Our Summer

We've had a great summer! We've gone to the beach, Top Sail Island, NC to be exact. Shhh, don't tell anyone about that place. We don't want anyone to know. It's our favorite place in the whole world now. And we've gone to Chicago. Both were week long vacations. We've never really taken family vacations before. We've always combined them with going to visit family or what not. So this was a very special summer, and to be able to do TWO vacations was definitely a blessing. I will post a few of my fav pics from each vaca shortly.

Matthew and Max have both become very crazy daredevils in the pool this summer as well. Laurie, my best friend who also watches my kids for me during the day while I'm at work, takes them to the pool almost everyday. I, sadly, do not get to go to the pool that much. But I'm glad my boys do. Matthew relied on his goggles alot in the past couple of years. They are the kind that cover your eyes and your nose. This year his is swimming without goggles, so I'm very pleased. He also jumps in to the deep end without batting an eye.

We went to the county fair recently and had a blast! Max rode rides all night long. His favorite was the motorcycles, which he lowers his voice to say. He sounds like a real Hell's Angel when he says "Motorcycle". Too funny. As it got later, Mike took Max home and Matthew, Steven, Laurie, and I all stayed and rode rides until midnight! I felt like a kid again.

This is Matthew's last week of summer vacation. School starts with a half day on Monday the 13th. Third grade. Wow. We are really excited because Matthew has his good friend Sean in his class this year. They've known each other since they were 4 and in preschool, but they've never been in the same class together. Mrs. Rathbone doesn't know what she's in for, lol. This year is going to be a great year for Matthew. I think he finally has a teacher that will challenge him in the ways he needs to be. He was tested and certified to be gifted at the end of last year, and that will follow him through until the end of 5th grade. Once or twice a week he will go to the gifted class. Last year he went up a grade for math class, but this year the 3rd grade is doing something different. They are basically doing math clubs, so the advanced math kids can all be together. I think it's much better than sending Matthew to 4th grade math, I was a little nervous about that. The difference between a 3rd grader and a 4th grader is huge, I think. It wasn't so bad when he was a 2nd grader going to 3rd grade math. I'm not sure if he'll still go to the advanced reading classes either, because I think our new teacher will handle Matthew's reading level differently than our 2nd grade teacher. I have all the confidence in the world in our new teacher. Last year was a nightmare and if I don't ever see that teacher again, I'll be happy. She has no right teaching children. And I don't say that lightly.

We have one thing left to buy to complete Matthew's school shopping. A lunchbox. Luckily Matthew has one picked out already, we just need to go get it. I went no where near a store during tax-free weekend...no way, not me. I deal with those crowds during Christmas shopping, and that's enough for me. It's only a 9% discount people!!! You'd think the stores were giving away stuff.

Not only was last weekend the tax-free weekend, but it was the 127 Corridor sale. Anyone who hasn't heard of this...watch out. It's a yard sale that spans 5 states and stretches 630 miles all along Highway 127. It goes right through my hometown of Crossville, TN. Traffic is just a gridlock during that week-long sale. Add that traffic to the tax-free-school-shopping traffic, and I'm very glad I decided to not visit the folks last weekend.

Gosh, I think that's enough typing for one day. For not posting in so long, I've really made up for lost time.