What a week we’ve had! It’s going to be a bit of picture overload this week.
On Monday we enjoyed a lazy start to our holiday by reading books and lounging around for a bit in the morning. Finn loves to come in our room in the mornings and watch a “show” (aka Sesame Street or Dino Train). Later that day Our friends at New City Church were having a Labor Day picnic entitled NEW CITY SMOKE. Kevin ventured over late in the morning to check in with James as he was smoking all kinds of meats in a smoker that the church built. There was So. Much. Meat. Kevin ended up staying all afternoon and evening assisting James with the smoking shenanigans. There was chicken, sausage, brisket, and pork shoulder and people brought a million sides and desserts! They have a really fun setup for events and later that evening they showed the Ohio State versus Virginia Tech football game on the projector in their back yard. Finn and I joined Kevin early in the evening for a fun time of play and dinner. There was face painting, bouncy houses, and various balls that Finn had fun picking up and running with! 
On Wednesday Finn began his new adventures at preschool! He had a great first day. Kevin and I walked in to the building and showed him where to put his lunch bag in the bin outside of his classroom. Then we waited outside his room while they wrote his name on a sticker. Next thing we knew his teacher opened the door, he walked right in, and didn’t even look back! We honestly didn’t even give him a hug or say an official goodbye! His teacher, Amie, waved and winked at us and said “bye bye!” – and that was it! He did great. Pardon my brag moment, but I must say, it warmed my heart when I picked him up and as I told another teacher at the door who I was there to pick up she replied with “oh, he is so smart! I read a book with him today and he is a smart boy!”. She then asked me if he is 3 and I said no, he’s almost 2 1/2 she seemed kind of surprised. We’re certainly blessed with this little man.
I know it’s crazy, but I took a photo of his lunch and let me tell you, every last bit of what was in his yumbox was eaten other than one slice of apple and he hadn’t eaten part of his melon and cucumber in his other container. He ate two pepperoni and cheese sandwiches, 4 crackers, bunny graham crackers, 2 dried, apricots, chocolate covered raisins, and 2 apple slices. However, as soon as we got in the car and saw that we opened his lunch box (to see what he’d eaten) he proceeded to ask for his melon/cucumber and ate the rest of it in the car! Once we started driving he asked where we were going and when I told him we were going home he replied that he didn’t want to go home. I asked where he would rather go and he said “the ice teem place”. Sure enough, we made a stop at Graeters on our way home and he ate that too!
And then Finn saw his shadow so he pointed to it in the parking lot 🙂
Greta and Rowan started school on Wednesday too! Finn and Greta will be in the same class together 🙂
When we picked Finn up we peeked through the window in the door and saw him sitting next to Greta listening to Miss Amie read a book! He was so excited when he saw us he ran up to the door to leave. 
Saturday was a fun play day for me and Finn and a busy workday for dad and Grandpa! Here is part 2 of picture overload. Finn was having so much fun hitting the baseball and “running the bases” that I just kept snapping pics. He crouches down into a squatty position and runs as fast as he can all while making this silly face scrunching his nose. It was a fun afternoon of driving his car, blowing bubbles, and playing baseball. 
No worries, this is Finn sliding into the base (not falling, he actually gently lands on the ground!). This kid cracks us up. We haven’t taught him to do that – I think it’s just from going to the Clippers games!
Can you find the ball?
And a couple of the outdoors on this lovely day. 
And here is a before and after of Kevin’s busy workday! He and his dad put up the new single garage door on Saturday, and Kevin put up the double door on Sunday with some help from Chris and our neighbor Brian. It looks super nice and we are glad to have nice new doors 🙂
Sunday after church Jaime treated me to a lovely girls day that began with a tasty lunch at The Rusty Bucket followed by a manicure, pedicure, and a massage! It was a lovely day of pampering and catching up. She also gave me the lovely gift from her and my college friends Kim and Amy. It is a remembrance necklace that they had made for me from the flower arrangement my parents gave us for Nathan’s memorial service. It has a white bead that represents Nathan’s life in Heaven and one red bead on each side, which represent me and Kevin. It is a special gift and I’m so thankful for such good friends. 
And this one is super cute. Finn has been picking out his outfits lately and Saturday afternoon we were in his room and he said he couldn’t reach his shirt. I asked him which one he wanted and he said the “doggy” one, which actually is an OU Bobcat shirt that has pawprints down the arm. Super cute!
