Seems hard to believe this year is moving along at such a fast pace and it is already leading up to Labor Day weekend. We had a pretty normal week with work, school, swimming and soccer. On Thursday evening Kevin and I were sitting in the loft talking about weekend plans and he threw out a last minute plan to go to Chicago for the weekend. I was instantly like, “that’s a terrible idea!”. I mean it was like 9 pm Thursday night! We didn’t talk much more about it but I gave it more thought and when I woke up Friday morning I asked Kevin if he’d thought about the dogs and what we would do with them! Oopsy, we didn’t have a plan for that if we were to make a spontaneous trip. I talked with Hannah and she was working over the weekend at Starbucks and she wasn’t able to. During the day I got a text from Kevin that he thought he found someone – the daughter of one of his team members. I was a bit uneasy leaving Friday and not having a chance to be there for her to meet Brutus and Lily and be sure she was up for it – so we decided to have her over Friday night after she was finished working so that she could see our house, meet the dogs, and we could let her know about their routine. So Lori and her daughter Sarah came over and met Brutus and Lily. As predicted, Brutus was a jumping bean of energy, racing around the house and then laying on the floor and wanting all the attention. Thankfully Sarah loves dogs and was happy to watch them for a couple days.
After they left Kevin booked a hotel, we packed our bags, and got ready to leave at dark-thirty in the morning on Saturday! We were in the car rolling out of the driveway by 6:25 am. We stopped for breakfast at Tim Horton’s on 23 and we made it to Chicago without any other stops (except at Soldier Field to use their porta-potty for Griffin as he was about to burst, lol) by 11:30! We were able to check in early to our hotel which was awesome. Kevin found us a great hotel, The Virgin Hotel, which had a separate tv room which worked out really well for naps for Reid or putting him to bed earlier than the rest of us in the bedroom. After we arrived, the boys were able to run around and burn some energy and then we headed across the street to have lunch and watch the Buckeye game. I wasn’t originally very excited about a quick trip as it involves so much packing up for a short time – but I’m glad we went, and thankful for Kevin’s spontaneous spirit because we always have such fun when we do things like that!
Griffin took a few selfies in the car on the way to Chi-town :). 
Kevin had researched family-friendly things to do in the city and learned about Maggie Daley Park, which is really close to Millenium Park. I think it was built in 2013 or thereabouts, so it wasn’t there the last time we were in Chicago (2013 when Finn was 3 months old) or at least we didn’t have a kid old enough to enjoy it! It is a HUGE park, filled with tons of different areas of activities. There are climbing walls, scooter areas, mini-golf, tons of playsets (that are huge), small areas for kids (that are labeled with signs that indicate age-appropriate kids). We were really impressed and spent a lot of time playing there. It was a 10-12 minute walk from our hotel so we had an easy trip there and back. 
On Sunday morning we woke up and had breakfast in our room – complete with Stan’s donuts and Starbucks coffee that Kevin and Finn had ventured out for first thing. Afterwards we drove to Navy Pier (it would have been a 30 min walk, so we drove instead) and got rock star parking and then explored the Pier before things even opened up. We were early in line to ride the Ferris Wheel (a tradition of sorts) and Griffin drove the boats around for a short bit. We then headed to Ohio Street beach for a few hours of fun. Griffin played football with us in the water, the boys played in the sand, Reid got in a short nap, and we enjoyed a perfect warm and sunny day. Next up, we headed to the Fountains to have more fun (and rinse off the sand, ha!) before we had a tasty lunch at Giordano’s Pizza. Yummers. 
On Monday morning we woke up and headed back to Maggie Daley Park for a few more hours of fun before heading home. We walked through Millenium Park and stopped at the Bean on our way. Griffin had won “3 free rounds” of Mini Golf the day before, so Griffin and Kevin played mini-golf one more time and then we rented scooters for them and they rode around the track.
Google put this together for me and I thought it was cute. Finn three years ago and then this weekend in Chicago. 
And here are a couple others from our week. Lindsay started Nannying for us this week (I was incorrect in the previous blog post – guess that’s what happens when you’re so far behind in writing them!) and we ventured to Library Park and a few other places to show her some of our favorite play spots in Powell. 
