Labor Day Weekend and the Start of School

Lots has happened around here in the last week.

But this is the thing that's made me an emotional mess.

Elliott has been wanting to go to Kindergarten all summer, but I think it finally hit him that this was big stuff when we took him to orientation the week before school started. This was about the size of the smile I could coax out of him.

We started out the first day of school with a Lincoln snuggle. It's how we start out every day.

My two big school kids! Cheyenne was wonderfully sweet to Elliott-- she relished the position of responsibility!

All four kids, as we waited on the porch.

Rilla's main focus was on the fact that she, too, got a bag of Cheez-Its. (I kinda feel like a bad mother that that's all I had in the house for the kids to pack for snack, but they do like them! Maybe some time I'll tenderly bake them something both nutritious and delicious. Until then, cheesy snacks.)

Still not too sure about smiling, but utterly beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful...

This girl gets more that way every day!

Lincoln sat and watched it all. I had handed Cheyenne my camera by this point, to help her through our LONG wait for the bus.

Cheyenne's portrait of the Tongue Girl.

Her eyes are one in a million. I love this kid.

Cheyenne's picture of Mummy and Elliott. See how amazing I am, managing not to cry? I don't remember crying when Cheyenne went off to school, because she was so big and ready, but Elliott is the polar opposite of "big" and "ready".

Cheyenne helping Elliott fix his tag.

Daddy waiting with us.

He was looking back at this point, and if it hadn't been for Cheyenne's death grip on his hand, I don't what he might have done.

Waiting until the bus comes to a stop...

And crossing the road!

Still hand in hand!

And then the bus drove off, and I burst into the tears I had been holding back all morning. There was a lot of them. But then I went to the dump, and the bank and Wal-Mart. And while I though about my little babies in school about every five seconds, it WAS easier running errands with only two little bugs.

Here they are, as we wait patiently on the porch for the kids to come home. Lincoln had just woken up.

Wow, they are both beautiful. I am really enjoying having more one-on-one time with Marilla. She is at such an awesome age, and I am loving hearing her use her exploding vocabulary.

Marilla making Lincoln laugh.

The bus is finally coming (about half an hour late!) Yay!!

Waiting for the bus driver to direct them across. And yes, that is the last time Cheyenne is wearing that skirt-- those legs have sure lengthened this summer!

Evan took Cheyenne and Elliott into New York City before Labor Day weekend so they could pick up Uncle Tyler and Aunt Julie. (At some point, I have to steal Evan's pictures off his phone-- cute pictures of kids checking out every playground in Central Park!) Rather than sit at home waiting for them to come back, I took my two babies up to Vaughans' and helped get ready for the Vaughans' Second Annual Pig Roast.

People hanging out Saturday morning.

Coloring books seemed to be the hot entertainment for the teen-and-over crowd.

Abby and Austin playing duets.


This is a blurry picture, but I liked Miss Marilla-Maroo's curls.

Lily and Rilla.

Some of the sunflowers from Bet and Ashley's garden.

Ashley Potter hanging out with my kids.


Lucy and Alice, watching the circus.

Gilbert and Mike.

Olivia and Amy getting serious about coloring.

Kim giving Lily a ride.

Alex and Tori.

Victor and Dale, looking like they are discussing something of great importance.

Abby, Heidi and Laura.

This picture is payback for Mom saying, "Clover! Would you stop bothering people with the camera." But I wouldn't have posted this picture if it hadn't been bee-you-tee-us.

Peoples (young peoples) on their way to Split Rock.

On their way to Split Rock to SWIM, even though it was in the 60s.

Bronson wouldn't get in the picture, so I took one of just him anyway.

More people joined the crowd.

Then, I had to tear myself away, because it was time for the White's reunion at our place! I've heard reports that many exciting things happened after I left Saturday afternoon, but I find them hard to believe. After all, *I* wasn't there!

Sunday morning with two handsome gentleman.

Anyone who doesn't admit he's the most beautiful baby in the world has a screw loose.

Look at the vest bulging over his adorable little belly. And his fat little hands! And his cleft chin!
And bright blue eyes! I like my baby.

All the Whites, Sunday afternoon.

Of course, it's hard to get a picture with everyone smiling in the same direction, but I think these were the best two. Thanks to Angela for patiently taking lots of pictures!

Whites, Jr.

We wanted a picture of Julie and Cheyenne's matching Marilyn-sewn skirts, but Elliott wanted to be in the picture, too.

Aren't they a cute little family? :-)

It was SO good to see these guys!

The smart young couple.

Dana and Marilyn and their kids.

Evan and I. My white shirt apparently made the camera decide to bleach everything out.

At least we're both facing the same camera here!

On Labor Day, we all went apple picking.

