Cheers to the Weekend, Hello First Grade Edition

Whelp. Our school year has officially started! And with it, alarm clocks, packed lunches, signed folders, and a quieter, lonelier (albeit more productive) home. Although Raleigh and Harrison won't go to school until after Labor Day, Banks began first grade on Monday and hasn't looked back! So. Here's what we're saying CHEERS to this week/end:

A great first week in first grade. Banks had an awesome week! We drove him to school on Monday morning, and I walked him in (although he asked to ride the bus on the first morning of school when he goes to second grade next year). Initially, a little piece of my heart broke when, as we started walking into the school, he shimmied his little hand out of mine. I stopped to talk to a friend for a moment and he kept walking. Siiiiiiigh. But then!!! Oh, but then, I saw him stopped, halfway down the hallway, looking for me. As I caught back up to him he grabbed tightly around my arm and then re-grabbed my hand. Heart mended! I know it won't always be this way, but for now, I will hold his hand every chance I get! Then, he walked straight into his class and was greeted with a big smile and a "Hi Banks!" from his new teacher. With that, the school year began. We are hoping for a great year!

Downtime with the little two. Raleigh, Harrison, and I have been taking it easy this week while at home, which has included plenty of outdoor play and picnics, reading, snuggling, etc. It has been a nice, slow introduction back into the early school schedule.

Gymnastics fun. Raleigh is really loving gymnastics so far and had another great class earlier this week. Then, we came home and practiced cartwheels and handstands in the back yard, with ol' Momma here even throwing a front handspring or two. Not sure I could whip the back handspring or tuck back out after so many years of retirement ;) but it sure is fun reliving the old days with my girl!

Tupperware success. Have I mentioned before a time or two how much I adore our village--the people who love us for all our faults, who are walking alongside us and doing this life thing together? Last Friday, a wonderful group of women gathered for an awesome evening of Tupperware partying, with proceeds going toward our adoption fundraising. Y'all. My dear friend Jenna outdid herself. There were all kinds of prizes and incentives (e.g., four floor seat tickets to the "I Love the 90s" concert--as in Color Me Bad, Vanilla Ice, Salt 'N Peppa, and more, coming together for 90s rad-ness). :) What's more, she had 38 boxes of donuts ready and waiting for each of us mommas to take home, so that breakfast would be easily served for our kiddos in the morning following our night of Tupperware shenanigans. 

Additionally, my amazing friend, Emily, launched a pre-sale of a gorgeous, brand new Reece Blaire bracelet we designed together, "The Luton." Emily and Kaitlyn, the owners of Reece Blaire, so kindly and selflessly offered to create the bracelet and have all proceeds go directly toward our adoption. I'll talk more about this gorgeous piece in a future post, but y'all, it brings tears to my eyes seeing how many people are rallying around us to help bring our girl home. I love you all with all my heart! 

 

Future Falcons. As of tonight, Banks is officially a "Future Falcon." The high school we are zoned for is located directly next to our neighborhood--it's where he took his football camp this summer. They have a program for kids who love football (umm...hello, Banks!) to basically become junior members of the Varsity team. They will be assigned a senior player for the season and will get a tshirt to wear with their player's number on the back. At all home games, they will get to run out of the tunnnel and onto the field with the players, even having their names announced over the loud speaker. Later in the season, they will get to play in a flag football. You could say Banks is just a leeeeeeeetle excited about it! So, tonight, we'll be heading to the Nation Ford High School football game. And here's an added bonus: they are playing MY old high school rival, the Irmo Yellow Jackets. Ha! It should be a fun family affair. :) 

And with that, TGIF! We will be spending a little time with Clay's brother and my sister "in law" this weekend while they are in town for business, heading to a birthday pool party on Sunday afternoon, and I'll have my first Sunday morning with my new little kiddo LifeGroup at church-hooray! Other than that, we are plan free and happy as can be. :) I hope you have a wonderful weekend!