This boy. He is all sports all the time. Football is probably his favorite all time if you ask him. He is always throwing the ball to himself and catching it, play calling the entire time. Teams are playing each other and he gives us regular updates on what the score is, who the teams are, and who is winning (or won). He’s imaginative and energetic. And he sweats. A lot. His red face is after soccer one night. It was a warm one and they were doing tons of running and speed work/races for fun. There is a video below you can watch. I took several but only posted one. Griffin was on fire this day. He came in first nearly every time. At the end of practice we go out onto the “field” and Reid runs around and kicks the ball. His coach, Steve, who is also the owner and former Ivy League Coach told me that Griffin has great athleticism. He was very kind in giving many compliments about Finn and said to just continue letting him have fun and not worry about competition and skill work at this age. He said with his athletic ability he is going to do great and just keep it fun for now. That’s what I love about Locker Soccer, they have a great philosophy about kids. 
And we’re still working on puzzles here. Finn has put this one together and taken it apart numerous times and he’s also done the doggy one that he’s had for years but never really played with until now. 
At school Griffin is learning about “Lips the Fish” which helps remind the kids to look at the pictures and use your LIPS (and tongue) to help pronounce the words. This week they used water colors to do some painting at school. 
What’s cuter than a sleeping baby? Especially when you’re up in the middle of the night, not able to sleep yourself? And of course Brutus. This bed we got a long time ago for both of them, but honestly, Brutus is the only one that uses it! Lily prefers the hard floors, carpet, or small area of our bathroom closet the best. 
And here are several videos from the week: dancing, football at the beach, scooters, and a fun one google put together and actually used many of the photos I put here!
The pups don’t get in as many photos as they did before Griffin and Reid. These two really get along pretty well. Brutus is the one to go up to Lily and snuggle. He’s also typically the antagonistic one who tries to get Lily to play, but not always. Lily gets sassy with him every now and again and plays keep away with their nylabones. They are fun to watch together.
This boy chased a squirrel or something and then just sat perched like this forever and wouldn’t listen to me as I called him inside. It was really kind of cute. He was just sitting there waiting and observing. 
Griffin continues to have fun at his weekly soccer lesson. He has two coaches this session, Steve Locker (the founder and owner who has collegiate coaching experience and Ivy League titles) and coach Kyle. It’s a smaller class with only 9 kiddos so that also makes it fun. 
Griffin is learning sight words at school this year and is getting so good at reading the artwork in his room of Family Rules. 
Daddy has been home a couple times in the afternoon to get Finn off the bus. This particular day he took Reid out while they waited and they kicked around the soccer ball. This reminds us both of when Griffin was about a year old and walked around our back yard dribbling the soccer ball. Reid’s not quite there yet, but he does like kicking it! We started and finished our donut puzzle pretty quickly this week also. 
On Friday evening we headed to the annual St. Joan of Arc Festival just down the road in Powell. We were suckers, of course, for all the cheesy carnival games and came home with various plastic swords and footballs. Griffin also rode several rides and I tagged along on the fast circular coaster and Kevin rode the fast twister with Finn. 
Hannah, our new short-term nanny started on Monday. She is the summer nanny of my friend Kim, and the sister of Kim’s long-time nanny Lindsay. This is a win-win for both of us as we needed someone, her job with Kim was ending as summer is over, and she is in a transition period with her college/career situation. She was scheduled off on Wednesday and Thursday this week while she worked her last days at Starbucks so Jim and Pat graciously came and watched the boys for us again. The kids had a fun time and we’re thankful for their help, of course!
I love in the mornings after Griffin gets on the bus and it continues down our street that after they go around the turnaround and come back I can always see Griffin peering out the window as they turn up Southfork :). Do you see him?
On Saturday we attended the Grace Marriage program at church from morning to early afternoon and then returned home to regroup and then onward to Ten Pin Alley in Hilliard to celebrate Rowan’s 7th birthday. There was laser tag, arcade games, pizza, and cake!
And here are a couple from Sunday morning in the nursery where Kevin and I volunteered in the giraffe room. Griffin has moved up to children’s worship which meets in the other wing of the church, but he loves to help us when we serve in the nursery. He actually has been staying with us during the service for awhile and coloring with all of the things he’s brought in his coloring bag. 
We had our first Landscape Professionals Educational Day at Millcreek this week too. We had 4 different seminars, tours of the nursery, breakfast and lunch as we continue to build our base of landscape clients. 
And then Facebook and Google show me these photos from years past and it gives me all the tears! Look at our sweet baby – I remember the day this photo was taken. And the next photo when he was such a big boy as he began sitting in a high chair. Whew, now he’s riding a bus!
