FALL

We said farewell to Summer with a fun "Back to School" party

 and fashion show at our friends house.

Julie had the cutest decor and fun set up for the kids to show off their new school clothes.

First Day of School! 

There were a lot of firsts on this day! 

First day at a new school (I wrote about the super hard decision to change schools here)

First day for Katie to be totally independent (with out the help of the school nurse).

First time being the only wheelchair user at the school.

First time all being at the same school together (which is SO fun)! 

First day of elementary school for Carter!

First time being able to walk (or ride) to school....

Thankfully, even though it was a new school, because of church and sports, everyone knew at least three or four kids in their class, so that made the change a little easier. 

It is still hard to believe that Carter is in elementary school now! Thankfully it is only half day and so he is home in the afternoons with me. 

He transitioned really well to school. It helped that he has a fabulous teacher who makes learning fun and exciting! Carter is trying really hard in school and with the help of us, a tutor and his great teacher, things are starting to "click" better. 

Katie had a bit of a rough start because the first day there was a lot of questions and looks regarding her chair, but that afternoon we had a really good talk about how to handle it a little easier and the next day was much better (picture taken on day two). As the year has gone on, she has transitioned really well and is enjoying fifth grade very much! This year Katie has fallen in love with reading, especially the classics. She qualified to test for gate for middle school next year and just took the test. Soon, we will be taking a tour of middle school which is so crazy to think that is happening next fall!!!

Ella LOVES her teacher and class so much. Her teacher is a perfect fit for her and has helped Ella to really shine this year. Her teacher sees Ella's potential and encourages her strengths. Ella is thriving in school this year and we are so proud of her and her good grades!  

The principal of our new school is really fun. He was good to learn the kids names and always takes time to talk to them individually. On this particular day we were trying to find a better desk for Katie, when all of a sudden, he challenged Carter to an arm wrestle! Carter was in heaven!! 

Out Celebrating a great first start to the school year! 

 In other Fall news...

 We spent an evening with Kyle Ahlstrom who is an amazing videographer and he took footage to make a video about Katie's story and book. The video can be seen on the website here.

Labor Day shenanigans spent at the Fernely's! It was such a fun day spent with fun friends!

This was more in the Summertime but it was such a fun date, I wanted to document it. 

We spent the evening at the OC fair where we ate too much fair food, rode rides, met up with friends and raced down the huge slide...

winning!

Then, we walked over to the amphitheater, where we saw Weezer! Seriously funnest concert of my life!

It was so much fun singing the songs that we have sang in the car together forever! 

We were like wild teenagers screaming every time one of our favorites was played! 

Weezer puts on such a fun show! 

Another highlight was when my brother Steve baptized his then girlfriend (now wife) Grace. It was such a special evening. So happy for Steve and Grace and their little family!

It just so happened that Jerry was in town on my Birthday Eve, which made for a great start to a great Birthday! We have seen Jerry once before and about died laughing, so we were excited that he was coming closer to home, so we could see him again! I loved laughing with this fun group until our stomachs hurt! 

My Birthday was on a Friday and Bryant took the day off work so we could celebrate. We dropped the kids off at school and then headed down to Seal Beach to one of our favorite breakfast spots. While we were eating, we got a phone call from my Grandma that she needed some help with her phone, so after we ate, we headed over to her house...

 

... where we spent the rest of the morning. It was such a treat!

It made for a fabulous Birthday spent with two of my very favorite people. These two adore each other, and they get to cracking up so hard. It makes me so happy that Bryant adores my Grandma just as much as I always have. 

A few days later, my sweet friends took me out to breakfast for my Birthday, back at our favorite breakfast spot, Blackboard Bistro! So blessed with such sweet friends!!

This was a fun day. Bryant and his Dad and brothers (minus one who lives far away) took their sons out mini golfing and decided it would be an annual tradition. While the boys were off on a boys day, the girls and I went to my Grandma's where we had dinner with her, my mom and Penny. 

