Getting into the Swing of this New Life

We are two days into our second week of school and I am happy to report that we have all survived.   I wasn't expecting it to be so exhausting, but by Saturday we were all four so drained that we spent all day at home for some much needed decompression.   I think starting kindergarten and preschool is an adjustment for all families, but since we are also combining it with new church, new neighbors, new job, new everything.........it can be a little overstimulating to say the least.    Having said that, we are still LOVING our life here.   We feel so grateful everyday for the connections we have already made and the fun we know is ahead.    Sarah Avery loves her preschool and asks to go everyday.   Susannah is still loving kindergarten and has already started putting sight words around the house.   Here are the pictures of our last two weeks.  

SA was so excited about having her own sign and photo session on her first day.   

She was super brave and never seemed nervous.   Just really excited.

And super proud of herself.  ;)

Her sweet little cubby.    They each had a little certificate in there after completing their first day and SA was so proud of it, she slept with it that night.   And showed it to all of her stuffed animals.   

We have spent lots of time at the different parks in the area.  

And when the girls get tired of walking, they just catch a ride with Daddy.

We have also made several visits to Dairy Godmother, the homemade custard shop that is so popular, the President has even eaten there.

The girls have been begging for these princess wands and they earned them after successful first weeks at school.

Last Thursday the PTA hosted their annual back to school ice cream social.   Free ice cream, a mariachi band, hundreds of kids running around past their bedtimes??   I can't think of anything more fun on a school night.   ;)

Susannah played with SA until she ran into some of her friends, so SA felt like such a big girl.

We took these pics the day before SA's second day of school.   

She was excited to go back.

So big!

Mommy and Daddy were equally excited to have a free morning together.  

These girls and I have been taking Meadow for after dinner walks now that the weather has cooled off slightly.   Its a perfect way to wind down before bath-time.   

Speaking of walking, this is what SA and I did this morning.   Met some other moms and kiddos and walked around a great nearby park.   It is still pretty humid, but you can feel a touch of fall in the breeze and I am so ready!!

And that sums up the Mallory Family's last two weeks.   We hope that all of you are enjoying your September!    Love from Virginia!

Susannah's First Day of School

Summer is officially over and our new life in northern Virginia is in full swing.  Susannah had an awesome first day of school yesterday.    She loves her teacher and her classroom and we are so happy for her.   This morning, as we watched her walk into the front doors of the school with her little backpack on her back and her stride full of eager confidence, I was struck again by how courageous our little first born is.   As for our second born, she is pretty brave too and had a great morning at her new preschool's meet the teacher day.   She will start her little two day a week program on Friday.   Here are the pictures from our last week of summer and the start of school.    

The pizza place in our neighborhood decorates their walls with pizza box artwork, so Susannah and I worked on this little masterpiece during SA's naptime.    It now hangs proudly behind the restaurant bar where we can see it every Friday night for family dinner out.

The girls still love having Meadow around and their intense affection for her hasn't tempered in the least.   They make her pictures like these on a regular basis.

We've been finding some ladybugs in the yard. 

They delight the Mallory girls to no end.

We spent our last week of summer pumping Susannah full of antibiotics because she had an infected mosquito bite.   

When the antibiotic that the urgent care clinic gave us didn't work, we ended up in the emergency room.   Happy to report that she is now infection free.   And we now generously apply deet before leaving leaving the house in the afternoons..  

Reward for good behavior at the doctor and pharmacy?   Frozen yogurt of course!

The girls love having a space for painting and crafting.   Another reason we are so grateful for our new house.
 

We had dinner with some new neighborhood friends who also had a Daddy out of town.   After dinner we let the girls run around outside the little pet store across the street.   They have all these huge stuffed animals that they loved.   

The next day, the same little friend came over for a play-date.   

She and Susannah put on quite a fashion show.   Meadow was happy to be included.  

The girls have discovered these little  carts at our new grocery store.   They love being big girl helpers.   And SA loves ramming her cart into our ankles.   ;)

In other news, Daddy is finished with his class and home with us for good!!  Wahoo!   So he was able to go Susannah's meet the teacher day with us.   The weather has been beautiful and not too hot so it was the perfect time for a game of tag.   

Meet the teacher was lots of fun.   Susannah's classroom is beautiful and even has a fireplace! 

We enjoyed our long weekend with nice weather in the backyard.

Meadow got lots of snuggles.  

And Susannah perfected riding her bike on the sidewalks around the neighborhood.

We found another great park nearby that has this walking track perfect for bike practice.

Our across the street neighbor is a sweet high school girl who offered to babysit so Peter and I spent our 12th anniversary in Old Town Alexandria with drinks and dinner.   It was such a fun night.   12 years ago, I would have never been able to believe the crazy adventure we have traveled together.   It's been unpredictable, beautiful and challenging.   But thanks to this guy, no matter the circumstances, it has always been full of laughs and love and my grateful heart can't wait to see what the next 12 will bring.    

Monday was full of back to school preparations.   Susannah had her outfit carefully prepared. 

And we had the jitter glitter under our pillows.

A labor day dinner of burgers was the perfect back to school meal.

And we made an art wall in the playroom so we would be ready to display all the new schoolwork.

6:45 am came pretty early Tuesday morning but these girls popped right up.   Susannah declared, "It's kindergarten day!" as she climbed out of her bunk bed.

Sarah Avery wanted to wear her back pack too.   And be in all the pictures. 

Susannah didn't seem the least bit nervous.   Only excited.

And so grown up.

I was thankful for sunglasses  because they hid my teary eyes. 

It was a beautiful morning and my heart was full.   Thankful.   So incredibly thankful.   

This was the only day we were allowed to walk her to her classroom.   She was so ready to get started and has had a great first three days.   

And that was our last week of summer.   We hope all of you are having happy back to school seasons!  Love from Virginia!