Here, gap-toothed Cheyenne is begging Grandma to "start" the apple-- she can gnaw away if someone takes the first bite.

Lots of discussion about which was the favorite variety.

Aunt Bet bought Cheyenne this shirt in the spring sales, and it was quite appropriate for the day.

Elliott will not EAT apples, but he sure loves to pick them. He took his own bag and filled it right up.

The four kids.

The kids love having people that read to them come to visit!

They were a bit sleepy by this point.

Lincoln can sit in his Bumbo now!

I took some pictures of him at three months (September 2nd).

There's usually at least one part of the picture that is blurry of him-- he likes to move!

Good neck control!


There's the dimple!


Four kids in the bath the other night!

I feel this post lacks wit and wisdom, but I am too tired to think clearly at this point. I'm just counting it as a personal triumph that the pictures are posted. Night, all!

Why I Am Late for Appointments

I had an appointment at 9:00 a.m. this morning.

Yeah, ha, ha, ha. WHAT was I thinking?

Anyway, we were out of bad and in high gear by 7:00. I got dressed-- then remembered I had to appear in public before my toilet scrubbing regimen this morning, so I had to change out of the holey old jean skirt into a more suitable skirt. By the time we had breakfast taken care of it was 7:45. At least we only spilled milk once this morning!

Then it was time to get dressed. Elliott decided to dress himself, which meant some tactful negotiations to make sure he didn't look like he... had dressed himself! Then the same process with Rilla-- maybe I should take the handles off her bureau so we don't start every dressing session with her already firmly clutching a wildly mismatched collection of clothes. Cheyenne tried to put on a play dress that was way too little, but she was easily persuaded into a more appropriate outfit. By this point, we decided to just change Lincoln's diaper and leave him in his jammies.

Okay, three heads of hair to deal with. Thankfully, not TOO many tangles this morning, but braiding still takes a bit of time.

Then, Mr. Grin-All-Around-the-Room-at-My-Siblings-Instead-of-Drinking morphed into I-Will-Die-of-Starvation-if-You-Even-Think-of-Cutting-Short-This-Nursing-Session. Ooookay. We still have fifteen minutes to make it to the appointment, which is about a ten minute drive. We'll assume the diaper bag is loaded with all the essentials.

WHY is my phone beeping "Low Battery" when I plugged it in last night? Must examine the cord-- at a later date.

Oh, right, I have to have paperwork for this appointment. Now where did that go...?

Finally, Lincoln is in the car, I'm running around to buckle in Rilla... and the fumes hit me. "Marilla, do you need your diaper changed?" Back into the locked house, running with the getting-heavier-all-the-time toddler up two flights of stairs. Record changing time, but then we need to scrub our hands.

Whew! Back to the car! Amazingly, Elliott has buckled himself in this time. Only have to deal with Rilla. Which is easier said than done, considering she is carrying two baby dolls, a bag of pretzels, and two Bible bags, all of which she clutched firmly through the diaper change. (Thank goodness Cheyenne didn't notice the theft of her Bible bag and raise a ruckus.) Put the van in reverse, hoping I don't hear a clunk from an abandoned bike or scooter. Notice that the gas gauge is hopping all over the place-- our van's cute little way of telling us it is REALLY low on gas and the gauge will be on strike until we've filled the tank again. Debate with myself whether I would rather be yet later to the appointment, or sitting beside the road with four bored children-- IF my cell phone has enough juice to call AAA while we wait. Reluctantly conclude that I have to stop for gas.

I'm all set, though-- credit card in my hand as I pull into the pump, slam it into park, turn off the key and hop out. Several swipes later (made with exaggerated patience and care), realize that I have my old, expired credit card. Dump my diaper bag out looking for my credit card. Can't find it. Reach for my emergency credit card while adding "tear the trash cans apart, call all the grocery stores, call the credit card company to report a lost card" to my gargantuan to-do list. Finally get five gallons of gas in the van.

No one slow on the road, thank goodness, so I keep it at 64 instead of my usual 62. Get to the place, and start unbuckling kids. Tell Rilla to PLEASE hurry as she attempts to pull her arms out of the car seat while still clutching ALL her stuff. Grab Lincoln, stuff important things back in the diaper bag (oh, yeah! the paperwork!), allay Elliott's fears that I am going to leave him stranded in the parking lot, grab Rilla's hand, and start walking in. We all have our babies-- Mommy, Cheyenne, Elliott and Marilla. In fact, Cheyenne has two dolls. Plus an apple, a bag of pretzels, and some essential books. Elliott has contained himself to one doll.

Pull the door open (watch your fingers!), and walk in the room at 9:08.

The receptionist looks at the out-of-breath mother, smiles, and never says a word about being late.

I did make the follow-up appointment for 9:30 a.m., though.