August-September 2016...A month of preparation!

August was a full month, as they all are it seems.  Thing 3 returned from her mission trip with Royal Servants after being away for about 8 weeks.  Then our 19th anniversary.  We spent the night in Nashville, being tourists, eating at a few of our favorites and recounting the years, one at a time.  That's a new tradition for us and one that I hope continues.  From anniversary celebration to family time at the beach.  We traveled to Amelia island for a few days away from it all as six.  Again, a new to us place and one we so enjoyed exploring.  The shelling was incredible, shark teeth were found, there was a 9 mile accidental walk with Thing 2;  barefoot, in bathing suits and wildlife with no cell phone.  An adventure for sure.  At the end of it all we found our family and after easing their worries and apologizing profusely we promptly planted ourselves in the sand and vowed not to leave their sight.  We wandered around the quaint downtown, tasting treats from bakeries and fudge shops and a new craft brewery, it was sublime.  These people are my favorite to travel with and each trip opens my eyes in new ways.  So the photos below are of our time on Amelia island and then the drive home through Savannah where we made a quick pit stop to stare at the Spanish moss hanging from the trees, walk the fountains and countless squares and ooh and aah at the architecture and art alike.  Not to mention there was a bakery Thing 3 had been researching that required a taste test.  How could we have said no to that?  

She's home and I didn't let her out of my sight.  

Anniversary dinner at Lockland Table, of course.  

In the Capitol Building.

Road trip to Amelia Island, lunch stop at a Turkish restaurant in Midtown, Atlanta.  

Card playing a the beach.  

Family sand selfie!

Seafood lunch for the win.

This is how we all feel about being at the beach! 

Skim boarding, all day, everyday. 

Treasure.

Creation.

Downtown Amelia island.

Boy wonder or pirate?

Savannah, GA.  

Back in the Day Bakery.

Fountains and plazas and parks.

The remainder of August and the first few weeks of September were filled with the joyful mundane and a bit of prep and planning for Thing 2's adventure to Bible school in Germany.  There were family breakfasts, game nights, a tournament in Kansas City, MO for Thing 4, a few weeks later a trial for the academy team for Thing 4, the first days of school for Things 1, 3 and 4, and a race in which the entire family participated in some capacity.  Here are those highlights in photos.  

Thing 2 and his best buddy, on and off the pitch.  

Team lunch with the teammates visiting from South Africa, an unforgettable experience for Thing 4. 

Rube Goldberg machine planning.  Hours were spent with tape, cardboard scraps and his imagination.

The game of LIFE.

Family Breakfast.  Almost all of us were awake. 

Thing 1's first pop up with SHINE jewelry! 

The only photo I snapped of Thing 4 at his academy trial.  I never want to forget that moment.  From the hours of training, the locker room tour, his nerves, the prayers spoken over him and the result and thus the conversation and consoling that ensued following.  

5K and 10K finishers!  

Family Labor Day run benefitting Mercy Clinic.  Aunt Natalie, Thing 4 and myself ran the 10K, Uncle Jeff, Things 2 and 3 ran the 5K and the littles ran the 1K.  

Husband Jared and I were away with Thing 4 in Kansas City for the first day of school so Thing 3 sent me this photo to document the day.  In her jammies at her dining room table beginning her junior year.  Three cheers for homeschooling!  

Thing 4's first day of high school, in a Starbucks in Kansas City, MO, in between work outs.  

Thing 1's first day of college at Nashville State University!