the5petits

Where oh where have I been?

I get everyone caught up and then drop the ball with my updates. You can't get rid of me that easy! I'm baaaaaa  aaack.

Let's see, when I left off Sam was about to turn 13. Holy cow, how did that happen?  She had a great birthday with 6 girlfriends over for dinner and a slumber party. It was a great time. AND, what would a Petit birthday be without the Birthday Fairy??? Yes, even when you hit the teenage years, the Birthday Fairy still decorates your room for your birthday. 

The day after Sam's birthday they had a 'Late Start Day'. In Florida we had 'Early Release' where they get out of school 2 hours early. Here, they start school two hours later and stay until the normal school day end time. One more thing to get used to!  They will have them once a month. The kids love it because they get to sleep in!!

RJ has had two more football games and Nick and Sam have started soccer practice. 

Here are the pics from RJ's second game:

 

 

Sam has also joined a new fatpitch softball team. The Charlotte Blaze mentioned before did not have room for a first baseman or right fielder and didn't want to put her on the team with no opportunity for play time. She had also been trying out for the Carolina Angels and we are delighted to have joined the team. The players and parents are all a fun bunch of people. They played in their first tournament last weekend and have another Oct 18 & 19 right here in Rock Hill.

The kids all got their interim reports from school this week and all are doing exceptionally well. We are very proud of them.

This week was RJ's 9th birthday. Another Holy Cow!! I can't believe how time flies. We are going to a place called Monkey Joe's with a bunch of boys on Saturday to celebrate. Of course, the Birthday Fairy came for him, too...

 

In other news... Bob and I have finally taken the time to look after ourselves and have started losing weight. I am down 12 pounds and Bob is down 15. It's about damn time...

From the garden... The front yard was pitiful when we moved in but the owner is paying someone to get it back in shape. The flower bed that I mentioned last time seems to be doing better. I now know that the plants are called Monkey Grass (variegated liriope) and they should last through the fall. The ones on the side of the house look great, I just hope the front ones follow suit. 

Here's what the side of the house plants look like:

 

 

 

 

and here's the front (pretty sad right now):

 

 

 

 

The best news of all is that Fall has begun!!  Last Saturday we started at 55 degrees as we drove the softball tournament and froze for most of the morning. We have had the air off since Sunday and the cool breezes are awesome! Today started out at 55 degrees and the high is  only getting up to 69. Anyone who has heard me complain in recent years KNOWS that I LOVE this weather. Bob does too. The kids are in shock when they stand out side waiting for the bus. Did I mention that the busses pick the kids up out front of the house at the end of the driveway? Talk about convenient!  I guess we need some warmer clothes soon.

 

That's all for today. I don't want to spoil anyone! I have more for tomorrow!

 

Until then...

Another great weekend in SC

This weekend everything started to feel 'normal'... I think. We really didn't have unpacking to do or business to do regarding the move so we were looking forward to just hanging out.  Friday night Sam had a new friend sleep over (what else is new?) and the boys had a friend over for dinner. At 7pm, Sam had her first tryout with another fastpitch team that we are looking at, the Charlotte Blaze. They are a very competitive team and would take Sam to the 'next level' in her softball playing. Their record from the past year is impressive and you can tell by how dedicated these girls are! They are a very tough team and it would be huge if Sam made the team. They asked her back for a second look.  That's encouraging! I'm excited for her.

Saturday was just a hangout day. The kids were out practically all day hanging out with friends and riding bikes. I worked on the flower bed that wraps around the front walkway. Digging weeds out of Carolina clay is hard work!!  Hopefully the spider plants (I think that's what they are-I guess I better go look them up!) will come back. If not, I will head to the nursery to see what will last through fall and winter and re-plant.  

At 6:30 there was a neighborhood ice cream social. We got to meet many more neighbors and one of my new friends was bragging about my photography. I have a meeting with a mom in the neighborhood about photographing her newborn. We also talked about a neighborhood Christmas Card Photo Shoot. Details to come! In the meantime, check out some of the fun from the ice cream social:

The ice cream was from PW's Ice Cream in Rock Hill. Yum!!

Sunday started out at church. Bob and I went to mass with our friends from around the corner and all the kids went to CCD.  Immediately after church we had to get Sam back to Charlotte for her second tryout with the Blaze. It was a long hot afternoon at the field. She did well. The coach said he would email us by Wednesday to let us know if she made the team. They were trying out 3 other girls at the same time and I think only 2 will make it. Now we wait...  The boys went back out to play with friends and we had to go looking for them aroudnd 7pm to see if they were hungry!  It was leftover night so dinner was mellow and we got ready for another school week.

Today is Monday and my job hunt continues. I met a neighbor who works for a local company that has openings so I will be pursuing that with his recommendation.  Fingers crossed!

Sam turns 13 tomorrow... I can't believe we have a teenager!!!!

Until then.