Summer 2009

Well I had really good intentions of updating this in July then again in August but as usual life got in the way! We've had so much going on the past few months, I hope I don't forget any of the good stuff!

Well 4th of July was alot of fun...we had some neighborhood friends over and cooked out and kids ran wild! I think we had 15 kids running around which for those of you that have known me for awhile, this is ALOT of kids for me to handle at once but they had a great time! They took over the basement and played Wii and I caught them dancing a few times and periodically they would come out for a water balloon fight or to run around a little! Unfortunately the Hoover's were out of town that weekend and paid the price - someone rolled their yard and decorated it with many unused furniture goodies gathered from many other yards! The pic is in the slide show attached so take a look when you have time! The yard decorations should make the VA Conner family real proud!

Then the third week of July we headed to Charleston, SC and stayed at an awesome beach house at Isle of Palms with the entire Chip Conner clan! There were 15 of us...6 kids and 9 adults and we had a wonderful week. The 5 grandgirls had a wonderful time together and made Chris and I realize we really wish we lived closer to them! Nora (9) and Riley (4 in Aug) bonded alot and I think Chris said it best one night...Riley (unlike sister Stella) would listen and do basically anything Nora wanted....Stella and Ireland enjoyed hanging out alot too. All 4 older girls spent alot of time upstairs in their own room playing house...pretending to talk on cell phones...etc. Two nights while we were they put on shows for us on the back porch. One night was just a dance show that Nora choreographed and the second night was a talent show with singing and dancing. They created programs for us and rehearsed and all! It was an absolute hoot. Sadly, poor Riley has NO rhythm just like her daddy...however, Hunter came out of her shell and "busted a move" several times! She has a signature move that's a hop and spin and stomp kind of thing that she did All of the kids thoroughly enjoyed the sand and the ocean. Riley was very timid early in the week but by the end she was jumping waves with the best of them. Poor Aiden...this boy as he gets older is not going to know what to do with one sister and 4 other girl cousins. We also owe huge thanks to Mimi and Aunt Brenda for all the wonderful meals they prepared all week...some days it felt like they lived in the kitchen which is not what we had planned for vacation but we very much appreciated the fantastic meals.

Riley also attended her first concert in July - she and mommy went to see Jason Mraz and Plain White T's at the Verizon Amphitheater in Alpharetta. She had a great time...they even offered me tix in the pit for her first concert but I figured that was a bit much for a 3 year old even if they crowd was relatively calm. We had big girl dinner at Village Tavern including a gigantic chocolate cake...then concert and lots of singing and dancing. Then this same week, daddy took her to see the local theater group's version of Beauty and the Beast at our local outdoor park. She had so much fun but she was so tired when she got home she could barely walk!


So on to the beginning of August...Riley started Pre-K on August 10th. Not a huge change for her...same school...many of the same classmates and the same teacher we had last year who fortunately moved up to Pre-K. The immediate differences we saw as we dropped her off...she has to wear a book bag now to prepare her for kindergarten and so on...starting in Sept she'll start eating school lunch vs. mommy's premade meals which will be a huge adjustment...but the big thing is that as soon as they arrive to school each day, they have a "journal assignment". They sit down every day and right the date and some new word the teacher has for the day. On Monday, Riley plopped right down and started writing - so studious she is! We were so proud. AND they have homework...not real homework like when they get older but a one page sheet that they'll either draw on or write on...then they are responsible for it taking back to school each morning for Miss Bianca to see. Riley was very excited the first night to start this new ritual...we'll see if we can sustain that excitement the entire year!


The other big day coming up in August for Riley is on the 24th when she turns 4! We're having a birthday party at Imaginations at Play (similar to the Children's Museums around the SE but smaller). She is growing up so darn fast...I haven't quite grasped the fact that she'll start kindergarten in one year. Good grief where did the time go. She remains our little drama queen but I'm hoping this next year she'll grow out of some of this whining mess...actually Chris and I both know she'd outgrow it now if we'd stop reacting to it but nope...she gets a reaction every darn time so for now, it continues!

Hunter...wow...talk about growing fast. She'll be 15 months old next week and continues to grow like a weed. She and Riley are both VERY tall. She also eats like a horse. She is obsessed with balls...basketballs, soccer balls, tennis, and anything even remotely shaped like a ball...it is definitely her favorite word and one I personally look forward to not hearing soon when she picks up other language! Her personality continues to come out...she's still pretty laid back like her daddy but she's picking up some bad habits at school...like "mine mine mine" is a new one. She also knows what she likes and doesn't like...her new thing is to eat her food in order...meaning...one bite meat, one bite veggie, one bite fruit then the cycle starts again...and if you don't feed her this way, she'll let you know she is unhappy with some very aggressive yes and no head shakes! She's been doing great with sign language while we're waiting on speech...she can say more, please and thank you in sign language...I'm very happy about "please" and "thank you"- she has learned early how to use good manners although Riley makes her sign please in order to get anything...

Chris and I are still hanging in there - some work, some play, always needing more sleep!

I've added links of photos from July/August but there are alot to see so wait til you have some time to view them all and hope you enjoy.

We miss everyone...let us hear from you!