September Days

When I look back at September 2015, I think all I will remember is sweat.  Drippy, yucky, muggy sweat.  There was no relief in water, either, which felt like bathwater.  There is something really disconcerting about swimming in a pool that is too warm.  Ew.  

One night, I called Brady and told him he could not come home without an A/C unit for our bedroom.  Now we have a very loud, ugly window unit.  We've only used it 5 times, but they were 5 very comfortable nights.  We got our dreaded electric bill and immediately noticed a spike, but there's nothing like knowing it's an option to sleep comfortably once in a while.  

Other September events: lots of soccer and soccer practice.  I've loved watching Zachary this season. Zac has always been fast, but now he is fast and skilled.  He can run into a group of kids and come out with the ball without trouble.  He's scored goals in almost every game.  It's fun for me and Brady to watch.  Both of us played soccer as kids but neither of us was ever a standout like he is.  His team definitely struggles but that's the glory of being a little kid learning a sport in a league that cares a whole lot more about learning than winning.  He still has a lot to learn, and it's funny to hear myself explaining things I heard from my dad after games ("Don't kick the ball to the middle of the field when you are defender" and "Throw the ball up the sidelines," etc.).  He gets bright red during the games and stays that way for an hour after.  Last week, his team lost 10-2, but he thought the score was 4-4.  This week, his team lost 8-2, and he asked us, "Can you BELIEVE the team we just played with such HUGE kids tied us 2-2???"  Hahaha!  I'm glad his competitive spirit doesn't wreck soccer fun for him.

I caught a three week fall cold, and passed it on to Kate.  Kate keeps saying, "It's lucky the boys didn't catch it, huh?"  We love how she always refers to Brady and Zac as "the boys."  Last Saturday, all we wanted to do after soccer, workouts and chores was watch football.  After two games, we decided we probably should do something with our gorgeous Saturday.  The kids found this labyrinth with Brady on a Saturday when I was doing IVF in Oahu many months ago, and were excited to walk me through it.

 I look at these pictures and I'm shocked by how much my kids have grown in the last 6 months.  We are busy uploading pictures to online storage, so we've scrolled through several years, and I can't get over the transformation of even the past few months.

 25-week belly on me.

Kate's involved in two preschools--the co-op we did last year twice a week and a co-op at a community church.  The new one has two hired teachers, so I only help teach every 5 weeks right now.  I love these girls and how much they have grown up together.

 Taking a little nature stroll around the neighborhood.

 The preschool moms and kids get together after school on Thursdays most weeks, too.

 I have a few girlfriends that are getting really into hiking.  That's exceptionally exciting to me and I try to join them.  They carry babies on backs, and Kate is just too big for me, so I can only go when she is in school or the hike is a distance she can manage.  Here are the girls at Horseshoe beach (I took this running back to the car to pick up Katers).

 Zachary was chosen as September's Student of the Month!  I help in his classroom regularly and I love watching him interact with his peers and teacher.  He works hard and is so friendly.  I've loved watching his progression with reading and piano.  I've read all these books lately that remind me not to value my child based on accomplishments, but I will always encourage him to do his best, be respectful and kind, and work hard.  (Kate made him the fruit snack lei.  When I told her he was student of the month, her eyes welled up with tears and she said, "When do I get to be student of the month?!?"  She is really excited to go to school next year, and can't wait to start reading and playing the piano.)

 Friday nights, we've been heading to Sheratons for some family and friends beach time.  I love the beach in the evenings.  It's getting dark earlier, which is a bummer, but being out there in the evening reminds me of the first few years we lived here and rarely missed a Friday night boogie board session.

 Yesterday, we planned to hike in the canyon, but we had yet another tropical storm and it rained all around the island.  We could hike in the rain, but it's not terribly tempting to go when you are pretty sure it will be miserable.  Instead, we went bowling.  When the rain cleared for a bit on the way, I was resentful that we were heading inside to do one of my least favorite activities, but it turned out to be so fun with the kids.  I think we've taken Zachary bowling maybe 3 times, and Kate once.  We loved watching Zachary run at the line like it was a soccer goal, and Kate jump up and down the entire time her ball CREEPED to the pins.  Brady had three strikes and a spare in one game and I did not.  I did, however, order garlic fries which were crazy good in the short term, but a heart-burning disaster long term.  Lesson learned:  bowling is worth it but garlic fries are not.

Today, we decorated for Halloween.  I'm not sure if the kids are more excited or the same level of excitement that I'm feeling, but I could hardly wait to cook up my first pumpkin pie tonight, hang up ghosts, and discuss locations for our decor.  Holidays!  Love them, love them, love them.