Goldie trying out the new skateboard Bryant got me for my birthday! We sure love our Goldie Girl! 

Carter trying to learn how to tie a tie, and skateboard at the same time. 

This was a fun memory I wanted to document. We were at Spina Bifida Clinic at CHOC and when one of Katie's doctors saw how well she was doing, he was so happy at her recovery, he pulled out his wallet and gave her FIFTY dollars and said "take your family out to dinner to celebrate!" Katie about died and I did too! Obviously, I let her save the money (she is a saver and so deserved ever penny for how brave she was last year) and cherishes that fifty dollar bill given to her by her favorite surgeon ever! 

Just melting my heart on a daily basis. that's all.

Carter went to such a cute birthday party for one of his friends in his primary class. It was dinosaur themed. they played the cutest games, including going on a dinosaur egg hunt! Carter loved every second of it! 

I am still primary chorister (I am still in shock I lasted a year, still not knowing how to lead music and still tone deaf) and I have grown to really love it! Ella enjoys helping me get my activities set up. Fishing is an oldie but goodie that the kids get a kick out of! I really love being in primary with my kids. 

Katie was asked by Miles to be a guest speaker in one of his Sports Management Masters program classes. She shared her experiences about being in wheelchair sports. The class asked her a lot of questions and she did really well answering them all on her own. It was really fun for her to help Miles out and to be the guest speaker! Later, Katie received a "thank you" note from one of the students in the class and in the note was a one hundred dollar donation to "So Cal Trykers", an organization that Katie has helped to raise money for and spoke about in class that helps children receive adaptive bikes. It was so special! 

During October, Katie had an opportunity to go to a handful of schools and read her new book "Katie Can Do and You Can Too!" She was thrilled that one of the first schools she spoke to, was one of her best friends! It was really special! 

A few weeks into school, Carter got on a tie kick. He wanted to wear a tie every day to school. It was cute while it lasted. 

 

My babies. 

I love them so.

Giving High Fives and cheering on the hand cycles and wheelchair racers at the Marathon!

Saying farewell to our favorite Missionary Rylee! 

Carter had his heart set on being a camouflaged bush for Halloween... but then come Halloween, he did not want to wear the costume (too heavy and collected all the leaves on the ground)! It was pretty hysterical while it lasted. Picture one, in the costume store. Picture two, in our backyard against the ivy wall! 

 

A little lunch with my sister and Mom at our favorite place, Shenandoah

We got "Booed" with the cutest treat! It was so fun and the kids LOVED it! 

Katie was asked to speak at Rancho Los Amigos Rehab hospital. She spoke on the benefits of Wheelchair sports. She was very surprised that she was there not only to speak, but to be given an award as well! She was so excited! She got to miss school for the event as well as eat a fancy lunch with the women of Los Floristas (who help raise funds for the hospital)!  

Her coach, Rick also shared with everyone about Katie's book and after the presentation, so many of the guests surrounded Katie and asked for a copy of the book. Thankfully, we had a handful in the car. She sold out! It was really special for her! 

Ella has been blessed with the nicest soccer coaches for the past two seasons, which has helped her to love the sport even more! She has missed not playing and is looking forward to playing again in the spring!

With my favorite pink Ninja! 

At another local school where Katie spoke to the cutest group of first graders! 

The girls spent the afternoon with Grandma, so Carter and I had a fun afternoon just the two of us. We baked, made Halloween crafts, decorated our front tree with ghosts and ate our yummy treat! 

 

Pa's Pumpkin Patch 

we met up with my family there for a fun evening out!

He is a foot taller than me and one of my favorite things about him, is that when not in work clothes, he is in his swim trunks! 

Carter and Bryant in this picture!!!!

The Fall was filled with so many special memories that I wanted to make sure to document with even more to be blogged (hopefully soon)! So thankful for my little family and the special opportunities and experiences we have been blessed to have recently. They have become priceless memories.