rolled the ball! 

It was Heath's first time bowling. He LOVED it! And wanted to be super independent as well. Over the course of the night, we had 2 balls not make it all the way down to the pins because they were rolling so slowly. Ha! And no, they were not rolled by me! I improved the second game, but am just super inconsistent. But it was a really fun family night! 

Last weekend we also hosted a Women's Group Family Party! 

It was super fun to get all of our husbands and kids together! 

I hardly took out my camera though, so I don't really have too many pictures. 

We were just missing Natalie, who was sick, and Sarah, who had a family engagement. We sure missed them though! 

Our kids had a blast and loved playing together! They loved their big kid friends too! I am so thankful for these friendships that have been such a blessing to me over the past nine years! 

Mark sang at all 4 services last weekend at church. If you haven't heard him sing, you need to. I love hearing him praise God and use the amazing gift he has been given to bless others at our church. We chilled on the deck after he got home from the last service Sunday morning. Our views will never get old! 

We've also been doing a lot of rolling! 

Heath learned how to ride his tricycle and is quite proud of himself! 

Nolan enjoys riding his scooter like all the other kids in the neighborhood. We'll have to get him a Razor soon so he can fit right in! {Notice his helmet? That's how he likes to wear it...silly guy! He says the reflectors are his "headlights"! Since he doesn't go too super fast yet, I guess it's o.k. for him to wear it backwards!}

And all of that fun was jam packed into just my first week! I'm REALLY going to miss this year round thing when we go to a traditional schedule next year.