Create.Simplify.Inspire. #34

Welcome back to week 34! I'm a little late posting this today, but as they say, better late than never. This week has simply been flying by and I've felt like I'm running behind a good 24 hours all week.

With that being said  I still love looking at all of the fabulous things you have created, and your amazing stories. (I always check and keep up with them on my phone!) If you are new and haven't linked up before, this is a page where we can share some of our favorite things we created, or things that inspire us. If you are a blogger, link up to your post. If you aren't a blogger you can also link up from your Instagram or other social media page that you share on. This is a weekly post for us all to share our inspirations. Thanks so much for helping me make this happen!

                                                                                 ~Melissa

 

Create.Simplify.Inspire. #34

  

<a href="http://www.willamettevalleywonderwoman.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/anikalene/Untitled-2.jpg" alt="Willamette Valley Wonder Woman" width="250" height="250" /></a>

The Day Has Come.

 

Six years ago I was thinking about Anika entering kindergarten in the fall, and wondering what I was going to do having those couple hours to myself everyday.

Then shortly after we were very surprised when we found out that we were expecting with Emma.

Well that changed the whole Kindergarten thing a bit.

Then we had Noah, and well, ten years later after my eldest was born, they are all now in some form of school. Anika is in 5th, Emma in Kindergarten, and Noah started Preschool this past Tuesday.

Its not exactly the break I thought it would be.

Anika leaves at 7:50 for band practice. Then I leave at 8:05 and walk Emma to class. Then Noah starts at 9:00. I then pick Emma up at 10:45, and Noah is done at 11:30. Anika finally heads home at 2:50.  I can't tell you how glad I am that we live just across a soccer field to the grade school.

Noah's is only three days a week though, so Mondays and Fridays its just the girls. I wished we offered full day Kindergarten here, because I think Emma is completely ready for it (what is up with a 2.5 hour class day anyways?) ...and next year it will be offered.

My luck.

So anyways, long story short, there is a period of time from 9:15-10:30 that I am kid free. Hardly enough time to accomplish things like shopping etc., but still, a little over an hour to myself. Its a little weird. I can't even imagine how different things will be in two years when they are all gone all day.

Life flies by.

I just had to share their first day of school pictures with you!

~Melissa

A Hike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A couple weeks ago my husband and I found ourselves with an afternoon kid-free (thanks dad!) and we took a little trip over to the coast where a friend told us of a short hike to a waterfall called Drift Creek Falls close to Lincoln City and Devil's Lake.

 

I haven't hiked much...and as long as they are fairly easy trails, I think I could get used to it. It took us about an hour total to go in and back, and it was pretty enjoyable. Sometimes just getting back into nature with no cell coverage for even an hour really helps clear your mind.

 

If you live in Oregon/ SW Washington are there any

trails you would recommend for beginners? We found a few more on our way home, but they were too long and we would have to schedule a day to do them.

 

~Melissa

 

Small Town Festivals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past weekend our town held its Annual Harvest Festival.

We've lived in the same small town for over 6 years now, and ever year I I'm here I think I love small towns more and more.

 

There's a sense of community.

 

 Togetherness.

 

 We all are neighbors. Even if I don't know your first name we still waive at each other while going down the road.

 

We celebrate together.

 

It was Anika's first time in a parade and she was representing our church's after school kid program. We all sat and cheered her on. They won two awards.

 

I like where I'm at in life. My kids are growing up knowing the same kids every year.

 

We walk to school.

 

This is exactly how I think my kids should be growing up.

 

~Melissa

 

 

Reflections.

Just some reflections from another busy week of transitions.

 

This photo was taken two days ago while I waited for Anika in an appointment. The beginning of September and yes, I was wearing a hat and coat with a high of 62 degrees. It poured that afternoon. But this upcoming week the forecast says it will be back up to the 80's, possibly 90's...what can I say? Gotta love Oregon.

 

The beginning of last week I slowly recovered from our summer BBQ that we held Labor Day weekend. You know how you get that adrenaline rush that keeps you going and then when its all over and all the company leaves that everything just hits you? That was me on Monday.

 

Anika started school this past Wednesday, and Emma started Thursday. I'm so pleased to see them both happy and excited to be back in school. I think that Anika has what could be the best teacher she has ever had (my fingers are crossed). You know, it goes a long way to have a teacher all ready to go the first day of class, calm, prepared, and introducing himself to students and parents and shaking hands, as opposed to running around in class like they don't know who they are or what is supposed to be happening.

 

First impressions mean oh-so-much.

 

He appears to have everything thought of and organized. His class is like a little town, and has its own currency, jobs (which you have to apply for and interview for) and you must pay rent on your seat and chair. He teaches the kids how to handle money, and they have to "clock in" every morning on some app that gets sent and logged into his Ipad. And all the 5th graders get in class Ipads as well.

 

And it gets more exciting.

 

Her teacher has a Blog.

 

She says, "Mom, he has a BLOG for our class. He updates it and we get to go online and check it...it's so cool."

 

I think we have another little blogger in the making :)

 

This year is going to be a fun-filled busy one. One daughter in her last year of Elementary school, the other in her first year; and my little Noah is now officially a preschooler. Anika is trying Band, and both the girls are starting soccer in a week.

 

I love fall.

 

~Melissa