1 Year Ago Today...

 We saw this face. (And if you want to recall the story, or read it for the first time click here)

 

And today we have this face

 And this one...

We love you Mamie Joy Zhuo Kown!

Ahhh Fall

We took an amazing little outing with friends this past Saturday. A simple hike turned into a little more "complex" hike. But great fun was had by all.

The boys climbed.

 And squeezed (through little tiny cracks that I could only dream of squeezing though)

 I carried. Although I needed that... I'm doing the Muckus Ruckus mud run for MS in a few weeks and am surely not in the shape I need to be for it.

Got wet in the creek.

Herded like cats. This was a touch of the "complex" part of the hike.

AND had a family photo that isn't half bad! And if you could see Elliott's face, this picture would become our Christmas card simply because we are almost all looking and smiling. Who cares that our clothes are 3 years old and no one has a hair cut. Or even clean hair? Or that Charles is carrying Maxwell's school backpack. Maybe I'll just photoshop a new Elliott head? And title it "from our rugged home to yours"

First Days

Schools back! Not that I was counting the days... but yes I was.

 

And "big school" has begun! I jokingly said, I want to keep Maxwell home and ship the other 2 to big school. He's the easy one! But alas, off he went. To a Christian school located at our church (given the uniform... ONE OF THE BIGGEST HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SCHOOL!). The first few days, we missed him terribly. And I would just stand at the door waiting for him to get home, ha! But now we have adjusted and alls well in the land of big school. Now if only pre-school started at the same time.

 

So we waited and we waited for Labor Day. Because what followed is the start of pre-school!! I was super concerned about sending Mamie. How would we handle it? Would she flip out? I should have known... all I needed to do was give her the schoolbag and she was off. That girl loves a good bag. Soo very proud!

And then I took her bag away. Bad move.

And Elliott just wasn't up for a picture.

Or for holding his bag.

But you give him a General Grievous Star Wars Nerf Gun and he's all smiles.

Mamie in 2K! We had "practiced" going to her classroom and playing with her teacher before school started. A HUGE help!

And Elliott in 3K! Although he was convinced he was going into 1st grade. Because Maxwell told him he was.

And there you have it. Where is the cute pic of all of them together? Yeah, that didn't happen. I'm just happy to have a picture of any given child smiling. And getting to school on time. Happy School Year!

Looking Back: The County Fair

Well we finally have our computer back! So I've just uploaded our end of summer pics. Although you would think this post would be about the start of school, I'm gonna back it up a few weeks. To one of the highlights of our summer! (Well all but Elliott's highlights anyways...)
Each year Williamson County has this great (ie: safe and clean) county fair. We always try to get to Nashville for it and it never works, but this year we finally made it! All 3 kids, plus 2 parents, 1 grandparent, and 1 very very obliging friend. Probably still not enough adults for what is really required of you. But almost everyone had a ball, spent a lot of money (thanks BecBec!), ate a lot of food, and came home with lots of toys we really never could have lived with out.
Before I give you the blow by blow, here's a little back story.  You see our precious little Elliott has had a rough summer, losing his spot as the family baby, gaining, of all things, a sister! (who also happens to be very close in age), no routine, being 3, etc... It's been a tough go. These pictures can give you some highlights of our summer with him. But we are working hard, giving lots of love and attention, and he is doing MUCH better. Come to think of it, this day could have been the pinnacle of his mourning, because I don't much remember behavior like this since!
So back to the fair...

 The Ferris Wheel- Maxwell loved it! Elliott was about 2 inches too short to ride. Thus the beginning of the end for him.

 Almost happy riding the cute little train

 Everyone's first corndog! (nope, not normal Kown food)

 Oh the corndog

 Maxwell used to love machinery. So this combine harvester pic was a must. (i still remember what it's called- it was a true love)

 The swings were Maxwell's highlight! (again, Elliott, too short)

 

 And some more food...

 And everyone won a toy!

 Just not the right toy...

 

  Too much fun (and food) for one day

And all's well that ends well... until you drop your blue sword on the hot pavement and pop it

Birthday Extravanga

Weellll... It's 2 weeks later but I'm back! In my defense our computer crashed and has been at the shop. And not in my defense, I was too lazy to download the pictures to our iPad. But after multiple requests for birthday pictures and party stories, here goes...

Birthday 1:
Maxwell turns 6!! Star Wars. That's it. It's all about Star Wars.

Sorry for the blurry pic? But behind that "bookcase is a monster slide that takes you into..."

...Jedi Master Training!

And so the girls weren't left out- a few little fairies. Which of course the boys asked why they weren't Princess Leia

 

Birthday 2:
Mamie turns 2! And it was pink. All pink. From her outfit to the hot pink icing that melted in the sun. Oops. Big lesson learned.

Looking ready for her big day. In reality she had no clue this was all for her.

But strangely enough she knew exactly how to blow out the candle?

Oh my the pink icing

Even the boys had fun! (in their pink)

Birthday 3:
Charles is 35!! Not quite the same ring as 6 or 2 is it?
But we celebrated nonetheless... And apparently the theme was green?

What looks like a shamrock cake is really a golf green. With clubs and shoes.

 



Not looking too shabby after 3 birthdays in 2 weeks?
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