Back to School

Since we are 2.5 weeks into the school year, I figured I needed to finish my back to school post!  Summer is over and we have quickly adjusted back to the early morning school routine.  I can honestly say after 12 school days, the boys did much better this year switching from the lazy summer morning routine to the hustle and bustle of school mornings.  At this time last year {and for several more weeks} I was still pulling my hair out every morning trying to make sure everyone was dressed, fed, and out the door by 7:35. 

We met Mrs. Cagle and Mrs. Garner the day before school started and both boys seemed very happy with their new teachers and classmates.  Mac was especially thrilled to have Jack P in his class for the first time since they were two!  Coe was disappointed not to have Frances, Emerson or Parker in his class, but after the note I got from his teacher earlier this week {more on that later} he seems to of adjusted just fine! 

We took our typical back to school pics on the first morning, and again the boys were more cooperative than in the past. Now if they can just keep the good behavior up for their teachers!

 

 

 

 

 

*We got a note in Coe’s folder this week that said he was having a little trouble keeping quiet during circle time as he seemed to really enjoy talking to the girls and getting their attention!  I asked Coe about this, and he quickly got a big smile on his face and said “Mommy I can’t help talking to Larcey.”  “Who is Larcey?” I asked.  “Her name is Larsyn but I call her Larcey.  She smiles like this {tilts his head to the side, bats his eyes and gives me the cutest smile ever} and sometimes she has her hair in one of those long straight things in the back {a ponytail???}.”  Clearly Coe has a crush on Larsyn, but when I reminded him the next morning to keep quiet during circle time and not talk to Larsyn until they were on the playground, he quickly told me that Larsyn doesn’t sit by him in the circle.  That is when he talks to Zara and Britain!  Albi asked if these other girls were taking Frances’s place and Coe looked at him like he was crazy and quickly announced that Frances was still his #1 best friend.  Between Frances, Sally, Zara, Larsyn, Britain and who knows how many other little girls in his class, I think Coe is doing just fine in the girl friends department! 

Gilmers Beach Retreat part 2

After the Saban dinner we still had 3 more days/nights at the beach.  We took family pictures one morning, but despite getting up super early we didn’t quite beat the sun and everyone got squinty.  We also realized after the fact that we hadn’t chosen real wisely on our backdrop and had no pictures with the water.  Oops!  We took a few more pictures that evening or the next {I can’t remember!} of G, Deeda and the grandkids.  Between the two photo sessions, we ended up with some good family pictures! 

The waves never got much bigger but the boys continued to boogey board, and the girls attempted to surf.  Although the jellyfish were never as bad as the very first day, a few hung around the whole week.  The boys {especially Coe} therefore much preferred the pool to the beach.  We spent a lot of time throwing a football in the pool, getting temporary tattoos at the kid’s zone, and eating lots of snow cones.  Our own personal hot tub was also a favorite.  The biggest positive for me was that my crew never got burned!  Wearing hats and sunglasses non-stop paid off.

  

    

          

 

 

 

 

Alabama Booster Club Dinner

It’s time I get this blog caught up, so I’m going back to a month ago and finally finishing the posts on the Gilmers’ Beach Retreat.  Just before our trip I was given the opportunity to accept 7 tickets for the Alabama Booster Club dinner in which Nick Saban was the guest speaker.  The firm sponsored a table and since very few of the attorneys are Alabama fans, they offered me the majority of the tickets.  The best part was Fred Levin also gave me the two VIP tickets to meet Coach Saban and Trent Richardson after the dinner.  I knew Mac would love a chance to meet two of his idols and that the person who would love this almost as much as Mac was Albi! 

I gratefully took all all 7 tickets and Albi, Mac, Shaw, Fil, Madeline and Mallory and I drove back to Pensacola the second night of the beach trip to go to the dinner.  Coach Saban was inspirational and authentic, and did a great job dispelling rumors and explainig a little bit about why he is the way he is!  Mac was selected to ask one of the few questions from the audience.  {Mac asked Coach Saban what sports he played when he was a kid!} 

After the dinner, I ended up being able to get our whole group into the meet and greet thanks to some very nice people on the booster club board.  It is a night I know we will all remember for a long time, but the thing I will remember the most is the smile on Mac’s face as he stuck out his hand and said “Hi Coach Saban.  My name is Mac and its very nice to meet you!”