A Ghostly Birthday

The evening started off casually enough with a friendly gathering to celebrate a friend's birthday. There were appetizers...

And tasty treats in the form of Birthday Cake shots!!! That's what you call festive!

Around sunset, things got a little strange. A hearse arrived to chauffeur us around the city. This wasn't your average sight-seeing tour though.

No, this was a ghost tour of the nation's oldest city! Oh yeah, we were in trouble!

First stop, a National Cemetery and mass grave. The cemetery itself isn't creepy. It's quite beautiful, actually, and small in size. The cemetery covers approximately 1.5 acres, and you can't miss the three pyramids that line one side. Those pyramids mark the mass grave of 1468 unknown soldiers that died fighting the Seminoles.

I won't spill all the secrets & stories from the evening because honestly it was such a great experience, you really should consider taking the tour yourself. In fact, I must remember this adventure as a potential outing for any future guests that are brave enough to accept the invitation! Oh, and did I mention that the guide includes several pub stops along the way? Definitely a good time & a very happy birthday!!!

A Three Hour Tour

Labor Day should NOT involve labor!

While a little uncertain at first, Grant seemed to enjoy our day on the water.

He wasn't afraid of the water at all, but at times, he was seemed unsettled by the speed of the boat.

Proof it wasn't that traumatic! The rocking motion of the boat proved to be quite soothing once the adrenaline rush wore off.

A Whole New World

Here it is! Our brand spanking new neighborhood elementary school! Jaxon is SOOOOOOO lucky!!! During construction, the neighborhood was buzzing with talk of what features and technology the new school would showcase. The school district decided to embrace Green Building Standards, and the school has state-of-the-art technology. As we took our tour at the grand opening ceremony, I was stunned & I do mean stunned by how nice the school is. It could easily pass for a college campus!

Jaxon and I listened as our guide pointed out eco-friendly features like the reflective roof that would help keep cooling costs at a minimum and the cooling system that works by forcing air over a massive block of ice. The cool air is then circulated throughout the school. AMAZING!

The school has several collection ponds incorporated into the landscaping that will be used to water the organic and hydroponic gardens. The gardens will be planted and maintained by the students, and any produce they yield will be served in the cafeteria. Ok, I'm impressed!

The media specialists are still labeling and categorizing the library materials. Their workload was dramatically reduced thanks to the absence of textbooks. That's right, the students don't have textbooks. Instead, the students will use iPads. Yes, you read that correctly! Each student will be issued an iPad for the school year. This will dramatically reduce paper & textbook expenses. Jaxon whole-heartedly approves of this decision!

Speaking of technology, the media center features a TV studio where the students will produce programs and broadcast morning news reports in place of boring old PA announcements.

The Art Studio is stocked with creative materials and even has a kiln for firing pottery! I'm hoping Jaxon (and eventually his 2 brothers) will create some true masterpieces!

The school is divided into pods for each grade level. Every pod has a multi-purpose common  space complete with community kitchen and computer stations. Smart screen technology was also incorporated. I'm telling you, I felt like I was touring a new community college not an elementary school!

In addition to the usual art, music, and PE classes, the students will have weekly classes in the LEGO Lab where they'll learn engineering principles. I think that last tidbit was the only thing to rival the iPad news. Those are the two key bits of information that Jaxon remembered from the tour. I, on the other hand, left the campus feeling overwhelmed by the knowledge that was swirling around in my head. Anh & I both attended private & public school growing up, but none of our collective experiences can hold a candle to the educational opportunities being presented to our children. I can honestly say that the scope is completely lost of these extremely fortunate children that will be attending the new school. As parents, we get it and will be forever grateful!

Bottom & Top of the Totem Pole

It's that time of the year...BACK TO SCHOOL! Of course for some, it's a return to routine. For others, it's the start of a whole new adventure. Baylor was so excited to start VPK with his two teachers, Ms. Teresa & Ms. Laurie. He's the equivalent of a big, bad Senior this year!

Grant seemed a little nervous during his teacher meet & greet. I have no idea why. He'll be in excellent hands with Ms. Lisa, Ms. Dawn, & Ms. Peyton!

Check out the new backpack Grant will be sporting! He's got to carry his own gear: diapers, wipes, nap buddy!

It's hard not to laugh. He looks a bit like a turtle!

This year, the school adopted a uniform policy. Seems appropriate considering that it is a Catholic school. Baylor didn't seem to mind except for the shoes. He doesn't like the idea of all black tennis shoes because he insists they aren't "super fast." Apparently, flashy bright colors are required to be super fast. Oh well! All of the other kids will be hampered by the same slow black shoes. Surely, Baylor can manage.

Ok, this school picture is going to be pretty darn impossible to beat!

Looks like all the nerves are gone. It's going to be a GREAT year!!! Good luck, boys!!!

7 Months...Lucky #7

It's hard to be the baby...YEAH RIGHT!!! This kid runs the show! At 7 months, Grant has moved on to big boy activities like riding in shopping carts, holding his own bottles, and eating solid foods all while looking cute as can be!

On the Water

Summer fun isn't only for kids!

Reunion Revisited

With the Summer slipping away faster than any of us would like, it was thrilling to receive some pictures from our friends of the fun that kicked off the season. Our mini reunion with the medical school gang seems like so long ago, but it was only a few weeks ago. We've packed a lot into those weeks! Back to the photos, it's funny how a picture can transport you back to a moment in time and generate excitement about the future all at once. December will be here before we know it! This time, we'll be kicking off the holiday season with our gang!