Elsie's best bud

 One of my closest friends had a little girl weeks before I had Elsie.  She talks about Elsie and visited the tree with Blane and I.  There were three of us pregnant at the same time, all with girls (me not knowing it was a girl).  Unfortunately the other mom lost her baby a day after birth also and so Xyla lost two of her best friends.  

But she loves baby Blane!

Labor Day

Today is the last day the pool is open for and we spent a good few hours there enjoying the last fleeting moments of summer. The record board had been updated and now has Landon and his teammates with a new time for 8 & Under 100 Free Rely. We had to take a commemorative photo.

End of Summer

 I remember when VV closed each summer feeling a little let down and sad summer was ending.  We  are starting to have that same feeling as summer comes to a close.  Here are two pics of some of our final visits.  Above, Ads with his buddy from school I took one afternoon.  Below was the last morning of masters practice for me.  I met lots of people I probably wouldn't have known and enjoyed the early morning, kick my butt practices.

Picnic

 We had some friends over for dinner Friday night and these kids were so cute enjoying their picnic in the backyard.

And silly!

A Room with a View

 I had a Friends of Manual board retreat the other night at a condo in the Four Seasons residences.  It was a beautiful home on the 34th floor with a 400 sq ft balcony, eye level with this crane.    It was a beautiful view until this thing came whipping around and looked like it was just going to smash into the building (obviously it didn't and was probably further away than it looked).  

Tri More

A few more photos from the big guys' first triathlon.  Blane fell asleep in my arms right as Adler's race started so, unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of Adler competing.

First Triathlon!

 I signed the boys up for a triathlon the day it opened, knowing it would sell out right away and never having asked the boys if they'd like to do it.    A few days later I just told them that's what we were going to do and there was no arguing!  I was shocked, but very happy.  They did swim team all summer so were in pretty good swimming shape and we did 3-4 bike rides and 1 run.  I wasn't sure how it would go, but they both finished!

 Just like in an adult tri, they got body marked with their numbers.

 We ran into many friends at the race, this is a buddy in his class.

 Blane helped us get ready in the transition area.

 Landon is swimming in the second lane from the right and is the kid with his head down in the water.  

 Transitioning to the bike.

 The younger kids went later and they got to have an adult/parent in the transition area to help.  I didn't get to watch much of the race, but I did get to see him and help him with each transition.  Here he is finishing the swim.

 And finishing the bike.  He smiled the whole way!

 We saw him a few seconds before this and he looked pretty worn out, but once he turned the corner and saw us and the end, his smile reappeared and he finished strong!

Done!  So proud of these two guys.

Trubs and Chunks

 We have nicknamed Blane many things, but one is trubs.  This kid is into EVERYTHING.  I have pulled marbles, aluminum foil, rocks, sticks, coins and various other items out of his mouth.  I watch him constantly and yet he still manages to sneak things into his mouth.  

 To keep him out of trouble one day during occupational therapy, the boys piled up inner tubes and made him a cage.  He still managed to climb out of it.  

Pedis again :)

Adler started school a day after Landon so we had one extra special day together.  We had planned on going to the Inventing Room, but it's closed Mondays and Tuesdays.  His second choice was pedicures.

A Real Baby

 The big guys started tennis this week and so Blane and I tagged along.  My friends little girls were just finishing as we got there and as we were talking, her daughters had raided my cooler full of snacks and were feeding Blane.  They were so excited to have a real baby to feed!

Old Friends

 One of the neighbors that Brian grew up next door to organizes a family get together at our pool almost every summer.  This year all her kids were in town celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary!  Of course there are no pictures of the adults, but these pictures were really funny to take.  

Few more first day of school pics

 The school had this big "welcome to school" arch this year and so I snapped a picture of each kid in it on their first day.  Landon let me walk him to his class the first day (I told him it wasn't an option actually) but after that he has walked himself over to the 345 building.  Yesterday I turned around for a quick second and he ran off without saying goodbye.  I am so glad he's separating as he should, but its a strange change.

Adler had a great first day too, though he said it was too short (the K12 classes have half days the first week).  After Kindergarten, these kids are ready to be back full time.  

1st of 1st

Adler starts first grade today. (LT started yesterday - I assume the school mixes it up just so parents don't get complacent). I grabbed a couple of obligatory pictures of the big guys as they retuned from a PokeStop visit before leaving for school this morning. 

First day of third grade