back to school and the dogs ate the carpet

I've already posted pics from the morning of the first day of school, but not from the afternoon. Mark brought the kids special gifts (maybe a new tradition?)- Austin got cookies (which Mark ended up finishing off!!!) and Abi got flowers (which Mark gave her for her birthday and she has been asking for more of ever since!!!) They had a wonderful day. Abi came running off the bus yelling, "Mommy, I got to do math! It was so fun!" Although, by Wednesday, the newness had worn off for her because she had to sit in time out Wednesday and Thursday for talking too much! What can I say, she's a social butterfly?!? We haven't had any other bad days since though...I threatened to take TV time away (from the child who claims to have a TV in her head). She has gotten a happy face/star stamp ever since! Austin has not had one bad day. He says his teacher is great because "she lets us have a resting quiet time after recess!" (Boy, is she good!?!)

Abi with her flowers Austin with his cookies from Daddy

Next, is nothing too big. We had some apples with bad spots...what do you do when you don't want to waste the fruit you paid and arm and leg for? Bake an apple pie...that's right, fresh, from scratch, homemade apple pie! Boy was it yummy with vanilla ice cream! Now that you are all drooling...I'll move on!

Yummy Apple Pie!

So, last week was also my first day back to school. Which, I have let my temper cool down long enough, I can now discuss it! On my first day Tuesday (many of you felt my frustration on Facebook), it took me 2 hours and seven minutes to park. I ended up missing my first class of that day, but managed to make it to my 1 o'clock class. When Mark and I are gone, we leave both of the dogs out of their crate...but Bandit is locked in our room and Peaches gets the rest of the house. We have to split them up because if they are left together, they will eat the furniture and anything else they can get their teeth on! I came home after that VERY long day to find that Bandit had eaten or scratched up the carpet right under our door!!! I was pretty mad, especially since he had chew toys available! Needless to say, he is now being detained in his bed on school days!

He's still cute though!!!

To end on a positive note, check out this sunrise that the kids and I got to see this past Friday. Absolutely beautiful! God really is quite the artist!

From the front porch