Beautiful weather and an update

Just before Jeff left town last week, we thought summer was over. We were braced for the rain today. Then the sunny weather moved back in and we've had beautiful day after beautiful day. Jeff's had to miss it, but the kids and I are trying to take advantage.

They started preschool on Sept 2.  Preschool is 5 mornings a week, provided but the state, from 9am-noon. I then pay for them to stay an extra hour so they get lunch at school. The kids are loving it! They actually are happy as clams to go to school every day now. However, they are very, very tired. I don't think it is even just the extra two mornings a week, but also the added structure, new room, and new kids. Plus, we've been playing outside almost every afternoon when they come home.

I measured them recently. I don't have their current weights, but for my own memories, I wanted to note their heights and shoe sizes at least:

Walt - 41.5 inches tall, size 10 (US)

Gordon - 42.25 inches tall, size 11.5 (US)

Adele - 41 inches tall, size 9 (US)

Walter is still my little engineer. He wants to figure out how everything works and is always building. These days he mostly loves building pillow forts and mountains, but they all have to be 'just so.' He is also my tv junkie. He's the one who will watch show after show after show, if I let him. He's fast as lightning on his scooter and he recently figured out pedaling on the tricycles. He's started bugging me for a bike, but I know the rain is going to set in soon. He's a little chatterbox, but often needs a minute to get his words out. His mind is racing faster than his mouth can form the sounds.

Gordon is my sponge. He can spell his name and is starting to recognize words. He loves to take our old iPhone that we use for music. He'll sit and scroll through and pick the songs he wants to hear. He also is happy to sit and play by himself for long periods of time. One of his favorite activities is play doh and he is always making stuff up. In fact, the other two are often asking him questions. For example, they'll bring in a stuffed bear and ask Gordon, "What is its name? What does he say?" And then Gordon will make up the name and tell them a little story.

Adele is my little mini-me. Jeff often says he knows what I say to the kids during the day when he's not home because Adele just repeats it all. She also lately has gotten really into me having things 'just like Adele's.' Like, we both have bare feet or we both are wearing jeans. She is take-charge and often directs the boys (and me) on how to play. When we read books, she likes to study the pictures and describe them and ask questions rather than read the stories.

Anyway, on Tuesday, Sept 9th, after school I took the kids to Nenagh to buy cat food. On the way home, we stopped at the Ballina Riverside playground for a few minutes. But we ended up just hanging out down there by the river for two hours. The weather was amazing and the kids were having a blast.

Walking to school in the morning, Adele and Gordon decided to hold hands for a while.

That afternoon after a while at the playground, we headed down to our favorite spot by the river for rock and stick throwing.

This tree is perfect for climbing.

Walt was the steadiest, but they all had fun.

Further up the river, staying inside the park area there is some amazing views of Killaloe, the bridge, and St Flannan's cathedral.

When we walked back to the car, we went up to the street side and walked to the new lookout they just finished building. Just gorgeous!

This wall runs along the street. Then there is a rolling hill, which was freshly mowed, down to the riverside park and playground. Amazingly, it was Gordon who climbed up first and he walked a LONG ways. As soon as the hill on the other side got too steep, I asked him to come down because my heart was in my throat!

This was the scene when we got home that afternoon. Tired kids!