We began the week on Monday with his Elementary Open House. Upon arriving at school we found his classroom and got to check out his new space. We found his name on the table he would be sitting at and met a couple of his new classmates (Mason and Jackson). We found his school supply kit (I did the convenient pre-order through the PTO) and unpacked all of his supplies into the various bins and organizers. We spent some time walking around his room and finding where he puts his folder each day, his book bag and coat, lunch bag, and so on. We were in his room for a long enough time that we barely had time to find where the bus arrives and how he gets to his classroom from the bus drop off! Five o-clock came quickly and we had to rush out of there to get home and changed in order to get to swim lessons! Sadly, we missed the popsicles on the playground – so instead we had a sweet treat at home later that night. 
On Tuesday night, the eve of Kindergarten, I created Finn’s yearly first day of school sign. Nothing spectacular, but a sign to record all the details of the year :). 
We surprised Finn with a scrumptious breakfast for his first day. Daddy made Tiger paw pancakes and Griffin had the biggest one!
We headed out a bit early before the bus to get our annual first day of school photos. Jim and Pat spent the night as they’d been helping with the kids the past couple days so thankfully they were able to take some family photos. Griffin looks so excited and SO grown up. I still just can’t believe it. 
Our driveway has always been the bus stop for elementary, middle, and high school bus runs. We love it! Cooper, Cole, and Abbie got to hang out for a short bit and we snapped some group photos of all the kiddos. Seems hard to believe these kids have been best pals for the last 3 years. They have assigned seats on the bus and Griffin and Cole sit right behind the bus driver, Mrs. B, whom by the way seems awesome! Getting on the bus we tried to get Griffin’s attention but he was so intent and focused he didn’t even turn around! I snapped a pic once he got on his seat – he had a rather unsure look on his face. But by the time the bus went down the street and came back through to leave the neighborhood we could see a slightly happier face through the window (at least for Cole, who was sticking his tongue out!).
Kevin ran an errand after the bus left and swung by the school so he capture the first day of school sign 🙂 We were both able to be home to get him off the bus – and he was SO EXCITED! He got off the bus and was so happy to see Reid and tell us that he loved school! We went inside and he scarfed down a snack of pretzels with nutella and his celebratory School Bus cookie. He brought home some coloring pages, artwork, and a booklet about his first day of school – where he chose the “excited” emotion to express how he felt about his first day. We figured since it was early and we were all home we’d go out to Griffin’s favorite place to celebrate his milestone day so off to Rooster’s we went. 
Since we are in between caregivers again, we’ve been enlisting the help of both of our parents, which we are super thankful for! On Friday, Grandma and Grandpa Beilstein arrived in time to spend a short bit with us in the morning before Griffin got on the bus. He was excited that he got to see both sets of grandparents this week and that everyone got to see him get on the bus. 
Here are a couple of pictures Mom texted to me from their day home with Reid. It is SO quiet during the day with just Reid around. He babbles some but isn’t yet talking, and when he’s taking a nap it’s super peaceful around here! And a bit strange. 
And before long it was the end of day 2 of Kindergarten! Since Reid has just begun walking he enjoys having reign outside while we all wait for Griffin to arrive. 
I snapped this shot off Facebook which details the enrollment for Olentangy for the 2018-2019 school year. It will be fun to see how this compares to when Griffin is in High School (which is currently the largest high school in the district, by enrollment – Liberty). 
I was so happy to receive an email from Griffin’s teach which was sent to all parents. It detailed things about the first day of school and included photos! How neat to see Griffin in his classroom with his classmates. 
There’s never a dull moment around here and the second day of school is no different. Once Griffin got home we did a fast change into our wedding reception duds and headed downtown with Griffin for Lisa and Brian’s wedding reception party. We left Reid at home with Cameron so he could enjoy sleep and we all could enjoy a more pleasant evening not chasing him everywhere! Griffin had so much fun dancing and hanging with the kids. It was a really fun reception with a live band, lots of dancing, drinks, and fun with several of our neighbors. Oh, and the succulents in the flowers came from Millcreek. Fred’s wife’s company, Madison House Designs, did their flower arrangements. The food was tasty and I love that Griffin devoured his salad. 
On Saturday, Griffin and Kevin joined Lisa, Brian, Cole, Cooper, Bill, and Tammy (Brian’s parents) for some fun at Pins Mechanical in Dublin for a couple hours. Reid and I joined them later and then our family headed for pizza at Tommy’s in Dublin. 
These kids. They play together all the time when the boys are at Brian and Lisa’s. This night I went outside and they are all suited up in play outfits running like crazy from each other on separate teams playing spy. 
We purchased our first family puzzle and put it together pretty quickly! We’ve begun to enjoy sitting down together at the table and putting them together. Griffin is really quick at finding matches!
